Best Mouse Switch – Kailh 8.0 vs Japanese Omron
If you like to mod your mouse or if you are tired of the subpar experience of Chinese Omron switches in your mouse then it is time for you to choose a different mouse switch and solder it into your mouse.
The most mainstream mouse switch that is popular currently is the Kailh 8.0 microswitch. In enthusiast circles, however, the switches that they recommend are the Japanese Omron switches (completely different from Chinese Omron).
Since I am always looking for things to try out and I have been using Kailh 8.0s in my G-Wolves HSK and Xtrfy MZ1 I have decided to solder Japanese Omrons into my HSK and compare the experiences. These are both high-quality switches that are considered premium in the mouse community so I am comparing the top-end in terms of mouse switches in this article.
Disclaimer
This is purely my subjective opinion and your experience may vary depending on your tastes. I will try to be as objective as possible but there is no way to completely avoid bias in these types of comparisons.
The Installation Process
Since this might be interesting to some of you I will also detail some of the installation process steps.
Firstly I opened up my mouse that was already heavily modded with a re-fitted paracord, Hyperglide dots and that already had Kailh 8.0s in it. I took out the PCB (no screws just clips in this model) and using a soldering iron I de-soldered the old switches and soldered in brand new Japanese Omron switches (D2F-01F).
There are different models of Japanese Omrons on the market but the D2F-01F is the most mainstream one. Something to note about these switches is that they are a bit taller than most other switches so you will have to do a bit of fitting to make them work with your mouse.
A workaround for this situation is to use the D2F-F-3-7 Japanese Omron switches which have a standard height. After assembling the mouse I started using it and drawing my conclusions regarding the Kailh 8.0 vs Japanese Omron debate.
Feel
In terms of feel which represents the clickiness and snappiness of the switches, both the 8.0s and the Japanese Omron are excellent. The difference then is the stiffness of the click itself as illustrated through the specs of the switches:
- Kailh 8.0 operating force: 65±10gf and releasing force: 25gf (Min);
- Japanese Omron operating force:75gf and releasing force: 5gf
In simple terms, this means that both switches are very clicky and snappy and have a very satisfying feel. The difference is that the Kailh 8.0 switches are stiffer while the Japanese Omron is lighter.
This makes the Japanese Omrons a lot more spammable in games like League of Legends (where you click both buttons a lot) and for those with weak fingers, a lot less fatiguing. After using the Japanese Omron for a while I would say they would win in terms of feel for me simply because they are as clicky and tactile as the Kailh 8.0s but without being as stiff as them.
If you however like the stiffness of the 8.0’s then the Japanese Omron will disappoint you with their lighter clicks.
Sound
When it comes to the way the switches sound things become even more subjective but there are clear distinctions between the 2 premium switches.
The Japanese Omron sounds a lot poppier and deeper than the Kailh 8.0’s while the 8.0’s sound a lot more high-pitched and metallic. To exemplify this I did a side-by-side test of the Kailh 8.0’s in my modded MZ1 (one of the best Kailh 8.0 implementations) and my modded HSK with Japanese Omron.
I prefer the deeper poppier sound of the Japanese Omron quite a bit more than the metallic Kailh sound so in this category the Japanese Omron wins hands down.
The thing to remember here is that in 99% of the cases you will be playing games or doing work on your PC with headphones on, so the sound of your mouse switches is not extremely important, but if you do want a better-sounding switch then get the Japanese Omron.
Sourcing the Switches
Both switches are easy to buy but since Kailh 8.0s are more popular you can find them in popular gaming online stores like MaxGaming (EU) and LGG (NA).
If you want to buy Japanese Omrons you will need to order them from AliExpress (you can buy Kailh 8.0’s here as well for cheaper) since they are harder to find in gaming stores.
Overall getting either switch is easy so you can decide purely based on which one feels or sounds better to you. One important thing I will mention again is that the D2F-01F Japanese Omron switches are a bit larger than most other switches and you will need to do some fitting or modding to get them into your mouse.
Conclusion
After some time with both switches in my subjective opinion, there is a reason why the Japanese Omron is considered king in the mouse modding community. If I had to choose between Kailh 8.0s and Japanese Omron I would take the latter.
As with everything related to feel and sound though you need to make your decision based on your tastes. Good luck with your modding!