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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: F u r u y á on Sat, 19 November 2011, 17:31:02
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Sorry for the title. Of course this is my particular opinion, and having used it for less than a week.
The keyboard in question is a PLU ML-87 (tenkeyless, plate-mounted, 2-KRO, media keys, windows-key blocking).
I'm already using it for 4 days and I can't stand how much force is required to activate those keys. It's weird, I've tested Clears before (used for 2 weeks and hated them as well) but the feeling I have is that Blues requires even more force (to get past the tactile point) and my typing simply can't flow on the keyboard. The hystersis is a bit annoying too, but not as much as the huge force/tactility.
As I expected the 2-KRO didn't give me any problems, I can type and play (SC2) just fine with it. But I'm finding nearly impossible to fast type in it, and despite MX Clear being more stiffer I could fast type just fine in it. With MX Brown and MX Clear I could type around 90-100wpm; with MX Blue, I'm typing around 70-80wpm. My average in typeracer went really down (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/Furuyah/Keyboard/4dayswithblues.png).
Here is my opinions about the so far experimented switches and about the yet to be experimented. I think now it's very clear that I'm a very light typist and that's why I'm not looking for switches with more than 50g of actuation force.
Summary of experimented switches
- MX Blue
Too stiff. Can't make the typing "flow". Too much tactility.
- MX Brown
Light and nice. Subtle tactility.
- MX Clear
Too stiff. Too mushy. Can't notice tactile point that much (maybe due to the stiff springs).
Summary of yet to be experimented switches
- MX Red
The MX Red is here, just waiting for its turn. I'm almost sure that I will like it (same force as MX Brown and some says that it feels even lighter).
- Ergo Clears
I'm almost sure I won't like it. I tested one single key and the tactility was too much for me. It's like it has upstroke hysteresis, making it simply impossible to double tap. After the current experience with MX Blue I think I indeed won't like it at all.
- Topre 45g uniform
It should give a completely different feeling compared to Cherry switches, and the 45g looks nice.
- Others
Is there any other switch with less than 50g actuation force? Ghetto Green ALPS and Rappoo v7 only?
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Alright. So I might ask Santa a 87U 45g.
And how much do you think MX Blue gets lower force after a couple of weeks of break-in? Not that much right?
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I've heard of really old blues having the tactile bump wear down a bit, but not the force changing much. It is a spring, so it will wear, just haven't heard of anything noticeable.
I didn't like blues at first either, and to be honest, I'm still not sure I do. But I hate them less after I used them for a few weeks.
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My filco with MX blues felt really stiff for some reason. After 2 months of use i ripometer'd it and it was actuating at 67g on some keys and 65 ish on others. I did like the keyboard though.
Now however im getting MX reds because just like you i have found out that i like the lightness in switches
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I have a different opinion, but have only used pcb mount blues in more than passing. I find them only very slightly more resistant than brown, which can be expected since the tactile point is more like < than { on the brown. But I still think it is a fairly light switch, and nearly half as heavy feeling to me than clears. Blue is my second favorite mx switch, with reds as my absolute favorite. I liked browns a lot until I tried reds, and just though the tactile point is too subtle to have any point.
That said if your Santa has deep pockets the Topre very well be your perfect switch. If not reds may be as perfect as you can get.
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If you learn to touch type without bottoming out, you probably will find them MUCH lighter.
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Force difference between blue and brown, at least for me, is negligible. Even though I bottom out hard I find both switches on the light side.
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I am typing on brown and feel that blue is a bit tough. Maybe my hands are used to brown and prefer to type lightly.
However, the distinct tactile bump of blue is great when typing. I don't mind the blue sound, just the typing force.
Ideally, with blue switches you will never have to bottom out since the bump is so clear.
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It's not like I'm heavy typing on it, bottoming out fiercely. I simply can't get past the tactile point if I try to type comfortably and lightly in a flowing fashion, like I can do with Browns. As Lolcakes pointed out, they're simply feeling too stiff.
Clickey, you either haven't even read my post or you're saying I'm a liar. In case you still don't believe me, I've just put some coins on it and they were summing about 64g and the key was still stuck at the tactile point!
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Just reporting:
Today I finished the 2 week trial with MX Blue. I still hate them. I managed to type fast with it and the solution was easy: pound the hell out of the keys, bottoming out fiercely. Otherwise, very often my finger would get stuck at the tactile point, greatly slowing me down.
And I've just started testing MX Red. I'm about 10 minutes using it. It's unbelievably light and smooth. For some reason during the period I was using blues the cats stayed out of the room. At the second I switched the keyboards, they came (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/Furuyah/Keyboard/PLUML-87/BlackMXRed/Eva.jpg)back (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/Furuyah/Keyboard/PLUML-87/BlackMXRed/EvaTom.jpg), and I'm wondering if they were simply hating the high pitched noise from the MX Blue.
I've just typed a text at 120wpm, effortlessly. It looked like I used 10% of the effort. With blues, 120wpm was a sound fest (high pitch + fierce bottom outs) and very mentally and fisically demanding I should say. I really had to be "in the mood" to type above 110wpm with MX Blue.
I can't believe how nice are those Reds. Maybe the fact that I've hated blues so much certainly is influecing my judgment. But I don't care, now I can type ultra lightly and the key gets registered no matter what, and the typing is just flowing. And I'm not bottoming out everytime; and when it occurs, it really feels like a cloud. The cloud joke was no joke. :biggrin:
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for science
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I like blues with washers on the key stems. Makes them harder to bottom out.