Welcome
I’ll start this and add to it overtime. No elegant thoughts or feedback, just a quick summary of my thoughts. No scoring them either, because I wouldn’t even know where to begin.
Please remember that everything in this hobby is entirely preference, and just because I or someone else do or do not like a switch doesn’t mean you will or will not like it.
This entire post is quick and dirty. I'll link from here to full reviews as they are written, and this is just the super basic list for whatever reason you might need it.
Last edited: 2025/03/16
Reason: Added North Pole V1, Epsilons, NK Silk Mictlan
KTT Roses
Lube: 205g0 on stem and bottom housing, 3203 on springs
Filmed: Durock Films
Keycaps: GMK Hennessey
Keyboard: SwitchCouture Alice
Thoughts: I love KTT Roses. They are up there with my favorite of switches I have tried thus far, and would highly recommend to anyone looking to try a linear switch. Inexpensive is a big selling point for these. Stock can be hard to find.
SST: SwitchCouture Alice with KTT Rose - YouTube
Oil Kings
Lube: None
Filmed: No
Keycaps: Cherry Sand
Keyboard: Sand Glass Ergo
Thoughts: I really like these switches. Out of the box stock they sound fantastic, to the point where I didn’t bother lubing them and just plopped them into the board and moved on. These definitely don’t need filming from what I’ve seen, and if wanted you could add a thin layer of lube over what comes stock on them.
SST: Coming Soon
Gateron Black Inks V2
Lube: 205g0 on stem/housing, 3203 on springs
Film: Yes, can’t remember which one (sorry)
Keycaps: Some AKKO ones, can’t remember
Keyboard: Tofu65, with plate and case foam
Thoughts: I love these switches. I would gladly buy them and spend the time lubing and filming them again, but there are just so many other switches out there to try.
SST: None
Turquoise Tealios, 63.5g
Lube: 205g0 on stem/housing, 3203 on springs
Film: Deskey
Keycaps: GMK Pulse
Keyboard: Tofu65 Acrylic, Case+Plate Foam, Mill-Maxed PCB
Thoughts: I liked how these sound, but I would never pay this much for switches again. Compared to other switches of a similar or better sound, these are not worth the price.
SST: Tofu65 + Case Foam + Plate Foam + Turquoise Tealios [Sound Test] - YouTube
NK Creams
Lube: 205g0 on stem/housing, 105g0 on springs
Film: No, not needed
Keycaps: GMK Laser R2
Keyboard: Rama Kara
Thoughts: I don’t know how I feel about these yet. I haven’t had a chance to properly break them in, so I don’t currently use them at all. My initial thoughts are “meh”, but I know that these heavily benefit from lots of break in. There are generally better switches these days.
SST: Rama Kara w/ NK Creams - YouTube
Kiwis
Lube: None (stock)
Film: None
Keycaps: NK PBoW
Keyboard: Portico75
Thoughts: Not a big tactile fan, but these seemed fine stock. I might consider getting some more down the line, but not sure. If you like tactiles, you’d probably like them.
Review+SST: Kiwi Switch Review
Tangerines (67g, Dark Stem)
Lube: stock
Film: None
Keycaps: NK PBoW
Keyboard: Portico75
Thoughts: A fine linear switch choice that is routinely in stock. Not too expensive, either.
Review + SST: Tangerine Switch Review
Banana Splits
Coming Soon
Hyperglide Blacks
Coming Soon
Namazu
Lube: 205go and 105go
Film: TX 0.15mm
Keycaps: Cherry PBoW by NovelKeys
Keyboard: Portico75
Thoughts: These benefitted greatly from lube and breaking in. Stock, the spring ping was audibly noticeable. After lubing and filming, these switches sound extremely nice and I can easily recommend them, assuming you can find them in stock.
Full Review + SST: Namazu Switch Review
N2O
Lube: factory hand lubed with 205g0 and 105g0
Film: None
Keycaps: GMK Dracula
Keyboard: Jris65, plateless
Thoughts: Initially, I was super happy with these switches, especially once I got them in the Jris65. I love how they sound, though they are admittedly a bit fatiguing if you are not used to the heavier spring and long pole nature. My biggest complaint is that out of the 3 jars I ordered (36 per jar) I have had 3 switches be dead, or at least unusable (requiring excessive force or hitting the switch in a certain angle to register). I can recommend them otherwise, but the QA seems a bit iffy.
