Halo True Vs Halo Clear Switches: Which is Better?

  • Keycaps 101
  • Posted by: carson-rutz
  • Sep 17, 2022

Since both Halo True and Halo Clear are two high quality tactile switches manufactured by KaiHua, there is always debate over which one to choose.

Following such a debate, in today's post, we will analyze each of the factors in this comparison of Halo True vs Halo Clear switches based completely on all technical criteria and their performance.

Let’s dive in!

Overview of Halo True Switches

Halo True Specification

Switch type Tactile
Stem Color Salmon
Actuation force 60g
Pre-travel Distance 1.9mm
Total Travel Distance 4mm
Spring Force 100g
Hysteresis Force 35g
Halo True Switches | Ubuy
Halo True Switches | Ubuy

Halo True is developed by Jacob Alexander and offers smooth, accurate, and flexible tactile bumpy feedback with a premium feel.

The plastic stem features a salmon color and a moderate to high actuation force. Besides, there are two types of LEDs: one with a clear lens and the other with an SMD RGB LED.

If there are modifications needed, you can open the Halo True (which has a Kailh switch body) using a Kailh switch opener. It also has a 3-pin switch that is mounted on a plate.

In terms of experience, the Halo True switches offer an amazing tactile experience.

The Halo True switches are designed to outperform Cherry MX switches by having a spring that reduces resistance when you first press a key as well as prevents bottoming out as frequently.

Basically, this means that your keypresses will be incredibly smooth from start to finish, which is largely lacking in many other tactile switches because of the friction mostly on switches.

Pros

  • The switch provides a unique smooth tactile feel that cannot find in any other switch now available on the market.
  • Stems come in a variety of colors to suit your style, including salmon color.

Cons

  • When compared to other tactile switches, these are a little heavier with an actuation force of 65g.

Overview of Halo Clear Switches

Halo Clear Specification

Switch type Tactile
Stem Color Clear
Actuation force 65g
Pre-travel Distance 1.9mm
Total Travel Distance 4mm
Spring Force 78g
Hysteresis Force 40g
Halo Clear Switches | Kono Store
Halo Clear Switches | Kono Store

Another design by Jacob Alexander - Halo Clear switches that provide a satisfying and comfortable tactile experience.

The aesthetics and tactile feedback of these Kaihua switches are really excellent.

In terms of look, the sleek, translucent housing and the stem's opaque white color give these switches a classy appearance while allowing the LED light to flow through the switch and reflect off the keycaps.

Additionally, they have various appealing qualities and have been constructed with premium components and craftsmanship.

When it comes to performance, with every key press, you will experience the same constant tactile feedback thanks to Kaihua's revolutionary gold contact technology.

With its low actuation force of 65g and quiet click sound, the Halo Clear switch offers a tactile feel, unlike any other switch. Once you press a key, the tactile bump provides satisfying tactile feedback.

Furthermore, Halo Clear switches include pre-loaded features that won't activate with less pressure. This allows you to relax your fingertips on the key switches with the majority of keystrokes not being wrongly entered.

Here are brief pros and cons for these switches:

Pros

  • These switches offer excellent tactile feedback.

Cons

  • With a 65g actuation, these switches are slightly heavier than other switches.

Halo True vs Halo Clear Comparison table

Given that both Halo True Vs Halo Clear switches are produced by the same company, there aren't many differences between them in terms of specifications.

But there's a small difference in actuation force and spring that can make your typing experience vary slightly.

The following table is a technical comparison for both Halo True Vs Halo Clear switches.

  Halo True Halo Clear
Switch type Tactile Tactile
Manufacturer KaiHua KaiHua
Stem Color Salmon Clear
Tactile Peak Force 60g 65g
Pre-travel Distance 1.9mm 1.9mm
Total Travel Distance 4mm 4mm
LED Styles SMD RGB with lens SMD RGB with lens
Sound Moderate Moderate
Durability 80 million keystrokes 80 million keystrokes
Price ~$0.58 ~$0.58

In-Depth Comparison

Now, we'll analyze the above comparison table in-depth. You can get to the conclusion and understand the distinction between Halo True vs Halo Clear switches after then.

Halo True vs Halo Clear switch comparison
Halo True vs Halo Clear switch comparison

Price

Halo True vs Halo Clear are both offered at an affordable price of ~$0.58 per switch. When selling in a pack of 70/90/100 pcs, the price can vary a bit.

The price of Halo True
The price of Halo True
The price of Halo Clear
The price of Halo Clear

Sound Test

Many novice users prefer tactile switches for their keyboards as they frequently have a mild acoustic profile.

As you know, different switch types will offer different sounds. To get to know how linear, tactile, and clicky switches sound, check out this post: What are Mechanical Keyboard Switches?.

With a balanced sound, neither one is very loud or silent like Clicky switches or Linear switches.

The sound profiles of the Halo True vs Halo Clear switches are identical. When in use, they are hardly loud. They do not, however, stay quiet.

