Author Topic: How many switches are there?  (Read 4836 times)

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Offline Vailen

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How many switches are there?
« on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 12:11:18 »
Hello everyone. I am new to this forum and have a question for the very knowledgeable people here regarding key switches.

I bought the KBDfans 72 key switch tester. I really enjoy comparing the feel for all the switch types. I decided to do more research on switches and quickly learned that we have many more switch types available. I was curious so I created an Excel spreadsheet that lists every key switch I can find. I would like to post the file on this web site (if appropriate) for feedback. So far my list has 190 different switches.

I have found numerous web sites that list different switch types but not one source that has a comprehensive list. Can anyone recommend sources that, collectively, provide details of every key switch currently available - including proprietary switches like Razer’s new optical-mechanical switch.

Thanks for your help!

Offline ArchDill

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #1 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 12:51:10 »
Are you looking at doing just stock switches, or are you planning on listing all the modifications as well? That would be so much information haha

Offline Vailen

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #2 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 12:56:37 »
Thanks for your reply. Can you give me an example of a non-stock switch? I am assuming I am only collecting information about stock switches, which I interpret to mean switches that are mass produced. I do not want to collect data on unique switches - that would require an encyclopedia.

What I hope to do is eventually create a switch tester with every switch available.
« Last Edit: Sat, 08 June 2019, 13:04:23 by Vailen »

Offline ArchDill

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #3 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 13:01:53 »
Thanks for your reply. Can you give me an example of a non-stock switch? I am assuming I am only collecting information about stock switches, which I interpret to mean switches that are mass produced. I do not want to collect data on unique switches - that would require an encyclopedia. 😃

A lot of people end up interchanging switch housings, springs, and stems.

I am currently using:

-Zeal Housings
-Vinatge Black stems (Silent black on spacebar)
-62g Stainless Steel Springs (67g gold spring on the spacebar)
-Lubed with 3204 (205g0 on the spacebar)

Offline Vailen

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #4 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 13:24:51 »
OMG. Ok. Let’s stick with stock switches that are not modified or enhanced.  :thumb:


Offline Vailen

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #6 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 16:17:30 »
I have attached an Excel file that has the list below (with additional data). So far I have a list of 191 switches. However, I do not know if any of these switches are duplicates (e.g., same switch with more than one name). I also do not know the stem color and the type of switch (linear, tactile, or clicky) for many of these entries. In the Excel file I am also collecting data on operating force, peak force, activation point, total travel, and lifespan.

Archdill made a very good point earlier in this thread. I am narrowing my list to stock switches available from the manufacturer, or possibly older switches that were mass produced but no longer made. I am not including modified or enhanced switches.

If any of you have time to look at the list I compiled and help me fill-in the blanks, your time is greatly appreciated. Afterwards I will post the final list and keep the list updated.

Thanks for your help!

Vailen

(I accidentally uploaded the Excel file twice. Both files are the same.)


