The journey to find a replacement for MX Clears... and Zealios V2

[TheSoulhunter]

So, after my decade-long hibernation from this hobby, I wanted to explore the vastly expanded world of key-switches.

For about 15 years, I used three switches: Cherry MX Clears, Ergo-Clears and, and since 2019 Zealios V2

I really loved Clears...



But ultimately I ended up liking the Zealios more ^^;

However...

What was once a niche landscape with fewer than 10 switch options has transformed into a candy-store boasting 100+ variants.
Driven by curiosity and nostalgia, I sought to evaluate modern tactile switches that could match or surpass Clears/Zealios...

So I got bunch of switch-samplers and individual switches from SwitchOddities to make up my mind.

I ended up with a couple contenders which I tested across 3 keyboards (Tofu60, Agar, CSTM80).




Two switches ended up as my finalists: Kailh Crystal Royal Box and Kailh Box V2 Brown

Below is a evaluation of my findings...


Kailh Crystal Royal Box





Tactile Feedback: The Box Royal delivers a sharp and pronounced tactile bump surpassing Clears. Also the Box stem design eliminates wobble.

Sound: They produce a medium-pitched “clack” and are overall less hollow sounding than Clears and the Zealios.

Performance: Great for typing, not so good for gaming (I always preferred linear switches here).

Verdict: Even compared to Zealios V2, Royals feel more aggressive. Great!



Kailh Crystal Box V2 Brown





Tactile Feedback: The Box V2 Browns deliver a even sharper (yet less stronger) bump than the Box Royal.

Sound: More "thocky" and quieter than the Royals, especially on the Agar.

Performance: Great for typing, somewhat usable for gaming.

Verdict: Great replacement for my Ergo-Clears.


So...

Both Kailh switches address the flaws of Clears (scratchiness and stem-wobble).
Royals might replace my Zealios (not sure yet, ask again in 3 years or so).
Box V2 Brown WILL replace my Ergo-Clears.
Zealios remain a benchmark to me.

Returning to the mechanical keyboard hobby in 2025 has been an enlightening experience.
The Kailh Box Royal and Box Brown V2 exemplify the industry’s advancements.
I continue to assess whether they outshine my beloved Zealios V2.
Both have reignited my passion for the craft.

Just my 2 Cents as an Oldtimer...

I welcome your input and perspectives!
Which modern tactiles have captured your interest?
What are your suggestion for linear switches? Are the Oil/Ink switches a good replacement for vintage Blacks?

As a bonus, my praise to the Zealios...

[HungerMechanic]

This is interesting. Thanks for posting this.

For MX Clear replacements, I sometimes prefer Durock Medium Tactile. Which is inspired by Zealio V1 / V2. The new Gateron Longjing Tea are somewhat nice, but maybe too gentle for your requirements.

For you, I would recommend some other switches in the Ergo Clear category. The JWK/Durock or JWICK T1 were often rated as being 'better Ergo Clears.' Some interesting variants of the T1 are the SP Star Polaris Purple. Some people prefer the SP Star version of things.

The Everfree Grayish are definitely worth trying, if they are still being sold at budget prices. They are Gateron's attempt at a budget heavy-tactile. You could compare and contrast them with KTT Matcha, which may be too light for you.

Most of the items I just listed, except for Everfree Grayish, probably aren't 'crunchy' enough for you. What some people do is put Durock Medium Tactile stems inside T1 housings. This produces a ramped-up Ergo Clear.

The MMD Princess switches are very, very affordable heavier tactiles, and most people would also try the more upscale U4T tactiles. The Haimu WS Heavy Tactiles are something cheap to experiment with.

People who use them favour the Durock Anubis. Others speak well of the Tecsee Purple Pandas. One of the most tactile switches available, possibly worth trying for you, are the Zeal Clickiez in tactile-mode.

[HungerMechanic]

Despite everything I just said, you have a 'clear' preference. If BOX Royals and Crystal BOX Brown are ideal for you, most of those other switches I mentioned won't replicate their typing characteristics.

[TheSoulhunter]

Thanks for your feedback! I will give your suggestions a try if I am able to obtain the switches easily....
There were some switches I got from SwitchOddities which I liked, but I had to disqualify them as they were discontinued.

[TheSoulhunter]

I was just told that Zeal, while no more offering the V2, now offers s "Crystal" switch...
From what I read, it is based on the V2, but has a even more pronounced tactile bump?
Gonna put these on the "to try" list as well. They are pricey, but at least they are available.

[HungerMechanic]

Yes, Zeal's offerings are definitely something to consider for you.


I have read that the Crystal Zealio V2 are more tactile. Generally, the revisions of all Zealio V2 derivatives were to make them more tactile. First, the Zilents were updated to Aqua Zilents, with more tactility. The Crystal were later, I think, and served that function.

In the realm of Ergo Clears, the Zealio V1R are still supposed to evoke that. And I would say that they do, in their own way. They are a smoother Ergo Clear with a more clearly-defined bump. But they are not meant to be super-tactile. Even with the V1R revisions.

And yes, the Zeal Clickiez can be switched into tactile mode, and are some of the strongest available MX-compatible switches in that regard.


I prefer Brown-like light-tactiles and Ergo Clears myself, so I am not the best person to ask about the heavy-tactiles you may prefer. My version of your Kailh builds would be the following:

Kailh BOX Brown
flex-cut thin aluminium plate
hollow ABS plastic case

I appreciate the more positive tactile feedback that BOX Browns give over MX Browns, and I would mount them on a subtle metal plate that has mild give. Otherwise, it would be open and airy. I also like BOX Whites.