SST: None
Gateron Pro Yellows
Coming Soon
Gateron Milky Yellows
Coming Soon
JWick Black
Lube: stock factory lube
Film: none
Keycaps: Cherry PBoW
Keyboard: Portico75
Thoughts: honestly, for a factory lubed switch, I didn't mind it at all. These switches did not seem to need film to me, so I did not modify them at all. The light coat of factory lube seemed to be enough to me, and when I used them inside the Portico75 I quite liked them. As usual, with any factory lube, you could get away with going over it with another coat of something like 205g0 but I am not sure it is really needed.
Full Review + SST: JWick Blacks
Coffee Chip
Coming Soon
Zaku
Lube: 205g0 & 105g0
Film: None
Keycaps: GMK Bento
Keyboard: Freebird TKL with Forcebreak mod
Thoughts: These switches are extemely popular and drops sell out within minutes, and for good reason. I love how these sound in the Freebird, and I definitely intend to pick up more of these. They have a wonderful sound after lubing them, and if you like linears and can get your hands on these I don't think you'll be disappointed.
SST: Coming Soon
Boba U4T
Lube: 205g0 & 105g0 (lubed following Gazzew's guide)
Film: None
Keycaps: GMK Hammerheard
Keyboard: Prime_E Rev. 2
Thoughts: I fell in love immediately with the U4Ts, which is pretty big for me being that I am a linear fan for the most part. As of this writing, I am finding them quite enjoyable to type on and would happily recommend them to anyone looking for a tactile to try or another tactile to add to their collection.
SST: Coming Soon
Gateron Smoothies
Lube: factory lubed
Film: None
Keycaps: NicePBT Classic Beige
Keyboard: Neo Ergo
Thoughts: I love how these sound in this board. They come across with a deep sort of sound (would some call that creamy?), which is not something I knew I was going to love this much until I finally heard it myself. In this setup, I used PCB foam and a thin layer of bottom case foam, which may or may not be lending to the sound. They are routinely in stock all over, and I personally bought mine from NovelKeys.
SST: Coming Soon
Gateron Robins
Lube: 205g0 on stem and spring
Film: None
Keycaps: MT3 Black on White
Keyboard: KBD75
Thoughts: These desperately needed lube. They were extremely scratchy and very unpleasant to the ear. With the MT3 keycaps on the slightly foamed KBD75, they sounded nice and felt nice to type on. I don't have a sound test for this, the board was desoldered and the keycaps sold off before I started this site; with that said, there are better options these days and I wouldn't buy these unless you wanted the colorway for some reason. I got these off Drop as well and seem to recall them being on the expensive side.
Midnight Jades
Lube: None, Stock
Film: None
Keycaps: Cherry PBoW
Keyboard: Portico75
Thoughts: Embrace the click. Revel in it. Spread the noise. Honestly, they are clicky switches. They are tactile. If you love these two things, then I think you'd love these. I find them to be on the slightly heavier side, and have found myself suffering typing fatigue. But for some reason, despite my normal dislike to clicky switches, I have come to quite enjoy these for the time I did use them.
SST: Coming Soon
NK Silk Mictlan
Lube: Stock
Film: None
Keycaps: Cherry PBoW
Keyboard: Portico75
Thoughts: I don't believe you can get these anymore. I found these to be fine, and overall was happy with them. I would not say they shocked me in anyway, and they lived within a storage container for a long while. I didn't find any issues with their lube consistency in my batch compared to some stock lubed switches.
Prevail Epsilons
Lube: 205g0
Film: Yes
Keycaps: Cherry PBoW
Keyboard: Portico75
Thoughts: I fell in love with these quite quickly. As with some other switches, there were given to me by a friend in the lubed and filmed state, so I do not have a stock switch to compare against. I also do not believe you can easily get these anymore, but they are very smooth and enjoyable and if you can get your hands on some, I would highly recommend it.
North Pole V1s
Lube: 205g0, as well as on 65g springs
Film: Yes
Keycaps: Cherry PBoW
Keyboard: Portico75
Thoughts: I unfortunately have no stock version of this switch to compare against, as these were given to me by a friend who didn't want them any longer, so this review is on the modified version presented...so, with that said...I quite liked these in the Portico. I found them to have a good sound and nice feel and were smooth. I have no idea if the V1 are still readily available or not, and I have not yet gotten my hands on V2 to review them and compare; however, if you can find the V1s and like linear switches and/or have a desire or need for a clear switch, I do not think you would be disappointed in these.