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How heavy should your switches be?

Switch weight is the spec people notice first and understand least. This guide explains what the gram numbers actually measure, how the ranges feel in practice, and how to pick a weight from the way you type rather than from a recommendation list.

What the grams measure

Switch weight is the force of the spring, expressed in grams-force: roughly, the weight you would need to rest on the key to push it to a given point. Because a spring gets firmer the more it is compressed, a switch has no single weight. It has a curve, starting light at the top of the stroke and getting heavier all the way down.

Spec sheets usually quote one point on that curve, and brands do not all pick the same point. Cherry traditionally quotes the force at actuation, the point where the key registers. Many enthusiast brands quote bottom-out, the force at the very bottom. A "45 g" Cherry switch and a "62 g" enthusiast switch can feel closer than the numbers suggest, simply because they are describing different points on similar curves. Our article on actuation force covers this in detail, and every page in the switch library states which basis the brand uses.

How the ranges feel

The ranges below use bottom-out force where a brand publishes it, because that is closest to what your finger experiences when you type through a key.

  • Very light (under about 45 g bottom-out). Keys go down with almost no effort. Resting your fingers on the home row can trigger keys. Some people find these fast and effortless; heavy typists find them twitchy. The TTC Gold Pink, at 37 g actuation and 42 g bottom-out, is a well-known example.
  • Light to medium (about 45 to 60 g). The range most stock keyboards ship in. A Cherry MX Red actuates at 45 g. Comfortable for most people and a safe default for gaming.
  • Medium to firm (about 60 to 70 g). The range many enthusiasts settle in for typing. Firm enough to rest fingers on without accidental presses, still light enough for long sessions. The Gateron Milky Yellow (62 g bottom-out) and NK Cream (70 g bottom-out) sit around here.
  • Heavy (above about 70 g). Noticeable effort per key. Some typists love the control and the sense that every press is deliberate. Others find it tiring within an hour. The Gateron Oil King (80 g bottom-out) and Cherry MX Black are popular heavy linears.

Pick from how you type

The most reliable way to choose a weight is to look at your own typing habits rather than your use case.

Do you bottom out every key? Most people do, especially at first. If so, bottom-out force is what your fingers feel on every press. A lighter spring means less force per keystroke and is usually more comfortable for long sessions.

Do you rest your fingers on the keys? If your fingers sit heavily on the home row, light switches will register keys you did not mean to press. A firmer spring holds the weight of your resting fingers and only actuates when you actually press.

Do you make a lot of accidental presses? Brushing a neighboring key and getting a stray letter is a sign the switches are too light for your hands. Moving up 10 g often fixes it.

Do your fingers ache after long sessions? If you are already on a medium or heavy switch and bottoming out hard, try lighter springs. If you are on very light switches and tensing your hands to avoid accidental presses, a heavier spring can actually be more relaxing.

Gaming

Light linears are popular for gaming because rapid repeated presses take less effort and there is no bump to push through. In fast games, though, the real speed differences come from how far down the key registers and how quickly it resets, not from a few grams of spring. Speed switches with a short actuation point, such as the Cherry MX Speed Silver at 1.2 mm, change the feel of fast inputs more than a lighter spring does. If you rest fingers on WASD between inputs, do not go too light. See best switches for gaming for specific picks.

Spring shapes: standard, long, two-stage and progressive

The weight number also hides the shape of the curve. Two switches with the same bottom-out force can feel quite different depending on the spring.

  • Standard springs have a fairly steep curve: light at the top, noticeably firmer at the bottom.
  • Long springs are pre-compressed more in the housing, so the press starts firmer and the curve is flatter. Many enthusiast switches use them.
  • Two-stage springs have two sections that compress at different rates, giving a lighter start and a firmer finish that can soften bottoming out.
  • Progressive springs increase their rate gradually, building resistance toward the bottom.

If you like a switch but not its weight, you do not have to replace it. Our spring swapping guide explains how to change only the springs.

Tactile and clicky switches

For tactile and clicky switches, the force at the bump or click point matters as much as the spring. The Kailh BOX Navy actuates at 60 g, but its click bar demands about 95 g to push through, which is why it feels far heavier than its actuation number suggests. When comparing tactiles, look at the tactile peak force if it is published.

Try before you commit

You cannot feel a spring through a screen, but you can narrow the field. Use the site's switch comparisons to see actuation and bottom-out figures side by side, and the force curve charts on each switch page to see how quickly a switch firms up. If your keyboard is hot-swappable, buy a small pack of a lighter or heavier switch and put it on a few keys you use often before buying a full set.

Frequently asked questions

What switch weight is best for typing?

There is no single best weight, but most typists settle somewhere around 55 to 67 g at bottom-out. That range is firm enough to rest your fingers on the keys without triggering them and light enough to stay comfortable over long sessions. Heavy-handed typists often prefer more; people who type with a light touch often prefer less.

Are lighter switches better for gaming?

Lighter switches need less force to actuate, which some players feel makes repeated presses quicker. The difference in actual reaction time is small, and very light switches make accidental presses more likely when you rest fingers on movement keys. Many gamers use 45 g class linears; others prefer something heavier for control.

Do heavier switches reduce finger fatigue?

Not directly. Heavier switches require more force per press, which can tire you faster if you bottom out every key. They can reduce fatigue for typists who rest heavy fingers on the board, because the springs hold their weight without accidental presses. Fatigue depends more on how hard you type than on the spring alone.

What is the difference between actuation force and bottom-out force?

Actuation force is the force at the point where the key registers. Bottom-out force is the force needed to push the key all the way down. Springs get firmer as they compress, so bottom-out is always higher. Brands do not all publish the same one, which makes cross-brand comparisons tricky.

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