Author Topic: What switch should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?  (Read 3213 times)

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Offline scowdawg

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I have been using cherry mx browns for a while and I always bottom out. I have hefty fat fingers and I think I need some switches with much more weight. Does anyone else have this problem? Where should I start with heavier tactile switches (and maybe some heavier linears too, might be trying out some linear switches soon.)
« Last Edit: Thu, 14 January 2021, 18:48:54 by scowdawg »

Offline mrvco

  • Posts: 106
Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 12 January 2021, 23:00:14 »
Halo True (100g spring) or Clear (78g spring) from Drop may be worth considering.

Offline Pylon

  • Posts: 852
Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 12 January 2021, 23:03:54 »
MX Clears are a good starting point.

You can also experiment with spring swapping as most switches are 60-70g stock.

Offline HungerMechanic

  • Posts: 1377
Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 12 January 2021, 23:49:06 »
The suggestions above are good.

If you want switches with heavy tactility, look at T1s, Kiwis, and Zealio V2.

For heavy weight, Halo True.

Holy Pandas have good tactility, much more than Browns, and you can make them from 62 G to at least 68 G, maybe 78 G.


The new U4 Boba is a medium-resistance silent tactile, and there's a loud version of it now. You can put Halo stems in the Boba housing to get something like Holy Pandas. I have and it's pretty good.

Offline jamster

  • Posts: 1091
  • Location: Asia
Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 13 January 2021, 00:05:40 »
Many of us have absolutely no problem bottoming out whilst typing, and regard it as a totally normal part of the experience.

Offline Leslieann

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Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 13 January 2021, 07:53:03 »
Heavy springs in tactiles can wash out tactility.
Tactility is based on the contact/leaf and stem and is only assisted by the main spring so it has a somewhat pre-determined rate, the closer to that rate you get the more washed out it becomes. For example Cherry Clear, it's 65g at activation, but at activation the spring is actually only pushing 45g so there's a 20g difference (browns are about a 15g difference). If you install a stiffer spring you decrease that gap making it have less tactility, I'm not sure you can entirely erase it but you can certainly wash it out. This was why Ergo clears caught on, it spread that gap to around 30-35g by mixing a Cherry light spring (brown/red/blue) and a clear stem.

As such you need to start with a switch designed for maximum tactility to avoid washing it out.
Browns are the light wight for tactility
Clears and Purple Pros are medium to heavy tactility for major brands.
Box switches are the heaviest tactility for major brands.
Beyond this you need clickies or boutique switches such as Zeal and others.

Other things to remember,
Just because it has a higher spring rating doesn't mean the bump is necessarily bigger than something with a lower spring rating, remember they are only somewhat connected. By the same note a higher spring rated switch will by necessity have a bigger bump than something with a light spring and light tactility (such as browns). I can speak from experience that 62g Zeal Zilent and Zealios do not lack in tactile bump despite being the lightest spring they offer. Bump shape also matters, a more rounded bump will not feel as tactile for a given pressure, some people prefer it some people hate it. Your spring will also effect how this is perceived with stiffer making it more rounded but some switches are hardly effected while others are severely changed so you may want to experiment a bit before committing to something.

One last thing to note, Cherry rates springs at activation (this includes the tactile bump and the spring combined), everyone else rates bottom out force, Clears use something like a 90g spring by most standards but is only rated as 65g by Cherry. Also springs can have a different profile, Cherry go up pretty straight from 30g-90g in straight line, others may start softer and ramp up or start and end the same but be less on activation. This can also change how tactile a switch feels for a given spring rate.

Sorry if I mudied the waters on this and your decision, but like I said, buy a sample pack and test before fully committing, and do that test in a switch tester or hot swap board with the caps you intend to use because that also can hide how a switch truly feels. Switches I thought I would love based on charts and testing in my hand I absolutely hated in a keyboard when I installed them. Oh and don't test anything you aren't willing to buy because if you fall in love with them you probably won't be happy with anything else. Test what you're willing to buy and don't skimp once you made a choice by thinking something will be close enough because you will start pondering whether you made the right choice later and by then it's going to cost you a whole lot more to correct that mistake. As for expensive switches, they are not magic, lube is the great equalizer, you don't need to spend $100+ on switches to get a good feel, just good ones with lube will (usually) get you 99% of the way there.
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Offline aleck

  • Posts: 107
  • Location: Curridabat
Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 13 January 2021, 11:09:42 »
I have been using cherry mx browns for a while and I always bottom out. I have hefty fat fingers and I think I need some switches with much more weight. Does anyone else have this problem? Where should I start with heavier tactile switches (and maybe some heavier linears too, might be trying out some linear switches soon.)
The bottom out is just a part of the experience buddy, if you like it you like it, if you don't like it try to get something with a softer bottom out or heavier springs.
Either way you should consider some of the switches above.

Offline scowdawg

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 3
Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 13 January 2021, 15:00:33 »
Ended up ordering zealios v2. I think based on recommendations and reviews these will be perfect. Thanks for all the advice!

Offline HungerMechanic

  • Posts: 1377
Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 13 January 2021, 17:19:53 »
Good choice, for your needs.

62 G Zealio V2 are very tactile, but are only about as heavy as MX Browns.

You start to notice a little more weight at 67 G, tactility is damped down a little bit because of the higher weight [but still higher than MX Brown].

You can probably go all the way up to 78 G and the tactility will still be higher than MX Brown.

Offline Pylon

  • Posts: 852
Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 14 January 2021, 08:16:10 »
Heavy springs in tactiles can wash out tactility.
Tactility is based on the contact/leaf and stem and is only assisted by the main spring so it has a somewhat pre-determined rate, the closer to that rate you get the more washed out it becomes.

For heavier tactiles I've noticed that sharper tactility is better than rounded than higher spring weights. MX Clears (sharp) feels like they give a lot more feedback @ 90g than T1's with the same 90g spring.

These day I type on MX Clear stems with their stock 90g springs, but swapped into an MX Blue bottom housing. This ups the tactility, but not so much that it increases your tendency to bottom out to get over the bump (I've also tried MX Clear stems in Boba housings and the tactilie bump becomes so large that you're bottoming out a lot more often overcoming the bump).

Offline Leslieann

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 4513
Re: What keycaps should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #10 on: Thu, 14 January 2021, 21:00:30 »
For heavier tactiles I've noticed that sharper tactility is better than rounded than higher spring weights. MX Clears (sharp) feels like they give a lot more feedback @ 90g than T1's with the same 90g spring.

These day I type on MX Clear stems with their stock 90g springs, but swapped into an MX Blue bottom housing.
I agree about the tactility, sharp is going to keep it's definition a lot better, but I was always under the impression Cherry only uses one upper and lower housing.
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| YMDK75 Jail Housed Gateron Blues
More
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| KBT Race S L.E.
More
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More
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Offline Pylon

  • Posts: 852
Re: What switch should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #11 on: Thu, 14 January 2021, 23:38:44 »
Blue has a different leaf that increases tactility.

Offline mode

  • Posts: 315
Re: What switch should I look for if mx-browns feel like linear switch to me?
« Reply #12 on: Fri, 15 January 2021, 00:46:41 »
Orange/Salmon alps.