When around the mechanical keyboard communities, you must have heard people gush about the thocky keyboard sound. It is not merely a fashion or typing jargon to have fun typing sounds. To most fans, thock is the benchmark in the feel and sound of a keyboard.
Through this guide, we will make you understand what thock consists of, the characteristics of keyboards being thocky, and how to construct thocky keyboards or select the best thocky keyboard to fit your setup.
Learning about the Thocky Keyboard Sound
It is better to see the definition of what people really mean by describing a keyboard as thocky before proceeding on to materials and mods.
What "Thocky" Means in Keyboard
Just say it out loud. The word “thocky” itself mimics the exact sound it describes: a deep, cushioned thud that lands soft yet satisfying. With a thocky keyboard, bottoming out keys results in a deep, muted, and low-pitched sound. Rather than crisp clicks or deep echoes, the sound is solid, manipulated, and gratifying.
It is the type of sound that is deliberate and not loud, which is defined as "soft but solid." Thocky keyboards attract typists and those who are content creators due to their pleasant sound without being distracting, particularly when using them in a long session.
Thock vs Clack vs Creamy
Keyboard sound profiles are typically of three major groups.
- Thock is quite deep, bass-heavy, and rounded, commonly referred to as a "wooden" or "solid" sound.
- Clack is more intense, sharp, and strong, usually with the stiff plates or the thin cases.
- Creamy sits in between the two. Smooth, a little higher than thock, and with a soft, gliding sound.
The thocky keyboards are designed to reduce clack without being too soft and dull.
What Makes a Keyboard Thocky?
A keyboard does not get thocky accidentally. A number of design options interact to create the resulting sound.
1. Why Case Material Matters
The case of the keyboard serves as a sound chamber. Plastic and polycarbonate cases will absorb the vibrations, producing a deeper sound. Thocky sound can always be achieved with aluminum cases, but they usually require foam and are tuned carefully so as to avoid harsh resonance.
The more solid cases tend to make a complete sound, whereas the lighter, hollow cases would multiply the unwanted reflections.
2. Selecting Switches for Depth
Switches take up a significant part in sound character. Linear switches are also common in thocky builds due to the reduced number of high-frequency sounds.
The switches with longer stems and with softer bottom-out will often produce a deeper sound. Scratchiness is also minimized by factory-lubed switches or well-lubed switches, and contributes to maintaining a clean thock rather than a chattering noise.
3. The Impact of Keycaps
The keycaps form the sound, more than many people normally think. Thick keycaps reduce pitch, and thin keycaps produce a sharp sound.
Keycap profile also matters. Taller profiles tend to enhance the sound, and low-profile caps tend to tilt towards clack. It is equally important when it comes to material, where dense plastics are more effective at absorbing sound compared to lightweight ones. If you’re unsure which profile fits your sound goal, this guide on keycap profiles breaks down what each shape changes in feel and tone.
How to Build the Best Thocky Keyboard
Thock does not require a completely custom board, but all that is needed are some simple mods, which can radically enhance sound quality.
1. The Tape Mod Solution
The tape mod entails attaching the backs of the PCB with layers of painter's tape. This helps in minor damping of vibrations and effectively reduces sound frequencies, which assists in obtaining a more thocky profile.
It is cheap, reversible, and one of the simplest methods of minimizing hollow noise.
2. Adding Foam to Reduce Hollow Sounds
Empty-space resonance within the plate is absorbed by the foam inside the case or by the foam between the plate and the PCB. Foam inserts are also useful in even budget boards, particularly the plastic cases with huge opening pockets.
This move is sufficient to change a keyboard that is echoey to a dense and controlled one.
3. Lubricating Switches for Smoothness
Lubing switches minimizes friction and undesirable noise. With smooth keystrokes, it is possible to enjoy the bottom-out sound, which is critical to clean thocks.
In this case, stabilizers are important too. Tuned and lubed stabilizers also help to avoid rattling, which otherwise can spoil a great-sounding board.
Choosing the Best Thocky Keyboard for Your Setup
Not all people desire to construct. Luckily, there are quite a number of prebuilt boards, which are sound-oriented.
1. What to Look for In a Thocky Build
The main features that you should consider when buying thocky keyboards are keyboards with hot-swappable switches, internal dampening, and solid case construction. These characteristics provide a good option to listen to sound and adjust it as time goes by.
Connection and layout are also relevant, yet good sound is often all about interior design and not exterior amenities.
2. Picking Switches for a Deeper Sound You Like
If you want minimal effort, seek boards that come with linear or soft feel switches. Switches sold as being "smooth," "silent," or "deep-sounding" tend to be inclined towards thock instead of clack.
A premier example of this is the MelGeek Centauri (60/80) Hall Effect Gaming Keyboard. It features the flip king of magnetic white switch, which utilizes magnetic induction rather than traditional mechanical contact. Because these switches are designed for maximum stability and reduced friction, they produce an exceptionally smooth keystroke and a solid, deep acoustic profile. The unique structure of the flip king of magnetic white switch minimizes wobble, ensuring that every press results in a clean, focused sound that elevates the overall typing experience.
Furthermore, the Centauri’s hot-swap sockets allow for easy experimentation. You can swap between different magnetic switches to fine-tune the feel and sound without the need for soldering, giving you the freedom to commit to a setup only once it sounds perfect to your ears.
3. Choosing Keycaps That Support a Thocky Sound
One of the quickest upgrades available is thick and high-quality keycaps. They immediately reduce pitch and enhance typing.
The neutral or textured finishes are usually more comfortable to play in long sessions, and that is to be added to the relaxed experience that thocky keyboards are reputed to produce.
4. Budget-Friendly Paths to a Thocky Keyboard
You do not have to spend hundreds in order to enjoy thock. The simple ones are well-received by many users.
The MelGeek mechanical keyboard collection produces a number of good entry points. Some of the cheaper entry devices, such as the Modern 97 series, give the user inexpensive access to entry-level, whereas Pixel and MOJO-like boards are all about board quality, hot-swapping, and considerate design internally. Numerous MelGeek keyboards have tri-mode connectivity and configurable layouts, so they can be used as a flexible platform when constructing the best thocky keyboard experience without starting from bare components.
Conclusion
A thocky keyboard is not all about sound, but all about harmony. A combination of case material, switches, keycaps, and inner dampening provides the effect of a deliberate and gratifying typing experience.
Be it modding an existing board or picking one among the readymade thocky keyboards, the knowledge of how the sound can be shaped can make you avoid trial and error. Due to the availability of accessible, mod-friendly brands such as MelGeek, it has never been easier to build or purchase the best thocky keyboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is a thocky keyboard good for typing?
Yes. Many typists prefer thocky keyboards because the sound is less fatiguing and the keystrokes often feel smoother during long sessions.
2. What is meant by a creamy keyboard?
A creamy keyboard has a smooth, slightly higher-pitched sound than thock, often described as soft and fluid rather than deep and punchy.
3. What are the most thocky keycaps?
Thick keycaps made from dense plastic materials with taller profiles usually produce the deepest, most thocky sound.
4. Are aluminum keyboards thocky?
They can be, but aluminum cases often require foam, tape mods, and careful tuning to reduce sharp resonance.
5. How do I know if my keyboard is thocky?
If your keyboard produces a deep, muted sound with minimal echo or sharpness when typing, it fits the thocky profile.