Quick Answer: The best standalone optical switch is the Gateron KS-22 Optical Switch Set (Version 2) — most colors come pre-lubed from the factory and it’s rated for 100 million keystrokes, per Gateron’s own spec page, making it the most widely stocked optical switch on Amazon. Budget builders should look at Outemu’s optical line instead, sold loose in smaller packs for less. If you specifically want Razer’s analog optical feel — adjustable actuation from 0.1mm to 4.0mm on the Huntsman V3 Pro — you can’t buy that switch separately; it only ships soldered inside Razer’s own boards. Whichever you pick, confirm your PCB’s exact optical standard first: Gateron’s own KS-15 and KS-22 switches aren’t interchangeable with each other, let alone across brands.
Optical switches use a beam of light through the stem instead of a metal contact closing a circuit — the pitch is a faster, more consistent trigger with less physical wear on the contact point itself. But the standalone optical aftermarket is much smaller and more fragmented than the mechanical hot-swap scene most of this site covers, and even Wooting — the company that built the first mainstream analog optical keyboard — has since moved away from the technology. Here’s what’s actually worth buying in 2026, and where optical’s real limits show up.
Optical switches, by the numbers
- Gateron’s KS-22 optical switch is rated for 100 million keystrokes, up from the KS-15’s lower rating, thanks to an enlarged light-transmitting opening that Gateron’s own product page credits for the longer lifespan.
- Razer’s Gen-2 analog optical switches in the Huntsman V3 Pro adjust actuation across a 0.1mm to 4.0mm range, per Razer’s own product page — the same class of per-key adjustable range buyers associate with hall-effect boards, just on a closed, non-hot-swappable switch.
- Wooting’s original One (2018) and Two (2019) keyboards ran on Adomax Flaretech optical switches before Wooting developed its own magnetic Lekker switch for the 60HE in 2021, because — per Wooting’s own account of the transition — optical’s analog input range couldn’t be pushed as far as hall-effect sensing could.
Best optical switches at a glance
| Switch | Best for | PCB standard | Lifespan | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateron KS-22 Optical Switch Set (V2) | Best overall | Gateron optical (V2) | 100 million keystrokes | ~$0.20-0.35 each |
| Gateron KS-15 Optical Switch Set (V1) | Best for existing KS-15 boards | Gateron optical (V1, older) | Lower than KS-22, per Gateron | ~$0.15-0.25 each |
| Outemu Optical Switches | Best budget | Gateron-optical-compatible sockets | Not independently confirmed | ~$0.12-0.20 each |
| Razer Analog Optical (Gen-2) | Best adjustable actuation | Razer-exclusive, not standalone | Not sold separately | Board-only |
1. Gateron KS-22 Optical Switch Set (V2) — Best Overall
Gateron KS-22 Optical Switch Set (Version 2)
- Except for the blue (clicky) variant, KS-22 switches ship pre-lubed from the factory, per Gateron's own product page — a step most mechanical switch lines leave to the buyer.
- An enlarged light-transmitting opening over the older KS-15 pushes the rated lifespan to 100 million keystrokes, and Gateron's documentation also notes a larger, more stable stem and positioning-pole diameter for less wobble.
- Sold in multiple pack sizes (35/70/105-piece) and colors through third-party Amazon listings — the most widely stocked standalone optical switch we found on the platform.
Ordering switches for a build often means a few separate packages arriving on different days — worth having fast, reliable shipping locked in before you start collecting parts. A free 30-day Prime trial covers two-day delivery on switch packs like these, so you’re not stuck waiting on the last piece before you can start a build.
Gateron’s KS-22 is the switch to default to if you’re buying optical switches for the first time and don’t already own a KS-15-era board — it’s the newer, more widely available, better-rated version, and the pre-lubed factory finish means less prep work before you’re socketing switches. The one catch: “KS-22” and “optical” aren’t interchangeable terms with every other optical switch on the market, including Gateron’s own older line. Confirm your board’s exact optical standard, not just the word “optical,” before ordering. For Gateron’s much larger mechanical lineup, see our best Gateron switches guide.
2. Gateron KS-15 Optical Switch Set (V1) — Best for Existing KS-15 Boards
Gateron KS-15 Optical Switch Set (Version 1)
- The original Gateron optical standard — still sold, and still the only correct replacement or upgrade switch for boards built around the KS-15 socket layout specifically.
