Cherry MX Red or Brown?

[NoobyMcnoob]

I have used up my standard rubber dome keyboard to the point that the enter key no longer works. I've never used a mechanical keyboard, and I've decided to buy a Cooler master trigger. I mostly play fps games like counter-strike but I play some mmos a bit too. I think I'd prefer a lighter keypress but not so light that I can't rest my fingers on the keys. I've read up on all of the available key switches and I just can't decide between linear or tactile feedback. I want keys I can still type on but gaming is definitely a priority. I don't really have anywhere to actually try them out first. The reds are 10$ cheaper than the browns but 10$ isn't too significant for me. Which ones should I go with?

[Turbo Slaab]

Browns are a good choice. I have both and primarily game as well and the bump isn't too pronounced. It's a good all around switch.

[reaper]

Yeah, it's all just a matter of personal preferences.  Myself, I prefer reds while gaming (I play mostly FPS).  I love the lighter touch reds has and also I've never had any problem resting my fingers on some of the keys.


Oh and since this is your first post, welcome to Geekhack! 

[L4yercake]

Your best bet is too buy the WASD Sampler set they offer and try the 4 switches they offer in their pack.

[ComradeSniper]

Your best bet is too buy the WASD Sampler set they offer and try the 4 switches they offer in their pack.

I don't think I could really get a feel for a switch by trying out just one, but that's just me.

[Reomero]

Maybe if you have a local store that carries mechanical keyboards you may be able to try them there.

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

Although you can ask for people's opinion, you won't really know which one you prefer until you try both.

I tried blues first, because back in the day I had a clicky keyboard that I loved, and I wanted a similar feel and sound.  Then I got one with blacks, which I am typing on now, and love that too.

My next one will probably be reds, as the tactile bump in the MX brown switches is very subtle, and I prefer something a bit more definite.  This is a shame, as there are a couple of keyboards for sale near me with yellow LEDs and MX browns.  Sigh.

If you get a decent keyboard but decide you don't like the switches, you should be able to sell it around here for not much under cost.

Or, get one of both and start your collection

[L4yercake]

Your best bet is too buy the WASD Sampler set they offer and try the 4 switches they offer in their pack.

I don't think I could really get a feel for a switch by trying out just one, but that's just me.

When I first bought my Cherry Red keyboard and wanted to expand my collection I thought about buying a Filco Brown TKL but ended up not buying it after I got the sampler pack and tried it out the brown switch. Its very subtle and kind of grinding.

[morpheus]

My first keyboard, and current one, is a Brown. I also bought the WASD sampler and was impressed with the feeling of the Red. Yes, the brown has a very slightly noticeable bump. I'm used to bottoming out, so I think I probably should have went with the red, since there's no bump feeling. I'm not a touch typist, so I don't care about the tactile feedback. I sort of regret getting browns, which one user advised that I shouldn't get, but got it anyway.

If you're a touch typist, or plan to be one, I'd say go with the browns, but if not, go with the reds.

[linuxid10t]

I have used up my standard rubber dome keyboard to the point that the enter key no longer works. I've never used a mechanical keyboard, and I've decided to buy a Cooler master trigger. I mostly play fps games like counter-strike but I play some mmos a bit too. I think I'd prefer a lighter keypress but not so light that I can't rest my fingers on the keys. I've read up on all of the available key switches and I just can't decide between linear or tactile feedback. I want keys I can still type on but gaming is definitely a priority. I don't really have anywhere to actually try them out first. The reds are 10$ cheaper than the browns but 10$ isn't too significant for me. Which ones should I go with?

I'd say reds just because they are normally more expensive and that seems like a bargain.  Furthermore, if you are mostly looking for a gaming keyboards, I can't really see you going wrong with reds.  That being said, the browns are probably the switch that I'd go for, but it is your choice.  Thing is that I type as much as I game so I like the tactility.

[LifeIsGooD2]

I game a lot and prefer Browns over reds ....

for some reason reds were tougher on my fingers than the browns

when I switched back to Browns it felt like butter and I would never go back to reds

[uJalled]

I can't express how much I love my blues. From a typers perspective however, browns are superior to the reds. They have a great tactile feel, without the clicky sound of blues.

[swagpiratex]

The worst part of this whole keyboard thing is that you have to try them all out before you really know which is your favorite.

People will tell you clicky is best and that they love their blues. What they don't tell you is that after a while, that high pitched click will be annoying.

Some people will tell you that typing on reds is like typing on clouds. What they don't tell you is that if your typing technique isn't laser accurate, you're going to be making a lot of mistakes.

Some people love blacks. I hate blacks. How do I know? I tried typing on them.

Point being, you're never going to know if you like something until you try it. We can't go beyond telling you that one is clicky, or needs lighter force to actuate.

[morpheus]

Yeah, it's all subjective. You have to just try it out. I suggest going for that WASD Sampler kit, it'll enlighten you as to which switch you should get.

[lazerpointer]

I have a browns board and a reds board. I prefer browns because I seem to make less typos and spend less mental energy trying to type. (I am a firm believer that the tactility of the MX browns has helped my muscle memory immensely, and probably won't go back to using my reds board.)

That being said I've seen people say they type on reds just fine. You could probably justify a counter argument very easily, if you liked MX reds.

[IvanIvanovich]

Browns are rubbish. I use reds primarily but also light whites for typing at work. White with light spring is how I wished browns were when I first tried them. I have tried every MX and browns are the only ones I don't like.

