Everglide Crystal Violet vs. KTT Strawberry
An in-depth look at the Everglide Crystal Violet and the KTT Strawberry switches—which one is the best fit for you?
Overview
The Everglide Crystal Violet and the KTT Strawberry are two popular mechanical keyboard switches with distinct characteristics. On one hand, the Crystal Violet is a tactile switch renowned for its meticulously crafted design with a light operating force of 45g. This makes it an excellent choice for individuals seeking a relaxed and stepped tactile typing experience. Additionally, the Crystal Violet switches offer a gentle and comfortable feel, while their sound profile is pleasantly mellow and leans towards the lower-pitched spectrum. This creates a subtle and non-intrusive auditory experience, enhanced by the rare and special use of ABS in the switches' housings. On the other hand, the KTT Strawberry boasts attractive pink and clear housings and is cherished for its smooth actuation, comfortable feel, and reliable performance. With a key categorization of being low-pitched, frictionless, silky, buttery, and polished, the Strawberry switch offers a unique and pleasing typing experience. However, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond these generalities so you can best decide on the ideal switch for your needs.
By the numbers
Technical specifications
Actuation force
45g
Actuation force
43g
Bottom-out force
55g
Bottom-out force
62g
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Pre-travel
1.90 mm
Total travel
4.00 mm
Total travel
4.00 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
Polycarbonate
Bottom housing material
ABS
Bottom housing material
Polycarbonate
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Spring
Gold-plated
Spring
Gold-plated
Housing materials
The Everglide Crystal Violet and the KTT Strawberry differ in the materials used for 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 results in a relatively low-pitched sound profile when typing on switches featuring ABS. On the other hand, the Strawberry's polycarbonate top housing creates a sharper, higher-pitched, and crisper sound profile. The use of polycarbonate in the top housing also allows for translucency, making it especially useful for those planning to use RGB lighting. Therefore, the Crystal Violet produces a different sound profile compared to the Strawberry due to the difference in their top housing materials.
In terms of the bottom housing, both the Crystal Violet and the Strawberry have ABS and polycarbonate housings, respectively. While ABS is common in keycaps, it is relatively rare in switch housings. Typing on switches featuring ABS bottom housing results in a relatively low-pitched sound profile. On the other hand, the polycarbonate bottom housing of the Strawberry creates a sharper, higher-pitched, and crisper sound profile. Just like the top housing, the bottom housing materials also have an impact on the overall sound and feel of the switch. Therefore, the Crystal Violet and the Strawberry differ in sound profile due to the difference in their bottom housing materials.
Overall, the Everglide Crystal Violet and the KTT Strawberry have contrasting sound profiles due to the materials used in their top and bottom housings. The ABS materials in the Crystal Violet create a relatively low-pitched sound, while the polycarbonate materials in the Strawberry result in a sharper, higher-pitched, and crisper sound. However, if the top and bottom housings of a switch are the same, such as both being made of ABS or polycarbonate, similar results can be expected in terms of sound profile. Regardless of the housing materials, both switches provide a distinct typing experience based on the combination of these materials in their top and bottom housings.
Weight
When comparing the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the KTT Strawberry linear switch, their actuation forces and bottom out forces reveal a contrast in weight. The Crystal Violet possesses a slightly lighter actuation force of 45 grams, while the Strawberry requires a slightly stronger push of 43 grams to trigger a keystroke. However, when it comes to bottoming out, the Crystal Violet requires 55 grams of force, whereas the Strawberry demands a heavier 62 grams. So, while the Crystal Violet provides a medium-light actuation and bottom out experience, the Strawberry falls into the medium range for both measures. Therefore, those who prefer a lighter touch for extended typing or gaming sessions may lean towards the Crystal Violet, while those seeking a more substantial typing experience might opt for the Strawberry's heavier actuation and bottom out forces.
Travel distance
The Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the KTT Strawberry linear switch both have a travel distance of 4 mm. This means that when you press down on a key with either switch, you will feel the same distance as both switches travel from the top to the bottom. Therefore, you can expect similar results in terms of travel distance with both switches. Both switches offer a comfortable and consistent typing experience with their identical travel distances. Whether you choose the Everglide Crystal Violet or the KTT Strawberry, you can expect a smooth key press with the same amount of travel distance.
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 KTT Strawberry comes in at $4.91 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
In terms of sound, both the Everglide Crystal Violet and KTT Strawberry switches offer a low-pitched profile. This means that they produce a bass-heavy and mellow tone, which creates a pleasant auditory experience. However, it's important to note that the sound of a switch can also be influenced by other factors such as the keyboard board and keycaps used. Overall, if you're looking for a switch with a low-pitched sound profile, both options will provide similar results.
Moving on to feel, the Everglide Crystal Violet switch is described as creamy, mild, and stepped. A creamy switch offers a smooth and buttery typing experience, allowing your fingers to effortlessly glide across the keys. The mild characteristics of these switches make them approachable to most users, as they strike a middle-ground between pronounced tactile feedback and a gentler typing experience. Additionally, the stepped design adds a distinct two-stage feel to each keystroke, making the switches feel more mild in comparison to hypertactile switches.
On the other hand, the KTT Strawberry switch is described as frictionless, silky, buttery, and polished. The frictionless nature of these switches ensures an extremely smooth and effortless typing experience, minimizing any sense of resistance or friction when pressing the keys. The silky and buttery qualities further enhance the overall smoothness of the typing feel, providing a seamless and uniform sensation. Additionally, the polished finish of these switches contributes to reduced friction and smooth key travel.
In conclusion, both the Everglide Crystal Violet and KTT Strawberry switches offer unique subjective qualities in terms of sound and feel. While the Crystal Violet switches provide a relaxed and stepped tactile typing experience with a pleasantly mellow sound, the Strawberry switches offer a smooth actuation with a frictionless and silky feel. Depending on your personal preferences, either switch can provide a satisfying typing experience. However, it's important to consider that individual results may vary due to factors such as the keyboard board and keycaps used.
Conclusion
To sum up, if you prioritize a relaxed and stepped tactile typing experience, along with a pleasantly mellow and non-intrusive sound profile, the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch would be the ideal choice for you. With a bottom out force of 55 grams, the Crystal Violet offers a medium-light operating force of 45g, making it suitable for those seeking a lighter touch while typing. The ABS housings used in these switches contribute to the lower-pitched sound profile and add to the overall comfortable feel. On the other hand, if you value smooth actuation, comfortable feel, and reliable performance, the KTT Strawberry linear switch would be the better option. With a bottom out force of 62 grams, the Strawberry offers a medium operating force, giving a balanced typing experience. It is described as low-pitched and offers a frictionless, silky, buttery, or polished typing sensation, giving you an exceptionally smooth and fluid keystroke feel. Ultimately, your decision should be based on your preferences for typing experience, sound profile, and key feel, as both switches have their unique qualities.
Mentioned in this article
