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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: pixelpusher on Wed, 30 August 2017, 12:15:04

Title: New Alps Switches Coming Soon?
Post by: pixelpusher on Wed, 30 August 2017, 12:15:04
Anyone else notice the KBP announcement on their Facebook the other day?


KBParadise will build a new product Line for Datacomp ALPS Brown/Blue/Red switch.

How does it feel ? You'll see soon.
V60 Datacomp ALPS soon in October.
Datacomp bought Fuhua's ALPS tooling after Fukka switch phase out. And Datacomp made some modification on tooling according to their experience producing ALPS keyboards.


Also, the KBP v60 boards are on Massdrop with the Datacomp option.


Wonder if these will be sold loose?  I sure hope so.  New blue Alps for all of us?  :thumb:
Title: Re: New Alps Switches Coming Soon?
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 30 August 2017, 15:38:39
but will they make cherry compatible stems ?
Title: Re: New Alps Switches Coming Soon?
Post by: klennkellon on Wed, 30 August 2017, 16:42:27
I actually found a Datacomp keyboard at the thrift store. I'm not sure what clicky Alps clones they were but they were too stiff and tactile.
Title: Re: New Alps Switches Coming Soon?
Post by: klennkellon on Wed, 30 August 2017, 18:04:58
Look like Alps mount from their pictures.

People make Alps caps like they are impossible to find but they are really not. It is much more limited than Cherry, though.
Title: Re: New Alps Switches Coming Soon?
Post by: chyros on Wed, 30 August 2017, 21:29:08
If they bought Forward's tooling, they'll be simplified Alps, not complicated ones, almost certainly. Datacomp did make complicated Alps boards, or had them made by someone, but that was a LONG time ago (in a galaxy far far away).

I morally object to the thought of having non-complicated Alps with brown and blue stems though :p .
Title: Re: New Alps Switches Coming Soon?
Post by: dante on Fri, 01 September 2017, 08:07:41
IMHO the main issue is that companies like Kailh, Gateron, and to a certain extent Outemu are hungry and are making tangible progress to the improvement of MX style switches.

Who is to say that by the time Matias PBT sets roll out that MX clones won't feel nearly as good as Alps?

Title: Re: New Alps Switches Coming Soon?
Post by: pabile on Fri, 01 September 2017, 09:04:03
i too don't think that these new simplified switches will be as good as old complicated alps. however, i am more trilled that there will be more clones which will eventually give us more keycaps options. PBT... hmmm.