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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Entropia on Tue, 29 November 2016, 12:59:31

Title: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: Entropia on Tue, 29 November 2016, 12:59:31

I'm looking for a good sampler (I don't know how you call it in English) of all or most Cherry switches. I suppose you know what I'm talking about. It's like a mini-keyboard, which only has a bunch of keys, each of one has a different type of switch: blue, brown, black, red, clear, etc. It's used for testing and deciding before buying full keyboards. I would like to buy in Europe so as to have reasonable shipping costs. Thanx.

Title: Re: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: markquisdesoiree on Tue, 29 November 2016, 13:11:02

You can get them e.g. through Amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cherry+switch+tester
https://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cherry+switch+tester

Etc.

I have the 6-Key Cherry MX Switch Tester from WASD and personally didn't find it helpful. IMHO it's a completely different thing having a real keyboard to test typing on vs. having a single key.

Title: Re: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: nastrovje on Wed, 30 November 2016, 01:35:17

Having only 1 switch doesn't help too much for a final decision but atleast shows you what you don't like at all. But having 3 in a row is pretty accurate besides the point that the board makes a lot of the feel too. Also please add gateron switches to try, as many prefer them for the smoothness and lack of scratchiness and yellow gaterons are superior imo

Title: Re: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: DanD3n on Wed, 30 November 2016, 04:46:55

Anything available with Topre and MX clears?

Title: Re: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: wodan on Wed, 30 November 2016, 06:21:26

I found switch testers to be more misleading than helpful. It's a very different thing to push a switch with your index finger or type on a whole keyboard full of these switches really fast.

As a sucker for light switches, I totally underestimated the force behind stiffer switches (MX black and up) and originally thought I wanted an MX Green keyboard. Thank god I realized that's too hard for me before I actually got one.

When typing fast on a keyboard with switches too stiff for me, I start to miss acutations once I reach a certain typing speed/flow. Pretty much impossible for me to "simulate" that with any switch tester ...

Title: Re: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: DanD3n on Thu, 01 December 2016, 06:00:05

I concur, but on the other hand, it's better than nothing, eg in the case of a topre switch.

Title: Re: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: wodan on Thu, 01 December 2016, 06:03:59

Quote from: DanD3n on Thu, 01 December 2016, 06:00:05

I concur, but on the other hand, it's better than nothing, eg in the case of a topre switch.

http://www.cmstore.eu/christmas-deals/mechanical-keyboard-key-switch-tester-v2-free-shipping/ (http://www.cmstore.eu/christmas-deals/mechanical-keyboard-key-switch-tester-v2-free-shipping/)

If you must ...

Title: Re: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: DanD3n on Thu, 01 December 2016, 06:08:11

Unfortunately it's pretty expensive just for the topre, myself knowing the rest of the switches it offers, and lacking an mx clear that i would want to try.  :(

Title: Re: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: wodan on Thu, 01 December 2016, 06:21:12

OOOH lol that's unfortunate! They replaced the MX Clear with the Topre ...

Other than that, this is maybe the only TOPRE switch tester around!

Title: Re: Switches samplers in Europe?
Post by: FSund on Thu, 01 December 2016, 06:38:12

Aliexpress has a lot of switch testers: https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=switch+tester&opensearch=true
They usually have free shipping. Although they ship from China, so expect at least 1-2 weeks shipping (probably more now before Christmas).