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Tactile switches are keyboard switches that provide a noticeable change in resistance—a bump—as you press a key. That feedback describes feel; a dedicated click describes sound. CHERRY’s switch table includes tactile models with and without a click, so “tactile” alone does not tell you whether a switch clicks. Source: CHERRY
For your first purchase, choose a compatible sample by comparing the exact model’s operating force, tactile force, and travel. Akko’s V3 Creamy Purple Pro and V3 Lavender Purple Pro illustrate why: both list 55 ± 5 gf tactile force, but their operating-force and total-travel specifications differ. Sources: Creamy Purple Pro, Lavender Purple Pro
This guide is for keyboard owners choosing their first tactile switches or refining a sample shortlist.
Quick takeaways
- Separate the bump you feel from the click you hear.
- Compare operating force, tactile force, and travel together.
- Confirm your exact keyboard revision supports the candidate switch.
- Verify delivered sample identities before ordering a full set.
Editorial method: This guide compares manufacturer documentation captured on October 15, 2026. Recommendations are based on those specifications and conditional buying checks; they are not hands-on test results.
On this page: Bump and sound · Specification comparison · Choosing a sample · Compatibility · Tester identity · Worksheet · FAQs
What are tactile switches, and do they click?
Think of tactile feedback, a dedicated click, and sound dampening as separate product characteristics. CHERRY’s family table identifies MX BROWN as tactile without a click and MX BLUE as tactile with an acoustic click. Its MX HONEY page describes a tactile, no-click switch with dampening. These examples establish that tactile feedback can accompany different sound designs. Source: CHERRY’s switch characteristics and HONEY description
For shopping purposes, ask two separate questions: “What resistance feedback do I want?” and “What sound behavior is documented?” A no-click designation answers the dedicated-click question; it does not establish that an assembled keyboard will be silent. CHERRY’s dampening description is also a manufacturer claim about that switch, rather than a measured sound result for your keyboard. Source: CHERRY MX HONEY
If sound matters in your workspace, make installed-board sound a separate acceptance check. Record whether it is acceptable where you actually type, alongside your notes about the bump.
Compare tactile keyboard switches by exact model
The following comparison uses the individual Akko product pages, rather than combining specifications from similarly named switches. Keep the complete names when searching or ordering: V3 Creamy Purple Pro and V3 Lavender Purple Pro.
| Published specification | Akko V3 Creamy Purple Pro | Akko V3 Lavender Purple Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Tactile | Tactile |
| Operating force | 30 ± 5 gf | 40 ± 5 gf |
| Tactile force | 55 ± 5 gf | 55 ± 5 gf |
| Pre-travel | 2.0 ± 0.6 mm | 1.9 ± 0.5 mm |
| Total travel | 3.0 mm | 3.8 mm |
| Manufacturer’s tactile-distance field | “Tactile Travel: 0.5 mm” | “Tactile Position: 0.5 mm” |
Sources for every specification in the table: Akko V3 Creamy Purple Pro and Akko V3 Lavender Purple Pro, captured October 15, 2026. The ± values are the manufacturer’s published tolerances.
Read the force labels separately
The clearest lesson is that an equal tactile-force rating does not make the specification sets identical. These models share the listed 55 ± 5 gf tactile force, while Creamy Purple Pro has the lower listed operating force and shorter total travel. That gives you concrete differences to investigate when sampling. Sources: Creamy Purple Pro, Lavender Purple Pro
Keep the label attached to the number. Calling either model simply a “55 gf switch” leaves out whether you mean tactile force or another specification. Likewise, a listed operating-force value should not be relabeled as a standalone spring-weight specification; the captured product specifications do not supply one. Sources: Creamy Purple Pro specifications, Lavender Purple Pro specifications
A specification table is not a force curve
These scalar values do not show the complete resistance through a press and release. The available documentation does not provide a readable complete loading-and-return curve, so it cannot establish which model has a stronger return or how their full bump shapes compare. Equal listed tactile force also does not establish equal perceived feel. Sources: Creamy Purple Pro, Lavender Purple Pro
Preserve the different tactile-distance labels, too. Akko uses “Tactile Travel” for Creamy Purple Pro and “Tactile Position” for Lavender Purple Pro. Without definitions establishing their equivalence, the shared 0.5 mm value should not be treated as proof of identical bump location or width. Sources: Creamy Purple Pro, Lavender Purple Pro
Choose a sample by resistance and travel
Use specifications to choose what to try, then use your own observations to decide what to keep. The two Akko models offer a useful comparison because their documented operating force and travel differ while their listed tactile force matches.
Start with Creamy Purple Pro if you want to investigate its lower operating-force rating and shorter total travel. Akko also describes this model as having a strong bump at the very top. Treat that wording as the maker’s description and a reason to sample it, rather than an independently measured ranking of bump strength. Source: Akko V3 Creamy Purple Pro
Include Lavender Purple Pro if you want to compare a higher listed operating force and longer total travel. Its published values are 40 ± 5 gf and 3.8 mm, respectively. That makes it a relevant comparison sample; those numbers alone do not establish greater comfort, better control, or a stronger perceived bump. Sources: Lavender Purple Pro, Creamy Purple Pro
For example, suppose you want an early resistance change but are unsure how much travel you prefer. Shortlist Creamy Purple Pro because of Akko’s top-bump description, then compare Lavender Purple Pro to explore its different documented travel and operating force. Write down whether you enjoy each sample’s resistance and travel instead of predicting your preference from the shared tactile-force number.
