Kailh Switches Guide - Pick the Right Kailh for Your Keyboard
We already covered the basics of mechanical keyboard switches and a few of the more popular brands. This time, though, we'll be focusing on the Kailh SMD-LED compatible mechanical switches. Introducing the Kailh Switches Guide.
Guides & Resources
Apr 15 2018
We already covered the basics of mechanical keyboard switches and a few of the more popular brands. This time, though, we'll be focusing on the Kailh SMD-LED compatible mechanical switches. Introducing the Kailh Switches (Color & Family) Guide.
Glorious Kailh Switches Guide introduction
If you check our online store, you'll see that we give you the option to choose from 3 so-called families of Kailh mechanical switches and a total of 8 colors. That is not to say we dislike other brands, some of which are included in our ultimate guide to mechanical switches - they all serve their purpose just fine. But after thoroughly testing the GMMK, we can guarantee that should you choose Kailh for your mechanical keyboard, you'll be investing in switches that are unique and come in many varieties, differentiating themselves from Cherry just enough to make it worth your time and money.
In fact, that's one of the reasons we love the switches produced by Kaihua Electronics. Their design is doing a great job at innovating over the original Cherry switches, thus ending Cherry's dominance on the market.
Okay, let's get to the truly important part now - which Kailh mechanical switches should you choose for your keyboard? To answer this question, let's first look at the 3 different families.
- Are you primarily concerned about stability and hate key cap wobbling more than anything else? Do you want your switches to be resistant to water and dust? Then, the Box Switches, with their reinforced stem, should be your immediate choice.
- Are you always trying to set a new record in fast typing? Are you obsessed with pwning your friends in competitive games? In that case, look no further than the Speed Switches. The reason is simple: they have a shorter travel and key activation distance compared to other types of switches (up to 50% faster).
- Want the best of both worlds? Then, you might as well check out the Pro Switches. They offer a shorter travel/activation distance than Box Switches, but a greater distance than Speed Switches.
With a rated lifetime of ~70 million cycles, it goes without saying that the Kailh mechanical switches will serve you for years to come.
Kailh Switch Colors
Now, let's take a look at the different colors of Kailh mechanical switches that are available for purchase on our website.
| Family | Color | *Behavior | Peak force | Feel |
| Box | Black | Linear | 60g | Very smooth and little to no wobble. |
| Box | Brown | Tactile | 50g | Almost identical to Cherry Brown. A decent blend of gaming & typing. |
| Box | Red | Linear | 45g | Practically identical to Cherry Red, minus the higher actuation force. |
| Box | White | Clicky | 45g | Some tactility + clicky feedback. Ideal for fast typing. |
| Speed | Bronze | Clicky | 42g | Unique feeling as a result of a second spring that provides the actual click sound effect. |
| Speed | Copper | Tactile | 45g | Soft tactile feel that can handle both fast typing and intense gaming. |
| Speed | Silver | Linear | 27g | Extremely light, very similar to Cherry Speed Silver. |
| Pro | Purple | Tactile | 50g | Really smooth, but with a decent bump. |
*More on mechanical switch behavior here.
So, is there a Kailh switch that seems right up your alley? If you still haven't made up your mind, worry not, as you can always order our MX Switch Sample Pack. The pack gives you the opportunity to test all the Kailh (and Gateron) switches we offer, so you can rest assured you'll find the ones that will suit your keyboard the most.
Ultimately, if you want to learn even more about Kailh switches, we recommend watching this video - it covers the things we mentioned in this article, plus some additional useful facts you should know about Kailh.