Browns vs Reds + keyboard choices.

[Fragil1ty]

Hey guys, just a quick little topic that I'd like some feedback on.

I've recently bought and switched from Keycool 84 - /w Browns to a Filco Tenkeyless /w Reds.

I'm just wondering what your take on this whole topic is, are you more for Reds or Browns?

Personally, I've always been a Reds user and I always will be, but, ever since I've switched to this filco, I've been wanting to go back, this keyboard just isn't for, I just love the size of 84 key boards, they're just sublime to me. e.g. Keycool/Noppoo.

So my question to you, as implied in the title.

Do you prefer MX Cherry reds or browns? http://strawpoll.me/858406
Why?
What keyboard are you using?
Do you find yourself switching from keyboard to keyboard on a daily basis? weekly basis or whatever?

[dante]

Do you prefer MX Cherry reds or browns? http://strawpoll.me/858406
Why?
What keyboard are you using?
Do you find yourself switching from keyboard to keyboard on a daily basis? weekly basis or whatever?

Between those two choices I prefer Browns.

Why?  Acoustically they sound slightly better.  And despite Browns having very light to non-existent tactility my typing ability is substantially faster and much more accurate (+10-15 wpm).  I have less 'doubt' when I type if that makes any sense.

For gaming - while I see the benefit for Reds - I'd still go with MX Browns.  If Browns were not an option I'd still skip Reds for Blacks or Clears.

My only MX Brown board is a Leopold FC200R.  I chose it over the Filco because I like the stabilizers better.

[Oobly]

I like Browns. They do everything well and since I do a little of everything with my board, it works out for me 

I also like ErgoClears, but Browns are my favourite stock switch.

If I were to have one board for gaming and one for typing, I'd probably have one with Reds and one with Blues, although I'd get tired of switching all the time.

[C5Allroad]

Browns are really nice switches, they provide some feedback and almost feel linear when playing a game. Very comfortable also.

[Tony]

I have both red and brown in my keyboard collection.

Brown is good for typing, average for gaming.

Red is very good for FPS games, average for typing.

If you can have only one keyboard, I suggest brown.

[Moosecraft]

Reds for me, or actually blacks with 55g springs but they are almost the same as stock reds.

[rowdy]

I have not tried browns, but I find reds too light.  Blues are tolerable, even though they have the same springs - perhaps the tactility provides that extra resistance.  Anyway, I prefer blacks or greens or BS or Topre, so I'll just go somewhere else now

[ideus]

I have read diverse opinions on switches. It appears there are groups around most switches and each one claim theirs are the "holy grail" of keyboard switches. Each group is like a religion cult that hates the others opinions. I am not part of any of these cults, yet. And I hope I never would not be part of one ever. I think each switch may fit someone needs for certain purposes.


The differences of each one may be more on aesthetic aspects like "feeling" and "sound". I have tried all of them during different periods. I have even tried alps, most cherries and topre. Currently I am using browns, and I found them cool and useful for most of my work, which is mainly typing papers. Editing texts and general computing including some coding in R for statistical applications.


This is my cent of salt only.

[Polymer]

I think most people agree each switch is personal preference...and also that many people's opinions change over time...It is very apparent here when you see people have many different types of keyboards and many different types of switches.  If they truly believed any single switch was the "holy grail" they'd likely only have a single switch.  I'm not saying some haven't settled on a single switch but it isn't anything like each switch has a religious following dedicated only to that switch. 

[ideus]

It was only a metaphor. Any GHer will deny they have a religious affiliation with a type of switch. However I have read ardent defense on some and attacks against others. Bottom line is simple preference. Lets try as many keyboards and switches as money available allows us.

[Polymer]

Right..I'm not suggesting they really have a religious affiliation with a type of switch....I'm just saying people's preferred switch seems to jump around a lot..some have different ones for different reasons and most of the users on here with more than one or two keyboards seem to have multiple switch types. 

The closest thing to arguing over switches is with Topre....You have on one side, people who enjoy Topre..and the other, people that don't...

[ideus]

Well said. Topre is from an engineering perspective an over complicated rubber dome based switch. However, as far as people buy them is an outstanding way for keyboard makers to make money. Rain drop sound is cool though.

[PointyFox]

Each switch is not a personal preference unless you're one of those people who's opinion (magically) changes over time. 
Personal preference implies that there are no metrics for determining which is better overall, such as choice of sandwich (disregarding nutrition).
These switches are simple mechanical devices that carry out one specific function, and their suitability is fairly easy to characterize if you look at the physics and human factors involved.

Both switches are inferior to others in their own ways, though typing style will dictate which is better for the individual.

MX Brown has a steeper force gradient than MX Red, allowing greater control over actuation timing due to more difference in tactility between the non-depressed and actuated states, as well as more reliability in terms of preventing accidental keystrokes.

