MX Compatible Switches Spreadsheet

[mashby]

I've just recently returned to the GH community and I've missed a lot over the past year. I don't know if anyone has already done a spreadsheet like this and posted it elsewhere. My Google-Fu didn't turn anything up, so I went ahead and put together a quick spreadsheet of all of the MX Compatible switches that I'm aware of currently on the market. This includes Cherry MX, Gateron KS-3, Greetech, Kailh and Zealio (Gateron).

Spreadsheet: MX Compatible Switches

::: Why I Created This :::
Since coming back to GeekHack, I was curious what switches I have, or have not tried. My goal was to illustrate the different spring weights of stock switches and to see what gaps, if any, existed between the different manufacturers. I figured if I was wondering this, there might be others who might find this interesting as well.

::: What I Learned :::
No shocking surprises in the results. Clearly everyone sells a red stemmed switch as their light, linear model, but there are a few small differences here, or there. A couple of things I noted.

• Cherry offers the widest variety of switches
• Cherry has more clicky switches
• Cherry has more stock heavy switches
• Gateron is being more creative with linear and tactile switches (in large part because of Zeal)
• Greetech and Kailh are focused on just the core switches

::: Notes :::

• The Deskthority Wiki was a huge help and I've linked back to specific wiki entries for each manufacturer to provide greater detail.
• I couldn't find a lot of information concerning Greetech switches other than what I found on MechanicalKeyboards.com, so I used their data.
• There are nuances that I left out to keep things simple, such as MX-White being a softer click than MX-Green, or that Cherry also offers RGB versions of many of their switches since they are identical spring weights.
• Even though Zealio switches are made by Gateron, I gave them their own column since similar stock Gateron switches are also on the market and it might get confusing.

::: Feedback Welcome :::
This is just something I threw together over a lunch break. If you have ideas, or suggestions on how to improve the spreadsheet, please let me know.

[jdcarpe]

Very nice! I would love to see something similar with Alps.

[SpAmRaY]

Cherry recently released the nature white which is between red and black in weight and there are also the new cherry mx silent switches currently only sold by corsair.

[CPTBadAss]

Very nice! I would love to see something similar with Alps.

Here's my presentation on Alps from Keycon this year. I made a kinda similar chart that can be tweaked to be like mashby's.

[jdcarpe]

Very nice! I would love to see something similar with Alps.

Here's my presentation on Alps from Keycon this year. I made a kinda similar chart that can be tweaked to be like mashby's.

I knew I had seen a similar chart recently.

[CPTBadAss]

If I get a chance in the next week or so, I'll tweak that chart to be like mashby's and rehost it on google docs.

[mashby]

Thanks for all the feedback!

@CPTBadAss -- I was hoping you'd say that.    Also, I totally missed your ALPS presentation    Really nice job on that BTW!

@SpAmRaY -- I forgot about the silent models and never heard about the "Nature White".  Looks like Ducky Shine 5 will have that switch.

Added a new tab to break out all the Cherry MX models.

[ideus]

It would be great to have the modded ones added to the table, or in a separated one.

[mashby]

It would be great to have the modded ones added to the table, or in a separated one.

You mean like Ghetto Green and Ergo Clear?

[ideus]

It would be great to have the modded ones added to the table, or in a separated one.

You mean like Ghetto Green and Ergo Clear?

Right. At least the common ones, because we may do a weird combination any day.

[mashby]

It would be great to have the modded ones added to the table, or in a separated one.

You mean like Ghetto Green and Ergo Clear?

Right. At least the common ones, because we may do a weird combination any day.

OK, I added a new tab for Common Modifications. So far I have:

• Panda Clear
• Ergo Clear
• Ghetto Green

What am I missing?

[ideus]

It would be great to have the modded ones added to the table, or in a separated one.

You mean like Ghetto Green and Ergo Clear?

Right. At least the common ones, because we may do a weird combination any day.

OK, I added a new tab for Common Modifications. So far I have:

• Panda Clear
• Ergo Clear
• Ghetto Green

What am I missing?

