Mechanical Keyboard Typing Test — Speed & Feel Comparison
Mechanical keyboards are the preferred choice of fast typists, programmers, and competitive typists worldwide — but do they actually make you faster? The honest answer is: for proficient touch typists, yes, measurably so. For beginners, technique is the bottleneck, not hardware. This guide covers the science behind the speed difference, how the three main switch types compare, and which keyboard size gives you the best ergonomic advantage.
Do Mechanical Keyboards Make You Type Faster?
Multiple studies comparing membrane and mechanical keyboards show that experienced typists type 5–10% faster on mechanical keyboards, with lower error rates and lower reported fatigue. The improvement is not from any magical property of the switches themselves — it comes from three mechanical advantages:
- Consistent actuation point. Mechanical switches actuate at a precise 2mm depth, every time. Membrane keyboards have variable resistance and sometimes fail to register keystrokes at the same press depth, leading to missed or double presses.
- Tactile or auditory feedback. Knowing exactly when a key has registered lets you release and move to the next key immediately, rather than bottoming out the key to be sure it registered. This shortens the total finger travel per keystroke.
- Less fatigue over long sessions. Mechanical switches are tuned for the correct actuation force — enough resistance to prevent accidental keypresses but light enough to sustain high-speed typing for hours. Membrane keyboards tend to require either too much or too little force, both of which cause fatigue.
It is worth emphasising what mechanical keyboards cannot do: they cannot make a hunt-and-peck typist faster. The 5–10% gain only manifests once a typist already has solid touch typing technique. If you are still looking at the keyboard while you type, buy a 30-day typing course before a new keyboard.
Switch Types: Tactile vs Linear vs Clicky
Mechanical switches fall into three families. Each has a different feel profile and a different use case:
- Tactile: A physical bump at the actuation point. You feel when the key registers. No audible click. Example: Cherry MX Brown, Topre.
- Clicky: A tactile bump plus an audible click at actuation. You feel and hear when the key registers. Example: Cherry MX Blue, Razer Green.
- Linear: Smooth keypress from top to bottom, no bump, no click. You have no physical feedback — just consistent, predictable resistance throughout the full travel. Example: Cherry MX Red, Speed Silver.
Cherry MX Switch Comparison
Cherry MX Brown
Tactile · Non-clicky · 45g · 2mm pre-travel · 4mm total
Best all-rounder for typing
Browns have a subtle tactile bump at the actuation point — you feel when the key registers without a loud click. This feedback helps reduce bottoming out (pressing keys all the way down), which is the main cause of fatigue in long typing sessions. Browns are the most popular switch for people who type heavily in office environments. The actuation force of 45g is light enough to sustain high WPM without tiring the fingers. Downside: the tactile bump is light enough that some typists miss it entirely, which defeats the purpose.
Cherry MX Red
Linear · Non-clicky · 45g · 2mm pre-travel · 4mm total
Best for speed; preferred by fast typists
Reds are completely smooth — no bump, no click. The key travels from top to actuation in a straight line with no resistance change. This makes them extremely fast because there is no tactile interruption to slow the keystroke. Many competitive typists and TypeRacer leaderboard regulars use linear switches for this reason. The tradeoff is that without tactile feedback, beginners bottom out more frequently and develop higher error rates. Reds reward already-clean technique; they do not help you build it.
Cherry MX Blue
Clicky · Tactile · 50g · 2.2mm pre-travel · 4mm total
Best for typing feel; audible feedback
Blues produce a distinct click sound and a pronounced tactile bump. The click happens at the actuation point, giving you both physical and auditory confirmation that the key registered. Many typists find that the strong feedback reduces double-keystroke errors and helps them type more accurately. The downside is the noise — Blues are inappropriate for open offices, libraries, or late-night use near other people. Actuation force of 50g is slightly heavier than Reds/Browns, which can cause fatigue in very long sessions.
Keyboard Size Comparison
Keyboard size affects ergonomics more than switch type does. A full-size keyboard forces your right arm to reach further for the mouse after every extended typing session — a repetitive motion that causes shoulder and elbow fatigue over time. Here is how the common sizes compare:
Which Switch Is Best for Maximum WPM?
Looking at the fastest typists on competitive platforms like TypeRacer and Monkeytype, linear switches (particularly Cherry MX Red and Speed Silver) are the most common choice at the 120+ WPM level. The reasoning: at very high speeds, the tactile bump can introduce micro-hesitations as the finger anticipates the bump, and the extra force required to push through it costs time on every keystroke.
However, the majority of typists improving from 50 to 80 WPM see better results with tactile switches, because the feedback helps them reduce errors — and net WPM (gross WPM minus error corrections) is what matters. A 75 WPM typist with 99% accuracy on Browns will almost always outperform a 80 WPM typist with 94% accuracy on Reds.
Recommendation: If you type below 80 WPM, choose Browns. If you are above 80 WPM and your accuracy is already above 98%, try Reds and test whether the linearity unlocks more speed for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do mechanical keyboards actually make you type faster?
For already-proficient typists, studies and community benchmarks consistently show a 5–10% WPM improvement when switching from a standard membrane keyboard to a mechanical keyboard with tactile or linear switches. The improvement is attributed to more consistent key travel, better tactile feedback (reducing double presses and missed actuations), and lower fatigue over long sessions. For beginners, technique matters far more than keyboard choice — a beginner will not see measurable improvement from a mechanical keyboard until they have solid touch typing fundamentals.
Which mechanical switch is best for typing speed?
Linear switches like Cherry MX Red or Speed Silver are preferred by most competitive typists because the smooth actuation has no tactile interruption. However, the 'best' switch is the one that reduces your personal error rate — for many typists, tactile switches (Brown) or clicky switches (Blue) lead to better net WPM because the feedback reduces mistakes. Test your WPM on FastTypings using your current keyboard, then try a switch tester, and test again. The numbers tell you which is actually faster for you.
Is Cherry MX Brown good for typing?
Cherry MX Brown is widely considered the best all-purpose switch for typing. The light tactile bump provides just enough feedback to feel when a key has actuated without making noise. The 45g actuation force is sustainable for long sessions. Browns are the most popular choice for typists who work in shared spaces and cannot use the louder Blue switches. That said, some fast typists find the bump too subtle to be useful and prefer either the stronger feedback of Blues or the clean linearity of Reds.
What keyboard size is best for typing?
TKL (tenkeyless, 80%) is the most recommended size for typing-focused users. Removing the numpad brings the mouse approximately 3–4 inches closer to the keyboard, reducing the arm movement required to switch between keyboard and mouse. Full-size keyboards make sense if you do heavy numerical data entry. 60% and 65% keyboards are popular with enthusiasts but require memorising Fn layers for common keys, which can disrupt typing flow.
Are expensive mechanical keyboards worth it for typing tests?
Beyond approximately $80–100 USD, the typing performance gains from more expensive keyboards are marginal and largely subjective. Premium keyboards ($150–400+) offer higher build quality, more customisation options, better sound profile, and longer durability — but they will not measurably increase your WPM over a mid-range mechanical keyboard with good switches. If your goal is purely higher WPM, invest the money in daily typing practice instead.
Whatever keyboard you are using right now, find out your baseline WPM in 60 seconds. Then you will know exactly whether a new keyboard is likely to move the needle.
Test Your Speed →