If you never used any mechanical keyboard and looking to upgrade your existing membrane keyboard to a mechanical keyboard.
Tactile switches are considered the best switches for a beginner due to their moderate clicky sound and strong tactile feedback.
Here Kiwi Switches can be a perfect choice among a variety of tactile switches like Gateron Brown, Cherry Brown, Zealios V2 switches, and Holy Panda switches.
As Kiwi switches come with an excellent actuation force and satisfying tactile bumpy feedback which makes these switches a good competitor of all tactile switches and provides users a perfect choice to consider them for their mechanical keyboard.
But before making a decision to buy this, you should read complete in-depth information and review of Kiwi switches which I am going to cover in this article.
Make sure to read this article till the end, and decide for yourself should kiwi switches are a perfect fit for your requirements or not.
Let’s get dive into the details!
Table of Contents
What are Kiwi Switches?
Kiwi Switches are a tactile type of switch that is produced and designed by a well-known switch brand C3 EQUALZ TKC.
These Kiwi switches are constructed by the following significant components:
- 67g Tactile with a T1 stem
- Translucent bright green housing with N9 Grey stem
- Gold Plated Internals
Kiwi switches are equipped with 67g of actuation force which is slightly higher than Gateron Brown switches.
You need slightly more pressure to register a keystroke comparatively with some other tactile switches.
With excellent tactility and strong bumpy feedback, users get a smooth, fast as well as error-free typing experience with a satisfying moderate sound.
Do you ever notice why these switches are called Kiwi switches?
Because these switches’ color is derived from a fruit called ‘Kiwi’ when constructing it.
The color looks beautiful and eye-catching in the first impression for the upper and lower housing.
Kiwi Switches Specifications
Kiwi switches are tactile switches having many functionalities and specifications these switches come with gold-plated internals along with pre-lubing that is responsible for a smooth typing experience.
If you want to lube these switches, you can do it easily with some guidance.
Here are the complete specifications for kiwi switches I am putting through a table for better understanding:
Name | C3 Kiwi Switches |
Manufactured By | C³Equalz |
Switch Type | Tactile |
Housing & Stem Specs | Translucent bright green housing with N9 Grey stem |
Compatibility | PCB Mounted, 5-Pin Support |
Spring | Gold-Plated Spring and Internals |
Actuation Force | 67g |
Sound Profile | Moderate Noise with Deep Sound Profile |
Typing Experience | Smooth and Snappy Typing Experience with Strong Tactile Feedback. |
Lubing | Lightly Pre-Lubed from Factory |
Kiwi Switches Review
Kiwi switches are considered good for gaming as well as for typing as they are easy to press due to snappy tactile feedback.
As per the company’s claim you can increase your typing experience, gaming experience, and day-to-day productivity by using these switches.
But are these switches really performed excellently on every technical benchmark or there is a clause behind it?
To get to the conclusion you must read an in-depth review of the Kiwi Switches I am providing below.
1. Kiwi Switches Sound Test
Whether you are a working professional or gamer or working from home, the mechanical Keyboard sound is the most significant aspect a user always pays attention to.
As every mechanical switch is designed for every different purpose.
Kiwi Switches are very dominating in terms of sound because the sound produced by these switches is not so loud or not so quiet, it is perfectly balanced.
Being a tactile switch type, the sound is satisfying to your ears as well as it is not going to break your concentration during typing on it.
Kiwi switches come with pre-lubing from the factory which beatifies these switches’ sound by providing a deeper and richer feel, you will definitely enjoy typing on these switches and their sound feel.
Here is the video I’m embedding for you so you can get a real feel of kiwi switches sound quality:
Source: Austin V
2. Durability
The durability of Kiwi switches is very good as they are made with high-quality plastic materials with T1 and N9 grey stem which makes these switches sturdier and stable on the keyboard while typing.
Although Kiwi’s are not as durable as the Cherry Mx switches they are not too mediocre I mean they are way ahead in terms of durability.
You can do aggressive typing and intensive gaming with these switches, it can handle all these tasks easily and will not disappoint you.
You should not be much concerned about Kiwi switches’ durability as they can be working fine for long years without any severe issues.
Kiwis are a brand of C3 EQUALZ TKC company which is a well-established brand in the mechanical switches market and gave many successful switches to keyboard enthusiasts.
Kiwi switches are loved too by many keyboard lovers.
3. Tactility
Tactile switches have a small tactile bump that is responsible for resistance which can be felt during keypresses.
A good tactile switch certainly provides a satisfying typing experience along with smooth, fast, and error-less keystrokes.
Kiwi switches come with a 67g snappy tactile with a T1 stem that provides a smooth and consistence typing experience throughout your typing journey.
As soon as you logged-in keys you can move forward without getting confirmation of successful keystrokes due to their tactile bump that gives successful keystrokes feedback.
