Thoughts on Tecsee Ice Grape switches

There is a long list of switch manufacturers and I’ve slowly been expanding out to try out switches from more and more of them. NovelKeys is running another round of mystery switches and I decided to try my luck again and one of the switches I received was a bag of 92 Tecsee Ice Grape switches. They’re a factory lubricated linear switch and the first switches I’ve tried from Tecsee. I also received 90 Kailh Speed Pink switches and 92 Tecsee Jadeite switches. I consider that a decent run as I didn’t have any of these switches prior and I am able to try out two new linear options from a manufacturer I haven’t used before.

Ice Grape switches are a typical linear switch design utilizing a two-stage gold-plated spring. The stem is a golden yellow and made of UHMWPE and the housing is transparent purple and both halves are made from polycarbonate. They have a 55g actuation point and bottom out at 63.5g. Actuation is at 2mm, and they bottom out at 3.8mm. The stem is a long pole design and with the combination of it being UHWMPE and the switches having a factory lubrication they are delightfully smooth to type on. They also feature a light channel for backlight RGB. Any light that does leak into the housing does have a purple tint to it, but they do show colors relatively well. They are also a 5-pin design but those can be easily trimmed if you do want to use them with a 3-pin board.

The polycarbonate housing is quite a pretty shade of purple, comparable to a royal purple. The golden, slightly orange stem stands out in strong contrast to the housing. They’re one of the more striking switches I’ve used. Combined with the strong transparency of the polycarbonate housing they remind me somewhat of the Atomic Purple Gameboy Color. Aesthetically, they are quite the strong design choice, but they are far more than just a pretty face.

They are some of the smoothest switches I’ve used in stock form. They feel sublime with no noticeable scratchiness. The factory lubrication is light but evenly applied between switches giving a regular and even typing experience. By using a long pole design, they have a quieter sound than many other switches. They’re hardly silent, but they do tend toward the quieter end of linear switches. Typical typing without bottoming out has a quality to it that I’d describe as bubbly in sound. It reminds me of the bubbling of a slow, but steady, pour of water owing to how they sound. Testing them out in my NK65 Entry they have a good resonance and a moderately thocky sound. I wouldn’t describe it as deep as some other switches I’ve used but they do pair quite well with the polycarbonate keyboard housing and silicone dampening. Paired with GMK Serenity they do have a fun typing experience on this keyboard; one that is smooth, mid-weighted, and gives a fun sound profile that urges more typing.

These are a quite a strong first showing from Tecsee for the first switches of theirs that I have tried. They hit my particular tastes well and do so without any lubrication or modification on my part. Their housing is tight and has no creaking or twisting. I don’t think filming would be necessary at all with these switches but that’s ultimately up to your tastes. Stem wobble is on the lower end of what I’ve used with north-south being a light wobble and east-west being slightly more than average from what I’ve used. I don’t find it distracting or particularly negative. Overall, their tolerances are better than a lot of switches and I’m happy with them.

They come in as a middle-of-the-road pricing as well. Depending on where you buy them, they are $0.45 per switch direct from Tecsee or higher prices from resellers. As part of the mystery switches sale I purchased a bag of 92 for $15, or roughly $0.16 a switch. Even at their typical pricing I think these are a good linear switch option for most people. With their stock smoothness and regularity between switches they are a great option for people who don’t want to modify their switches. They are a good choice for stock linear switches and their unique colors may also be a fun choice for you if you want purple switches.

Overall, I think Tecsee did a great job with their Ice Grape switches. They are even between switches, delightfully smooth, and can pair with your keyboard to make a pleasant sound during typing. At the typical price range of $0.45-0.60 per switch they’re cheaper than many of the more boutique switch options but do carry a premium over the budget options like Gateron linear switches. For that, they are well-priced as a tempting option with features typical of more expensive options at a lower cost. I am very pleased with these switches and will end up using them again in the future.