I have never used a mechanical keyboard before. Which cherry mx is like membrane

[thebloody9]

I want a keyboard that is good for typing and gaming. I mostly play dota 2 and starcraft 2. Which cherry mx switch requires similar activation force compared to a membrane, mx red or black? Im getting a noppoo choc mini and those are the only switches they seem to come with. My current keyboard is a ****ty dell sk 8165 membrane.

[SpAmRaY]

Topre

[FrostyToast]

I don't know why one would want to depart to mechanical just to want something that feels like membrane...
Although Spam is right. Topre is the way to go if that's what you want and I can vouch for its quality and feeling.

[thebloody9]

I dont want it to feel the same as membrane, I want the keys to have similar actuation forces. I don't think the keycool 84 or noppoo choc mini come with topre switches though, and I need to use one of them because I like the f keys lining up directly with the number keys.

[Oobly]

Reds are lighter than most rubber domes, Blacks are stronger than most.

Browns and Blues probably feel closest in force (due to the little extra force needed to go over the tactile bump), with Clears having the most similar tactility. Although MX have the spring which gives a constant force increase, so none of them really feel like a rubber dome.

For RTS any switch will do really (even Blues), best to try a few different types and see what you like most.

[phoenix1234]

I dont want it to feel the same as membrane, I want the keys to have similar actuation forces. I don't think the keycool 84 or noppoo choc mini come with topre switches though, and I need to use one of them because I like the f keys lining up directly with the number keys.

I have seen many people found pleasant feeling after coming from Rubber dome to Cherry MX Brown. So I would say Cherry MX brown because of that and its tactile feedback.

[jamster]

I would say that no stock Cherry switch feels like membrane. Red/Brown/Blue feel super light with barely any initial force. Clear has marked ramp-up after the bump. ErgoClear feels closest- tactile point and not too much force ramp up after the bump, but it's a non-trivial modification.

If you're talking *actuation* specifically and not overall feel throughout the travel, probably Clear though. Light-ish actuation feeling (not silly-light like red/brown) and a bumpy feel that kind of mimics a rubber dome.

But yeah, probably Topre.

[falkentyne]

If you want something that feels like a membrane keyboard while STILL being fully mechanical, try the Logitech G910+ keyboard.  That's the closest thing.

[Air tree]

If you want something that feels like a membrane keyboard while STILL being fully mechanical, try the Logitech G910+ keyboard.  That's the closest thing.

Or perhaps get get a better quality keyboard, and throw on some O-rings.

Leopold F750R and Kul ES 87 come to mind for boards that I have heard good things from. If you can use TKL.

[rowdy]

To me MX red is the least mechanical feeling of the Cherry MX switches.

Light, linear and non-clicky.  You can add O-rings to dampen the bottoming out sound to give it that little extra rubber dome feeling.

Or if you want something lighter, Gateron has 35g switches which are MX compatible.

[jamster]

If you want something that feels like a membrane keyboard while STILL being fully mechanical, try the Logitech G910+ keyboard.  That's the closest thing.

Eeuw. I've tried a 910 and I had high hopes for it. It felt pretty nasty to me though- short key travel and those weirdly sharp key caps. I guess maybe it might fit the "gamer" marketing slant, but it came across as unsuited to general typing.

[Merranza]

To me MX red is the least mechanical feeling of the Cherry MX switches.

Light, linear and non-clicky.  You can add O-rings to dampen the bottoming out sound to give it that little extra rubber dome feeling.

Or if you want something lighter, Gateron has 35g switches which are MX compatible.

Here we go again...

Can you define mechanical feel please?

[Yslen]

Strange and interesting reading how different people's opinions are. Clears are closest mx to rubber domes IMO, at least the old school rubber domes with full key travel I used to use with desktops. Rubber domes are by design quite heavy and very tactile, because of the force required to overcome the resistance of the dome. Light linear switches like reds are a million miles away, and I will always remember the first time I tried them, having used RD boards for years - just night and day, so to speak.

Scissor switches and other low profile RD designs are a different kettle of fish, which is why it's hard to tell someone who uses laptop or low profile RD boards what Cherry MX is like. Best way is to try them out, if you have that option. Buy from somewhere that'll let you try and return.

