Razer makes a handy dandy visual guide to its family of mechanical switches

Some gamers swear by their mechanical keyboard keys. When compared to the usual membrane-based keyboards, enthusiasts will contest that mechanical switches offer crisper feedback with better longevity and consistency. The problem, however, is that there are multiple types of mechanical switches to make it a big barrier of entry for new users interested in what they have to offer. The fact that multiple manufacturers offer their own unique take on mechanical switches makes shopping and comparing even more difficult.

To alleviate this, Razer has posted a small visual guide to their family of mechanical keyboards that includes Purple, Green, Orange, and Yellow switches. The comparison makes it a bit easier to decide which type of switch would be best depending on your usage scenario; gamers may appreciate the clickier feedback of the Purple or Green switches while typists who like quieter clatter may appreciate the Orange and Yellow switches.

Because Razer's approach to mechanical switches is so different from MX Cherry switches, however, it's difficult to pair the two families and make an apples-to-apples comparison. Much like laptop purchases, we always recommend visiting a store and getting a feel of the keyboard keys first which would give you a better idea of clatter, responsiveness, and feedback than any text you can find on the Internet. It's worth noting that Razer offers a fifth type of mechanical switch on the last generation Blade Pro not listed on the visual guide.