Tag Akko

The Akko CS Silver switches came with my Akko 3098B keyboard. You can find the review of the board here.

I have used Cherry Brown and Gateron brown switches myself in the past, with the latter typing just a bit better. Then moved on to Gateron Yellows. When choosing the keyboard, as mentioned earlier in the review of the keyboard, I opted for the CS silver switches. I had the choice of CS Silver, the Pink and two other switches. The main reason for me to choose the CS silver was the fact that I wanted to try a so-called “fast” switch.

About the Akko CS Silver Switches

The CS silver switches belong to the Custom Switches from Akko. The Custom switches are manufactured as a result of feedback and market research by Akko. Often a switch is taken from the existing line-up and then improved upon. The CS Silver switches have a very short pre-travel of only 1mm and is made of high quality materials.

The stem is made of POM, also called Polyacetal. This material is very sturdy and dimensionally stable and is widely used in mechanical engineering. The top is made of poly-carbonate and the bottom of nylon.

Specs

Using the Akko CS Silver switches

The Silver switches are pleasant to use. In my opinion, they don’t need a lube to remove ping or scratch. But it never hurts. Personally, I noticed that the switches are very sensitive. For me personally, this is not great. I make a lot of typos because of this.

For playing games where speed is a factor, these will be very pleasant. There is no wobble in the switches, this is partly thanks to the dust cover where there is a wall surrounding the stem.

Akko’s switches have a so-called 3-pin system and can therefore be used for almost all hot-swap boards. The CS switches also have a higher stem, so that keycaps with the Cherry profile should not cause any problems.

RGB

The top of the switch is transparent. This allows it to easily let light through. Because the bottom is made of Nylon, it does not allow light to pass through. The difference with the Jelly series is therefore a slightly lower yield of RGB light, although this is still more than enough for most people. If you do like RGB you should check out this ACR set!

Final thoughts

The CS silver switches are perfect for the gamers who want to transfer their actions from fingers to game as quickly as possible. The switch activates itself at the lightest touch. There is hardly a pre-travel. As mentioned earlier, lubing is not a must with this switch. Due to the material used and the quality of production, it is already very smooth. This is my personal opinion, of course.

For people who mainly type, another switch from the Akko range will probably be better suited. Linear alternatives are, for example, the V3 Cream Yellow or the hand-lubed CS Piano. For lovers of Tactile, these are for example the Gateron Orange or Akko POM Brown.

Akko has a wide variety of keycap sets. One of these is the Los Angeles set; a keycap set inspired by the famous basketball team from LA. This is a beautiful set of keycaps. Weather you are a fan of the Lakers or you are just looking for something different then your average black on white set.

Packaging

The outside box

Akko sells the Los Angeles keycaps in a nice box which shows an image of the keycaps in full color. Upfront there is the Akko logo. The profile, which is ASA and the keycap material; PBT can be seen on the right side. Up front is the name of the set which comes in handy if you are like me and have different Akko sets stacked on a shelf. On the back there is some contact info.

The keycap storage box

The storage box for the keycaps comes in a vibrant yellow color with a big Akko logo on it. On the left are hinges and it closes with magnets. This ensures the storage box is secure but still easy enough to open when needed.

The keycaps

Opening up the storage box you are greeted by a beautiful assortment of keycaps. An assortment of white and yellow keycaps for standard layouts whit a nice purple print on them. Purple variants of keys are included, as well as different sizes for special layouts and a few novelty keys.

If you want to get serious about matching your keycaps with your switches check out the Lavender Purple, Jelly white or limited edition Spongebob switches!

ASA profile

The keycaps are of the ASA profile type. They have a large font, placed in the center of the keys. Being flat and having a large surface area, they are easy to find for your fingers. The ASA profile’s height sits in between the Cherry and OEM profile.

Different layouts

The Los Angeles keycap set comes with a total of 158 keys. Included are keycaps in different sizes for layouts such as 60, 65, 75 and 96 percent.

Storage box

You can store the keycaps you replace with these safe and sound in this box. The keycaps are secured by a cross shaped placeholder for each individual keycap. This can make them a bit harder to take out though. Fortunately Akko also provides a nice keycap puller with the set.

