Mechanical

Cosmos supports three different types of mechanical switches:

• MX: Most common, thocky switches.
• Choc: Low-profile switches (closer to those on laptops)
• Alps: Much more rare, but they are usually highly rated

Furthermore, Choc comes in two varieties: Choc V1 and Choc V2. Whereas Choc V1 is designed to fit special Choc keycaps, Choc V2 works with MX keycaps. If you’re building a low-profile keyboard I recommend Choc V1, as Choc keycaps are thinner than MX keycaps.

How They Work

In lieu of writing an essay here, I’ll link you to two very good resources:

• ThereminGoat’s A Beginner’s Guide to Switches
• The Keyboard Company’s An introduction to Cherry MX mechanical switches

How to Pick One

There’s a few important qualities to choose in switches:

• Volume (some switches are silent, others make loud clicky noises)
• Linear vs Tactile (is there a “bump” when pressing down the key?)
• Actuation Force (how hard it is to press the switch)

You may change your mind after trying a few switches, so don’t be too picky at the beginning. It helps to try a few switches before spending lots of money on a set.

If you have a friend with a mechanical keyboard or a local keyboard shop, you should try their switches! You can also buy “switch testers” online, which are plates with one of every kind of switch on it.