What Is the Hot Linear Right Now

[OnTheBrink]

Coming off an order of a Holy Pandas I'm waiting to come in, I wanted to get a solid linear in my arsenal and start streamlining my collection. I plan on the next build (once I find something on group buy with a brass plate) going linear and would like to get the switches on deck.

I have been out of the game for a while and I'm hearing some names I'm unfamiliar with now like "Gateron Inks", "box switches" etc.

My question is what is the new linear hype? Any switch out or coming out that is supposed to be god mode for smooth linear goodness? I also have some new lubes coming in so lubed or unlubed opinions are welcome. I know Box Jade and Box Navy are supposed to be hype for clicky which I'm looking forward to building with as well but beyond that -- anyone care to catch me up a bit?

[yuppie]

Vintage black, always and forever.

[LightningXI]

Some solid linear switch choices:

- MX blacks (any smooth ones -- vintage, 'retooled', etc.)
- Gateron Ink (any linear variant)
- Tealios by ZealPC
- Gateron linears (black and yellow are popular) with Milky tops and Black bottoms
- C3 Tangerine switches (basically similar to an orange Tealio)

... there's probably more, but these are plenty.

[OnTheBrink]

Some solid linear switch choices:

- MX blacks (any smooth ones -- vintage, 'retooled', etc.)
- Gateron Ink (any linear variant)
- Tealios by ZealPC
- Gateron linears (black and yellow are popular) with Milky tops and Black bottoms
- C3 Tangerine switches (basically similar to an orange Tealio)

... there's probably more, but these are plenty.

Which are your favorites? At first I heard inks were hype but most of the reviews aren't glowing in comparison to the staples. I love my Zelios v2x, maybe I'll try Tealios.

[LightningXI]

Some solid linear switch choices:

- MX blacks (any smooth ones -- vintage, 'retooled', etc.)
- Gateron Ink (any linear variant)
- Tealios by ZealPC
- Gateron linears (black and yellow are popular) with Milky tops and Black bottoms
- C3 Tangerine switches (basically similar to an orange Tealio)

... there's probably more, but these are plenty.

Which are your favorites? At first I heard inks were hype but most of the reviews aren't glowing in comparison to the staples. I love my Zelios v2x, maybe I'll try Tealios.

I am personally still a sucker for the usual smooth MX blacks -- mainly due to the sound of Cherry housings being a bit more of my taste upon bottoming out.

But I've tried most of these other ones and I don't really think you can go wrong with them.

[dgneo]

Some solid linear switch choices:

- MX blacks (any smooth ones -- vintage, 'retooled', etc.)
- Gateron Ink (any linear variant)
- Tealios by ZealPC
- Gateron linears (black and yellow are popular) with Milky tops and Black bottoms
- C3 Tangerine switches (basically similar to an orange Tealio)

... there's probably more, but these are plenty.

Which are your favorites? At first I heard inks were hype but most of the reviews aren't glowing in comparison to the staples. I love my Zelios v2x, maybe I'll try Tealios.

I am personally still a sucker for the usual smooth MX blacks -- mainly due to the sound of Cherry housings being a bit more of my taste upon bottoming out.

But I've tried most of these other ones and I don't really think you can go wrong with them.

second vintage mx blacks. cleaned, lubed, and filmed = heaven

[Sintpinty]

Vintage black, always and forever.

Where can i find them in Canada.

[Benitone]

Some solid linear switch choices:

- MX blacks (any smooth ones -- vintage, 'retooled', etc.)
- Gateron Ink (any linear variant)
- Tealios by ZealPC
- Gateron linears (black and yellow are popular) with Milky tops and Black bottoms
- C3 Tangerine switches (basically similar to an orange Tealio)

... there's probably more, but these are plenty.

Which are your favorites? At first I heard inks were hype but most of the reviews aren't glowing in comparison to the staples. I love my Zelios v2x, maybe I'll try Tealios.

I am personally still a sucker for the usual smooth MX blacks -- mainly due to the sound of Cherry housings being a bit more of my taste upon bottoming out.

But I've tried most of these other ones and I don't really think you can go wrong with them.

second vintage mx blacks. cleaned, lubed, and filmed = heaven

Are the vintage ones better than the retooled cherry switches, I find those pretty smooth.

[Sup]

Some solid linear switch choices:

- MX blacks (any smooth ones -- vintage, 'retooled', etc.)
- Gateron Ink (any linear variant)
- Tealios by ZealPC
- Gateron linears (black and yellow are popular) with Milky tops and Black bottoms
- C3 Tangerine switches (basically similar to an orange Tealio)

... there's probably more, but these are plenty.

C3 is not similar to a Tealio. Confirmed by the KeyCompany that it is a recolored standard Gateron linear stem. It's not using Zeals molds/plastic formula and no it's not a new mold as well. The reason why it's expensive is that they don't buy enough so price for each switch is more expensive. Even though the Chinese GB had 200 switches for 40 Euro's  .

