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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: patrickgeekhack on Thu, 05 January 2012, 21:35:31

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: patrickgeekhack on Thu, 05 January 2012, 21:35:31

Sorry if this topic has probably been discussed before. My question goes to those who own both of the keyboards cited in the title of this thread. I just pulled my Compaq MX-11800 to use on a laptop and noticed that the keys feel stiffer than my the ones on my Filco even if they both use brown Cherries. Did any of you notice the same thing?

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: Tony on Thu, 05 January 2012, 21:51:11

Correct. I have both and feel that Compaq is a bit stiffer. I think Cherry changes its brown switches' specification in 1990s.

In 20 years maybe the Filco will have the same key feel as Compaq's feel right now. I will post a review again when the time comes.

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: patrickgeekhack on Thu, 05 January 2012, 21:55:48

I am glad to learn that I am not crazy. I also find the Compaq to be a bit noisier. That said, the keyboard itself is very nice to type on. The one thing that prevents me from using this keyboard more often is the layout. It may get a bit more time now that I found that it seats nicely on one of my laptops, the one I used to connect to work from time to time. I just wish they had the left and rigt click buttons side by side, instead of top and bottom.

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: pitashen on Thu, 05 January 2012, 22:05:59

my leopold brown is stiffer than my older plate mounted board with brown switch. Probably need time to wear the newer switch down a bit more.

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: NorrisB on Thu, 05 January 2012, 22:08:45

yeah Id say this falls under the mcrip effect

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: pitashen on Thu, 05 January 2012, 22:13:29

it is hard to compare the typing feel unless you have two completely new/unused browns witch boards to test with. It is otherwise all talk without substantial proof.

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: pitashen on Thu, 05 January 2012, 22:21:12

great if someone is willing to take the unused old and new switches and mount them onto one board to do the blind test.

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: NorrisB on Thu, 05 January 2012, 23:09:59

light brown and dark brown???????????????

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: Tony on Fri, 06 January 2012, 01:17:16

Wow, I did not realize Compaq and Filco may have different plate board, hence different key feel. Maybe it's just a halo effect after all.

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: patrickgeekhack on Fri, 06 January 2012, 08:18:41

Quote from: pitashen;484332

great if someone is willing to take the unused old and new switches and mount them onto one board to do the blind test.

Ripster will do that so that he can take his "The Number One Expert On The Planet" status to a whole new level :-)

Title: Cherry MX Brown: Filco vs Compaq MX-11800
Post by: pitashen on Fri, 06 January 2012, 19:20:47

Quote from: Tony;484457

Wow, I did not realize Compaq and Filco may have different plate board, hence different key feel. Maybe it's just a halo effect after all.

cherry corp = no plate, directly mounted on circuit board.
filco and many others = two layers, one metal plat on top with circuit board on the bottom.

You end up with two different typing feels, especially in terms of acoustics.