Keyswitch timeline

Dates noted correspond to the availability of the switch to consumers, unless noted otherwise.

1970s

1971

• IBM beam spring

1980s

1981

• Capacitive buckling spring in the IBM Model F
• Topre switch in the prototype keyboard on display in Topre's Sagamihara plant.

1983

• Topre switch (introduction)

1984

• Cherry MX Black
• Alps CM family
• APC switch (1984 or 1985)

1985

• Membrane buckling spring in the IBM Enhanced Keyboard ("Model M")

1987

• Cherry MX White (Type A)
• Cherry MY

1989

• Cherry MX Clear

Not known

• Cherry MX Tactile Grey
• Cherry MX Linear Grey
• Cherry MX Lock

1990s

1993

• Marquardt switch

1994

• Cherry MX Brown

1997

• Xiang Min KSB series

1999

• Marquardt switch

2000s

2005

• ITW magnetic valve

2008

• Cherry MX Red

2010s

2012

• Fuhua Alps
• Matias switch

2013

• Cherry MX RGB Red (introduced; unsure if on sale yet)
• Cherry MX RGB Brown (introduced; unsure if on sale yet)
• Cherry MX RGB Blue (introduced; unsure if on sale yet)
• Cherry MX RGB Black (introduced; unsure if on sale yet)