[jamster]

Clears are only like rubber domes in the first part of travel, the bump. After that they feel completely unlike rubber domes- instead of having a 'collapse' point where they bottom out easily (which I personally find comfortable), they feel mushy with ramp up forces if you want to bottom out.

I have fond memories of old school rubber domes (Honeywell PC keyboards)... I will probably find another one someday and hopefully it lives up to expectations.

[Dihedral]

Clears are definately closest, at least to a long travel board. A short travel board will feel totally different to basically all mechs.

[mullidan]

I want a keyboard that is good for typing and gaming. I mostly play dota 2 and starcraft 2. Which cherry mx switch requires similar activation force compared to a membrane, mx red or black? Im getting a noppoo choc mini and those are the only switches they seem to come with. My current keyboard is a ****ty dell sk 8165 membrane.

Just made the switch from a logitech keyboard myself. Started out with the mx brown switch, but it felt extremely light to me. I tried out mx clears and i love them. However, I would really love to try the ergo-clear switch out as I believe it will be great. The clears though really let me know when i've pushed the key down far enough with bottoming out all the time and the browns did not do that. FWIW, my buddy uses mx browns all day at work behind me and i hear him bottom out about every 2 seconds. Now, if you can get away with the  noise I'd say that blues aren't that bad either and more widely available.

Do I love it? Ya damn skippy! Best typing feeling ever. My fingers haven't gone numb once since i made the switch.

[rowdy]

To me MX red is the least mechanical feeling of the Cherry MX switches.

Light, linear and non-clicky.  You can add O-rings to dampen the bottoming out sound to give it that little extra rubber dome feeling.

Or if you want something lighter, Gateron has 35g switches which are MX compatible.

Here we go again...

Can you define mechanical feel please?

To me a rubber dome/membrane keyboard feels like typing on a sponge.

A mechanical keyboard has a separate switch or mechanism for each key, and each individual switch can be activated independently of all the others.

Whereas with a RD keyboard you're basically squashing parts of a couple of plastic sheets together.

Thus a mechanical keyboard will (should) feel more consistent across the board, and should maintain that consistency for much, much longer.

[Novus]

Stop indulging these threads :/

[chyros]

If you want a mechanical keyboard that feels like a rubber dome board, don't get a mechanical keyboard. Or a Topre if anything. Don't jump to Cherry just because it's the most overhyped, and if you do, don't expect anything like an RD board, really. That's all I can say :/ .

[KHAANNN]

90% = Cherry MX Clear

My membranes all have bumps + soft bottom outs, I probably had very good membranes, cherry mx clear is the closest

Off topic, it's also strangely mesmerising, I mounted one on a keyboard I'm not actively using now, yet I keep on going and pressing that one clear switched spacebar on my way out and in the room

[Dihedral]

Guys, read his OP. He said 'has a similar [actuation] point'. Not feels the same, just weighs the same. To which the answer is 55g Topre or MX Clear. Simple. He gets his answer and this thread does not need to continue clogging up our unread topics page.

[jamster]

Off topic, it's also strangely mesmerising, I mounted one on a keyboard I'm not actively using now, yet I keep on going and pressing that one clear switched spacebar on my way out and in the room

That was hillarious, and I'm going to use that as part of my sig  )

[KHAANNN]

Off topic, it's also strangely mesmerising, I mounted one on a keyboard I'm not actively using now, yet I keep on going and pressing that one clear switched spacebar on my way out and in the room

That was hillarious, and I'm going to use that as part of my sig  )

well, it takes care of that achievement: "Get Signatured"

I can retire more peacefully now, thanks

[Huxley2500]

Go Clickey Blue!

[Firebolt1914]

MX Browns with o-rings

[falkentyne]

90% = Cherry MX Clear

My membranes all have bumps + soft bottom outs, I probably had very good membranes, cherry mx clear is the closest

Off topic, it's also strangely mesmerising, I mounted one on a keyboard I'm not actively using now, yet I keep on going and pressing that one clear switched spacebar on my way out and in the room

You got nothing on me, bro.
Every night I hook up my ducky shine 69 disco edition to my laptop, have it play almost RGB lights, and press the awesome MX green clicky keys to make myself soft for the right hand pleasure session I do next.