Author Topic: Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?  (Read 4172 times)

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Offline grapefruit

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Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?
« on: Thu, 06 February 2020, 11:39:40 »
So I'm looking for the next keyboard to try. I want something which takes very little effort to press a key, and yet also has a satisfying clickiness.

I do not like my current Cherry MX Blue keyboard (Coolermaster) because the keys feel 'sticky.'

I've also tried a Realforce 55g Topre board and thought it was fine, but didn't love it. Too much force to actuate, and also it just felt not clicky enough... a little boring.

Next suggestion? Preferably something I can easily buy new.

Offline Sintpinty

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Re: Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 06 February 2020, 12:02:02 »
So I'm looking for the next keyboard to try. I want something which takes very little effort to press a key, and yet also has a satisfying clickiness.

I do not like my current Cherry MX Blue keyboard (Coolermaster) because the keys feel 'sticky.'

I've also tried a Realforce 55g Topre board and thought it was fine, but didn't love it. Too much force to actuate, and also it just felt not clicky enough... a little boring.

Next suggestion? Preferably something I can easily buy new.

Wait, razer purple is the answer! its 50 g acutation
« Last Edit: Fri, 07 February 2020, 05:36:24 by Sintpinty »

Offline Maledicted

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Re: Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 06 February 2020, 12:15:02 »
I don't know that they're much lighter than Cherry MX Blue, if it all, but have you tried Kailh Box whites? There are at least a few sub $50 boards on Amazon with them. They have slightly less overall travel than MX blue, much crisper/consistent tactility, yet have an almost entirely imperceptible bump to overcome on the downstroke, a smaller bump maybe than even MX blue, but certainly a much more pleasant one.

It reminds me a little bit of capacitive buckling spring, but only in the fact that the tactility is basically little more than a hint, yet it still manages to feel and sound good. It doesn't have nearly the same overall feel, or that pingy model F magic, but they're certainly interesting switches.

I just compared it against some Cherry MX blues. My perception tells me that they are lighter, although they seem to be rated the same as the blues. I think that may only be because of the lighter tactility of the box whites, but that may also be all you're looking for.
« Last Edit: Thu, 06 February 2020, 17:05:06 by Maledicted »

Offline Ckeeb

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Re: Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 07 February 2020, 02:25:38 »
Low profile keycron K1?

Offline yui

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Re: Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 07 February 2020, 02:43:34 »
there are the speed series from cherry and kailh for low travel, i tried kailh speed bronze they are very clicky, they also have the gold that are a little bit lighter and actuate a bit lower, still have not built a full keyboard with them though only a macro pad (still waiting on some parts that should come soon-ish for the full keyboard) i do find them a bit light for my taste (50g, slightly lighter than blues) but i do find pretty much all switches too light (apart from green and bs pretty much).

Not quite what you asked for but i still hope it helps somewhat.
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Offline bananasplit_00

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Re: Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 07 February 2020, 02:55:45 »
How about a board with Outemus new snapspring switches? The blues have a really nice sound and are lower profile than typical MX
« Last Edit: Fri, 07 February 2020, 02:58:20 by bananasplit_00 »

Offline BigRobot69

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Re: Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 19 June 2020, 23:54:02 »
I second the Razer Purples on the Huntsman TE. comes with MX profile doubleshot PBT keycaps, replaceable USB-C cable, RGB lighting, tenkeyless, optical switches (rated for 100mil presses), to build something custom that is similar to this is gonna cost you a lot more.

But if you really can afford to wait & pay for a custom keyboard, you can look into Kailh Speed Gold, that one is short actuation and clicky like Blues. I would argue that their clickness is better than blues.

Offline Avi_

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Re: Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?
« Reply #7 on: Sat, 20 June 2020, 01:50:09 »
Havit HV-KB390L on Kailh PG1350 blue switch. Both low travel and low actuation force, and pleasantly clicky. It's a very cheap keyboard, but feels quite nice.

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Low actuation force/low travel yet clicky keyboard to try?
« Reply #8 on: Sun, 21 June 2020, 07:08:11 »
Leslieann solved this several years ago. Perform her "jailhouse" modification on your existing Cherry blue switches.
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