All I can say that this switch (Halo True) are uniquely good, the switch has a really good "clack" sound, it is smooth too out of the box, the springs are heavy but not heavy enough to stop a heavy typer like me from bottoming out (BOTTOMING OUT FEELS GREAT, SOUNDS GREAT) also I noticed that you feel most if the tactility on the upstroke since the tactility starts at the top of the switch so there is no travel, basically the top of the bump is at when you start to press the switch, so you don't feel it as much as when you slowly let go of the switch, it's a weird but good feeling that's hard to describe, you have to feel it yourself and say "oh, that's different" because that's what my reaction is when I got my hands on these Halos.
Edit: I made some Holy Panda from these switches, hands down THE BEST tactile switches I have ever laid my hands on! I would suggest getting these or the Halo Clears and hunt for some Panda in the secondary market, might cost you a bit tho.
Decent tactiles, but that's not what these were used for.
Perhaps you are familiar with the Holy Panda switch. If not, it is a so-called "frankenswitch" which features the housing from a YOK Panda switch and the stem from a Halo Clear or Halo True switch, yielding some of the best tactile switches in the world.
Halo switches are decent in their own selves, though. They're ok tactiles for daily use. They're not the quietest or the greatest in terms of tactility, but they're not bad at all. However, if you want to go that extra mile, get a pack of Panda switches and get to frankenswitching.
I got both, I found the clears have a higher initial resistance which made the actuation point more obvious, but they bottom out much easier, the trues had less tactility and less initial force, but the bottom out resistance was noticeably stronger. They are quite similar yes, but not identical, and the color of the stem has nothing to do with the led transmission, thats only the housing which is the same for both.
Also, lube them, they get much quieter and the actuation becomes much more clear to the hand.
I've got Halo Trues on my main 'travelling' keyboard that goes with me into the office, but this week I took a newly built ALT with the Halo Clears that I took off another ALT. I am absolutely no connoisseur when it comes to the subtle variations of switches, but I could feel the difference. I'm not sure it matters, the way I mash the keys, but I have a sense that I could type faster with the clears than the trues. I have no idea whether this is the case, and I'm not going to do any experiments, but that's what the lighter feeling gave me.
This was my first experience putting together a custom keyboard. Maybe I have very shaky hands or maybe I just suck in general but nobody warned me how many pins I was going to bend, and need to straighten and re-mount! I do like how the switches feel, but I don't believe they come pre-lubed and I wonder if that would make the typing action a bit smoother. I am tempted to try to take these apart to lube + film or even make frankenswitches, tho given my struggles so far I am not sure that would be wise!
Decent as-is, or as parts for making frankenswitches
as-is they were still pretty good with my keyboard, but down the line i used these for frankenswitches (pandas), which was pretty good too.
in this day and age however, there's so many variations of switches, and switch makers have gotten good at their processes (especially things like prelubing) that it's starting to be worth to get your switches straight from them instead.. saves a lot of time and effort building them.
These switches are amazing, though I still have not tried holly pandas.
When lubed these switches sound creamy and slightly linear (I lubed with krytox 205).
When not lubed these switches sound much clickier and metallic.
I love these switches!!! I have had them on a PLANCK for a couple months now and they have quickly become part of my favorite go to keyboard. I find that I like them more when they are lubed, I have not tried film mostly b/c I like the way the sound already but Im sure one could make them quieter with film. I recommend these if you want a tactile switch with a little more push back.