I just bought a KX in the states and disassembled it a few days ago. The switches are branded Rapoo (in their characteristic font) rather than Kailh, and the housing more closely resembles Cherry MX / Gateron than Kailh.
Does anyone know who is the current switch OEM for Rapoo? Also, unless I'm (not) seeing things, they're using pinless (plate?) switches on a PCB-only board...
Rapoo KX: Rapoo branded switches
-
- Location: CA, USA
- Main keyboard: Realforce 87UW55
- Main mouse: Logitech
- Favorite switch: Topre 55g
- DT Pro Member: -
I think Rapoo is in a sense a very opportunistic company/brand (like Noppoo) changing their description of the switches they use often and maybe as often as the market prices change.
Very early on Rapoo's switches in KX were marked "PG1511" which is Kailh; then sometime later they were clearly marked as "Kailh" ... so it doesn't surprise me that now they are labeled "Rapoo".
I posted some pics here: http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/rap ... kx#p219107
Very early on Rapoo's switches in KX were marked "PG1511" which is Kailh; then sometime later they were clearly marked as "Kailh" ... so it doesn't surprise me that now they are labeled "Rapoo".
I posted some pics here: http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/rap ... kx#p219107
-
- DT Pro Member: -
Oh yeah, I know. But these switch housings look nothing like Kailh switches. In fact, they look more Cherry MX than Gaterons...zts wrote: ↑I think Rapoo is in a sense a very opportunistic company/brand (like Noppoo) changing their description of the switches they use often and maybe as often as the market prices change.
Very early on Rapoo's switches in KX were marked "PG1511" which is Kailh; then sometime later they were clearly marked as "Kailh" ... so it doesn't surprise me that now they are labeled "Rapoo".
I posted some pics here: http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/rap ... kx#p219107
-
- Location: CA, USA
- Main keyboard: Realforce 87UW55
- Main mouse: Logitech
- Favorite switch: Topre 55g
- DT Pro Member: -
It would be nice to see some pics. And maybe compared them to switches labeled "Noppoo" if you have an opportunity (since Noppoo's last year's Kailhs are suddenly labeled "Noppoo"). Maybe some companies just gave up on re-cloning Kailh clones and went straight to cloning MX (Noppoo's attempt @ Topre clone comes to mind).REVENGE wrote: ↑Oh yeah, I know. But these switch housings look nothing like Kailh switches. In fact, they look more Cherry MX than Gaterons...zts wrote: ↑I think Rapoo is in a sense a very opportunistic company/brand (like Noppoo) changing their description of the switches they use often and maybe as often as the market prices change.
Very early on Rapoo's switches in KX were marked "PG1511" which is Kailh; then sometime later they were clearly marked as "Kailh" ... so it doesn't surprise me that now they are labeled "Rapoo".
I posted some pics here: http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/rap ... kx#p219107
-
- DT Pro Member: -
Pardon the shitty image quality, I don't have a good macro setup at the moment. Here's what I have:
Note that the crosspoint is gold plated and in the same orientation as Cherry MX
If there's an obvious answer, please shout it out! I haven't been keeping up with the latest batches of MX clones / imitations.
Note that the crosspoint is gold plated and in the same orientation as Cherry MX
If there's an obvious answer, please shout it out! I haven't been keeping up with the latest batches of MX clones / imitations.
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
Your "shitty" macros are better than anything I can do! My camera's so old (10 years now) that I have to aim for aesthetic effect instead of detail. Everything gets lost in the ISO fog.
-
- Location: CA, USA
- Main keyboard: Realforce 87UW55
- Main mouse: Logitech
- Favorite switch: Topre 55g
- DT Pro Member: -
Very nice photos. You are right -- if "Rapoo" is not on these switches I'd think it's Cherry MX. Is it possible to strip "Cherry MX" branding and re-brand as "Rapoo" or they were not branded to begin with and it's easy to brand them?
branded Cherry: on the same page it shows the yellow that's not branded: original pics from: http://deskthority.net/photos-f62/yab84 ... t2149.html
Interestingly, in March of this year they were advertising/describing their switches as "Original Factory MX Yellow Switches for Laptops Desktops PC" and also using words like "homemade".
branded Cherry: on the same page it shows the yellow that's not branded: original pics from: http://deskthority.net/photos-f62/yab84 ... t2149.html
Interestingly, in March of this year they were advertising/describing their switches as "Original Factory MX Yellow Switches for Laptops Desktops PC" and also using words like "homemade".
-
- DT Pro Member: -
More evidence that this is not a fluke:
-From the V500s Massdrop that launched in June.
Oh, here's a nice media gallery that popped up 3 days ago:
http://www.pcpop.com/doc/1/1114/1114355.shtml
-From the V500s Massdrop that launched in June.
Oh, here's a nice media gallery that popped up 3 days ago:
http://www.pcpop.com/doc/1/1114/1114355.shtml