A Novel Type of Ergo Clear - Panda or Ergo?

[HungerMechanic]

I have a board full of Ergo Clears using springs that were picked out by someone else.

Looking at these springs, it makes me realize that they don't neatly fit into the "Ergo Clear" distinction that used to exist on this board.

Back in 2015 or earlier, people here were using the term "Panda Clear" to designate MX Clear switches that use an MX Black spring.

So the "Panda Clear" would actuate around 60 gr and bottom-out around 80 gr.

Then, the term Ergo Clear was used to denote MX Clears using lighter 60-68 gr (bottom-out) Korean springs.

[Later, the term "Panda Clear" became absorbed into "Ergo Clear," which was used to designate all MX Clears spring-swapped with lighter springs. It's an interesting etymology, as there were at least 3 terms to indicate different types of "Ergo Clears" on this board several years ago.]


So I'm trying to figure out what my "Ergo Clear" board is. Because it uses what seems to be a different type of spring. It's using 60 gr gold-plated springs from 1UpKeyboards - that's 60 gr actuation.



In the old rubric, something that actuated at MX Black weight might be known as a "Panda Clear."

But here's the kicker - the bottom-out weight of the spring appears to be 62 gr. These gold-plated springs seem to be the YMDK springs listen on Amazon, here:

https://www.amazon.com/110pcs-lot-Gold-plated-Springs-switches-Replacement/dp/B072JGJMDK?th=1


Actuation Weight / Bottom-out Weight

35g 45g (+-7 Error)

45g 55g (+-7g Error)

​60g 62g(+-7g Error)


Bottoming-out at that light weight places them in the traditional "Ergo Clear" territory, in the old rubric.

Are the 60 62 gr gold-plated springs creating Ergo Clears or Panda Clears?

I thought I'd ask here since a number of these terms were originated on this board.

[Sifo]

you can probably call it an ergo clear but to be honest I've just started calling them xxg Clear, denoting the exact spring weight (going by bottom out not actuation)

[HungerMechanic]

Ah, Sifo. I expected you to chime in.

Yes, that's a consistent measure that will work for all switches.

If these 60 / 62 gr gold-plated springs had existed back in 2014 or so, they might have gotten their own nickname. But they bottom-out at 62 gr, so they probably fall under the old "Ergo" label, even though they actuate like "Pandas." Today, they'd just be called Ergo Clears. 62 gr Gold Ergos.

[Leslieann]

It's just a label, why worry about it.

[LightningXI]

I too just say ##g MX Clear where the number is in bottom-out force units.

[HungerMechanic]

It's just a label, why worry about it.

Yeah, it's just that I was contemplating selling it, and thought about how I'd describe it. Because it uses a less-common spring type. It's a 62 gr bottom-out, so you could call them 62 gr Clears, but these springs are not like Korean springs. The 60 gr actuation makes a significant difference.

[Sifo]

It's just a label, why worry about it.

Yeah, it's just that I was contemplating selling it, and thought about how I'd describe it. Because it uses a less-common spring type. It's a 62 gr bottom-out, so you could call them 62 gr Clears, but these springs are not like Korean springs. The 60 gr actuation makes a significant difference.

neither the terms panda or ergo describe the switch in this case so you're best off just saying "clears with 60g actuation, 62g bottom out"