Kailh BOX Black vs Kailh BOX Red
The Kailh BOX Black and the Kailh BOX Red are separated mostly by spring weight, 15 g of it at actuation, with the Kailh BOX Black the firmer press and the Kailh BOX Red the easier one to hold down. Our library of every switch we simulate puts these two on each other's shortlist, and the player below is the fastest way to settle it: match the volumes, then work down through the table and the verdict.
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 | Kailh BOX Black | Kailh BOX Red |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Brand rates force at | actuation | actuation |
| Actuation force | 60 g | 45 g |
| Bottom-out force | 70 g (our estimate) | 60 g (our estimate) |
| Pre-travel | 1.8 mm | 1.8 mm |
| Total travel | 3.6 mm | 3.6 mm |
| Silent (dampened) | No | No |
| Factory lubed | No | No |
| MX-compatible stem | Yes | Yes |
| Price tier | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| 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. The two figures marked "our estimate" are our own derivation and not a manufacturer number, because Kailh publishes no bottom-out figure for either of these. How that derivation works .
Verdict
Kailh is on both sides of this one and both are linears, so the question is which of its own linears suits you. Weight separates them clearly: measured at actuation, the Kailh BOX Black is 15 g heavier than the Kailh BOX Red, which changes both fatigue and sound. What really separates them is sound, with the Kailh BOX Black tending toward firm, clean clack with no rattle and the Kailh BOX Red toward clean, slightly hollow clack; tight and consistent. Split by use: the Kailh BOX Red for gaming, the Kailh BOX Black for typing and a shared office.
- Gaming pick
- Kailh BOX Red
- Typing pick
- Kailh BOX Black
- Office pick
- Kailh BOX Black
Force curves
Kailh BOX Black
Kailh publishes no bottom-out force for this switch, so the 70 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.
Kailh BOX Red
Kailh publishes no bottom-out force for this switch, so the 60 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.
Kailh BOX Black or Kailh BOX Red: the long answer
Start with feel, because it settles most switch arguments before sound comes up. Weight is the loud fact here. At actuation the Kailh BOX Black takes 60 g where the Kailh BOX Red takes 45 g, and 15 g is enough to change how the third hour feels. Type is not in play. Both are linears, and both give you spring resistance and nothing else. Travel is a straight match, 1.8 mm of pre-travel and 3.6 mm in full on both. Everything else about them is close enough that the spring is the honest tiebreak.
Sound is where most people finally pick a side. Played back to back, the Kailh BOX Black is firm, clean clack with no rattle against clean, slightly hollow clack; tight and consistent from the Kailh BOX Red. One caveat we repeat wherever a player appears: no studio recording sits behind either of these. They are built from what each maker publishes and what the community reports.
On cost and convenience, both are mid priced. Lube is on you with both of these, which is a real cost in time whichever one you order.
This one genuinely splits. The Kailh BOX Red for games, because the scoring hands it a lighter spring at actuation. The Kailh BOX Black for writing, since its keystroke stays consistent and comfortable across a full day of writing. The Kailh BOX Black for an office, as it is the quieter of the two once the room is listening. The player above is the cheapest part of this decision, so use it before your wallet is involved.
There is more on both than a head-to-head can carry. Start with the Kailh BOX Black page and the Kailh BOX Red page. If you are here to check the board you already own, use our free keyboard tester.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for gaming, the Kailh BOX Black or the Kailh BOX Red?
We pick the Kailh BOX Red for gaming. The scoring gives it a lighter spring at actuation against the Kailh BOX Black, and both of those show up in a fast game.
Which of the Kailh BOX Black and the Kailh BOX Red is quieter in a shared room?
They are close. Neither is a silent switch and neither clicks, so loudness depends mostly on how hard you bottom out and the board they sit in. Their character differs though: the Kailh BOX Black leans toward firm, clean clack with no rattle, while the Kailh BOX Red is clean, slightly hollow clack; tight and consistent.
Which switch is heavier, the Kailh BOX Black or the Kailh BOX Red?
The Kailh BOX Black, and the comparison is clean: actuation on both sides, 60 g to 45 g.
More comparisons
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