HMX Cheese vs NuPhy Cowberry
The HMX Cheese and the NuPhy Cowberry are often cross-shopped. The main differences: they are not interchangeable: the NuPhy Cowberry is a Gateron low-profile switch that only fits keyboards built for it, not the standard MX hot-swap sockets the HMX Cheese uses; travel is 3.5 mm on the HMX Cheese and 3 mm on the NuPhy Cowberry; stock they sound different: creamy thocky linear versus poppy, clacky.
- Cheaper per switchNuPhy Cowberry$0.38 versus $0.45
Choose the HMX Cheese if
- you want a switch popular for thocky HMX builds.
Choose the NuPhy Cowberry if
- you want a switch popular for smooth low-profile typing.
- you want to spend less per switch.
HMX Cheese vs NuPhy Cowberry, spec by spec
| HMX Cheese | NuPhy Cowberry | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Linear | Linear |
| Compatibility | Standard MX sockets | Gateron low-profile boards only |
| Actuation force | 45g | 45g |
| Bottom-out force | n/a | 55g |
| Pre-travel | n/a | 1.2 mm |
| Total travel | 3.5 mm | 3 mm |
| Stem | POM | POM |
| Top housing | PC | PC |
| Bottom housing | nylon | PA66 |
| Spring | n/a | 15mm single-stage |
| Factory lube | factory lubed | yes |
| Pins | 5-pin | 3-pin |
| Price / switch | $0.45 | $0.38 (stronger spec) |
| Sound profile | creamy thocky linear | poppy, clacky |
| 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 Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.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; 22% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the NuPhy Cowberry.
16% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the HMX Cheese; 2% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the NuPhy Cowberry.
56% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the HMX Cheese; 47% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the NuPhy Cowberry.
Where to buy the HMX Cheese
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
Where to buy the NuPhy Cowberry
No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.
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