Unlike decades ago when people used consoles for competitive gaming, the industry has changed. Currently, more professional gamers play from computers than other consoles.
Computer gaming setups require an excellent mechanical keyboard. When talking about keyboards, mechanical switches have a great deal of importance. So are blue switches good for gaming?
Well, that depends on your preference. Blue switch keys come with a robust tactile bump that many people find hard to press. On the other hand, blue switches feature MX keys. The loud noise produced by the keys allows you to recognize the key you have pressed without even seeing it.
However, that is not all there is to blue switches—interested to know more? Well, keep reading to find out!
Are Blue Switches Good For Gaming? (Explained)
Blue Switches are suitable for gaming, but they aren’t what we would call ideal. If you aren’t a professional gamer and want a mechanical keyboard with keys on the heavier side, then blue switches could be the best deal for you.
On the other hand, blue switches might not provide the best gaming experience for you. If you look in the market, you will find that linear switches are far superior to blue switches for the best gaming experience.
Blue switches come with a heavy spring and tactile bump that many people find annoying due to how hard they can get sometimes.
However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of playing games. If anything, they could be the second-best or third-best choices for gaming. Furthermore, whether you will be using blue switches for gaming or not entirely depends on your preference and your play style.
If you prefer to play with high agility in FPS games, blue switches might not be meant for you. On the other hand, if you are someone who likes to press down on a specific key heavily with endurance while moving with flexibility, the blue switch could prove to be a game-changer for you.
Can Blue Mechanical Switch Be Used For Gaming?
If you are willing to compromise with the heavy resistance in the spring and the large sound it produces, blue switches can be a great deal. Blue switches are almost perfect in build quality, typing consistency, and durability.
Several factors exist that determine whether blue switches are suitable for gaming or not. We have compiled some of the most important of these factors. These are as follows:
Operating Force
Operating force refers to the amount of force that you’re required to exert to press a single key. It’sIt’s how hard it will be to press the key. While gaming, you are required to have a moderate level of output force.
If the operating force is too low, then if you press a key by mistake, the keyboard will execute the command. In gaming, you might as well be the point of action for friendly fires. If this force is too high, you might as well find it hard to register a key command. If you want a lower operating force, check out on das keyboard for the brown switch variant or Cherry MX Brown.
Activation Point
This refers to the point of contact where you apply the force on the key. Activation points must be durable and flexible at the same time. This is why most keys are made from a malleable material with a large elastic limit to withstand high-stress levels.
It is also often called an operating position because you are required to exert the specified operating force.
Tactile Position
Tactile positions are significant for every key in a mechanical keyboard. This is the position where you feel the bump while clicking the switch. The blue switch uses a tough tactile position that many people find hard to press on.
This strong tactile position is why many people turn away from blue switches. Of course, a solid tactile position also means lower chances of miss-pressing on a different key. Therefore lower chances of miss-typing or friendly fire. If you prefer to have a more incredible tactile feel, you could look for tactile switch variants.
Reset Point
The reset point refers to the time required when the command is executed, and then the key goes back to the previous point to indicate that the execution has ended.
There are zero chances of having issues with the reset point with mechanical keyboards. Therefore you can rest assured. No matter what type of red switch you will buy, you will not face any reset point problems.
Also read: Is 400 Mbps Good For Gaming?
Pros And Cons Associated With the Blue Switch
Are Blue switches good for gaming? Yes, they are, depending on your preferences. However, note that blue switches might not be the best switch for all situations.
If you buy a keyboard with a blue switch, you also need to identify the several pros and cons that you will be experiencing beforehand. Only then would you be able to make compromises and decide whether that keyboard would fit your usage requirement.
- Clicky Feel
- Excellent Operating Force and Actuation
- Accurate Clicks
- Extremely Noisy
- Greater Travel Distance
Pros Of Blue Switch
Clicky Feel
Gamers want to enjoy the sound of the click as the keys are pressed down and spring back into their first position. With this click, they can know that the command has been registered on the screen. If these are MX keys, then there is a high chance that the subject can identify what key they are pressing solely on the sound produced.
Blue switches are excellent when it comes to this clicky feel. Since they are used in mechanical keyboards, the build of the spring ensures that the click never fails. You will feel differentiated by the clicky feel between moving the fingers and clicking the keys to actuate it.
Excellent Operating Force and Actuation
Keyboard keys need to have an excellent operating force. If the operating force is too low, then if you press a key by mistake, the keyboard will execute the command. On the other hand, if this force is too high, you might not even be able to press the regular keys.
