HMX Cheese vs HMX Macchiato
The HMX Cheese and the HMX Macchiato are often cross-shopped. The main differences: the HMX Macchiato is lighter to actuate (42g versus 45g); travel is 3.5 mm on the HMX Cheese and 4 mm on the HMX Macchiato; stock they sound different: creamy thocky linear versus thocky, mid-deep.
- Cheaper per switchHMX Macchiato$0.35 versus $0.45
Choose the HMX Cheese if
- you want a switch popular for thocky HMX builds.
- you want a heavier, more deliberate press (45g).
Choose the HMX Macchiato if
- you want a switch popular for thocky builds.
- you want a switch popular for budget enthusiast builds.
- you want a lighter keystroke (42g).
- you want to spend less per switch.
HMX Cheese vs HMX Macchiato, spec by spec
| HMX Cheese | HMX Macchiato | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Compatibility | Standard MX sockets | Standard MX sockets |
| Actuation force | 45g | 42g |
| Bottom-out force | n/a | 50g |
| Pre-travel | n/a | 2 mm |
| Total travel | 3.5 mm | 4 mm |
| Stem | POM | POK |
| Top housing | PC | PA12 |
| Bottom housing | nylon | nylon |
| Spring | n/a | single-stage |
| Factory lube | factory lubed | light |
| Pins | 5-pin | 5-pin |
| Price / switch | $0.45 | $0.35 (stronger spec) |
| Sound profile | creamy thocky linear | thocky, mid-deep |
| Released | 2023 | 2023 |
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 Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.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 HMX Cheese; 15% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the HMX Macchiato.
16% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the HMX Cheese; 57% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the HMX Macchiato.
56% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the HMX Cheese; 30% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the HMX Macchiato.
Where to buy the HMX Cheese
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
Where to buy the HMX Macchiato
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
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