What's the best way to try lots of switches?

[Floofs]

As you can tell I'm new to this forum. I do quickly want to add that it's been a pleasant experience and this community seems really cool and helpful. If I ever do anything wrong please let me know! Anyway.. there are a lot of different switches out there and I'd love to try all of them! I saw an assortment of vintage/new switches on eBay goin for about $90 and that has been the best thing I've been able to find. Is that worth it? Or should I just try to pick up boards with different switches here and there? Or buy individual/loose switches every so often? im not trying to break the bank either. It'd probabaly be best for me to spend ~$20 at a time if I spread out the collecting. TELL ME YOUR SECRETS.

[xondat]

Get a switch tester from vendors; I can't name any.

Go to meetups, try everything.

Make friends and try theirs.

Failing all of those, just take the plunge with a safe switch choice and learn from your experience. I'm 3+ years into the hobby and still don't know my perfect switch.

[OfTheWild]

Scroll down and you'd get to this thread: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=92559.0

testers aside.. the best way as xondat said is to go to a meetup and actually try them in a board. Picking up a switch and squishing it next to your ear is a terrible way to pass judgement on a "feel" or "sound" of a switch.

Go find the Houston discord people. You just missed a huge meet a few weeks back. Theres a fun bar crawl thing in Austin on the 2nd. They are a fantastic group of enthusiasts

[Puddsy]

go to a meetup

[Floofs]

Scroll down and you'd get to this thread: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=92559.0

Dang it lol I searched real hard I promise.

And I'll definitely have to look into the meet ups! That sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for y'alls replies.

[Glod]

my tip, dont base your opinion on a single key tester, buy 5 of each kind of switch and test multi key presses. especially with kaihua switches, you dont really notice the differences hitting a single switch of each type.

[chyros]

Go to a meetup!

[ander]

I must agree. The ONLY way to tell how you like various switches is to type on them in real keebs connected to real computers. Only then will you know how they respond to your utterly unique touch. (Typing patterns are so individual, you can identify people from them like fingerprints.)

Multi-switch "testers" are cutesy novelties. Think about it: How much can you tell about typing by pressing one switch with one finger? It's like opening and closing a car's door and imagining you've taken it for a test drive.

Just find and try as many boards as you can. It's not just the switch, either, but the board it's in. A board's design and quality dramatically affect how it feels and sounds. Dramatically, I tell you! This should be obvious, considering how dramatic some of the peeps get here at GH.  :?)

The Great and Powerful Oz has spoken! Buh ha ha!!





Okay, he may have had a cocktail, too [burp].

[Giorgio]

Switch testers only tell you half of the story. A switch will probably feel right but after a little bit the fatigue will kick in. Buy a switch tester only to rule out some switches.

[chyros]

Besides, meetups are fun, and people can give you tips, insights and suggestions .

[xondat]

my tip, dont base your opinion on a single key tester, buy 5 of each kind of switch and test multi key presses. especially with kaihua switches, you dont really notice the differences hitting a single switch of each type.

Also make sure to note now the switch and plate is mounted as these change feel too

[daskeybo]

How do you find out about meet ups?

[SpAmRaY]

How do you find out about meet ups?

I think they mostly advertise in the newspaper.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[xondat]

How do you find out about meet ups?

There are usually posts on here, but check your local community subreddits (if you have one), or check r/mk as they're usually pinned.

[Floofs]

How do you find out about meet ups?

I think they mostly advertise in the newspaper.

...This seems false but I don't know enough to refute it

[tp4tissue]

Make friends and try theirs.

This is what xondat does,  he uses people... tsk tsk

[sandy1995]

Amazon, buy all of them and then return... ( I am so bad)

[Floofs]

Amazon, buy all of them and then return... ( I am so bad)

Damn, some great Unethical Life Pro-Tips material  ) 

[_rubik]

It has been said above but...

• go to a meetup if you can
• get sample kits from vendors. Novelkeys has some decent sample packs.
• Ask around on the pay-it-forward thread. I'm sure some folks have a large collection of misc. switches and can send you a goodie bag. https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=34585.0

[dubious]

Buy switch testers

Like others have said, it's not the same as testing a complete assembled keyboard, but gives you a pretty good idea