Should I switch from Cherry Reds to Browns?

[XRocker15]

Hey guys. First post here. So I just got my first mechanical keyboard for Christmas. It is a Steelseries 6Gv2 with Cherry MX Red Switches. And I have to return it. Simply because of the backlight, and the key fade, and the tiny right shift key resulting in lots of backslashes.  So I need to find a new keyboard. Problem is I don't know if I should just get a new one with Reds, or try out the Browns?

So far, I really do like the Red switches. I originally chose the Reds because I read that they are a decent all around switch. After doing more research, I've learned the Browns are the best all-rounder. I mainly use my PC for everyday use, and some light gaming in battlefield and the occasional game of Starcraft 2 or something, but I'm certaintly not doing long gaming sessions on my PC, thats on my Xbox One. And I'm learning some coding with HTML and stuff so I do type quite a bit. Anyways, I'm adjusting to the Red switches nicely, I do tend to bottom out the keys a lot, I guess it's just my typing style, and my errors are starting to decrease as I adjust, but it is miles better than my old standard keyboard.

Im considering getting this keyboard. As it has a full backlight, and regular key layout for essentially the same price as my steelseries.  The CM Storm Quickfire Ultimate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823129025

But the thing is, it's available in Brown, and Red switches. I do like my red switches so far, but I can't help but think in the back of my head. The Browns could be better!

So which key's should I get? Stick with the Reds because I do like them, or take a chance and gamble on the browns for a more universal feel. I like the Reds because its just so effortless to type and push down the keys. Are the browns similar to this? Also what are your thoughts on the keyboard I linked. It meets all my criteria except I would like it to have a media volume roller rather than using the function keys.

Thanks for your help guys, I hope I didn't bore you with my rather long winded question.

[Puddsy]

Why not both?

[riotonthebay]

If you know that you like reds, get the board with reds and be satisfied. No use in overthinking it.

[XRocker15]

I always overthink things. Wondering what I might be missing with the browns as opposed to the reds.

[keymaster]

>Stick with the Reds because I do like them, or take a chance and gamble on the browns for a more universal feel.
Browns have tactility which tends to make for a more pleasant typing experience.

>I like the Reds because its just so effortless to type and push down the keys. Are the browns similar to this?
Yes, Reds and Brows have the same weighted springs.

>Also what are your thoughts on the keyboard I linked. It meets all my criteria except I would like it to have a media volume roller rather than using the function keys.
It's good if you like the features it offers. You'll get used to not having a media volume roller.


Overall, I think Browns provide a 'universal' feel as you say. They're not too tactile and don't produce an audible 'click' like Blues. Browns are just like Reds but with some tactility.

[mooswa]

Oh, this is very subjective issue.  If you like reds you might be disappointed with browns.  You might find their tactility not big enough or might think they are just 'scratchy' version of reds.  Or, you might love them.  Best to get a switch sampler/tester.  CM even discounts the price of their tester from the keyboard.

[XRocker15]

I think I'm going to make the switch to browns. I do type more than I game so I think they will be better. If the brown switches are truly as easy to depress as the red switches then I think it will be worth it. Also just wondering if you can still feel the bump if you don't bottom out the keys? I think, the more I'm using these red swithces I am having a lighter touch while I use them.

[mooswa]

I first got browns and was underwhelmed by their tactility.  I switched to blues and fell in love.  Then got tired of bottoming out on blues.  Used browns for awhile but they didn't grew on me significantly.  Added o-rings to my blues and I am on my second honeymoon ever since.  I do not notice tactility on browns anymore, they kind of feel just 'scratchy' to me.  I've bought few switches from wasdkeyboards and  clear was the one I liked the most at the end.  Still waiting for my first board with clears to arrive though.  I have also liked the red switch.  Before trying it I couldn't understand the attraction of the linear switches at all.  There is no substitute for trying actual thing.  You might find that clicky is what you really want.  Or not.

