Trying to build the quietest keyboard under $50 — advice needed

Learning and discussion OEM keyboards
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Hello,

Since I started using a stand for my laptop, I decided to buy an external keyboard for the first time in my life. My expectation was that it would be quieter than my laptop keyboard. I bought an Aula F87 Pro and installed Outemu Silent Lemon V3 switches. When I held it in my hands and typed in the air, it wasn’t completely silent, but the noise level was acceptable (even if it wasn’t perfectly satisfying). However, when I placed it on the desk (I don’t use a mousepad), the sound level increased — I’m not sure if it was because of the desk, but the keyboard started producing a louder, deeper, thocky/muffled sound.

Compared to that, the typical “tick-tick” sound from my laptop keyboard actually felt quieter than the deeper and louder sound coming from the Aula F87 Pro + Lemon V3.

So I returned it and bought a Logitech MX Keys Mini for Business. However, since I bought a cheaper version, it has a Nordic layout, it’s missing keys like Home/End, the battery seems to drain quickly, and the build quality made me a bit unsure. Also, on some foreign forums people mentioned that MX Keys keyboards can break relatively easily and when they do, they basically become e-waste because they’re not repairable.

Right now on AliExpress, the price of the Aula F87 Pro has dropped quite a lot compared to before. I’m wondering if I should return the MX Keys and try the Aula F87 Pro again — but this time with Outemu Silent Peach V3 switches — and also place a 3 mm mousepad underneath it.

Do you think that combination would end up quieter than both the MX Keys and my laptop keyboard (ASUS TUF A16)?

In total, the Aula F87 Pro plus Outemu Silent Peach V3 switches would cost me around 180 złoty (~50 dolar) (Im living in Poland), and I’d prefer not to go much higher than that if possible. Or would you say that after MX Keys, mechanical keyboards probably won’t satisfy me and I shouldn’t go back to them?

If you have any other suggestions, I’d be happy to check them out. As I mentioned, I’m looking for something high-quality, long-lasting, very quiet (as quiet as possible — I wouldn’t want to wake someone up next to me), with long battery life, and comfortable for daily use, coding, and occasionally gaming.

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First, welcome!

Second, I’m not sure if “quieter” is completely possible, as laptop scissor switches are indeed very quiet, but the peaches are supposedly a little bit quieter than the lemons, and I can speak from experience that a deskmat helps a lot. Depending on where you’re shopping, you may also find that you can find other 75% or TKL keyboards of similar quality to the Aula that use the QMK firmware, or at least that hook into the VIA configuration tool, which is generally lighter and more reliable (and, frankly, implies a more modern circuit board) than vendor-specific tools. If you want the board to last, I’d also advise disassembling the board and supporting the back of the circuit board when you insert the new switches, which would also imply that something without clips will be easier to work with. A bottom-case full of foam can help, but nothing beats physically supporting the hotswap socket to avoid damaging it.

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Thank you. Could you please provide a little more detail? For example, do you have any keyboard recommendations? Thank you. Could you please provide a little more detail? For example, do you have any keyboard recommendations? What does it mean to support the back of the circuit board? What thickness and material should a mousepad be? Do you have any recommendations for very affordable mousepads?

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Your budget is tight, but I’ve heard decent things about the Royal Kludge RK R75 Pro, Keychon’s LeMokey budget brand (make sure it’s both hot swap and QMK/VIA), and the “GMK87” (that name is begging for a lawsuit, but oh well) on the Chinese sites. If Amazon has an open box section (called “Resale” in the US) that can be another way to get a budget pre-built cheaper than you might expect.

For a Deskmat, don’t overthink it. Neoprene rubber in 3mm or more and big enough to cover the bottom of the keyboard (of course, as you say, most people also like to use it as their mousepad) should do whatever there is to be done, acoustically.

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I have a keyboard with OUTEMU Silent Lime V1, and many sample switches of Lime and Peach in their subsequent variations.

I have found that lubing the Lime switches with 3204, as is normal for many tactiles, presents better results.

The lube seems to make the switches both quieter, and deeper-sounding [which is often good for silencing.] This process includes lubing the springs with appropriate lube. Honestly, replacing the springs on 1U switches with 55 - 65 G 14mm aftermarket TX, Geon, or Spirit springs would also likely lead to quieter operation.

