TTC Switches Test

[Kyle Yang]

Dear friends, what do you know about the TTC switch?
I want to buy a switch tester here
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P56XRJ3

[HungerMechanic]

I think I've tried about 3-4 switches in that TTC switch tester:

TTC Gold Brown V3 - It's just a Brown that feels slightly heavier than MX Brown or with some more tactility. It's smoother than Cherry MX Brown, doesn't have that sandiness and scratch as much, but just doesn't feel anything special.

On the other hand, some people think that TTC Gold Brown V3 is one of the best affordable Brown-alternatives for new people in the market.

Personally, I think these switches are ok, but I don't like the stock sound enough, and think that they should be lubed and possibly filmed.



TTC Bluish White - now this one is interesting. It's a medium tactility, a more noticeable tactile bump than Browns. It may even have a dual-spring or dual-bump that you can notice on the upstroke and downstroke. It might even be dampened on the downstroke [but loud upstroke.]

If memory serves, several people found this to be a very interesting tactile.


TTC Watermelon Milkshake - this is just an unremarkable Brown-like switch at first. It's basically a Brown in weight and tactility, although spring is slightly heavier than Brown. I personally find the spring weight to be too much for a Brown. At about 57 G it would be better. Or put a 63.5-67 G Progressive spring in there, and it becomes a more interesting switch.

Should be lubed and filmed for best results, though. A decent light-tactile that's let down by the stock spring IMHO.


Anyway, that switch tester should give you a good idea of TTC switches, although several of them will be similar linears and Browns.

[Leopard223]

I only have experience with TTC Bluish White samples and I love them, they're punchy but not too heavy, I wouldn't call this medium tactile, but when you think about it, what exactly is considered medium? 

Unlike many switches such as Polia or Tecsee Tactiles where the spring is really light at the top and progressing to heavy at the bottom giving it a weak bump feel, the Bluish White has a regular spring that gives it a punchy feel.

Also they're Holy Panda style tactiles meaning the bump is at the top, but the bottom out is dampened by a silliocn at the bottom of the housing pole hole (pole well?), so lubing the top housing makes it pretty silent.

To give you an idea about the bump, testing the bump against some other tactiles, Bluish White bump is heavier than 62G Durock Koala (T1 recolor), Kailh Polia, MX Brown, Akko Ocean Blue/Lavender Purple, Everglide Bamboo/Crystal Purple, Tecsee Purple Panda and SP star Meteor Orange.
But they're lighter than the U4/T regardless of spring, the 67g T1s, and SP Star Purple, and obviously BOX Royals.

About TTC from what I remember they're pretty big and popular in the country they originate from (IIRC China?), they have a lof of quality switches, but at the same time they have gigantic range of switches.

[HungerMechanic]

I only have experience with TTC Bluish White samples and I love them, they're punchy but not too heavy, I wouldn't call this medium tactile, but when you think about it, what exactly is considered medium? 

Good observations!

Yes, the concept of "medium" and "heavy" has been in flux for some time.

Traditionally, MX Clear was considered a "medium" tactile, with Holy Pandas being an early example of a "heavy" tactile. Zealio V2 joined those. BOX Brown was considered light by some, medium by others.

Then Durock T1 fudged it somewhat, because it would have been "heavy" on the old scale, but some reviewers call it "medium" because it's less than HP and Zeal V2.

Then Durock came out with "Durock Medium Tactile," similar in intensity to Ergo Clears and Zealio V1, but some reviewers consider it "light tactile."


Basically, with super-tactiles like BOX Royal; Neopolitans and custom-modded Zealio frankenswitches, it's shifted the categories towards things lighter than Zeal V2 being labeled as lighter than they were. Pushing things into a lighter category.

The old standard was MX Clear, OUTEMU Sky, maybe BOX Brown as "medium" with Zealio V1 as maybe "light-medium." But now that "medium" may include T1 and SP Star Purple, I just don't know anymore.

I think a spectrum of light > light-medium > medium > medium-heavy > heavy > super-heavy could accommodate everything, you could even drop the "light-medium" or strictly "medium" category.


Anyway, this all sounds verbose and very confused because I haven't had my coffee yet. But there is actually a more scientific way of looking at it. You could categorize the intensity by the force necessary to overcome the tactile bump, which I guess would include spring weight and tactile bump. There are ways to systematically categorize tactiles.

But if you want to be elegant, then "light" = Brown-like, "medium" = Clears + Durock Medium, "heavy" = Zealio V2 / HP, and you can attach adjectives to those as necessary. T1 still fudges it though, as I would call it "medium-heavy." I guess there are still some interstitials.

On your original point, I confess that TTC Bluish White are heavier than the old "medium," near T1s in intensity.

[Leopard223]

I only have experience with TTC Bluish White samples and I love them, they're punchy but not too heavy, I wouldn't call this medium tactile, but when you think about it, what exactly is considered medium? 

Good observations!

Yes, the concept of "medium" and "heavy" has been in flux for some time.

We've reached a point with so many switches are being released, combined with the community's inability to describe things (see: thock), and you're in for a confusion.

The way I see it, tactiles switches are currently split into 4 categories (well actually 3).

1. MX Brown - bump at the middle, usually weak and less pronounced compared to the heaviness.
2. Ergo Clear - More pronounced bump, heaver than MX Brown style switches but basically the same, but heavier.
3. Holy Panda - Bump starts right at the top with no/very minimal pre travel, stem pole is longer resulting in short total travel (usually 3.5mm) and bottoming out on the stem pole, bump is long and drawn continuing most of the switch travel, with short post travel (that exists, contrary to popular belief).
4. T1 - similar to the HP switch but with standard 4mm travel and bottom out.

T1 category and HP categories are basically the same apart for the longer pole and the housing materials that used to lean the sound to the deeper spectrum.

Those are the main categories, and in them you can split them into switches with - regular/progressive springs, weaker/heavier, shorter/longer bumps or whatever, they don't defer that much from each other apart for materials and quality.

I personally use the Akko Lavender Purples, I like their sound and while they're pretty light against other tactiles switches they are very punchy and nice to type on, switched from previously using 62g U4Ts as they're really heavy for me.

[HungerMechanic]

I agree with your categories, although one could separate the axes more explicitly.

For example, you could go light/medium/heavy in tactile intensity. That's one axis.

Then, you could refer to bump location: top/mid/low.

Then, you could classify something as "top-mounted light tactile" [i.e. Kailh Speed Copper] vs. "medium-mounted light tactile" [MX Brown].

MX Clear is "mid-mounted medium tactile," whereas AKKO Lavender Purple might be "top-mounted medium tactile." Holy Panda and Zeal V2 would be "top-mounted heavy tactile."


I guess you could replace the "low" bump location with a different category, like "HP-like long-pole," to more specifically describe certain types. The type of spring, etc... is added afterwards.


The Bluish White is actually a good tactile for many, I should take another look at it. Probably go well with MT3. It is on the heavier side.