which mechanical keyboard switch?

[Ron Burgundy]

im in the market for a mechanical keyboard but i dont want anything too loud. i have a roommate. based on your experience what would you recommend a first time buyer

[Temp name]

Since you don't want anything loud, that ruins out all/most of the tactile ones (Your blues or browns).
I'd look into Cherry Reds or clones of reds, and see if you can test out keyboards at a store near you. Then depending on how you like reds, you can get harder switches if you want (Cherry blacks). There are also quieter versions of each, or you can install an o-ring yourself.

[Sunderella]

If you dont want you keyboard to be too loud, go for cherry reds or cherry silent reds. Any switch thats linear will only make noise when bottomed out on keypress. If you dont like linears, use cherry browns which are tactile (have some sort of feedback when activating) and like linears wont sound unless you bottom out.

Oh and when I say Cherry y mean Cherry or whatever clones you may prefer: Gateron, Kailh, Outemu... whatever. I'm currently typing on an Anne Pro 2 with Kailh BOX red switches and they feel great to be honest.

TL;DR: There are three types of switches: Linear, Tactile and Clicky. If you want a quiet KB just stay away from any clicky switch. Linears and Tactile will only sound when bottomed out.

[Ryonas]

Mechanical switches. Gross. Chiclets, or GTFO.

[Starfals]

I tried mechanical keyboards and i never got happy with them. I just prefer my silent membrane keyboard for 10$. I like it so much that i got 10 of them just in case they ever stop making them. I already broke 3, so the rest should last me a long time. I might get a new keyboard in 2040. :P If they still make keyboards in the future that is (or games)

[Temp name]

If you dont want you keyboard to be too loud, go for cherry reds or cherry silent reds. Any switch thats linear will only make noise when bottomed out on keypress. If you dont like linears, use cherry browns which are tactile (have some sort of feedback when activating) and like linears wont sound unless you bottom out.

Oh and when I say Cherry y mean Cherry or whatever clones you may prefer: Gateron, Kailh, Outemu... whatever. I'm currently typing on an Anne Pro 2 with Kailh BOX red switches and they feel great to be honest.

TL;DR: There are three types of switches: Linear, Tactile and Clicky. If you want a quiet KB just stay away from any clicky switch. Linears and Tactile will only sound when bottomed out.

Browns also make some noise when actuating. Not as much as blues, but still a bit.

[potis]

im in the market for a mechanical keyboard but i dont want anything too loud. i have a roommate. based on your experience what would you recommend a first time buyer

Reality, dont get a mechanical keyboard if its an actual problem even with dampeners and all, they are still clacky.

After that, G513 with Linear Romer-G.

Any Cherry MX Silent Reds + dampeners.

[Drusin]

I have a Logitech G810 (https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16823126439) and it's pretty damn quiet as long as I'm not in a heated argument with my fellow neckbeards and typing furiously lol The board uses Romer-G switches designed by Logitech https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lo...r-g,28101.html I might buy a few more of them "just in case" but I've had 0 problems out of it and I'm on my computer at least 10 hours a day mostly gaming and I've had it a year I believe.

[Temp name]

I have a Logitech G810 (https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16823126439) and it's pretty damn quiet as long as I'm not in a heated argument with my fellow neckbeards and typing furiously lol The board uses Romer-G switches designed by Logitech https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lo...r-g,28101.html I might buy a few more of them "just in case" but I've had 0 problems out of it and I'm on my computer at least 10 hours a day mostly gaming and I've had it a year I believe.

I had one and some of the keys stopped working after ~18 months. That said, Logitech gave me a full refund and I built my own (btw, don't do that).

Switches are roughly brown-ish in tactility and feel, and a bit quieter

[mujin73]

im in the market for a mechanical keyboard but i dont want anything too loud. i have a roommate. based on your experience what would you recommend a first time buyer

I only ever used red and brown switches and I prefer the red for the smoothness and noise over the brown.
Bear in mind also the overall quality of the keyboard, keycaps, stabilizers etc will affect the noise. A Filco /Leopold keyboard will sound so much quieter than a $50 keyboard using the same switch.

[Thunderball]

Since you don't want anything loud, that ruins out all/most of the tactile ones (Your blues or browns).
I'd look into Cherry Reds or clones of reds, and see if you can test out keyboards at a store near you. Then depending on how you like reds, you can get harder switches if you want (Cherry blacks). There are also quieter versions of each, or you can install an o-ring yourself.

Browns dont have sound feedback. Only tactile. They sound the same as Red/Black.

[Lanrefni]

I had one and some of the keys stopped working after ~18 months. That said, Logitech gave me a full refund and I built my own (btw, don't do that).

Switches are roughly brown-ish in tactility and feel, and a bit quieter

Building keyboards is fun,I've built 4 and modded 2 others with new switches,very relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

[Temp name]

Building keyboards is fun,I've built 4 and modded 2 others with new switches,very relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

Oh, it's fun. But expensive. Way too expensive for what you get out of it.

[Erous]

There are some hybrid keyboards that are pretty spiffy and quiet also.

[Thunderball]

There are some hybrid keyboards that are pretty spiffy and quiet also.

Hybrid keyboard are essentially more expensive membrane keyboards. Performance wise they're pretty much the same, they have better longevity but who really cares when you can get a mechanical one for about the same price.

[Thunderball]

The tactile feedback still makes a bit of noise, they’re quieter, but not silent.

The kb I'm using right now has Cherry Brown switches. So, no. But yeah, no mechanical keyboard is completely silent, but there is no difference between Cherry Black/Red/Brown when used in the same chassis.

[Thunderball]

I am as well. I also have mx reds. The reds are quieter than the browns. That tactile feeling necessarily produces a sound... it’s kind of how physics work. It’s not loud, but it exists.

Mine only make a sound on actuation, same as reds/blacks. The Reds one I had was a 75% skeleton and this one is a classic full size, so cant really compare chassic-wise.

[Erous]

Hybrid keyboard are essentially more expensive membrane keyboards. Performance wise they're pretty much the same, they have better longevity but who really cares when you can get a mechanical one for about the same price.

I think that's the point of the OP. They're looking for the tacticalness of a mechanical without the disruptive noise. Granted, some mechanicals can be quieter, but the clicks are still there. Hybrid might be the way to go.

For the OP, there used to be a Steelseries hybrid keyboard, but I can't find it anymore. The Razer Ornata is also a similar option.

[Thunderball]

Reds only make a sound if you bottom out...

No Cherry switch makes sound on bottoming out. It's the keycap hitting the back of the chassis that makes that sound.

[Echeyakee]

Reds are always a decent choice. They are pretty silent while gaming and you can even get used to quiet typing, but they still have that feel and sound if you want them to.