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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Spokoman on Wed, 17 April 2013, 10:18:13

Title: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Spokoman on Wed, 17 April 2013, 10:18:13
I know, I know... another preference question. I think the browns are perfect for me: gaming/typing. But I've read some forum posts that people swear by clears and browns feel like there's some dirt in there while you press.

Any comments on this?
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Wed, 17 April 2013, 10:21:27
I feel like browns are reds with a touch of a bump in it. The bump isn't enough for me to feel it so half the time I wonder if the switches are tactile or linear and it messes with me. And I dislike the lightness in both.

I also tried ergo-clears, but again they felt like slightly better browns and I didn't like them. Plus they were sticky and the actuation would be interrupted or get caught.

Stock clears feel incredible to me. A little heavier than blues, with a HUGE bump that is unmistakable. Very pleasurable to type on. And quiet too.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: boost on Wed, 17 April 2013, 10:21:34
Browns have lighter springs and lighter tactile
Clears have heavier springs and a more noticeable tactile bump

Lots of people go the "ergo-clears" route which is light springs and clear stems.



IMO Clears > Browns
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Spokoman on Wed, 17 April 2013, 10:34:14
As usual very helpful posts :)

So which clears are these: http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=296 ??
It doesn't state in the details.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Kmynis on Wed, 17 April 2013, 10:36:07
Regular clears, not the ergo ones. Ergo ones are a ghetto thing and not available in shops.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Wed, 17 April 2013, 10:40:33
Right. Ergo-clears are a mod that you have to do yourself. Those would be stock Clears on that Ducky.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: nsrexler on Wed, 17 April 2013, 10:52:16
I would definitely recommend Clears if you tend to be a heavy typist.
If you're looking into getting a board with Clears, I would recommend you get a set of PBT keycaps for it; in my opinion, the harder plastic makes the tactile bump much more noticeable.
I also think that Clears feel better with O-rings, but that's just my personal preference.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: davkol on Wed, 17 April 2013, 11:03:40
(this post may contain strong opinions, and is based on personal observations, you've been warned)

But I've read some forum posts that people swear by clears and browns feel like there's some dirt in there while you press.

Any comments on this?

Exactly. Browns are a jack of all trades, but master of none. I like both reds and clears, and browns are a horrible mixture of both. They aren't smooth like reds, nor tactile like clears... rather gritty, loud (!) something. However, I can imagine browns actually may feel great when lubed, as someone has suggested around here.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: keymaster on Wed, 17 April 2013, 11:11:59
Now that I have both an ergo-clear and a brown board, I can say that stock clears are better than browns in two ways: tactility and sound. I tried stock clears at the Chicago meet-up and they're a little heavier than browns. Stock clears or ergo-clears are both better than browns, imo.

Coolermaster will have some keyboards with stock clears in at least a few months.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: daerid on Wed, 17 April 2013, 11:58:41
I'm gonna try clears with O-rings on my ErgoDox... probably as close to Topre as I can get with a Cherry Switch.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: keymaster on Wed, 17 April 2013, 12:12:39
I'm gonna try clears with O-rings on my ErgoDox... probably as close to Topre as I can get with a Cherry Switch.

I tried putting o-rings on the ergo-clear board but it takes away the pronounced tactility and sound from it. With the o-rings, the bottoming out is too soft and the sound is changed a bit. I like the o-rings on browns, though. Tell us how you like it :)
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: daerid on Wed, 17 April 2013, 12:17:49
I will. I'm thinking of getting the really light ones, just enough to dampen the sharp impact, but not enough to shorten the down stroke.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Spokoman on Wed, 17 April 2013, 13:44:00
(this post may contain strong opinions, and is based on personal observations, you've been warned)
I consider myself warned.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Internetlad on Wed, 17 April 2013, 15:38:50
from the test board where I had both I thought the clears were FAR superior.

Basically it comes down to the keypress. If you like heavy boards (buckling springs, blacks) you'll prefer the clear. If you like light boards (reds, rubber domes) you'll like browns.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: kwago on Wed, 17 April 2013, 16:09:13
Coolermaster will have some keyboards with stock clears in at least a few months.

whuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Jagriff on Wed, 17 April 2013, 18:06:11
I can't wait to try out clears and ergo-clears. Browns are my favorite switch out of blue, black, and green, so I can only hope that clears are even nicer.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Internetlad on Wed, 17 April 2013, 18:35:49
whuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=39814.0
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: jabar on Wed, 17 April 2013, 19:03:31
I would be using my Ergo-Clear board if not for a bused Esc switch that requires a complete desolder.