Build

Here’s how the keycaps look in my Akko 3098B keyboard. (review here). I think they look really nice with the black. I bet they will look even better on a white keyboard though! I ‘m curious what you think. Let me know in the comments!

Where to buy

You can check at Akkogear.de for international shipping here If you want to get 10% off on any purchase on Akkogear.de just use coupon CLICKSMASHSTUFF or use this link.

I have been using the Jelly Purple switches for a while now on a daily basis. The Jelly Purples rekindled my love for tactile switches. I like my switches to have a little weight or feedback to them. Well fortunately for me the great people at Akko reached out. They gave me the opportunity to review the Jelly Black switches. According to Akko these are their most populair switch at the moment. So lets see if I can stand behind this product, shall we?

Unboxing the Jelly Black

Well, if you’ve read my review about the Jelly Purple switches you know where this is going. Akko’s Jelly Black switches come in a nice little box. The theme is consistent with their keycaps and keyboards. Inside this box are the switches in a nice plastic case. They are not just thrown in a bag like many brands do. Instead they are individually hiding in their own little foxholes. This helps reducing the risk of getting bend pins. Once again all switches came in perfect shape. Kudos to Akko!

Up close and personal

The Jelly Black switches are nice to look at. In the hand they feel solid and there is no obvious ping when pressing them. First impression is that of a smooth transition while being pressed, but definitely with a bit of weight behind them. They have a black stem with a dust cover which also helps against wobble. The translucent housing is made of poly-carbonate material. It has a bit of a smokey color to it, which makes it really classy to look at. The official name of the switches is CS Jelly Black; CS stands for Custom Switches. These are switches made after getting feedback from Akko’s customers.

RGB makes things go brrr

For you RGB lovers out there, here is how they look compared to the Silvers and Purples.

Specs of the Jelly Black switches

As can be seen in the column above, the Jelly Black’s are a heavy switch; in fact these are Akko’s heaviest switches at the moment. For me this was an interesting test as previously I have had experience with a linear switch on the other side of the spectrum; the CS Silver switches. The Silver switches are extremely easy to activate. The biggest difference here is the pre-travel which is 1.0 compared to the 1.9 of the Black. Be sure to check out all the Akko switches here!

Jelly Black and CS silver side to side

Opening both switches with my tool and comparing them side to side, there are some obvious differences. The bottom is made of a grey nylon on the Silvers while the Jelly Black has a pc bottom. Another difference you can see is the pole on the stem which is longer on the Silver switches. Both springs seem to be the same.

My Dutch readers can buy a set with a switch opener along with all the other basic tools here. If you are an international reader check out a great switch opener from Epomaker here.

Lubing the Jelly Black switches

The Jelly Black switches didn’t seem to have much crunch or ping to me. I must admit I am not the most sensitive person out there when it comes to hearing spring ping though. The blacks are a nice feeling switch and I would argue that it is not a must to lube these. Having said that, a little bit of lube never hurts. So I lubed the switches with the well known Krytox G205g0. Lubing made the switches even more smooth, so if you have the time, sure lube them!

Check out my guide if you want know how to lube switches here. Or if you are looking for a nice complete lube kit, check this one out.

Conclusion

So, do I like them? The short answer would be; Yes, I like them, a lot. For me they are not my full keyboard switch though. Let me explain myself a bit here.

I have been using the Black switches for about a week now. Compared to the silver switches I think these are nicer to type on. I tend to make less mistakes because I can actually feel the key that I am pressing. They also sound more “Thocky” then the Silvers do if that is what you are after.

So far I have used four pairs of linear switches; Cherry Red, Gateron Yellow, Akko Silver and Akko Black. Of these switches I find the Blacks the most interesting. If I had to choose a switch between these four for a full layout, I would go with the Gateron Yellow though. The reason behind this, is that I experience some fatigue whilst typing on the blacks after a while but your mileage may vary.

For people who don’t really like tactile switches but do want to feel a bit of force while using their board these can the perfect solution.

Keep in mind though that the extra force needed can be a bit of a downside for those having to type for long sessions or playing fast FPS games.

My current daily is an Akko 3098B (review here) with the Akko Jelly Purple and for the numpad and F-row I use the Akko Jelly Blacks. These are perfect for me when crunching numbers for example.

