Switch: Kailh Fried Egg

If there ever was a switch that matched the name, the Kailh Fried Egg is it! Just look at it—the yolk in the middle hardened up under heat with the whites surrounding it settled. In fact, this goes beyond the color scheme as the actual feel of the body and stem is different from the norm. The white sections are almost chalky, with POM again used for the top cover and bottom base pieces. The yellow stem guide is smoother but not glossy to the touch, with a shine similar to a perfectly round egg yolk when the light hits it just right. This is a 5-pin, linear BOX Silent switch characterized by the round column around the cross-point stem. The newer BOX Hush did steal some of the thunder since it is a v3 BOX Silent switch and the Fried Egg is v2. Kailh also fell prey to its own marketing in more ways than one, with a "30 dB" loudness rating on the Fried Egg and the newer, quieter BOX Hush tested and certified to be under 35 dB assembled with keycaps. Yes, the testing conditions are not mentioned, so both of those numbers can be accurate. Either way, don't go in expecting these to be quieter than the BOX Hush. Note also the missing light guide post, with the Fried Egg switches opting for a more standard recess for different LED implementations and minimal diffusion.


Disassembly shows a lot in common with the Kailh Red Bean Pudding switch, as this is also a Master Series BOX switch. You will have the same, excellent BOX design with the lubed active block peeking through, though it's brown rather than the lime green from before. The top cover mold is similarly functional with guide rails for the stem, and the spring is once again shorter. It is the stem that differs the most, with two sets of silicone dampers (called silent cotton for some reason) on the top and bottom to reduce upstroke and downstroke impact and noise. We immediately see where the BOX Hush has improved in having a larger silicone mat integrated on the base itself. Actuation is otherwise the same as before, with the two linear switches behaving as expected.


Installation of the Kailh Fried Egg switches follows the same steps as before, and this is the second time in a row now that I have actually had no bent pins out of the bag or after removing them post testing. Not bad at all! In the absence of different keycaps, and still sad about my original plan having been foiled, I didn't bother with photos including the Akko PBT keycaps here.


This is the force-travel curve for the Kailh Fried Egg switches courtesy Kailh. We already saw how this is another linear switch, just with dampers on the stem. These are medium-force linear switches with a total travel of 3.6 +/-0.3 mm instead of the usual 4.0 mm, and a rated actuation distance of 1.8 +/-0.4 mm as opposed to the average switch at 2.0 mm. Rated actuation force is 42 gf, with peak force rated at 60 gf, which you will hit when bottoming out and letting go. As far as the rated specifications go, this switch is similar to the Red Bean Pudding switch in terms of the shorter overall travel, but actuation force is slightly lower and peak force slightly higher. You will still likely bottom out, which is why Kailh added dampers. These are similar in travel to the Red Bean Pudding switches except of course for the slightly mushy experience when hitting the silicone dampers.


Here is what this specific combination sounds like and as expected, I did bottom out even when trying not to. In this case, the whole purpose of getting BOX Silent switches is to dampen upstroke and downstroke noise compared to the previous Red Bean Pudding switches, so have at it. It does a decent job lowering the pinging off the steel plate as well, but I have to say that the "thunder" of the Fried Egg switch was stolen by the BOX Hush. Now if we get a Fried Egg design with the BOX Hush internals, I might well buy a set myself! For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches.