Cherry MX Brown vs RK Brown
The Cherry MX Brown and the RK Brown are often cross-shopped. The main differences: stock they sound different: muted, papery versus gentle, muted tactile.
Choose the Cherry MX Brown if
- you want a switch popular for office boards.
- you want a switch popular for all-rounders.
Choose the RK Brown if
- you want a switch popular for mixed office and gaming.
- you want a switch popular for general typing.
Cherry MX Brown vs RK Brown, spec by spec
| Cherry MX Brown | RK Brown | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Tactile | Tactile |
| Compatibility | Standard MX sockets | Standard MX sockets |
| Actuation force | 55g | 55g |
| Bottom-out force | n/a | n/a |
| Pre-travel | 2 mm | 2 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 4 mm |
| Stem | POM | n/a |
| Top housing | nylon | n/a |
| Bottom housing | nylon | n/a |
| Spring | single-stage | n/a |
| Factory lube | none | n/a |
| Pins | 5-pin | n/a |
| Price / switch | $0.35 | n/a |
| Sound profile | muted, papery | gentle, muted tactile |
| Released | 1994 | n/a |
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 Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.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; 70% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the RK Brown.
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 RK Brown.
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 RK Brown
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
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