Cherry MX Brown vs Cherry MX Purple
The Cherry MX Brown and the Cherry MX Purple are often cross-shopped. The main differences: the Cherry MX Purple is lighter to actuate (45g versus 55g); stock they sound different: muted, papery versus soft, muted.
- Lubed from the factoryCherry MX Purpleusable out of the box without lubing
Choose the Cherry MX Brown if
- you want a switch popular for office boards.
- you want a switch popular for all-rounders.
- you want a heavier, more deliberate press (55g).
Choose the Cherry MX Purple if
- you want a switch popular for light tactiles.
- you want a switch popular for enthusiast collabs.
- you want a lighter keystroke (45g).
- you want a factory-lubed switch out of the box.
Cherry MX Brown vs Cherry MX Purple, spec by spec
| Cherry MX Brown | Cherry MX Purple | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Tactile | Tactile |
| Compatibility | Standard MX sockets | Standard MX sockets |
| Actuation force | 55g | 45g |
| Bottom-out force | n/a | n/a |
| Pre-travel | 2 mm | 2 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 4 mm |
| Stem | POM | POM |
| Top housing | nylon | nylon |
| Bottom housing | nylon | nylon |
| Spring | single-stage | single-stage |
| Factory lube | none | light (stronger spec) |
| Pins | 5-pin | 5-pin |
| Price / switch | $0.35 | n/a |
| Sound profile | muted, papery | soft, muted |
| Released | 1994 | 2024 |
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 Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.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
70% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Cherry MX Brown; 22% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Cherry MX Purple.
57% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Cherry MX Brown; 57% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Cherry MX Purple.
30% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Cherry MX Brown.
Where to buy the Cherry MX Brown
Where to buy the Cherry MX Purple
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
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