KTT Cabbage Tofu vs. TKC Tangerine

Overview

If you're in the market for a high-quality mechanical keyboard switch, look no further than the KTT Cabbage Tofu and the TKC Tangerine. Both switches provide unique features that enhance your typing experience. The Cabbage Tofu, a linear switch, stands out for its improved tactility and responsiveness. With a lengthened 22mm spring, you can expect a swift rebound after actuation, allowing for seamless transitions between keystrokes. Typing on the Cabbage Tofu will give you a sound profile reminiscent of Mahjong tiles colliding, adding a touch of nostalgia to your typing sessions. On the other hand, the Tangerine, also a linear switch, offers an incredibly smooth feel with each keystroke. This is largely due to the UHWMPE housings, a rarity in the world of bespoke mechanical switches. When typing on the Tangerine, you'll experience a fairly high-pitched clack that adds a satisfying touch to your typing rhythm. However, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond these generalities so you can best decide on the perfect switch for your typing needs.

By the numbers

KTT Cabbage Tofu Linear

TKC Tangerine Linear

$3.25

$2.75 per 10

$6.30 per 10

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Housing materials

The KTT Cabbage Tofu and the TKC Tangerine differ in their housing materials, resulting in distinct sound profiles. The Cabbage Tofu features a polycarbonate top housing, which creates a sharper and crisper sound compared to the Tangerine's UHWMPE top housing. The polycarbonate's stiffness contributes to a more resonant sound and is especially useful for RGB lighting. On the other hand, the UHWMPE top housing of the Tangerine offers a very bright sound signature, providing satisfying clacks during typing. While different, both top housings enhance the overall sound experience, albeit in slightly different ways.

Moving to the bottom housings, the Cabbage Tofu incorporates a nylon material, which delivers a deeper and fuller sound profile. The softer nature of nylon absorbs more sound than harder plastics, resulting in a duller and rounder sound. In contrast, the Tangerine's UHWMPE bottom housing, a newer material, contributes to a very bright sound signature. It produces resonant clacks when typing, complementing the Tangerine's overall sound experience. Although distinct, both bottom housings bring their unique characteristics to the switches, adding depth and variety to the typing experience.

While the top and bottom housings of the Cabbage Tofu and the Tangerine differ, they each play a crucial role in the overall sound and feel of the switches. When pressing down on either switch, the qualities of the bottom housing are felt, influencing the sound and feel during the bottom-out action. The Cabbage Tofu's nylon bottom housing offers a deeper impact, while the Tangerine's UHWMPE bottom housing provides a brighter and more resonant clack. Conversely, the top housing influences the sound when releasing a key. The polycarbonate top housing of the Cabbage Tofu generates a clearer and more resonant sound when compared to the Tangerine's UHWMPE top housing. Despite their differences, both switches offer unique sound profiles and typing experiences, allowing users to choose based on their preferences.

Weight

When comparing the actuation force and bottom out force of the KTT Cabbage Tofu linear switch and the TKC Tangerine linear switch, there are notable differences. The Cabbage Tofu has an actuation force of 45 grams and a bottom out force of 53 grams, which falls under the category of medium-light. On the other hand, the Tangerine switch does not provide information about its actuation force, making it unknown. However, its bottom out force is 62 grams, which is in the medium range.

Considering the weight aspect, some users may prefer lighter switches for extended typing sessions or long gaming sessions. The lightness allows for reduced fatigue and increased typing endurance, making it suitable for tasks that require prolonged keyboard usage, such as work or gaming. For these users, the Cabbage Tofu switch with its medium-light actuation and bottom out forces could be a suitable choice.

However, there are users who prefer a more substantial typing experience, and for them, switches with heavier forces are desired. These switches require a stronger push feel, providing a satisfying tactile feedback. Unfortunately, information about the actuation force of the Tangerine switch is unavailable, so it is difficult to directly compare it to the Cabbage Tofu. But, considering its higher bottom out force of 62 grams, it can be inferred that the Tangerine switch would offer a slightly heavier typing experience compared to the Cabbage Tofu.