Coupon

If you want to get 10% off on any purchase on Akkogear.eu just use coupon HELLOAKKO or use this link.

Disclaimer

This product was send to me by the Akko. Opinions are my own. This review may contain referral links. By using these links you support this website and allow us to get products in for review and testing.

Intro

Dive into the world of mechanical keyboards and soon you will read about people lubing switches.
People will talk about things like smoothness, spring-ping, switch openers. You might start to feel overwhelmed or unsure. You may ask yourself: “Can’t I just use my mechanical keyboard the way it is, what lube do I need, what tools do I need?’
In this article I will try to explain a bit about lubing along with some advice about what to look for.

The purpose of lubing switches.

The main purpose of lubing switches is to make keypresses feel more smooth and consistent. When lubed up the stem will slide in and out the housing a lot easier. The Crunchy sounds from bottoming out can also be reduced significantly.

You can always buy pre-lubed switches. However, lubing switches is also an important part for enthousiasts to make their keyboard feel unique

What do you need for lubing your switches?

Types of lubricant

If you are going to lube your switches it is important to choose the right lube. If your switch is of the tactile kind you will want a thinner lube. On the other hand when lubing a linear switch you should go for a bit thicker substance. For best results lubing the springs should be done with an oil-like substance.

Tactile switches

My go to lubricant for tactile switches is Trybosis 3203. It gets the switch smoother without reducing the tactile feeling. That is, if you lube it right, more on that later.
Thanks to its low viscosity it is quite easy to apply with a brush.

Linear switches

For linear switches the most used lube is Krytox GPL205 grade 0. This lube has more viscosity and is more buttery-like. An alternative to this could be Trybosis 3204. Linear switches are a bit easier to lube in that you don’t have to worry about not getting the stuff on the stem legs.

Clicky switches

Personally I’d leave these alone. But if you want to lube these do the same as with the tactiles.

Springs

For the springs I recommend Krytox 105. Since The springs need to be as flexible as possible a thin oil is preferred here over a thicker lube.

What you need

Lubricant

First off you will need your choice of lubricant. For tactile switches Trybosis 3203. For linear Krytox GPL205 or Krytox 3204 and Krytox 105 for springs.

Brushes

I recommend at least two small brushes. Grade 0 or 00 for example.

Switch opener for mechanical keyboard switches

A switch opener lets you open up the switches easy, fast and safe. There are several options here for example one from Homepage Homepage” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored”>Ali-express or Epomaker.

Switch puller

For taking out your switches you will need a switch puller. I recommend something like this. Its a lot less prone to making scratches then some other alternatives and gets your switches out easy. An alternative is this 2-in-1 from Epomaker.

Jewelry crown

This is a handy tool to pick up your stem without getting the grease all over your fingers.

Tip: here you can find a complete package!

Shout out to Alex from Phoberos, Real cool guy who sells genuine lube on Etsy. He delivered fantastic service when my lube got lost in transit.

Optional

A Lubing station is an optional accessory which can come in handy while lubing a lot of switches at a time and you want to put the parts away safely.

Lubing the switches

Opening up your mechanical keyboard switches

Open up the switches by putting the switch in the opener and gently press down until the top housing gets off. After gently removing the top take out the stem and spring.

Housing

When lubing the housing a tend to do this only with the bottom of the housing. First paint on of the sides, then the other and then gently go around the outside of the center hole. All this with a very thin layer, you should not see any white residue.

Stem

Spring

The springs can be lubed with a brush but to avoid this tedious task many people tend to “bag-lube” the springs. Simply put about a pea-size of Krytox 105 in the bag and “paint” the inside of the bag. After this put the springs in, ad a bit of air by blowing in it and shake that thing!

Done

And that’s it! you can put your switches bag together and enjoy the smoothness!

Disclaimer

Opinions are my own. This article may contain referral links. By using these links you support this website and allow us to get products in for review and testing.