To truly experience the sound, you can also listen to both switches' noises in 2 videos we've embedded for you below:

Halo True switches sound test:

Halo Clear switches sound test:

Stem

Halo True vs Halo Clear switches feature different color stems. This is the key factor to distinguish them

Salmon stem color, a high-quality plastic substance that gives Halo True switches a solid build from the inside, is used in the construction of Halo True switches.

Two types of lens LEDs are available for Halo True switches: one has a transparent lens and the other an SMD RGB LED.

With regard to Halo Clear, its stem comes in clear color, which is a great material that allows more light to pass through the keycaps while increasing its RGB light and creating a stunning and elegant keyboard.

For a K-type, Halo Clear switches were developed to address the gap left by the absence of RGB-capable switches. The stem of these switches is quite comparable to that of the Cherry Clear switches.

Due to its excellent stem, Halo Clear switches outperform Halo True in terms of optimizing RGB lighting.

Tactile Peak Force

You can see on the comparison table above that Halo True and Halo Clear switches have different tactile peak forces, leading to the different curves in both Halo True and Halo Clear switches.

Here’s the force curve of the Halo True:

Force curve of the Halo True
Force curve of the Halo True

For Halo True, the manufacturing company states that the peak force is 60g and the actuation point is only 52g; therefore, the delta is calculated at 8g, which is a tiny curve offering you a really smooth typing experience.

Here’s the force curve of the Halo Clear:

Force curve of the Halo Clear
Force curve of the Halo Clear

Because Halo Clear switches have a peak force that is 5 g higher than Halo True switches at 65 g, you can type with additional tactile feedback while using Halo Clear switches.

The 50g actuation point and 65g peak force, however, result in a slightly more developed curve force and a delta of 15g which is comparably higher.

Switches in Halo Clear feel significantly smoother and have a tactile bounce that is more noticeable.

That's why Halo Clear switches are a bit better than Halo True.

Spring Force

There is a small difference in spring forces between Halo True vs Halo Clear switches. You can notice this difference when keys are pressed.

Halo True switches feature spring forces of about 100g, which implies springs require 100g of force to be correctly actuated.

In contrast, Halo Clear switches require a little lower spring force to operate (about 78g) than Halo True switches.

Durability

When it comes to durability, both switches are really durable with a lifespan of 80 million keystrokes. This means they can withstand a lot of forceful typing for a very long time.

Both Halo True vs Halo Clear is made of identically high-quality materials, with the exception of the color of the stem.

In reality, you will hardly encounter any problems with quality when using Halo switches.

Typing Experience

Generally, we find most tactile switches to provide a better typing experience as they offer satisfying tactile feedback without producing annoying noise that will irritate people around.

In terms of the typing experience it offers, the Halo Clears and Halo True feel extremely identical. The spring's activation in these two is the only difference.

In normal typing, it is barely audible. You wouldn't also have any trouble typing quickly.

Gaming Experience

In addition to great performance in daily typing, tactile switches are also preferred for gaming as they offer gratifyingly rough feedback.

With a 65g difference in actuation force between the two, the Halo True is heavier. When playing games, the Halo clear switches feel a little lighter to click than the Halo True switches.

Generally, these switches provide an excellent gaming experience with smooth and excellent tactile feedback. They also include a lightly lubed layer from the factory.

Related Articles

Halo True vs Halo clear: Which one should you choose?

Halo True vs Halo clear: Which one should you choose?
Halo True vs Halo clear: Which one should you choose?

With our in-depth comparison, choosing between the Halo True vs Halo Clear switches is now a breeze, right?

Both of the Halo switches have many things in common and each has its own advantages. Eventually, both of them excelled in every technological aspect.

Because different users like different types of tactile switches (some are OK with light ones, while others prefer heavy ones), it ultimately boils down to a user's personal taste and preference.

If you prefer light switches, then Halo True switches are the best way to go.

If you enjoy bulky switches with clear stems for improved RGB and a more tactile bouncy feel, then don't go further than Halo Clear switches.

Due to several exceptional specifications and features, we would like to recommend using Halo Clear switches for better overall performance.

Besides Halo True and Halo Clear, we’ve also listed The best tactile switches for your mechanical keyboard in another post. Check it out now!

Conclusion

So, we’ve just ended a detailed comparison: Halo True vs Halo Clear switches to come to the conclusion of which one is better.

Unquestionable, both switches are top-notch with excellent performance, which is why we have ranked them in our list of the finest tactile switches.

Now you will surely be able to find out which one is best suited for you. We hope you find this post useful for you.

Thanks for reading!

FAQs

Are Halo true and Halo clear stems the same?

No. Halo True has a salmon-colored stem while Halo clear has a transparent stem.

What kind of switches is Halo clears?

Tactile switches.

Are Halo True switches heavy?

In comparison to typical tactile switches, Halo Trues are a bit heavier with a 100g spring.

Are Halo Clear switches loud?

Halo Clear offers a moderate sound, that is not too loud compared to clicky switches.

Are Halo Trues better for gaming than Halo clears?

It comes down to your taste. However, for better performance, we recommend using Halo Clear.

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