In conclusion, if one prefers a lighter typing experience, the KTT Cabbage Tofu linear switch with its medium-light actuation and bottom out forces would be a suitable option. While if a more substantial typing experience with a slightly heavier force is preferred, the TKC Tangerine linear switch, with an unknown actuation force but a medium bottom out force, would provide similar results.

Travel distance

The KTT Cabbage Tofu linear switch and the TKC Tangerine linear switch have the same travel distance of 4 mm. When using either of these switches, you can expect a consistent tactile experience as the key travels from the top to the bottom. The travel distance of 4 mm is the distance that you will feel when pressing down on a key, ensuring a satisfying typing experience. Thus, both the Cabbage Tofu and the Tangerine switches offer an equal travel distance, providing similar results in terms of key depression feel.

Price comparison

Typing experience

When it comes to sound, the KTT Cabbage Tofu linear switch produces a clacky and high-pitched sound. The clacky sound is sharp and snappy, resembling the collision of Mahjong tiles. It has a crisp, bright, and percussive sound profile. On the other hand, the TKC Tangerine linear switch also has a high-pitched sound when pressed, resulting in a sharp and crisp sound. Both switches provide a similar sound experience, with a focus on a higher-pitched tone.

In terms of feel, the KTT Cabbage Tofu linear switch offers a creamy and polished typing experience. The switch feels smooth and buttery, providing a silky sensation when typing. This smoothness is achieved through lubrication applied in the factory or specific materials used in the switch. Additionally, the Cabbage Tofu switch is described as snappy, meaning it is super responsive and gives a lively typing experience with longer or dual-staged springs. On the other hand, the TKC Tangerine linear switch provides a frictionless and buttery typing experience. The switch offers an extremely smooth and effortless feel, minimizing any resistance or friction when pressing the keys. It also has a polished finish, resulting in reduced friction and smooth key travel. Both switches provide a smooth and refined typing experience, with slight differences in the specific descriptors.

Based on the available information, both the KTT Cabbage Tofu linear switch and the TKC Tangerine linear switch have some similarities in sound and feel. They both produce a high-pitched sound when pressed and provide a smooth, polished, and buttery typing experience. Although they may have slight variations in sound and feel descriptors, they offer comparable results. It is important to note that the sound and feel of the switches can also be influenced by factors such as the choice of keyboard board and keycaps. Ultimately, the decision between these switches may come down to personal preference and the specific typing experience desired.

Conclusion

In closing, when deciding between the KTT Cabbage Tofu linear switch and the TKC Tangerine linear switch, it ultimately comes down to your personal preferences and priorities. If you prioritize improved tactility and responsiveness, along with a medium-light bottom out force, the Cabbage Tofu switch would be a suitable choice for you. Its lengthened 22mm spring provides a swift rebound after actuation, allowing for faster transitions between keystrokes. Additionally, the clacky sound profile reminiscent of Mahjong tiles colliding may appeal to those who enjoy a crisp and bright sound when typing.

On the other hand, if you prioritize an incredibly smooth typing experience with a medium bottom out force, the Tangerine switch is worth considering. Its UHWMPE housings contribute to its smooth feel, making each keystroke a pleasure to type. The high-pitched clack when typing may be appealing if you prefer a sharp and crisp sound profile.

When it comes to sound, both switches offer a high-pitched profile, which produces a sharp and crisp sound when pressed. So if you enjoy this type of sound, either switch would meet your preferences in this regard.

In terms of feel, the Cabbage Tofu switch can be described as creamy, polished, silky, and snappy. It offers a smooth and buttery typing experience, with reduced friction and smooth key travel. On the other hand, the Tangerine switch can be described as frictionless, buttery, and polished, providing an extremely smooth and effortless typing experience.

Ultimately, you should consider which factors such as tactility, sound, and feel are most important to you in a keyboard switch. By weighing these factors and understanding the unique qualities of each switch, you will be able to make an informed decision that best suits your typing preferences and needs.

Mentioned in this article

KTT Cabbage Tofu Linear

$3.25

$2.75 per 10

Learn more

TKC Tangerine Linear

$6.30 per 10

Learn more