Kailh Box Brown vs Kailh Polia

The Kailh Box Brown and the Kailh Polia are often cross-shopped. The main differences: the Kailh Box Brown is lighter to actuate (45g versus 60g); stock they sound different: subtle, muted versus medium boxy tactile; the Kailh Box Brown costs less per switch ($0.30 versus $0.40).

Kailh Box Brown Tactile · 45g
Kailh Polia Tactile · 60g

Choose the Kailh Box Brown if

  • you want a switch popular for light tactiles.
  • you want a switch popular for durability.
  • you want a lighter keystroke (45g).
  • you want to spend less per switch.

Choose the Kailh Polia if

  • you want a switch popular for tactile customs.
  • you want a heavier, more deliberate press (60g).

Kailh Box Brown vs Kailh Polia, spec by spec

Kailh Box BrownKailh Polia
Type Tactile Tactile
Compatibility Standard MX sockets Standard MX sockets
Actuation force 45g 60g
Bottom-out force n/a n/a
Pre-travel 1.8 mm n/a
Total travel 3.6 mm 3.6 mm
Stem POM n/a
Top housing PC n/a
Bottom housing nylon n/a
Spring single-stage n/a
Factory lube none n/a
Pins 3-pin 5-pin
Price / switch $0.30 (stronger spec) $0.40
Sound profile subtle, muted medium boxy tactile
Released 2017 2020

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 Fields marked n/a are unpublished by the maker; we list only verifiable numbers.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

Actuation force lightest heaviest
Kailh Box Brown 45g
Kailh Polia 60g

22% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Kailh Box Brown; 82% of the 198 switches tracked here actuate lighter than the Kailh Polia.

Total travel shortest longest
Kailh Box Brown 3.6 mm
Kailh Polia 3.6 mm

34% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Kailh Box Brown; 34% of the 224 switches tracked here have shorter total travel than the Kailh Polia.

Price per switch cheapest priciest
Kailh Box Brown $0.30
Kailh Polia $0.40

24% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Kailh Box Brown; 48% of the 193 switches tracked here cost less per switch than the Kailh Polia.

Where to buy the Kailh Box Brown

No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.

Where to buy the Kailh Polia

No verified retailer link right now. Check the maker or your usual switch retailers.

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