[ideus]

I think I'm going to make the switch to browns. I do type more than I game so I think they will be better. If the brown switches are truly as easy to depress as the red switches then I think it will be worth it. Also just wondering if you can still feel the bump if you don't bottom out the keys? I think, the more I'm using these red switches I am having a lighter touch while I use them.

The decisions on switches type is always more a philosophical than a practical thing. When you actually get them you will see it as an emotional issue. Had that said, I did the switch from reds to browns and I am satisfied with it. O course in the way I changed also from no plate to plate, and from a flimsy case to a more robust one. So the overall feeling is not all from the switch.


A grain of salt.

[IvanIvanovich]

Brown have same force as reds more or less, but it have an annoying gritty feeling. I have tried every MX and brown is by far the least favorite. Red is my favorite and I use it for all purposes. That said it is all personal preference, and no MX is actually better suited for any specific use patterns than another.

[cmadrid]

You didn't overthink your XBone enough apparently.. sell that and get a red and a brown keyboard

[XRocker15]

Is there someplace where I can go and test out the different switches? I went to Best Buy, and they had one keyboard that had a "try me" thing and it was red. Everything else is sealed.

[Sai]

you could order switch testers from cm store , or mechanicalkeyboads.com or wasdkeyboards.
at least you will get the idea how they feel like.

[cmadrid]

Do you live near a microcenter?  They may have different switch keyboards you could try.. or you could order a switch tester from CM Store and if you buy a keyboard from them you get the $15 or so for tester as a coupon towards keyboard purchase

[Chau]

In the end you really have to try them all to satisfy your curiosity, otherwise you'll lose sleep. So seeing as you've tried reds..go brown or blue even.

[Stevenator21]

I would get the switch tester here. You get a $15 discount on a CM Storm board, matching the price of the tester, so you end up not losing any money.

[terran5992]

You should get clears

[Pacifist]

You should get clears

considering he's started off with reds, I don't think he should use the stiffer clears

browns are good enough. I have both browns and clears, and while clears have a really big bump, the bump on browns are still pretty noticeable

[fohat.digs]

yes

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

First you mentioned that you bottom out all the time.  Although there is nothing wrong with this, you might find that you bottom out less with a stiffer spring, as in MX blacks.  Although blacks are too stiff for some

Second you mentioned the number of typing errors reducing as you become accustomed to the keyboard.  You might also find that with stiffer springs there are even less mistakes, as the stiffer springs are less likely to respond if your finger brushes one key while aiming for a different key.

[1pq]

Welcome to Geekhack!

First you mentioned that you bottom out all the time.  Although there is nothing wrong with this, you might find that you bottom out less with a stiffer spring, as in MX blacks.  Although blacks are too stiff for some

Second you mentioned the number of typing errors reducing as you become accustomed to the keyboard.  You might also find that with stiffer springs there are even less mistakes, as the stiffer springs are less likely to respond if your finger brushes one key while aiming for a different key.

I've never used blacks, but isn't it hard to type while not bottoming out because you don't have any tactile/audible feedback for switch actuation? Don't you get a lot of missed actuations that way?

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

First you mentioned that you bottom out all the time.  Although there is nothing wrong with this, you might find that you bottom out less with a stiffer spring, as in MX blacks.  Although blacks are too stiff for some

Second you mentioned the number of typing errors reducing as you become accustomed to the keyboard.  You might also find that with stiffer springs there are even less mistakes, as the stiffer springs are less likely to respond if your finger brushes one key while aiming for a different key.

I've never used blacks, but isn't it hard to type while not bottoming out because you don't have any tactile/audible feedback for switch actuation? Don't you get a lot of missed actuations that way?

I have strong fingers - I bottom out whatever switch I use, including BS!

[Tony]

I have both brown and red and I think both are good for different purposes. If you type more than game, brown is suitable. If not, then red.

