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- <p class="p">
+ <section id="update_even_better_switches" class="section">
+ <header class="section-header header separate">
+ <h2 id="update_even_better_switches-title" class="section-title h h2">Update, Even Better Switches</h2>
+ </header>
+
+ <div class="section-content">
+
+ <p class="p">
+ This section is an update to this article on <strong class="strong">2026/03/16</strong>.
+ I have ordered some new switches, called <a href="https://www.gateron.com/products/gateron-ks-33-low-profile-red-silent-20-mechanical-switches-set?VariantsId=11458" class="link external">Gateron KS-33 Low Profile Silent 2.0 Mechanical Switch</a>, and I found those switches to be far superior for my purposes.
+ </p>
+
+ <img src="images/news/2026/2026_03_11/08-gateron_pi_keyboard-600.png" alt="Updated PI 500+ Keyboard with some keys removed showing Gateron Silent Red switches." title="Updated PI 500+ Keyboard with some keys removed showing Gateron Silent Red switches." class="image content center margin-1rem border-2px">
+
+ <p class="p">
+ At this point I have 3 different switches that I have experienced.
+ The first are the original, and very annoying, (grey colored) KS-33 Low Profile Blue switches.
+ The second are the ones that I bought to closely match the original as much as possible (minus the noise), the KS-33 Low Profile Red switches.
+ The third are the much more preferred, KS-33 Low Profile Silent 2.0 Red switches.
+ </p>
+
+ <img src="images/news/2026/2026_03_11/09-gateron_pi_keyboard-444.png" alt="All three different switches, side by side." title="All three different switches, side by side." class="image content center margin-1rem border-2px">
+
+ <p class="p">
+ The image shows that the first two have this thick, extended, surface area on the left and right side of the colored button part of the switch.
+ The third completely lacks this extended surface area on the button part of the switch.
+ There is also slightly less material, especially around the corners, of the third switch.
+ Not only does this reduce the weight, but I suspect that this also contributes to the reduced sound.
+ </p>
+
+ <p class="p">
+ I soldered the new switches in place and then I tested them out.
+ Wow!
+ They are far more quiet.
+ In fact, I think they are quieter than the switches of the previous, non-mechanical, keyboards.
+ I suspect the rubber o-rings that I manually added to the underside of the key caps does help some.
+ Those rubber o-rings did not, however, help enough in reducing the sound for the previous switches.
+ </p>
+
+ <p class="p">
+ But wait, there is more!
+ I still had some light in the power button <abbr title="Light Emitting Diode">LED</abbr> leaking through despite the electrical tape added between the <abbr title="Light Emitting Diode">LED</abbr> and the switch.
+ I discovered that there is a second <abbr title="Light Emitting Diode">LED</abbr> on the other side of the keyboard.
+ Adding electrical tape there also greatly reduced the light.
+ </p>
+
+ <p class="p">
+ These new silent switches have a black base.
+ This black base, of course, further reduces the light.
+ I can clearly see improvements regarding the reduced brightness when using the caps-lock button.
+ I intentionally left the caps-lock <abbr title="Light Emitting Diode">LED</abbr> unblocked so that I can easily tell when that annoying button is switched on.
+ </p>
+
+ <img src="images/news/2026/2026_03_11/10-gateron_pi_keyboard-600.png" alt="Underside of the keyboard with the new switches added but not soldered in." title="Underside of the keyboard with the new switches added but not soldered in." class="image content clear center margin-1rem border-2px">
+ </div>
+
+ <p class="p">
+ This recent update to my keyboard has left me feeling warm and fuzzy.
+ No loud noise and little to no annoying lights.
+ The <strong class="strong">Raspberry PI 500+ Keyboard</strong> is now worth using on a regular basis.
+ </p>
+ </section>
+
+ <p class="p clear">
<strong class="strong">Kevin Day</strong>
</p>
</div>
projects / kevux.org-website / commitdiff