All that being said, I slightly keep track of heavier tactiles. In your case, some of the low-priced medium-heavy and heavy-tactiles are readily available on sites such as AliExpress:

-Everfree Grayish
-MMD Princess (avoid V2)
-Durock and JWICK T1


There, you can also find mid-priced switches, such as Gateron Mini i, Quinn, and Azure Dragon. As well as Durock Taro Ball tactiles (medium-tactile variant), Gateron Green Apple, and JWICK Chazu light-tactile.

From Unikeys, you can find various HMX heavy-tactiles, and the Gateron Type R full-stem tactile. Various Akko, including the Creamy Purple Pro. That latter switch is nice, velvety medium-heavy that is pretty good in stock form. [Cherry-pick the best 75% of those.]

I can't say how import tariffs would factor into this, for U.S. residents.

Anyways, the MMD Princess (esp. V1 and V3) are worth it for sheer cheapness, the Mini i are sturdy and snappy (expensive), and Everfree Grayish are cheap enough to try. And you should be able to find U4T Boba from a range of sellers.


Given your preferences, I might recommend to you the Chosfox & JWICK Voyager. They are kind of like a factory Holy Panda, but have their own push-feel. They are a bit scratchy and wobbly in stock form. But they have an interesting tactility. You can buy 10 in a sample pack from AliExpress, or more.

I personally appreciate the Holy Boba, which is a Halo True / Kailh Polia stem in a U4/T Boba housing.

You might also want to cram some Taro Ball stems in JWICK T1 V2 housings to get a 'super Ergo Clear,' although only some people find it worthwhile. I think you would be better-served by switches that have their own tactile signature: MMD Princess, JWICK Voyager, Gateron Lanes, Zeal Clickiez.

[TheSoulhunter]

Thanks again!

I ordered the Everfree Grayish switches you suggested, and also Crystal Zealios.
I will report back after I received and tested them...

Probably gonna keep the Brown Box V2 in my Agar tho.
I really like the feel and sound of this combo ^_^

Regarding the flex-cut plate + hollow ABS plastic case...
Is the idea to make the plate a "membrane" and the case a "resonance room" to influence the sound?

Back in the day, all MX keyboards were "rigid" and created a lot of resonance...
Now, with the gasket or rubber-stud mounting, the felx cuts, and the foam, it's mostly gone.
It's really interesting from a engineering viewpoint. Wouldn't have imagined that we go this far to tune sound.

[HungerMechanic]

Yes. It would be hard for someone in 2015 to believe that so much of the effort went into tuning sound. There is still so much work that could be done in tuning typing characteristics, such as building different mechanisms for tactility and clicking. Or developing new ways to stabilize keys. Very little has been done in that regard, except for improving existing designs.

But people invested a lot of money in luxurious cases, and switch recolours, so here we are. At least tactiles have been near-fully explored in terms of what can be done by adjusting the Cherry notch. TBH, with all the different stems, springs and housing materials now, at least there are relevant permutations on all of the original Cherry colours. And then some.


If I remember this correctly, the Everfree Grayish are sort of a budget version of Gateron Root Beer Float. The RBFs were well-liked switches, but they were on the pricier side, and in need of aftermarket lubrication. The Grayish should be similar, but cheaper, and with decent factory lube. So you don't have to go to lengths to experiment with them.

Because I prefer lighter tactility, I thought the original Blue Zilents were okay. The Aqua Zilents were more tactile, and I felt it to be an unnecessary change. In your case, conversely, the more recent Crystal Zealios might be an improvement. Zealio switches tend to be smooth, but they do have leaf ping or other noises. So a careful application of mild lubricant may be helpful.


For hollow cases, a common reason behind it is to amplify sound. Yes, the switch sounds will build up inside the case. A good example of this is the NCR-80. People often choose that board in order to amplify the properties of clicky switches.

With the build I was referring to, it has to do with tactility. Flexy aluminium will give a firm and resonant plate for BOX Browns, without being harsh. The plate will have a little give, so the switches will feel crisp and responsive. And no dampening materials or added plates - just let the switches be. It wouldn't be a big hollow case for these, just something light that won't alter the sound too much. Enough to allow mild flex.

If you enjoy interesting tactility, it can be worthwhile to put light and medium-tactile stems in highly tactile housings. YOK Pandas used to be among the best for this. You can often do this with Durock T1s, and even Zealios. U4/T tactile Boba housings are good candidates for MX stems, Halos, Kailh Pro Purple, and Polia. Just be sure to use the loose 'no-slot' clear-tops.


And since you had been typing with Clears previously, you might want to look into Cherry MX Falcon:


https://www.cherry.de/en-gb/product/mx-falcon

They are new switches, said to be like long-pole Clears. But I don't know if they have been released yet. I noticed that the Cherry MX Purple are using the MX2A molds. The ones I looked at were relatively smooth and low-wobble by Cherry standards. Certainly nicer than the dregs at the end of MX1A production. They are factory Ergo Clears, so you might want to check them out if you haven't already. But they don't offer anything really different than MX Clears to someone with your experience.

[HungerMechanic]

For something that's amusing, you can look at this thread from 4 years ago:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=111131.0


People were trying out different heavy tactiles. But they had opposite preferences that you did.

Some useful suggestions about BOX Royal spring replacements, and what can be done with MX Clear stems.

[TheSoulhunter]

The force graph for the Falcons looks promising:



Seems they are hard to obtain...
The few shops offering them have low quantity or are out of stock.
But I found a local (German) shop selling them in quantities of 10 (loose) and 30 (boxed).


The Glarses (purple Cherry) I got with one of the switch samplers:



Can't find a difference to classic clears besides the color...
But I will look out for some of the other suggestions you made.


Overall I don't care too much about sound as I wear headphones most of the times...
But I noticed that the rubber suspension of the Agar also make a big difference to the feel.


Thanks for your input!