Cherry MX Silent Red vs Kailh Midnight Silent Red
The Cherry MX Silent Red and the Kailh Midnight Silent Red are often cross-shopped. The main differences: the Kailh Midnight Silent Red is lighter to actuate (40g versus 45g); stock they sound different: hushed, dampened versus hushed, soft.
- Lubed from the factoryKailh Midnight Silent Redusable out of the box without lubing
Choose the Cherry MX Silent Red if
- you want a switch popular for shared spaces.
- you want a heavier, more deliberate press (45g).
Choose the Kailh Midnight Silent Red if
- you want a switch popular for night-time typing.
- you want a lighter keystroke (40g).
- you want a factory-lubed switch out of the box.
Cherry MX Silent Red vs Kailh Midnight Silent Red, spec by spec
| Cherry MX Silent Red | Kailh Midnight Silent Red | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Silent linear | Silent linear |
| Compatibility | Standard MX sockets | Standard MX sockets |
| Actuation force | 45g | 40g |
| Bottom-out force | n/a | n/a |
| Pre-travel | 1.9 mm | 1.9 mm |
| Total travel | 3.7 mm | 3.7 mm |
| Stem | POM with dampeners | POM with dampeners |
| Top housing | nylon | PC |
| Bottom housing | nylon | nylon |
| Spring | single-stage | single-stage |
| Factory lube | none | light (stronger spec) |
| Pins | 5-pin | 5-pin |
| Price / switch | $0.45 | n/a |
| Sound profile | hushed, dampened | hushed, soft |
| Released | 2016 | 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 Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.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
22% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Cherry MX Silent Red; 7% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Kailh Midnight Silent Red.
46% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Cherry MX Silent Red; 46% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Kailh Midnight Silent Red.
56% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Cherry MX Silent Red.
Where to buy the Cherry MX Silent Red
Where to buy the Kailh Midnight Silent Red
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
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