However I have been using my Max X8 backlit MX Brown keyboard and am enjoying it quite a bit.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Hour on Thu, 18 April 2013, 19:41:43
Browns are great!  ;D
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Dubsgalore on Thu, 18 April 2013, 21:29:12
I have both! i prefer Clears :D

personally i tend to like heavier switches, so try to try both :D
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Larken on Thu, 18 April 2013, 21:50:39
ergo-clears > browns > clears. (typing)

browns > ergo-clears > clears (gaming)

if I could only pick one switch for both typing and gaming, I'll probably stick with browns.

I have a preference for light switches. clears are way too heavy for my tastes.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: TranscendingLogic on Thu, 18 April 2013, 22:17:24
Definitely prefer browns for a great typing experience. Clears are just too heavy and the bigger bump doesn't add anything.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: babyhands on Fri, 19 April 2013, 00:05:12
If it means anything, I have owned blue, red, brown, also used a good amount of black, I like brown the best. I like lighter switches, and i think i am too lazy to make an ergo clear board haha
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: VesperSAINT on Fri, 19 April 2013, 01:53:19
I would definitely recommend Clears if you tend to be a heavy typist.
If you're looking into getting a board with Clears, I would recommend you get a set of PBT keycaps for it; in my opinion, the harder plastic makes the tactile bump much more noticeable.
I also think that Clears feel better with O-rings, but that's just my personal preference.

I taught you well :P But I don't like o-rings in my Clears. Clears are so freaking awesome!

I just don't really like browns; browns feel like broken reds imo. You'll hear this a million times but ergo-clears are just what browns should've been. I'm about to mod a keyboard into ergo-clears within the next couple days but I've installed some ergo-clears onto a experiment board to see how they felt and it feels pretty damn good (lubed with krytox). I think I like Clears better but I won't decide fully until I've tried a keyboard with all ergo-clears.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: The_Beast on Fri, 19 April 2013, 01:55:01
Lubed ergo-clears > lubed browns > clears > browns

IMO
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: noisyturtle on Fri, 19 April 2013, 03:56:32
Ergo-clears are truly the king of MX land. Lubed and stickered just makes them even more of a dream.
Ergo-clears > Reds > Browns > Clears > Pandas
I've grown so accustomed to playing certain game genres with reds I have to keep one on my desk for switching out boards.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: VesperSAINT on Fri, 19 April 2013, 04:29:16
Ergo-clears are truly the king of MX land. Lubed and stickered just makes them even more of a dream.
Ergo-clears > Reds > Browns > Clears > Pandas
I've grown so accustomed to playing certain game genres with reds I have to keep one on my desk for switching out boards.

I can actually empathize with this because I'm so used to playing FPS games and DOTA with Cherry MX Reds that it doesn't feel the same without them :\ Because of this, I usually use my Reds whenever I play any games, which means I always have at least 2 keyboards connected at all times (Reds and my favorite switch at the time). Clears aren't too bad for gaming either but then again Clears are awesome all the time :P
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: karazi on Fri, 19 April 2013, 05:56:26
How come I haven't seen clears for sale anywhere?  I'd be interested in buying a keyboard with clears already on it, or just the switches to install them on an old chattering v1 Rosewill with blues, but can't seem to find them anywhere.  Surprised they are not on more boards given the growing fanfare.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: VesperSAINT on Fri, 19 April 2013, 07:25:26
How come I haven't seen clears for sale anywhere?  I'd be interested in buying a keyboard with clears already on it, or just the switches to install them on an old chattering v1 Rosewill with blues, but can't seem to find them anywhere.  Surprised they are not on more boards given the growing fanfare.

 https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=296

You're welcome. There is also the Decks too.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Spokoman on Fri, 19 April 2013, 08:37:56
I ordered the Ducky clears. Should come tomorrow according to fedex :)

I was not able to compare it to browns. At micro center I tried the Blues. It felt aweome, tho I felt it was a bit too light. I'll post my feedback tomorrow.