From brown and yellow to Jelly Purple

In the past I have used Cherry brown and Gateron brown switches. Personally I found the Gateron switches better to type on and a bit smoother overall. After a while I wanted to change things up and I tried Gateron yellow switches which I used for quite a while. When I recently bought my Akko 3098B (review here) I had a couple of options to choose from. After having a hard time deciding what switch I wanted, I eventually went with the CS Silver switches. Unfortunately I discovered myself making a lot more mistakes while typing. This is mainly because the silvers are very light to press and a lot faster then what I was used to. Great for gamers, but not so for me. After Akko offered me to test some of their other switches and share my findings I decided to try out the Akko CS Jelly Purple switches.

Unboxing the Akko Jelly Purple switches

The packaging itself has tape with the purple Akko logo on it. Inside I found two boxes each contains 45 switches. The little boxes come with a wrapper covered with a plastic bag. There is no mistaking the switches that are inside with a nice looking picture of the switches and matching color. When opening the box the switches are found in an easy to open plastic container. Personally I appreciate this as it reduces the chances of getting bended pins. Other switches I ordered in the past on sites like Ali-express came in a jar or plastic bag and usually some switches had bend pins. Because of the excellent packaging absolutely zero of the Akko Jelly Purple switches had this issue.

Another Purple switch?

The Jelly Purple switches are part of the CS line of switches. The CS line are switches created after feedback from customers. Mostly these are upgraded versions of existing Akko switches. The Akko Jelly Purple is an improved version of the Lavender Purple switch. The biggest difference is the operation force which went from 36gf to 40gf. The tactile force as also increased from 50gf to 56gf.

Both switches are of the tactile kind which offer a subtle “bump” while pressing the switch. Personally I really like feeling feedback while typing as it helps me make less mistakes. Other differences between the two purple switches are the fully transparent housing and the dustcover. Apart from keeping dust and your nasty eating habits away from the switch it also helps against wobbling.

Using the Jelly Purple switches

After testing the switches for about two weeks I can say I absolutely love these. They are great for typing but I don’t mind gaming with them either. I am no pro gamer but for my casual sessions I have no complaints. Comparing the jelly purple switch to my Gateron brown these feel smoother and have less ping. I did lube the switches which I usually recommend but the effect was not as big as with the Gateron switches.

Compatibility and RGB

Akko uses 3-pin switches which makes them usable for almost any hot-swap board. The CS switches do not cause interference with Cherry profile keycaps which is great. For those of you who can’t get enough of that rainbow puke there is some good news! Because the bottom of the switch is transparant colors really pop. If you want to go all Akko also sells clear keycaps! The Silver switches have the same transparant top housing but a solid bottom. I have added some pictures which show the difference side by side.

Lubing the Jelly Purple

Many enthusiasts recommend lubing switches. Not only does this make switches feel smoother it can also reduce unwanted ping. For lubing tactile switches I can recommend using Trybosis 3203. If you want to retain the tactile feeling of the switch you should avoid lubing the legs. You can find many tutorials online to help you out. When examining up close I noticed the switches having a bit of oil on them. After contacting Akko this was confirmed. They told me all switches have some factory lube on them but the pre-lubed versions get an extra more precise lubing treatment by hand.

Conclusion

I am very pleased with the overall feeling of the jelly purple switches from Akko. In fact I liked them so much that they are my daily driver for the moment and I ordered some extra ones myself. I find myself making less mistakes while typing compared to the CS Silver switches. This is of course very personal but if you like tactile switches I don’t think you can go wrong with the Jelly Purple switch. Want to order the switches right away and support our site, click here.

This review was originally posted in Dutch on Tweakers.net

Disclamer

This product was send to me by the Akko. Opinions are my own. This review may contain referral links. By using these links you support this website and allow us to get products in for review and testing.

Introduction

About two years ago I bought my first hot-swappable keyboard. I really liked the hot swap concept. After buying the board with Gateron browns I later switched to Gateron yellows. Soon I started to look at other possibilities like different kind of keycaps and cables. After that there was no turning back the rabbit hole, no light to be seen behind me anymore! I started watching Youtube video’s, reading blogs and forums regarding mechanical keyboards. Things like “tape mods”, “lubing”, “Thocky” etc. started to fill my head…. Ok I had to get my hand on new stuff! After having bought the Macaw keycap set from Akko for my Glorious board I started looking at what else they had to offer. I finally settled on the Akko 3098B.

