JWK Durock T1

Switch Specifications:

Switch Type:	Tactile
Mount Type:	PCB Mount
Travel Distance:	2.0mm Actuation | 4.0mm Total
Force:	67g Bottom-out
Price:	~£4.20 (10 pieces)

The Durock T1. Quite possibly JWK’s most popular (tactile) switch to date.

Price wise, it’s roughly £0.40 – £0.45 per switch and it was made to compete with pricier offerings such as the Zealio V2 and the Holy Panda.

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Here’s the video review if you prefer watching content:

Smoothness: 8/10

On-centre keypresses are extremely smooth. It’s by far the smoothest MX based tactile switch I’ve used. It’s honestly awesome.

Off-centre keypresses are still smooth, but some switches feel inconsistent; this is especially true when pressed slowly. It isn’t particularly noticeable during normal typing though.

Overall, these are very smooth switches. They are absolutely worth the price if smoothness is your top priority in a tactile switch.

JWK Durock T1 switch disassembled.

Weighting: 9/10

Whilst these have the same weighting (67g) as the Zealio switches I reviewed previously, they are actually a little lighter in comparison.

Here is the link to r2b’s force curve of the switch. It is listed under “kdb t1” (double click it to see the force curve on its own).

In terms of actual feel. They are in-between the MX Clear and the Zealio 67g (V1), but much closer to the feel of the Zealios. Additionally, the tactility starts at the top of the travel; there is zero pre-travel unlike the other two switches. In reality the T1s feel like a zero pre-travel Zealio switch with a slightly lighter spring and a slightly less tactile bump.

Overall, I still like the weighting of the MX Clear. However, these come at a close second! They have a very nice weighting which I enjoyed during my test period. I can see myself building a keyboard with these switches for a daily driver.

Sound: 7/10

Sound for the most part is good. No major complaints from me, apart from the fact that it’s also not very noteworthy to begin with. Although, it’s nice to hear a switch without too much scratchiness.

Again, as a reminder, I’m testing on a new, better keyboard which affect switch sound the most. .

Overall, like with the Zealios, these sound better than most MX based tactile switches. It’s all up to you to modify them as you see fit to make them ‘thockier’, I guess.

Typing Performance: 8/10

Now, before I get to the good stuff. One thing.

The switch installed in my ‘Right Shift’ key has a tendency to occasionally bind and stick down when pressed off-centre which is incredibly annoying when typing at speed. For reference I am using GMK stabilizers lubed with Silverhook SGPGT90 Silicone Grease.

With that said, the binding is almost a non-issue as it is occasional. A light lubrication or a heavier spring would most likely solve the issue. Still, it is annoying when it does happen.

Additionally, even though it is less tactile than the Zealio V1s, it is still an enjoyable switch to type on due to the weighting and the outright smoothness out of the box! It also helps that the start of the tactility is right at the top of the travel (zero pre-travel), a cool bonus in my opinion.

Overall, whilst I do think the Zealio V1s still have a place in the market, most people should really be looking the T1 instead. It offers a much better value for those who want to experience a quality tactile switch without the high price tag.

Gaming Performance: 8/10

Usually for gaming I like my switches to be smooth, tactile* and weighted juuuust right. The T1 delivers it well.

Whilst it’s not the most tactile MX style switch out there, the tactility starts at the top of the travel making them very easy to predict (no need to “pre-load” the switch partway through if you’re the type to do that).

Moreover, since these are smoother switches, they have been a lot more pleasant to game on, especially for longer periods. It’s not a huge difference compared to the Zealio V1s, but it’s a lovely change I’m happy to take.

The one thing I would change is to make the spring weight heavier to reduce bottoming out. That’s it, nothing else.

Overall, if you’re looking for an affordable, well rounded tactile switch. This is a great choice; it delivers in the most important aspects when you needed. However, if you are looking for more tactility, there is the Zealio switch or the BOX Royal (which have their own issues, but hey, IT IS more tactile).

Final Score = 40/50 (80%)

 

Places to purchase this switch:

AliExpress | Mechboards | Divinikey

*I prefer tactile switches for gaming. With that said, linear switches are usually much better in offering smoothness as a whole. The smoothness switches I know of are all linears.