Please don't spread lies it's just a recolored Gateron linear with a custom spring.

[Surefoot]

Which are your favorites? At first I heard inks were hype but most of the reviews aren't glowing in comparison to the staples. I love my Zelios v2x, maybe I'll try Tealios.

Gat Inks are definitely up there with the best. Everyone's who has used them is quite fond of them, and they sound better than Tealios.

[tp4tissue]

All cherry switches FEEL linear when you're typing fast,  and Cherry MX blues are by far the smoothest of the crop.

Put a large comforter over an MX Blue board and an MX Black board to muffle the click sound.

You'd see that in actuality, BLUE is a much less fricative switch because the blue stem is only going past the very loose white nylon slider, whereas the entire black stem is in contact with the housing and the leaf spring, much more friction.

[Starius]

I'm gonna throw FEI R2 switches out into the conversation. 
They feel very similar to Tealios switches in terms of smoothness, at least to me. 

[Sup]

Show Image

I'm gonna throw FEI R2 switches out into the conversation. 
They feel very similar to Tealios switches in terms of smoothness, at least to me.

Also a recolored Gateron Linear with custom spring.

[Benitone]

Which are your favorites? At first I heard inks were hype but most of the reviews aren't glowing in comparison to the staples. I love my Zelios v2x, maybe I'll try Tealios.

Gat Inks are definitely up there with the best. Everyone's who has used them is quite fond of them, and they sound better than Tealios.

I saw a thread where gat inks were declared defective by design. On gh.

[Rob27shred]

All cherry switches FEEL linear when you're typing fast,  and Cherry MX blues are by far the smoothest of the crop.

Put a large comforter over an MX Blue board and an MX Black board to muffle the click sound.

You'd see that in actuality, BLUE is a much less fricative switch because the blue stem is only going past the very loose white nylon slider, whereas the entire black stem is in contact with the housing and the leaf spring, much more friction.

HOLY **** TP!? That actually makes a good bit of sense!

[Rob27shred]

Which are your favorites? At first I heard inks were hype but most of the reviews aren't glowing in comparison to the staples. I love my Zelios v2x, maybe I'll try Tealios.

Gat Inks are definitely up there with the best. Everyone's who has used them is quite fond of them, and they sound better than Tealios.

I saw a thread where gat inks were declared defective by design. On gh.

I wouldn't go as far as saying they were declared defective by design, most likely it is just an issue with a certain run of Inks. Although the batch dude got with almost all of the switches having loose leaves was definitely defective & something to think about if you are planning on buying a batch of Inks anytime soon. Here's the thread, https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=102322.new;topicseen#new.

[Sintpinty]

Which are your favorites? At first I heard inks were hype but most of the reviews aren't glowing in comparison to the staples. I love my Zelios v2x, maybe I'll try Tealios.

Gat Inks are definitely up there with the best. Everyone's who has used them is quite fond of them, and they sound better than Tealios.

Seriously though Krepublic should sell them. I shouldn't have to buy them through Novelkeys and go through the painful process of brokerage (obviously under 18 so i cannot sign packages and stuff).

I saw a thread where gat inks were declared defective by design. On gh.

I wouldn't go as far as saying they were declared defective by design, most likely it is just an issue with a certain run of Inks. Although the batch dude got with almost all of the switches having loose leaves was definitely defective & something to think about if you are planning on buying a batch of Inks anytime soon. Here's the thread, https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=102322.new;topicseen#new.

[tp4tissue]

All cherry switches FEEL linear when you're typing fast,  and Cherry MX blues are by far the smoothest of the crop.

Put a large comforter over an MX Blue board and an MX Black board to muffle the click sound.

You'd see that in actuality, BLUE is a much less fricative switch because the blue stem is only going past the very loose white nylon slider, whereas the entire black stem is in contact with the housing and the leaf spring, much more friction.

HOLY **** TP!? That actually makes a good bit of sense!

Given time on this forum, the Majority of users come to realize that Tp4 is 100% Right 99% of the Time.

Cherry MX Blue is an Engineering Marvel, it is superior to ALL OTHER Copper-based mechanical switches. Short of hall-effect or optical, which don't really count.

[ArchDill]

I am still happy with my Tealio V1's. I Think they were lubed with 3203... I can not remember. They are smooooth.

[mlev6]

cleaned and lubed vintage blacks from the early 80s are so silky smooth (get them from old wyse terminal keyboards). I don't care much for linears but those felt like something I could type on for a long time and enjoy.

[TeacherGeek]

Can someone explain how MX Blacks and Reds are different besides weight? Because everyone says MX Blacks are best and I know people do spring swap.

Thanks

[Surefoot]

Can someone explain how MX Blacks and Reds are different besides weight? Because everyone says MX Blacks are best and I know people do spring swap.

Thanks

Vintage blacks had better quality molds and were smoother. There are no vintage reds so they are usually scratchy, also the weighting of reds is a bit too light for people who dont like bottoming all the time.