Noob question, are the ergo-clears just clears with o-rings?
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 19 April 2013, 08:39:07
I ordered the Ducky clears. Should come tomorrow according to fedex :)

I was not able to compare it to browns. At micro center I tried the Blues. It felt aweome, tho I felt it was a bit too light. I'll post my feedback tomorrow.

Noob question, are the ergo-clears just clears with o-rings?

Ergo clears are clears with brown/blue/red springs. O-rings just reduce the travel and soften the landing.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: keymaster on Fri, 19 April 2013, 08:40:22
I ordered the Ducky clears. Should come tomorrow according to fedex :)

I was not able to compare it to browns. At micro center I tried the Blues. It felt aweome, tho I felt it was a bit too light. I'll post my feedback tomorrow.

Noob question, are the ergo-clears just clears with o-rings?

http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Ergo_Clear

The Ergo Clear switch is a Cherry MX switch with a slider from a clear switch and a light-weight spring from a brown, red or blue switch.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Spokoman on Fri, 19 April 2013, 09:20:47
Gotcha, so it's custom made. IF I ask you if it's difficult t do you'll say it's EZ, but what about a person who's never done that before?  ;D
Of course, before I do anything I'm gonna try the clears just out of the box. Maybe they're what I want? Tho in this thread people tend to say browns are better for gaming. We shall see  :D
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 19 April 2013, 09:22:48
Remember, you're typing on this board, not people in this thread. If you like X switch for gaming, go for it. I personally don't mind blues when I play games. I play SC2 with blues. But people swear up and down that its linear switches for gaming. =shrugs=  It's ALL about personal preference.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Spokoman on Fri, 19 April 2013, 10:16:08
Remember, you're typing on this board, not people in this thread. If you like X switch for gaming, go for it. I personally don't mind blues when I play games. I play SC2 with blues. But people swear up and down that its linear switches for gaming. =shrugs=  It's ALL about personal preference.
I hear you. I assume NA server. What league? I'm looking to do some 2v2  :cool:
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Internetlad on Fri, 19 April 2013, 10:55:34
It's all personal preference. People have said that blacks are an odd choice for gaming but I very much like them. The only gripe I have is that in a game like ARMA where you're constantly holding down the "run" key (for like an hour, ugh") your finger can get really tired.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: VesperSAINT on Fri, 19 April 2013, 15:07:30
I ordered the Ducky clears. Should come tomorrow according to fedex :)

I was not able to compare it to browns. At micro center I tried the Blues. It felt aweome, tho I felt it was a bit too light. I'll post my feedback tomorrow.

Noob question, are the ergo-clears just clears with o-rings?

OO! You're going to love that Ducky Clears, trust me :)

If you felt the blues were awesome but too light, you are going to want to find a Cherry MX Green keyboard or at least a ghetto Green because that's pretty much just Blues with stiffer springs.

Ergo-clears are a modded switch where one take a Clear stem and replaces the stiffer spring inside with a lighter spring from a Cherry MX Blue, Brown, or Red. It's pretty much a Brown with a more pronounced bump.

Remember, you're typing on this board, not people in this thread. If you like X switch for gaming, go for it. I personally don't mind blues when I play games. I play SC2 with blues. But people swear up and down that its linear switches for gaming. =shrugs=  It's ALL about personal preference.
It's all personal preference. People have said that blacks are an odd choice for gaming but I very much like them. The only gripe I have is that in a game like ARMA where you're constantly holding down the "run" key (for like an hour, ugh") your finger can get really tired.


Yeh, I agree with you guys. It ultimate comes down to what do you enjoy the most. Some people tend to get so focused on what's the best performing blah blah but how much can a specific switch really improve one's gameplay? Heck, SlayerSBoxeR used blues for the longest time too. However, in the long periods of holding down the keys during gaming sessions, blacks did somewhat fatigue my fingers, which is why I eventually ended up selling my them (I primarily used them for gaming) when I got my Reds because of the fatigue issue with long button presses.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Macsmasher on Fri, 19 April 2013, 18:33:15
I know, I know... another preference question. I think the browns are perfect for me: gaming/typing. But I've read some forum posts that people swear by clears and browns feel like there's some dirt in there while you press.

Any comments on this?

For you, this question can never be answered by others because it's personal preference. It's like asking on a forum what color of car you should buy.