[lazerpointer]

I have had people tell me to try white / clears for the more pronounced tactile bump, but have yet to try it. In the next few months when I get my hands on some white switches, I'll be sending my BWU and the switches to WhiteFireDragon so he can put in the clears

If you wanna talk about "rubbish" switches, I'd say blues are a prime candidate. That's why I'll be trading out the blues in my BWU for whites. I see little to no room for improvement with browns, but as a mechanical keyboard Enthusiast, I can't leave that stone unturned.

[rknize]

I have both and like them both for different reasons.  For someone used to a rubber dome, browns will ease you into the Cherry MX world a bit more gently.  Reds were quite a shock to me the first time I used them.  You may also find that your tastes change as you try different switches and adjust your typing technique.

[Lu_e]

Red are shockingly easy to press but once you get used to not bottoming out you can really fly while typing. I finally got a chance to try both blacks and browns (at Fry's) and I quite like the higher resistance of the blacks after using reds. Browns felt pretty similar to blues in terms of tactility. If anything the browns bump feeling is less pronounced than the blues bump/click, so I liked that in comparison to blues. But I feel I may get blacks even before browns...

You can see it is very subjective in terms of personal preference. I went from blues to reds, & like I said I can't say if I were to try another of the popular switches if I would get blacks or browns...

For you; it almost seems like a tactile vs linear decision. & if you end up liking linear and are even slightly a heavy typist I would look at blacks as well... boards with blacks can be quite cheap as well.

[rowdy]

Also trying different switches in a shop will only give you a feel for the switches in an artificial environment.

Until you get the keyboard home, on your own desk, connected to your own computer, and running your own applications you will not really know whether it suits you.

[Whovian]

Your best bet is too buy the WASD Sampler set they offer and try the 4 switches they offer in their pack.

I don't think I could really get a feel for a switch by trying out just one, but that's just me.

When I first bought my Cherry Red keyboard and wanted to expand my collection I thought about buying a Filco Brown TKL but ended up not buying it after I got the sampler pack and tried it out the brown switch. Its very subtle and kind of grinding.

I got a sampler kit as well and didn't like the feel of the browns that much as well. However, I still decided to get a brown board and I love them. The feel is a lot different on an actual keyboard.

[rowdy]

I got a sampler kit as well and didn't like the feel of the browns that much as well. However, I still decided to get a brown board and I love them. The feel is a lot different on an actual keyboard.

Welcome to Geekhack!

It is difficult to tell the feel of a keyboard from a single switch held in the hand.  Perhaps if it was mounted in a small plate, or even a vise, might give a vague impression.

But yes, until you actually get the keyboard home and start using it on your computer anything else is speculation.

[Skull_Angel]

The sampler kits are good for feeling out the basic action of the most popular variants (blue: tactile+clicky/brown: tactile/red: linear), but they're going to feel different when mounted; as already stated. Also note that they will also feel different in different keyboards due to many variables: switch mounting options, keyboard's design and construction, keycap material, thickness and profile, ect.

The best advice is to try them out for yourself.

[esoomenona]

Browns are rubbish. I use reds primarily but also light whites for typing at work. White with light spring is how I wished browns were when I first tried them. I have tried every MX and browns are the only ones I don't like.

Browns were the second switch I tried, after Blues. I loved Blues (still do) and I thought I liked Browns (they were okay). Then, after trying Blacks, Reds, then Greens, I realized Browns are the worst of them all. If I had to choose between Reds and Browns, I would pick Reds all day. I still can't wait to try Clears/Ergoclears and Whites.

[LifeIsGooD2]

Im assuming there still is no sample kits for topre ?

[L4yercake]

Not unless you buy a $60 key-chain they had going a while ago. I've been searching high and low for a sample kit from Topre, really like Reds but I think I'd like 30g Topres even more.

[webs0r]

I would hazard a guess to say Reds initially if gaming > typing for you.

However as a gamer myself, I find it depends on the type of game as well.
WASD games (FPS) and button mash games -> prefer Reds
Starcraft, ARPG, strategy etc -> you won't be button mashing or holding keys down for ages so you could choose any switch type!

I'll echo the advice that you need to try each switch in your environment. I know it can be difficult, I had no way to do this so just started collecting different switch types to try.

I went from Brown -> Red -> brief shot on Matias QP -> Topre -> Blue. Funny thing is, I like them all!

I wish there was an easier way to switch the board depending on what I'm doing at the time.

I think Browns are a good compromise for mixed use. I think Topres might be an even better compromise if you can get your hands on one. Make sure you get an even force one though.
Really like blues for typing and they're ok for certain games. But I wouldn't want to WASD game on them.

I *really* want to try Clears now.

[rowdy]

Im assuming there still is no sample kits for topre ?

Just pester kmiller8: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38541.0

[Abacus1234]

This is probably not a topic that the OP is tracking anymore, but I felt like browns weren't getting enough love in this thread. I have tried all MX switches, a Topre board, and browns are my favorite switch. I buy keyboards because I love them, but I could be happy forever with any decent tenkeyless mx brown board.

[keymaster]

Browns, definitely. Reds feel too light and are linear -- a combination that amounts to many typos. Browns are the perfectly balanced.

[gigibecali]

YOU have to try them all. There's no other way.
Just an idea: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40924.0

[ksm123]

No body can tell you which switch you will feel more  comfortable with.

The only way to find out what switch works best for you is to try them out.
The only way to try them out is to type (or play games) on keyboard with this switch for hours.
If you've never used mechanical keyboard before, there is little chance you will make optimal decision in less then week (one need to learn to type gently to appreciate mechanical keyboard). In less than an hour, you'll only find out that all Cherry MX switches bottom out equally hard ;-)