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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: divito on Tue, 03 September 2013, 17:57:14

Title: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: divito on Tue, 03 September 2013, 17:57:14
Not sure how many people have seen this, for the so-called elusive white switches, but was perusing eBay like many of you probably do and saw this:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/111094898458?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

On my watch list, it lists quantity available as 196. Thought I'd let people know in case someone is interested in them.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: CPTBadAss on Tue, 03 September 2013, 17:59:48
That's a clear switch and $3.50 a switch? ? ? You can get clears for $.60-$.80. I think Mouser's price is like $.86.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:00:02
This is a horrible price... And that picture is a Clear.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: divito on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:02:28
Hmm, so perhaps a misinformed seller, or intentional subterfuge? I didn't pay much mind to the photo, though I don't think I've ever seen a white/clear comparison photo. At $3.50 a switch, I was surmising it based on the white switch and its non-common nature.

Edit - And given the information, if a mod wants to delete the thread, that's fine.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: ComradeSniper on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:05:48
Quote from: divito on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:02:28
I don't think I've ever seen a white/clear comparison photo.

Give me 5 minutes
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: CPTBadAss on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:06:58
Even *if* it was a White, it wouldn't warrant a $3.50 price. I bought mine for about $.72/switch.

From the DT Wiki (Clear (http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Clear) and White (http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_White) Articles):


(http://deskthority.net/w/images/thumb/5/52/Cherry_MX_white.jpg/800px-Cherry_MX_white.jpg)
White
(http://deskthority.net/w/images/thumb/2/21/Cherry_MX_clear.jpg/800px-Cherry_MX_clear.jpg)
Clear

They're literally white and clear/opaque.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: divito on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:08:22
Hmmmmmmm, after some searching, seems I'm still confused.

(http://i.imgur.com/3RxWn.jpg)

From: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/white-vs-clear-vs-clicky-clear-2-0-t2017.html

Seems it's far more likely to be a current clear rather than an old-style clear/white as listed on the DT thread. I apologize for my green-ness.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:09:04
As far as "rarity" of switches go, I don't think it affects price all too much. Perhaps $0.10-0.20, but not dollars. Thus, even if Whites aren't all too prevalent, and are truly desired, they would likely never go for that much a switch.

Also, you can tell the difference between the Clear and White by the fact that the Clear is a bit translucent, whereas the White is very bright white.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: TheFlyingRaccoon on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:13:00
(http://i.imgur.com/oeN4MtZ.jpg)
Left is clear, right is white. See?
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: ComradeSniper on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:17:26
You've probably got the point by now, but for the sake of further clarity, here is a clear between two whites:

(http://i.imgur.com/XGhlHCh.jpg)
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:19:19
Did I mention that one of these is Clear and the other might be White?

(http://deskthority.net/w/images/c/c7/Cherry_MX_clear_vs_white.jpg)
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:20:12
Or is this one the White?

(http://deskthority.net/w/images/9/98/Cherry_MX_Blue.jpg)
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:20:48
And here's a Vintage Clear:

(http://deskthority.net/w/images/9/9f/Cherry_MX_Grey.jpg)
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:21:28
And don't forget these old Whites:

(http://deskthority.net/w/images/e/e3/Cherry_MY_--_infobox.jpg)
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: divito on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:24:00
Quote from: ComradeSniper on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:17:26
You've probably got the point by now, but for the sake of further clarity, here is a clear between two whites:

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/XGhlHCh.jpg)


Yes, but can do without the condescension over my apparent daftness. Still no comment on the DT picture I posted though.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: esoomenona on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:25:56
Quote from: divito on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:24:00
Quote from: ComradeSniper on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:17:26
You've probably got the point by now, but for the sake of further clarity, here is a clear between two whites:

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/XGhlHCh.jpg)


Yes, but can do without the condescension over my apparent daftness. Still no comment on the DT picture I posted though.

Back in the olden years, they called those "White". They say clicky there, but there were also "White" linear switches. As it stands, the convention these days is the Clear is semi-translucent, whereas the White is the solid white. There is a possibility that they could be old switches, but it's unlikely.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: jonathanyu on Wed, 04 September 2013, 00:07:56
Quote from: divito on Tue, 03 September 2013, 18:08:22
Hmmmmmmm, after some searching, seems I'm still confused.

Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/3RxWn.jpg)


From: http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/white-vs-clear-vs-clicky-clear-2-0-t2017.html

Seems it's far more likely to be a current clear rather than an old-style clear/white as listed on the DT thread. I apologize for my green-ness.
after this picture, i am more confuse
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: Larken on Wed, 04 September 2013, 00:24:12
From the deskthority wiki:

Vintage Type A: 80 cN, translucent white stem, black click-slider — 1987–?
Vintage Type B: 50 cN, translucent white stem, translucent white click-slider — 1989–?
Modern: 80 cN, white stem, black-slider — 2007–2012+?
The Type B has been reported to feel identical to modern Cherry MX Blue. Because of the harder types' similarity to Cherry MX Green, it has sometimes been nicknamed "albino green".

The sliders in the newer switches are proper white, while the older ones are translucent. The slider construction is a bit different. The spring is identical to the one in the vintage Type-A clicky switch and feels identical.

The switch is not to be confused with the Cherry MX Clear which also has translucent white sliders. Modern switches can be told apart more easily because their sliders are opaque, but vintage switches are visually almost indistinguishable to Clears.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: BlueBär on Wed, 04 September 2013, 02:38:46
Clicky switches should all have a little nub on the top of the slider, the switch on the ebay listing doesn't seem to have one. I'm not sure if they always had that nub though, can somebody who has old clicky switches confirm?
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: CalmB4tehPwn on Wed, 04 September 2013, 02:47:24
All of the clears posted in this thread (aside from the vintage White/Clear) has no nub. Curious, that.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: BlueBär on Wed, 04 September 2013, 02:54:57
Quote from: CalmB4tehPwn on Wed, 04 September 2013, 02:47:24
All of the non-clickies posted in this thread has no nub. Curious, that.

FTFY

With clicky I mean white, grey, blue and green, so this should be a good indicator if it is a white/clicky or a clear/non-clicky.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: CalmB4tehPwn on Wed, 04 September 2013, 04:10:34
Oh! You said clicky, for some reason I read Tactile. Disregard.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: esoomenona on Wed, 04 September 2013, 05:32:14
Quote from: BlueBär on Wed, 04 September 2013, 02:38:46
Clicky switches should all have a little nub on the top of the slider, the switch on the ebay listing doesn't seem to have one. I'm not sure if they always had that nub though, can somebody who has old clicky switches confirm?

I think you're right. You can see it in the picture of the Whites, the Blue, and if you look closely enough of that old White, you can see it as well.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: Photekq on Wed, 04 September 2013, 05:37:05
Yeah. Whites, blues and greens all have the nubs. Pretty sure the ebay listing is a regular clear.
Title: Re: Cherry MX White Switches
Post by: ComradeSniper on Wed, 04 September 2013, 08:56:33
Quote from: BlueBär on Wed, 04 September 2013, 02:38:46
Clicky switches should all have a little nub on the top of the slider, the switch on the ebay listing doesn't seem to have one. I'm not sure if they always had that nub though, can somebody who has old clicky switches confirm?

Oh cool, I never noticed that only clicky switches had that.