Cherry MX Blue vs Kailh Box Navy
The Cherry MX Blue and the Kailh Box Navy are often cross-shopped. The main differences: travel is 4 mm on the Cherry MX Blue and 3.6 mm on the Kailh Box Navy; stock they sound different: sharp, jingly click versus loud, metallic click.
Choose the Cherry MX Blue if
- you want a switch popular for clicky fans.
- you want a switch popular for typists.
Choose the Kailh Box Navy if
- you want a switch popular for extreme clickies.
- you want a switch popular for heavy typists.
Cherry MX Blue vs Kailh Box Navy, spec by spec
| Cherry MX Blue | Kailh Box Navy | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Clicky | Clicky |
| Compatibility | Standard MX sockets | Standard MX sockets |
| Actuation force | 60g | 60g |
| Bottom-out force | n/a | n/a |
| Pre-travel | 2.2 mm | 1.8 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 3.6 mm |
| Stem | POM | POM |
| Top housing | nylon | PC |
| Bottom housing | nylon | nylon |
| Spring | single-stage | single-stage |
| Factory lube | none | none |
| Pins | 5-pin | 3-pin |
| Price / switch | $0.35 | $0.35 |
| Sound profile | sharp, jingly click | loud, metallic click |
| Released | 1987 | 2018 |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ; a check marks the objectively stronger spec (price, battery, modability). Feel and preference rows never get a check. Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.
Where they sit among all 227 switches we track
82% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Cherry MX Blue; 82% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Kailh Box Navy.
57% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Cherry MX Blue; 34% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Kailh Box Navy.
30% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Cherry MX Blue; 30% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Kailh Box Navy.
Where to buy the Cherry MX Blue
Where to buy the Kailh Box Navy
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