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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Wolfseye on Sun, 08 November 2015, 10:55:19

Title: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: Wolfseye on Sun, 08 November 2015, 10:55:19
Hey guys,

I wonder if there is someone amongst you that has experience with Cherry MX Black and Gaming, especially for FPS games. Are blacks bad for that ?I want to get the Ducky Shine 3 TKL but only get it here with Black Switches. I never had those, so is it ok for gaming or is it rather bad ?

Cheers

Wolfseye
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: isaske on Sun, 08 November 2015, 11:42:49
A matter of preference as always with switches.

I have blacks now, and I play a lot of dota2 and sc2 with it. Sometimes my hands get really tired or start to hurt from longer sessions. But those two games require a lot of keyboard spamminig - shouldn't be a problem for FPS games. I'm fine with it even in dota2 and sc2. Its just the really long sessions that start to hurt my hands (5h+ or so)
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: davkol on Sun, 08 November 2015, 12:57:35
My first modern mechanical keyboard—SteelSeries 6Gv2—had stock MX Black switches. I bottomed all the time on it, and my fingers got fatigued frequently; esp. pinkies from holding Shift for crouching. I've been through reds, clears and a bunch of other switches since then though, and nowadays I don't have any problems with blacks anymore.

If you're heavy-handed, blacks shouldn't be a problem at all. If not, you can still build strength in your hands; it's useful even on other occasions.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: jaffers on Sun, 08 November 2015, 13:08:50
Gaming? Dude, I'm using whites, there isn't a gaming switch really. It's all up to personal preference. What do your fingers like?
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: Wolfseye on Sun, 08 November 2015, 13:11:23
I got a Lioncast LK20 with blue Switches (I prefer blue switches for typing) which i wanted to use for Gaming.

For typing i keep a Qpad MK-85 with blue switches as well. The Lioncast is a TKL. The Quadratmeter a full version. O just feel that the small one with blue's isn't as please to use, and by that I mean the Switches. So I was wondering if I should try the Ducky Shine 3 Slim, which I can only get with MX Blacks. Never had those before. I wonder if they are too straining for my hands, since they are as far as I know, the hardest of the MX Switches.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: 3K on Sun, 08 November 2015, 13:29:39
I played with Blacks a long time too (before switching to BS), and I can't complain, you should just try it out.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: 1swt2gs on Sun, 08 November 2015, 13:30:03
There is really no "gaming switch". Some people will say that Mx red's is the "best" for gaming, but I prefer something with a tactile bump when I game.

Such as Dota2 for example. The audio bump lets me know I used a spell.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: chyros on Sun, 08 November 2015, 15:06:49
The whole "gaming switch", like many things in the keyboard circuit, is massively blown out of proportion. Sure, bot all switches would be equally goos, but really when I'm gaming I don't even notice whether a switch I linear or tactile, you can game just fine on almost anything. And yes, that includes MX blacks.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: 3K on Sun, 08 November 2015, 15:54:20
when I'm gaming I don't even notice whether a switch I linear or tactile, you can game just fine on almost anything
It's true that you can game on any switch, or even rubberdome if you prefer it. But personally I do notice what switch i'm pressing. For example I caught myself failing jumps in games because the MX Gray on the spacebar wouldn't register my fingertip, that was used to the MX Blacks of the rest of the board.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 09 November 2015, 03:50:04
I have gamed on many switches, including MX blacks.

No issues at all.

In fact I quite like them for gaming - it has the extra resistance so I don't accidentally press adjacent keys, not TOO heavy that I can't hold keys down for a while.  Not clicky so the noise doesn't distract me from the game.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: Weltschmerz on Mon, 09 November 2015, 04:08:39
I personally use 67g clears for gaming. Mostly FPS and rhythm games. Works just fine, it's all up to personal preference really. (And personally I think blacks are the lamest switch to type on)
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 09 November 2015, 04:10:52
I personally use 67g clears for gaming. Mostly FPS and rhythm games. Works just fine, it's all up to personal preference really. (And personally I think blacks are the lamest switch to type on)

There you go - it's all down to personal preference!

