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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: linziyi on Sat, 04 May 2013, 14:47:20

Title: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: linziyi on Sat, 04 May 2013, 14:47:20
Hi! Some questions relating these three different switches. Apparently (What I read from reddit) these three all have similar auction force, but what's the difference? I tend to bottom out a lot using blues, so I think maybe I should look for switches that have higher resistance, any suggestions?




P.S. Just got my QF TK blue a couple days ago! Great improvement from my 3 dollar rubber dome!

Best.
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: Jocelyn on Sat, 04 May 2013, 14:50:11
I want to say there is some difference between the three in actuation/force, but the main difference is clears are tactile, greens are clicky tactile, and dark gray are linear. If you want heavier blues, then you probably want greens or whites :)
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: linziyi on Sat, 04 May 2013, 14:54:16
Any recommendations on what manufacturer or specific keyboard? I know that CM Storm is the only one making green switches right now, and I heard that they are going to include MX clear, is MX clear like white and green?
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Sat, 04 May 2013, 14:56:15
Check out my Post Meetup Switch Review (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=42669.0). I wrote down all my thoughts on the different switches I've tried. Personally I love whites and I'm typing this comment on a Pure w/ MX Whites.
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: linziyi on Sat, 04 May 2013, 14:56:37
Also, is topre a viable choice?
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: Jocelyn on Sat, 04 May 2013, 14:56:56
What size keyboard is preferable? Clears are like heavier, more tactile browns. Greens and whites are clicky tactile like blues.


Also, is topre a viable choice?

Of course
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: linziyi on Sat, 04 May 2013, 15:01:22
So the only difference is that Greens have the little click sound and clear doesn't?

Full size keyboard would be preferable, but I can live with TKL and get a separated numpad maybe.
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: LouisHjelmslev on Sat, 04 May 2013, 15:28:46
Just to clarify, white = 'milky', or would that be clears?
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 04 May 2013, 15:29:12
So the only difference is that Greens have the little click sound and clear doesn't?
No, the tactility is also different. The Greens (and Blues) have a small but sharp bump near the middle of stroke.
The Clears have a large but not so sharp bump at the beginning of the stroke and then a valley right below the actuation point after which the resistance rises sharply.
I have too little experience with the whites (I have only one switch) to be able to compare them to greens.

Just to clarify, white = 'milky', or would that be clears?
Chinese keyboard jargon is confusing ...  MX Clear = "White switch" and MX White = "Milk switch", even though you think that it should be the other way around.
Even more confusing is that some vintage MX White look exactly the same as MX Clear and that some vintage MX White have the same resistance as MX Blue ...
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: davkol on Sat, 04 May 2013, 15:39:30
Force/travel graphs (and spring comparison) should give you the idea. Other than that, greens have loud high-pitched click, clears are quite the opposite (actually, I think they're the quietest tactile switch).
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: tp4tissue on Sat, 04 May 2013, 15:45:06
So the only difference is that Greens have the little click sound and clear doesn't?
No, the tactility is also different. The Greens (and Blues) have a small but sharp bump near the middle of stroke.
The Clears have a large but not so sharp bump at the beginning of the stroke and then a valley right below the actuation point after which the resistance rises sharply.
I have too little experience with the whites (I have only one switch) to be able to compare them to greens.

Just to clarify, white = 'milky', or would that be clears?
Chinese keyboard jargon is confusing ...  MX Clear = "White switch" and MX White = "Milk switch", even though you think that it should be the other way around.
Even more confusing is that some vintage MX White look exactly the same as MX Clear and that some vintage MX White have the same resistance as MX Blue ...

well, the chinese character for "white" has a "clear" connotation.. while the chinese use of the word "Milk" usually means a SOLID white.
Title: Re: Difference between clear, dark grey, and green?
Post by: LouisHjelmslev on Sat, 04 May 2013, 18:34:49
Does this mean I need to be a cultural linguist to use my keyboard? :confused:
Thanks for the clarification Findecanor!