`


How a gray tactile with 62g Korean springs may be called?

[ika]

Should be noted that Zealios are measured at bottom out weight while all the others are measured at actuation weight. I would categorize Zealios as medium light, as Cherry MX light springs have a bottom out weight of slightly below 60g.


Could also include info on Razer switches (modified Kailhs) and Outemu switches (which are becoming more widespread).

[swimmingbird]

Should be noted that Zealios are measured at bottom out weight while all the others are measured at actuation weight. I would categorize Zealios as medium light, as Cherry MX light springs have a bottom out weight of slightly below 60g.


Could also include info on Razer switches (modified Kailhs) and Outemu switches (which are becoming more widespread).

Was going to say this

Awesome sheet by the way I could never remember what all the different Gaterons did

[mashby]

@ika -- do you have any links for the Razer and Outemu switches? Also, any sources you have for actuation vs. bottom out weights would be super helpful. I'm thinking the weights could be listed at (55g/60g) to show both if we can compile the data.

@swimmingbird -- Thanks!

[mashby]

What about Razer switches? Looked at the Deskthority entry but there wasn't much data there. Anyone else have a source?

[keshley]

What about Razer switches? Looked at the Deskthority entry but there wasn't much data there. Anyone else have a source?

IIRC, they're nearly identical to Kailh Blues, could probably use that data and be 'close enough'

[BrewCaps]

Should be noted that Zealios are measured at bottom out weight while all the others are measured at actuation weight. I would categorize Zealios as medium light, as Cherry MX light springs have a bottom out weight of slightly below 60g.


Could also include info on Razer switches (modified Kailhs) and Outemu switches (which are becoming more widespread).

Why are Zealios measured differently?

[SamirD]

Very nice! I would love to see something similar with Alps.

Here's my presentation on Alps from Keycon this year. I made a kinda similar chart that can be tweaked to be like mashby's.

Very, very nice!  I really hate that I missed keycon.  I would have really loved to try out all the alps that you had there.

[ika]

Should be noted that Zealios are measured at bottom out weight while all the others are measured at actuation weight. I would categorize Zealios as medium light, as Cherry MX light springs have a bottom out weight of slightly below 60g.


Could also include info on Razer switches (modified Kailhs) and Outemu switches (which are becoming more widespread).

Why are Zealios measured differently?

Zealios uses custom springs measured in the Korean way - at bottom out. Springs alone are measured this way because the switch can affect the actuation point (linear vs tactile vs clicky - different actuations for the same spring). Only manufacturers/OEMs publish numbers on actuation weight because they're the only ones with the equipment to do so (barring crazy people like HaaTa). Everyone else measures springs at bottom out weight and go from there.


tl;dr: zeal uses bottom out numbers in his zealios because he can't get actuation point numbers.

[mashby]

Should be noted that Zealios are measured at bottom out weight while all the others are measured at actuation weight. I would categorize Zealios as medium light, as Cherry MX light springs have a bottom out weight of slightly below 60g.


Could also include info on Razer switches (modified Kailhs) and Outemu switches (which are becoming more widespread).

Why are Zealios measured differently?

Zealios uses custom springs measured in the Korean way - at bottom out. Springs alone are measured this way because the switch can affect the actuation point (linear vs tactile vs clicky - different actuations for the same spring). Only manufacturers/OEMs publish numbers on actuation weight because they're the only ones with the equipment to do so (barring crazy people like HaaTa). Everyone else measures springs at bottom out weight and go from there.


tl;dr: zeal uses bottom out numbers in his zealios because he can't get actuation point numbers.

Thanks for the clarification ika. Do we have bottom out weight data for standard switches?

[ideus]

Should be noted that Zealios are measured at bottom out weight while all the others are measured at actuation weight. I would categorize Zealios as medium light, as Cherry MX light springs have a bottom out weight of slightly below 60g.


Could also include info on Razer switches (modified Kailhs) and Outemu switches (which are becoming more widespread).

