Teardown - BOX Navy switches by Kailh / Novelkeys!

In today's video we look at the new Navy BOX switches developed by Novelkeys and made by Kailh/Kaihua. They're part of the thick click bar switch series which also includes BOX Jade switches. Hope you enjoy the video!
My other Switch Teardowns: • Thomas' Switch Teardowns
My keyboard reviews: • Thomas' Keyboard Reviews
Follow me on Twitter for updates on my keyboard videos! / chyrosran22

[@pleinairpan]

Kaihua, one of the few companies that innovate.

[@pierreandferb]

and improve

[@mfmr200]

weird, it seems like everybody hates them before

[@ryuuseiboi950]

@@TheWorldEndsWithUs Not a valid reason to hate on them when most of their switches are better than all the shit that cherry makes.

[@Frankovelli]

If you're ignoring the fact that their the biggest culprit for massacring keycaps in recent memory.

[@alpzepta]

Pleinair Allaprima the Click bar is not thick enough compare to Alps, what to expect stuff from China

[@vonmueller8249]

Your voice massages my ear drums.

[@xSKOOBSx]

especially this line kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIjXfH16jp50p80m39s

[@bxlxrteeworlds8782]

same

[@sonicase]

"HO-LEE SHIT" -Chyros. That should be the quote they use

[@Chyrosran22]

Hahaha, they can quote me on that for sure xD .

[@1.21jigowatts7]

Balls out the best and most detailed review of the Box Navy. I'd been searching for a solid clicky switch to use on my K70 and, thankfully, I cam across Thomas' video on this switch before I made the huge mistake of soldering on something else. I've got these all over the primary typing keys and it is absolutely amazing. Keep clacking mate!

[@digitsdigitsdigits808]

Box Navy sounds incredibly promising, perhaps one of the best modern options out there, going purely by the video. I eagerly await the coming keyboard video.

[@xander1052]

me too, Really like the look of Jades too, personally like lighter switches right now.

[@kevadu]

They do feel nice but keep in mind that they're *very* heavy. I found them uncomfortable for extended typing just because of the sheer weight... In theory the jades sound promising because they have the same thick click bar combined with a lighter spring, but the problem is the light spring actually has trouble overcoming the clickbar on the return. It's not like they stick or anything but there is a perceptible lag to the return. If you look at the force curves briefly shown in this video you can see that the return force actually hits zero for the jades, indicating that whatever probe was being used for measuring the force was moving faster than the actual switch. It's not the end of the world or anything but it does feel a bit weird.

[@xander1052]

what I don't understand is that The Jade switches seemingly show to have more travel too, though relating to the lag, Wouldn't be a problem for me as I wouldn't type fast enough to notice most likely.

[@christophertaylor8166]

FWIW I type 125 wpm on Jades and the "lag" described doesn't bother me in the slightest. Even when I jam on an individual key repeatedly, this is a non-issue. I should also report that the mounting plate is critical to the function of both switches. The plate I installed them in for my actual keyboard worked flawlessly, but when I try putting them into my switch tester, even the heavier Navy switches do not return about a third of the time. It might be for the best if Kaihua could make PCB-mounted versions of these switches in the future, or if they could experiment with more rigid plastics for the housing to avoid this problem altogether.

[@nachiketmhatre7411]

Great point there, Kevadu. I have the Box Navys that I'll put in my modular Sewino GK64 keyboard, which should arrive later this month. Also got the Box Jades on the way. I'm curious how the thick click bar feels with a lighter spring. Absolutely love the Box Jades, though.

[@DerComputerist]

Eagerly waiting for the full-blown review !!

[@1EddieDennis]

I love the scale that you have on the switches for the tactile force. That is very in formative, Thank You. Videos are always great.

[@gguuiittoo]

Loved the "tactile as all fuck" LOL

[@nyrakui]

excellent product! thank you for looking at newer developments like this!

[@greyareaRK1]

Excellent. Looking forward to the build. My keyboard with Matias Alps switches came with a bag of various Matias and other Alps thrown in. One of them I thought is quite interesting as it uses a similar click mechanism to the BOX switch.

[@Figureight]

Just put these in an XD75. God damn they are awesomely tactile, but super stiff. I bought some Jades too to try out, but I felt they hang a bit on the return, which i'm not totally a fan of, so it seems Navy is the best of the two. I'm using them with DSA currently, but definitely found them a bit more enjoyable to type on when I switched to some SA keycaps. These switches might end up on a Planck with some XDA caps I think.

[@NineS5]

Figureight ayy

[@Figureight]

Update, went on Planck with Ice Cap SA. They are fantastic.

