Should I even bother trying Cherry Browns?

[BababooeyHTJ]

So far I have't been too impressed with the cherry switches that I have tried. I did not like the tactile bump on the blues at all. It was just way too much. Cherry blacks on the other hand I did like the smooth feel but I found myself making way too many typos. I think that it was from the keys being so stiff. I liked my AT101w but even with that the tactile bump felt like it got in the way at times. I love my unicomp. I find it very comfortable but I wouldn't mind trying out a quieter board.


It's not like I can just go and try out a semi cheap board with brown cherrys. So should I even bother trying one and if so what are my options?

[hfcobra]

well i just got my browns and the tactile bump is nearly not noticeable, just barely there the whole time.  It is enough for me though and I like them.  I like tactile keys, but i like very soft tactile keys, like browns and topre.
So if you do decide to go for it you might like them!  The browns are also very light and that is nice.

[sLeezy]

I think browns are great. It is a linear switch so you won't feel the tactile bump like in blues and not as stiff as black. Maybe browns or reds are for you.

[manfaux]

I think browns are great. It is a linear switch so you won't feel the tactile bump like in blues and not as stiff as black. Maybe browns or reds are for you.

err .. Browns aren't linear. The tactile bump is there, just more subtle than the blues, reds would be linear.

[hfcobra]

browns are not linear, they have a small tactile bump but its hard to notice unless you use them a lot.  Reds are a little lighter than Browns and they are actually linear.

[theferenc]

Short answer: no.

Longer answer: I'm a try everything kinda guy, myself, but if you're happy with your unicomp, stick with that. You can actually quiet it down quite a bit with either a bolt mod or a floss mod (stick small pieces of floss in each spring). The floss mod is super slick, as it deadens the spring noise, without changing much in regards to spring feel.

Honestly, after trying most of the switch types out there and generally available (used or otherwise), I've decided that cherries are just not for me, and that I love topres and buckling springs.

You might feel differently, but since you've tried the two main cherry switches and disliked both...

Anyway, sLeezy makes a good point, in that you may actually like reds a lot, as they are lighter versions of blacks. He's wrong though, as browns aren't linear. I personally find browns way too light and uncomfortable to type on, but others here definitely disagree. I only mention this as you are used to a fairly heavy switch, given that you have a unicomp.

Edit: damn, double ninja'd on the correction!

[hfcobra]

Short answer: no.

Longer answer: I'm a try everything kinda guy, myself, but if you're happy with your unicomp, stick with that. You can actually quiet it down quite a bit with either a bolt mod or a floss mod (stick small pieces of floss in each spring). The floss mod is super slick, as it deadens the spring noise, without changing much in regards to spring feel.

Honestly, after trying most of the switch types out there and generally available (used or otherwise), I've decided that cherries are just not for me, and that I love topres and buckling springs.

You might feel differently, but since you've tried the two main cherry switches and disliked both...

Anyway, sLeezy makes a good point, in that you may actually like reds a lot, as they are lighter versions of blacks. He's wrong though, as browns aren't linear. I personally find browns way too light and uncomfortable to type on, but others here definitely disagree. I only mention this as you are used to a fairly heavy switch, given that you have a unicomp.

Edit: damn, double ninja'd on the correction!

:spy:

[iMav]

Pick up a Noppoo Choc mini with browns.  You won't have any problems selling it here if you decide not to keep it.

[squarebox]

I believe the feel of the different switches varies greatly from person to person.
After testing most of the Cherry switches, my all time favorites will be Brown switches.
Blues are tactile bump is a little too stiff that I might actually like Blacks a tad more.

[itlnstln]

The OP sounds like he just gave himself every reason to try Cherry browns.  You can always find a Compaq MX-11800 on eBay for around $30 to try out.  Now keep in mind that they are typically very well used, so they may not be the best examples of Cherry browns around, but you get the general idea.

I would second iMav's suggestion of getting the Noppoo.  The Choc Mini is one of the best-feeling Cherry brown 'boards I have tried.

[firestorm]

The OP sounds like he just gave himself every reason to try Cherry browns.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

FWIW, I type on an AT101W at work (the only PC mech board here) and a Filco brown at home.  

I found the browns to be closer to the Alps switches in the AT101W - the browns being something like a lighter, smoother version - than many of the others.  The tactile bump on the browns is much less pronounced - it's barely there.

Out of curiosity, how much time are you giving yourself to adjust to each keyboard?  I liked the browns from the start, but I wasn't completely sold on them until typing on that board for a week or more.  It can take some time to get back up to speed (consistently) on a new type of keyboard.

[itlnstln]

Out of curiosity, how much time are you giving yourself to adjust to each keyboard?  I liked the browns from the start, but I wasn't completely sold on them until typing on that board for a week or more.  It can take some time to get back up to speed (consistently) on a new type of keyboard.

This is a good point.  I didn't really like Cherry browns all that much until I stuck with them for a good week or so.  I thought they were too light at first.  Once I got used to them, they became my favorite switch.

[kps]

Cherry bumps wear. I have three keyboards of the same make and layout, with Cherry brown switches: one has been used daily for 13 years, one daily for 5 years, and one (the spare) almost never. The oldest board feels almost linear, the middle one has a slight tactile bump, and the new one a distinct snap.

[BababooeyHTJ]

That's exactly what I was thinking.

FWIW, I type on an AT101W at work (the only PC mech board here) and a Filco brown at home.  

I found the browns to be closer to the Alps switches in the AT101W - the browns being something like a lighter, smoother version - than many of the others.  The tactile bump on the browns is much less pronounced - it's barely there.

Out of curiosity, how much time are you giving yourself to adjust to each keyboard?  I liked the browns from the start, but I wasn't completely sold on them until typing on that board for a week or more.  It can take some time to get back up to speed (consistently) on a new type of keyboard.

I gave each board about a week. I really didn't like the blues from the start. It's possible that I could have adjusted to them in time but there wasn't a point while I was using it where I didn't want to plug in my unicomp. I gave the blacks close to a week too but by the end I didn't find myself making any less typing errors than I did when I started with the board. I didn't really even find it particularly good for gaming.

Your comparison to the AT101w makes me want to give one of these boards a shot. My only two real gripes were the frictony key feel and that you seem to have to hit the center of the keys for some reason.

Short answer: no.

Longer answer: I'm a try everything kinda guy, myself, but if you're happy with your unicomp, stick with that. You can actually quiet it down quite a bit with either a bolt mod or a floss mod (stick small pieces of floss in each spring). The floss mod is super slick, as it deadens the spring noise, without changing much in regards to spring feel.

Honestly, after trying most of the switch types out there and generally available (used or otherwise), I've decided that cherries are just not for me, and that I love topres and buckling springs.

You might feel differently, but since you've tried the two main cherry switches and disliked both...

Anyway, sLeezy makes a good point, in that you may actually like reds a lot, as they are lighter versions of blacks. He's wrong though, as browns aren't linear. I personally find browns way too light and uncomfortable to type on, but others here definitely disagree. I only mention this as you are used to a fairly heavy switch, given that you have a unicomp.

Edit: damn, double ninja'd on the correction!

Thats what makes me worry about trying browns. Between what I would lose in resale value and shipping at this point on the three boards could almost buy me a realforce and not too many people seem to dislike topres from what I've read in my lurking.