Hi everyone!
I’m looking for a very strong, heavy and “meaty” tactile switch. After researching quite a few options, I’m currently leaning toward the R5 Keys x Kailb Blueberry Tactile Switch from AliExpress.
The specs listed on the AliExpress listing are:
Tactile
Total travel: 4.0 mm
Actuation point: 3.0 mm
Actuation force: 55 gf
Peak tactile force: 70 gf
Bottom-out force: 80 gf
I currently use Durock T1 Dark Amber, but they feel too light and not tactile enough for me.
I’m not simply looking for a heavy spring. I want the tactile resistance itself to feel substantial under the finger - a large, strong, “meaty” bump with enough resistance through the stroke that the switch doesn’t suddenly feel very light after overcoming a short tactile wall.
I particularly don’t like a short, sharp bump followed by a big drop in resistance. I’d prefer a strong tactile event with a substantial, heavy feeling through the press.
The three switches I’m currently most interested in are:
R5 Keys x Kailb Blueberry Tactile
Gazzew Boba U4 RGB Transparent Silent Tactile V3 65g
WS Heavy Tactile Switch
At the moment, R5 Keys x Kailh Blueberry looks like the closest match to what I’m looking for, mainly because of the combination of 4.0 mm total travel, 3.0 mm actuation, 70 gf listed tactile force and 80 gf bottom-out.
However, I don’t want to limit the discussion to these three.
If there are other switches I have completely overlooked that would be a better match, please recommend them. I may simply have missed some less obvious options.
I’m especially interested in switches recommended by people who actively prefer very strong/heavy tactile switches and find many popular tactiles too weak.
I don’t have a good way to test many switches individually before buying a full set, so I’m trying to get this choice right before ordering 70-100 switches.
My questions:
Does the R5 Keys x Kailb Blueberry actually feel as heavy and “meaty” as these specs suggest?
If you’ve used these switches, which has the strongest and most substantial tactile feel under the finger?
What other switch would you recommend that I may have overlooked?
Thanks!
Have you tried (or heard of) the WINGTREE Yunie Tactile?
It is a tactile switch that is literally just bump, a pronounced and rounded bump over the whole stem travel.
I personally like them a lot for their unusual characteristics, although you might find the stock spring a bit weak. Its comes in two variants, where the stronger one has 57g operational force, and 63.5g bottom out.
But nothing easier to switch springs if the bump would be to your liking.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll look for the WINGTREE Yunie Tactile.
To me, swapping the spring seems like it could change the balance of the switch and make the spring weight more noticeable than the tactile bump. A strong tactile bump is probably more important to me.
I’m a bit curious myself on how the would feel with stronger springs.
I built one board with them stock so far, but I have enough left for another one.
Since I usually prefer heavy springs as well, I might try swapping springs to see how they feel.
While all that is of course purely personal preference and hard to describe with words, I can try a few heavier springs and report back if you like?
Long, medium, short springs?
Linear, progressive?
Up to which weight (I believe I have up to 100g in my collection)?
That would be great! If you’re willing to test just one setup, I’d be very interested in how the Yunie feels with a stronger spring compared to stock. I’m mainly curious whether the stronger spring complements the large tactile bump or starts to overpower it. Even a quick comparison would be really helpful. Thanks!
I know very little about the vast majority of switches out there, so I rarely make recommendations. When I do, I sound like a broken record because I only have a couple I can recommend, and I only mention them when someone just so happens to be looking for something along the lines of what I own. So with all that being said…
If you want a switch that cranks heaviness, tactility and meatiness all up to 11, with the added bonus of a full and loud sound, then the Zeal Clickiez “3-in-1” are worth looking at. By default they’re in clicky mode, so you’d need to be willing to open each switch in order to activate tactile mode. They’re also expensive.
Zeal is taking preorders for a second run as we speak, they say they hope to ship this month.
Hi again,
I quickly combined the Yunies with what fell into my hands, it were TX 85g long springs.
I personally find them a tiny little bit better than with the stock springs, but honestly not really much heavier, at least for my fingers.
One reason for that might be that the stock springs are actually longer than the long TX-springs, which might contribute to the impression of little difference.
My comment to the Zeals:
I agree, they are insanely tactile, but I personally don’t like the feel of their tactility. While I like strong tactility, I find the Zeals too “sharp” in their feel.
Again, all comes down to personal preferences… Only one way to find out, oder them both 