Cherry MX Low Profile Speed vs Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile
This one is a linear against a tactile: the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed and the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile feel different from the first press, and no amount of tuning closes that. Our full switch library 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 Low Profile Speed | Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Tactile |
| Brand rates force at | actuation | actuation |
| Actuation force | 45 g | 65 g |
| Bottom-out force | not published | not published |
| Pre-travel | 1 mm | 0.8 mm |
| Total travel | 3.2 mm | 1.8 mm |
| Silent (dampened) | No | No |
| Factory lubed | No | No |
| MX-compatible stem | Yes | No |
| Price tier | Mid-range | Premium |
| Street price | varies | varies |
Both of these are rated 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.
Verdict
These two sit in different camps, with the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed built as a linear and the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile as a tactile, so decide which stroke you want before anything else. Check your board first: the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile does not use an MX style stem, so the two are not interchangeable in the same keyboard. There is a real weight gap too: 65 g against 45 g at actuation, so the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile asks noticeably more of your fingers over a long session. Split by use: the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed for gaming, the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile for typing and a shared office.
- Gaming pick
- Cherry MX Low Profile Speed
- Typing pick
- Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile
- Office pick
- Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile
Force curves
Cherry MX Low Profile Speed
Cherry publishes no bottom-out force for this switch, so the dashed end of the curve is an estimate, not a spec. Everything up to actuation comes from the published numbers.
Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile
Cherry publishes no bottom-out force for this switch, so the dashed end of the curve is an estimate, not a spec. Everything up to actuation comes from the published numbers.
Cherry MX Low Profile Speed or Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile: the long answer
Take the mechanical side first, since that is where this pair separates. Start with the stroke, because the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed runs smooth the whole way down while the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile raises a bump at the point it registers. The spread at actuation is 20 g, 65 g on the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile against 45 g on the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed, which puts them in different weight brackets rather than two shades of one. On distance the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile registers at 0.8 mm against 1.0 mm, and the full stroke runs 3.2 mm on the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed against 1.8 mm on the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile. Pick the stroke before anything else. Sound, weight and price only matter once you know whether you want the bump.
Now the part spec sheets cannot carry: the voice. The Cherry MX Low Profile Speed sits at shallow and fast; a quick, clipped tick; the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile answers with crisp laptop-like tick, shallow and precise. As everywhere on the site, these are simulations built from published specifications and documented character. Accurate enough to compare, not a recording.
On price and practicality, the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed is mid priced, while the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile is premium priced. Neither is factory lubed, so enthusiasts often hand lube both for the smoothest result. One compatibility warning: the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile does not use an MX style stem, so it will not drop into a standard hot-swap board or accept ordinary MX keycaps.
Who buys which, then? Gaming goes to the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed, because a linear stroke puts no bump between you and the next press. Writing goes to the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile, since a felt confirmation on every press is what stops a typist bottoming out all day. A shared room goes to the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile, as it makes the least fuss of the pair in a shared space. The player above is the cheapest part of this decision, so use it before your wallet is involved.
For either one on its own terms, read the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed page and the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile page. Or leave switches aside for a minute and run your current keyboard through the free keyboard tester.
Frequently asked questions
Cherry MX Low Profile Speed or Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile for gaming?
We pick the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed for gaming. Its linear stroke has no bump or click to interrupt fast repeated presses, which is exactly what rapid inputs reward.
Which of the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed and the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile is quieter in a shared room?
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.
Cherry MX Low Profile Speed vs Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile: which one is the heavier press?
The Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile, by 20 g. Both figures are published at actuation, 65 g against 45 g, so they are measured at the same point and can be read straight.
Can the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed and the Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile go in the same keyboard?
No. The Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile does not use an MX style stem, so it needs a board built for it and will not take ordinary MX keycaps, while the Cherry MX Low Profile Speed is a standard MX switch. Whichever you pick decides the keyboard, not the other way round.
More comparisons
More vs Cherry MX Low Profile Speed
More vs Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile
Or browse every switch comparison on the site.