How I Constructed a Silent Mechanical Keyboard

Does your mechanical keyboard get lots of flak for being too loud? I have been there, too. Whereas the marbly click-clack is like music to our ears, not everybody on the workplace or dwelling shares the identical appreciation. Luckily, there’s a simple answer: a totally silent mechanical keyboard.

Everybody Wants a Silent Mechanical Keyboard

As a keyboard fanatic, the most typical criticism I hear about mechanical keyboards is not concerning the look or really feel—it is the sound. Individuals who work in an workplace and even from dwelling have a tendency to seek out the noise too obnoxious and distracting, in order that they go for the (normally inferior) membrane keyboards as an alternative.

Plus, if your property workplace occurs to be within the bed room, and it’s a must to work when your associate is attempting to sleep, you may get greater than only a few irritated glares. If I am getting slightly too particular, it is as a result of this truly occurred to me—which is once I determined to get a silent keyboard.

Nevertheless, it could not simply be an affordable outdated membrane mannequin or perhaps a good Logitech MX Keys. I am a cussed keyboard snob, so my silent keyboard nonetheless needed to be mechanical. Mechanical keyboards final just about perpetually, look incredible, and, most significantly, really feel nice to sort on.

A silent mechanical keyboard retains many of the advantages of being mechanical. Nicely, minus the satisfying thocky sound. Your keyboard will nonetheless really feel nice to sort on and be customizable; the one distinction is that now you will not be creating distracting noise for your self and others inside earshot.

The Magic Is within the Switches

As a lot as I would like to bore you with half a dozen modifications that will silence my keyboard, the reality is that many of the silencing may be performed with simply the switches. I used to be conscious that silent switches existed, however nothing may put together me for a way silent they really had been. In the event you verify audio checks of silent switches on YouTube, you may nonetheless hear audible typing noise, however that is as a result of the creator’s microphone is positioned extraordinarily near the keyboard and cranked as much as 11.

So, how silent do these silent mechanical switches actually get? Because it seems, very silent. I bought a set of 90 Outemu Silent Peach V3s and held one at half an arm’s size, pressed it, and actually could not hear something. Then, I held it up near my ear and will barely make out a faint sound of the stem sliding contained in the housing.

To construct my silent keyboard, I merely eliminated all of the inventory keycaps, fastidiously pulled out the inventory switches utilizing my helpful swap puller, made certain the brand new switches did not have bent pins, and put in the brand new silent switches. Whereas I used to be at it, I swapped out the keycaps for a barely taller and thicker set, which could have helped mute the sound a bit additional.

These Outemu switches are solely considered one of many good silent switches. They’re linear and pretty gentle, which is what I favor. Nevertheless, there’s an argument to be made in favor of sunshine silent tactile switches, such because the Akko V3 Penguin or TTC Silent Bluish White, as they theoretically permit you to sort extra gently and reduce bottoming out, almost eliminating any noise your keyboard makes. Do not sleep on low-profile mechanical keyboards both; these are pretty quiet out of the field.

To provide you an thought of what completely different switches sound like, here is what my Ajazz AK820 seems like with the inventory switches (recorded with a Shure MV6):

And this is identical keyboard however with the silent switches:

Notice that I positioned the microphone immediately above the keyboard with the achieve cranked up, so the audio recording is far louder than what you’d hear at a standard distance. Additionally, I used the identical keycap set for the audio checks, so what you are listening to is simply the distinction in switches and nothing else.

The rationale why these silent switches are a lot quieter than common switches is that they’ve rubber padding on the highest and backside of the stem, considerably dampening each the bottoming out and the recoil.

The opposite two noises {that a} swap makes can come from the stem sliding contained in the housing and spring ping—each of which may be simply addressed with a thick layer of lube, which just about all silent switches embody. Moreover, the housing is normally fabricated from a quieter, softer plastic to additional improve sound absorption.

Board Alternative Issues Too

My keyboard is gasket-mounted, that means it has gaskets that take in sound and vibrations from typing. It is most likely the quietest keyboard design you will get. If you do not have a mechanical keyboard to show right into a silent one but, I strongly advocate going for a gasket-mounted design with hot-swappable switches.

You will get a barebones mannequin with out the switches, such because the Epomaker EK68, or a whole keyboard, such because the Womier S-K80. Though mechanical keyboards pre-equipped with silent switches do exist, your alternative is restricted by way of the model, mannequin, structure, and precise swap. It is simpler to get a very good keyboard that ticks all of the containers after which simply get no matter silent switches sound probably the most interesting.

Along with a gasket mount, ensure that the keyboard comes with a number of layers of sound-deadening supplies. The case ought to ideally be fabricated from plastic, because it’s quieter than steel, and the entire keyboard must be inflexible and heavy to reduce resonance.

Modding Can Make Your Keyboard Even Quieter

In the event you do not thoughts taking your keyboard aside, you possibly can additional scale back its noise by doing a couple of easy modifications. Once more, my keyboard has a number of layers of froth and a silicone dampening pad, so there wasn’t a lot that I may do. Your mileage could differ, and you are able to do fairly a couple of mods to silence your keyboard.

O-rings beneath the keycaps are a traditional, however I need to spotlight some extra impactful mods. For example, you possibly can repair stabilizer rattle by injecting dielectric grease into the stabilizer housings, or go a step additional with the band-aid mod. A number of layers of painter’s tape and a poron foam sheet on the again of the PCB also can make the keyboard quieter. It’s also possible to add a foam sheet to the case itself.

In the event you’re prepared to take the switches aside, you possibly can add extra lube to make them even quieter. Whilst you’re at it, swap movies also can assist, particularly in case you’re working with a budget-friendly swap set.

Nevertheless, not all keyboards are designed to be taken aside and modded. If you might want to transcend simply changing the switches, begin by doing much less intrusive mods like including poron foam swap pads between every swap and the PCB. Go for a keycap set fabricated from thick PBT, because it’ll take in extra sound. And remember so as to add foam beneath the spacebar and its keycap!

In the event you’ve by no means tried a mechanical keyboard due to the sound, or in case you’re a keyboard fanatic who simply hasn’t tried silent switches but, I recommend giving them a shot. You is perhaps stunned by how quiet and satisfying they’re to sort on. Who is aware of, you may find yourself liking them greater than every other model!