| Switch Type: | Tactile |
| Mount Type: | PCB Mount |
| Travel Distance: | 2mm Actuation | 3mm Total |
| Force: | 30g Operating |
| Stem Length (mm): | 14.28 |
| Price: | £9 (45 pieces) on Akko |
The Akko V3 Creamy Purple Pro (what a mouthful) is Akko’s new tactile switch featuring a short switch travel of only 3mm.
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
If you’re looking for a budget, short travel, somewhat rounded tactile switch, then Akko has you covered here. Plus, they’re currently priced at £9 for 45 switches making these one of the cheapest switches you can buy (20p per switch!). That’s cheaper than most of Gateron’s MX clone lineup.
Smoothness: 8/10
On-centre keypresses are decently smooth with minor hints of scratchiness on some switches at very slow keypresses, but they essentially disappear during normal typing.
Off-centre keypresses weirdly enough are smoother in comparison to on-centre keypresses. This could be because they’re a tactile switch which allows them to hide the scratchiness, either way, they’re very smooth on this front. Although, it has to be said that I experienced some very light binding, but this is me just nitpicking here.
Overall, these are impressively smooth, and considering their affordable price tag, I don’t recall a switch even coming close.
Akko V3 Creamy Purple Pro switch disassembled.
Weighting: 9/10
According to Akko, these switches have a peak tactile force of 55g at 0.5mm, an actuation force of 30g at 2mm and bottom-out distance of 3mm.
In the real world, they don’t feel like they have a short travel. In fact, I didn’t even realise the total travel was 3mm until I checked the specs. In addition to this, the switches have performed extremely consistently with absolutely no signs of any inconsistencies.
Now, you may be wondering about the overall weighting of these switches given they actuate at 30g! Well, even with such a light actuation point, the switches feel closer to 50-60g which is a rather medium-ish weighting. This is because of the zero-pre-travel tactile bump. Also, since it has a shorter travel, you’d most likely I bottom-out most keypresses, so the light actuation point doesn’t make them feel ‘floaty’.
Overall, I really like these switches. They have a medium-ish weighting combined with a rounded tactile bump and a short travel. I’d easily recommend these to those still using a crappy rubber dome keyboard that want a proper tactile switch.
Sound: 7/10
It’s a clacky switch given my aluminium case. Although, it does have some thock to it which is unusual for an Akko switch. Additionally, if you listen closely, you can hear minor hints of twang in the typing demo. However, this cannot be heard in normal use.
Overall, they sound deeper and less clacky compared to most Akko switches, but I’d still put them in the clacky aisle.
The Akko V3 Creamy Purple Pro stem length is 14.28 mm.
Typing Performance: 8/10
It took me a while to adjust to these as they felt mushy at first and I wouldn’t describe them as extremely snappy either. They have a somewhat rounded tactile bump, reminiscent of the Holy Panda X, but with a significantly lighter weighting and a noticeably shorter travel. It’s worth noting that the Akko switch is a snappier switch compared to the Holy Panda X.
Apart from its tactility, its performance across the board have been extremely consistent with only very minor scratchiness and absolutely no hints of inconsistencies. I’m far from surprised by this given this is an Akko switch, but it is worth pointing out.
Overall, I really enjoyed typing on these, even if they felt mushy at times.
Gaming Performance: 7/10
If you’re looking at specs thinking this is a good gaming switch given its short travel; I suppose you’d be right… kind of.
As I’ve mentioned above, I didn’t notice the shorter travel until I looked at the specs, and then later on when I compared it side by side with some tactile switches. Although, I can imagine this being a substantially noticeable difference to someone who’s been using a full-travel switch for an extended period of time.
Its performance in both fast and slow-paced games have been pretty good with many redeeming aspects such as its overall smoothness and consistency. Its tactility has also been decent, especially in slower-paced games, but it did have a tendency to “disappear” in faster-paced games as with many tactile switches; these were far from the worst offenders however.
The biggest downside to them is their somewhat mushy feel at times – I’m sure a newcomer to the hobby probably wouldn’t notice, but as an enthusiast deep into the hobby, it’s a letdown.
Overall, I’d consider this is an acceptable tactile switch for gaming. It definitely isn’t optimal, but given its price, I wouldn’t be surprised if these sell out in a matter of months.
Final Score = 39/50 (78%)