A silent switch is a normal switch with small rubber pads on the stem. The pads cushion the two loudest moments of a key press: the hit at the bottom and the snap back at the top. Done well, the clack goes and most of the feel stays.
What you trade for the quiet
The pads take up a little room, so silent switches travel slightly less: 3.3 mm on the two Akko switches below, against the usual 4 mm. The bottom of the press is also softer, more of a cushion than a stop. Some people prefer it. If you like a hard, crisp bottom-out, you will notice.
Three we would put in an office board
- Akko Fairy: A silent linear. 50 gf to press, 3.3 mm of travel, nothing to feel on the way down. The plain choice if you want quiet and smooth. 45 switches in a pack.
- Akko Penguin: A silent tactile, with a 50 gf press and a 65 gf bump. You still feel each key register, which makes it the pick for long typing days. 45 switches in a pack.
- Epomaker Sea Salt Silent V3: A lighter silent linear at 45 gf, lubed at the factory. Good if 50 gf feels like work by the afternoon. 35 switches in a pack.
Count before you order
None of these packs covers a whole board on its own. A 65% has about 68 keys, so it needs two packs of 45 or two packs of 35. A 75% has up to 84, so it needs two packs of 45 or three of 35. Order a few more than you need: a spare is useful the day a pin bends.
The switch is not the whole noise
Silent switches remove the clack. What is left is usually the long keys and the desk. A rattling spacebar is louder than any switch, so check that the stabilisers are lubed. Foam inside the case takes out the hollow ring, and a desk mat under the board stops the desk acting as a drum.
With all of that in place, a board is quiet enough for an open office or a late call.
