@tenpapa
★
It has that magnetic-switch sound, so opinions will split -- I'm not really a fan, hence this score. There shouldn't be any stem wobble, and yet it still feels like there's some extraneous noise mixed in, which I can't really recommend. Haven't explored magnetic-switch boards enough to know what it pairs well with. On
Milktooth
★
Its defining trait is a short pre-travel. Being cheap is great, but a 48g bottom-out makes it feel heavy.
CustomKBD
★★
The POK housing and long-pole stem do produce a solid sound, but the lube's thin -- especially on the spring -- so you get scratchiness in sound and feel. That's a taste thing, but I didn't like it: unlike Cherry, where you expect some scratch going in, this switch is supposed to be smooth from the start, so it reads a
Milktooth
★
The Red switch from Cherry's MX2A line. Maybe because it was an early production batch, but mine came heavily lubed and the spring had a bad ping noise, which made it unpleasant to use. I've since tried other people's units and it looks like the ping issue has been resolved since then. Personally I'm a Cherry Black per
Omnitype
★★
Not very Cherry-like in that the stock spring works fine as-is. The tactile bump is solid -- think of it as a different switch from Brown, not a variant of it. The stem runs tight, which can make keycaps hard to seat, so trim the stem if that bothers you. It keeps Cherry's signature scratchy sound and feel, so being ab
★★
A hole in the bottom housing plus the material combo makes for a genuinely smooth switch. At 45g it's light and quick to type on -- that's its defining trait. I'd recommend it if you like a 45g bottom-out, but it was too light for me. Put it in a Thocky board and it goes a bit quieter; put it in a Clacky board and it s
Akko
★★★
An unusual switch with a hexagonal stem instead of the usual 4-sided cross. The hexagon genuinely does reduce wobble. That said, it's a bit pricier, and whether it's worth paying extra for is a tough call. The long stem does give a genuinely crisp, satisfying sound, and being light, it's also nice for fast, snappy typi
Photo: Qwertyqop
★★★
Relatively quiet, though there's a faint sound of the silicone piece tapping. Light at 45g, inexpensive, and the wobble is quite tight. I've always liked Lichicx's switches, so I had high hopes here, but the quality feels like it's dropped slightly compared to before. That said, Wingtree only recently acquired the mold
Photo: UniKeys
★★★
A switch clearly designed with Cherry MX Black in mind. The listing confusingly said 'not lubed' while also claiming light lube on the stem legs -- I pointed this out and the seller corrected it. The stem is 12.8mm versus Cherry Black's 12.5mm, so it sounds a bit louder. Despite the claimed stem lube, you can still hea
★★★
Leans thocky with a bit of clack. Not as extreme as Macaron on the clacky side, but a nice balance. Very smooth -- I like it.
Photo: Mechanical Keyboards
★★★
Priced around $2.10 for 10 units at Swagkeys. Quiet with a deep, low-pitched 'koto-koto' sound -- I'd describe it as being for people who want just a bit more sound than Rosewood. The rounded stem tip helps keep it quiet, and the PA6 material softens both the feel and the sound.
Photo: SoupKeys
★★★
The sound is great -- a satisfying, full clack. That said, I can't deny it feels like something you've heard before, hence this rating. If you like the sound, it's a perfectly good pick, but it doesn't feel unique enough for me to want more.
Photo: Geonworks