But I can give you a quantifiable opinion on the dirty (i.e. gritty) feel of the switch. That's the Cherry switches. The only reason it's more obvious on browns is because of their light tactility and actuation force. The grittiness is still there in the heavier, more tactile switches. You just don't notice it as much.

I moved to Topre switches about five months ago. Just today, I pulled out my Dos Ultimate with browns. Honestly, I was shocked at how gritty the switches felt. It didn't bother me as much before moving to Topre switches because I had nothing better to which to compare it. But going from Topre back to Cherry browns was another story. The grittiness was glaring and it was miserable to use.

To use another example to make my point; remember how you were able to work on your two year old computer? Sure, it wasn't cutting edge and you knew it was getting slow by current standards. But, you got your work done and didn't give it much thought. Then you get your new computer and it's lightening fast. You work on that for a week or two, then go back to your old system. It's absolutely miserable to work on and you ask yourself how you ever got anything done. Going from Topre back to Cherry is exactly like that.

For years I've been a monitor snob, insisting on high res IPS panels. I guess I'm now also a Topre snob.  :D
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Internetlad on Fri, 19 April 2013, 22:17:17
Surprised they are not on more boards given the growing fanfare.


CM is coming out with clears on one of their mech boards.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: ping111 on Fri, 19 April 2013, 22:44:20
When the clears hit the market for less than 2C shipped, I'm gonna have to get me one, but for now, I'm actually extremely happy with my Browns.  I don't know what you guys are talking about grittiness - I think the bump is extremely pleasant and gives me this wonderful light feeling in my fingers, which makes me feel like I can type even faster.  If you guys wanna slam your keys, your problem, but I think the super-duper bump I get in my Browns is enough to keep my fingers gracefully floating.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: davkol on Sat, 20 April 2013, 02:28:19
It's like asking on a forum what color of car you should buy.

Bad Car Analogies (TM)

I don't know what you guys are talking about grittiness - I think the bump is extremely pleasant and gives me this wonderful light feeling in my fingers, which makes me feel like I can type even faster.  If you guys wanna slam your keys, your problem, but I think the super-duper bump I get in my Browns is enough to keep my fingers gracefully floating.

When I slam them, there's no tactility. When I don't slam them, they feel like sandpaper.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: VesperSAINT on Sat, 20 April 2013, 02:47:01
It's like asking on a forum what color of car you should buy.

Bad Car Analogies (TM)

I don't know what you guys are talking about grittiness - I think the bump is extremely pleasant and gives me this wonderful light feeling in my fingers, which makes me feel like I can type even faster.  If you guys wanna slam your keys, your problem, but I think the super-duper bump I get in my Browns is enough to keep my fingers gracefully floating.

When I slam them, there's no tactility. When I don't slam them, they feel like sandpaper.

Lol.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Spokoman on Sat, 20 April 2013, 18:51:58
got the clears today :D

Typing on the now. I have to say the backlit is jawdropping. I love it. The keyboard is very sturdy. My fingers enjoy it.  Now as far as the Clears go.... idk. I might be a victim of getting the Reds at work a week before. The reds felt too soft, but I got used to them and really like them now. Today when I opened the Ducky Shine 2 with clears they felt a bit too hard. The question now is will I get used to it or are browns a better fit for me. And this is just typing now. If I have some time today I'm gonna hop on to SC2 and try gaming.

The typing does sound really sexy tho. My wife if a very fast typist. I enjoyed listening to her typing. Tho, that's the last time she touched my keyboard :)
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: VesperSAINT on Sat, 20 April 2013, 19:08:41
got the clears today :D

Typing on the now. I have to say the backlit is jawdropping. I love it. The keyboard is very sturdy. My fingers enjoy it.  Now as far as the Clears go.... idk. I might be a victim of getting the Reds at work a week before. The reds felt too soft, but I got used to them and really like them now. Today when I opened the Ducky Shine 2 with clears they felt a bit too hard. The question now is will I get used to it or are browns a better fit for me. And this is just typing now. If I have some time today I'm gonna hop on to SC2 and try gaming.

