I’m still pretty new to the hobby, but recently sampled a few switches to find one for my work keyboard. This writeup is about the silent tactiles.
I am amazed to find that silent switches can feel so good these days. Of course these are just my own feelings based on my preferences so take this with a grain of salt. All switches are stock, no additional lube.
The switches:
- Boba U4 62/68g
- Wuque Studio Silent Tactile
- TTC Silent Bluish White
- Durock Shrimp
Silence (quietest first): U4, Shrimp, Bluish White, WS
Smoothness (smoothest first): WS, U4, Bluish White, Shrimp
Tactile bump (biggest first): U4, Shrimp, WS, Bluish White
Bottom out feel (crispest first): WS, Bluish White, Shrimp, U4
Tactile Feedback (most first): WS, Bluish White, Shrimp, U4
Overall ranking (favorite first):
- TTC Silent Bluish Whites - These were not the top in any one category, yet I liked them the most overall. They’re silent enough for most purposes. They give a good amount of feedback, and don’t suffer from as much vagueness as most silent switches. If the U4s feel like popping bubble wrap, these feel like sticking a chopstick through a grape. There is a round-shaped initial resistance, and then it gives way with a slightly squishy feel on the way down before a soft but crisp thump at the bottom
- Durock Shrimp - Most reviews I read seemed to think the U4s were superior to these. Indeed these weren’t as smooth, made a bit more noise during travel and didn’t have quite as much of a bump, but they also had a significantly more definite bottom out feel compared to the U4, which makes them nicer to use in my books.
- Wuque Studio Silent Tactile - They were the best in many categories, but I ranked them low in the context of silent switches because of their loud sound when topping out. I wouldn’t consider these silent at all. If the top was also dampened, these would likely be my favorite as they feel just a bit smoother and more refined than the Silent Bluish Whites.
- Boba U4 - I really wanted to like these switches. I was convinced that I would love them after reading all the reviews, so much so that I bought quite a few up front. Perhaps those high expecations led to greater disappointment. Despite having the biggest tactile bump out of these, they felt the most vague, especially when bottoming out. Like popping bubble wrap sitting on top of more bubble wrap. There’s feedback from when you initially press to the middle of the bump, but once it gets past the middle, it just feels like there’s nothing. The 62g and 68g felt really similar to me - one is of course just slightly heavier. That’s not to say these switches are terrible in the grand scheme of things. The few sets of switches I bought were all recommended by others as the best. That makes these the worst of the best in my eyes, I suppose.
You must log in or register to comment.
Same here with Boba, good but not great.
I have been using Outemu Cream Yellow Silents for 3 weeks in my workhorse, at first veeeery mushy, but no other choice for my workplace. After that time, mushiness is gone, got a nice silent tactile feel.
Found a great deal for hand lubed Boba 65g , and I said why not, let’s find out. I pressed one in Q, left the outemu in W, and honestly couldn’t see any notable differences.
I really want to like the Bobas, but at the moment I’m inclined to installing them in a spare setup and selling them for the same price tag. Not worth enough.
If you have any suggestions, let me know.
I would try out the Invokeys x Alas: Daydreamer Switches too. I think Wikuo/LICHICX (who make them) are setting the bar for silent switches at the moment.
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll have to try them if I can get a hold of some. My favorite linear silent switches so far are made by LICHICX so I now have high hopes for these
Which silent linear switches have you tried, and how do they compare with Silent Lucy?
Looking to purchase a set of WS Silent Linear.
You should try U4Tx if you haven’t before. My favorite (semi-) silent switch and I hated U4s. I liked the shrimp silents the most out of the others i’ve tried. TTC bluish white was nice but the loud clacky top-out sound was annoying in combo with the rest of the switch i think
I actually have a whole set of U4Tx and I love them. However they are a strange beast. Not silent but not loud. Slightly thocky. Can be silent-ish if you type lightly. Feels a little soft and clacky at the same time.
If the top out is the only thing you dislike about the Bluish Whites, you could try the silent version, which is dampened on the upstroke.
ah i didn’t realize there was a silent and half-silent version. good to know, ty!
u4tx are a bit strange yeah, but i greatly prefer them to any switch with that mushy silicone feeling. people in my office take loud sales calls so I feel like some half-silent switches + poron switch pads is more than quiet and considerate enough, lol
I have currently bought gateron silent brown where I had swapped the spring for 80g, I not aware on so many alternative for silent switchs :)
I didn’t know there was a silent Gateron brown. How is it? Is it similar to the non silent brown switches?
Hum, it’s quite light for me, the linear course is silent, the bottom out too but you have some metalic sound when getting on the boncing part of the course. I’m definitively not an expert so please take my comment with caution.
It’s also why I have swapped the spring with 80g ;)
if you have some 105 oil and are willing to lube, 105 on the springs and a tiny swipe on the leaf contacts should greatly reduce that metallic sound without smoothing out the tactility. browns are very lightly tactile so i wouldn’t use a creamy lube on the leaf
I lubed the whole stuff with 205 ;) and I had avoided the feet at all
right, people usually avoid the feet and leaf with 205 to preserve tactility but it won’t kill the metallic pinging. a tad of 105 on the leaf helps reduce the the ping without killing tactility
Same here with Boba, good but not great.
I have been using Outemu Cream Yellow Silents for 3 weeks in my workhorse, at first veeeery mushy, but no other choice for my workplace. After that time, mushiness is gone, got a nice silent tactile feel.
Found a great deal for hand lubed Boba 65g , and I said why not, let’s find out. I pressed one in Q, left the outemu in W, and honestly couldn’t see any notable differences.
I really want to like the Bobas, but at the moment I’m inclined to installing them in a spare setup and selling them for the same price tag. Not worth enough.
If you have any suggestions, let me know.