Holy Panda Switches – How Good Are They?
If you have spent at least some time in the enthusiast keyboard community you have most likely heard of Holy Panda switches. Heck, you might be a complete newbie to the keyboard market and still could have heard about the Holy Panda switch – that’s how popular they are.
There are many opinions about the Holy Panda switches out there but the general consensus is that these are one of the best tactile mechanical switches you can get your hands on.
Well, how good are these very special switches, and are they worth your time?
What Are Holy Panda Switches?
To understand how and why these Holy Panda switches are good we need to take a look at the history of their birth. Holy Panda switches are a frankenswitch (a switch made out of different components from other mechanical switches) that uses the stem of a Halo True switch and the housing of an Invyr Panda switch.
Art by wintheart
The switch was created by Quakemz by combining said parts because he felt that separately those 2 switches were underwhelming. What he produced then ended up being a legendary tactile switch that changed the mechanical keyboard market for a long time.
The switches were so rare and good that it was normal to buy these switches for 5$ a pop – an insane market price for a mechanical keyboard switch. This should tell you how highly valued and how premium-feeling these switches were.
In time due to increased demand, the project was handed over to Drop which started manufacturing the Drop + Invyr Holy Panda switches. Drop initially used the same tooling but then switched to their own tooling still being able to retain the same feeling of a true Holy Panda switch.
Drop Holy Panda switch specs: Halo switch stems, Polycarbonate top housing, Nylon bottom housing, 67g spring, Plate mount, Style: Tactile, Stem color: Salmon
There was, of course, a lot of drama regarding this process but in time everyone, including the creator of the switch Quakemz has agreed that the Drop Holy Pandas are identical to the original Pandas so everyone lived happily ever after.
Or at least that should have been the case before the new contender entered the ring.
Holy Pandas vs Glorious Pandas
The waters calmed down but not long after, Glorious, the maker of affordable ultra-light mice decided to create their own take on the Holy Panda switches – the Glorious Panda.
Art by wintheart
The biggest benefit of the Glorious Pandas is the fact that these switches are around 0.70$ (per switch) which compared to the 1.20$ for the original Holy Pandas, and are readily available for purchase unlike the Holy Pandas (almost always sold out).
The great thing about the Glorious Panda switches is the fact that these are not a 1:1 copy but have their own, very successful spin, on what the Holy Panda switches offer. The Glorious Panda switch will feel extremely similar to the Holy Panda switch especially when lubed.
The differences are so minuscule that most people will simply be happy with the cheaper, easier to get, Glorious Panda switch.
The fun bit is that if you want to leave your switches stock and do not want to lube them at all, the Glorious Panda switches are smoother, therefore, better than the original Holy Pandas altogether.
To fully unlock the potential of Drop + Invyr Holy Panda switches you NEED to lube them.
The conclusion is simple – if you want a close enough experience just get the Glorious Panda switches, but if you care about the OG grandad of all good tactile switches then purchase the Holy Pandas.
Where to Buy Holy or Glorious Panda Switches
If you have made up your mind regarding what kind of Panda switch you would like then the last step is to order some.
Enjoy your thocky goodness!