GMMK Compact 'Coffee Shop' Switch Suggestion

This is good to know. I’ll try stock and see how they sound/feel. Thanks!

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Yeah, this hobby can become a time/money pit if you let it. I’m always staring at product pages and telling myself I don’t need another set of switches/caps. My big problem is, I have loads of free time and modding switches is a great time killer. I think I’ve built keyboards for 2 friends and my wife at this point, just because I enjoy sitting here listening to music and mindlessly working on something.

Before you spend too much money on more switches (hypocrite here because I just bought 200 Tecsee switches for other builds), have you tried using o-rings on the Glorious Pandas? You can use 1.5mm-2.5mm 40A O-rings on the switches to make almost any switch dead quiet. The O-ring dampens the sound the keycap makes with the switch body.

I convinced a coworker to try O-rings on his GMMK Pro with speed silver switches and he really likes that setup.


2.5 mm 40A O-ring


2.5 mm 40A O-ring on Kailh Pro Purple switch


Top-view of the O-ring under a keycap


Side-view of the O-ring under a keycap

As an aside: I need to try the U4Ts, myself. I’ve heard good things about the switch (less so about the switch designer, Gazzew :unamused:)

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@ghammock79 I’ve never tried O-rings before. I heard from someone a few years back that they inhibit the travel of the switch and I took him at face value since I didn’t have any reason not to believe him. I guess subconsciously that’s made me always gravitate away from O-rings.

When I read your reply I immediately thought: ‘nope–not worth trying’…and now I’m like…‘wait a minute–what basis do I actually have to think that?!’

As I’m learning the ins and outs of this hobby I’m realizing just how crazy subjective it all is. I’ll add ‘test O-rings to see if you like them’ to my 2023 hobby list :wink:

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No, @ghammock79 is 100% right. O-rings are a great way to take the noise of a switch down a notch, and soften the bottom out on key stroke.

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I agree with all the mentions of O-rings and apologize for not thinking of them earlier. From my view it’s a little softer than I would like but still a great and cheaper alternative to new switches.

Either way if you have the U4s on the way I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

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Edit: ordered U4 silent tactiles not U4ts…U4T was a typo
Still waiting on the U4 silent tactiles.…but I had the day off work this morning and built up my GMMK barebones. Swapped the stabs for a set of G-lubed GSV2s. I lubed a set of Lynx switches and put a mix of the arctic white and olive GPBT keycaps onto a white ice with a gold rotary knob.

I have to say–I dislike the stock lubed Fox on my GMMK 2 with a burning passion. They are impossible to type with (at least for me).

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the lubed Lynx switches I installed this morning. This is the first ever linear switch I have actually been able to type with. So happy. My only complaint is that compared to the rest of the board my spacebar sounds like a hammer. No rattle–just a huge thock when it bottoms out compared to every other key. I’m assuming I over or underlubed the stab :thinking:

I spent days agonizing on whether or not to put the Lynx into my Pro or another set of Pandas…since I primarily use my Pro at home for gaming I went with the Lynx (My wife also influenced me by saying the pandas I have on my compact currently are too loud :innocent:)

Edit: I’m pretty sure the Fox and Lynx are identical except for the clear housing and factory lube…so I’m assuming the factory lube of the fox is what I dislike because they feel very mushy compared to the Lynx, which after a very light lube this morning feel incredibly crisp and snappy!

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I’m really hoping you ordered U4 and not the U4T. While the U4T is a wonderful switch, the coffee shop occupants will have a differing opinion.

Typo. I ordered the silent tactile U4. Edited original.

@ThatGuy I just purchased your suggested micro cutter. Thanks!

The U4 Boba Silent Tactile 68g (black non-transparent housing) came in the mail today from RNDKGB in Canada.

Used a flush cutter to snip off the posts. Fun fact: a large clear glass Pyrex mixing bowl is a great way to snip these without the posts flying all over the place. I put a pile of switches on top of a mousepad underneath an upside down Pyrex mixing bowl. I then slipped my arms under the bowl so I could see what I was doing. I snipped every switch this way and it kept 95% of the posts inside the bowl and I didn’t need to use safety glasses!

Anyway–these switches are exactly what I’m after. This board is very quiet…quieter than my squishy laptop…and the keys still have a heavy actuation, which I prefer. I don’t feel the bump I’ve grown accustomed to with the Pandas but I’m still thrilled with how they feel. I’m sure they’d be even a bit quieter if I went 62g, but I am very happy with how it turned out.

Also, I learned what I already knew, but ignored, and now I’m regretting it: not all keycaps are created equal. Took a chance on a set of cheap caps on Amazon and couldn’t stand them. They were loud, felt like sandpaper, and the printing quality was awful. So I decided to use my recent eBay purchase and throw on some renewed Glorious GPBT Black Ash caps.

Super happy with this. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this discussion. I am eager to get to a coffee shop and get writing!

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Super happy to hear you’re enjoying the U4 Boba’s @Meinate.

That’s great! Happy we could give some useful advice. The U4s are something of their own class from my experience.

I hope you find enjoyment every time you sit down to type!

That’s a beautiful keyboard. I’m glad you’ve got something that suits your need and looks great while doing it. Plus you get that added benefit of “I did this myself”.

I really like the stealthy look those caps give the board.

gald your enjoying those switches yeah a sharper bump is weird to get used to thats a great jkeyboard to fit the coffee theme if these drop again


these would perfect for your keyboard

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@rice what keycaps are those? I like them a lot! were they a group buy?

It looks like GMK Café or Infinikey Café.

Edit: looking further, that particular image appears to be IFK Café, based solely off the enter key and arrow cluster color.

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IFK cafe i know gmk has done them as well. after marktet is expensive you can only really hope for another keycap company to pick up this design as well

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It’s generally not up to if another company wants to pick it up, they have to work with the designer to release it, unless they want to get laughed out of existence (or are some shady clone vendor). If the designer has no interest in running again, that’s generally the end of it. The same designer did both the GMK and IFK releases.