In your case, lubed Silent Peach would probably give better results than stock Lime.

In general, MX switches aren’t quieter than 1990s-style office keyboards, using scissor-switches or rubber domes.

The silencing of MX switches can bring them down to about that level.

The Aula F87 Pro is a decent budget platform. I think it can even be filled with additional dampening. [However, in combination with ‘silent’ switches, such dampening sometimes only alters the sound, rather than reducing it.]*

I think that the biggest problem with a budget keyboard is that it likely uses low-cost, plate-mounted stabilizers. These tend to be noisier than professionally-built stabilizers.

If I were in your shoes, I would probably:

-buy a Transition Lite TKL [multiple retailers sell this]. It has a plastic or PC case, and comes with dampening. Plastic/PC keyboards with dampening are often relatively quiet, when built that way.
-buy decent stabilizers like TX AP or something.
-a professional can build a keyboard like that at relatively low cost.

-get a bunch of the latest Silent Peach. Find a way to lube them with 3204, and lube the springs. Ideally, you could use 65 G 14mm TX springs or something.
-use thick PBT keycaps. Often, the cheapest AliExpress and similar keycaps listed as being thick PBT are the best for silencing.

Ironically, this can all be done using some of the cheapest or low-cost custom elements.

Will it be cheaper and easier than buying a true office keyboard, something using scissor-switches or rubber domes? No.

But it will allow you to customize the keyboard, and be compatible with the MX ecosystem.

My quietest keyboards are plastic/PC boards with dampening and OUTEMU-style silent switches. But some people have done it with the most expensive Boba switches and metal keyboards like the HMKB. I suspect that a lubed Bobagum is very quiet.

————————

I have something similar to an F87 Pro. The switches are TTC Silent Brown V2, lubed with 3204. Springs are 63.5 G Spirit Supreme [or 14mm Spirit].

Keycaps are 21KB. It’s actually pretty quiet, and used inexpensive parts.

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Thank you. Honestly, I’m a novice in these matters. Could you share examples of the products you mentoined? And how much do you think it will all cost?

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Let’s start with some of the silent switches in question.

I am listing them under the Summary tab, here:

Summary

Some silent tactiles and linears

OUTEMU Silent Lime - These are basically silent “Ergo Clears.” So a light or medium tactile. P-shaped, so the ‘bump’ is near the top.

I think that the factory weight was around 63.5 - 65 G [14mm], at least in the earlier variations. So there are plenty of ‘brown’ and ‘Ergo Clear’ springs that can replace them.

These are among the quieter silent tactiles. You’d have to go to some very obscure, maybe unattainable builds to get much quieter.

They are relatively soft, but I think that they slam a bit on bottom-out. Probably due to housing collisions or something.

OUTEMU Jade Yellow - I like these. They are a refined version of the earlier OUTEMU Silent Cream Yellow. These are modeled after the classic, more expensive U4 Boba. I think that the bump is a somewhat toned-down U4. So it’s almost a D-shape, instead of a P-shape. Taking up more of the keystroke.

So it’s a larger bump that takes longer to ‘clear.’ But it’s not intense. Some advertising likens it to a Holy Panda, and it’s not far off. But these are subdued.

I think that they are pretty quiet. Maybe more quiet than Silent Lime in stock form. This is because the factory lubing became relatively advanced by the time of Jade Yellow.

I suspect that these are ready-to-go out of the box. I’ve tested them on various keyboards.

There is a ‘sidegrade’ variant of these called “Butter Yellow” or “Cream Yellow Pro V3,” which came first. It’s kind of subjective which are better. Although I think most people prefer Jade Yellow.

You are pretty well-served with “Jade Yellow” or “Butter Yellow.”

U4 Boba - These are a classic silent heavy-tactile that inspired the OUTEMU Silent Yellow / Jade series. I think that these are built with greater longevity in mind than the OUTEMU silent tactile series. But it may not matter. U4 is more expensive than the OUTEMU budget line. But they are likely more tactile, and more reliable.

There is a ton of experience modding the U4 Boba on this forum, if you need to look up anything.

