HMX Retro T 45g Linear

Quick Summary

The HMX Retro T is the deep, rounded member of HMX’s Retro linear family. Where the Retro C and Retro R chase a bright, clacky voice, the Retro T uses a full PA66 housing to land a neutral, fuller sound. It’s a light, smooth linear that early owners rate highly, and it’s the obvious Retro pick for anyone who finds the clacky siblings too sharp.

Specs and Feel

This is a pure linear with a 45g actuation, 50g bottom-out, 2.0mm pre-travel and 3.5mm total travel, so the stroke is light and consistent throughout. The defining choice is the housing: PA66 on both top and bottom, rather than the PC top the other Retros use. That all-nylon construction dampens the high frequencies and gives the Retro T a deeper, rounder, more neutral tone, closer to a soft thock than a sharp clack. The POM stem keeps the glide clean, factory lube (thin 205g0 on the stem, dry film on the spring and leaf) means smoothness is good out of the box, and the early owner feedback specifically calls out how consistent that factory lubing is. Wobble is well managed per HMX’s usual tolerances.

Tuning

There’s little to do. The factory lube is even and the housing already produces the deeper sound that’s the point of this switch, so running it stock is the right default. If you want to lean further into the rounded character, thicker PBT keycaps reinforce it; a heavier spring is the only meaningful feel change. Films are unnecessary given the snug fit.

Verdict

Buy the Retro T if you like HMX’s light Retro linear feel but want a deeper, more neutral sound instead of a bright clack. It is the rounded counterpart to the rich Retro C and the sharp, high-pitched Retro R (same chassis, calmer voice), and the consistent factory tuning makes it an easy stock recommendation. Skip it only if you specifically want the loud, clacky signature the other two Retros provide.