TKC Kiwi vs. TTC Silent Bluish White (V2)

Overview

If you're in the market for a new mechanical keyboard switch, two options worth considering are the TKC Kiwi and the TTC Silent Bluish White. The Kiwi switch is known for its tactile design, providing a medium to medium-strong bump at the top of each key press. This switch not only enhances your typing experience but also delivers a satisfyingly snappy sound profile, immersing you in your typing session. Additionally, the Kiwi switches come lightly factory lubed, ensuring a smooth and effortless typing experience right out of the box. On the other hand, the TTC Silent Bluish White switch offers a medium tactile feel with a satisfying level of resistance when pressed. With a focus on minimizing noise, these switches are designed to be as quiet as possible, making them perfect for office or shared living spaces. While both switches offer tactile feedback, the Kiwi leans towards a more pronounced and immersive typing experience, while the Silent Bluish White prioritizes quiet operation. However, let's dive deeper beyond these generalities so you can make the best decision for your specific needs.

By the numbers

TKC Kiwi Tactile

TTC Silent Bluish White (V2) Tactile

$8.00 per 10

$6.60

$4.63 per 10

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Housing materials

The housing materials of the TKC Kiwi and the TTC Silent Bluish White switches have distinct characteristics that contribute to their different sound profiles. The Kiwi features a UHWMPE top housing, which offers a very bright sound signature and resonant clacks during typing. In comparison, the Silent Bluish White utilizes a polycarbonate top housing, resulting in a sharper, higher-pitched, and crisper sound profile. Both materials provide clear and resonant sounds, but the UHWMPE material seems to offer a brighter tone compared to the polycarbonate used in the Silent Bluish White.

Moving on to the bottom housing, the Kiwi uses UHWMPE while the Silent Bluish White employs nylon. The UHWMPE bottom housing of the Kiwi contributes to its bright sound signature and resonant clacks, much like its top housing. Conversely, the nylon bottom housing of the Silent Bluish White creates a deeper and fuller sound profile. Nylon, being a softer plastic, absorbs more sound, resulting in a duller and rounder sound compared to the UHWMPE bottom housing of the Kiwi. The choice of bottom housing materials affects the sound produced during the bottom-out keystrokes, with the Kiwi offering a brighter and resonant sound, while the Silent Bluish White providing a deeper and fuller tone.

Although the top and bottom housings of the TKC Kiwi and the TTC Silent Bluish White differ, they both aim to provide users with clear and resonant sound profiles. The top housings both enhance the sound when keys are released, with the UHWMPE and polycarbonate materials offering their own distinct characteristics. Additionally, the bottom housings contribute to the sound and feel during keystrokes, with the UHWMPE bottom housing of the Kiwi producing a bright sound and the nylon bottom housing of the Silent Bluish White creating a deeper and fuller sound. Despite the differences, both switches aim to deliver a satisfying and immersive typing experience, albeit with their own unique sound signatures.

Weight

When comparing the actuation force and bottom out force of the TKC Kiwi tactile switch and the TTC Silent Bluish White tactile switch, it is evident that there are notable differences between the two. The TKC Kiwi has a slightly higher actuation force of 43 grams, while the Silent Bluish White requires 42 grams of force to actuate. In terms of bottom out force, the Kiwi has a heavier 67 grams compared to the Silent Bluish White's lighter 50 grams.

These variances in force can greatly impact the typing experience for users. Those who prefer a lighter switch might lean towards the Silent Bluish White, as it allows for a more effortless keystroke, which can be beneficial for extended typing sessions or gaming sessions. On the other hand, the TKC Kiwi's heavier actuation and bottom out forces provide a more substantial and satisfying push feeling, ensuring a more robust typing experience.

While the Silent Bluish White is lighter in both actuation and bottom out force, the TKC Kiwi offers a medium-heavy force profile. Nevertheless, both switches provide tactile feedback, enhancing the typing experience. Whether one prefers the lighter or heavier actuation and bottom out forces ultimately depends on personal preference and the desired typing experience.

Travel distance

The TKC Kiwi tactile switch and the TTC Silent Bluish White tactile switch have distinct differences in their travel distance. The Kiwi has a travel distance of 4 mm, which is considered the most traditional distance. On the other hand, the Silent Bluish White has a slightly shorter travel distance of 3.5 mm. This indicates that the Kiwi offers a deeper key press experience compared to the Silent Bluish White.