OUTEMU Silent Peach - I am not too familiar with these, having only tried samples. But as silent linears, they should be mildly quieter than OUTEMU silent tactiles, like the Lime. This is because of the more linear stem behavior.

They are quiet and soft-feeling. I suspect that these would be the easiest switches for a novice to hand-build with 3204.

[Although there are a number of build guides for the U4 Boba.]

Bobagum - I really like these, but they are divisive. Some people find them too soft or mushy, or inconsistent, or whatever. Honestly, I think the stock Bobagum in 52 - 62 G are great light linears. Maybe even better with replacement springs. Definitely they would take well to 3204.

I would use these if I was concerned with maximum silencing and reliability.

TTC Silent Brown V2 - Still available in some quarters.

These aren’t quite as silent as some of the OUTEMUs. They are made using a more balanced silencing process. So they aren’t as mushy, but maybe not quite as silent.

But they have a relatively crisp feel compared with the lighter OUTEMU-style silent tactiles. Crisp and bouncy.

When hand-lubed with 3204, they are sufficiently silent that I am not sure they compare that unfavourably to OUTEMU.

I really think that these switches, in particular, benefit from aftermarket springs. 63.5 G Spirit Supreme, in my case. Maybe with a 2-stage spring on the spacebar.

These are a good middle-of-the-road option. You can also perform a search here for the TTC Peanut Latte. I think it is a variant of the Silent Brown. Or the Bluish White, which would mean that it is more tactile. Some people say it has better factory lube and springs [which isn’t as much of a factor if you are going to rebuild it.]

Those aren’t all of the switches I tried, but I think that they are some of the most relevant to your question at the moment.

Next, I would like to provide some information about keyboard kits or platforms for you to use. I am a little busy at the moment, so I will have to wait until Sunday to give details on those questions.

On Sunday, I can likely test some of these switches on boards, as well.

I might even be able to provide you with audio from a typing test of the TTC Silent Brown V2 on an M87.

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Anyway, I am giving a lot of details about switches here. But the OP likely wants a simple answer.

I’ll price out an F87/M87 build with Silent Brown V2 or similar when I have a moment.

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This was exactly the answer and detail I wanted. Thank you so much. Generally, people give very helpful and simple answers; thank you for taking the time for me. But I had a question. Which switch is better in terms of maximum silence, comfort, nice feel, and affordability? Could you recommend one tactile and one linear? Honestly, I don’t know how to lubricate them, so if possible, I’m looking for a ready-made switch that I can buy directly and install on my keyboard. I’m also waiting to hear from you regarding the keyboard and other things. :folded_hands::slightly_smiling_face:

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OK, certainly.

First, let me explain the dampening situation with regard to “silent” switches.

As you know, standard MX switches are not “silent.” They are mechanical switches, and they make noise. So, different manufacturers have used different dampening processes to create a variant of MX switches called “silenced.”

They aren’t really “silent,” but they are quieter than standard MX switches. They use additional parts in the switch to make them quieter. These parts are often some kind of ‘bumper’ that softens the stem bottom-out or housing collisions. The bumper absorbs some of the shock and noise. There are different ways to install bumpers and dampeners, and they lead to different results.

Basically, you can rate these dampening methods from ‘firm’ to ‘mushy.’ And the quietness level is usually aligned to that.

So, on one end, you have the ‘mushiest’ switches. These are often OUTEMU switches. Their method dampens more noise, but makes them mushier on bottom-out. Possibly even increasing friction during stem operation. These are the OUTEMU silent line and the Boba switches.

On the other end, you have the firmer or crispier “silent” switches. They used dampening methods that aren’t as excessive. Consequently, the feel and bottom-out of the switches may be more traditional. Closer to standard MX switches.

The ‘firmer’ switches are often Kailh silent switches, and some of the TTC like their semi-silenced Silent Bluish White. Many silent switches resemble either the OUTEMU end of the spectrum, or the opposite Kailh/Bluish White. The ‘semi-silenced’ switches opposite to the OUTEMU silent line might actually have crisp bottom-out or return. This ‘crisp’ silencing might be epitomized by something like the Boba U4Tx, which removes some of the OUTEMU silencing to make it crisper and thockier.

