Alps SKCM White
 | |
| Manufacturer | Alps Electric |
|---|---|
| Family | Alps SKCL/SKCM series |
| Product code |
SKCMAQ SKCMCQ? |
| Supersedes | Alps SKCM Blue |
| Switch type | Clicky |
| Sense method | Metal leaf |
| Actuation force | 70 gf |
| Keycap mount | Alps mount |
| Switch mount | Plate mount |
Alps SKCM White, or complicated white Alps, is a clicky switch in the Alps SKCL/SKCM series.
Contents
Description
Complicated white Alps is the most common Alps switch found; it was widely used in Far East-made keyboards in the late 80s and early 90s. The 1994 Alps catalogue refers to it as SKCMAQ; an un-dated Alps datasheet describes a switch that appears to be identical except for lacking slits, which is given part number SKCMCQ. It is possible that the change from 'A' to 'C' indicates the redesigned switch with the slits removed, as the same datasheet depicts SKCLAR with the 'A' in the part number, and with slits.
The majority of complicated white Alps switches are branded "ALPS", but the earliest examples are reported to be unbranded. In most cases, they use the same mould numbering as other common generation Alps SKCL/SKCM switches, but in some cases, a simplified form of mould numbering has been found, with what often resembles hand-carved numbers, and a slightly distorted Alps logo. However, these do appear to be genuine Alps switches. Interestingly, these varieties of switches do not follow the standard practice of having the switchplate at the rear of the switch; in the same keyboard, the switches can be found with the branding and numbering both ways up.
White Alps is typically found to be less favourable than its predecessor, Alps SKCM Blue, with blue widely held to have a better feel; although feel is both subjective and dependent on switch condition, the consensus of opinion across recent years all points in favour of blue Alps being superior in feel and even sound, with a lighter tactile force and smoother action. The transition from blue to white Alps is the best-known example of the evolution of the SKCL/SKCM series. Curiously, it appears that the very first white Alps switches retained the dry lubricant and return spring material of blue Alps, indicating that the blue–white transition was not a clean break but itself a series of transitions; here, the older dry-lubricated version is held to be superior.[1]
Variants
Known variants include:
| Switchplate | Alps logo | Slits |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | No logo | With slits ("pine") |
| White, short | Logo | With slits |
| White, short | Logo | No slits ("bamboo") |
Keyboards
- Some Acer 6010 series
- Canon A220-UKB84
- Some Chicony KB-5161
- Some Chicony KB-5181
- Chicony KB-9600[2]
- Datacomp DFK192
- DSI Modular Pro
- DTK SPK-101[3][4]
- Some Focus FK-2001
- Most Focus FK-2002
- Focus FK-3001
- Focus FK-5001
- Some Focus FK-6000
- Some Focus FK-9000
- Some Kinesis Evolution
- Lite-On SK-0002
- Some Monterey K104
- Most Northgate OmniKey models
- Some NTC KB-6151
- Some NTC KB-6251/6252
- Ortek ポータブルキーボード 102
("Ortek portable keyboard 102") - Ortek MKB-84 SX
- Ortek MCK-18 (some?)
- Ortek MCK-142Pro[5]
- Ortek Mac-105/ETC Power Glide 105
- S.A.M. SK-102-2N[6]
Gallery
White Alps switches
Switch with upper shell and slider removed
Upper shell assembly
Base removed
Almost fully disassembled
Various views of a rare version without the Alps logo on the base; be aware that the switchplate parts depicted are inconsistent
Pine "scrawly" switch with hand-carved mould numbering
Variants
White Alps has seen by far the greatest number of variations across any Alps switch, often contradictory. The implication appears to be that Alps had several switch factories that were not altering or replacing their tooling in the same manner. One indicator of this this is the crossover between the removal of slits, and the introduction of the current Alps logo (bold face) in place of the previous logo (medium face).
Archetypal white Alps with previous logo, full numbering, and slits
Archetypal white Alps (1) compared with three other variations (2) (3) (4) all confirmed to be genuine white complicated Alps; note the indiscriminate branding orientation
Current logo, full numbering, slits
Current logo, partial numbering, slits
Previous logo, full numbering, filled-in slits
Upper shell from mould lacking most numbering, which may be the Alps source of Simplified Alps Type III; from a DSI Modular Pro
Scrawly
"Scrawly" switches have hand-carved mould numbering. These switches were presumably sourced from a contract manufacturer such as Forward Electronics, either as overflow capacity or for cost reduction. Internally, they are the same as regular Alps switches. The bamboo version has the slits filled in.
Bamboo "scrawly" switch
Side view
Opened, showing genuine switchplate
Specifications
- 5454_31 (SKCLAR and SKCMCQ)
References
- ↑ Deskthority — Alps Appreciation
- ↑ Atelier Silencium — alps keyswitch (Japanese only) Dated 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2015-07-22.
- ↑ Sandy — DTK Grafika
- ↑ klei's Backspace — DTK SPK-101 (Korean only) Dated 2005-07-13. Retrieved 2015-07-22.
- ↑ Deskthority — Ortek MCK-142Pro(Alps), Alcatel MFII(Acers), Chicony KB-5582
- ↑ Deskthority — S.A.M. SK-102-2N
