What Does Bottom-Out Force Mean on a Keyboard Switch?

When comparing mechanical keyboard switches, you will often see specifications such as 45 gf actuation force and 60 gf bottom-out force. The second number in particular can be confusing. What exactly does bottom-out force mean, and what difference does it make when typing or gaming?

Bottom-out force is approximately the amount of force required when you press a switch all the way to the end of its travel. It does not describe the point where the key registers. Instead, it describes the resistance near the bottom of the keypress.

In plain English: actuation force tells you roughly how much force is needed to register the key, while bottom-out force tells you more about how heavy it feels when pressed all the way down.

Quick choice

If you regularly press keys all the way to the bottom, bottom-out force has a noticeable effect on how heavy a keyboard feels. Around 50–60 gf feels relatively light to medium for many users, while 65–80 gf can feel considerably firmer. If you type very lightly and rarely bottom out, this specification matters less.

1. What exactly is bottom-out force?

A mechanical keyboard switch has a total movement distance, commonly somewhere around 3.5 mm to 4.0 mm. When you press the switch to the very end of that travel, this is called bottoming out.

Bottom-out force describes approximately how much force is required at the end of that movement.

As a rough guide:

• 50 gf: relatively light
• 60 gf: light to medium
• 65–70 gf: noticeably firmer
• 75–80 gf: heavy
• 80+ gf: very firm for most users

These categories are only approximate. Actual feel also depends on spring design, total travel, switch type and the complete force curve.

2. What does gf mean for bottom-out force?

Keyboard switch force is commonly specified in gf, meaning gram-force.

If a switch has a bottom-out force of 60 gf, approximately the same force exerted by a 60 gram mass under normal gravity is required near the end of the keypress.

You may also see values listed in cN, or centinewtons.

• 1 gf ≈ 0.98 cN
• 60 gf ≈ 59 cN
• 70 gf ≈ 69 cN

gf and cN are sometimes treated almost interchangeably in casual keyboard discussions because the values are so close, although they are technically different units.

3. What is the difference between actuation force and bottom-out force?

This is the key distinction:

• Actuation force: the force around the point where the switch registers.
• Bottom-out force: the force near the end of the switch's full travel.

A switch might, for example, have a 45 gf actuation force and a 60 gf bottom-out force.

This means it activates relatively lightly but provides increasing resistance as you press farther down.

Want to learn more? Read our guide to actuation force on mechanical keyboard switches.

4. Why is bottom-out force usually higher?

Most mechanical switches use a metal spring underneath the stem. As you press the switch farther down, the spring becomes increasingly compressed.

This usually causes resistance to rise towards the bottom of the keypress.

A switch could, for example, have:

• Initial force: 30 gf
• Actuation force: 45 gf
• Bottom-out force: 60 gf

The exact force curve differs between switches, but this explains why bottom-out force is often higher than actuation force.

5. Do you always feel bottom-out force?

No. It depends heavily on your typing style.

Some people press almost every key all the way down. These users will notice bottom-out force clearly.

Other users type more lightly and stop applying force shortly after the key registers. For them, actuation force and spring feel may matter more.

• Heavy typist: bottom-out force matters a lot.
• Light typist: actuation force and spring characteristics may matter more.
• Gaming: depends on how firmly you press WASD and other keys.

6. Is a higher bottom-out force more tiring?

It can be.

If you consistently press every key fully down, a higher bottom-out force means applying more force repeatedly. Over long typing or gaming sessions, this may feel more tiring.

That does not mean heavier switches are automatically worse. Some users prefer extra resistance because:

• accidental keypresses become less likely;
• the keypress feels firmer and more controlled;
• they are already used to heavier switches;
• they simply prefer noticeable resistance.

Personal preference matters more than simply choosing the lowest possible number.

7. Bottom-out force on linear switches

With linear switches, resistance generally increases relatively smoothly throughout the keypress.

Bottom-out force can therefore be useful for estimating how firm the switch will feel near the bottom of its travel.

Bottom-out force	General feel	Often suitable for
45–55 gf	Very light to light	Gaming, light typists
55–65 gf	Light to medium	General use
65–75 gf	Firm	Typists wanting more resistance
75+ gf	Heavy	Users who prefer firm switches

Use these numbers as guidelines rather than strict rules. The full spring profile still matters.

8. Bottom-out force on tactile switches

With tactile switches, things are more complicated because you also encounter a tactile bump during the keypress.

The highest force can therefore occur in the middle of the travel rather than at the bottom.

A manufacturer might list:

• Operating force: 45 gf
• Tactile force: 60 gf
• Bottom-out force: 55 gf

In this case, the tactile bump can feel heavier than the end of the key travel.

For tactile switches, always look at multiple force specifications rather than only bottom-out force.

9. What about clicky switches?

With clicky switches, the clicking mechanism can introduce additional resistance.

A switch may have a noticeable force peak when its click jacket or click bar activates. This means bottom-out force alone does not describe how heavy the entire keypress feels.

For clicky switches, operating force, click mechanism and bottom-out force should be considered together.

10. Why can two 60 gf bottom-out switches feel different?

Two switches with the same 60 gf bottom-out force can still feel very different.

This can be caused by differences in:

• Initial force
• Actuation force
• Spring length
• Progressive or linear spring characteristics
• Tactile bump
• Pre-travel
• Total travel
• Long-pole or standard stem
• Factory lubrication

A switch that starts at 25 gf, for example, will feel much lighter through the early part of the keypress than one that starts at 40 gf, even if both bottom out at 60 gf.

11. What is a good bottom-out force?

Preference	Good starting point
Very light keypress	45–55 gf
Light gaming feel	50–60 gf
All-round	55–65 gf
Firm keypress	65–75 gf
Heavy switch	75+ gf

These are not fixed rules. With tactile and clicky switches in particular, force peaks elsewhere in the travel may matter just as much.

12. Does bottom-out force affect sound?

Indirectly, yes.

How hard your finger drives the stem into the bottom of the switch affects bottom-out noise. A light spring may make it easier to hit the bottom hard, while a heavier spring can slow your finger down more.

The final sound also depends heavily on:

• Keyboard case
• Plate
• Keycaps
• Foam
• Switch materials
• Lubrication
• Typing technique

Bottom-out force does not directly determine how loud a switch is, but it can influence how hard you hit the bottom.

13. Common mistakes when comparing bottom-out force

• Confusing bottom-out with actuation: they describe different points in the travel.
• Assuming every 60 gf switch feels the same: the complete force curve determines the feel.
• Ignoring tactile force: on tactile switches, the bump may be heavier than the bottom-out.
• Looking at only one specification: spring weight, travel and switch type also matter.
• Assuming heavier is always worse: many users actively prefer extra resistance.

Conclusion

Bottom-out force is approximately the amount of force required when a mechanical keyboard switch is pressed all the way to the end of its travel. It mainly tells you how firm the switch feels near the bottom of the keypress.

A lower bottom-out force generally feels lighter, while a higher value provides more resistance. Around 50–60 gf feels relatively light to medium for many users, while 65–75 gf or more can feel noticeably firmer.

For a proper comparison, always consider bottom-out force together with actuation force, pre-travel, total travel, spring design and switch type.

Browse our linear switches, tactile switches and clicky switches to compare different force profiles.