While many users have complained about blue switches having too much operating force, it is just right. Blue switches need a high operating force to support their durability and spring force. That is why the Cherry MX switch has an operating force of 60 cN.
Accurate Clicks
If you want to become a professional gamer, you need to be highly accurate in your pressing keys. This can be a problem for most mechanical keyboards meant to be easy to use.
If your keys aren’t accurate, you won’t have much competitive advantage over your opponent in an FPS game. However, you won’t need to worry about any inaccuracy in the keys with blue switches.
Blue switches are among the most accurate switches compared with other ones like a red switch, titan switches, etc. You will receive noticeable feedback from the key you have pressed upon contact. This is incredibly useful, especially during intense game face-offs where each and every key you press counts.
Cons Of Blue Switch
Extremely Noisy
While some degree of noise is good for gaming, blue switches can go to the extreme when you click on the keys. One of the most common complaints about blue switches is that they can get extremely noisy.
If you are busy playing a game where you need to give a hundred percent of your concentration, the background noise from blue switch keyboards can be highly distracting.
If you want to move to another switch type, you can consider a black switch or Cherry MX black. Cherry MX mechanical switches make general click sounds, except for its black variant.
Greater Travel Distance
The worst issue with blue switch keyboards is that they rarely offer much typing consistency. If you are not used to it, you might not even get to push the key you intend to push while typing quickly. Aside from having great traveling distances between the keys, the operating force might be too high for some people. Well, this depends on how much force you apply by habit at the end of the day. If you keep using the blue switch, you would get used to it in no time. Only time can prove whether blue switches were worth getting used to or not.
Is Blue Switch Annoying?
The answer to this question is slightly complicated. This is because whether being able to switch keyboards can end up being annoying for you completely depends on your preference and whether you can cope with the factor that contributes to annoyance.
We have already mentioned that blue switches can produce a lot of sounds if you type on them at an incredibly fast speed.
Let’s say that you are playing an intense PVP FPS game like Fortnite or Apex Legend. If you are going to shift to typing while you are controlling your avatar you might need to grope your way through the keyboard to find the right key. This is because blue switches do not offer much typing consistency.
Additionally, the sound that the keyboards with blue switches produce far outlive any other sound from any other switch type. This sound can be disturbing in the long run.
Just like typing and playing at the same time, this high click sound rate also needs a lot of time to get used to. When you do get used to it, you can enjoy gaming. Besides, the clicking sound could even be very satisfying to hear instead of being an annoyance. You can look for an optical switch as an alternative if you can’t handle the sound no matter what.
Are Blue Switches Good For gaming multiplayer FPS?
Blue switches can be good for playing games. However, that depends on whether you are going to play professionally or casually. For instance, if you are a professional streamer and would like to play FPS games, you won’t be able to go far with blue switches.
Well, there are several reasons for this. Blue switches aren’t perfect for shifting to chatting while you are already in a match. The keys are spaced apart and require a lot of force before you can manage to push the right key. While clicking sound to a certain extent can be good, they make too much of the sound, which can prove to be a hindrance.
On the other hand, cherry blue keyboards will do their job well if you want to relax after a long day of work over an FPS game or two with fun in mind. If you want to play FPS games casually to have fun, the blue Switch will provide you with the best service.
Are Blue Switches Good For Typing?
This depends on what type of typing you are talking about. Let’sLet’s say that you need to chat in-game with your peers. If you want to shift to the chat function while still controlling your avatars, you might find it hard to move to the right keys.
However, if you are going to type generally in your day-to-day life, blue switches are best out there for typing. Not only do the buttons click differently so that you can know that you have pushed a button successfully, but they also prevent you from miss-typing the wrong keys that your finger might fall on while groping your way to the right key.
Additionally, you also do not need to worry about your keys breaking when you apply too much force. This is because the keys have a high operating force anyways and are built with excellent quality to withstand that operating force at the activation point. Gateron Switch like the Gateron blue is among the best for typing.
What Are The Components Of A Blue Switch?
Most switches that are used in mechanical keyboards consist of 6 main components. The blue switch that you use is no exception and is also made up of 6 components. These components have been listed in detail as follows below:
1. The Keycap: All keyboard keys have a keycap. This is common within every keyboard. In mechanical keyboards, the keycap is responsible for generating the clicking sound that you hear each time you press the key.
