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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: simingma on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:03:29

Title: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: simingma on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:03:29: Hi guys,

Have a quick question. What in your opinion is the lightest switch that is also clicky? For me I think "lightest" is around 30-35 grams. Is there a switch or board in production like that?

Cheers
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:05:22: Find your favorite clicky switch (MX Blue, White, Green, Alps, etc) and just swap in lighter springs. Easiest mod would be MX Blue with a 45g Korean spring I think. There's not a stock 30-35g clicky switch. There is a 30g Topre switch but it feels linear, according to people who have tried it.
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: Photoelectric on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:08:51: I'm guessing he means actuation force, in which case swapping in 45g springs into MX Blues would probably give approximately that.
http://www.originativeco.com/collections/kbd-accessories-1/products/springs
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: simingma on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:44:18: Thank you. Are these Korean spring also compatible with ALPS?
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: HPE1000 on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:50:14: It might be because I have ghetto greens as well as blues, but blues are so light, why would you want something lighter?
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:52:53: Quote from: simingma on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:44:18
Thank you. Are these Korean spring also compatible with ALPS?

Don't actually know. I would venture a guess that it wouldn't be but it's just a guess.
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: elton5354 on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:56:18: Would a lighter spring make it more clicky?
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: terran5992 on Fri, 08 November 2013, 19:05:41: I would say cherry mx Blue
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: Puddsy on Fri, 08 November 2013, 19:13:02: Green ALPS.

Just measured mine @ 40g.
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: Melvang on Mon, 11 November 2013, 05:52:06: Quote from: elton5354 on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:56:18
Would a lighter spring make it more clicky?

The general consensus is a lighter spring makes the tactile feedback stronger in that the "bump" feels more pronounced but makes the click lighter/quieter if only a bit but slightly noticeable.
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: Linkbane on Mon, 11 November 2013, 10:42:39: Quote from: elton5354 on Fri, 08 November 2013, 18:56:18
Would a lighter spring make it more clicky?

I've asked around quite a bit, it would do the opposite. Apparently with lighter springs, Blues start to feel rather linear, but I haven't seen anyone going as far as the 45g bottom-out Korean springs. In reference, I'm pretty sure that bottom-out on stock Blues/Reds/Browns is 60g.
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: Photoelectric on Mon, 11 November 2013, 11:53:29: The 45g springs aren't truly 45g anyway. Still lighter than the 60g springs though, which also appear to be more like 63g, according to this review (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=46449) (but have to account for some variation + experimental errors).

(http://www.knizefamily.net/images/pool/spring-rate-chart.jpg)
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: dorkvader on Mon, 11 November 2013, 11:59:43: The lightest I can think of are some magnetic reed switches, and they usually aren't very clicky (so they don't really count).

Non production of course, there's this (http://mykeyboard.co.uk/microswitch/)

I believe alps springs are shorter and narrower than cherry. You can get a good idea by reading alaricljs's mod of his matias switches.
Title: Re: Lightest clicky switch?
Post by: lazerpointer on Mon, 11 November 2013, 17:23:30: MK had Ducky 1087 with Green XM ALPs. Those take the win for lightest switches, I challenge someone to find lighter switches.

Fair warning though this keyboard is a pile of stinking crap (besides the awesome feel of the crunchy, hollow, clickity goodness) it's usually warped, switches have varying required force, and the key caps fall apart if you try to remove / replace them.

MK sells the switches sometimes.