One Tactile

If I had to recommend one tactile, at present, it would be the OUTEMU Jade Yellow.

This is because it seems to be pretty ready out of the box. There is probably less of a dichotomy between factory and custom lubing with these. In other words, the factory lubing is pretty decent.

They have a nice, Boba-like feel, but it’s not too extreme. I think it’s toned down, more of a medium-tactile. So it should be okay for many people.

So they are relatively decent and quiet in stock form. Also, they are cheap. So they would probably be my first choice to quickly and cheaply outfit a keyboard. If I wasn’t going to modify them.

[There’s also a purple switch that’s similar that I’m going to have to test today to compare with the Jade Yellow.]

One Linear

I have tested fewer silent linears. There are probably some good choices out there that I’m not mentioning. I think the OUTEMU Silent Peach is pretty good for a cheap silent linear. But it strikes me as something that a person would want to modify.

So for something that is not modified, I prefer the Bobagum. Maybe 52 g or, for most people, 62-65 g.

The Bobagum isn’t perfect. Some people note the ‘swish’ or friction caused by excessive OUTEMU-style factory dampening. Also, the springs might ring a little bit. But not as bad as cheap switches.

So it isn’t entirely smooth or silent from the box. But it is pretty usable. Pretty no-fuss.

I might also consider the Kailh Deep Sea Pro [Whale] silent linear. I like their tactile version of that switch. It’s not as quiet as OUTEMU. More on the ‘crisp’ side. But it is still pretty enjoyable to type on.

Honourable mention:

The Kailh Midnight Pro is a ‘halfway’ switch between OUTEMU mushiness and the crispness in some switch lines. It is basically MX Brown in tactility, and is fairly quiet. So I would seriously consider that switch, if available, as a no-fuss silent tactile.

And of course the TTC Silent Brown V2 is very decent, but requires lubing and spring-swap to get the full-benefit. So that is why it is not my primary recommendation in an abstract comparison.

In any case, I have yet to run the tests today. So I will get back to you today on the silenced M87, and comparison of some of these ‘silent’ switches on real boards.

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Individual Switch Testing

Okay, interesting results here.

I tested three switch types, 2x switches each. All OUTEMU.

Jade Yellow. Silent Cream Yellow Pro [Butter Yellow]. And Wuhai Jelly Purple. [Which is supposed to be a Jade Yellow made with PA66.]

I still think the best is Jade Yellow. Tied with Jelly Purple.

Jade Yellow

These are relatively consistent with one another, for OUTEMU silents. They really are quiet, at least on a semi-dampened board. Just some dampener-shuffling noise. Quieter than many office keyboards.
So it fits the bill for silencing.

Feel-wise, it’s a toned down D-bump U4 Boba, maybe. A bump that takes up a lot of the keystroke, but is fairly mild in intensity. Not a heavy-tactile. Not in the least.

It bottoms out with a pillowy or marshmallowy softness, mitigated somewhat by the extended tactile event.

Silent Cream Yellow Pro

Despite maybe being the latest Cream Yellow Pro at the time of purchase, I still don’t like them as much as the Jade Yellow. They might feel better in the hand, but on a board the Jade Yellow is better.

I find these to be a bit noisier than the Jade Yellow. So there isn’t much reason to choose these over the Jade Yellow.

OUTEMU Wuhai Jelly Purple

These are interesting. Definitely made with a thought towards being tactiles.

Despite allegedly just being a Jade Yellow made with different materials, the keystroke feels different. Feels like the Jelly Purple have a bit more pre-travel and post-travel. Like a more traditional Cherry switch.

It also feels a bit firmer and crisper than the Jade Yellow. While also coming in with less intensity at bottom-out.

Honestly, all 3 of these switches are more the same than different. But I find the Jade Yellow to be quieter, and to have a decent feel. The Jelly Purple is a strong competitor, but is less available than the Jade Yellow.

So I am favouring the Jade Yellow at this time.

I have to warn that the Jade Yellow have a very toned down tactile bump. So it’s almost a light-tactile now. But that’s fine. Resembles an office keyboard.

