Cherry MX Silent Red vs Silent Alpaca
The Cherry MX Silent Red and the Silent Alpaca are often cross-shopped. The main differences: the Cherry MX Silent Red is lighter to actuate (45g versus 62g); travel is 3.7 mm on the Cherry MX Silent Red and 3.5 mm on the Silent Alpaca; stock they sound different: hushed, dampened versus damped silent linear.
- Cheaper per switchCherry MX Silent Red$0.45 versus $0.70
- Lubed from the factorySilent Alpacausable out of the box without lubing
Choose the Cherry MX Silent Red if
- you want a switch popular for quiet offices.
- you want a switch popular for shared spaces.
- you want a lighter keystroke (45g).
- you want to spend less per switch.
Choose the Silent Alpaca if
- you want a switch popular for office.
- you want a switch popular for quiet linear builds.
- you want a heavier, more deliberate press (62g).
- you want a factory-lubed switch out of the box.
Cherry MX Silent Red vs Silent Alpaca, spec by spec
| Cherry MX Silent Red | Silent Alpaca | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Silent linear | Silent linear |
| Compatibility | Standard MX sockets | Standard MX sockets |
| Actuation force | 45g | 62g |
| Bottom-out force | n/a | n/a |
| Pre-travel | 1.9 mm | n/a |
| Total travel | 3.7 mm | 3.5 mm |
| Stem | POM with dampeners | POM |
| Top housing | nylon | PC |
| Bottom housing | nylon | nylon |
| Spring | single-stage | 62g |
| Factory lube | none | factory lubed (stronger spec) |
| Pins | 5-pin | 5-pin |
| Price / switch | $0.45 (stronger spec) | $0.70 |
| Sound profile | hushed, dampened | damped silent linear |
| Released | 2016 | 2021 |
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 Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.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; 90% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Silent Alpaca.
46% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Cherry MX Silent Red; 16% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Silent Alpaca.
56% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Cherry MX Silent Red; 91% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Silent Alpaca.
Where to buy the Cherry MX Silent Red
Where to buy the Silent Alpaca
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
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