Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with mechanical keyboards for a while now, and I always like to try new things. Recently, I got this idea to find the lightest tactile switch possible. You know, something that barely takes any effort to press. So I started digging around.
First, I went on searching and reading a bunch of forum posts, and it seemed like white switches were supposed to be super light. A few people even said they were too light, which, honestly, just made me more curious. I managed to find a batch of them online, but there weren’t many choices, these things are apparently pretty rare.
When they arrived, I quickly put them into a hot-swap board I had lying around. Man, they were light. Like, seriously light. I could see why some folks might not dig them, but I was into it. I mean, typing felt almost effortless.
- I started thinking about how I could make them even lighter.
- I opened one up and saw that the springs were a bit shorter than usual.
- It gave me the feeling that this is what contributes to the lightweight feel.
I spent some time experimenting, trying out different typing styles, seeing how fast I could go, and how they felt for gaming. It was a fun process. I even considered messing with the springs more, maybe finding even lighter ones, but I decided to keep it simple for now.
Experiment
Then I thought, what about the plate? I’d heard people talking about how different plate materials can affect the feel of switches. For these light tactile switches, I figured a more flexible plate might be better. So, I took them out of the board with the steel plate and moved them to one with a polycarbonate plate that I had.
The change was subtle but noticeable. It felt, well, softer, I guess. More cushioned. It complemented the lightness of the switches really nicely. It was like the whole typing experience became even smoother and more delicate.
This whole thing was a fun little project. I ended up with a keyboard that feels unique and super easy to type on. These super light tactile switches paired with a flexible plate make for a really interesting combination. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you’re into experimenting with keyboards and like a really light touch, it’s worth checking out. Who knew such a small change could make such a big difference in how a keyboard feels?