Author Topic: Which Cherry Switches are similar to Keytronic keyboards? (Read 13720 times)

nocturn4l3030 · « **on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 03:17:31 »

Ran into this website a while back and have returned as it's time for me to replace this Keytronic E06101U1 keyboard (http://www.keytronic.com/home/shop/shop.asp?h_ck=TM5L10) because the shift key has gone stiff.

I've grown to love this keyboard but am taking my chance on the mechanical board due to the such fascination and love for it here on these boards.

So before i spent $100+ on a keyboard.. which cherry switch resembles the keys on a keytronic keyboard? From what I can read it seems like it's either the Cherry Brown or Blacks that seem the most similar.. but I don't want to "guess" as I've never even touched a mechanical switch in my life and this involves spending $100+. I'm getting a headache researching between the brown and black and the best way I can make a decision is to find the switch that most resembles my current Keytronic keyboard. Help please =) if it helps, i'm an avid gamer too, thanks

Edit: I changed the Title of the OP but it still didn't change in the original post

Findecanor · « **Reply #1 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 05:23:22 »

My guess is that either, there is too much dirt below the shift key that needs to be cleaned out, or that the key's stabilizer bar is broken. I don't have a E0610, but I had a KT-1000 (that looks like the E0610) where the stabilizers were made of quite flimsy plastic.
I suggest that you open it up and look at the switch. If it is just dirty, then just clean it up. If it is broken, then see if you could replace the stabilizer with one from a key that you don't use, such as maybe one on the numeric key pad.
That would save you $100. ;-)

As to Cherry MX switches, neither the Black, Brown or Blue resemble the Keytronic's very much. The Black does not have any tactility, and the Blue and Brown have a much lighter touch. All of them will hit plastic against plastic when you bottom out and that could be disconcerting to someone who is not used to it.
I have not tested the Cherry MX Clear, but I suspect that it is more like the Keytronic's feel than any other Cherry MX switch. The Clear, however, is quite rare. It is not available in Filco keyboards, for instance.

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #2 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 05:30:17 »

thanks very much for the reply, gonna check out how to do all that as i need my shift key for games -.-

since you do have experience with the keytronic keyboards.. do you know which cherry mx switch most resembles their keys??

edit: don't know if you edited after i replied but thanks for your opinion on the cherry mx switches!

keyboardlover · « **Reply #3 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 05:59:19 »

The keyboard with feel most like a Keytronic is Topre. And that's exactly why I bought one. And fell in love with it.

It's like a Keytronic * 92837987342987.

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #4 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 06:09:58 »

Quote from: keyboardlover;259463

The keyboard with feel most like a Keytronic is Topre. And that's exactly why I bought one. And fell in love with it.

It's like a Keytronic * 92837987342987.

ah thanks for your input... maybe one day.. but atm $300+ isn't affordable for me =( i just youtubed the torpe and it sounds pleasant to type on =) lucky you

keyboardlover · « **Reply #5 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 07:01:36 »

Quote from: nocturn4l3030;259464

ah thanks for your input... maybe one day.. but atm $300+ isn't affordable for me =( i just youtubed the torpe and it sounds pleasant to type on =) lucky you

The most I paid for any of mine was $237 (that was for my 87U - like new on ebay). The 103U's I bought were about $215/$220. One was on ebay, one was on sale @ EK, and one was 'b-stock' through EK. For Topre buying tips, check the Topre wiki =)

Oh yea but you asked about cherries. The closest would be the cherry MX brown IMO.

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #6 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 13:38:55 »

Quote from: keyboardlover;259474

The most I paid for any of mine was $237 (that was for my 87U - like new on ebay). The 103U's I bought were about $215/$220. One was on ebay, one was on sale @ EK, and one was 'b-stock' through EK. For Topre buying tips, check the Topre wiki =)

Oh yea but you asked about cherries. The closest would be the cherry MX brown IMO.

thanks for your opinion

because of what you previously wrote... i know that one day i will HAVE to buy the torpe just to see what you're talking about.......

one day when i have more money =) and because i ordered a ducky tenkeyless with brown switches already -.-

listening to the realforce on youtube is like s3x though.. i wish i had the money

wanabe · « **Reply #7 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 13:47:44 »

i think topre is the closest of everything that i've tried. they feel really similar to keytronics, but are much nicer...they have a more snappy response and are just better built

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #8 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 13:50:23 »

Quote from: ripster;259665

Actually it's spelled topre, not "torpe".