I think I'm going to make the switch to browns. I do type more than I game so I think they will be better. If the brown switches are truly as easy to depress as the red switches then I think it will be worth it. Also just wondering if you can still feel the bump if you don't bottom out the keys? I think, the more I'm using these red swithces I am having a lighter touch while I use them.

This.

[lilky]

If you're happy with the reds and you type well on them, just stick with the reds

IMHO, reds FEEL the most pleasant to type on, but are also the most difficult to type on.  If you can do it, I envy you, and just stick with the reds.

[Tony]

If you're happy with the reds and you type well on them, just stick with the reds

IMHO, reds FEEL the most pleasant to type on, but are also the most difficult to type on.  If you can do it, I envy you, and just stick with the reds.

+1

I can type on the reds, but having to be gingerly all the time is not good.

[Suichoy]

I can't say whether you will like browns more but going from red to brown for me reduced many of my typing errors. I found the browns to be more conducive to accurate typing so they were an ideal daily driver switch for me, but I take the reds out quite often for fps gaming and such. However, if you end up liking the feel of the reds more, then that will probably override any practical reasoning.

If you are like most people here, you will end trying more than one keyboard so I wouldn't get too attached to the idea that you have to find the one perfect switch to use for the rest of your life. But if you must choose one, I would go with your gut instinct when you first tried the keyboard. Did it fit your image of what a mechanical keyboard should feel like? If something was missing, then I would keep looking.

[XRocker15]

So the brown switches are essentially the same as the red switches in that they are really easy to depress? With the brown switches, the only difference is the bump when depressing them right? When you push down the brown switches, is there resistance at the point of the bump, or is it completely smooth like the reds? I would like the bump to be there, but only if it was still a smooth depress like in the red switches. I guess thats why I like the reds so far because they are really smooth and it feels drastically different from a regular keyboard that I have been using.

Thanks

[BlueMica]

I find red switches way more fun and faster than browns or blue that require you to break their bump to register a key press, but I find on USB keyboards with red switches that debouncing is a huge problem and is the sole reason I don't use my Noppoo with reds more than my Ducky with Browns.

[frowni]

Browns are like, reds, with a little bump..you put the same effort(45g) like reds, but there is this little bump(same as blues without the click), which you don't feel much...but it helps for you to not bottom out the keys...Browns are great for typing...i got one..i also got blues..which i don't prefer because of the sound..i also like blacks never tried reds tho..but i can imagine they are just lighter blacks..which i would also like..

here is a nice video between browns and reds..

And this is my typing browns(camera was so close.its not that loud when you are typing)..

[Novus]

The best way is to, of course, test it out and see for yourself.
I think it usually takes people a few days of typing to actually acclimate to a new board and different switch. What I'm saying is that while you may not immediately like a different switch, it might grow on you eventually.

As for me, I started with a blue keyboard and switched over to red switches.
It took me a few days to acclimate to the reds due to the different board and switch differences.
Currently, I have both red and brown filcos.
Personally, I prefer the reds over the browns.

Bit of a generalization but these are my thought on reds vs browns.
When depressing red and brown keys, you won't feel much of a difference between them at first (because the actuation force on the switches are similar)
You'll feel a tactile click as you go down on the browns, you won't feel that on the reds.
Tactile clicks make it slightly harder to double press a key rapidly.
Reds are better for swift touch typists that do not bottom out (I hesitate to say "fast soft typists").

[Polymer]

Browns are like, reds, with a little bump..you put the same effort(45g) like reds, but there is this little bump(same as blues without the click), which you don't feel much...

There is more effort than reds to push down browns.  45g is the force at actuation but to achieve that on browns, you actually have the overcome the tactile bump which is more than 45g. 

The main problem with a switch tester is I think browns show really poorly when you press them one at a time.  They feel really scratchy, uneven....it isn't until you start typing with them that you appreciate that bit of tactility and it feels normal. 

