Overview
Our list of the top tactile switches of 2024:
| Thocky Tactile Switch | Durock Ice King |
| Clacky Tactile Switch | Akko V3 Lavender |
| Creamy Tactile Switch | Gateron EF Grayish |
| Poppy Tactile Switch | MMD Princess V2 Tactile |
| Silent Tactile Switch | Akko Penguin |
Product Details
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| Name | Durock Ice King |
| Switch Type | Tactile |
| Top Housing Material | Polymer Nylon |
| Bottom Housing Material | Polymer Nylon |
| Stem Material | Modified Nylon |
| Actuation Force | 58g |
| Bottom Out Force | 68g |
| Mount | 5 pin |
| Pre Travel | 2.0mm |
| Total Travel | 3.5mm |
| Factory Lubed | Yes |
Switch Feel
The Durock Ice King feels silky smooth to type on with no noticeable scratchiness. The housing and stem tolerances are exceptional and provide a clean and precise typing experience. The up stroke of the stem is slightly slow however, which can be easily fixed by hand lubing the stems.
Switch Sound
The Durock Ice King stands out with a very deep and thocky sound profile that is slightly subdued in volume. It would be a great fit for enthusiasts who are looking for the deepest and thockiest typing experience that is soft on the ears.
Here is a sound test of the Durock Ice King:
Product Details
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| Name | Akko V3 Lavender |
| Switch Type | Tactile |
| Top Housing Material | PC |
| Bottom Housing Material | PA |
| Stem Material | POM |
| Actuation Force | 40±5g |
| Bottom Out Force | 55±5g |
| Mount | 5 pin |
| Pre Travel | 1.9mm |
| Total Travel | 3.8mm |
| Factory Lubed | Yes |
Switch Feel
The typing feel of the Akko V3 Lavender feels as smooth as a polished surface. There is no noticeable scratch and it feels very light and comfortable to type on. I would describe the tactile bump of the Akko V3 Lavender as lowercased "p" shaped since the tactile bump is not as pronounced and there is a good amount of linear post-travel. These switches shine in its tight housing tolerances and its comfortability as a light tactile switch.
Switch Sound
The Akko V3 Lavender has a bright and clacky sound profile. It has a soft and creamy bottom out and a hard a clacky top out. Since most of the well known switches tend to be on the thockier side, the Akko V3 Lavender stands out as a bright sounding tactile. It would be a great option for enthusiasts who enjoy tactile switches but also enjoy a high pitched clacky sound profile.
Here is a sound test of the Akko V3 Lavender:
Product Details
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| Name | Gateron EF Grayish |
| Switch Type | Tactile |
| Top Housing Material | PC |
| Bottom Housing Material | PA66 |
| Stem Material | POM |
| Operating Force | 42±10g |
| Mount | 3 pin |
| Pre Travel | 2.0±0.4mm |
| Total Travel | 3.5±0.4mm |
| Factory Lubed | Yes |
Switch Feel
The Gateron Grayish has a heavy tactile bump near the top of the keypress and a slight post-bump linear at the end of the keypress. I would compare the tactile bump to other tactile switches that have a similar "P" shaped tactile bump. Boba U4T for example has a pronounced tactile bump that I would describe as an upper case "P" while the Gateron EF Grayish has a tactile bump that is more like a lower cased "p."
Switch Sound
The Gateron EF Grayish has a soft and relatively muted bottom out due to the nylon bottom housing and a hard and creamy top out due to the PC top and the tactile bump. The Gateron EF Grayish leans towards the mid to high end in terms of pitch which I would describe as sounding "creamy." There is no noticeable scratch or spring ping, but there is some leaf ping when the tactile bump makes contact with the metal leaves which can be remedied through hand lubing the switch.
Here is a sound test of the Gateron EF Grayish :
Product Details
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| Name | MMD Princess V2 Tactile |
| Switch Type | Tactile |
| Top Housing Material | PC |
| Bottom Housing Material | PC |
| Stem Material | POM+PTFE |
| Actuation Force | 48g / 63g |
| Bottom Out Force | 55g / 67g |
| Mount | 5 pin |
| Pre Travel | 2.0mm |
| Total Travel | 3.1mm |
| Factory Lubed | Yes |
Switch Feel
The MMD Princess V2 Tactile has a pronounced tactile bump with a slight linear post-travel. It feels clean and snappy to type on with no noticeable scratch or stem wobble. I would describe the MMD Princess V2 Tactile as having a large, rounded uppercase "P" shaped tactile bump. It creates a very responsive bottom out where you can feel the tactility almost throughout the entirety of the keypress. The short travel distance could play a role in how responsive and snappy the MMD Princess V2 Tactile feels. The MMD Princess V2 Tactile feels very similar in terms of feel to the Boba U4T. They have a similar feeling bump and a similar feeling snappiness to each bottom out and top out thanks to their crisp tactile bumps.
Switch Sound
The MMD Princess V2 Tactile is also comparable to the Boba U4T in terms of sound. They have a similar sound profile, but the MMD Princess V2 Tactile has a slightly brighter and clackier bottom out and a bolder volume. The difference in materials used and the short travel distance could be a factor in why the MMD Princess V2 Tactile has a louder and higher pitched sound. The MMD Princess V2 Tactile has a very crisp tactile bump that creates an emphasized bottom out and a very poppy top out also due to the tactile bump on the upstroke.
Here is a sound test of the MMD Princess V2 Tactile:
Product Details
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| Name | Akko Penguin |
| Switch Type | Tactile |
| Top Housing Material | PA |
| Bottom Housing Material | PA |
| Stem Material | POM |
| Operating Force | 50 ± 5gf |
| Bottom Force | 65gf |
| Mount | 5 pin |
| Pre Travel | 2.0±0.3mm |
| Total Travel | 3.3mm |
| Factory Lubed | Yes |
Switch Feel
The Akko Penguin has a sharp "P" shaped tactile bump that feels similar to the tactile bump of a Invyr Holy Panda or Boba U4T. The tactility feels very snappy while the bottom out feels soft and comfortable. The Akko Penguin uses the same silencing mechanism as the Akko Fairy with the silicone on the stem rails. Although they do not feel as mushy for a silent switch because of the responsive tactility.
The Akko Penguin has smooth typing experience with their factory lube in stock form. They also have very minimal stem wobble which provides a clean and crisp feeling silent tactile switch.
Switch Sound
The Akko Penguin is comparable to the Outemu Cream Yellow silent switch in terms of sound. They're silent due to the silicone dampening mechanism, but because of the sharp "P" shaped tactile bump, there is a quiet feedback when actuating the switch. The Akko Penguin has a little bit of scratchiness straight out of the box that can be remedied with hand lubrication.
Here is a sound test of the Akko Penguin:
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