For gamers or individuals seeking faster response times, the shorter travel distance of the Silent Bluish White may be more desirable. It allows for quicker keystrokes, making it a popular choice in the gaming community. However, for those who appreciate a more substantial and deeper key press, the longer travel distance of the TKC Kiwi may be preferred.

It's important to note that both switches provide tactile feedback, but the difference lies in the depth of the keystroke. Ultimately, the choice between the TKC Kiwi and the TTC Silent Bluish White depends on personal preference and the specific requirements of the user. Whether you opt for the shorter or longer travel distance, both switches offer their own advantages, ensuring a satisfying typing experience.

Price comparison

Typing experience

When it comes to sound, the TKC Kiwi switches are best described as having a low-pitched and neutral sound profile. The low-pitched nature of these switches gives them a bass-heavy and mellow tone, which many users find pleasing to the ears. The neutral sound profile means that the switches have a moderate actuation force requirement and a moderate sound level overall, making them suitable for various environments and user preferences. On the other hand, the TTC Silent Bluish White switches are characterized as having a muted sound. This means that they produce a softer and quieter sound compared to regular or clacky switches, minimizing the noise typically associated with mechanical keyboards. The Silent Bluish Whites are specifically designed to be as quiet as possible, making them an ideal choice for office or shared living spaces where noise reduction is a priority.

In terms of feel, the TKC Kiwi switches offer a stepped, accented, and polished typing experience. The stepped feel of the switches means that they provide a mild tactility with some noticeable pre-travel and/or post-travel. This gives users a sense of a two-stage keystroke, allowing them to feel the tactile bump without it being too overwhelming. The accented characteristic further enhances the tactility, providing a prominent amount of tactility that is not scratchy or hypersensitive. Lastly, the polished nature of the switches, either due to the materials used or factory lubing, results in reduced friction and smooth key travel, creating a sleek typing experience. On the other hand, the TTC Silent Bluish White switches offer a buttery, mild, stepped, subtle, and polished feel. The buttery characteristic indicates a smooth and fluid keystroke experience, where typing feels seamless, effortless, and uniform. The mild characteristic of these switches means that they offer a gentle typing experience, striking a safe middle-ground zone that is approachable to most users. The stepped feel provides a mild tactility with some pre-travel and/or post-travel, similar to the Kiwi switches. Additionally, the subtle resistance of the Silent Bluish Whites maintains a light typing feel, and the switches have a sound signature that is not resonant, making them suitable for shared spaces.

In conclusion, the TKC Kiwi switches and the TTC Silent Bluish White switches offer different subjective qualities in terms of sound and feel. The Kiwi switches have a low-pitched and neutral sound profile, providing a bass-heavy and mellow tone with a moderate overall sound level. They offer a stepped, accented, and polished feel, giving users a mild tactility with some pre-travel and/or post-travel, along with reduced friction and smooth key travel. On the other hand, the Silent Bluish White switches have a muted sound, producing a softer and quieter sound compared to regular switches. They have a buttery, mild, stepped, subtle, and polished feel, offering a smooth and fluid keystroke experience with a gentle typing feel and a non-resonant sound signature. While they have their own distinct qualities, both switches provide an enhanced typing experience and can be suitable for different preferences and environments. Therefore, if one desires a similar typing experience in terms of sound and feel, both options can deliver satisfactory results.

Conclusion

To sum up, if you're looking for a tactile switch with a medium to medium-strong bump and a snappy sound profile, the TKC Kiwi is the way to go. With a bottom out force of 67 grams, it offers a satisfying level of resistance for a more immersive typing experience. Additionally, the Kiwi switches come lightly factory lubed, ensuring a smooth and effortless typing experience right out of the box. On the other hand, if you prioritize a lighter switch with precise and comfortable typing, the TTC Silent Bluish White is the better option. With a bottom out force of 50 grams, it provides a gentle resistance that is approachable to most users. These switches are also designed to be as quiet as possible, making them perfect for office or shared living spaces. Ultimately, the choice between the TKC Kiwi and the TTC Silent Bluish White comes down to your preference for bump strength and noise level.

Mentioned in this article

TKC Kiwi Tactile

$8.00 per 10

Learn more

TTC Silent Bluish White (V2) Tactile

$6.60

$4.63 per 10

Learn more