Although "torpor" is something I would consider analogous to the key feel of a Topre versus a Blue Cherry.

whoops, i guess that's something i shouldn't misspell on a forum like this =) forgive me as i'm new to this forum and the mechanical switch thing =)

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #9 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 13:51:35 »

Quote from: wanabe;259674

i think topre is the closest of everything that i've tried. they feel really similar to keytronics, but are much nicer...they have a more snappy response and are just better built

thanks for your input

sigh now i really want a topre when i just placed my order for my ducky a few hours ago...

/reminds himself that i have a small budget

itlnstln · « **Reply #10 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 14:16:26 »

Quote from: ripster;259665

Actually it's spelled topre, not "torpe".

Although "torpor" is something I would consider analogous to the key feel of a Topre versus a Blue Cherry.

Freetail Brewing near my house has a Torpor Porter that is really good.

8_INCH_FLOPPY · « **Reply #11 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 18:46:17 »

If saving money is important to you, you should go with the Cherry blacks, since they are significantly more common/less_expensive than the other cherry types, and you can get a used one for pretty cheap. Also, they are perfectly smooth and linear, which is best for gaming.

If you are set on buying a new keyboard, then you should go with cherry brown, since that seems to be the most popular switch that people are willing to use for both gaming and typing.

theferenc · « **Reply #12 on:** Wed, 08 December 2010, 19:31:17 »

Quote from: ripster;259665

Although "torpor" is something I would consider analogous to the key feel of a Topre versus a Blue Cherry.

I do not think that word means what you think it means. Though, at least the blues are better than the icky browns.

But they really just feel to me like a wimpy buckling spring. To each their own, as they say.

Milquetoast · « **Reply #13 on:** Fri, 10 December 2010, 22:42:40 »

I have to agree with those who say that there is no Cherry switch that feels like Keytronic's keys.

But, just as a testimonial I will say that I replaced my home Keytronic E03600 keyboard with a Filco with blue Cherrys, and I am really really happy with it.

To me, the way in which it is closest to a Keytronic is that where the Keytronic key has a tactile "snap" right when the key registers, the blue Cherrys have a tactice snap and an audible click right at that moment. It's fantastic for typing.

I don't think, however, I would enjoy it for gaming as much. If the brown Cherrys are like the Alps switches on my Dell AT101W, they're probably better for gaming, but slightly less pleasurable for general typing.

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #14 on:** Sat, 11 December 2010, 00:49:50 »

thanks for the input milque.. i'm currently waiting on a ducky with cherry browns atm..

i gotta admit i'm kinda scared that i won't like the mechanical feel as i've been used to - and love- the keytronic that i'm on.. but i have yet to read a post like that lol.. all of them have been "omg this is the best decision i ever made" -.-

what really makes me like the keytronic is the different weighted keys

laden3 · « **Reply #15 on:** Sat, 11 December 2010, 01:03:12 »

If you like different weighted keys, Realforce from elitekeyboards, but, they do not have the right windows key (some ppl use it occasionally, no really a big deal...)

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #16 on:** Sat, 11 December 2010, 01:05:39 »

yup next on my list =) but won't be for a few years though as $200 is waayy too much for my current budget

as i prob stated before..listening to the realforce on youtube is like s3x -.-

Mr. Perfect · « **Reply #17 on:** Sat, 11 December 2010, 14:09:07 »

What switches are in your Keytonic? I've got what I think is a fairly cheap one, an E06101NPBlack-C, and when I took it apart to clean it it was just a sheet of rubber domes over top of a membrane. Do higher end Keytonics have some other sort of switch, or are these not typical rubber domes?

keyboardlover · « **Reply #18 on:** Sat, 11 December 2010, 14:17:49 »

The only Keytronics without rubber domes are the old KB101 Plus with the old school capacitive style switches. Not capacitive like Topre though; I've heard they're kind of nasty to type on.

Milquetoast · « **Reply #19 on:** Sat, 11 December 2010, 23:43:31 »

Quote from: Mr. Perfect;261411

What switches are in your Keytonic? I've got what I think is a fairly cheap one, an E06101NPBlack-C, and when I took it apart to clean it it was just a sheet of rubber domes over top of a membrane. Do higher end Keytonics have some other sort of switch, or are these not typical rubber domes?