Why are Zealios measured differently?

Zealios uses custom springs measured in the Korean way - at bottom out. Springs alone are measured this way because the switch can affect the actuation point (linear vs tactile vs clicky - different actuations for the same spring). Only manufacturers/OEMs publish numbers on actuation weight because they're the only ones with the equipment to do so (barring crazy people like HaaTa). Everyone else measures springs at bottom out weight and go from there.


tl;dr: zeal uses bottom out numbers in his zealios because he can't get actuation point numbers.

Thanks for the clarification ika. Do we have bottom out weight data for standard switches?

Nice and clear explanation. In the other hand a sort of "standard way to measure switches" should be defined.

[CPTBadAss]

Thanks for the clarification ika. Do we have bottom out weight data for standard switches?

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=46449.0

[mashby]

Thanks for the clarification ika. Do we have bottom out weight data for standard switches?

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=46449.0

Doh! Totally forgot about rkinze's work.

If I read the data right, I think it would be fair to say that a Cherry MX-Red spring has a bottom out weight of 63g if we round to the nearest whole number. If we show the actuation number and then the bottom out number, it would look like (45g/63g).

Anyone disagree?

[SL89]

Is there no such thing as a Cherry MX Clicky Grey?

[mashby]

Is there no such thing as a Cherry MX Clicky Grey?

There was at one time, but it's no longer in production according to Deskthority Wiki -- more here.

[HoffmanMyster]

Nice resource, mashby.    Now we need a place to keep information like this... 

[mashby]

Nice resource, mashby.    Now we need a place to keep information like this... 

Thanks Hoff!

I made a few updates:

• Added Razer switches
• Added Outemu switches
• Updated bottom out weights from rknize's tests
• Added explanation on weights to bottom of each spreadsheet
• Added sources information

I also found an Imgur photo gallery courtesy of KeyChatter that shows various switches and does a nickel test for both actuation and bottoming out weights. Pretty interesting.

[SL89]

Ah OK that answers that then. But shouldn't MX Grey Clicks b be on the list? Also are Aristotle switches their own thing or were those made by any of the other companies.

[mashby]

Ah OK that answers that then. But shouldn't MX Grey Clicks b be on the list? Also are Aristotle switches their own thing or were those made by any of the other companies.

Well, the list is only for switches that you can currently buy. Granted, you might find a switch like that on an old keyboard and harvest it, but it's not something you'll find purchasing from a vendor.

As for the Aristotle switch, it was an MX Clone made out of Taiwan but according to DT, they aren't made any more. Zeal has some for sale on his web site, but he confirms that they are no longer being made.

The good news is that Zeal may be reviving the design of the Aristotle switch!

[ideus]

Ah OK that answers that then. But shouldn't MX Grey Clicks b be on the list? Also are Aristotle switches their own thing or were those made by any of the other companies.

Well, the list is only for switches that you can currently buy. Granted, you might find a switch like that on an old keyboard and harvest it, but it's not something you'll find purchasing from a vendor.

As for the Aristotle switch, it was an MX Clone made out of Taiwan but according to DT, they aren't made any more. Zeal has some for sale on his web site, but he confirms that they are no longer being made.

The good news is that Zeal may be reviving the design of the Aristotle switch!

The pitch of the switches in the video sound a little higher in pitch than Cherry blues, I hope that changes with the case and plate in use.

[SL89]

You guys are on your A-game, I overlooked the currently produced part of the op. Goddamn Tapatalk. And zeal is the reason I brought them up
 I didn't even know they existed prior to that.

[SamirD]

If we show the actuation number and then the bottom out number, it would look like (45g/63g).

Anyone disagree?

I like this way to present the data.  Makes it fast and easy to see differences between weights.

[mashby]

If we show the actuation number and then the bottom out number, it would look like (45g/63g).

Anyone disagree?

I like this way to present the data.  Makes it fast and easy to see differences between weights.

Thanks SamirD! Glad you find it helpful.