"Clickiez ™ - Alps inspired click leaf in MX footprint. Offered in 60g & 100g. Patent Pending 3-in-1 switch modding design. Check out the click sound test here!
Our long awaited premium clicky switch is finally here! After years of development and countless rounds of prototyping, samples, and delays, what better gift is there than to release the Clickiez on Christmas day?
Clickiez™ are offered in two weights:
60g bottom out (73g peak force, 32g actuation)
100g bottom out (95g peak force, 58g actuation)
Clickiez™ are the world’s first 3-in-1 MX switch that can transform into three different MX style switches via a non permanent mod to the leaf. These switches are fully compatible with Cherry profile keycaps when used with South facing switches (LED slot facing South, or in this case Zeal Logo facing South)
Featuring a Patent Pending multi mode click leaf design, this switch can be transformed from Clicky to Ultra High Tactile (think BKE level, but even more extreme) to super smooth Linear switch modes by simply moving the secondary switch leaf within the housing. Demonstration video will be provided in January 2022. Please note that this mod will require opening the switch, and we do not provide any warranties or replacements for user damaged switches or leafs. We do not carry spare / loose switch parts as all switches are factory assembled.
This switch uses Gateron’s latest CAP series design to add stability to the stem, while also making it more lube friendly. Gone are the days where switch lube pools into the bottom pole.
Pre-order will start on Dec 25, 2021 til shipment received. Estimated delivery date is March 7, 2022 , or possibly earlier if possible. This is an estimate and will be updated as we receive manufacturing status updates."
This is exciting, but this announcement raises two concerns for me:
There is a lot of emphasis on the patent pending 3 way alps style design and compatibility - but very little detail on the feel of each switch mode; why?
Drop.com gets criticism for announcing new products with no first hand reviews. ZealPC should not be exempt from this treatment. I’m all for innovation, but investing so much on a preorder switch that no one has experience of is very risky.
I don’t want to dampen the hype, if anything, I WANT these to feel great (I love the feel of matias clicky switches, yet I hate the feel of MX clickies) - I’m just saying it can’t be hard to get a board full in the hands of some prominent reviewers for feedback.
Nice, I’m glad to see a new single-click switch hit the market. Everybody loves to hate click jackets but I can’t stand Kailh clickbars.
Definitely agree with @Rominronin on it being kinda sketchy that they’re selling these with 0 reviews but that’s pretty typical for Zeal. The first few rounds of a new switch from them are basically a full-price beta test. Hopefully the first few GB rounds go smoothly and quickly so we can see some thorough reviews and Zeal can make whatever tweaks are necessary for these to be really great switches.
I don’t know, that sound test was pretty meh for me comparing it to good blue, amber, or even white ALPS. Although really we should’ve seen that coming but let the hype blind us a little. Now that I see & hear them, it’s like a baseball bat hitting me over the head saying “Nylon & polycarb in a much smaller package will sound nothing like an ABS blend in a much larger package!”. The plastics seem to make a huge difference in sound, at least from the one sound test we got. Oh well, thankfully the switch still has it’s 3 in 1 options cause the tactile & linear variation of these are what intrigued me the most. Also the new Pearlio & Crystal switches seem pretty interesting as well, although those have regular MX actuation leaves inside them it looks like.
Like others here, I’m actually more intrigued by the tactile variation. It’s irksome that we don’t know more about it.
The sound is more like a plasticy plunger than what I remember from ALPS, I agree that the composition of plastics is very important.
I was relieved when Zeal switched to nylon or something for its Zealio V1 Redux, it’s good to see them focusing on the aural properties of their plastics. Hopefully they can keep refining this. The switch is not in many people’s hands yet, so we are operating on little info.
I’m interested in all three variants to be fair, but the click sounds very meh as already mentioned. Then again, so do clickbar switches when you only have one switch against the microphone.
They need to release a full typing demo so we can (hopefully) appreciate what the switch actually sounds like when it’s on a built board.
If I have a biggest weakness, it’s probably novel switch designs. If they suck I’ll consider it taking one for the team - first set of Zeal switches here I come - ha!
Edit: man they really wanted to sell me that switch opener lol. OOF those were pricy - I’ll file it under “Consumer Research”…
I’m definitely interested in the Clickiez, but at $1.50/switch (or $1.30/switch for starters), I think I’ll wait for some reviews. For me, it’s a matter of “are these two or three times better than other switches?” to justify the 2-3x price increase.
Not sure why they would choose to display their new switch like this after all this time, but I’m looking forward to see how it sounds in a full board, also that price is… steep.
In theory the 3-in-1 feature looks appealing, but in reality you have to open up the switch in order to get the feel you want, unless there is a James Bond’s like mechanism that allows the switch to become either tactile or clicky on the fly.
I’m waiting for some reviews of GOAT or something, not really interested in them myself and not really feeling like paying over a buck per switch to someone riding on his years old hype wave to keep selling overpriced switches. Glad to see some type of innovation, even if it’s copying other switch-types designs.