The problem with MX Brown is that the actuation point does not correspond to the tactile bump, rather it is beyond it.   This introduces room for the intended function of the bump to fail; i.e. when the user depresses the key past the tactile bump, but not far enough to activate the key.

[ideus]

Each switch is not a personal preference unless you're one of those people who's opinion (magically) changes over time. 
Personal preference implies that there are no metrics for determining which is better overall, such as choice of sandwich (disregarding nutrition).
These switches are simple mechanical devices that carry out one specific function, and their suitability is fairly easy to characterize if you look at the physics and human factors involved.

Both switches are inferior to others in their own ways, though typing style will dictate which is better for the individual.

MX Brown has a steeper force gradient than MX Red, allowing greater control over actuation timing due to more difference in tactility between the non-depressed and actuated states, as well as more reliability in terms of preventing accidental keystrokes.

The problem with MX Brown is that the actuation point does not correspond to the tactile bump, rather it is beyond it.   This introduces room for the intended function of the bump to fail; i.e. when the user depresses the key past the tactile bump, but not far enough to activate the key.

The only reason to make a choice between switches in a keyboard is money. Otherwise buy one of each and try them at will.

[PointyFox]

double post

[PointyFox]

Each switch is not a personal preference unless you're one of those people who's opinion (magically) changes over time. 
Personal preference implies that there are no metrics for determining which is better overall, such as choice of sandwich (disregarding nutrition).
These switches are simple mechanical devices that carry out one specific function, and their suitability is fairly easy to characterize if you look at the physics and human factors involved.

Both switches are inferior to others in their own ways, though typing style will dictate which is better for the individual.

MX Brown has a steeper force gradient than MX Red, allowing greater control over actuation timing due to more difference in tactility between the non-depressed and actuated states, as well as more reliability in terms of preventing accidental keystrokes.

The problem with MX Brown is that the actuation point does not correspond to the tactile bump, rather it is beyond it.   This introduces room for the intended function of the bump to fail; i.e. when the user depresses the key past the tactile bump, but not far enough to activate the key.

The only reason to make a choice between switches in a keyboard is money. Otherwise buy one of each and try them at will.

Wut.

[gameaholic]

I have read that lubed Browns are much better than stock.   I'd like to try them with lighter springs too.  Right now my broken in ergo clears are my favorite switch.

[Polymer]

Each switch is not a personal preference unless you're one of those people who's opinion (magically) changes over time. 
Personal preference implies that there are no metrics for determining which is better overall, such as choice of sandwich (disregarding nutrition).

There is no such metric therefore it is personal preference. 

There can be objective measures such as how a blue switch resets and how that might impact something like a doubletap..but that determination does not make it better or worse for any given individual.  The additional margin for error may be relevant for some but irrelevant for others. Feel is far more important.  Granted, the margin for error might be so gross that it can make a particular switch terrible for certain applications..but the fact that we have professional gamers using blues probably discounts that. 

You can look at Tennis rackets and some are designed to return more force and have more power and technically that should mean they'll be superior..but pros don't use those because they lack feel...

Technically Tiger woods uses an inferior ball to other pros (it spins too much) but he uses it because he's looking for a particular window to hit it through..a particular feel and reaction that the ball should make...Technically he could get more distance but he doesn't because he's looking for something specific that he is comfortable with. 

[kolonelkadat]

For me reds are the  clear victor.

You know the feeling when you break your bones, but you arent in a good place to stop and fix them so you wait a day or two? Thats the feeling that tactile switches give me. Although browns arent as bad as blues or clears in that regard, they still feel like they are broken.

[Canious]

Reds are fun but stick with brown for your daily keyboarding. I feel like im actually typing on browns and reds... just typing on air

[Dongulator]

Sir...You are asking an age old question.... Me, personally I like reds, because it feels like you're typing on air. It takes no effort for the keystroke to register. But if you want to feel it, go with the browns

[Canious]

This question has been asked quite a bit but majority of people will prefer the brown over the reds. I feel like the red is not something most people feel comfortable using it as their "Default" keyboard for too long. Its nice on games like RTS and FPS where you need to spam a lot of keys but that lack of tactile and sexy sound its a turn off

[Grim Fandango]

I like them both. Both are pretty light which is the main thing I like about them.

If I had to choose, I would pick browns. While reds feel nice, I also tend to have more accidental keypresses on reds. The slight tactile feedback on the browns pretty much prevent this from happening. I go back and forth as to which feel better. At times I feel like the completely linear reds give an almost unmatched fluid feeling to your typing, other times I feel like pressing the keys is more satisfying when you get a bit of tactile feedback.

[terran5992]

Definitely browns

[00zeRO]

Reds...

...wait, no browns...

...wait, no reds...

I love them both, and love to switch back an forth. For me, at work, its browns all the way, but for home, I like reds. 

Work: faster email response time. 

Home: more enjoyable emailing, writing, and posting on die InterTron.