A good mechanical keyboard is an essential part of any good PC gaming or working setup. Everybody knows that keyboards can be incredibly loud, generating an annoying tapping or clicking sound that can be disruptive to your friends, colleagues or viewers if you are a streamer.
This noise comes down to the switch underneath the keys that transmits your inputs into the computer and there are many different variations of them from different manufacturers. Some people prefer louder keyboard switches, to give clear feedback on clicks while others prefer a quieter approach.
With so many keyboard switches available, it can be difficult to find the quietest ones on the market. Without further ado, here are the quietest mechanical keyboard switches.
Gateron Silent Red
Gateron offers a range of mechanical keyboard switches but the Silent Red is the quietest of the bunch. It is constructed with a transparent upper housing situated on a distinctive red step, sat upon a milk base. This keyboard switch allows a smooth, natural feel with an extremely quiet sound output. Technically speaking, it has 2.6mm of pre-travel and a max travel distance of 4.0mm, requiring an operating force of 60g.
Gateron Ink Silent Black V2
Here is another option from Gateron that features silent noise output with a black stem and darker translucent housing. The operating force is the same as the silent red, with 2mm of pre-travel and 4mm of total travel distance.
Mounted on a 5-pin base, this unlubed mechanical keyboard switch is a sleek pick for a silent keyboard switch. They are also incredibly durable due to the gold alloy crosspoint contact that gives the switch some anti-corrosion protection. The Gateron Ink Silent Black V2 is rated up to 50 million key presses that feel very tactile.
Cherry MX Silent Red
Cherry MX are another one of the big manufacturers of keyboard switches, with many of their products utilized in gaming keyboards. The MX Silent Red is an extremely quiet keyboard switch that is also incredibly well built. Featuring a polymer upper housing manufactured to a tolerance of 0.01mm, a red switching slide and a dual-functional housing base, you absolutely cannot go wrong. The Cherry MX has an operating force of 45cM, 1.9mm of pre-travel and 3.7mm of total travel.
ZealPC Healio V2
The ZealPC Healio is a silent mechanical keyboard switch which features a transparent plastic housing with hermes orange stems. The bottom out weight is 63.5g onto rubber base pads to ensure quiet key presses. This linear keyboard switch also has a pre-travel distance of 2.0mm and a total travel of 4.0mm.
ZealPC Zilents V2
Here we have another entry from ZealPC with the Zilent V2 silent tactile keyboard switch. It comes in four variants but the quietest version required a button out force of 62g. The actual casing is a transparent polymer on a PCB mount with a slight bump tactile feedback. The stem is a distinctive blue to provide a quiet key press onto a rubber base.
Matias Quiet Linear
The Matias Quiet Linear was specifically designed to rival options from Cherry MX and blind testing revealed that consumers actually preferred this option. The keyboard switch relies on a simple coil spring design to allow a smooth, stable and linear feel to the key presses. The transparent housing gives way to RGB lighting support. They are also built to last, rated for up to 50 million cycles. In terms of travel, the Matias Quiet Linear features 2.2mm of pre-travel and 3.5m of total travel.
Gazzew Boba U4T
Gazzew Boba U4T mechanical keyboard switches are another very quiet option that feature minimal ping as a result of a high quality korean spring. This factory lubed keyboard switch utilizes MX housing in a milky white, with a POM tactile stem. The bottom out force is 62g, with 2.2mm of pre-travel and 3mm of total travel. As well as the milky white casing, there is a transparent option for RGB lighting support.
Kailh BOX Silent Pink
Kailh are another big player in the mechanical keyboard switch space, with the BOX silent pink being the quietest variant they offer. This linear keyboard switch has a very low actuation force of 45g and is incredibly quiet due to their construction and feature. The Kailh box silent pink is also IP56 waterproof and dustproof, to give them extra durability. The pink stem is situated in the transparent casing to allow RGB lighting integration. In terms of technicals, the actuation force is 35g with a pre-travel of 1.8mm and a total travel of 3.6mm on a 3-pin base.
Durock Daybreak
The Durock Daybreak is another great silent linear keyboard switch option which features an actuation force of 67g to bottom out. There is also 2mm of pre-travel with a total travel of 4mm mounted on a 5-pin PCB base. The top casing is a dark transparent material for RGB lighting support housing a blue stem.
Outemu Sky Silent
Outemu is another name that you may have heard of in the keyboard space and their Silent Sky option is the quietest option they offer. It features a 62 g actuation force for this transparent keyboard switch mounted on a 5-pin PCB mount. They are also rated for up to 50 million key presses through the white stem. The pre-travel distance is 2.0mm and the total travel distance is 4.0mm.
Our Thoughts
There are many different brands out there that manufacture mechanical keyboard switches. Many of these companies offer silent or very quiet keyboard switches and we have highlighted some of the best options alongside their specifications, materials and features.
A gaming enthusiast who started their gaming venture all the way back on a Gameboy Advanced (Purple) on Pokemon Yellow.
