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The Logitech MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini both ship with a choice of three switch types. You can get the clicky blue, the tactile brown, or the linear red. All three feel different under your fingers, and all three make a different sound. This is a short guide to what those differences actually are, so you order the right keyboard the first time.
Three good switches for one good keyboard. The tactile brown is the one I would pick, but the choice comes down to how much bump and how much noise you want.
- Three distinct switch options across the MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini
- Tactile brown gives you the bump with a quieter, muffled click
- Clicky blue delivers the classic loud mechanical sound if that is what you want
- Linear red is smooth and fast for people who dislike resistance
- The switches are soldered in, so you cannot swap them after you buy
- The MX Mechanical Mini for Mac only comes with tactile brown switches
Intro: Who This Is For
This is for anyone who has landed on the MX Mechanical or the MX Mechanical Mini and hit the switch question at checkout. Clicky blue, tactile brown, or linear red. If you have never used a mechanical keyboard before, that choice can feel like a coin flip. It is not. The three switches feel different and sound different, and the difference matters every single time you type.
One thing to understand before you spend any money: the switches on these keyboards are soldered in. You cannot pull them out and swap them later. Whatever you order is what you are stuck with, so it is worth taking a minute to get it right.
Clicky Blue: The Loudest of the Three
The clicky blue switch is the classic mechanical keyboard sound. It has a tactile feel, so you can feel the bump as the key travels down, and you feel it again when the key bottoms out. That gives you two points of feedback on every keystroke.
These are also the loudest and highest pitched of the three. If you picture the sound a mechanical keyboard makes in your head, this is probably it. Some people love that sound. For my taste it is a little too clicky, but I understand the appeal. If you want the most clicky switch Logitech offers here, the blue is the one to get.
Tactile Brown: The Bump Without the Volume
The tactile brown switch keeps the bump but drops the noise. You still feel that tactile bump on every keystroke, and you still feel the key bottom out, so the typing feedback is there. The clicking sound is much quieter than the blue, with a more muffled tone.
This is the switch I prefer. When I use a mechanical keyboard I want to feel that tactile bump on every key, and the brown gives me that at a lower volume than the blue. It is the best of both for me: the feedback I want without the sharp high pitched click. If you like the bump but the blue is too loud for you, this is the switch.
Linear Red: Smooth With No Resistance
The linear red switch has no bump at all. There is no tactile feedback as the key goes down. The only part of the keystroke you feel is the bottom out at the end. That gives you a super smooth, fast typing motion with no resistance in the middle of the travel.
The red is also much quieter than the clicky blue. I found it to be a little quieter than the brown too, but only by a little. For me the red is too smooth. When I type on a mechanical keyboard I want that tactile feel on every key, and the red does not give me that. If you prefer a smooth action with nothing pushing back, the red is what you want.
How Scissor Switches Compare
Most keyboards today use scissor switches, so it helps to know how those stack up against these three. Scissor switches have way less travel than mechanical switches, and they do not have a tactile bump in the middle of the keystroke. They are also quite a bit quieter than any of the mechanical switches here.
If you are coming off a laptop or a slim membrane keyboard, that is the feel you are used to. All three of the MX Mechanical switches will feel taller and give you more feedback than a scissor switch does.
Which Switch Should You Buy
Here is the short version. If you like the tactile bump, you want either the clicky blue or the tactile brown. If you prefer a smooth action with no resistance, get the red. If you want the most clicky, loudest sound, get the blue. My pick is the tactile brown, because it gives you the bump at a quieter volume.
One more caveat before you order. Both the MX Mechanical and the MX Mechanical Mini are available with all three switch types. But if you buy the MX Mechanical Mini for Mac, you can only get it with the tactile brown switches. If your heart is set on blue or red, the Mac version of the Mini is not an option.
| Clicky Blue | Tactile Brown | Linear Red | Scissor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tactile bump | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Click sound | Loudest, high pitch | Quieter, muffled | Quiet | Much quieter |
| Key travel | Full mechanical | Full mechanical | Full mechanical | Much shorter |
| Feel on the way down | Bump plus bottom out | Bump plus bottom out | Bottom out only | Minimal |
| Best for | Classic clicky fans | Bump lovers who want it quieter | Smooth, fast typists | People used to a laptop feel |
| On MX Mechanical Mini for Mac | Not available | Only option | Not available | n/a |
The Bottom Line
All three switches are good, and none of them is a wrong answer. It comes down to how much bump you want to feel and how much noise you are willing to make. Clicky blue for the loud, classic click. Linear red for the smooth, no resistance glide. Tactile brown for the bump at a lower volume, which is where I land.
Just remember the switches are soldered in, so decide before you buy. And if you are shopping the MX Mechanical Mini for Mac, brown is your only choice. Order the right one and you will be happy with any of them.
