Peer-reviewed research
Effect of Mechanical Keyboard Switch and Backlight Status on Typing Performance and User Experience
Jutao Li et al., Electronics (MDPI), 2024 · DOI 10.3390/electronics13214205
Read the originalRead on October 16, 2026
- What it is
- A laboratory study from Tianjin University in which 33 participants typed English on keyboards with four common switch types, red, black, brown and blue, with the backlight on and off. Software recorded speed and accuracy.
- How much weight it carries
- Peer-reviewed and open access. Small sample, a single typing task, and switches compared mainly in pairs rather than against membrane keyboards. It does not test layouts, and it measured the switches rather than the keyboard as a whole.
Facts taken from this source
- In the same 2024 study, turning on the keyboard backlight improved typing speed, refreshing feeling and pleasure.
“turning on the backlight effect improved typing speed, refreshing feeling, and pleasure” (Abstract)
- A 2024 laboratory study at Tianjin University had 33 participants type English on keyboards with four common switch types: red, black, brown and blue.
“Thirty-three participants were involved in an English-language typing task on keyboards with four typical switches (red, black, brown, and blue types).” (Abstract)
- In the 2024 study, tactile switches performed better than linear switches in typing speed and accuracy, in a pair comparison of blue and red switches.
“Results showed that tactile characteristics performed better than linear switches in typing speed, accuracy, and subjective refresh feeling in pair comparison of blue and red switches” (Abstract)