If spring return is your deciding factor, leave that decision open until you can try the exact model or obtain suitable additional documentation. Neither product’s captured scalar specifications support a return-force ranking. Sources: Creamy Purple Pro, Lavender Purple Pro
Confirm keyboard fit before buying
Akko describes Creamy Purple Pro as five-pin and suitable for keycaps with a standard MX stem structure. Its Lavender Purple Pro page describes that specific version as an upgrade to a five-pin, dustproof structure with additional rail lubrication. These are model-specific descriptions, not confirmation of fit in your keyboard. Sources: Creamy Purple Pro, Lavender Purple Pro
Before ordering a sample for installation, complete this compatibility check using your keyboard manufacturer’s documentation or support:
- Identify the host. Record the keyboard’s full model name and hardware revision.
- Confirm replacement support. Check whether the keyboard permits the switch replacement you intend to perform and what procedure the manufacturer specifies.
- Verify the technology and socket. Obtain confirmation for the exact candidate switch, including the required profile and pin arrangement.
- Check the plate and keycaps. Confirm mounting support and clearance for your intended keycap set, including its profile.
- Resolve uncertainty before installation. If documentation is unclear, ask support about the exact keyboard-and-switch pairing.
A useful support request is: “Does this keyboard model and revision support this exact switch version with my keycap set, and are there any plate, socket, or clearance restrictions?” Keep the response with your shortlist. Until that pairing is confirmed, treat compatibility as unresolved.
Verify which switches your tester contains
A tester is useful only if you can connect a preference to an identifiable switch. Akko’s 16-Key Switch Tester page describes an Akko x MonsGeek acrylic tester and gives an April 2025 lineup containing four tactile entries: V3 Creamy Blue Pro, V3 Creamy Purple Pro, V3 Lavender Purple Pro, and Penguin. The same page warns that different tester versions may ship randomly because of version updates. Source: Akko 16-Key Switch Tester
Treat that historical lineup as a reference, rather than a promise about the unit you will receive. Keep three checks separate:
- Published lineup: What does the dated product description name?
- Ordered version: What exact selection or assortment has the seller confirmed?
- Delivered identity: Which exact models and versions can you identify in your package?
Before purchasing, ask whether the seller can confirm the included versions. After delivery, retain the packaging and any identification guide. If a favorite sample remains unidentified, resolve its identity before using it to choose a full set; appearance alone should not be your ordering record.
When ordering either samples or a full set, check the current delivered assortment, shipping destination, total checkout cost, and applicable return terms. The dated manufacturer lineup does not verify those details for a current US order. Source: Akko’s tester description and version warning
Use this tactile switch worksheet
Copy this worksheet for each identified candidate. Record preferences in your own words, and keep manufacturer specifications separate from observations.
| Decision field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Exact identity | Complete switch name, version, and how you confirmed it |
| Host compatibility | Keyboard model/revision and manufacturer confirmation |
| Published specifications | Operating force, tactile force, travel, and original tolerances |
| Bump preference | Where you notice resistance and whether you like the transition |
| Resistance preference | Whether the overall press feels lighter or heavier than you want |
| Travel preference | Whether you want more, less, or similar travel |
| Release behavior | Your observation of the sample returning during use |
| Sound acceptance | Whether sound is acceptable in the confirmed keyboard setup |
| Purchase decision | Try again, keep on shortlist, or reject—with a reason |
If both candidates are confirmed compatible, compare them with the same keycap and keyboard position where practical. Use a repeatable task, such as typing the same passage, and note the setup. If you have only tried a loose tester, label those observations accordingly and leave the installed-board sound decision open.
An acceptable decision might read: “I prefer this identified sample’s resistance and travel, compatibility is confirmed, and the installed sound is acceptable.” That is a personal selection result. It does not require claiming a universal winner.
Frequently asked questions
Are tactile switches clicky or silent?
Tactile switches can have a dedicated click or omit it. CHERRY lists MX BLUE as tactile with click, MX BROWN as tactile without click, and MX HONEY as tactile without click with dampening. Those categories distinguish sound designs; they do not establish the sound level of your assembled keyboard. Source: CHERRY
Which force number should I compare?
Compare the labeled fields together. Creamy Purple Pro and Lavender Purple Pro both list 55 ± 5 gf tactile force, but their operating-force ratings are 30 ± 5 gf and 40 ± 5 gf. Keep travel alongside those values, then sample to establish your preference. Sources: Creamy, Lavender
Will Akko’s tester definitely include both Pro models?
The April 2025 lineup names both V3 Creamy Purple Pro and V3 Lavender Purple Pro, but Akko warns that different tester versions may ship randomly. Confirm the ordered assortment and identify the delivered samples before treating either model as one you have tried. Source: Akko tester
Choose your next compatible sample
Choose a tactile switch by combining documented specifications, confirmed fit, and your own preference notes. Creamy Purple Pro and Lavender Purple Pro provide a specific comparison of different operating-force and travel ratings despite equal listed tactile force. Sources: Creamy, Lavender
Your next step is to confirm compatibility for one exact candidate, obtain an identifiable sample, and complete the worksheet before committing to a full set.
