Akko CS Air Switch vs Gateron KS-8
Gateron KS-8 has live pricing available right now while Akko CS Air Switch is temporarily out of stock across tracked vendors. Akko CS Air Switch actuates lighter at 48 gf, while Gateron KS-8 pushes back at 50 gf. The right pick comes down to which spec trade-offs fit your build — the pick-if grid below breaks that out in detail.
Detailed comparison
Spec-by-spec breakdown — differences highlighted in cyan.
| Spec | Akko CS Air Switch | Gateron KS-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Akko CS Air Switch | Gateron KS-8 |
| Brand | Akko | Gateron |
| Price range | — | $9.80 |
| Community score | — | — |
| Switch type | Linear | Linear |
| Stem | MX (Cherry-compatible) | MX (Cherry-compatible) |
| Pins | 3 | 5 |
| Actuation force | 48 gf | 50 gf |
| Bottom-out force | 56 gf | 60 gf |
| Pre-travel | 1.9 mm | 2 mm |
| Total travel | 4 mm | 4 mm |
| Factory lubed | — | No |
| LED slot | — | Yes |
| Housing top | Polycarbonate | Polycarbonate |
| Housing bottom | Polycarbonate | Nylon |
| Stem material | POM | POM |
| Manufacturer | — | — |
Name
- Akko CS Air Switch
- Akko CS Air Switch
- Gateron KS-8
- Gateron KS-8
Brand
- Gateron KS-8
- Gateron
Price range
- Gateron KS-8
- $9.80
Community score
Switch type
- Akko CS Air Switch
- Linear
- Gateron KS-8
- Linear
Stem
- Akko CS Air Switch
- MX (Cherry-compatible)
- Gateron KS-8
- MX (Cherry-compatible)
Pins
Actuation force
- Akko CS Air Switch
- 48 gf
- Gateron KS-8
- 50 gf
Bottom-out force
- Akko CS Air Switch
- 56 gf
- Gateron KS-8
- 60 gf
Pre-travel
- Akko CS Air Switch
- 1.9 mm
- Gateron KS-8
- 2 mm
Total travel
- Gateron KS-8
- 4 mm
Factory lubed
LED slot
- Gateron KS-8
- Yes
Housing top
- Akko CS Air Switch
- Polycarbonate
- Gateron KS-8
- Polycarbonate
Housing bottom
- Akko CS Air Switch
- Polycarbonate
- Gateron KS-8
- Nylon
Stem material
- Gateron KS-8
- POM
Manufacturer
Which should you buy?
Gateron KS-8 has live pricing available right now while Akko CS Air Switch is temporarily out of stock across tracked vendors. Akko CS Air Switch actuates lighter at 48 gf, while Gateron KS-8 pushes back at 50 gf. The right pick comes down to which spec trade-offs fit your build — the pick-if grid below breaks that out in detail.
Pick Akko CS Air Switch if
- You prefer a lighter 48gf actuation for faster keypresses
- You don't mind hand-lubing for a fully dialed-in feel
Pick Gateron KS-8 if
From $9.80
- You want a heavier 50gf actuation for deliberate typing
- You value factory lube — no modding needed out of the box
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