Mechanical Keyboard Sound Isn't That Simple
Figure 1: I couldn't think of a more literal way to represent this article if I tried... Looking back just a few years ago, there’s no doubt that the huge influx of people that joined the hobby at the peak of the COVID pandemic were drawn to keyboards by way of YouTube, TikTok, and other audio-visual content platforms. Even as the output from these content creators has waned in recent months, their collective impact and legacy on the keyboard hobby is rather firmly etched in the history books. As a result of all of their sound tests, build logs, and opinion videos, the message is clear to any new person joining the hobby: mechanical keyboards are all about the sound. Thock this, clack that. Whether it’s keyboards, keycaps, or even singular switches, seemingly everyone new to the hobby meticulously pores over each component of their keyboard not in an attempt to figure out how it will feel in hand, but how it will sound as they’re furiously grinding their way out from...
Mar 27, 2024
Various reviews in China, including several that took the switches apart, showed that the switch is a virtual 1 to 1 clone of a Cherry switch, albeit with some parts "improved".
The switch is labelled either Zorro or Zoero, too small to read. In China it's either referred to as Z Switch, ZT Switch, 佐罗 (Zuoluo) Switch, or just Zorro Switch.
All the Chinese sources say this is manufactured by 鑫钻 XinZuan but no factory was ever named in full. However, given that this name is fairly unique, I was able to locate the company in Wenzhou, China. Its full name is
温州鑫钻精密轴有限公司 Wenzhou XinZuan Precision Switch Company
This company is unknown outside of China. It apparently however, was a pretty famous OEM, and believed to have previously made yellow Rapoo switches for Rapoo, another peripheral brand famous in China but virtually unknown outside of it. This seem to be their attempt to make their own brand like Kailh and Gateron did, but they are so low-key about it, they don't even seem to have their own website, in English or Chinese.
So I honestly have no idea who came up with the name HKL... Why not just called it Zorro Switch like everybody else?
Here's a Chinese review site taking apart a Z switch and comparing it to an authentic Cherry switch.
http://www.inwaishe.com/article-1953-1.html