Time to pit the Drop Holy Panda X switches against the Glorious Panda switches
I’m a keyboard nerd who’s built dozens of boards and swapped switches more times than I can count.
I’ve put these things through the wringer for you (so you don’t have to).
This Drop Holy Panda X vs Glorious Panda article breaks down their specs, performance, and whether they’re worth your hard-earned cash.
Stick around to see which one of these switches deserve a spot in your next build!
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Switch Snapshot
Glorious is a well-known brand that caters specifically to gamers. They have a whole ecosystem of gaming gear that are engineered to integrate and improve your gaming experience.
Drop Studio believes the best way to make inventive products is to tap into the knowledge and ideas of passionate people. From their own exclusive designs to collaborations with leading brands, every Drop product is informed by enthusiasts in the community.
The Drop Holy Panda Xs and Glorious Pandas are two big names in the world of panda-style switches. For a more in-depth look, check out our Drop Holy Panda X Review and our Glorious Panda Review.
Specs
| Drop Holy Panda X | Glorious Panda | |
| Type | Tactile | Tactile |
| Top Housing | Polycarbonate | Polycarbonate |
| Bottom Housing | Nylon | Nylon PA66 |
| Stem | POM | POM |
| Spring Weight | 60g | 60g (Bottom Out) |
| Total Travel | 3.5mm | 3.3mm |
| Lubrication | Unlubed | Unlubed |
| Pins | 5-Pin | 3-Pin |
Specs were sourced directly from the manufacturer’s website.
Wanna get into details about mechanical switches? Learn more about them here.
Tempted already? Snag a pack and join the tactile party!
Hands On Breakdown
I tried these switches as they came from the factory using the following setup:
Keyboard: Neo Studio Neo65
- Case: Aluminum
- Plate: FR4
- Mount: Gasket
Check out our keyboard case article, plate article, and gasket mount article for more info.
Keycaps: Wuque Studio BOW
- Material: PBT
- Printing: Double Shot
- Profile: Cherry
Note: Neo Studio Neo65 doesn’t have RGB. RGB was tested on a Keychron Q1.
Learn all about keycaps here.
I tested these switches in both gaming and typing scenarios.
Performance
Preferences:
The switches I’ve used the longest are the Gateron Oil Kings. So, you can consider them the baseline for what my preferences are.
I like to rest my fingers on the keys when I’m typing. This often leads to keys being inadvertently pressed.
I also type like I’m hammering nails. I bottom out pretty hard when I press the keys.
General:
If you noticed from the table above, the Holy Panda Xs have a 60g spring weight while the Glorious Pandas have a 60g bottom-out force. Drop doesn’t list the Holy Panda X’s bottom out, but judging from the force curve chart, it should be around 65g.
They both felt very smooth, without any hints of scratchiness, to me. To be honest, I’m not particularly sensitive to scratchiness.
The Holy Panda Xs have a very round bump. In contrast the Glorious Pandas have a noticeably sharper bump, which I much prefer.
I would consider both switches to be pretty heavy. They both take a significant amount of force to get over the tactile bump, so you can comfortably rest your fingers on the keys.
Their in-depth reviews go more into this feel and also includes a force curve graph for the Holy Panda Xs (Glorious doesn’t provide one for the Pandas). Check them out if you’re into the nerdy details.
Gaming:
I played mostly Sea of Thieves when reviewing the Drop Holy Panda Xs and Marvel Rivals when reviewing the Glorious Pandas.
My characters movements felt great. Everything was snappy and responsive.
If you’re not familiar with how these games play, they both involve moving your character using the WASD keys and pressing a bunch of other keys to use your character’s abilities or items.
I got great feedback from the Glorious Pandas. Normally, I get absorbed into the game and pay no attention to my keyboard, but with the Pandas, I continuously spammed random buttons just so I could feel the tactile feedback over and over. I loved every key press.
I wasn’t as impressed with the Holy Panda Xs. That’s not to say they’re bad. It’s just that I much prefer sharp feedback.
Typing:
Typing felt amazing.
Both switches had the perfect weight for me, but if I were to pick one, I’d lean more towards the Glorious Pandas just because of the sharper feel.
I love that both of these switches are heavy enough for me to rest my lazy fingers on the keys without accidentally activating them.
I did not notice any bit of travel while resting my fingers. Both of these switches have the perfect initial force for me.
My typing speed was noticeably better with the Glorious Pandas. They performed faster and more accurately through a negligibly longer typing test than the Holy Panda Xs. Still, both switches felt awesome through the typing tests.
Winner: Tie
Sound Profile
Sound Signature:
Both switches clacked. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it. I’m into deep, deep thock.
