Cherry MX Clear vs NovelKeys NK Blueberry
1 mm separates the point these two count a press, and on a fast repeat that is the difference worth caring about between the Cherry MX Clear and the NovelKeys NK Blueberry. Our library of every switch we simulate cross-links them because this matchup keeps coming up. Start with the A/B bursts below, then take the spec table and the picks in order.
Hear them back to back
simulated from real specssound loads on your first tapShortcuts: press A or B anywhere outside a text box to fire that burst. Use the volume trims to loudness-match the pair before judging which sounds better.
Spec by spec
| Spec | Cherry MX Clear | NovelKeys NK Blueberry |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Tactile | Tactile |
| Brand rates force at | actuation | actuation |
| Actuation force | 65 g | 55 g |
| Bottom-out force | 95 g (our estimate) | 80 g |
| Pre-travel | 2 mm | 3 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 4 mm |
| Silent (dampened) | No | No |
| Factory lubed | No | No |
| MX-compatible stem | Yes | Yes |
| Price tier | Mid-range | Premium |
| Street price | varies | varies |
Both makers rate these at actuation, which is the one case where the advertised numbers compare directly. Every other force row still has to be matched basis to basis. Cherry publishes no bottom-out figure for the Cherry MX Clear, so the figure marked "our estimate" is our own derivation from the forces that are published rather than a rating. How we derive a bottom-out figure .
Verdict
Both the Cherry MX Clear and the NovelKeys NK Blueberry are tactiles, so this matchup comes down to weight, travel and sound rather than feel. The Cherry MX Clear also actuates earlier, 2.0 mm of pre-travel against 3.0 mm, which fast players tend to notice. 10 g at actuation is a bracket apart, not a shade, and it is the Cherry MX Clear carrying the heavier end at 65 g. One pick, not three: the Cherry MX Clear takes gaming and typing, and it is the safer of the two in a shared room. The NovelKeys NK Blueberry is the answer only to a question our scoring does not ask.
- Overall pick
- Cherry MX Clear
This pair does not split by use case: the Cherry MX Clear comes out ahead of the NovelKeys NK Blueberry on all three, so there is one pick here rather than three.
Force curves
Cherry MX Clear
Cherry publishes no bottom-out force for this switch, so the 95 g at the end of the stroke is our estimate and the run into it is dashed. Everything up to actuation comes from the published numbers. How we derive it.
NovelKeys NK Blueberry
Cherry MX Clear or NovelKeys NK Blueberry: the long answer
Take the mechanical side first, since that is where this pair separates. The Cherry MX Clear registers earlier, 2.0 mm against 3.0 mm, inside the same 4.0 mm of total travel. Springs split them by 10 g at actuation: 65 g for the Cherry MX Clear, 55 g for the NovelKeys NK Blueberry. Cherry and NovelKeys are both selling you tactiles here, so both raise a bump close to the point the press registers. Same stroke character, so the spring is the fact to weigh.
Sound is where most people finally pick a side. Played back to back, the Cherry MX Clear is deep thud with a heavy, emphatic bottom-out against deep heavy thud after a long wall of a bump from the NovelKeys NK Blueberry. These demos are synthesized from published specs and documented character rather than studio recordings, which every player on the site says plainly.
On the practical side, the Cherry MX Clear is mid priced, while the NovelKeys NK Blueberry is premium priced. Neither ships lubed, so budget an evening with a brush if you want either at its best.
Who buys which, then? One switch takes every axis we score: the Cherry MX Clear is our pick for gaming, for typing and for a shared desk. On speed, the scoring hands it a shorter distance to actuation. On typing feel, it holds the same feel from the first hour of writing to the last. On noise, it is the one of these two you would not apologize for. That leaves the NovelKeys NK Blueberry to anyone who preferred its voice in the player above, which is a good enough reason on its own. Do the listening first. It costs nothing and it changes minds more often than a spec table does.
There is more on both than a head-to-head can carry. Start with the Cherry MX Clear page and the NovelKeys NK Blueberry page. If you are here to check the board you already own, use our free keyboard tester.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Cherry MX Clear or the NovelKeys NK Blueberry the better gaming switch?
We pick the Cherry MX Clear for gaming. The scoring gives it a shorter distance to actuation against the NovelKeys NK Blueberry, and both of those show up in a fast game.
Cherry MX Clear or NovelKeys NK Blueberry: which one is quieter?
Nothing in either one is built to reduce noise, so on raw volume this is a tie decided by your keyboard rather than your switch. What you will actually hear is a difference of pitch and texture, which the player above shows better than a sentence can.
Which switch is heavier, the Cherry MX Clear or the NovelKeys NK Blueberry?
The Cherry MX Clear, and the comparison is clean: actuation on both sides, 65 g to 55 g.
Which is cheaper to fill a board with, the Cherry MX Clear or the NovelKeys NK Blueberry?
The Cherry MX Clear sits in the mid priced bracket and the NovelKeys NK Blueberry in the premium priced one. We do not hold a reliable per-switch price for both, so the bracket is the honest answer rather than a total.
More comparisons
More vs Cherry MX Clear
More vs NovelKeys NK Blueberry
Or browse every switch comparison on the site.