geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: zeo on Tue, 08 October 2024, 22:09:05
Title: Why is changing switches so complicated?
Post by: zeo on Tue, 08 October 2024, 22:09:05
Is it because the current switches just aren't cutting it for you anymore? Maybe you're bored with the feel and want to try something new? Or perhaps you're excited to test out the latest switches that just hit the market? Or is it for some other reason? I've also considered changing switches for some of the reasons mentioned above, but with so many switches available on the market, I don't know how to choose the ones I like. When I finally bought some switches and tried to replace them, my clumsy hands kept damaging the switches. After spending a lot of time, I finally managed to replace the entire set. While it felt great at the moment, I realized after some time that the switches didn't suit me. It was a terrible switch-changing experience. After going through that, I thought maybe there could be a way to adjust the switch style with just a simple operation to help me find the right switches. Based on this idea, I created a survey that takes about 2 minutes to complete, to help me understand the feasibility of this idea and how well it is received by everyone. Please take some time to help me fill out this questionnaire: https://forms.gle/j4FFpBSCPAFhcAJc9 (https://forms.gle/j4FFpBSCPAFhcAJc9)
Title: Re: Why is changing switches so complicated?
Post by: abaftsuggest on Wed, 09 October 2024, 02:50:35
It sounds like you've had a frustrating experience trying to find the right keyboard switches!
Title: Re: Why is changing switches so complicated?
Post by: Leslieann on Thu, 10 October 2024, 08:50:27
It's an over saturated market with too many options, few actual differences and quite a few limited runs making choices seem greater than they are. It's similar to a custom order of keycaps, there's a few companies who do it and all it takes little more than a few emails and a credit card to make a "new" switch.
As for difficulty physically changing them, that's because the hot swaps are a hack, switches were never meant to be used this way. The tabs were meant to be soldered and someone made up a way to just clip them in, they lack the durability and strength to be used as a locking tab. Fixing that requires a rethink/redesign of the switch which means all switches would need to be redesigned and would probably drive prices up, so we're stuck with a terrible system.
Title: Re: Why is changing switches so complicated?
Post by: Sup on Tue, 15 October 2024, 09:52:02