As PC gaming and general computer work become more and more popular, people are customizing their setups with mice, keyboards, and more. These peripherals are used to cater to the individual person and their wants and needs.
One of the items with the most diversity in choices is the keyboard. Some people are fine with a standard membrane board, while others prefer the options that mechanical boards provide. For those who love mechanical boards, the next step is choosing the best type of switch to use. One of the more popular choices is quiet switches.
What are quiet switches?
Quiet switches are pretty much what they sound like; they don’t make much noise. In comparison, other mechanical switches are designed specifically to create different sounds while in use; these switches are made to be as quiet as possible.
Why would I want quiet switches?
Quiet switches are great in a number of use cases. If you’re someone who works in an office setting and loves mechanical boards, you may have to go with quiet switches to keep from annoying your coworkers every day.
Maybe instead, you’re a gamer who doesn’t want to disturb the whole house with loud clicking noises at all hours of the night. Whatever your reasoning, quiet switches are great when wanting to use a mechanical board while making as little noise as possible.
Can quiet switches be used in all mechanical keyboards?
No, not necessarily. You’ll first have to find out if your keyboard is hot-swappable. This refers to whether or not you’re able to change the switches on your board. If it’s not capable of that, then no, you can’t.
If it is, you’ll have to determine which type of switch connection method it uses. Some are standard 3 or 5-pin, while others can be specific to their brand. After that’s determined, then you can find the right quiet switch for your board.
Best Overall: Kailh Box Silent Keyboard Switches
Key Features:
- Packs of 70 or 90
- 3-pin style
- Bonus switch puller included
The Kailh box silent keyboard switches are the best overall pick for quiet switches. They look great and come in multiple different pack sizes. Depending on the size keyboard you have, you can choose between packs of 70 or 90 switches. This amount takes care of most of the popular keyboard sizes on the market today.
To connect these switches, you use a 3-pin connector. They are made to fit in any 3-pin hot-swap-enabled keyboard. Additionally, you won’t have to do any pin clipping to make them work. These switches are even designed to be transparent, allowing any RGB or other LED lighting to shine through easily.
To operate these switches, there is only a requirement of 45g of actuation force. 65g is the peak force, with a 60g bottom-out. They have a great tactile feel and minimal sound while traveling a maximum of 3.6mm.
These switches look great and sound exactly how you’d expect them to. They have a great tactile feel and plenty of pack sizes to choose from. This key set even comes with a free switch puller to make customizing that much easier. All of these features make them our pick for the best overall quiet switches out there.
Pros:
- Minimal sound with a tactile feel
- The design allows RGB to shine through
- Standard 3-pin connection
Cons:
- Some reviewers note they felt a bit dry out of the box and needed more lubrication
Best Linear Quiet Switches: DUROCK Silent Linear Switches
Key Features:
- Amount: 70, 90, and 110 packs available
- Pin Type: 5-pin connection
- 67g gold plated spring
The best quiet linear switches on the market are the DUROCK silent linear switches. They come in packs of 70, 90, and even 110. This makes them ideal for pretty much any keyboard size you may have and want to customize. The only boards that may have issues are standard-size boards with extra keys outside of the norm.
To connect to your board, these quiet switches use a 5-pin connector. This connector type is a fairly standard option, so compatibility won’t be too big of an issue. The body of each switch is a black-tinted transparent plastic material. This allows lighting to shine through but won’t be as clear as a completely transparent option.
The spring used in each switch is gold plated with 67g of bottom-out resistance. They have a total travel distance of 3.8mm but only need 2mm to operate. These are linear switches, so you won’t notice a tactile bump while typing. They even use patented silencing rings to help further mitigate any sounds from operating, ensuring you get a quiet typing experience.
If you’re someone who wants a quiet linear switch, then these are a solid choice. They are constructed with quality materials and have a ton of great design features. Multiple pack choices make it easy to use with pretty much any 5-pin hot-swap board you have. Best of all, each switch is rated to operate for 60 million operations.
Pros:
- Patented silent ring technology
- 5-pin connector
- 2mm operating distance
Cons:
- Some reviewers note issues with a small number of switches connecting to their board
Best Tactile Switches: DUROCK Silent T1 Tactile Switches
Key Features:
- 70 or 90 pack
- 5-pin connection
- Green transparent body
Another solid choice for quiet tactile switches are the DUROCK silent T1. These switches have a unique look and come in a variety of pack sizes. You can choose between a pack of 70 or 90. This makes them ideal for most boards smaller than the standard size.
To connect to your board, these switches feature a 5-pin connector. If you already have a board, make sure it works with this type. Otherwise, you can just purchase a board that fits the 5-pin style instead. Each switch uses a polymer nylon blend housing that is tinted a green translucent color, allowing light to shine through.
Each switch has a bottom-out weight of 67g due to a gold-plated spring. The total travel distance on these switches is 3.8mm, but to get them to register, you only need to press 2mm. These switches are also rated for 60 million presses before any issues arise.
In our opinion, the DUROCK silent T1 tactile switches are another great alternative if you’re looking for a quiet switch with a tactile feel. They have silencing ring technology to further reduce their sound. When paired with all their other great features, you get keyboard switches that are sure to perform well.