The typing does sound really sexy tho. My wife if a very fast typist. I enjoyed listening to her typing. Tho, that's the last time she touched my keyboard :)

I think most stiffer switches require a short break-in period. Also, you think they sound awesome now but wait until you throw on a set of PBT keycaps. It makes the experience multiple folds better. Take my word for it. Not only will it feel better but it'll sound better. I might make a sound record later tonight but you can always check my ****ty youtube video. The sound is muffled by my Razer Goliathus underneith but it still sounds better than stock ABS. You'll also enjoy Clears for gaming :)
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Leslieann on Sat, 20 April 2013, 20:09:48
As Davkol said, brown is a jack of all trades, master of none, which is why they are a great starter. They have a common spring and a hint of tactility (some will say a gritty feel). From there you can decide if you want stiffer springs, and more or less tactility.

Personally, I like soft springs, this means I need a red/blue/brown spring.
I also want the tactility of blue or clear, the problem with clear is the spring is too stiff and you can't really buy a keyboard with them easily. The problem with blue is the design does not lend itself well to gaming. This is especially true if you double tap, something blue is probably the worst switch you can possibly use. As such, Ergo Clears (light spring with clear stem) works great for me but means buying a keyboard and a set of switches to part out.


I also tend to like short throw, which no switch actually offers except Jailhouse Blues, which are a blue switch, with a wire wrapped around the stem to hold it extended. This gives the feel of a short throw Ergo Clear, and while a hassle to make (you have to disassemble, wrap the stems, and cut springs to tune the stiffness), they can be made from a normal blue switch without replacing or buying anything except a bit of wire from Wally World for $2.

Start with browns then decide where you want to go.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: yester64 on Sat, 20 April 2013, 22:20:47
ergo-clears > browns > clears. (typing)

browns > ergo-clears > clears (gaming)

if I could only pick one switch for both typing and gaming, I'll probably stick with browns.

I have a preference for light switches. clears are way too heavy for my tastes.

I just like to add that i actually wasn't able to see any clear switches anywhere in a keyboard. Ok, there are very few but you really need to search.
I am playing with the idea of buying a Das Keyboard with browns. Right now i have reds but i think these switches are not for me. Typing can be challenging for me on it.
Wouldn't a more forceful switch better for avoiding accidental pressing of a switch? I am just curious. Sadly i can not spend so much money to try every possible switch and i don't think Fry's has any of these switches. They do have red, black and browns. My point is i can not compare really (i would like too).
I do know the browns and i think in my case these were the best switches. Sadly i bought a blue switch keyboard and i figured that i hate the click. :(
Anyway. I do like a well balanced keyboard that i can use for gaming and typing. But my gaming needs have changed too. I don't play much 1st person shooters anymore.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: davkol on Sun, 21 April 2013, 02:17:13
I just like to add that i actually wasn't able to see any clear switches anywhere in a keyboard. Ok, there are very few but you really need to search.

Although situation is similar to reds few years ago or reds, Cherry G80-3000LQCDE is quite common at least in Germany.

Wouldn't a more forceful switch better for avoiding accidental pressing of a switch?

If you accidentally press keys, you should fix your typing technique, not keyboard. BTW stiffer switch may cause an opposite problem that you don't apply enough force to actuate the switch when pressing it.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Macsmasher on Sun, 21 April 2013, 04:58:12
ergo-clears > browns > clears. (typing)

browns > ergo-clears > clears (gaming)

if I could only pick one switch for both typing and gaming, I'll probably stick with browns.

I have a preference for light switches. clears are way too heavy for my tastes.

Frustrated? Try Topre switches. It's expensive, but worth it.
I just like to add that i actually wasn't able to see any clear switches anywhere in a keyboard. Ok, there are very few but you really need to search.
I am playing with the idea of buying a Das Keyboard with browns. Right now i have reds but i think these switches are not for me. Typing can be challenging for me on it.
Wouldn't a more forceful switch better for avoiding accidental pressing of a switch? I am just curious. Sadly i can not spend so much money to try every possible switch and i don't think Fry's has any of these switches. They do have red, black and browns. My point is i can not compare really (i would like too).
I do know the browns and i think in my case these were the best switches. Sadly i bought a blue switch keyboard and i figured that i hate the click. :(
Anyway. I do like a well balanced keyboard that i can use for gaming and typing. But my gaming needs have changed too. I don't play much 1st person shooters anymore.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Larken on Sun, 21 April 2013, 05:49:16
ergo-clears > browns > clears. (typing)

browns > ergo-clears > clears (gaming)

if I could only pick one switch for both typing and gaming, I'll probably stick with browns.

