Gateron KeyFirst "Cream" Switches specs & what I think about them:Manufacturer: GATERON
Total travel:4.0±0.4mm
Pre-travel:2.0±0.6mm
Operating force:62 gf (gram force)
Bottom out: 77 gf (gram force)
Duration:50 million key strokes
Switch type: Linear
Stem: POM "Self-lubricating"
Pantone Colors:Cream Green(0921C),Cream Pink(0331C),Cream Yellow(0131C)
Springs:Silver Color
Priced around $4.50-$5 per 10 switches from what I've seen on TaoBao, AliExpress and vendors.
Initial impressions of the KeyFirst Switches:Final thoughts after using some them in a hotswap board for 2 weeks:- More scratchy than stock Gateron Yellows when kept as stock KeyFirst. Sound signatures of Gateron Blacks & lightly lubed NovelKeys Cream Switch when the Keyfirst Switches are lubed with Krytox 205g0.
- Too expensive for what Milky and Standard Gat Yellows/Blacks do for around x3 cheaper with similar sound/feel profiles.
- The colorway is unique and "fruity" which is nice to look at when you first see them.
- Material used are POM for the stem, top and bottom housing. Notably similar to the NovelKeys Cream switches; the KeyFirst Cream's bottom housing and stem are different shaped molds but the top housing looks nearly identical to the NovelKeys Creams. To note, spacing between the stem and top housing for KeyFirst has reduced wobble in comparison to the NovelKeys Creams, which may make self-lubrication in the future surpass the NK Creams.
- Similar scratchiness to NK Creams after 2 weeks, which I assume will dissipate over 9-24 months based on keypress / usage.
TL;DR - Buy these if you like the color and want something between a Gateron Black & a NovelKeys Cream. Also you'd need to use them for at least 6 months to see how the feel/sound to really know if they're good or not.