- Not pre-lubed from the factory, unlike most of the newer KS-22 line, per Gateron's own comparison of the two versions.
- Smaller stem and positioning-pole diameter than KS-22 — the physical reason the two generations don't cross-fit, not just a marketing distinction.
If your board predates the KS-22 switch, this is the set to buy — not the newer one, regardless of price or lifespan rating. Gateron’s own comparison of the two versions is explicit that they’re built on different stem and positioning-pole dimensions, which is a physical compatibility issue, not a preference. When in doubt, check your board manufacturer’s switch-compatibility page before ordering either set.
3. Outemu Optical Switches — Best Budget
Outemu Optical Switches
- Priced below Gateron's optical line across the listings we compared, making it the cheapest way to fill out or restock an optical-PCB build.
- Marketed as compatible with the same general optical-PCB socket standard Gateron's line uses, per multiple third-party retailer listings — but independently confirm against your specific board before buying in bulk, the same caution that applies across this entire category.
- Less consistently stocked directly on Amazon than Gateron's KS-22 — availability and pack sizes vary more by seller.
Outemu’s optical line is the budget option in a category that’s already a niche within a niche — worth it if you’re building cheap or just want to try optical switches without committing to Gateron’s pricing, but confirm compatibility with your specific PCB before ordering in bulk, since optical socket standards aren’t as universally documented as mechanical MX hot-swap is.
4. Razer Analog Optical (Gen-2) — Best Adjustable Actuation (Board-Only)
Razer Analog Optical Switches (Gen-2, Huntsman V3 Pro line)
- Adjustable per-key actuation from 0.1mm to 4.0mm of travel, per Razer's own product page — the same adjustable-range pitch hall-effect boards make, built on optical sensing instead.
- Supports Rapid Trigger and Razer's Snap Tap opposing-key-priority software, the same features covered in our best hall effect keyboard and best rapid trigger keyboard guides, on a different underlying sensor technology.
- Not sold as a standalone switch as far as we could confirm — no official Razer retail channel offers it separately from a full keyboard, unlike every other switch on this page.
This is the odd one out on this list: you can’t buy Razer’s switch, only the keyboard it comes in. It earns a spot anyway because “optical switch” searches turn up Razer’s Huntsman line constantly, and buyers deserve to know upfront that the adjustable-actuation optical feel is a board purchase, not a switch purchase, the way every other entry here is. See our best Razer keyboard guide for the full Huntsman, BlackWidow and DeathStalker breakdown.
Why optical lost ground to hall-effect
Optical switches were genuinely ahead of the curve once. Wooting’s original One (2018) and Two (2019) keyboards ran on Adomax Flaretech optical switches and were the first mainstream analog-input mechanical keyboards on the market — years before “hall-effect” and “rapid trigger” became the terms buyers search for today. But per Wooting’s own account of the switch, the company moved to its proprietary magnetic Lekker switch for the 60HE in 2021 specifically because Flaretech’s analog range had a ceiling that hall-effect sensing didn’t. That single decision from the company that pioneered analog optical input is the clearest evidence of where the category’s momentum went — see our best hall effect switches and what is rapid trigger guides for where that technology landed instead.
That doesn’t make optical switches obsolete — Gateron’s and Outemu’s lines are still real, still cheap, and still faster-triggering than a standard mechanical contact for buyers who just want a light-based feel without hall-effect’s PCB cost. Razer’s Huntsman line is proof the adjustable-actuation pitch still works on optical hardware too. But if adjustable actuation and rapid trigger are the actual goal, hall-effect is now the more developed, more hot-swap-friendly path to get there.
The bottom line
The Gateron KS-22 Optical Switch Set is the best standalone optical switch to buy in 2026 for most builds — pre-lubed, better-rated than its predecessor, and the most widely stocked option on Amazon. Already own a KS-15-era board? Buy the KS-15 set specifically, not the newer one; the two aren’t interchangeable. Building cheap, or just experimenting with the light-based feel? Outemu’s optical line undercuts Gateron on price. And if what you actually want is Razer’s adjustable-actuation analog optical feel, budget for the whole Huntsman V3 Pro, not a switch order — Razer doesn’t sell that one loose. Whichever path you take, confirm your PCB’s exact optical standard before ordering, the same rule that governs hall-effect switches on this site: “optical” is a socket family, not one interchangeable part. See our best hot-swappable keyboard guide for how optical sockets compare with mechanical and magnetic hot-swap standards.