[@-emerald-21]

Figureight I’m doing the same thing! Ice Cap SA looks amazing.

[@Sola_Scriptura_1.618]

Agree the Navys are way better than the Jades. I wish I had read your post before purchasing both for a test...lol

[@burfordt.justice424]

Remember when Kailh were garbage? lol. The box Navy switches are absolutely amazing!! They make Cherry mx switches feel like mushing your fingers into wet toilet paper.

[@alpzepta]

Wait they really garbage back then? I mean I’m not a fan of their MX Clone but the Box Switch is their best switches right now.

[@devjock]

Yup, grabbed 12 bags of these from novelkeys last week. Nice switches! The clickier the merrier. If I have you to thank for that, then much appreciated Thomas! Hey how about you film the soldering for that board you're talking about, would be nice to see a full build video from you! Cheers!

[@NickAlexander_is_Awesome]

devjock 12 bags?!?!?

[@Chyrosran22]

devjock oh no, these are not because of me at all, Mike came up with the idea himself, we just happened to have the same idea.

[@devjock]

Yup, enough to build several full sized keebs, or even more reduced layouts like pokers. Prolly gonna build atleast a KBD75 with them, and whatever's left'll turn into 60%'s.

[@devjock]

And having the same idea at the same time, that's a sign of brilliance right there. Synchronism always occurs higher up the IQ curve ;)

I'm typing on a board with them right now. At first they seem stiff, too stiff. But I quickly got used to the extra weight and now they are my favorite switch. Now every other switch seem lacking in tactility. Even the Matias Clicky that I before thought had high tactility, now they seem too soft and not tactile enough.

[@Ketzal_]

Waiting in anticipation to your Full review, with them on a keyboard! I was thinking of getting some myself, to throw onto a KBD66. :)

[@Just_Add_Coffee]

I'm very interested in what you'll think of a full keyboard of Box Navy. I've been using one for a few weeks now and I definitely do like them, but they take some getting used to.

[@blindassassin111]

Can't wait for the follow up video with the board. Really loving the jades, and thought about getting navies but wasn't sure if I was going to like the weighting of them as much. But I may one day get a navy board as well.

[@quixggs9525]

Can you do a review on jades

[@dagdnoob]

whyu

[@daleborge]

Cool! love thiese new switch teardowns and reviews 😁

[@LordTreyHowdy]

I have a keeb decked out with these switches and they are glorious. I'm a heavy typist and with my cherry browns, I made lots of mistakes due to accidental strikes, but these help me find the right key and they're a joy to type on.

[@kaganem]

Thanks man! I've found Mike couple weeks ago, and risked to take 200 of Navy switches, to build my next full custom. And... I was nervous 'bout them, 'cause it's always cat in a sack with new switches. Hopefully now my nerves are still - thanks again. Waiting for delivery with a light heart now.

[@jacobcrouse8350]

Can’t wait for the review of the whole keyboard. I’m also interested to see how the tactile bump being so strong feels after using them for a while.

[@Dingus420]

Thank you for making this video! can't wait to see the Navy build that you do!

[@nicholash8021]

Me: "Hi, I'm looking for a switch that is tactile as all fu%#" Chyrosran22: "I've got you covered"

[@angus6858]

You need to do audiobooks with that mic dude holy

[@JohnDoe-fy5ws]

Great video, thanks so much for making this! Do you think you'll be doing a video on Box Royals? They look really good. I hope you make more videos!

[@jesuszamora6949]

They're amazing switches. I've tried them in an RK98, RK100, and GMMK2, all with the dampening foam removed, and they sound heavenly. A bit high-pitched, but a proper metallic sound and sharp tactility.

I can't wait to see the review of the whole board with these switches. I hope you like them like I do.

[@Sola_Scriptura_1.618]

I went from Gatron Pro Blues to Kahail Box Navys, and what a difference. I also bought the Jades, but the Navys are just amazing! The clickiness, the tactility, and the box guide make these switches amazing. I would like to hear about your experiences with Clickies.

[@controversyV4S]

I just ordered these along with some box pinks I am wondering if i should of went with box jades instead of the navy's, I'm using box whites right now.

[@mattr4078]

About to build my first keyboard, these should be a great start.

[@Chokkan]

I'm really interested to see what you think of these in a complete build. I'm not a fan of using clicky switches, but they are just a lot of fun to play around with, so I'd like a 60% with some good MX clickies. I hope they can fix the issues with some of their switches, though.

[@ZanderLexx]

Can't wait to see you put them together in/on a keyboard.

[@andrewdias478]

can't wait for this review :)

[@emshomar]

aaah i miss that awesome intro. I hope we'll see more teardowns :)

[@jackfrasiercomedy5942]

these are the keys I've been looking for!

