What switch type would best supplement an existing 104-key with Browns?

[Machinus]

I have used a 104-key Majestouch 2 with MX Browns as my primary desktop keyboard for about 10 years. I am a heavy (both force and amount of use) typist, and I have front-facing letters since I don't ever look at them and I want to avoid damaging the printing on the caps, which has happened with other keyboards I have used. I use it for writing, gaming, and some coding.

Due to work purposes, I do most of my coding on my Thinkpad, which has one of the older-style spring keyboards which they don't manufacture anymore. I have very large hands, which means I find the laptop keyboard restrictive sometimes. However, it's portable, so it gets used more. I might take an 88-key with me sometimes if I already had one.

Aside from the feel and durability of the keys, one of the main things that I like about the Browns is the long travel distance. With good posture, I can write on it for long periods of time without any typing fatigue. It seems like most of the regular-class switches all have about the same travel distance.

I would like to get an 88-key to use primarily for gaming and coding, and also as a backup typing keyboard since an 88 actually fits into my briefcase if I want to carry one. So, I'd like it to be best for gaming, but not unusable for writing. I do not like super-loud clicky keyboards since the Brown one is quite loud already when I am using it. I have read conflicting opinions about what kind of switch is best for long-term gaming use. It is hard to get a sense of how your hand will adjust to a switch just from trying it in a store. I did not know for sure that I would get used to Browns when I first switched to them, but I do like them. As I said, my hands are big, and I have a heavy keypress, even when I am typing for long periods of time. I have heard very good opinions about how easy Red or Red-type switches are for these two uses, but I'm worried that my heavy-handedness would lead to a lot of errors, or just more fatigue, since they don't return to position as firmly. So that makes me wonder if a classic Black 88 is what I should get.

Is there one other big-handed typist who has a second keyboard for gaming? What did you buy?

[Leslieann]

A lot to unpack here...
Keycap wear - doubleshots and dye-sub caps don't have that issue unless you put a TON of wear on them and wear through the plastic. Filco has long been known to use pad printing (paint), which wears off quickly. Not Filco but I've had printed caps lose lettering within a week. Thinkpads haven't used a spring, ever(?), it's a rubber dome based scissor switch. Along with Apple, Thinkpads are known for having some of the best scissor switches (the bad Apples were butterfly switch).

In general linear switches are good for gaming, clicky are good for typing, a good middle ground is tactile, such as browns.
You can get brown switches on just about any keyboard and since you already know and like them I'd say stick to them. I'd recommend sticking to Gateron or Cherry, but if you're worried about noise you may want to try something that's dampened such as Zeal Zilencios which have a small rubber bumper at top and bottom and a bit more tactile than browns. At which point the stabs are by far the noisiest thing in the keyboard, look into band-aid modding which would make the board as quiet as a laptop. Unfortunately few keyboards offer Zeal switches and modding stabs often requires removing at least the switch it is stabilizing.

As for spring weight, some do better with stiff, some do better with light springs, honestly I'm not sure it matter if you're heavy handed or not.  I'm of the opinion your fingers adapt to whatever you're using. I though I was a bit heavy handed (though high on dexterity), but I LOOOVE light springs, they push me to be gentle, I've used them so long that my fingers no longer like stiff springs.

As for a board, I would go look at mechanicalkeyboards.com, kbdfans and Krepublic (beware ship times to the US) and if you want a cheap hot swap, GMMK. You pretty much won't go wrong with anything you find on these sites. Since you want it for portability I wouldn't get anything solid aluminum (too heavy) and aim for something thin and light. If you want to try some new switches I'd say try the GMMK, it's light and thin for easy travel (get a magnetic USB cable) and allow for any switch, better still it would allow you to buy a bare board and/or mod the stabs without desoldering. The downside is it's not as nice as nice as some of the others and hot swap is going to limit the lifespan, but it's cheap so it's also cheap to replace if it gets damaged/lost/stolen. I;d consider that with some browns and maybe order up some Zilencios (10 pack) and see if you like them better than the browns. If so, order a full set and swap it over.