Objective: This study aims to evaluate the usability of mechanical keyboard switches according to types of switches.
Background: Recently, as mechanical keyboards have become popular, various types of key switches are being used commonly.
Method: We conducted the experiments comparing tactile switch (brown) and linear (silent red) universally used for mechanical keyboards. A total of 20 participants performed typing tasks that input planned sentences. In the meantime, the speed, task completion time, and accuracy were measured, and after each task, the participants evaluated various qualitative indicators.
Results: The tactile switch showed statistical superiority in qualitative indicators such as overall satisfaction, finger fatigue, and pleasure compared to linear, but there were no significant differences in performance. Additionally, it was confirmed that the subjective physical demands were less when the wrist rest was used together.
Conclusion: In this study, it was confirmed that different key switch types affect usability. The effect of using or not using a wrist rest was also confirmed.
Application: The results presented in this study can be used in the design of keyboards.