Kailh white BOX switch review

[Chyros]

Today, as promised, we look at Kaihua's new white BOX switches! Hope you enjoy the video .

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I looked at the cam that operates the click bar and I did wonder how it could possibly be that shape. Now I finally understand: there's a ramp on the shell that pushes the click bar outwards around the cam so that it can snap back up to the top.

Click bar operation.png (16.7 KiB) Viewed 12284 times

Hence the unidirectional cam on the slider: the slider provides the shift cam for upstroke but on the downstroke the shell is used.

Quite ingenious actually. It will be interesting to see how this holds up long-term, as it's always good to see genuine innovation. Maybe not perfect, but a good start. Indeed the click bar could do with being a bit thicker — that heavy clicker, light return spring balance is in part what makes blue Alps so good (the longer lead-in also helps).

The Cherry MX Blue click demonstration sounds horrible in your video, with that nasty rattle — but that's exactly what's happened to my Filco: instead of a sharp click, many keys rattle. In typing, though, I never notice, so it's not a big deal even though it was a disappointing discovery originally. So long as you hit keys fast enough, it's not a problem. However, a sharper click would still be a definite improvement.

[hypkx]

Nice review, I currently work on a 60% keyboard with kailh bronze switches.

[snarfbot]

Interesting, it would be nice if the wedge on the slider was hinged at the top and held out by a very light spring such that it would force the click bar outwards on the down stroke but be pressed back into the slider on the upstroke eliminating that secondary click.

[DustGod]

Nice video! Side by side, at least with your microphone, these sound way, WAY better than MX Blues. Another difference that is worth noticing is that these Kailh are also clicky on the way up, even if a little quieter it seems; to some people it's a disadvantage.

[Elrick]

Just on your video alone Chyros, I ordered a whole keyboard's worth for my up coming LZ CLSm keyboard.

I normally despise anything to do with Cherry switches but these alone have excited me to no end. Even though I have buggery chance of ever owning any NIB old style Complicated Alps keyboard, I can still own something new today but built to better specifications.

Not saying these switches will be better than any complicated Alps but it'll be far better than the normal shite coming from Cherry Corp everyday.

[Scottex]

Awesome review, they sound really sharp.
You said in the video that they're plate mounted, and I want to do what you did but in a G80-1000.
Did you just solder them and call it a day? Won't the pcb suffer with keycap removal and daily use?

[Chyros]

Awesome review, they sound really sharp.
You said in the video that they're plate mounted, and I want to do what you did but in a G80-1000.
Did you just solder them and call it a day? Won't the pcb suffer with keycap removal and daily use?

Yes, I just soldered them in. One switch got loosened up, but I soldered it right back again. The G80-3000 PCB is made of PF-glued paper if memory serves, so it's super shit. Overall though, it doesn't seem to mind too much. The hardest bit really is getting them to line up straight.

I realy ish they'd stick in lighter springs and thicker click bars, that would probably help the switch a lot.

[matt3o]

I have a bag of these switches. honestly they sound nice between your fingers but they are pretty awful to type on.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I have a bag of these switches. honestly they sound nice between your fingers but they are pretty awful to type on.

In what way?

[matt3o]

mmmh the best way of putting it is... it's like typing on a plate of fried crickets

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I can't say I've ever had that experience …

[Scottex]

Some people compare them to cap BS, that's why I was curious

[matt3o]

Some people compare them to cap BS, that's why I was curious

mmmh no I can't say I share that opinion. They are way lighter. by all means you should try them. I don't like them but YMMV.

I've built a custom numpad out of them, I could share that.

[Wodan]

Oh meh, putting clicky switches on those Cherry G80 Cardboard PCBs is such a bad choice.
It's probably the worst mounting option for clicky switches I can think of.

They belong into a tight fitting plate, that will help the clicks so much.

[Elrick]

Some people compare them to cap BS, that's why I was curious

mmmh no I can't say I share that opinion. They are way lighter. by all means you should try them. I don't like them but YMMV.

I've built a custom numpad out of them, I could share that.

Agreed Buckling Springs are indeed heavier than most switches even more so than authentic Green Switches. Also NO Cherry switch can truly capture the feel and use of any Buckling Spring, can't be done.

Suspect this White Box switch is another release onto the market giving a slightly different feel to the traditional Cherry switch and that is about it. Good to see how far the Chinese will go in designing a totally new switch design, to offer keyboard users another choice.

Not that you could truly provide anything really different, when you are stuck in using a Cherry Switch layout .

[Ander]

Thomas, you don't like MX Blues's springy click? That's a surprise. I thought it was widely considered the prototypical clicky-switch click. Well, you learn something every day.

[seebart]

Thomas, you don't like MX Blues's springy click? That's a surprise. I thought it was widely considered the prototypical clicky-switch click. Well, you learn something every day.

Sorry Ander don't take offense but that's hilarious. Chyros will tell you why...

Spoiler:

cato.jpg (22.46 KiB) Viewed 11818 times

[Starck]

Thomas, you don't like MX Blues's springy click? That's a surprise. I thought it was widely considered the prototypical clicky-switch click. Well, you learn something every day.