Also, some batches will have ping. But there’s not much you can do about that, as a buyer.
[That’s true of all the OUTEMU silent switches.]

Smartest thing to do would be to buy sample packs of 10x Jade Yellow and 10x Silent Lime V3. Maybe during the upcoming AliExpress sale that begins on March 16th. Or a more local retailer. And see which of these two affordable silent tactiles you like better.

Also, please note: Every time these discussions come up, people are likely to post that they like the Durock Shrimp / Dolphin. This must be a viable switch, given the number of recommendations. It probably isn’t as quiet as the OUTEMUs. But it will have its own distinct tactility, and your batch might not ping.

BTW, check this out:

For silent linears, AKKO makes decent alternatives to the Silent Peach. And TTC Frozen V2 has lots of fans. But Peach wins on cost.

EDIT:

I added some stock [factory] OUTEMU Silent Lime V3 and Silent Peach V3 to the same board.

The Silent Lime feel as though the stem is on ‘rails,’ moreso than other switches. It feels kind of cheap.

The Silent Lime is basically a Silent Peach, but with a tactile ‘bump.’

Both of them slam a bit, probably because of the spring type.

Overall, it feels as though Jade Yellow are made with more sophisticated tooling than the Silent Lime / Peach. I would rather type on Jade than most of these listed alternatives.

So OUTEMU Jade Yellow is still the winner in these tests.

For linears, Peach is the cheapest. But I strongly suspect that Akko and TTC are offering strong competition, maybe HMX, even if more expensive.

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I would definitely buy samples from this store during the sale [link in image]:

ItisTemp

If you ask nicely, they might even add one or two sample switches of other switch types. Just add a comment when purchasing.

Try the TTC Frozen V2, Kailh Islet Silent Linear, OUTEMU Kitty silent tactile, and [from a different store] the JERRZI Misty Purple Silent Linear. It would be hard to find those items for cheaper, this month.
Yes, Jade Yellow is still my pick for affordable silent tactile. I am not certain what the best silent linear is, given the diversity of choices today.

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Thank you so much. This article was really helpful.

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I asked somebody here who knows these things for more information about silent switches.

This person prefers partially-dampened switches. Switches that are quieter than regular switches [muffled or muted, not silenced], and crisper than OUTEMU.

Here is what that person recommends:

LINEARS: LICHICX Silent Lucy (made by WEKT) and Gateron Zero Degree.

TACTILES: Kailh Midnight Pro, Kailh Deep Sea Pro, and TTC Bluish Whites.

I think that the tactiles correspond with what we already know: Kailh Midnight Pro and Kailh Deep Sea Pro [Whale], and TTC Silent Bluish White are pretty good if you want a balance between crispness and silencing.

[OUTEMUs / Boba are still quietest].

For linears, I would explore TTC Silent Frozen V2, Kailh Deep Sea Pro [Islet], Bobagum [if budget allows], and Gateron Zero Degree.

OUTEMU Silent Jade Yellow is still the best quick tactile option for you.

Linear option is unclear - there may be several good choices. Silent Peach is the most affordable.

Later, I will price out for you a hypothetical extreme budget build.

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I don’t have any specific silent switch advice since I rarely use them and @HungerMechanic and others have already provided a lot of useful choices.

I just want to add emphasis to the fact that there are the “TTC Silent Bluish White” switch and the “TTC Bluish White” (non-silent, half-dampened variant). Easy to mix up when ordering if you’re not careful. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Thanks :folded_hands:

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PRICING A BUILD

OK, I am pricing out an F87 build with factory silent tactiles. Turns out to be even simpler than thought.

  1. Keyboard:

Aula F87 Pro - $73-83 CAD [-8 to 12 during sale]

  1. Switches:

90x OUTEMU Jade Yellow Silent Tactile - $27-37 CAD [-3 during sale]

or

90x Kailh Midnight Pro Silent Tactile - $41 CAD [-3 during sale]

or

90x TTC Silent Brown V2 - $52 CAD [-8 during sale]

  1. Keycaps

(NONE: Use stock AULA F87) - $0

Total:

CAD:
$89 - 135 CAD

USD:
$64.8 - 98.2 USD

EXPLAINING THE BUILD

Let me explain:

The Aula F87 comes with its own keycaps.