[@Alrauna]

Time to go pick up some Jade switches and build a keyboard

[@Thalanox]

I've been using a Logitech G710+ KB with brown switches for the past few years, but have been thinking of getting a secondary keyboard with tactile switches. Having never had much opportunity to use tactile switches before aside from a few seconds of tapping on a demo KB with blue switches at a store, are White of Box Jade switches more recommended? I'm looking at the Ducky One 2 SF keyboard, since I like the layout and macro ability.

[@percy-yuikoze323]

good review!

[@muuubiee]

Would like one with 20-25grams of tactile force, and a 20g spring (starting at 20g). I really want a light key with noticeable tactility.

[@animationcanceling]

how do these compare to the regular box navies? Do they feel more tactile?

[@MineGames131]

if i have only tried gateron greens do you think i would like navies?

[@OriginalEye2072]

Perfect review~! I want to buy navy. Highly tactile & bumpy, clicky. Also I can remove click sound if I want.

[@BartoszBielecki]

Your voice is as smooth as box whites.

[@kbhasi]

Hmm, I may see about modding my existing keyboard that has MX greens in them already, though it's hard for me to imagine how clicky these are. Hopefully they're clicker than the Cherry MX greens, though I might be fine with the regular Kaith box white switches.

[@Noobart03]

Oh boy, i love the sound but i still dont know if they gonna be to heavy for me

[@rychubil]

Any one heard about alternative springs for BOXes? I want to replace them for heavier, like 125g or even 150g.

[@Wicky3214]

looking forward to the full board review

[@Chiggadestroyer]

Is a tactile bump weight determined by springs?

[@TerabitTech]

Maybe I'll buy a chonk of these to put them on my Keychron K8 hot-swappable. I'm also a pianist, so I think I'll like the heavier spring compared to my current Gateron Browns, which are not even that tactile... I'm just trying to figure out if I should try Jades first...

[@RockeyDAproductions]

whats the diffrance between the box navy and the speed navy?

[@GurtTarctor]

Great vid as usual Chyros :) Have you any interest in reviewing a Topre board with those BKE redux domes? I really like the Ultra Lights I have in my FC660C right now, great for light typists I reckon. The Extreme domes are apparently seriously intensely tactile. Would be interesting to compare with some of the better slider/dome designs.

[@Chyrosran22]

GurtTarctor I tried all those special domes at a meetup recently! They're much more tactile than the stock designs, reminded me a lot of BTC DwS actually.

[@meeflak]

Your voice bumps man.. beautiful

[@nunyabiznez4408]

I'm a tad bit confused. Kailh or Kaihua or are they the same company with foreign and domestic name?

[@intrinsicforge9]

Kaihua is the manufacturer and kailh is the model name of the switches.

[@highoctanegames]

@@intrinsicforge9 that's confusing

[@pretzel3779]

@@highoctanegames It really isn’t. think of it like an Apple Iphone. The company is Apple, but the item name would be Iphone (blank). Now, for kailh. Kaihua Kailh ((box, speed, pro, etc) brown, bronze, white, jades, green)

[@highoctanegames]

@@pretzel3779 oh wait now i just realized

[@2dfx]

I did enjoy this video Thomas

[@Chyrosran22]

Thanks, glad you did :) .

[@mogtrader8]

I h ave a custom hot swap, can I use these switches? Will they mount?

[@chadwolf3621]

You recently did a clicky switch roundup video. Does this switch disrupt the list? Where would you put it in your rankings?

[@Chyrosran22]

David G. I don't know, let's get a board full of them first to try them out properly :) .

[@Melzasx]

My favorite clicky switches. The closest thing to my beloved Model M buckling spring switches.

[@replicant8532]

Chyrosran22 Thank you for this great video. How is Jade switch in your opinion? Is it just as good as BOX Navy? As MX Clear user soon to be converted to Zealio 78g due to MX Clear stiffness should I consider BOX Navy or Jade in your opinion? Thanks!

[@Chyrosran22]

If you like the 78 g ball park, you might well enjoy Navy switches.

[@mr.killuafn3930]

can i use box switches on my gk61?

[@jammies701]

Nice vid

[@SicSemperBeats]

you should get a pcb with holtites (hot swap sockets) for the switch reviews so that you can quickly interchange them and dont have to do an entire solder process

[@Chyrosran22]

That's an interesting idea, I may well look into that if I do and do these more regularly. for this particular review I had a slightly different chassis in mind, though xD .

