Kailh PG1511 series

Kailh PG1511 series
Manufacturer	Kailh
Product code	PG151101Dnnn
Switch type	Clicky; tactile; linear
Sense method	Metal leaf
Rated lifetime	50–70 M
Pretravel	2.0±0.6, 1.4±0.3, 1.1±0.3 mm
Total travel	4.0±0.6, 3.5±0.3 mm
Keycap mount	Cherry MX mount
Switch mount	Plate mount, PCB mount

This article requires additional photographic illustration — internals

Kailh PG1511 series is a family of Cherry MX clone switches. It is the basis for the original Razer switch, manufactured for Razer by Kaihua.

Description

PG1511 series switches are made by Kailh in China, and are branded "Kailh" or labelled "PG1511" (one or the other). They are available in clicky, linear and tactile versions, with support for both through-hole and SMD RGB LEDs.

Kaihua have published detailed comparisons between their switches and Cherry MX switches on their website; the photos at least are taken from a review posted at mouse.zol.com.cn.

Like with most Cherry MX clones, the internals of PG1511 series are virtually identical to genuine Cherry switches. One key difference is that PG1511 series switches do not have gold crosspoint contacts.

Bounce time for the SMD types is cited as 5 ms or less, at a keystroke rate of 3–5 keystrokes per second.^[1]

Lifetime

Lifetime was originally cited as 50 million keystrokes.^[2] The through-hole LED types are cited as having lifetimes of 60 million for the click type and 70 million for the linear and tactile types.^[3] The SMD LED version has a lifetime of 70 million keystrokes across all versions.^[1]

LED illumination

Through-hole

PG1511 series adopted the use of all four of Cherry's base holes (inner holes for monochrome LED, outer holes for jumper or diode) for a single four-leg "DIP" through-hole RGB LED. Kailh cite the benefits of this arrangement as being:^[3]

Better illumination by bringing the LED closer to the keycap
Greater light output from a through-hole LED than an SMD LED
Lower heat output from through-hole LED versus SMD LED
Lower LED power requirements

Most "speed" types accept any LED types, but have no lateral support for LED legs. The bronze "speed" type only accepts two-pin through-hole and SMD LEDs; the exterior holes for jumpers, diodes and four-pin through-hole RGB LEDs are omitted to make way for the click bar.

SMD

PG1511 has also been adapted to accept SMD illumination. These versions have clear covers, and two wide holes for LED legs, to accept two- and four-leg through-hole LEDs as well as allow space to place an SMD LED under the switch. These are depicted on the PG1511 SMD page, although the diagrams still show the classic design.^[1] The pages for the reduced-travel versions do have diagrams for the new design.^[4]

Click mechanism

Most PG1511 series switches use a click collar to achieve audible feedback, derived from the Cherry MX design. The new bronze type (PG151101D188) uses a "click bar",^[5] a rod spring pushed aside by the slider in a manner similar to a click leaf. The click bar design was first seen in the diminutive PG1350 series, and provides a distinct click on both press and release; the click bar does however remove the hysteresis from the switch.

Travel

Standard switch travel is the standard 4 mm with 2 mm pretravel; this is still the case for the SMD types.^[1] Four additional designs have a reduced travel of 3.5 mm:

A gold clicky type the 1.4 mm pretravel
Bronze (clicky), copper (tactile) and silver (linear) types with 1.1 mm pretravel^[6]^[7]^[8]

Note that these colour names were taken from an AliExpress listing, as they are more convenient than Kailh's names. Kailh use "coppery" for the tactile switch, "golden" for the 1.4 mm clicky switch, and "thick golden" for the 1.1 mm clicky switch. The silver switch's slider has metallic pigment as with Cherry MX Speed Silver, while the other sliders are matte.

Variants

PG1511/Kailh Yellow was the first variant, which appeared around 2007. The characteristics of Kailh Yellow and Kailh Red are the same. Kailh Yellow is no longer sold. Since then, a number of different varieties have emerged, and it's not clear what exactly is on sale.

The Kailh website shows the standard SMD types to have a black lower shell, but production parts have a white shell. The part numbers for these types are not yet known.

The monochrome PCB mount variants have part numbers but have not yet been sighted; all observed types are plate mount.

Current

Part no.	Colour	Type	Actuation	Travel	Pretravel	Click mechanism	Illumination	Fixing pins
PG151101D01	Black	Linear	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	Monochrome	No
PG151101D15	Black	Linear	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	Monochrome	Yes
PG151101D05	Red	Linear	50 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	Monochrome	No
PG151101D43	Red	Linear	50 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	Monochrome	Yes
PG151101D49	Brown	Tactile	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	Monochrome	No
PG151101D09	Brown	Tactile	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	Monochrome	Yes
PG151101D60	Blue	Clicky	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	Click collar	Monochrome	No
PG151101D10	Blue	Clicky	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	Click collar	Monochrome	Yes
PG151101D94	Black	Linear	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	RGB T/H	No
PG151101D93	Red	Linear	50 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	RGB T/H	No
PG151101D92	Brown	Tactile	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	RGB T/H	No
PG151101D91	Blue	Clicky	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	Click collar	RGB T/H	No
	Black	Linear	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	RGB T/H+SMD	No
	Red	Linear	50 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	RGB T/H+SMD	No
	Brown	Tactile	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	None	RGB T/H+SMD	No
	Blue	Clicky	60 gf	4 mm	2 mm	Click collar	RGB T/H+SMD	No
PG151101D191	Gold	Clicky	60 gf	3.5 mm	1.4 mm	Click collar	RGB T/H+SMD	No
PG151101D188	Bronze	Clicky	50 gf	3.5 mm	1.1 mm	Click bar	Mono T/H+SMD	No
PG151101D189	Silver	Linear	40 gf	3.5 mm	1.1 mm	None	RGB T/H+SMD	No
PG151101D190	Copper	Tactile	40 gf	3.5 mm	1.1 mm	None	RGB T/H+SMD	No