I have a preference for light switches. clears are way too heavy for my tastes.

I just like to add that i actually wasn't able to see any clear switches anywhere in a keyboard. Ok, there are very few but you really need to search.
I am playing with the idea of buying a Das Keyboard with browns. Right now i have reds but i think these switches are not for me. Typing can be challenging for me on it.
Wouldn't a more forceful switch better for avoiding accidental pressing of a switch? I am just curious. Sadly i can not spend so much money to try every possible switch and i don't think Fry's has any of these switches. They do have red, black and browns. My point is i can not compare really (i would like too).
I do know the browns and i think in my case these were the best switches. Sadly i bought a blue switch keyboard and i figured that i hate the click. :(
Anyway. I do like a well balanced keyboard that i can use for gaming and typing. But my gaming needs have changed too. I don't play much 1st person shooters anymore.

Its actually about acclimatization. I used to be able to switch from browns to reds and back on a daily basis (home <-> office rotation) without much problem at all. Once I gotten used to ergoclears, I actually found myself hitting the keys too hard on browns, and had crazy typos on the reds, despite not having such problems in the past.

Ergo-clears are my goto switch at the moment, and is a downright favorite. But other the fact that clears are hard to source in the first place, there's other factors such the difficulty and labor involved in modding such switches, and lubing, which is simply not accessible for casual users (donor boards for switches, light springs, lube etc.) It's worth it but I understand why most people aren't interested in putting that much work into it.

Given the constraints of a production board, browns would be what I recommend to anyone, except if they specifically like the audible click of blues. An all round silent switch. I haven't had experience with topre switches before, so I won't comment on that.

If you're thinking about getting a DAS, you might want to get one from the Ultimate line instead of the professional series. Our resident geekhackers seemed to have surmised that the Professional line is being manufactured by someone other than costar, and amazon reviews seem to concur in a drop in production quality. AFAIK the Ultimate versions are still Costar made.




Wouldn't a more forceful switch better for avoiding accidental pressing of a switch?

If you accidentally press keys, you should fix your typing technique, not keyboard. BTW stiffer switch may cause an opposite problem that you don't apply enough force to actuate the switch when pressing it.

davkol is spot on with respect to this. Having used light switches for a long time, I tried buckling springs for a while and I had that problem - I simply couldn't apply enough force on certain keys without consciously trying to, as my fingers are already trained to not bottom out and only applying just enough force. That really put a damper in my typing speed for a while. The inverse is of course applicable.

But if you're simply having the problem of having accidental keypresses while hovering your fingers over the homerow or wasd, you either need to let your fingers get used to it, or opt for a heavier switch.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: VesperSAINT on Sun, 21 April 2013, 06:22:59
davkol is spot on with respect to this. Having used light switches for a long time, I tried buckling springs for a while and I had that problem - I simply couldn't apply enough force on certain keys without consciously trying to, as my fingers are already trained to not bottom out and only applying just enough force. That really put a damper in my typing speed for a while. The inverse is of course applicable.

But if you're simply having the problem of having accidental keypresses while hovering your fingers over the homerow or wasd, you either need to let your fingers get used to it, or opt for a heavier switch.

I can heavily empathize with this point right now. I was fortunate enough to have experienced the Ducky DK9008G2 Pro Limited Edition w/ Cherry MX Greens and learned that this is, IMO, the best feeling switch (along with Clears). However, I was also unfortunate enough to also learn that the stiffness of the Cherry MX Greens, even though this was the reason it felt so damn good, was the cause of frequent typos, which was caused by my ring and pinky finger. As amazing as it felt, the green switch was just too stiff for my ring and pinky fingers and I would have to consciously put effort into my typing to get 100% performance. Before I knew it, I was eventually using the other switches for daily drivers and only coming back to the Greens every now and then for fun. Yes, this can be overcome with practice and time but in most cases you'll probably just end up moving back to the switches that balance out between fun, comfort, and performance.

