Cherry MX Ergo Clear vs Cherry MX Purple
The Cherry MX Ergo Clear 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, rounded versus soft, muted.
Choose the Cherry MX Ergo Clear if
- you want a switch popular for typists.
- you want a switch popular for community mods gone official.
- 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).
Cherry MX Ergo Clear vs Cherry MX Purple, spec by spec
| Cherry MX Ergo Clear | 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 | light | light |
| Pins | 5-pin | 5-pin |
| Price / switch | n/a | n/a |
| Sound profile | muted, rounded | soft, muted |
| Released | 2022 | 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 Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.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 Ergo Clear; 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 Ergo Clear; 57% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Cherry MX Purple.
Where to buy the Cherry MX Ergo Clear
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
Where to buy the Cherry MX Purple
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
KeebScout is reader-supported: some links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes specs or rankings.
Want more options? Browse every tactile switch we track, or the full switch database.