Kailh Choc V2 Switches: How to Choose Among 21 Low-Profile Options
Introduction
For low-profile mechanical keyboards, Kailh Choc V2 is the switch standard with the widest selection today. Not long ago the choice came down to a few classic colors. Through 2026, Lofree collaborations, Kailh's silent Deep Sea series and Choc V2-compatible switches from other makers have arrived one after another, and picking one has become harder.
This guide sorts the 21 Choc V2 switches in KeyLab DB into silent linears, linears, tactiles and clickies. The lead switch is the silent linear Kailh Choc V2 Pink Island, which the person who runs KeyLab DB has used for a long time.
The short answer
| If you want... | Start with |
|---|---|
| Quiet and as light as possible | Pink Island (35gf). For shallower and lighter still, Purple Iris (30gf) |
| Quiet, but not too light | Deep Sea Silent Linear (43gf), Lofree Void / Hades (40gf) |
| A quiet tactile | Deep Sea Silent Tactile (45gf) |
| A firmer linear, noise is fine | White Rain (50gf), Lofree Ghost (50gf, full POM) |
| A clear click | Hide Mountain (50gf) |
Choc V1 vs. Choc V2
Kailh's low-profile switches come in two generations, and their keycaps are not interchangeable.
| Item | Choc V1 | Choc V2 |
|---|---|---|
| Stem | Narrow, proprietary stem | Cross-shaped stem like MX, with a round dust wall |
| Keycaps | V1-only (MBK and others) | Cross-stem keycaps (MX-compatible keycaps also fit) |
| Hot-swap | Shared socket | Shared socket, but the housing is slightly taller |
The hot-swap socket is shared, but because the V2 housing is a little taller, not every keyboard designed for V1 accepts V2 switches. When choosing a keyboard, check that its switch support lists "Choc V2".
Note that the Kailh Choc Round (Red / Brown / Blue) belongs to the V1 family. Having "Choc" in the name does not make it a V2 switch.
Specs
Based on KeyLab DB data as of September 29, 2026. "—" means not listed.
Almost all of them share a 2.8mm total travel, with actuation between 35gf and 50gf. Only the Purple Iris and Saker Mini have a short 1.8mm travel, which feels clearly different from the rest.
By type
Silent linears
Low-profile keyboards have thin cases, and bottoming out tends to resonate. If you carry your keyboard to cafés or meeting rooms, a silent linear is the natural place to start.
The Pink Island is light at 35gf, the lightest silent linear among 2.8mm Choc V2 switches. The retailer says dual silicone dampening keeps the sound down. Because it is so light, it may not suit people who rest their fingers heavily on the keys.
The Deep Sea Silent Linear from the same series is a little heavier at 43gf, for people who want quiet but find very light switches cause typos.
Jezail Funder's Mist sits between the two at 37gf. We covered it in Featured Switch: Mist Switch.
JezailFunder
The Purple Iris is light and shallow at 30gf with 1.8mm total travel. The short stroke means less finger movement, closer to typing on a laptop.
One caution: the Purple Iris has a shorter stem than other Choc V2 switches, so the same keycap sits lower on it. The person who runs KeyLab DB has used it, and mixing it with other Choc V2 switches leaves the keys at uneven heights.
Lofree's Void and Hades are both 40gf silent linears. They were made for Lofree's Flow keyboards, but work in any keyboard with Choc V2 sockets.
Linears
If noise is not a concern, the choice opens up. The standard pick is the White Rain (50gf), the stock switch on many low-profile keyboards such as the Chosfox Init40 and EPOMAKER LUMA40.
The Ghost from the Lofree × Kailh Shadow series is also a 50gf linear, with both stem and housing made of POM. For something lighter, choose from the 37–40gf Taro Ice Cream Mini, Spring Mini, Lofree Surfer and Specter.
Tactiles
The Black Cloud (45gf) is the standard Choc V2 tactile. The Shadow series Phantom (45gf) has the same weight in full POM. For a lighter bump, there are the Winter Mini (38gf) and Lofree Pulse (40gf). For a quiet tactile, the Deep Sea Silent Tactile is the only option.
Clickies
The Hide Mountain (50gf) is the standard choice, alongside the Summer Mini at the same weight and the lighter 40gf Autumn Mini. Low-profile keyboards already carry sound well, so clickies are best where nobody else is around.
From the editor: a year with the Pink Island at the office
The person who runs KeyLab DB has used the Pink Island for work at the office for about a year. It started out on a Kizzi i75v2 and moved over when they switched to an ATK Yogo 75 Pro. Today the i75v2 runs Mist switches and the Yogo 75 Pro runs the Pink Island.
The reason for choosing it: for office use, being quiet enough not to disturb anyone nearby was a must. It is paired with FYNMI low-profile PBT keycaps (a white, Mac-style colorway with dye-sublimated legends), and the combination works very well.
The one drawback is that it is too light for keys other than letters. Those keys use the slightly heavier Deep Sea Silent Linear (43gf, sold by some retailers as the Islet) from the same series instead. Both are silent linears, so it stays just as quiet while only the weight changes from key to key, and it has cut down on typos.
Keyboards that take Choc V2
Among 40% keyboards in KeyLab DB, these three support hot-swapping Choc V2 switches:
- Chosfox Init40 (row-staggered, 42 keys), covered in Featured Keyboard: Chosfox Init40
- Chosfox Geonix48 Rev2.5 (ortholinear, 47 keys)
- EPOMAKER LUMA40 (47 keys)
Chosfox
For split low-profile keyboards, see Low-Profile Split Keyboards Compared.
Summary
Choc V2 switches cluster around 2.8mm total travel and 35–50gf actuation, so filter first by whether you need silence, then by weight. For quiet and light, start with the Pink Island. For quiet and a little firmer, the Deep Sea Silent Linear. For a solid linear, the White Rain.
Explore more
- Browse Kailh Choc V2 switches on KeyLab DB
- Browse low-profile keyboards
- Six Recommended Silent Linear Switches
References
FAQ
- Are Choc V1 and Choc V2 keycaps interchangeable?
- No. Choc V1 uses its own narrow stem, while Choc V2 uses the same cross-shaped stem as MX switches, so keycaps cannot be swapped between the two.
- Can I put Choc V2 switches in a standard (MX-compatible) keyboard?
- No. Choc V2 is designed for Kailh low-profile sockets, and its pin layout does not match MX-compatible hot-swap sockets.
- Which silent Choc V2 switch is the lightest?
- In KeyLab DB, the Kailh Purple Iris (30gf actuation, 1.8mm total travel) is the lightest. Among switches with the usual 2.8mm travel, the Kailh Choc V2 Pink Island (35gf) is the lightest silent linear. Note that the Purple Iris has a shorter stem than other Choc V2 switches, so keys sit lower.
- Is the Kailh Choc Round a Choc V2 switch?
- No. The Choc Round series (Red / Brown / Blue) belongs to the Choc V1 family. Check the socket your keyboard supports before buying.