Enter Akko

Akko is a Chinese company which was founded in Shenzhen in 2016. They are widely known for their high quality double shot pbt keycaps like their Neon keycap set and beautiful special editions like the limited edition PC75B plus Year of Tiger 75% keyboard. Their keycaps come in beautiful boxes with a magnetic closing mechanism and a keycap puller. This for prices that are a lot more wallet friendly then those of GMK for example. The Cherry on the cake is here that there are no group buys or long waiting times. People gave Akko got some criticism about their keycap designs being quite similar to other more expensive brands in the past but lately they are releasing more unique designs.

Keycaps

Keycaps from Akko come in different profiles like Cherry, OEM and OSA but they also have their own ASA profile. This profile is almost the same height as OEM but the looks are more in line of SA. Akko has their own website for Europe as well. This saves extra risks of customs and tax costs as these are calculated at checkout.

Switches

Akko also sells various types of switches and collaborates with TTC and Gateron among others. Next the usual suspects Akko also has more and more switches in their CS line of switches. These switches are modified existing ones which have been adjusted after receiving feedback from customers. For the 3098B I have chosen the CS Silver switches which is a fast linear switch.

So much to choose from

After browsing online and comparing different switches I finally decided I wanted a 96% percent keyboard. This because I liked the fact my TKL was pretty compact but I missed my numpad. For me this was a good compromise. What I liked about the 3098B was the fact not all keys are were cramped together like some brands do. The next difficult task for me was to figure out which look I wanted. I finally decided I would go with something neutral with to option to add some flair to it.

Unboxing the Akko 3098B

The box itself has a cover which shows a nice image of the board itself in full color and on the back there are images of some important shortcuts like volume control and media keys. Inside the box itself the keyboard comes well protected with a dustcover, a plastic sheet and on top a nice protective layer of thick foam. There is a carton box at the top which holds the extra keycaps, a manual, an usb-a to usb-c cable, a wireless usb-a dongle for 2.4ghz connection and a keycap puller. Unfortunately there is no switch puller included. Lucky for me I had one laying around.

The board itself

The frame of the board itself is all black and has a little Akko logo on the front right. The standard keycaps are black with a yellow font and grey ones with the same yellow or “golden” font.

The added accent colors are very nice to look at indeed. Personally I am not using them at the moment because most of my setup is mostly (boring!) black. But I plan of putting them back in as soon as my matching aviator cable arrives! After a short test run with the keyboard I was very impressed by the stock feeling of the stabilizers. No rattling and need to throw these out for replacement. What a difference compared to my previous board! The stabilizers come pre-lubed but aren’t clipped out of the box.

Opening up the Akko 3098B

I gently opened up the keyboard by going around the frame with one of those triangular shaped opening picks. After that I removed some screws that were onder the keycaps and presto! Now the keyboard can gently be opened. Be careful not to take the SMASH approach, because the PCB has two removable wires connected to the battery compartment and daughter board. Between the PCB and upper frame is a layer of sound dampening foam.

On the bottom there is a blue silicone pad to reduce the hollow sound which a keyboard can produce. This isn’t worlds best solution but I was surprised by how good the keyboard actually sounds stock! Apart from remembering to put the cables back in their sockets be careful the align the little switch at the back of the PCB with the plastic slider seen in a cutout in the blue foam. Otherwise you will have trouble using the USB/MAC/WIN switch at the bottom of the board. I made this mistake the first time 🙂

Switches

Choosing between switches was one of the hardest things buying a new keyboard in my case. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go with linear or tactile switches. I was leaning towards the Jelly Blue switches because they sounded interesting, having two tactile bumps. But I ultimately decided to go with the CS Silver, mainly because they got a lot of praise from people saying they were very fast and easy to operate.

Software

Akko has an optional software called Akko cloud. It isn’t QMK or VIA but it gets the job done. There are customization options like macro’s, light affects and assigning different functions to keys. When first opening the software I immediately received both a firmware update for the keyboard itself and a software update. The software is completely optional and not required to use the keyboard. The included manual also points out the different shortcuts for using the wireless modes for example.

