Everglide Crystal Violet vs. Kailh Sage
An in-depth look at the Everglide Crystal Violet and the Kailh Sage switches—which one is the best fit for you?
Overview
The Everglide Crystal Violet and the Kailh Sage are two popular mechanical keyboard switches that offer unique typing experiences. The Crystal Violet stands out with its light operating force of 45g, providing a relaxed and stepped tactile typing experience. These switches offer a gentle and comfortable feel, making them ideal for those who enjoy a smoother typing sensation. Additionally, the sound profile of the Crystal Violet switches is pleasantly mellow, leaning towards the lower-pitched spectrum, ensuring a subtle and non-intrusive auditory experience. On the other hand, the Kailh Sage switches offer a distinct clicky typing experience. With a heavier weight and refreshingly sharp clickiness, these switches provide an invigorating and crunchy feel while typing. Both switches bring their own unique characteristics to the table, offering a different typing experience based on individual preferences. 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
N/A
Bottom-out force
55g
Bottom-out force
70g
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Pre-travel
1.70 mm
Total travel
4.00 mm
Total travel
3.60 mm
Factory lubed
Yes
Factory lubed
No
Stem construction
Standard
Stem construction
Standard
Stem material
POM
Stem material
POM
Top housing material
ABS
Top housing material
Polycarbonate
Bottom housing material
ABS
Bottom housing material
Nylon
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Mount type
Plate (3-pin)
Spring
Gold-plated
Spring
Stainless steel
Housing materials
The Everglide Crystal Violet and the Kailh Sage differ in their housing materials, specifically in their top and bottom housings. The Crystal Violet features an ABS top housing, which is a relatively rare plastic to be used in switch housings. This ABS housing creates a relatively low-pitched sound profile when typing, providing a softer and more subdued auditory experience. On the other hand, the Sage utilizes a polycarbonate top housing, which produces a sharper, higher-pitched, and crisper sound profile. Polycarbonate is known for its stiffness, resulting in a more clear and resonant sound. Additionally, the polycarbonate top housing of the Sage is especially beneficial for users who plan to use RGB lighting due to its translucency.
Moving onto the bottom housings, the Crystal Violet and the Sage employ different materials as well. The Crystal Violet's bottom housing is also made of ABS, contributing to its low-pitched sound profile when typing. Similar to its top housing counterpart, the Sage opts for a different material, utilizing a nylon bottom housing. Nylon is a classic switch housing material that produces a deeper and fuller sound profile. This is because nylon is a softer plastic that absorbs more sound than harder plastics, resulting in a duller and rounder sound.
It is important to note that when a switch has different top and bottom housings, the qualities of each housing material are divided between the top and the bottom. The bottom housing has a greater influence on the bottom-out sound and feel you experience when pressing the switch, while the top housing affects the sound when releasing a key. Therefore, the Crystal Violet and the Sage offer distinct typing experiences due to the contrasting properties of their housing materials, resulting in different sound profiles and tactile feedback.
Weight
When comparing the actuation force and bottom out force of the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the Kailh Sage clicky switch, we can see some notable differences. The Crystal Violet has a relatively lighter actuation force of 45 grams, making it easier to trigger keystrokes with a gentle touch. In contrast, the actuation force of the Sage switch is not specified, so we cannot directly compare it. However, in terms of bottom out force, the Crystal Violet requires 55 grams of pressure to fully depress the key, providing a moderate resistance for a satisfying typing experience. On the other hand, the Sage switch has a heavier bottom out force of 70 grams, offering a more substantial and pronounced typing feel. Therefore, the Crystal Violet is lighter in both actuation and bottom out force, while the Sage is heavier in terms of bottom out force. For those who prefer a lighter touch for prolonged typing sessions or gaming, the Crystal Violet would be a suitable choice. However, individuals seeking a more forceful and tactile typing experience may opt for the Sage switch.
Travel distance
When comparing the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the Kailh Sage clicky switch, the travel distances differ slightly. The Crystal Violet has a travel distance of 4 mm, while the Sage has a slightly shorter travel distance of 3.6 mm. The Crystal Violet falls into the more traditional travel distance range of 4.0 mm, providing a deeper and more substantial feel when pressing down on a key. On the other hand, the Sage with its 3.6 mm travel distance offers a slightly shallower experience. Gamers, in particular, tend to prefer shorter travel distances for quicker response times, making the Sage a popular choice among them. However, some individuals may find shorter travel distances to feel too abrupt. Ultimately, the choice between the two switches depends on personal preference and the desired level of responsiveness.
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 Kailh Sage comes in at $6.25 per 10 switches.
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
The Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch is best known for its light operating force of 45g, providing a relaxed and stepped tactile typing experience. In terms of sound, these switches have a pleasantly mellow, low-pitched sound profile due to the rare use of ABS in their housings. This creates a subtle and non-intrusive auditory experience. As for feel, the Crystal Violet switches are described as creamy, offering a smooth and buttery typing sensation. They also have a mild feel, making them approachable to most users. Additionally, the stepped switch design provides a gentle pre-travel and/or post-travel sensation.
On the other hand, the Kailh Sage clicky switch is known for its distinct clicky typing experience. The weight of the Sage switches is described as quite heavy, resulting in a refreshingly sharp clickiness. However, specific details about the sound and feel of the Sage switches are not mentioned.
Overall, the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch offers a relaxed and comfortable typing experience with a mellow sound profile and a creamy and mild feel. On the other hand, the Kailh Sage clicky switch provides a distinct clicky experience with a heavy weight and sharp clickiness, but details about its sound and feel remain unknown. If you are seeking a similar relaxed typing experience with a mellow sound, the Crystal Violet switches would be a good choice.
Conclusion
To sum up, if you are seeking a relaxed and stepped tactile typing experience with a lighter operating force, the Everglide Crystal Violet switch would be a great choice. These switches offer a gentle and comfortable feel, with a medium-light bottom out force of 55 grams. The sound profile of the Crystal Violet switches is pleasantly mellow, leaning towards the lower-pitched spectrum, creating a subtle and non-intrusive auditory experience. Additionally, the creamy and mild feel of the Crystal Violet switch provides a smooth and buttery typing experience, perfect for those looking for a more gentle typing sensation.
On the other hand, if you prefer a distinct clicky typing experience with a heavier operating force, the Kailh Sage switch would be the way to go. With a medium-heavy bottom out force of 70 grams, the Sage switches provide a refreshing sharp clickiness. The invigorating and sharp feel of the Sage switch offers pronounced feedback and a snappy and reactive typing sensation. Coupled with its crunchy sound profile, the Sage switch creates an immersive and satisfying typing experience for those who appreciate a higher feedback intensity.
Ultimately, the choice between the Everglide Crystal Violet and the Kailh Sage switches depends on your personal preferences. If you prioritize a lighter operating force, a subdued sound profile, and a creamy and mild typing feel, the Crystal Violet switch would be a suitable option. On the other hand, if you prefer a heavier operating force, a distinct clicky sound, and an invigorating and sharp typing feel, the Sage switch would be more to your liking. Consider your preferred typing experience and sound profile when making your decision. In the end, both switches offer unique characteristics and can enhance your overall mechanical keyboard experience.
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