They're just like other cheap rubber dome keyboards with a sheet of rubber domes, they're just much better to type on than pretty much every other rubber dome I've tried.

Their basic models are fine, but the models with their "ergo touch" or whatever it's called are even better, with varying amounts of force for the keys depending on the finger that is supposed to hit it.

Their design is otherwise completely generic.

keyboardlover · « **Reply #20 on:** Thu, 20 January 2011, 06:19:43 »

Now that I have the G80-3494 with red cherry switches, I have to say that this keyboard is definitely a suitable replacement for a KeyTronic. The feel is similar to a KeyTronic but more 'mechanical'. While it is definitely linear, there is usually a 'clack' when you bottom out so they can actually be quite tactile if you bottom out. It's the first keyboard I've used that feels most similar to my Realforce (more so than my old KeyTronic). Also it's one of the better Cherry boards made and has 6-kro.

Edit: just remembered $200 was too much for your budget and with shipping this keyboard nearly hits that. But it is definitely less than a Realforce NIB and it's getting harder to find NIB.

firestorm · « **Reply #21 on:** Thu, 20 January 2011, 07:27:52 »

FWIW, I was always a fan of Keytronic keyboards as a budget option and I now type on a brown Filco. They were once very common here at work, and it's generally what I had on secondary computers at home. We recently disposed of the last of the Keytronics, otherwise I probably would've been able to offer cheap/free replacement parts.

It does take some time to get used to the light touch of the brown switches. I would recommend giving it at least a week or more before really judging it. I loved mine at first, then started to notice how hard I was bottoming out. Although I never hated or even disliked it, I adjusted to it and now love it again. It's not perfect, but it's substantially better than anything I type on these days. It's better than the old Dell AT101W (Alps) I use at work, which in turn is better than all the other keyboards we have at work (save the IBM BS board on the last remaining IBM green screen/terminal.)

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #22 on:** Thu, 20 January 2011, 13:50:44 »

Quote from: nocturn4l3030;259464

ah thanks for your input... maybe one day.. but atm $300+ isn't affordable for me =( i just youtubed the torpe and it sounds pleasant to type on =) lucky you

lol @ my old quote

damn this forum!

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #23 on:** Thu, 20 January 2011, 14:12:42 »

Quote from: ripster;281800

What changed your mind? You rob a bank?

If it was divorce and a midlife crises at least it's cheaper than a Harley.

curiosity got the best of me -.-;

and i was pretty disappointed with the cherry browns... it did have some blue switches on there, enough to let me know i would enjoy blues alot better, but i still wanted something similar in feel to my keytronic.. so i figured goin with the best rubberdome out there is the only way to go..

the funniest part is that i was actually going to use the money i saved up to buy a new LCD (still bangin the CRT)... but i ended up getting a keyboard.......................................... lol...

woody · « **Reply #24 on:** Thu, 20 January 2011, 15:57:40 »

Quote from: nocturn4l3030;281809

the funniest part is that i was actually going to use the money i saved up to buy a new LCD (still bangin the CRT)... but i ended up getting a keyboard.......................................... lol...

Poor soul. On the other hand, with this amount of money you've been targeting ****ty LCD, so don't worry.

nocturn4l3030 · « **Reply #25 on:** Thu, 20 January 2011, 16:12:00 »

Quote from: woody;281904

Poor soul. On the other hand, with this amount of money you've been targeting ****ty LCD, so don't worry.

lol

i was planning (and still am) to get something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236095

is it really that bad? dont kno much bout monitors these days.. pretty much jus use it for gaming, browsing, & coding

woody · « **Reply #26 on:** Thu, 20 January 2011, 16:42:32 »

Quote from: nocturn4l3030;281918

i was planning (and still am) to get something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236095

is it really that bad?

The serious answer is "it depends". Depends on many things and what you target.
Most people are happy with the crappy non-tactile keyboards.

killy · « **Reply #27 on:** Thu, 20 January 2011, 19:14:36 »

Quote from: woody;281904

Poor soul. On the other hand, with this amount of money you've been targeting ****ty LCD, so don't worry.

Considering the Dell U2311H can be regularly on sale for ~219-239, you're wrong.

News:

Author Topic: Which Cherry Switches are similar to Keytronic keyboards? (Read 13720 times)

woody

woody