To sum up, stiff switches such as Green or Clear (lighter than Greens), and maybe even Black, can be an obstacle when considering accuracy, speed and efficiency in typing because of multiple factors such as force required by weaker fingers (ring and pinky), or being used to lighter switches in general. However, this can always be overcome with practice and time, if one is willing to invest in the effort. One just needs to evaluate what they value most in their keyboard; is performance most important or the fun-factor/feel?
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Larken on Sun, 21 April 2013, 06:27:35
davkol is spot on with respect to this. Having used light switches for a long time, I tried buckling springs for a while and I had that problem - I simply couldn't apply enough force on certain keys without consciously trying to, as my fingers are already trained to not bottom out and only applying just enough force. That really put a damper in my typing speed for a while. The inverse is of course applicable.

But if you're simply having the problem of having accidental keypresses while hovering your fingers over the homerow or wasd, you either need to let your fingers get used to it, or opt for a heavier switch.

I can heavily empathize with this point right now. I was fortunate enough to have experienced the Ducky DK9008G2 Pro Limited Edition w/ Cherry MX Greens and learned that this is, IMO, the best feeling switch (along with Clears). However, I was also unfortunate enough to also learn that the stiffness of the Cherry MX Greens, even though this was the reason it felt so damn good, was the cause of frequent typos, which was caused by my ring and pinky finger. As amazing as it felt, the green switch was just too stiff for my ring and pinky fingers and I would have to consciously put effort into my typing to get 100% performance. Before I knew it, I was eventually using the other switches for daily drivers and only coming back to the Greens every now and then for fun. Yes, this can be overcome with practice and time but in most cases you'll probably just end up moving back to the switches that balance out between fun, comfort, and performance.

To sum up, stiff switches such as Green or Clear (lighter than Greens), and maybe even Black, can be an obstacle when considering accuracy, speed and efficiency in typing because of multiple factors such as force required by weaker fingers (ring and pinky), or being used to lighter switches in general. However, this can always be overcome with practice and time, if one is willing to invest in the effort. One just needs to evaluate what they value most in their keyboard; is performance more important or fun factor/feel?

you seem to be teetering on the edge of keyboard modding anyway, or are planning to get started on it soon.... so I say to you - ergoweighted greens! since you know which fingers are the culprits for your typos, get some lighter ie. 62/65g springs and only swap those out while maintaining green stems.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: VesperSAINT on Sun, 21 April 2013, 06:30:24
you seem to be teetering on the edge of keyboard modding anyway, or are planning to get started on it soon.... so I say to you - ergoweighted greens! since you know which fingers are the culprits for your typos, get some lighter ie. 62/65g springs and only swap those out while maintaining green stems.

I have come to realize that the Clears are an awesome balance in between; it's lighter than the Greens, and it's tactility is pronounced enough to be fun and feel great while being stiffer than the Browns. I'm currently in the process of modding a keyboard into Ergo-clears so we'll see where that one fits in :P Got that Krytox waiting for it. It'll probably become my "typing" keyboard for it's speed!

I actually might consider making a ergoweighted greens! I have extra blue switches lying around and I'll also have stiffer springs left over from the Clear switches (when I get them) so that should be interesting! I'll be sure to keep you updated, if I do end up doing that project :) Only problem is going to have to figure out which switches need the lighter springs :P Hope the inconsistency doesn't end up bugging me :)) Also, I'll probably end up having to use my Ducky Blues to do that because I recently sold my Greens off to someone who dearly wanted it. I felt like my Ducky Greens deserved a better home :( I wasn't giving it the attention that it deserved.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: camelCase on Sun, 21 April 2013, 07:15:16
How do stock clears compare to whites in terms of spring tension and tactility? I'm looking into buying a pure with whites and pbt keycaps, so I may end up making ergo-whites if the springs are too stiff.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Larken on Sun, 21 April 2013, 08:09:18
I'd give you a better answer if I actually had whites, but from the spec sheets, the springs in whites are supposed to be heavier than stock clear springs (65cN). They supposedly have the heaviest springs (80cN) in the cherry mx line, discounting the out of production super blacks (150cN).

Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: Internetlad on Sun, 21 April 2013, 10:32:47
camelcase for a close estimate of how much force 65 cN and 80 cN are, an american nickel weighs very close to  5 grams (exerting 5 cN) so 65 is 13 nickels of force, and 80 would be 16 nickels of force.
Title: Re: Cherry Browns or Clears?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Sun, 21 April 2013, 10:36:33
I hear you. I assume NA server. What league? I'm looking to do some 2v2  :cool:

I'm in Gold, NA. PM me if you like. Recently I've been too busy to play but I'm looking to get back into it.