These mass-produced, thick PBT are actually pretty decent for silencing. Better than many options.

So there is no benefit to buying most cheap PBT keycaps in addition to stock Aula F87 keycaps. [Assuming that yours comes with keycaps.]

I have some experience with inexpensive thick Chinese PBT, and it is actually one of the better choices for silencing. So you can use the Aula keycaps.

You can get 90x OUTEMU Jade Yellow for as low as $27 CAD or so [20 USD] right now, on AliExpress. Taking advantage of the sale, you may be able to get coupons for both the Aula F87 and the OUTEMU Jade Yellow.

So for the price of one Aula F87 [w/stock keycaps] and 90x OUTEMU Jade Yellow silent tactiles, you can have one TKL with “silent” switches.

EVALUATION

Will it be the best possible silent keyboard?

No.

It will be one of the best possible office-acceptable TKL with no customization, at a sub-$100 USD price-point.

The Aula F87 has mediocre dampening. It is not the loudest or most resonant keyboard. But in stock form, it’s not the quietest either.

The Jade Yellow are quiet for MX switches, but are not as quiet as customized silent switches.

This will be a quiet keyboard that is fairly no-fuss, and inexpensive.

I would personally build a Transition Lite TKL with customized stabilizers, dampening, and silent switches. But that is definitely more $$$ and time investment, not to mention learning skills.

This will be quiet enough to use in an office, at least.

I have been busy, but I would like to provide a sound test of my M87 Pro that uses [modestly] customized TTC Silent Brown V2. It is louder than a true custom build, but quieter than a standard MX keyboard. Probably representative of what this proposed build would be like.

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To be fair, I’m a little worried about the choice of Aula F87 Pro.

Normally, it is a great super-budget keyboard. Many of them ship with substantial foams, to produce that ‘foam sandwitch’ sound that was beloved a few years ago.

This is good, for normal and especially long-pole switches. [They often ship with long-pole linears.] This is because the dampening materials tend to amplify and create a more resonant, richer sound than you’d expect on such a budget keyboard.

However, with silent switches, I’ve noticed that rich foam keyboards actually amplify dampened switches a bit. I found this out when a stock M87 Pro was modified with a sorbothane interior. The sound became richer, like that of an AULA F87 Pro.

But, silent switches sounded a little louder and more resonant in it.

RECCOMENDATION

Therefore, in your case, I would consider purchasing instead something like an undampened, stock M87 Pro:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXHWYRSV?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

That’s only if it’s available in your region.

This keyboard is similar, conceptually, to an AULA F87. But, with less rich foam dampening, it ends up being a little quieter with “silent” switches.

In your case, this is actually a significant consideration. But you may not be able to get this keyboard in your region. I am not sure what the equivalent is.

If you did get it, it’s just over half of the price of an AULA F87 Pro. With the “savings,” you could buy cheap PBT keycaps on AliExpress (I can point you to some), and the same Jade Yellow switches.

So it would be about the same cost. But it may end up being slightly quieter than the AULA F87 Pro. I can’t guarantee that doing so would lead to a significantly better outcome than with the (more capable) F87 Pro. If I were trying to build this, though, I would try getting the cheap M87 Pro first.

EDIT:

If you can find one via AliExpress or Amazon, the GMK87 is cheap right now:

ZUOYA Gmk87 Gasket-mounted Bluetooth 5.1/2.4G/Type-C Wired Mechanical Keyboard Kitwith TFT Screen for Mac/Win - AliExpress

You would have to find someone to assemble it for you. But it would be a relatively straightforward build.

It may need aftermarket stabilizers, if it doesn’t come with them.

But it’s one of the cheapest TKL kits out there, and multiple reports are that it is relatively quiet compared to the others. With its gasket mount, it would be ideal for silent switches.

On sale right now. But yeah, someone would have to assemble it.

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If silence is key, the M87 / M87 Pro should be marginally quieter than the F87 Pro. Sometimes, they are quite cheap.

[As seen in the Amazon.com example, above.]

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Thank you very much. Unfortunately, the M87 Pro is not available in my region. GMK series — it is available, but it’s also expensive. What do you think I should do?

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