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Key Points:
- Springs really can make a difference in the way your keyboard performs, and they can come in different material – including gold!
- These springs do wear out over time, so upgrading can bring some life back to your typing.
- The kind you choose really depends on the feel that you are going for and also the durability.
Many factors go into making a keyboard switch. One often overlooked aspect is the spring inside the switch that keeps the switch in the “un-pressed” position. Without the spring, the switch would stay pressed down after use. Additionally, the spring influences the feel of the key press. It also helps determine how hard the key needs to be pressed to actuate. Unfortunately, springs also degrade over time and must be replaced after prolonged use. So, if you’re in the market for new keyboard springs, we’ve ranked all the best mechanical keyboard switch springs you can get for your keyboard.
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Best Mechanical Keyboard Switch Springs: Summary
Spring Material
Most keyboard springs are made of stainless steel. The choice of stainless steel in the spring development makes them sturdy and resistant to rust. However, some switches use an additional coating, usually gold or PVD, to provide superior corrosion resistance.
Spring Style
Several types of spring styles also provide different key press feels. Spring style is based on the length of the spring and the tightness of the spring’s coils. A longer spring will take more force to depress, as will a tightly coiled spring. Differences in the spring’s design will result in a different typing feel as you use your keyboard, which can be important for people who use their keyboards and require high precision, like gamers or typists.
The average spring is 15 mm long and provides a linear progression, meaning the weight needed to compress the spring is uniform from top to bottom. However, you can get complex, progressive, slow, and many other types of springs that provide different feels and require different weights to compress.
Spring Weight
You’ll also want to consider the spring’s weight when buying springs. This is because weight determines how much force is needed to compress the spring. So, choosing a spring with a weight that feels good to you is crucial.
Most stock springs sit between 62–65 grams of force needed to compress the springs. However, lighter and heavier springs exist and have specific use cases. For instance, someone who naturally hits their keys very hard would need a heavier spring to keep them from bottoming out their keys. On the other hand, people with peripheral neuropathy or carpal tunnel may benefit from a lighter spring that is easier to compress.
Pre-Lubrication
Keyboard switches should be lubed to reduce friction between the switch and the spring. Not lubing your switch springs can result in damage to your switches. Thus, many spring manufacturers will lubricate the springs for you, just in case you don’t have the correct kind of spring lube available.
Non-lubricated springs must be lubricated before they can be inserted into your switches. So, if you’re purchasing non-lubricate springs, ensure that you’re also purchasing the correct type of lubrication to use with them.
Our Choices for the Best Keyboard Springs on Amazon
- Best Overall: Lumia Cherry MX Stainless Steel Springs
- Best Gold-Plated: DUROCK Gold-Plated Springs
- Best Selection of Weights: YMDK Custom Cherry MX Springs
Best Overall: Lumia Cherry MX Stainless Steel Springs
- Accuracy error is about 1g. Material selection Japan Seiki
- Be used to MX cherry switch
- Perform really well on shorter stem pole switches and especially tactile switches
- The hand feel has improved significantly
- It is normal for a spring to have a spring sound，Can be lubed by GPL 105
Lumia is one of the top names in keyboard springs, and their Cherry-MX-compatible springs don’t disappoint! These springs come in a case of 110 pieces, making them able to outfit even an entire standard-sized keyboard without an additional purchase.
These Lumia springs have a linear progression and are designed to be used with a switch that has a shorter stem. However, they’re compatible with any Cherry MX compatible switch. They’re rated for a force of about 62 grams to actuate, which is about average for springs.
Check out Lumia Cherry MX Stainless Steel Springs on Amazon.
Best Gold-Plated: DUROCK Gold-Plated Springs
- DUROCK Original 2 Stage 67g Gold Plated Long Springs.
- Made of imported Stainless Steel with Real Gold Coating, good-looking and oxidation resistance.
- MX and MX-Clone Switches Compatible.
- 67g Spring Weight rated in Bottom Out Force.
- Comes in pack of 110pcs.
If you want to get into the gold-plated mechanical keyboard spring game, DUROCK has you covered with these affordable gold-plated springs. These are some of the best gold-plated springs you can get for your keyboard.
Like the Lumia springs, they come in a set of 110 springs that will fit any Cherry-MX-compatible switches. Since they’re gold-plated, they are slightly more expensive than the alternative springs. However, the gold plating provides superior corrosion resistance, which can be vital if you live in a particularly humid climate.
Check out DUROCK Gold-Plated Springs on Amazon.
Best Weight Options: YMDK Custom Cherry MX Springs
- This springs is made of Stainless Steel.It's used for switch DIY.
- Compatible for Cherry Gateron MX switches
- Kailh switches is not compatible
- The spring length is 15mm,the diameter is around 3.85mm
If you’re looking for superior weight options, look no further than these YMDK Custom Cherry MX Springs springs. They offer weight options for the springs, rating from just 35 grams to up to 150 grams of force needed to compress the switch. The customization is endless with these springs, as they’re very affordable. You could theoretically put different springs in different switches based on how hard you tend to hit that specific key.
However, YMDK isn’t a well-known keyboard component manufacturer. So, your mileage may vary with this set of springs as they don’t have the same kind of rapport you might be used to with a set from SPRiT or TX. Still, springs are pretty hard to mess up when it comes to manufacturing. They’re a very simple-to-produce tool. So, you don’t have to worry as much about manufacturing when buying them.
Check out YMDK Custom Cherry MX Springs on Amazon.
How to Choose the Best Mechanical Keyboard Switch Springs
There is no “best” keyboard spring. There is only “best for this use case.” While many people will be quick to recommend SPRiT and TX as brands, the real thing you should look at when deciding is the spring’s design. Design determines how the spring feels when used. So, when choosing new springs for your keyboard, you should look at the spring’s specifications and design rather than the brand.
Most people will gravitate to a spring that’s of standard length, with linear progression, and a weight of 62–65 grams. However, typists and gamers may prefer a keyboard spring with less weight to reduce hand strain during crunch time. On the other hand, people who frequently bottom out their keys may like a spring with more weight to provide more pushback against their fingers and prevent them from bottoming out the keys so easily.
Best Mechanical Keyboard Switch Springs: What to Know Before Buying
One thing to prepare yourself for when purchasing keyboard springs is the time it will take apart your keyboard and the switches it’s comprised of. This activity takes quite a bit of time and requires some technical knowledge to avoid damaging the switches.
It’s essential to consider this if your keyboard isn’t hot-swappable. Hot-swappable switches can be yanked out of the board with a simple puller tool. However, if your keyboard isn’t hot-swappable, the switches will be soldered to the board requiring additional tools and knowledge to remove.
Using a Mechanical Keyboard: What It’s Like
There is no better typing feel than a mechanical keyboard. There is a wide range of keyboard options, from the spring weight to the overall tactile feedback you get while using it. The switches you’ve purchased will determine what it’s like to use a mechanical keyboard.
For instance, if you purchase a keyboard with linear switches, you’ll have a quiet keyboard with a low actuation force that’s perfect for typists or gamers. But conversely, a person who likes tactile feedback will typically prefer clicky or bumpy switches that provide more feedback when the keys are actuated.
Overall, your experience will be determined by the parts you put into your keyboard. Most mechanical keyboard manufacturers make models with all different switches to appeal to the broadest population.
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Final Thoughts
Customizing your keyboard is one way to influence your computing experience. Unfortunately, swapping the springs out of your keyboard switches isn’t just fun; you may have to do it when the stock springs wear out, especially if you use your keyboard often. Still, if you’re going to swap out the springs, you might as well treat yourself to some excellent springs!
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