WASD Custom Keyboard: Blues or browns?

[iindigo]

Yes, it's that age-old question again.

I will be ordering a WASD custom keyboard within the next few days. I have the money and meticulously-arranged illustrator file in hand, just gotta push the button. But which switch should I get?

I'm most inclined towards blues, because this keyboard will spend at least half of its life typing code and thus needs to be comfortable for lots of typing. Based on what I've read, the blues' tactility should suit me best. The noise probably won't bother me, but since I'm taking a semester or two off of from college I'm living with a younger sibling and I'm afraid the noise may irritate him.

And so I'm wondering if I should get browns instead. Are blues annoying enough to keep a person awake? How much less tactile are browns than blues? Should I just tell my brother to get used to it? He's a gamer, so maybe I should buy him one too so he can't complain at me, haha...

[a1san]

Three months ago i had the same questions like you...
I wanted the best keyboard for my hands , but i am typing for around 40% and the remaining 60% goes to gaming.
I felt in love with blues and their sound until one day i had the chance to test one razer widow ultimate with its cherry blues , at a superstore in my town.
While they were awesome to type on, yep they were too loud , even in a store with backround music, you can hear them.
But i loved the feeling , but i tend to love my wife more haha ,(i dont want to keep her asleep at night while i gaming).
Also i dont want to doubletap when it shouldnt be.

So all these made me to buy a filco with browns!
And i have to tell you i am 100% happy that i took browns over the blues , cause i love them so much.
I have also bought and applied orings on every key and now i feel them more silenced , but with the tactile feeling to be the same.
But thats me.

But as many have stated here and there,whatever board(prefered switches) you buy ,thats only the begining in mechanical keyboards!

[enoy21]

Younger sibling ?  What is he bigger than you ?   Dude, be like a big brother should and buy one specifically to irritate him.


If you type hard ( which most people do on their first mechanical ) the browns will be just as loud , just a deeper "clunk" instead of a "click"  The volume isn't much different, it's the pitch.  

WASD Blues :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDeLMrCYTkk&feature=related

Filco browns :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3arRqE_0y8&feature=player_embedded#!


If you already do or can learn to type softly then the browns are relatively quieter. I've been trying to learn touch typing so the browns are alot quieter for me at the moment.   I really love both and it's kind of nice splitting my time on blues all day at work and browns at home ( I know this is a reversal of what most people suggest but my browns are TKL and I need TK at work.

But alas may have to take my blues out of my office once I move next week. I'll have to see how much it irritates the new neighbor.


I wish he didn't have the background music to allow better focus on the keys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mqkm62zJGY


And right here on our very own site Ripster has a master sound table in the Wiki's.

[wasdkeyboards]

Here's a comparison of all three. Also, you can hear the difference with and without O-rings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFkl1Vet1eU

[domin8r]

First get a Model M for a bit.. after that he'll be glad you got the MX blues

But seriously, it's hard to compare.. the blues are louder ofcourse but I don't consider them too loud. Especially when you really "learn" to type on them without bottoming out. Typing on blues or browns is a whole different experience so you can't decide on sound alone.