[@SicSemperBeats]

Chyrosran22 sweet! I can’t wait for chassis build. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the navy’s in the build. I got check some out. I’m not a click fan but these seem interesting

[@christophertaylor8166]

As soon as I saw this video had been posted, I thought to myself, "Oh, Thomas wants us to shut up already."

[@laytonjarvis5347]

You've nearly hit 100k subs

[@rg2466]

Your voice so pretty good. I would also like to have that voice.

[@iramike]

How about Gx blue ? Can you review them

[@ilygqtor7756]

Would the BOX Navy's spring swapped with 35g springs would it sound good? please someone help me i need to buy today...

[@ivandenkov7446]

yes

[@RockeyDAproductions]

PLEASE HELP SOMEONE: i just boght me some of thoes jade box switches and took all the borwns out of my vintage cherry bord (my only mx bord)and these box switches are missing the 2 pins used as both jumpers and for mounting and the plastic stubs used for keeping the swith orented correctly. my attemped to solder a row of switches in has them all kinds of crooked, i cant eye ball it and solder on the other side of the pcb, how do you guys mount these things on a PCB and keep them straight?

[@RockeyDAproductions]

PS i have little room for mistakes, the copper traces were half destroyed from the 1st desoldring

[@GabrielFreirev]

Yes! Finally

[@drex8997]

your voice is very soothing

[@gbchk]

@chyrosran22 have you actually tried the Jade switches? I have exactly one sample switch and it feels very sticky on the return, as if it's going to get stuck coming back up. I've heard similar things from other people so I'm guessing I didn't just get a dud. On paper they sound like they'd be perfect (I think navy would be too heavy for me) but the stickiness is really unfortunate.

[@Chyrosran22]

I hacked one Jade together just now and I see what you mean. Don't know if that's a real dealbreaker though, hard to say off of just a loose switch.

[@kriskiireonsitakschill1732]

Are these better than box whites in your opinion?

[@stripedhyenuh]

4:45 I was half expecting a demonstration of just clicking the switch over and over with your index finger for 30 seconds. I think that's operant conditioning.

[@dopenation1025]

Are box jades louder?

[@drewe.9714]

Lol, dude this review is cool but holy shit your voice is awesome.

[@DeathNotePotatoChips]

Are you going to do a teardown on the new Box Pinks?

[@protocetid]

How long does factory lube last? Have you ever tried Hako Trues? Thoughts?

[@Chyrosran22]

The lifetime of lube varies, but even silicone-based lube can last for decades.

[@MrJAM-np7go]

Chyros, Why are you so best? I'm falling in love with you! Anyway, i think the jade might have too weak return force for upstroke. Have you noticed this in the navy? It might be annoying when the switch is used in big keys with stabilizers, especially heavy 7u or bigger spacebar.

[@MarcoS-bf9tv]

Mr. JAM I've got a Navy board and they don't have that problem. Have you tried jades?

[@MrJAM-np7go]

Nah, I was just trying to buy jades, but there werre no reviews for that.

[@christophertaylor8166]

I have Jades. There hasn't been any difficulty with my keyboard over the past month of use, but due to all the fear mongering I put heavier springs in my stabilized keys, just in case. If you're concerned, you could just buy all Jades except for a single 10-pack of Navies, and use those for larger keys.

[@eg0t1st1k4l]

nice stapler

[@zakhammerman3412]

as a fan of the heavy "clicky-linear" pale blues, I'm curious as to what your opinion is on them, Thomas! I know you're a stickler for tactility but I've got pale blues on my daily driver and love them to bits.

[@gbchk]

I'd like to know as well. I have some pale blue samples coming in the mail, and after trying navy and not being a fan of the stiffness, I'm hoping pale blue is where it's at.

[@Chyrosran22]

Pale blue and Navy use the same springs, so they might well be too stiff for you as well.

[@williamhansen2172]

daaaamn bro that mic is NNNNIIIIIICCCCEEEEEE

[@franciscopen1681]

more of this videos please!

[@dumbass4110]

Are thise optical switches?

[@hoxfrey9093]

typing this comment on box navys. finally got these 6 years since your review!

[@husboy1]

Holy Shit I'd like to get my hands on some (a full-set) of those navy beauties, they're already out of stock though. Custom keyboards are also hard for us Belgians in general because we use Azerty for some reason, and switching to qwerty is hard as I've been using azerty ever since I first started using computers.

[@0M9H4X_Neckbeard]

Jade switches sound promising then

[@anarchy4353]

When are you going to ask for the box jades?