[Tony]

I prefer brown. That scratchy feel you guys complained so much about is exactly what I like, since it is a confirmation that I have pressed the key.

To type on red I have to type more lighter, and that confirmation feeling is lost so I have to type more carefully.

[DarkIrish]

I really like browns idk why but i just feel satisfied typing on them. Has a nice solid feeling to it.

[Canious]

Another subjective post but ill give my 2 cent. Your not really typing on a mechanical keyboard if your typing on reds (at least how i felt), definitely give brown a try - the tactile feel and sound will definitely give you a newer typing experience.

[Pacifist]

Another subjective post but ill give my 2 cent. Your not really typing on a mechanical keyboard if your typing on reds (at least how i felt), definitely give brown a try - the tactile feel and sound will definitely give you a newer typing experience.

so reds aren't mechanical switches?

[Novus]

Another subjective post but ill give my 2 cent. Your not really typing on a mechanical keyboard if your typing on reds (at least how i felt), definitely give brown a try - the tactile feel and sound will definitely give you a newer typing experience.

so reds aren't mechanical switches?

I think he's just biased against clacks that don't have tactile feedback.

[Oobly]

If you can find a store that has the Razer Blackwidow, you can try Blue switches. The Blackwidow box has the arrow keys exposed so you can try it out.

The Browns are somewhere in between the Reds you are now used to and the Blues of the Blackwidow. They don't have the click, but have a small tactile bump that makes it easy to feel when the switch activates. The tactility can help a lot in reducing bottoming out and increase typing accuracy (less accidental presses and mistakes).

You may find that you don't consciously notice the bump after a while, but it's still there and still helping out.

You can probably tell that I like Browns. Only better MX switch IMO is ErgoClear.

[noons]

Browns are honestly my favorite switch, well browns and topre. I actually bought a leopold red and I have barely used it. I guess I expected them to be extremely light and fluid ( maybe like a light cash register? ), but they arn't. They are almost the exact same feeling as the browns except missing that very discrete bump which IMHO is surprisingly less rewarding to type on.

You might be interested in one of these: http://www.cmstore-usa.com/mechanical-key-switch-demo-board/

I just got one last week and it satisfied my urge to try the rest of the "popular" switches. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with the whites, however at least for myself they will probably become too exhausting on long days of typing especially on my weaker pinkys. As far as the blues, I just don't like how they feel. It's not the sound that most people complain about, but the extra pressure for the 'click' sound that I just don't like. My fingers just don't seem to bounce as well as they would on a brown or white switch.

[Linkbane]

Doesn't seem like anyone here has recommended Blues, but you might like a keyboard with them more than Browns. Browns have a rather minor tactility which is difficult to feel when typing, whereas Blues have a distinctive click (may be too loud for some environments) which is both audible and easily recognizable in the fingers.

[1pq]

Browns are honestly my favorite switch, well browns and topre. I actually bought a leopold red and I have barely used it. I guess I expected them to be extremely light and fluid ( maybe like a light cash register? ), but they arn't. They are almost the exact same feeling as the browns except missing that very discrete bump which IMHO is surprisingly less rewarding to type on.

You might be interested in one of these: http://www.cmstore-usa.com/mechanical-key-switch-demo-board/

I just got one last week and it satisfied my urge to try the rest of the "popular" switches. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with the whites, however at least for myself they will probably become too exhausting on long days of typing especially on my weaker pinkys. As far as the blues, I just don't like how they feel. It's not the sound that most people complain about, but the extra pressure for the 'click' sound that I just don't like. My fingers just don't seem to bounce as well as they would on a brown or white switch.

I believe you're talking about the mx clears--although they look white, mx whites are actually a different switch.
I'm not sure if you've heard of ergo clears (clear stem with a lighter spring) but if you prefer the feel of clears to browns but want a lighter actuation, I'd encourage you to try them out. They're supposed to be god-tier as far as mx switches go.