Razer switch

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Razer switch

Manufacturer	Kaihua, Greetech
Introduced	2014
Switch type	Clicky; tactile; linear
Sense method	Metal leaf
Rated lifetime	60 M (Kailh), 80 M (Greetech)
Keycap mount	Cherry MX mount
Switch mount	Plate mount
Website	www.razerzone.com/razer-mechanical-switches

Razer switches are Razer-branded clones of Cherry MX switches from multiple manufacturers. They are used in Razer's BlackWidow and Orbweaver mechanical gaming keyboards.

History

Prior to the 2014 BlackWidow editions, Razer used Cherry MX switches. According to a Razer representative, the main motivation behind developing a new switch was that they expected that Cherry would have problems meeting future demand for Cherry MX switches.<ref name="findecanor_talk">Conversation between user:Findecanor and Razer representative at Dustin Expo 2014, Stockholm, 2014-03-29</ref>

Variants

Both monochrome LED and RGB LED versions exist. The "Chroma" RGB versions support full-colour backlighting through the use of special RGB LEDs with all four legs inline across the switch, and a wide slit in the switch in place of the regular circular LED recess.

The original variants were orange and green and took monochrome LEDs. This has now been supplemented by the Chroma RGB switches and by a new yellow variant, which is Razer's equivalent of Cherry MX Speed Silver and Cherry MX Speed RGB Silver.<ref name="th-with-yellow" />

	Name	OEM	Type	LED support	Cherry MX equivalent	Pretravel	Total travel
	Razer Green	Kailh	Clicky	Monochrome	Cherry MX Blue	1.9±0.4 mm
File:No photograph.svg	Razer Green	Greetech	Clicky	Monochrome	Cherry MX Blue
File:No photograph.svg	Razer Chroma Green	Kailh	Clicky	RGB	None	1.9±0.4 mm
	Razer Chroma Green	Greetech	Clicky	RGB	None
	Razer Orange	Kailh	Tactile	Monochrome	Cherry MX Brown	1.9±0.4 mm
	Razer Orange	Greetech	Tactile	Monochrome	None
File:No photograph.svg	Razer Chroma Orange	Kailh	Tactile	RGB	None	1.9±0.4 mm
File:No photograph.svg	Razer Chroma Orange	Greetech	Tactile	RGB	Cherry MX Brown
	Razer Yellow	Kailh	Linear	Monochrome	Cherry MX Speed Silver	1.2±0.4 mm	3.5 mm
File:No photograph.svg	Razer Yellow	Greetech	Linear	Monochrome	Cherry MX Speed Silver
File:No photograph.svg	Razer Chroma Yellow	Kailh	Linear	RGB	None	1.2±0.4 mm	3.5 mm
	Razer Chroma Yellow	Greetech	Linear	RGB	None

Manufacturers

Razer was unwilling to divulge who their manufacturing partners were, but Kaihua (Kailh) and Greetech have been confirmed.

Kaihua

The first generation, seen in 2014 was derived from the Kaihua PG1511 series, and bears the word "Razer" and the Kailh emblem on top. The switch has Kaihua's characteristic top housing. The switch is reported to have a larger area of gold on the contacts than Cherry switches, to extend the lifetime from 50 to 60 million keystrokes. Razer are reported to have their own QA staff on the factory floor, to keep the switch variance low.<ref name="LinusTechTips" />

The switches have very slightly less actuation distance than Cherry MX. The clicky variant also has slightly less hysteresis but at the expense of a slightly sharper bump at the rebound before topping up.<ref name="LinusTechTips" /> The keys rattle less than Cherry MX, but are not noticeably less wobbly when pressed.

Switches have been reported to develop a creaky sound after a period of use, probably caused by the coiled spring.<ref name="GHCreakySound" />

• 

Greetech

In 2015, it was reported that Kaihua was not the sole supplier of Razer switches.<ref name="th-razer-green-switches-not-kailh"/>.

In 2016, Razer opted to use Razer Chroma switches in keyboards with RGB backlighting and switch back to using Cherry MX in those with monochrome backlighting or none. Razer claims that the Razer switches have been improved, are in essence manufactured in-house and that Razer practically owns the production line.<ref name="bittech16"/>

Razer-branded switches in 2015-edition keyboards have been found with a more Cherry MX-like top housing and the Greetech brand on the bottom. <ref name="th-razer-green-switches-kailh-exclusive"/>

• 
  Dual Greetech/Razer–branded Chroma Yellow switch (2017)

Keyboards

• Razer BlackWidow 2014 (green)
• Razer BlackWidow Chroma (green)
• Razer BlackWidow Stealth 2014 (orange)
• Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2014 (green)
• Razer BlackWidow Ultimate Stealth 2014 (orange)
• Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition 2014 (green)
• Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma (orange?)
• Razer BlackWidow Tournament Stealth Edition 2014 (orange)
• Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2 (green, orange, yellow)

References

<references> <ref name="LinusTechTips">YouTube — Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2014 (review by LinusTechTips, 6 Mar 2014)</ref> <ref name="GHCreakySound">Geekhack — Strange Kailh switch sound while *slowly* pushing down some keys - Ping? Posted 2014-09-15. Retrieved 2015-08-01.</ref> <ref name="th-razer-green-switches-not-kailh">Tom's Hardware — Razer Green Switches: Don't Call Them Kailh. Dated 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2016-09-03</ref> <ref name="th-razer-green-switches-kailh-exclusive"> Tom's Hardware: Razer Green Switches Now Made Exclusively By Kaihua (Update: Nope). Dated 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2016-12-22</ref> <ref name="bittech16">Bit-tech: Razer reveals BlackWidow X, improved switches and Cherry MX models. Dated 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2016-12-22.</ref> <ref name="th-with-yellow">Tom's Hardware — Razer Goes Linear With Yellow Mechanical Keyboard Switch</ref> </references>