[@ghoulboards]

How do the colors/names not make sense? They make perfect sense to me. The colors are exactly what I pictured based on the names lmao

[@dawntran3912]

i thought that too 😭

[@axelbostrom3606]

Well this sure makes me want to replace all my MX Brown's which I do like, with Jade box switches... Or just get a second keyboard with Jade's just to type on

[@Dingus420]

axel boström I hear BOX Jades don't have a very good return rate....

[@axelbostrom3606]

Tyler Largeteau damn that sucks, might have to go for marine then, Id much rather have a lighter switch though and they seem pretty heavy

[@Dingus420]

axel boström go with Whites then. they're (like you saw) slightly lighter than MX Blue's

[@axelbostrom3606]

Tyler Largeteau the appeal was the thicc bar though, but yah I might. I think I might try get a couple of each and feel then before I pick

[@Dingus420]

axel boström well by all means, don't let me stop you from trying them! worst care scenario us you don't like them and you try something different

[@s_bt_iwtf]

Those dulcet tones, wew

[@alecfarrugiacachia]

Never clicked on a video so fast

[@xander1052]

I see what you mean now about Cherry MX Brown, though through personal Experience I find MX brown to be more tactile than Blue, which just feels linear to me, But you have my attention with the Jade, Hope theres going to be a 45g version by Novelkeys in the future as I do like my Light keys.

[@xander1052]

Also Im glad Kailh are doing this, helps lose the reputation for being cheap cherry copycats.

[@christophertaylor8166]

A 45g version is simply impossible. The spring wouldn't be enough for the return force. If you've ever tried swapping an MX Red or Blue spring into an MX Clear switch, you'll see what I mean. If you want something lighter, I'd suggest BOX Whites.

[@revejay]

hype!!

[@Jimmy091707]

wow the voice.. awesome

[@averyoriginalname1547]

Hey, did you forget to do a video on BOX Jade switches?

[@joshuajimenez7359]

3:38 LOL

[@benjacobs3264]

@Chyrosran22 It's interesting that you mentioned amber Alps switches in the same breath as what is essentially a heavily re-engineered cherry switch. Could you foresee a day when these switches could rival the quality of the almighty Alps like SKCM Whites and Blues?

[@rich1051414]

Alps fans seem to be worried about that after using them.

[@worldhello1234]

There ain't no almighty Alps just opinions. ;)

[@kevadu]

The Kailh box switches might fit in a Cherry MX housing but they have little in common with the original MX design. They already changed the way the contacts work for actuation with the box design itself. And the clickbar method for sound and tactility is completely novel. It's basically a new kind of switch at this point that happens to have the same dimensions as MX...

[@benjacobs3264]

Right you are

[@christophertaylor8166]

I own both a board with Jades (some of which are modded with heavier springs to match the Navies, for the stabilized keys) and SKCM White switches, as well as one with Matias Click, which are Alps-based but even more tactile than SKCM White. The Thick Clicks blow both Alps variants completely out of the water on tactility. The way you feel going from Alps clicky switches to MX Blue is similar to the way I feel when I switch from typing on my Jade keyboard over to one of the Alps models. BOX Jades feel closer to click-top pens than they do to any other key switch I've used. None of that is to say that the Thick Clicks are *superior* to Alps SKCM. One could argue that the *method* of tactility for Thick Clicks is cruder than Alps tactility from an engineering perspective. One could also have a preference based on where the tactility lies in the keystroke, and the length of the bump. Some people might also prefer *less* tactility. Additionally, Thick Clicks are inescapably noisy. You can't have a "silent" version of the switch, so even if you want to maximize tactility, but also need a quiet keyboard, you're still going to want either heavy Topre or dampened Alps.

[@ActaNova]

Hmm so should i get navys or whites i dont like too much tactilensss but i hate mx blue and still want a clicky switch

[@patr1ck28]

I'd reccomend whites. They are a light switch, but also have a sharp and nice tactile bump

[@ActaNova]

@@patr1ck28 Update: i have tried whites they where good at the time but i exchanged it for navy instead my taste in tactile switches has changed since 2 years ago

[@patr1ck28]

@@ActaNova I myself don't even use clickies anymore, I use light but round and mid-heavy bump tactiles, I guess preferences just changes over time

[@AscendedOnOsu]

Could you say, remove the tactile bar, maybe cut it, to make it a linear switch?

[@Chyrosran22]

You can just pull it out :) .

[@AscendedOnOsu]

@@Chyrosran22 Thanks. I recently ordered a keypad with these switches, and I was curious if I could remove the cover of the switch too?

[@melancholictofuthiing]

i cant wait till i get my switches (:. honestly really fucking excited for tactile as all fuck switches. my linears are boring to type in although they do sound nice whenever i bottom out, but i need the tactile feed to know i hit that fucking key and it registered.