How are switch sockets used?

Hot swap sockets come by default on most keyboards, on other keyboards you can add often add them later. The past few years, they've become the default, and with good reason: it's pretty convenient!

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Mill Max Hot Swap Sockets, available at splitkb.com.

By adding sockets to your keyboard, you can easily remove and replace your switches later on. With the great variety of switches available, chances are your preferences will change over time. If you're able to swap out your switches without desoldering, then you'll do so more quickly.

Desoldering switches isn't necessarily difficult, but it is a chore and it is something you shouldn't do more than a few times: your PCB will eventually detoriate with frequent soldering and desoldering.

Kinds of sockets

There are multiple kinds of sockets.

Kailh sockets are used by default in Halcyon Series and Aurora Series keyboards. They allow you to install either MX switches or Choc switches, and are affordable, reliable and easy to install.

Mill Max sockets are available in our store as well, and can be retrofit to kits that do not come with hot swap sockets by default, such as the Aurora Series "Choc/MX Hand solder" kits. The sockets can be inserted into the holes where the switch legs would normally go, and provide a friction-fit. These sockets are relatively expensive and finicky to install, but they're flexible and allow you to hot swap between MX and Choc on the same keyboard, instead of providing compatibility with just one kind of switch.

If you want to use Mill Max sockets to be able to hot swap between both MX and Choc switches, be sure to order 4 sockets per switch: two for the legs of the MX switch, and two more for the legs of the Choc switch. They do not use the same leg positions. Having a duplicate set of sockets installed won't negatively impact the use of either switch.