Actuation point (how far a key travels to register)
Also searched as: actuation point · actuation distance · key actuation · pre-travel · actuation force · adjustable actuation · key travel
What it means
The actuation point is how far down you press a key before it registers. On most mechanical keyboards it is fixed by the switch (often around 2 mm). On Hall-effect and other magnetic or optical-analog boards it is adjustable — you can set keys to register from a feather-light tap to a deliberate deep press.
More detail
A shorter actuation registers your press a hair sooner, which is why analog boards let competitive players set very short distances. The honest trade is real: the shorter you set it, the easier it is to fire a key by accident — resting a finger or a tiny bump can trigger it — so the 'best' point is a personal balance between speed and misfires, not a free win. …
In the Blackbook
The deeper explanation continues inside the app. The Blackbook publishes its verdicts here — the full write-ups stay in the book, on your rig, next to your own measurements.
The Compy Blackbook holds 191 graded entries like this one, judged against your hardware — and every change it does make is reversible, with the receipt to prove it.
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