| Switch Type: | Tactile |
| Mount Type: | PCB Mount |
| Travel Distance: | 2.0mm Actuation | 3.3mm Total |
| Force: | 43g Operating | 60g Bottom-out |
| Stem Length (mm): | 12.31 |
| Price: | $13.99 (45 pieces) on Akko |
The Akko Penguin Silent is a lightly weighted silent tactile switch. It is also Akko’s very first silent tactile switch.
DISCLAIMER | Please Read:
These switches were sent by Akko for review and testing purposes. I was NOT PAID in any way to write this review. Impartiality will always be a top priority here at KeebWorks; this one included.
TL;DR
Do you like the Holy Panda switch, but wish they were silent? Well, the Akko Penguin is switch is just that – A silent Holy Panda switch!
Smoothness: 7/10
On-centre keypresses are very smooth with only very minor hints of scratchiness at very slow keypresses.
Off-centre keypresses are above average smoothness wise with noticeable scratchiness at slow, and sometimes at moderate keypresses.
Overall, after a longer than usual break-in period, these switches have become pretty smooth within the last week of my testing period and are easily above average compared to the rest of the market.
Akko Penguin Silent switch disassembled.
Weighting: 7/10
According to Akko, these switches have a peak tactile force of 58g at 0.4mm, an actuation force of 43g at 2.0mm, and a bottom-out force of 60g at 3.3mm.
In the real world, they feel quite similar to the Invyr Holy Panda as they bottom-out at 60g, have a medium-ish tactile bump with no pre-travel. Honestly, the force may suggest a 7g weight difference between the two, but they feel very similar when tested side-by side.
However, I am a little disappointed about their consistency as these haven’t been as consistent as some of Akko’s switches. Although, these are still impressively consistent; well-above average especially when compared to the competition.
Overall, despite the seemingly light actuation point, I never once thought of these as “very light switches”. Plus, they performed nicely with only minor inconsistencies.
Sound: 7/10
When compared to their linear counterpart – the Akko Fairy Silent, the Penguins are a touch louder, but they’re still an extremely quiet switch.
What about compared to other silent tactile switches? Well, it holds it own against the benchmark for silent tactile switches – Gazzew Boba U4. Plus, it easily beats the Durock T1 Silent Shrimp due to its spring ping. So, these are definitely no slouch.
Despite this, I’m still not a fan of silent switches, but I will say that these are my favourite ones so far, and I’m confident these will make their way to hundreds of builds given their relative affordability.
Overall, they’re boring sounding to my ears, sure. But these are just as impressive as their linear counterpart and is a solid choice for those looking for a silent tactile switch without breaking the bank.
The Akko Penguin Silent stem length is 12.31 mm.
Typing Performance: 7/10
Let’s start this with some early issues.
Firstly, these took longer than usual to break-in. It was roughly one week instead of the usual 3-4 days. I’m not sure why as this wasn’t my experience with Fairy Silent.
Secondly, during the break-in process, some keys could be felt “sticking” during slow keypresses or when a key hasn’t been pressed in a while (a trait I haven’t felt since the Gateron Silent Black Ink), but this disappeared after a few days.
Finally, these were also a little scratchy in the beginning, akin to something like the Gateron Red. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, and it still wouldn’t be if they remained this way. Thankfully, they have smoothed out.
Apart from its early setbacks, these switches have performed consistently with no major issues. They were smooth and I didn’t mind the weighting. Though, your milage may vary. These are Akko’s first attempt at a silent tactile switch after all… being an early adopter come with drawbacks.
Overall, despite its somewhat rocky start, these have been fabulous switches to type on, and I’m glad to see more high-quality silent tactiles hit the market, even if I’m not the target audience.
Gaming Performance: 7/10
Tactile switches have always been my preferred switch even when it comes to gaming, and the Penguin switch delivered the performance I wanted from them.
They were great in both slow and fast-paced games. Additionally, their quiet sound signature meant I wasn’t distracted by any keyboard noise (a huge plus in stealth games).
The weighting was great too. Yes, the actuation point is light, but I didn’t feel it to be a light switch at any point. The 60g-ish tactile bump and bottom-out helped here.
Additionally, the reduced total travel wasn’t as obvious compared to the Fairly Silent. Perhaps, I’m slowly getting used to it, but these feel like full-travel switches and did not detract from my gaming experience in the slightest.
Overall, I’m still personally going for the Boba U4 or the Silent Shrimp given their sharper tactility, but I liked these and I’m glad they exist.
Final Score = 35/50 (70%)