Hi there, I’m a total noob who has built a couple of boards. I recently built myself a Q1 with JWick T1s. I like the feel of the switches very much, they have the right amount of tactility for my use cases and they seem to come decently well lubed. But they have a couple of shortcomings, notably slightly more wobble than I would prefer, and being almost entirely black they don’t allow any RGB through at all (I’m not a total RGB hound but the underglow can be pleasant, right?)
So, I’d be grateful if anyone can suggest what other tactile switches are similar in force (55g-ish) or slightly heavier and have a more translucent housing. If this has been asked before then please point me at the relevant links. TIA.
You can also search for them on AliExpress as DUROCK T1. Choose the “Smokey” colour.
The Smoky T1s are semi-transparent, and do let some light through. I think they are the more classy version of the JWICK T1. However, T1s in general need user-lube, and I think the stock Durocks aren’t lubricated as much or as well as the JWICKS.
Another option is the U4T Thock Boba, which also comes with RGB tops:
They are less common, but you can find them in the U.S. and AliExpress sometimes. You may wish to contact Gazzew directly, as you might be able to order the exact parts you want.
The U4T Boba is similar in intensity to the T1 switch, but some find it to be ‘cleaner.’ It is one of the most popular tactiles, currently. An advantage of the Bobas in general is that they have tighter housings with less wobble than almost any other tactile.
Another option closer to what you are used to is the Kiwi tactile:
I was very impressed by these when they came out, and they are maybe one of the best T1 variants. They are decently smooth stock, but the housing material means that you should hand-lube in order to get better sound.
The U4T and Kiwi use 65 and 67 G springs respectively. 65 G isn’t so bad if you are used to light springs, it’s mid-weight, but 67 G is a bit heavy. If replacing springs with your own, I find that these 55 G springs work with T1s, although they are a bit poppy:
You would choose the “M GoldS 55g x[quantity], 1 Stage 18mm”
They are on sale for the next 18 hours, so maybe a good time to pick some up, along with an order of 10 T1 samples.
The Kiwis will shine greenish light through, though, so beware. The RGB U4T are neutral, in contrast. A kind of crazy option, if available, are the TKC Dragonfruit switches. They are a bright pink when illuminated - they really light up a board, particularly a translucent one.
The Dragonfruit are notorious for housing wobble and some ping, though, so they are best avoided. But they really are a strong example of a switch that lets light through.
Also of note are the Ajazz Diced Fruit series. The Huano Banana is a very poppy switch, like an Ergo Clear on steroids. Just short of a T1 in intensity. It shines through with yellow light. The Ajazz Kiwi is probably closer to a T1, and shines green light through.
Of course, there are variants of the T1 that have ‘clear’ tops, and are the logical choice. Some of the AliExpress ones I linked to are that variant. I never used one, though.
You could preorder some ZealPC Crystal switches at a discount right now:
They will be somewhat more tactile than T1s, and very shine-through. Should have a little less wobble than JWICKs, maybe.
They are closer in feel to Holy Panda or Holy Boba than U4T, point being they are a medium-heavy tactile. What I like about them is that they are satisfying to type on, and don’t necessarily need to be hand-lubed unless you are a stickler for sound. So they are ready-to-go.
The top housing is shine-through, although it will be a whitish-blue in colour.
[BTW I don’t think JWICK T1s come in 55 G variants, as you had indicated. They seem to use 67 G springs, much like standard Durock T1s and Kiwis. I am referring to weight at bottom.]
These might fit your needs exactly. Particularly if they were lubed + filmed, they could become premium switches. I recommend (lubed) 14 mm 65 G TX springs for T1 switches.
You could pick up some 55 G mStone springs for them while on-sale today.
Thank you ever so much for your thoughtful and detailed replies. I feel that I learned a lot of useful information with very little effort on my part, which is a testament to the clarity of your responses.
I referred to the JWick T1s as 55g because that’s the stated actuation force. The 67g you quote is the bottom out force, but I try not to bottom out, which is why I prefer tactiles I guess.
I’ve spent, and will probably continue to spend, some pleasant times looking through various supplier sites
If you’re considering aftermarket springs, I am a little familiar with making T1s lighter.
Going by bottom-out force, the 55 G 18mm mStone springs from AliExpress create a lighter but punchy switch. The 65 G 14mm (Small) TX springs are lighter than stock 67 G, and more relaxed. TX 14mm springs in particular take well to lube.
You definitely helped me immensely because I was able to shop more intelligently and on a narrower starting space so it was easier.
I went for the Durock T1 Clears for the RGB. The Durock store tells me that they are doing an improved factory lube on them now so I’ll see for myself the veracity of that. I’m hoping that paying double the price of the JWick T1s is going to yield a significant/noticeable difference but the RGB will definitely be better if nothing else
Thanks also for the advice on lighter springs but I doubt that will be necessary because, as I mentioned, I prefer a firmer spring so as not to bottom out hard.
I’ll update when they are delivered and installed.
I hear mStone springs don’t have the greatest variance control in terms of weighting, so if looking for 18mm long springs now I’d go with either TX in their XLs (18mm) or Geonworks Springs at 18mm. TX does ± 1g weight and Geon springs do ± 0.3g.
Geon springs are cheaper than TX at $4.50 USD per bag of 110pcs vs the $7.50 USD, which is very competitive pricing. The only problem with Geon springs is availability outside of the US vendors which already stock them. Ashkeebs in Canada should be getting them soon but right now TX XL is available everywhere, like at Ashkeebs or Minokeys.
Keygem (based in Germany) also has TX springs and Gazzew springs, they seem to have all varieties of TX.
You stated up above that you’re looking to avoid bottoming out, so if that’s the case then I would stick with springs that are no more than 16mm in length, ideally 14-15mm. 14mm will allow you to get a greater bottom out force for the equivalent actuation force compared to 15mm, so probably try that first in something moderately heavier like 67g+. TX 14mm should do the trick: TX Springs (S) / 110pcs – KEYGEM
It struck me today that I never did provide the promised update on how things went. I guess that the shipping took so long that I forgot, and became distracted by non-keyboard things. (Heresy! I hear you cry.)
I followed the Durock T1 recommendation. They appear to come in a fully clear version that is factory lubed. My first trial was to put them into one of an identical pair of boards opposite the darkly brooding JWick T1s for comparison. The Durock T1s are very much brighter, and the factory lube is both consistent and generous - the JWicks feel like a heavier switch in use, although direct comparison shows them to be near identical.
To sum up, I am very happy with the Durock T1s for the Q1, and they will be a permanent fixture on that board, although I will continue not to be able to resist the temptation to try other tactiles as they appear. (I’m testing out CIY Evo tactiles and MMD Princess tactiles these days.
Thanks to all of you who helped me with this. Hope things have been going well for all of you.