2. The Stem: The stem is what you would call the component that connects the keycap to the main peripheral that is responsible for the technicalities inside the key. This is the component that determines the switch type depending on the operation point and keystroke feel.
3. The Upper Housing: This is the part that carries the responsibility to protect the stem. It is also the part of the key where the entire force from your finger is exerted when you hit the keys.
4. The Coil Spring: The coil spring brings back the key to its old position once it has been pressed. It is responsible for resetting the command after the command has been executed. The spring determines the amount of pressure required to actuate the key.
5. The Base Housing: This is the base housing where the upper house is fixed. It attaches and clips the upper house down to the PCB.
6. The Crosspoint Contact: It is a tiny metal or gold leaf that functions by allowing electricity to flow. When you press a certain key, it hits the PCB to render the key that you have pressed by switching the circuit close.
Cherry MX Blue Switch vs Cherry MX Red Switch
While writing this comparison, we will be considering all the mechanical keyboard switches as cherry MX speed silver keys. The Cherry switch will be the fixed variable so that we can get a fair verdict.
• Typing: Blue MX switches are far more accurate than red switches (other than the items blue switch). Red switches are linear switch types. This means that they will not produce any noise at all.
Red switch keys are intended to be smooth so that you do not need to feel the click on the tip of your fingers when you press on the keys. This increases the rate of mistyping for the subject. On the other hand, blue switches address all these issues and ensure their keys click. This reduces any mistyping opportunities and increases the overall accuracy.
• Feel: The feel you can get to enjoy different types of switches depends on your aesthetics. With blue switches, you can enjoy the clicky feel on the tip of your fingers as you press the keys.
Red switches produce no click. They are meant to be smooth and show instantaneous feedback on touch. That is why gamers often complain about how monotonous red switches can be.
• Gaming: In terms of intensive gaming performance, blue switches might not keep up with their red counterparts.
However, that doesn’t mean that it is any worse. If anything, you can still enjoy playing games casually with the blue switch.
• Sound: Without any doubt, blue switches produce a lot of sounds compared to red switch, which produces no sound. While this sound is helpful in some aspects, it might be too much for some people, including new users. Given enough time, any new user would get used to the high sound production and even feel gratitude towards it.
• Verdict: At the end of the day, whether you are going to choose blue switch keyboards to use or not depends on your taste and usage requirement. Professional gaming might not be the call for blue switches.
However, if you are thinking of playing games with the goal of relaxation and enjoyment, blue switches fit your bill. You can also check out Mx black, razer green, gateron brown, cherry MX white, or Cherry MX green switch.
People May Also Ask
Q) Should you buy a blue switch mechanical gaming keyboard or not?
It doesn’t matter whether you are going to go for a membrane keyboard as long as it is mechanical. However, if you are thinking of what aspects to consider when purchasing the key switch that is your right fit, there are four factors. These are environment, tactile protection, hand size and speed, and the purpose of purchase.
Q) What do blue switches feel like?
Ever used one of those old-fashioned typewriters that is exactly what any keyboard with a blue switch feels like? If you press a certain key with your finger, you will feel a click at the end of your fingertip. This is the guarantee that your command has been executed.
Q) Can you feel a bump as you type with blue switches?
Yes, you feel a bump at the end of your fingertips whenever you type with the blue switch. This is because blue switches are clicky switch keys, and the spring requires a lot of operating force when pressed.
Q) How to remove keyboard noise when streaming?
Removing keyboard noises from your stream is simple. All you need to do is go to your audio mixer settings and add noise suppression filters. You can also use noise gate filters to remove the background keyboard sound.
Q) Is typing on the blue switch fast?
While it is not the fastest out there, it is one of the quicker-to-use keyboard switches. Besides, typing with a blue switch is highly accurate due to various factors. Therefore you can type pretty fast while making fewer typos.
Q) What switches do pro gamers use?
When it comes to gaming keyboards and mice, the options are practically endless. But for pro gamers, a few switches stand out above the rest.
One of these switches is the Cherry MX Brown switch. This switch is known for its fast response time and low latency. It’s perfect for fast-paced games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends.
Another popular switch is the Cherry MX Red switch which is known for its tactile feedback and durability. It’s perfect for games that require heavy hand-eye coordination, like StarCraft II and Halo 5: Guardians.
Conclusion
Well, it is time that brought a conclusion to the matter. You should have already got your answer to “are blue switches good for gaming?”
We think you can use this for gaming as long as you consider playing casual games. Still unsure about this? Well, you can try it out yourself and decide whether it is worth the hype or not!