Conclusion

Overall I am quite impressed with what Akko delivers for around €99,- ex VAT. I think it’s insane value considering you get some great quality PBT double shot keycaps, extra keycaps in the gold theme, a wide choice of linear and tactile switches and a keycap puller. On top of that you get not only a wired option but also bluetooth + wireless 2.4 ghz. The size is just a little bit bigger then my previous TKL board but has almost the same functionality as a full size board. I love the fact there is a bit of space separating the arrow keys and the numpad from the main part of the board, this is the way! The stock stabilizers were actually very good and rattle free. The 3098B comes in many different colors and themes so chances are you will be able to find something that gets your freak on.

Too bad Home and End were sacrificed, who uses Ins? Well at least you can add those functions with the software Akko provides. Another thing I didn’t like so much was the fact the board was a bit hard to open. Oh and Akko, please provide a switch puller with your hot-swap boards 🙂 But that is just nitpicking especially since this board already is in pretty good useable condition straight out of the box. Even without mods this board is a solid option in this price range!

Pro’s

• Very good price to quality ratio
• Hot swappable
• Extra keycaps
• Almost full size in function
• Size just a bit bigger then TKL
• Very good pre-lubed stock stabilizers
• Wired + wireless options
• Wide choice of themes and switches

Cons

• Difficult to open
• Missing Home and End keys
• No switch puller provided

This review was originally posted by me in Dutch on Tweakers.net

Coupon

If you want to get 10% off on any purchase on Akkogear.de just use coupon CLICKSMASHSTUFF or use this link.

Disclaimer

This product was bought by the author. Opinions are my own. This review may contain referral links. By using these links you support this website and allow us to get products in for review and testing.

Back when I had my first computer a keyboard was a keyboard. Never would I have thought about a mechanical keyboard or things like different switches. It was just Something that just came with the computer my parents bought in the store. I personally didn’t pay much attention to it. I remember it being this big clunky creamy-white thing with green indication lights on it. All I cared about was playing games on it (Red alert and Magic carpet were the first games I had on the PC)

About 10 years ago I accidently dropped my laptop and my wife said to me: why don’t you try to build your own computer instead of buying a new laptop? At first I thought to myself: no way I can build a computer. Why not just get one from the store? I decided to go online anyway and put Google and YouTube to work. After diving into the world of computer parts, visiting forums and watching YouTube videos I started the adventure of building my first rig.

I didn’t pay much attention to my mouse and keyboard. I just grabbed a set from the local store and went with it. It was a simple set from Logitech, it got the job done. After a while I started thinking what I could do to “perfect” my build. Well as we all know, that is the first step into an endless loop. After changing my gpu a couple of times, I started reading more and more posts about people using mechanical keyboards and I started to get interested.

I started reading about different switches, of which at the time most mainstream boards had a selection of brown, blue and red. I watched and read reviews and opinions on these types of switches and after a while I bought my first mechanical keyboard. It was a Coolermaster Masterkeys with Cherry brown switches. I was instantly in love! The sound, the weight, the looks, never did a keyboard genuinely got me enthusiastic.

Two years or so went by until disaster struck; My cat decided it was time to puke over my beloved mech! After plugging in my old membrane board I immediately knew this was a relationship that wouldn’t last. I went online, thinking I would just order the current version of my beloved mech. Then I saw already a lot had changed. Mechanical keyboards where getting even more populair and more and more brands were pumping out boards. Brands like Razer, Logitech, Corsair, Cooler master and many others were offering all kinds of cool boards.

My previous board had red lights in it which I thought was really cool but man Unicorns were starting to puke all over these things! Eventually I bought a newer version of my trusted board instead a little less bulky and R&B lights (yes no G!).

A year or two ago I started looking at boards again. And this time the landscape had once again changed drastically in my eyes. People were getting more and more serious about mechs. Apart from the usual suspects brands like Leopold, Hyperx, Akko, Glorious, Ducky and many more were pumping out beautiful and many different keyboards. No longer was it just about looks. Things like size, colors, feeling, Hot-swap, low profile and colored keycaps were a thing now. All this was already happening in the enthousiast scene but now it started to get the attention of the average consumer as well.

After a whiIe bought myself a Glorious TKL board which really launched my enthusiasm for the mechanical keyboard hobby. Then I began experimenting with different switches, keycaps, lubing, modding. At first I started with small stuff like cheap keycaps on sites like Ali Express and Soon I found myself getting deeper and deeper in the rabbit hole…