Kiwi switches are best known for their magnificent tactile switches. I would say Kiwi outperforms in this segment and justifies what they promise to do.
Now take a look at how Kiwi switches perform overall.
4. Performance
As far as the performance of Kiwi switches is concerned, These switches provide excellent typing and gaming experience as well as good grip over the keys. As a result, you will get stunning performance with these switches.
It has snappy tactile and bumpy feedback on top of it which allows smooth typing with very less no. of errors.
The Gold Plated internals component gives these switches extra durability and space for smooth tactility and strong build.
As I have already discussed kiwi switches sound performance in detail above, but here as a performance point of view, its offers stunning sound quality to the users which is mostly loved by the users.
These switches come with pre-lubing from the factory, as a result, smooth keypresses as well as richer and deeper sound.
Overall Kiwi switches are a beast in every technical aspect from sound, durability to typing and build.
5. Price
Price is the most important factor in any product where a user’s eyes always stick, the same applied with the Kiwi switches too as the price is a deal-breaker or deal maker for any mechanical switch.
C3 Equalz constructed these switches and sold Kiwi switches for $0.75 for a switch.
These switches are generally sold in packs of 10 switches which will cost you around $7.50 on thockking.com.
Price may vary depending on the seller and the site, so make sure to check their prices on all reliable platforms and E-commerce sites.
On this price which these switches are listed, I would say it is not that expensive or economical If we see their performance and usability the price is justified.
Where to buy Kiwi Switches?
To get these switches early in your hand is completely depends on the supply of the manufacturer and what time he will deliver these switches at your location.
So you should check availability for kiwi switches on the various sites.
Here are the most trusted and reliable online platforms where you can purchase kiwi switches for your keyboard:
Price may vary according to various platforms so make sure to check price on every platform so you may get the best deal for that switches.
Are Kiwi switches good?
Yes, Kiwi switches are good in every segment, having many advanced functionalities and specifications these switches performs exceptionally well.
Having strong and snappy tactile feedback with 67g of actuation force these switches are good for error-free typing as well as good for gaming too.
You can enhance your overall typing experience, efficiency, and productivity to the next level by using these switches.
You can also type perpetually on it as it will not create any pain and fatigue in your hand, thanks to its ideal travel distance, splendid design, and structure.
Yeah, Kiwi switches are good and can be an excellent choice if you are looking for a tactile switch for your mechanical keyboard.
How many Kiwi switches do you need for keyboard?
These switches come in a different no. of quantity like there are 10 switches on a pack, and 25 switches on a pack so you can order it according to your keyboard requirement.
First of all, you should check how many switches your keyboard required as every mechanical keyboard type come with a different no. of switch, like full-sized keyboards, Tenkeyless keyboards, and 75% keyboard have a different number of switches.
So you have to check how many switches are required for your keyboard.
To clear all your doubts regarding the number of switches, I have prepared a table which will show you about the keyboard and the number of switches.
Take a look at the table:
Type of Keyboard | Number of Switches |
Full Size Keyboard | C³Equalz |
96% keyboards | 103-104 |
Tenkeyless | 87 |
75% keyboard | 80-84 |
65% keyboard | 68 |
60% keyboard | 61 |
40% keyboard | 40-44 |
I hope now it cleared as sky about the number of switches a mechanical keyboard type required.
Lubing Kiwi switches
Kiwi switches are already pre-lubed from the factory and offer you a smooth and snappy typing experience with a deeper sound profile.
So you don’t need to lube it initially, but lubing a switch is really a good idea when you start to hear a rattling sound from the switches and you observe a scratchy feel while typing on it.
The process of lubing a switch can be done easily but the condition is you have to follow step by step guide, to do it here is the video you must watch which will surely help you to lube a kiwi mechanical switch.
Source: Prosive Tech & Gaming
Conclusion
I hope I was able to clear all your queries by publishing this in-depth article regarding Kiwi switches, I tried my best to cover everything which a user often looking for.
There are many positive sides associated with the Kiwi switches such as their tremendous performance, snappy tactile feedback along with a deeper and richer sound profile that a user certainly going to like.
The price somehow can be a little bit expensive for some users but I would say it is completely justified looking at their overall performance.
If you are looking to buy these switches for your current switch replacement or for a fresh one I will highly recommend going forward.
C3 Kiwi switches are successful switches like other switches. from C3 EQUALZ.
I hope this post was helpful to you.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!!
Kiwi Switches FAQs
What kind of switches are Kiwis?
Kiwi switches are tactile types of switches that consist of 67g actuation force with snappy tactile and bumpy feedback.
How many pins does Kiwi switches have?
Kiwi switches support a 5-pins type mechanism that can be easily mounted to a mechanical keyboard.
Are Kiwis pre lubed?
Yes, Kiwis are light pre-lubed from the factory, even though if you want to lube them after some usage you can lube it too.