Gazzew’s Boba U4 silent tactile switch is one of the more compelling switches to be released in quite some time, and is one of the most exciting tactile switches since the Holy Panda. Also worth noting is the smoothness of the Bobagum. Despite the fact that the slide rail and rail slot are completely dry, it doesn’t feel scratchy at all, which surprised me quite a bit. Of course, with a bit of lube, I’m sure these switches can be even smoother, but I’m not really in a rush to lube them – they already feel great out of the box.

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to try a silent switch, or have been sleeping on Outemu’s latest offerings with Gazzew, the Boba U4 just might be the switch you’ve been waiting for. There is an ever so slight amount of ping in the spring of these switches that aren’t in Boba U4s, though I know from first hand experience that this disappears with a decent lubrication job. Scores and Statistics If you love a tactile switch, but need to be courteous of colleagues, classmates, or family at home, maybe it’s Boba time. The biggest detail surrounding the Boba U4 switches that I was otherwise unable to analyze in any of my above categories was with respect to the discussion in the original sales post regarding a new plastic composition for the switches. Aside looking damn pretty in the sample top housings that I received, these are touted as being softer than Nylon and have a higher melting point temperature than Polycarbonate. As discussed previously in my Gateron Yellow document, this may be an attempt on his part to make them more beginner friendly with respect to soldering and/or usable in factory OEM style setups which use wave soldering techniques. While I always want to know every detail surrounding a switch, and especially about the mystery surrounding the housing material of so many modern switches, I will suffice to say that I am interested in how this material will be used in future Gazzew releases and will leave it to mystery for now. Comparison Notes to Other Notable Silent Tactile Switches All Gazzew switches use the same housing mould, superior plastic, tight tolerance and Korean springs - all of which the community has come to expect.Available in two switch tops: Gum, which matches the base housing, and Clear, which is more suited to keyboard builds featuring per-key RGB switches; Overall, the Boba U4 is not only one of the best value switches, but one of the best switches available on the market, which can be said of all Gazzew-designed switches.

While these are also another Gazzew switch, the Silent Sky switches are still noticeable louder than the Boba U4s, which I would likely chalk up in large part to the ‘mysterious’ plastic compound used in the housing of these new switches. Leaf is factory lubed, but slide rails/rail-slots are dry. We do not feel that they require lubing, but we leave that decision up to you. Bobagum Pink is one of the most recent additions to the Gazzew Boba lineup. Just like the tactile switches of the Boba lineup, Bobagum Pink lives up to the legacy of Boba switches as it is also a premium-grade quality silent linear switch. The Bobagum Pink comes in three weight variants, the 52g, 62g, and the 68g, making it versatile for any use case and any sort of typist – light, mid, and heavy typists. Also, the Bobagum Pink offers its top housing in either clear-top or pink top with LED slots. The more tactile a switch, the louder it usually is, until now. Enter Gazzew’s Boba U4, a surprisingly silent tactile switch. The housing is made from a soft proprietary plastic blend that makes it softer than Nylon-66, and helps to mute any metallic noise caused by the spring or leaf.All things considered, I continue to be impressed by Gazzew and the work he has done not only to move his own products and designs forward, but also Outemu’s designs as well. While I know quite a few people who have written off his products due to their DIY nature rather than being sold as cohesive, singular switches, his rationale and drive to make the best customizable keyboard switch is honestly something to be impressed by. In spite of all of the difficulty that may come with choosing to perfect each and every component independent of itself, I feel like the Boba U4 Silent Tactiles are only further proof that he is continuing to push his successes forward with each and every product iteration. Both the stem and top housing wobble are truly skirting the lines of manufacturing perfection. While this means a lesser incompatibility for frankenswitching uses, these have been the gold standard for wobble for switches to compare to since their initial release. Sound In general, you can lube the leaf and stem legs to reduce or sometimes eliminate swish and scratch, but this comes at the price of reduced or nearly-eliminated tactility

If you’re looking for a balance, JWK is probably the way to go right now - so in this vein I’d echo recommendations for the T1 Shrimps. I don’t think JWK has a light silent tactile at the moment, but that’s probably a matter of time. They are currently on sale for a few more hours, so go for it! [Or look up the OUTEMU switch tester on AliExpress].

The housing is a little difficult to open, however, and the switch itself feels a bit scratchy and mushy compared to regular tactile switches. This is to be expected from a silent switch, and the Boba U4 is actually quite smooth for being a silent tactile switch. The switches I have listed are all very good and appreciated in the community. That's why I need your help and experience to help me determine the best switch for my needs. I don't mind the bottom out feel being somewhat mushy. Only if it's really too distracting but these shouldn't be too bad :) E.g. my current keyboard has Cherry MX Red switches with QMX clips AND rubber o-rings because OEM keycaps don't really work with QMX clips alone. The Boba U4, designed by Gazzew in collaboration with Outemu, has been making waves in the mechanical keyboard communities over the past several months, but it is worth the hype? Best thing is to buy some samples of some of the mentioned items right now, while they are somewhat discounted. The other important thing is chassis: some kits are quieter than others. IKKI68 Aurora is quiet, as is lubed Archon AK87/89. NCR-80 is not, unless you use all dampeners and even then Aurora is quieter. [Still okay, tho.] In fact, because of the robust tactility, dampened landing, and silent operation, a Boba U4 feels and sounds like what a membrane keyboard wants to be when it grows up and becomes a proper keyboard.

In practice, you should feel that the entire keypress is the bump. This makes bottoming-out intensely satisfying, and hard to avoid. Speaking of which, I absolutely love the bottom out feeling of the Bobagum. The dampened (but not overly mushy) downstroke is a refreshing change over the harsher, more solid bottom out of non-silent switches. The softer bottom out of the Bobagum actually reminds me of membrane keyboards quite a bit, which is not necessarily a bad thing, in my opinion. I have experience with two builds using those particular switches. The switches need some modest lube with 3204 to really shine, also springs of course. But they don’t need any ‘mods.’ No films, no re-springing. May be a bit of a pain to open.Side Notes: The keyboard I will use as a base is the Keychron K8, so at least 88-90 switches are needed. Spring weight I desire is 60-65g bottom out (like Cherry MX Reds). I live in Germany :) A great value switch, and excellent affordable alternative to the Drop Holy Panda and Zealios premium tactile switches. The leaf of this switch comes factory lubed. The slide rails and rail slots are dry. If you're one to lube your switches, we recommend you try them unlubed first as it should feel right, right out of the box. Tech specs