KiiwiAlpaca switch sound
Hear the Alpaca switch sound on Mac: it plays in your browser as you type below. A smooth linear with no bump and no click, known in the keyboard community for a clean, rounded thock. Recorded from a real board.
Type the words below. Headphones make the difference obvious.
What it sounds like
Alpacas became a community favourite for how evenly they travel: nothing interrupts the press between the top and the bottom, so the sound is almost all bottom-out. What you hear is a soft, rounded thock rather than a sharp clack.
It is one of the switches people most often weigh against the NovelKeys Cream when choosing a first premium linear. Play the two back to back below.
At a glance
Compared with
NovelKeys Cream
A linear made entirely of POM, a self lubricating plastic, with a deep, full bodied sound.
Turquoise Tealios
Zeal's 67g Turquoise Tealios: an exceptionally smooth linear with a bright tone.
Cherry MX Red
Cherry's light 45cN linear, the classic smooth switch in gaming keyboards, recorded on ABS keycaps.
Keep exploring
Hear it side by side NovelKeys Cream vs Alpaca
More linear switches Banana Split, Cherry MX Black, Cherry MX Speed Silver, Gateron Black
Choosing an app Kiiwi vs Klack, more switch vs switch pairs
Questions
What does the Alpaca switch sound like?
Alpacas became a community favourite for how evenly they travel: nothing interrupts the press between the top and the bottom, so the sound is almost all bottom-out. What you hear is a soft, rounded thock rather than a sharp clack.
Is the Alpaca loud?
On the quieter side. A linear has no bump and no click, so almost all of the sound is the key bottoming out.
Which switches sound similar to the Alpaca?
The closest in Kiiwi are the NovelKeys Cream, Turquoise Tealios and Cherry MX Red. NovelKeys Cream: A linear made entirely of POM, a self lubricating plastic, with a deep, full bodied sound. Turquoise Tealios: Zeal's 67g Turquoise Tealios: an exceptionally smooth linear with a bright tone. Cherry MX Red: Cherry's light 45cN linear, the classic smooth switch in gaming keyboards, recorded on ABS keycaps.
Can I get the Alpaca sound on my Mac?
Yes. Kiiwi plays this recording, key-up sound included, under the keyboard you already own, in every app, from the menu bar. It works on Apple silicon and Intel Macs with macOS 14 or later, and it's a one-time purchase.
Get the Alpaca sound on your Mac
Kiiwi has all 36 packs, this one included, and plays them under the keyboard you already own, in every app, from the menu bar. It needs macOS 14 or later, costs $4.99 once, and hears that a key was pressed, never what you typed.
Download for macOS