Everglide Crystal Violet vs. Akko Penguin
An in-depth look at the Everglide Crystal Violet and the Akko Penguin switches—which one is the best fit for you?
Overview
When considering mechanical keyboard switches, the Everglide Crystal Violet and Akko Penguin both offer unique features that cater to different preferences. The Crystal Violet is renowned for its light operating force of 45g, providing a relaxed and stepped tactile typing experience with a gentle and comfortable feel. Its sound profile leans towards the lower-pitched spectrum, creating a mellow auditory experience. On the other hand, the Akko Penguin excels in silent tactile feedback, making it an ideal choice for noise-sensitive environments like offices. With a rounded tactile bump and medium weight, these switches strike a balance between responsiveness and ease of use, perfect for prolonged typing sessions. While the Crystal Violet offers a creamy and low-pitched typing experience, the Penguin provides a polished and muted feedback. However, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond generalities so you can best decide on the best switch for you.
By the numbers
Technical specifications
Actuation force
45g
Actuation force
43g
Bottom-out force
55g
Bottom-out force
60g
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Total travel
4.00 mm
Total travel
3.30 mm
Factory lubed
Yes
Factory lubed
Yes
Stem construction
Standard
Stem construction
Standard
Stem material
POM
Stem material
POM
Top housing material
ABS
Top housing material
Nylon
Bottom housing material
ABS
Bottom housing material
Nylon
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Spring
Gold-plated
Spring
Stainless steel
Housing materials
The Everglide Crystal Violet and the Akko Penguin both feature unique housing materials that contribute to the overall sound profile of the switches. The Crystal Violet utilizes ABS for both the top and bottom housing, resulting in a relatively low-pitched sound when typing. In contrast, the Penguin uses nylon for both the top and bottom housing, which produces a deeper and fuller sound profile due to nylon's softer and more sound-absorbing properties. Despite these differences, both switches offer a satisfying typing experience with distinct auditory feedback.
While the Crystal Violet and the Akko Penguin may have different housing materials, they both exhibit qualities that enhance the overall typing experience. The ABS housing of the Crystal Violet gives it a slightly lower pitch sound, whereas the nylon housing of the Penguin offers a deeper and fuller sound. Additionally, the softer nature of the nylon material in the Penguin's housing absorbs more sound, resulting in a duller and rounder sound profile compared to the Crystal Violet. These variations in housing materials showcase how different plastics can impact the acoustics of mechanical switches.
In terms of functionality, the housing materials of the Everglide Crystal Violet and the Akko Penguin play a crucial role in determining the overall sound profile and feel of the switches. While the Crystal Violet's ABS housing provides a more traditional low-pitched sound, the Penguin's nylon housing offers a deeper and fuller sound experience. Despite these differences, both switches deliver a satisfying typing experience that caters to individual preferences. Ultimately, whether you prefer the slightly higher-pitched sound of ABS or the deeper sound of nylon, both switches offer quality construction and reliable performance for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts.
Weight
In comparing the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the Akko Penguin tactile switch, we can see that the Crystal Violet has a slightly lighter actuation force of 45 grams compared to the Penguin's 43 grams. However, when it comes to bottom out force, the Crystal Violet requires 55 grams compared to the Penguin's 60 grams, making the Penguin slightly heavier in this aspect. The Crystal Violet falls into the medium-light category, while the Penguin falls into the medium category. Weight is an important factor to consider when choosing a switch as it can affect typing comfort and fatigue. Those who prefer a lighter touch may lean towards the Crystal Violet for longer typing sessions, while those looking for a more substantial typing experience may opt for the Penguin. Overall, both switches offer a tactile feel with slightly different weight preferences, providing users with options to suit their typing style and preferences.
Travel distance
The Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch has a travel distance of 4 mm, while the Akko Penguin tactile switch has a travel distance of 3.3 mm. In this case, the Crystal Violet has a longer travel distance compared to the Penguin, providing a deeper key press experience. The Penguin, on the other hand, offers a slightly shallower travel distance, which may appeal to those looking for a quicker response time. Both switches fall within the range of traditional travel distances, with the Crystal Violet being on the longer side and the Penguin being slightly shorter. Ultimately, the choice between these two switches will depend on personal preference for key press depth and response time.
Price comparison
Which switch is more bang for your buck?
The Everglide Crystal Violet has an MSRP of $7.08 per 10 switches. At Milktooth, we are able to pass on savings to our customers and offer the Crystal Violet for $4.19.
The Akko Penguin has an MSRP of $4.22 per 10 switches. At Milktooth, we are able to pass on savings to our customers and offer the Penguin for $3.10.
Here at Milktooth, we offer the best prices on switches (on average, 27% lower the competition). In addition, we offer free shipping on orders over $49.00. We also offer free returns and exchanges, so you can shop with guaranteed satisfaction.
That said, while price is an important piece of the puzzle, our opinion is that you should ultimately pick the option that most suits your unique preferences since you’ll be using these switches for years to come. In other words, finding something perfect for you is, in our view, the most important criteria.
Typing experience
When it comes to sound, the Everglide Crystal Violet switches offer a low-pitched and neutral sound profile, creating a mellow and subtle auditory experience ideal for various settings. On the other hand, the Akko Penguin switches produce a muted and neutral sound, prioritizing quietness for office environments. Both switches cater to different preferences, with the Crystal Violet focusing on a more relaxed typing sound and the Penguin emphasizing noise minimization.
Moving on to the feel of the switches, the Crystal Violet provides a creamy and mild typing experience with a stepped tactile feel, offering a smooth and gentle keystroke. In comparison, the Akko Penguin switches deliver a polished and mild typing sensation, with a feathery and subtle touch that reduces finger fatigue and provides comfortable extended typing sessions. While both switches offer a gentle typing experience, the Crystal Violet leans towards a creamier and stepped feel, whereas the Penguin emphasizes a polished and feathery touch.
In conclusion, the Everglide Crystal Violet and Akko Penguin switches each bring unique qualities to the table in terms of sound and feel. The Crystal Violet excels in providing a low-pitched sound and creamy, stepped typing feel, while the Penguin focuses on a muted sound profile and a polished, feathery typing experience. Depending on individual preferences for sound and typing sensation, users can choose between the relaxing and mellow characteristics of the Crystal Violet or the quiet and comfortable qualities of the Penguin. Ultimately, both switches aim to enhance the typing experience by offering unique sound profiles and tactile feedback, allowing users to customize their mechanical keyboards to suit their preferences.
Conclusion
Ultimately, when it comes to choosing between the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the Akko Penguin tactile switch, it all boils down to your personal preferences and needs. If you prioritize a light operating force and a mellow, low-pitched sound profile for a relaxed typing experience, then the Crystal Violet switches would be the way to go. On the other hand, if you value a balance between responsiveness and ease of use, along with a silent tactile feedback for office environments, then the Akko Penguin switches are the better choice. Consider your typing style, environment, and desired feel and sound when making your decision. Both switches offer unique characteristics that cater to different preferences, so choose wisely based on what aligns best with your typing habits and preferences.
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