Pros:
- Multiple pack sizes
- 2mm operating distance
- Green-tinted translucent housing
Cons:
- Some reviewers note higher-than-normal failure rates for some switches in each pack
Best Budget Quiet Switches: GK GAMAKAY Silent Tactile Keyboard Switches
Key Features:
- 35 or 70 packs
- 3-pin connection
- 50g actuation force
If you’re looking for the best quiet switches on a budget, then the GK GAMAKAY silent tactile keyboard switches are the ones for you. They are available in packs of either 35 or 70. This is a great range of sizes, perfect for compact to mid-size keyboards. Best of all, you can mix and match them to get up to the larger-sized keyboards without breaking the bank.
These switches connect to your keyboard via a 3-pin connector. Finding a board that can work with them shouldn’t be a difficult task. As for the body of each switch, they feature a semi-translucent plastic material on top and a solid grey plastic material on the bottom. This will make it so light can still get through but not nearly as brightly as fully transparent options.
These switches have a noticeable tactile bump while operating. They require an actuation force of 50g, and a minimum travel distance of 2mm for typing. This makes them extremely easy to use. They’re also rated to last for up to 50 million keystrokes before any issues become apparent.
These silent tactile switches from GK GAMAKAY are a great option. They look great, perform great, and don’t make a sound. Even though they’re our pick for best budget switches, there’s nothing budget about the construction or typing experience they provide.
Pros:
- 35 pack option
- 50 g actuation force makes typing easy
- Lasts for up to 50 million keystrokes
Cons:
- Solid color bottom housing on each switch
Best Pre-Lubed Switches: Tugeta Gateron G Pro 2.0 Brown Keyboard Switches
Key Features:
- 70 pack
- 3-pin connector
- Optical switches
The Tugeta Gateron G Pro 2.0 Brown keyboard switches are a great option if you’re looking for some that come pre-lubed. They aren’t available in multiple pack sizes, so you’ll have to order in packs of 70 switches. This covers most compact to mid-sized boards, but anything larger will require multiple orders.
These switches use a 3-pin connector to be attached to your board. Additionally, they are compatible with 5-pin hot swap boards. As for the switch body, the top is clear plastic, while the bottom is grey plastic. However, this won’t have a negative impact on RGB performance, as there are holes built-in to let the light through.
The total distance these switches travel while pressed is 4mm; however, they only need 2mm to actuate. They use a 20.5mm spring that requires between 50 and 55g of pressure in order to press. Additionally, they are created for a lifetime of 80 million keystrokes.
Overall, the Tugeta Brown switches are a solid choice, especially when looking for a pre-lubed switch option. They come in super secure packaging to ensure they don’t break while getting shipped to your door. Their versatile design makes them a great addition to your keyboard setup.
Pros:
- Pre-lubed
- Awesome packaging
- Designed with RGB lighting in mind
Cons:
- Only one option for the number of switches
Most Unique Looking: Tugeta Gateron Milky Yellow Switches
Key Features:
- 70 or 105 pack
- 5-pin connector
- Semi-transparent body
Another great unique-looking option for quiet switches is the Tugeta Gateron Milky Yellow switches. They are available in packs of either 70 or 105. These two options cover pretty much any sized keyboard you could possibly want to customize or build.
These switches use a 5-pin connector to connect to the keyboard. They’re also linear, so you won’t notice a bump while typing. As for the body type, this is where they get unique. Each switch body is made out of a semi-transparent plastic material. This allows light to shine through but diffuses it slightly, giving a really cool effect.
Each switch has a total pressing distance of 4mm, with an actuation distance of 2mm. To operate them, you’ll need to apply approximately 50g of force. While in use, you can expect a lifetime of up to 60 million keystrokes before any issues with them begin happening.
In our opinion, these are very unique keyboard switches. They have a great type feel and an even better unique looking design. The milky yellows are pre-lubed very well and come in a diverse range of package amounts, perfect for your keyboard needs.
Pros:
- Unique looking semi-transparent design
- Enough switches for pretty much any keyboard size
- Pre-lubricated well
Cons:
- Some reviewers note they are too sensitive
Best Variety: SEIBES Gazzew Boba Black U4 / U4T Switches
Key Features:
- 10, 30, 70, and 90 packs
- 5-pin connector
- Multiple actuation force styles
The SEIBES Gazzew Boba switches are a great option with a ton of variety. There are four different styles of switch to choose from. Each style has packs of 10, 30, 70, and 90 switches. This is a great option to easily order as many as you need for any size keyboard build.
Each switch uses a 5-pin connector to work on your keyboard. All different styles of this switch come with a solid black plastic body, so RGB lighting may have some difficulty shining through. However, there is a hold in each switch to combat this.
There are multiple varieties for this quiet switch, with actuation force options of 62g and 68g, depending on your preferences. Each switch is a tactile build, so you will feel a click while in use. Additionally, they are compatible with both Kailh and Gateron universal hot-swappable sockets.
If you’re someone who wants to choose from a variety of quiet switches and multiple actuation forces, then the SEIBES Gazzew switches are for you. We love their design and their versatility. All of this in a quiet switch gives you a great option for your typing and PC gaming needs.
Pros:
- Two actuation force choices
- High quality switch body
- Lighting hole built in
Cons:
- Larger packs are not very budget friendly
Meet Derek, “TechGuru,” a 34-year-old technology enthusiast with a deep passion for tech innovations. With extensive experience, he specializes in gaming hardware and software, and has expertise in gadgets, custom PCs, and audio.
Besides writing about tech and reviewing new products, Derek enjoys traveling, hiking, and photography. Committed to keeping up with the latest industry trends, he aims to guide readers in making informed tech decisions.