"Something something plastic clicker jacket"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jVRM-B ... be&t=4m22s

[Chyros]

Thomas, you don't like MX Blues's springy click? That's a surprise. I thought it was widely considered the prototypical clicky-switch click. Well, you learn something every day.

HAHAHAHAHA


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

No way you can go back to those plastic toys when you've tried out the real thing :p .

[seebart]

Thomas, you don't like MX Blues's springy click? That's a surprise. I thought it was widely considered the prototypical clicky-switch click. Well, you learn something every day.

HAHAHAHAHA


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

No way you can go back to those plastic toys when you've tried out the real thing :p .

Pretty tame reaction for a dedicated MX blue hater. I was hoping for some solid salior-esque swearing....

[Chyros]

Thomas, you don't like MX Blues's springy click? That's a surprise. I thought it was widely considered the prototypical clicky-switch click. Well, you learn something every day.

HAHAHAHAHA


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

No way you can go back to those plastic toys when you've tried out the real thing :p .

Pretty tame reaction for a dedicated MX blue hater. I was hoping for some solid salior-esque swearing....

I don't really hate MX blue at all, I just think the noise is annoying as shit and it's not as tactile as I would've liked them to be. Of all MX switches they're my favourite, though.

I don't even hate ANY MX switch really, I just think they don't deserve their positive reputation. Of all switch manufacturers to still be in business, why couldn't it have been one with a product that's nice or interesting or satisfying or well-designed? xD

[seebart]

I don't even hate ANY MX switch really, I just think they don't deserve their positive reputation. Of all switch manufacturers to still be in business, why couldn't it have been one with a product that's nice or interesting or satisfying or well-designed? xD

My post was more "fun-flaming" if anything. I can honestly say MX blue is my least favorite MX switch. I really only like old MX blacks and nixies, which is technically almost the same thing. I never was a big MX fan but the custom-scene is huge, I 'm glad the Chinese are coming out with more and more swiches, no need for Cherry MX anymore really. If only we had another / better modern Alps clone beyond Matias.

[Chyros]

I don't even hate ANY MX switch really, I just think they don't deserve their positive reputation. Of all switch manufacturers to still be in business, why couldn't it have been one with a product that's nice or interesting or satisfying or well-designed? xD

My post was more "fun-flaming" if anything. I can honestly say MX blue is my least favorite MX switch. I really only like old MX blacks and nixies, which is technically almost the same thing. I never was a big MX fan but the custom-scene is huge, I 'm glad the Chinese are coming out with more and more swiches, no need for Cherry MX anymore really. If only we had another / better modern Alps clone beyond Matias.

Indeed. It's cool to see the market is getting a wave of new developments at all, though, fun to see such an old market getting revived in a way.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Thomas, you don't like MX Blues's springy click? That's a surprise. I thought it was widely considered the prototypical clicky-switch click. Well, you learn something every day.

Under [wiki]Cherry catalogues[/wiki] on the wiki you'll find the MX range as of July 1985. Back then, it was only Black (11), Linear Grey (21), White (A1) and Click Grey (B1). This appears to confirm my suspicion that it was never meant to click, considering that audible feedback is not mentioned in the patent. The objective was hysteresis.

I'm guessing that due to demand for click feedback, MX Blue was introduced that allowed the sliding collar to create a strong sound.

(As such, "Click Grey" appears to be a misnomer!)

[recon8659]

Hey, since your the first person i think of when i think of "keyboard expert," i figured I could ask you for a bit of help.

I want to put kailh box switches into a cherry g80, which is PCB mounted, and the kailh box switches exclusively come in plate mount housings.

I was wondering if it is possible to transplant switch bottoms between standard cherrys and kailh box.

[Chyros]

Hey, since your the first person i think of when i think of "keyboard expert," i figured I could ask you for a bit of help.

I want to put kailh box switches into a cherry g80, which is PCB mounted, and the kailh box switches exclusively come in plate mount housings.

I was wondering if it is possible to transplant switch bottoms between standard cherrys and kailh box.

Well the big selling point of the box switches is that the housing is different - if you just want a click bar switch, you can get bronze switches .

[recon8659]

Hey, since your the first person i think of when i think of "keyboard expert," i figured I could ask you for a bit of help.

I want to put kailh box switches into a cherry g80, which is PCB mounted, and the kailh box switches exclusively come in plate mount housings.

I was wondering if it is possible to transplant switch bottoms between standard cherrys and kailh box.

Well the big selling point of the box switches is that the housing is different - if you just want a click bar switch, you can get bronze switches .

Woah I didn't know other switches had click bars, thanks!

[emenelopee]

I'm not into clicky switches but I like these as a concept - as with the box of Box reds I have I'm confused why there are no PCB pins in the Box design.

[cookie]

Kailih get's way to much love for such a small "Improvement", to me they are on par with something like logitechs Romer-G range. New on paper but just mediocre in reality.

We miss a lot of great opportunities here, but that's what you get if copy cats try to innovate.