Pinging:
The Glorious Pandas had a ton of pinging. The pinging was super apparent when you brought the switch up to your ear.
The Holy Panda Xs had significantly less pinging, but the pinging was still present.
Both switches were unlubed, so I’m not sure why the Glorious Pandas had so much more issues with pinging.
Microphone Usage:
Neither of the switches had any issues on Discord. In the past, Discord would frequently pick up all the typing sounds. However, it seems the newer mic options in the mic are really good at suppressing keyboard sounds now.
Winner: Drop Holy Panda X
Build Quality
Socket Fit:
These switches felt premium.
They performed like premium switches too.
Both the Holy Panda Xs and Glorious Pandas snapped into the keyboard sockets without any wobbling.
Pins:
Having a 5-pin design, the Holy Panda Xs seated more securely in the socket. The 3-pin design of the Glorious Pandas resulted in a few switches popping out when pulling off keycaps. This isn’t soley a 3-pin issue as I’ve experienced 5-pin switches getting pulled out as well. This is also more of a compatibility issue (which I go over in the section below) rather than an issue with the pins.
Otherwise, both of their pins felt sturdy.
Errors:
I had some ghost-typing issues with a few of the Holy Panda Xs, but the Glorious Pandas performed perfectly.
Lubrication:
I opened a handful of both switches and checked out their lube. The Glorious Pandas were unlubed, as expected. The Holy Panda Xs that I purchased were supposed to be lubed, but turns out they were unlubed as well.
Winner: Glorious Panda
Aesthetics and Compatibility
Colorway:
The switches have the following color scheme:
| Drop Holy Panda X | Glorious Holy Panda | |
| Stem | Yellow | Orange |
| Top Housing | Transparent Black | Cream |
| Bottom Housing | Charcoal | Cream |
I liked the way both of these switches looked. They’re total opposites, but both look fantastic in their own way.
The Holy Panda Xs reminded me of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ uniform. Black and yellow is a great combo.
The Glorious Pandas’ orange reminded me of this site’s logo. I think it would have looked better with a bright white casing.
Keycaps:
The keycaps went onto the Holy Panda X’s very securely. I didn’t experience and unusual wobbling and didn’t have any switches pop out when removing the keycaps.
The keycaps were tough to get onto the Glorious Pandas. I had to press a lot harder than usual to get them onto the stems. Unsurprisingly, this super tight fit resulted in a bunch of keycaps popping out of their sockets when I was removing them. The fact that they were a 3-pin design probably didn’t help either.
RGB:
RGB was slightly brighter on the Holy Panda X with its dark transparent top housing. The Glorious Pandas performed as expected with the slit for RGB.
Winner: Drop Holy Panda X
Price and Value
The Holy Panda Xs cost ~$1.00 per switch. The Glorious Pandas cost ~$0.83 per switch. I consider both of these expensive.
Sometimes, the unlubed version of the Glorious Pandas go on sale for ~$0.42 per switch.
Value-wise, I think the unlubed Glorious Pandas are totally worth it. Save yourself a ton of money and just lube them yourself.
As for the Holy Panda Xs, they’ll sometimes drop into mid-range pricing when on sale. Set a price tracker and keep an eye out for them.
Winner: Glorious Panda
Wrapping Up
Performance: Tie
Sound: Drop Holy Panda X
Build Quality: Glorious Panda
Compatibility: Drop Holy Panda X
Value: Glorious Panda
Winner: Tie
There you have it. A quick comparison of the Drop Holy Panda X switches vs Glorious Panda switches.
I’m actually not surprised that these two switches ended up in a tie. I think it would really come down to if you prefer a more rounded bump or a sharper bump.
My Pick: Glorious Panda
This pick was mainly because of the way they felt, since we’ve already established that I didn’t really like the way they sounded.
Both switches were amazing and I have no doubt you’ll enjoy either of them. However, the Glorious Pandas just felt a bit better to me because of their sharper tactile bump. Plus the value is just so much better than the Holy Panda Xs.
My goal for this sum up was to give you a place to get info on a general comparison of the switches. Be sure to check out my in-depth review for the Drop Holy Panda X and Glorious Panda switches if you want more info.
Otherwise, if you’re ready to jump in on these switches, grab a pack today!
How We Tested and Our Methodology
Keyboard Forge is a 100% independent publisher.
We purchased these switches with our own funds and were not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
We conducted numerous hours of hands-on testing with these switches in both gaming and typing environments. Majority of the gaming testing was done playing Sea of Thieves or Marvel Rivals. Majority of the typing testing was done writing articles for Keyboard Forge.
We hope this review helps you get a better understanding of these switches. Feel free to reach out to suggest switches to review in the future.
Thanks for the support!
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