Switch: Gazzew Boba U4T

We now get to why you are mostly here, and what better way to begin than with the most popular of the Gazzew switches, at least based on the discussions I have seen online. I asked for 70 of each of the four Gazzew switches used in this article, which allows for enough to use on the Re-defined 68 kit, including a couple to spare for disassembly and further testing. The Boba U4T is a heavy-duty tactile switch that might be jarring to those coming from other tactile switches, such as the Cherry MX Brown, and it certainly is heavy-duty in build and composition, too. I mentioned before how Gazzew prides himself on DIY component sourcing and assembly, which means there have been updates to his switch lineup over the years. The currently available U4T comes in two spring options of 62g and 68g for bottoming-out and peak force, and I have the former here.

Note also that the Boba U4T comes in both RGB and non-RGB flavors, with the former using a clear top to make the most of the backlighting from SMD LEDs underneath, which these switches work with best. I have the white top version here, which is the standard variant that is also referred to as the "pearl top," and it matches the white base as well. A mustard-yellow spring greets us in the middle that adopts the expected Cherry MX crosspoint stem design for added keycap compatibility. I noticed right away that assembly tolerance is tight, and the selected components are matched very well to where there is no perceived switch wobble with these switches. These also happen to be 5-pin switches, so make sure you have a 5-pin switch socket for hot-swapping if you don't fancy clipping off the two extra plastic pins on the bottom.


Disassembly of the Gazzew Boba U4T reveals the inner workings of the Outemu components that make up the switch, and the composition itself is typical of such switches, with the top having rails on the side the stem travels on. These are the contact surfaces recommended for lubing on Boba switches, if at all, as opposed to the stem itself. You can lube these yourself or go with pre-lubed options from vendors. The stem is quite smooth to the touch, and the bump design is indicative of the early tactile feedback coming your way. The spring, which is the lighter of the two available options with these switches, came pre-lubed at the very bottom touching the base. The actuation mechanism is no different from the usual thus, with the stem pushing the two copper contacts together to complete the circuit that is then read by the onboard microcontroller.


Using the Boba U4T switches with the MARVODIY Re-defined 68 is quite simple, especially considering the socket is compatible with 5-pin switches out of the box; thus, you do not need to clip off two plastic pins per switch. All you have to do is ensure the metal pins are straight before aligning them with the switch-socket openings and pressing down vertically until you hit a solid wall. If you go at an angle or the pins are slightly off-centered, or angled, you might encounter resistance sooner or even hear the scrunching of the pins being bent or crumpled further. Once done, the switches look quite fitting with the white top and base against the white plate itself, and the mustard-yellow stems come off as "egg yolks" similar to what we saw with the Kailh Fried Egg switches. When removing the switches, just be careful lest you scratch the matte plate surface using the switch remover tool provided with the kit.


Seen above is what I thought was the default key layout with the MARVODIY Re-defined 68 based on some media photos seen online. Turns out that was not the case after all, which is a good thing since the Pause, Pg Up, Pg Dn, and End combination is a weird choice for the four extra keys on the right. What is not good necessarily is that the default configuration actually just replaces Pause with Tilde (~), so it's still an acquired choice that is thankfully re-mappable via software. The keycap set works quite well in accommodating the 65% form factor, including the 1u keys to the right of the space bar and shorter R.Shift key. The colorway works well enough on this neutral case design with the barely visible silver case frame, although the lighter green keycaps do not meld in as well in my opinion. A look from the side shows the XDA profile, which is lower in height and fairly flat compared to the more common keycap profiles and can be somewhat confusing with some keycaps that have vertically mirrored legends. It otherwise has a larger contact surface for typing with gently rounded corners and minimal contouring on this five-row keyboard.

There is no factory-provided force-travel curve for any of the Gazzew Boba switches, which makes sense given the whole DIY sourced and assembled nature of the same. Indeed, with the switches also coming in multiple spring options, it is even harder to provide a single take that encompasses the switches as a whole. I have here the 62g version, which means these switches have a bottoming out force of 62 gf. These are also highly tactile with a D-shaped bump, with pre-travel quite early at ~0.3 mm before you hit the tactile bump, which then makes for a switch similar to the Akko CS Sponge and Kailh Polia, but with the tactile bump is pronounced enough to leave a strong impression throughout the down and upstroke alike. What also helps is the smoother linear travel segments either side of the actuation itself at ~1.9 mm, with a total travel path of closer to 3.2 mm owing to the longer stem pole. This makes the Boba U4T a medium-force tactile switch with early pre-travel and minimal post-bump travel, so while it's not necessarily to my particular tastes, I can certainly understand its appeal.


Here is what this specific combination sounds like, and keep in mind that the sound profile is heavily influenced by everything. Even the plastic case matters, with cases out of acrylic, wood, or aluminium changing things drastically as well. The presence or absence of sound-dampening foam is also quite the factor, which is why it's best to compare switches with the same case, plate, and keycap set combination. I can tell you right away that these switches sound very good in person, and the "thockier" nature of these switches drives sales more than the tactile bump, which other switches can provide. The silicone and foam pieces in the kit add positively to the experience, as does the PBT keycap set, but the unlubed, relatively inferior stabilizers unfortunately take away from the enjoyable experience. There is certainly scope for improvement thus, although I suspect the average customer of these will likely pair them with a higher-end kit to begin with. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with tactile switches.