I like typing on blacks.  But there again I like typing on Topre, blues, greens, buckling springs, clears ...
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: Wolfseye on Mon, 09 November 2015, 05:14:30
Thx guys, I only want the Blacks for gaming. Thought I get the Ducky Shine 3 but it was sold out over night, and there is no other Store here in Germany (one I trust and already have experience with!) that offers that keyboard. So I deciced to go with another full size keyboard, but a little cheaper. The Steelseries 6gV2. I read some posts about that keyboard here, but then, I knew some guys back in the days that had it and loved it. Since its just the Gaming keyboard and not my regular use one, I think that will be fine. As long as I can get used to the black switches. But that I will see tonight when it arrives. Though I appreciate all your replies above, thank you guys. ;)

Cheers

Wolfseye
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 10 November 2015, 04:05:32
Thx guys, I only want the Blacks for gaming. Thought I get the Ducky Shine 3 but it was sold out over night, and there is no other Store here in Germany (one I trust and already have experience with!) that offers that keyboard. So I deciced to go with another full size keyboard, but a little cheaper. The Steelseries 6gV2. I read some posts about that keyboard here, but then, I knew some guys back in the days that had it and loved it. Since its just the Gaming keyboard and not my regular use one, I think that will be fine. As long as I can get used to the black switches. But that I will see tonight when it arrives. Though I appreciate all your replies above, thank you guys. ;)

Cheers

Wolfseye

6gV2 is ok, but that big Enter key will make finding replacement keycap sets nearly impossible.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: keshley on Tue, 10 November 2015, 06:50:41
 Since nobody has really said it, MX blacks are essentially MX reds, dyed black, with a stiffer spring. So if a linear switch, like MX red, is preferable to you for gaming, then the question is how light do you want the action to be.

I mash my keys when gaming, so I'd go for MX blacks personally, if I wanted a linear switch.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: Wolfseye on Tue, 10 November 2015, 07:03:58
Tried MX Blacks yesterday when I got my Steelseries 6gV2, and no, that wasnt to my satisfaction. I think they were indeed too stiff for me. I'd rather go with MX Reds or just stick to the Switches I used for years, which I could play fine with. The Blues. I am one of those that loves the feel of the blues, I love the loud click, I love all about them. I also went back to Qpad with the MK85 (had the one before that for years) and I think I am ok again for now. Will see what comes up.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: Infrared on Tue, 10 November 2015, 07:21:51
I would go with reds but thats just because they are lighter. Blacks shouldnt be an issue if you are heavy handed.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: shibataken on Tue, 10 November 2015, 13:20:49
I tried a black keyboard for mobas and liked the fact that i did not fat finger my skills since it takes so much extra force to push blacks but typing was a nightmare for me.  Wrists got so tired since I use a lighter touch when I type XD
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: fohat.digs on Tue, 10 November 2015, 18:48:24
I don't game and I can't stand linear switches, but my teenage son games on MX blacks with O-rings and loves them.

Why aren't O-rings used by these gamers who are always complaining about bottoming out? The thin ones don't reduce travel all that much.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: trenzafeeds on Tue, 10 November 2015, 19:28:48
In my opinion the idea that some switches are really "better" for gaming than others is a total marketing ploy. It's totally about what feels most comfortable, the truth is pretty much nobody will ever be good enough at video games for it to actually matter what switch they're using.
Title: Re: Cherry MX Black for Gaming - Someone has experience ?
Post by: treefinger on Tue, 10 November 2015, 23:22:38
I prefer blacks for FPS games and reds for RTS/MOBA games.

The extra weight on the black switches helps prevent accidental keypresses while shifting between angles in CS:GO, and the lighter red switches preclude fatigue in RTS/MOBA games where I spam APM ;) It really is preference though, I'd recommend you just go ahead and buy a board with black switches - you can always resell it or trade it if you dislike it!