Head to head · both bought and tested
Sable 104 vs Tessera TKL
Both tested here, side by side: measured sound, latency and typing scores for the Sable 104 and the Tessera TKL, and which one to buy.
The short answer
The Tessera TKL scores 1.1 higher overall and costs $84 against $58. Someone who cares more about how a board sounds than how precise it feels, and never remaps. Buy the other one if: someone who needs a full-size layout, has the desk for it, and will not remap anything.
Scores, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Sable 104 | Tessera TKL | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | 7.0 | 7.0 | level |
| Typing feel | 6.5 | 8.0 | -1.5 to Tessera TKL |
| Sound | 6.0 | 9.5 | -3.5 to Tessera TKL |
| Stabilisers | 6.0 | 7.0 | -1.0 to Tessera TKL |
| Software | 5.0 | 4.0 | +1.0 to Sable 104 |
| Value | 7.5 | 7.0 | +0.5 to Sable 104 |
| Overall | 6.4 | 7.5 | -1.1 to Tessera TKL |
Measured
| Figure | Sable 104 | Tessera TKL | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound | 59.7 dB | 51.8 dB | 7.9 dB quieter to Tessera TKL |
| Latency, wired | 6.2 ms | 5.9 ms | 0.3 ms faster to Tessera TKL |
| Polling | 1,000 Hz | 1,000 Hz | level |
| Actuation | 57.4 g | 44.9 g | +12.5 g — preference, not better |
| Case flex | 0.7 mm | 3.2 mm | -2.5 mm — softer, not better |
Specifications
| Specification | Sable 104 | Tessera TKL | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $58 | $84 | $26 cheaper — Sable 104 |
| Layout | Full-size (104-key) | TKL (87-key) | — |
| Switches | Tactile — Outemu Brown (V2) | Linear — HMX Cloud | — |
| Hot-swap | Yes | Yes | — |
| Mount | Tray mount | Gasket mount | — |
| Plate | Steel | POM | — |
| Connectivity | Wired USB-C | Wired USB-C, 2.4 GHz dongle | — |
| Remapping | Vendor software | Vendor software | — |
| Weight | 1,180 g | 1,020 g | — |
Shape and footprint
Sable 104
Tessera TKL
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. Sable 104 · Tessera TKL