There are many conflicting opinions about whether blue switches are better for gaming than other types of switches. Some gamers have complained that these switches have a poor response time during gaming. Others enjoy these switches’ stronger resistance since it prevents their fingertips from slipping off the key while they’re playing.
Reasons Why Blue Switches Are Unsuitable for Gaming
The following are the significant reasons why blue switches on a mechanical keyboards are not suitable for gaming.
- Blue switches make a lot of noise. Being one of the clicky switches, they have properties that make them louder while pressing.
- Takes longer to register a keystroke and return to their previous position. It happens because their tactical bump doesn’t let the keystroke be strong enough and respond quicker.
- The blue switches aren’t always constant.
- While playing games, loud nature can be distracting. As mentioned above, they are designed to be clicky switches and that is why they make a loud click noise. Gamers who don’t use dedicated earphones or headphones can find this noise so annoying that can distract them while gaming.
- They aren’t comfortable enough for gaming. Lack of smoothness, louder click, inconsistency, etc overall make these switches uncomfortable for enjoyable gaming.
These are some of the most compelling arguments against using blue switches for gaming. However, if you’re playing simple, non-competitive games, blue switches are a good option.
Switches to Avoid Competitive Gaming
To begin with, blue Switches aren’t ideal for gaming. Tactile switches must be avoided to some extent due to their impact during game time. Brown, transparent, or orange switches usually feature a tactile bump that compromises the smoothness and uniformity of actuation.
Red Switches vs Blue Switches
Let’s look at the most important information for the red and blue switches. I’ll use Cherry MX Blue and Red switches as an example. The information comes from the manufacturer’s official website.
| Type | Blue | Red |
| Operating Force | 60 cN | 45 cN |
| Pre Travel | 2.2 mm | 2.0mm |
| Total Travel | 4 mm | 4 mm |
The overall button travel is the same, as you can see, but the “pre-travel” is 0.2mm shorter. This is how far the button has to travel before it is activated. As a result, the red switch will activate 0.2mm before the blue switch. It may not appear to be a significant difference, but it could be crucial in games.
High Noise Level
One of the most common disadvantages of the blue switch is its high noise level. Anyone else in the room will be distracted by the loud clicking noise, and the person using it may be distracted as well. Although there are solutions to this problem, it is still something that customers should be aware of if they want to use the switch.
Higher Travel Distance
The trouble with the clicky blue switch is that it’s difficult to press. And if you’re not used to it, you may easily push it when you don’t want to. Making it an awkward switch to use.
You must press with a lot of force, roughly 60cN (Cherry MX Blue), which is far more than any linear mechanical switch. This has a 45cN operating force (Cherry MX Red).
Summary
To summarize, when it comes to games, blue switches are unquestionably an inferior choice to red (linear) switches from a pure technology point of view because:
- To engage the button, you’ll need to use greater force.
- They are slower than the red ones since they have a farther activation and reset point.
- They are louder and may cause game disruption.
However, there isn’t a substantial difference that will have little impact on your game. Of course, this is true only if you are not a professional for whom the tiniest nuances might determine whether you win or lose.
Conclusion
If you’re not a professional player but still want to utilize keyboards for gaming, red switches are definitely the best option. If you’re primarily using your keyboard for typing, I’d recommend brown or even blue switches. I wish you luck in your games, regardless of the type of switches you choose.
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