KTT Hyacinth vs. Huano Strawberry Latte

Overview

When it comes to choosing the perfect mechanical keyboard switch, enthusiasts often find themselves deliberating between a multitude of options, each catering to specific preferences and typing experiences. The KTT Hyacinth and Huano Strawberry Latte, both linear switches, offer distinct advantages that cater to different user needs. The Hyacinth is celebrated for its 3.5mm travel distance, which minimizes the jarring sensation of bottoming out while providing a balance of tactile feedback and auditory satisfaction. Its unique single-stage elongated spring contributes to a more consistent force curve, yielding a smooth and subtle typing experience. On the other hand, the Strawberry Latte is renowned for its super smooth actuation, thanks to Huano's latest mold technology, paired with a balanced sound profile that provides just the right amount of auditory feedback without being too distracting. While both switches prioritize comfort and smoothness, the Hyacinth leans more towards a refined engagement, whereas the Strawberry Latte emphasizes an overall pleasant acoustic experience. However, let's dive in a bit deeper beyond generalities so you can best decide on the switch that suits your individual preferences.

By the numbers

KTT Hyacinth Linear

Huano Strawberry Latte Linear

$4.03

$3.75 per 10

$3.50

$3.29 per 10

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Housing materials

The KTT Hyacinth and Huano Strawberry Latte switches showcase distinctive housing materials that influence their acoustic profiles and overall performance. The Hyacinth utilizes a polycarbonate top housing, which is known for its rigidity and transparency, contributing to a sharper and crisper sound profile. Polycarbonate's stiffer nature allows for a more resonant tonal quality, particularly beneficial when RGB lighting is employed due to its translucency. In contrast, the Strawberry Latte features a POK top housing, a type of polyketone known for its smoothness and durability. While POK offers a coefficient of friction that is slightly higher than that of LY and promotes an exceptionally smooth typing experience, it diverges from the clear and resonant characteristics of polycarbonate, thus affecting sound and feedback during use.

Both switches share nylon as their bottom housing material, creating a harmonious element in their design. Nylon, recognized as a classic switch housing material, delivers a deeper and fuller sound experience due to its softer plastic nature, which absorbs sound and lends a rounder quality to key presses. This uniformity in material between the two switches means that both will exhibit similar bottom-out sounds and tactile feedback when pressed, resulting in a comparable typing experience. Despite their different top housing materials, the consistent use of nylon ensures that users will not miss out on the richness of sound and feel typical of this renowned housing type.

The distinct combinations of housing materials in the KTT Hyacinth and Huano Strawberry Latte provide unique sound profiles and typing experiences. While the polycarbonate top of the Hyacinth enhances brightness and clarity, the POK top of the Strawberry Latte focuses on smoothness and strength. Nevertheless, the shared nylon bottom housing balances these differences by bringing a fuller sound that remains consistent across both switches. Ultimately, even with their individual characteristics, the strategic pairing of polycarbonate and POK with nylon provides users with a satisfying and rich auditory experience, emphasizing how the interaction of various housing materials can yield a distinctly pleasant outcome in mechanical switches.

Weight

When comparing the KTT Hyacinth linear switch and the Huano Strawberry Latte linear switch, there are notable differences in both actuation and bottom out forces. The Hyacinth switch features an actuation force of 45 grams and a bottom out force of 56 grams, classifying it as medium-light, while the Strawberry Latte switch has a lighter actuation force of 35 grams and a bottom out force of 45 grams. This makes the Strawberry Latte switch the lighter option overall. For users who favor a more effortless typing experience, especially during extended use or gaming, the lighter actuation force of the Strawberry Latte may be preferable. In contrast, the Hyacinth offers a slightly heavier push feel, which may be more appealing to those who enjoy a more substantial typing experience. Additionally, the bottom out forces demonstrate a similar pattern, with the Hyacinth providing a firmer bottoming out sensation compared to the Strawberry Latte. Thus, if you opt for the Huano Strawberry Latte, you will likely experience a lighter and more responsive keystroke, while the KTT Hyacinth delivers a more robust tactile feedback with its higher weights.

Travel distance

When comparing the travel distances of the KTT Hyacinth linear switch and the Huano Strawberry Latte linear switch, we find that the Hyacinth has a travel distance of 3.5 mm, while the Strawberry Latte measures slightly longer at 3.6 mm. This means that the Hyacinth offers a shorter travel distance, which might appeal to gamers seeking quicker response times for their keystrokes. Conversely, the Strawberry Latte, with its longer distance, potentially provides a more substantial feedback experience that some users who prefer a deeper feel in their key presses might enjoy. Choosing the Hyacinth could result in a more responsive typing experience, while the Strawberry Latte may offer the hearty depth that some users seek.

Price comparison

Typing experience

The KTT Hyacinth linear switch produces a sound that can be classified as neutral. This means it boasts a moderate actuation force requirement and a balanced audio profile, making it versatile for various environments, whether you are a beginner or an experienced user. This neutrality allows the Hyacinth to maintain a consistent performance in both quiet and shared settings. On the other hand, while the precise sound attributes of the Huano Strawberry Latte switch are not detailed, it has been noted that it provides a balanced sound profile—neither overly quiet nor excessively resonant—suggesting it also caters well to a range of environments. Ultimately, both switches are likely to offer a satisfactory auditory experience, making them suitable for users who prefer a blend of function and noise control.

When it comes to feel, the KTT Hyacinth is designed to offer a silky typing experience, which enhances smoothness and reduces resistance during key presses and releases. The subtle resistance it provides maintains a light typing feel, making it comfortable for extended usage, especially in shared spaces where noise might be a concern. The feel of the Huano Strawberry Latte switch has not been specified, leaving an unknown factor regarding its performance. However, if it shares the same design focus on smoothness as indicated, users can expect a comparable typing experience with an emphasis on comfort.

In summary, both the KTT Hyacinth and Huano Strawberry Latte linear switches offer distinct qualities that cater to a range of user preferences. The Hyacinth excels in sound neutrality and silky feel, making it an excellent choice for shared environments. The sound profile of the Strawberry Latte complements this approach with its balanced auditory experience, though its tactile feel remains unspecified. For newcomers to mechanical keyboards, both switches provide a solid entry point, promising a combination of comfort and functionality, with the Hyacinth giving a slightly more defined performance in terms of feel.

Conclusion

To conclude, selecting between the KTT Hyacinth linear switch and the Huano Strawberry Latte linear switch ultimately depends on your personal preferences and usage context. If you prioritize a moderate actuation force and a smoother typing experience with comfortable sound levels, the KTT Hyacinth is an excellent choice. Its unique 3.5mm travel distance helps mitigate the harsh bottoming-out sensation that can accompany other switches, making it ideal for extended typing sessions. The silky feel and balanced sound profile of the Hyacinth lend themselves well to both home and office environments, catering to users seeking a mix of comfort and versatility. On the other hand, if you prefer a lighter touch with the flexibility of a lower actuation force, the Huano Strawberry Latte would be more suited to your needs. With its super smooth action and a sound signature that is balanced enough for shared spaces, the Strawberry Latte is perfect for casual users or those who enjoy a lighter, snappier switch for gaming or typing. Ultimately, choosing between these two switches boils down to whether you value a more consistent and comfortable feel in the Hyacinth or the lighter, smoother typing experience offered by the Strawberry Latte.

Mentioned in this article

KTT Hyacinth Linear

$4.03

$3.75 per 10

Learn more

Huano Strawberry Latte Linear

$3.50

$3.29 per 10

Learn more