Switch Replacement Tips....???

[Tiger_Byte_Kid]

Newbie to the mechanical keyboard game/scene. New member to Geekhack.

I have been using my Royal Kludge RK61 for a little over a month now and I have already gotten used to the stock blue clicky switches. I am already thinking about desoldering the stock switches and putting in some tactile switches.

With that said...

1. What are some good choices for a tactile switch for a newbie looking to do their first switch mod/replacement?
 
2. Which tactile switch has the least amount of travel?

I have small hands with short fat fingers and I find that my fingers are always bumping into other keys and causes a lot of inaccurate key presses. Although that could just be due to key cap profile, I think its mostly user error and bad typing technique. I tend to type more accurate on a slim keyboard with flat profile key caps like that of a laptop. Therefore, I think I would benefit from having a switch that has a short travel in order to minimize my fingers from bumping into other keys and thereby increasing my accuracy.
 
3. Should I hold off getting a Holy Panda clone/variant?

I have heard that Holy Pandas are very popular but are somewhat of a 'niche' switch since they are catered more towards people who have a lot mechanical keyboard experience and can therefore utilize them to their full potential. 

4. If sound is my number one priority, Which tactile switch is the 'thockiest' and loudest?

5. I bottom out all the time on the stock blue switches. Should I go for tactile switches with a higher spring weight/force in order to curb bottoming out?

 

[godoglove]

1,2,3 you can all find out with a quick search and a couple of youtube vids. If you do not have lube then take that into account when buying, but there are people that will lube switches for a cost but will be worth it if you get it from the right person. Cobert from the mgb discord is a good example.
4. All keyboards will sound different. you can make it sound different with mods and many different factors. Watch nearLucids "Why keyboard sound tests are lies" vid for more details. A very prominent mod for "newbies" is the pe foam mod, it makes a very nice sound but gets rid of any character a keyboard has, but unless you want to have diversity in your sounds, it is still a very good mod.
5. bottoming out is not necessarily a bad thing, it is all preference, if you do not have the money to buy multiple switches and experiment, then simply get tactiles with springs greater than 50g. Spring swaps are a thing too, so if you do decide to go with expensive holy panda clones, then they will not be wasted, but linears are not a bad option too, and there are many cheap options for those, check youtube again for good ones.

[Rafen]

Not a tactile guy, run linear switches in all my boards. With that being said why are you worried about bottoming out?

[Toffee Studio]

I'd recommend the Boba U4Ts, which are highly popular and are reported to be excellent stock switches. The tactility produces a wonderful "pop" on the top out that does not necessitate the use of a high-end board to enjoy. They have no spring or leaf noise right out of the box. There is little to no pre-travel, something you asked for in your post.

High tactility helps with mistakes since it's very hard to accidentally hit a key while reaching for a different one. Most of the force required is in the initial keypress.
In terms of "thockiest" and "loudest," in my experience, this is largely determined by the board and case, rather than the switches.

Holy Pandas aren't very unique; they're simply very popular. I feel there are a lot of better options available. But if you really want to try them, go for it!

 TL;DR - U4Ts are an excellent overall switch with excellent tactility and sound. They are factory lubed (although some sellers sell them unlubed) and have no leaf or spring ping. These are great switches to use, especially for a beginner, and they work great right out of the box! Good luck, I hope my recommendation assists you