Everglide Crystal Violet vs. TTC Venus
An in-depth look at the Everglide Crystal Violet and the TTC Venus switches—which one is the best fit for you?
Overview
When considering mechanical keyboard switches, two popular options come to mind: the Everglide Crystal Violet and the TTC Venus. The Crystal Violet is favored for its tactile experience, offering a gentle and comfortable feel with a light operating force of 45g. The sound profile of these switches is mellow and low-pitched, providing a subtle auditory experience. On the other hand, the TTC Venus stands out for its unique internal configuration, providing a seamless glide and a captivating "Q-texture" that gives a matte sensation to each keystroke. The Venus also boasts very light actuation, making typing rapid and effortless, with a muted sound signature. While the Crystal Violet offers a relaxed and stepped tactile typing experience, the Venus provides a smooth and engaging typing experience with a unique matte sensation. 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
45g
Bottom-out force
55g
Bottom-out force
52g
Pre-travel
2.00 mm
Pre-travel
1.80 mm
Total travel
4.00 mm
Total travel
3.80 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
POM
Bottom housing material
ABS
Bottom housing material
Polycarbonate
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Mount type
PCB (5-pin)
Spring
Gold-plated
Spring
Lengthened 20.5mm spring
Housing materials
The housing materials of the Everglide Crystal Violet and the TTC Venus offer unique characteristics that cater to different preferences in sound profiles and aesthetics. The Crystal Violet features an ABS top housing, which results in a relatively low-pitched sound when typing. In comparison, the Venus utilizes a POM top housing, creating a deeper and more muted sound profile that is often described as pleasing and unique. While both housings are distinct in their sound profiles, they cater to different preferences in terms of pitch and resonance.
In terms of the bottom housing materials, the Crystal Violet employs ABS, which contributes to a low-pitched sound profile similar to its top housing. On the other hand, the Venus utilizes a polycarbonate bottom housing, which creates a sharper, higher-pitched, and crisper sound profile. The stiffer nature of polycarbonate leads to a more clear and resonant sound, making it a popular choice for switches with clear housings that are intended for use with RGB lighting. The differences in bottom housing materials between the two switches result in varying bottom-out sound and feel characteristics.
While the Everglide Crystal Violet and the TTC Venus may differ in their housing materials, both switches showcase how the top and bottom housing materials can impact the overall sound profile and feel of a switch. The split between the qualities of the bottom and top housings allows for a unique typing experience, with the bottom housing contributing to the bottom-out sound and feel, while the top housing has a greater impact on the sound when releasing a key. Whether it's the low-pitched sound of the Crystal Violet's ABS housing or the deeper tone of the Venus's POM housing, both switches offer distinct characteristics that cater to different preferences among mechanical keyboard enthusiasts.
Weight
When comparing the actuation force and bottom out force of the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the TTC Venus linear switch, both switches have the same actuation force of 45 grams. However, the Crystal Violet has a slightly higher bottom out force of 55 grams compared to the Venus's 52 grams. This makes the Venus slightly lighter in terms of bottom out force. The Crystal Violet can provide a more substantial typing experience with its slightly heavier bottom out force, while the Venus offers a lighter typing feel, making it more suitable for longer typing sessions or gaming. Overall, the actuation forces are the same, so users can expect similar results in terms of triggering keystrokes, but the bottom out forces vary slightly between the two switches.
Travel distance
The Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch has a travel distance of 4 mm, while the TTC Venus linear switch has a travel distance of 3.8 mm. In this case, the Venus switch has a slightly shorter travel distance compared to the Crystal Violet switch. Both switches fall within the range of traditional travel distances, with the Crystal Violet being slightly on the longer side and the Venus being slightly on the shorter side. Gamers looking for a faster response time may prefer the Venus switch with its shorter travel distance, while those who prefer a more substantial feel when typing may lean towards the Crystal Violet switch. Ultimately, the choice between the two switches will depend on personal preference for travel distance and typing experience desired.
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 TTC Venus has an MSRP of $7.99 per 10 switches. At Milktooth, we are able to pass on savings to our customers and offer the Venus for $5.09.
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 tactile switch offers a low-pitched and neutral sound profile, providing a relaxing and non-intrusive auditory experience. On the other hand, the TTC Venus linear switch also produces a low-pitched sound but with additional descriptors such as muted, subdued, and thocky, making it quieter and offering a softer touch to every keystroke. Depending on personal preference, the Crystal Violet may be more suitable for those who prefer a mellow and neutral sound, while the Venus might be preferred by those looking for a quieter and more subdued typing experience.
In terms of feel, the Crystal Violet switch is described as creamy, mild, and stepped, providing a smooth and gentle typing experience with a subtle tactile bump. In contrast, the TTC Venus switch offers a buttery, gummy, frictionless, mild, and polished feel, presenting a seamless and effortless typing sensation with a unique matte texture. Both switches aim to provide a comfortable typing experience, but the Venus may appeal more to users seeking a smoother and more polished feel, while the Crystal Violet caters to those looking for a creamy and mild typing experience with a stepped tactile feel.
Overall, when comparing the subjective qualities of the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the TTC Venus linear switch, both switches offer unique characteristics that cater to different preferences. The Crystal Violet provides a light operating force and a gentle, stepped tactile typing experience with a mellow and neutral sound profile. In contrast, the TTC Venus showcases a distinctive internal configuration with a smooth and engaging typing feel, along with a quieter and more subdued sound signature. Ultimately, choosing between the two switches will depend on individual preferences for sound, feel, and typing experience.
Conclusion
To sum up, when deciding between the Everglide Crystal Violet tactile switch and the TTC Venus linear switch, consider your preference for typing experience and sound profile. If you enjoy a slightly heavier bottom out force and a stepped tactile typing feel with low-pitched and neutral sound characteristics, the Crystal Violet may be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you prefer a lighter bottom out force, a smooth and frictionless typing experience with a unique "Q-texture" feel, and a low-pitched, muted, and thocky sound profile, the TTC Venus might be more suited to your preferences. Ultimately, the decision between these two switches comes down to personal preference and the typing experience you desire.
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