Head to head · both bought and tested

Ferrule 75 vs Vellum TKL

Both tested here, side by side: measured sound, latency and typing scores for the Ferrule 75 and the Vellum TKL, and which one to buy.

The Ferrule 75 scores 1.8 higher overall and costs $89 against $68. Almost anyone buying their first good keyboard, and most people buying their third. Buy the other one if: someone who uses a default layout, never remaps, and wants gasket-mount feel cheaply.

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Ferrule 75	Vellum TKL	Difference
Build	8.0	7.5	+0.5 to Ferrule 75
Typing feel	8.5	7.5	+1.0 to Ferrule 75
Sound	8.0	7.0	+1.0 to Ferrule 75
Stabilisers	8.5	7.5	+1.0 to Ferrule 75
Software	9.5	2.0	+7.5 to Ferrule 75
Value	9.0	6.0	+3.0 to Ferrule 75
Overall	8.5	6.7	+1.8 to Ferrule 75

Measured

Figure	Ferrule 75	Vellum TKL	Difference
Sound	54.6 dB	56.1 dB	1.5 dB quieter to Ferrule 75
Latency, wired	4.1 ms	7.8 ms	3.7 ms faster to Ferrule 75
Polling	1,000 Hz	500 Hz	500 Hz higher to Ferrule 75
Actuation	55.9 g	56.1 g	-0.2 g — preference, not better
Case flex	2.4 mm	2.6 mm	-0.2 mm — softer, not better

Specifications

Specification	Ferrule 75	Vellum TKL	Difference
Price	$89	$68	$21 cheaper — Vellum TKL
Layout	75%	TKL (87-key)	—
Switches	Tactile — Gateron Brown Pro	Tactile — Gateron Brown Pro	—
Hot-swap	Yes	Yes	—
Mount	Gasket mount	Gasket mount	—
Plate	PC (polycarbonate)	FR4	—
Connectivity	Wired USB-C, 2.4 GHz dongle, Bluetooth	Wired USB-C, Bluetooth	—
Remapping	VIA	None	—
Weight	940 g	900 g	—

Shape and footprint

Ferrule 75

75% — 82 keys, 16u wide. A real function row on top of the 65% shape — the densest layout that still has F-keys. Highlighted keys are what this layout adds over the next size down.

Vellum TKL

TKL (87-key) — 87 keys, 18.25u wide. Standard layout minus the numpad. Spaced clusters, so muscle memory transfers from a full-size.

Where to buy

The full reviews

Everything above is a summary of two longer reviews — including the flaws, the long-term notes and the photographs. Ferrule 75 · Vellum TKL