#   Brand   Type                Switch name / Stem Color
1   Aliaz                           100g
2   Aliaz                           60g
3   Aliaz                           70g
4   Aliaz                           80g
5   Cherry MX   Linear        Black
6   Cherry MX   Clicky        Blue
7   Cherry MX   Tactile        Brown
8   Cherry MX   Tactile        Clear
9   Cherry MX   Linear        Gray
10   Cherry MX   Tactile        Gray
11   Cherry MX   Clicky        Green
12   Cherry MX                   Hirose Orange
13   Cherry MX   Linear        Red
14   Cherry MX                   RGB Black
15   Cherry MX                   RGB Blue
16   Cherry MX                   RGB Brown
17   Cherry MX                   RGB Red
18   Cherry MX   Linear        RGB Silent Pink
19   Cherry MX                   RGB Silver
20   Cherry MX   Linear        Silent Black
21   Cherry MX   Linear        Silent Red
22   Cherry MX   Linear        Speed Silver
23   Cherry MX                   White
24   Fukka   Tactile        Black Alps - Complicated
25   Fukka   Tactile        Black Alps - Simplified
26   Fukka   Tactile        White Alps - Complicated
27   Fukka   Tactile        White Alps - Simplified
28   Gateron   Linear        Black
29   Gateron   Clicky        Blue
30   Gateron   Tactile        Brown
31   Gateron   Linear        Clear
32   Gateron   Clicky        Green
33   Gateron                   Milk Black
34   Gateron                   Milk Blue
35   Gateron                   Milk Brown
36   Gateron                   Milk Clear
37   Gateron                   Milk Green
38   Gateron                   Milk Red
39   Gateron                   Milk Yellow
40   Gateron   Linear        Red
41   Gateron                   RGB Black
42   Gateron                   RGB Blue
43   Gateron                   RGB Brown
44   Gateron                   RGB Green
45   Gateron                   RGB Red
46   Gateron                   RGB SMD Black
47   Gateron                   RGB SMD Blue
48   Gateron                   RGB SMD Brown
49   Gateron                   RGB SMD Green
50   Gateron                   RGB SMD Red
51   Gateron                   RGB SMD White
52   Gateron                   RGB SMD Yellow
53   Gateron   Linear        Silent Black
54   Gateron   Tactile        Silent Brown
55   Gateron   Linear        Silent Red
56   Gateron                   SMD Black
57   Gateron                   SMD Blue
58   Gateron                   SMD Brown
59   Gateron                   SMD Clear
60   Gateron                   SMD Green
61   Gateron                   SMD Red
62   Gateron                   SMD Yellow
63   Gateron   Linear        Yellow
64   Gateron   Tactile   
65   Gateron   Tactile   
66   Gateron   Tactile   
67   Gateron   Tactile   
68   Gateron   Tactile   
69   Greetech                  RGB SMD Black
70   Greetech                  RGB SMD Blue
71   Greetech                  RGB SMD Brown
72   Greetech                  RGB SMD Green
73   Greetech                  RGB SMD Red
74   Healios   Linear       67g (Orange)
75   IBM           Tactile & Clicky   Buckling-Spring
76   Kaihua   Tactile       Hako Clear
77   Kaihua   Tactile       Hako Violet
78   Kaihua   Tactile       Pink Salt
79   Kailh           Linear       Berry
80   Kailh           Linear       Black
81   Kailh           Clicky          Blue
82   Kailh    Linear       Box Black
83   Kailh           Tactile       Box Brown
84   Kailh           Tactile       Box Burnt Orange
85   Kailh           Linear       Box Dark Yellow
86   Kailh           Clicky       Box Jade
87   Kailh           Clicky       Box Navy
88   Kailh                          Box Orange
89   Kailh           Clicky       Box Pale Blue
90   Kailh                          Box Purple
91   Kailh           Linear       Box Red
92   Kailh           Tactile       Box Royal (Purple)
93   Kailh           Clicky       Box White
94   Kailh                          Bronze
95   Kailh           Tactile       Brown
96   Kailh           Tactile       Brown
97   Kailh           Linear       Burgundy
98   Kailh                          Burnt Orange
99   Kailh           Tactile       Choc Dark Orange
100   Kailh           Linear       Choc Dark Yellow
101   Kailh           Clicky       Choc Pale Blue
102   Kailh                          Copper
103   Kailh           Linear       Cream
104   Kailh                          Dark Yellow
105   Kailh                          Gold
106   Kailh                          Hako Clear
107   Kailh                          Hako Royal Clear
108   Kailh                          Hako True
109   Kailh                          Hako Violet
110   Kailh           Clicky       Light Green
111   Kailh                          Navy
112   Kailh                          Pale Blue
113   Kailh           Clicky       Pink
114   Kailh           Tactile       Plum
115   Kailh                          Pro Burgandy
116   Kailh                          Pro Green
117   Kailh                          Pro Purple
118   Kailh           Tactile       Purple
119   Kailh           Linear       Red
120   Kailh           Linear       Red
121   Kailh                          RGB Black
122   Kailh                          RGB Blue
123   Kailh                          RGB Brown
124   Kailh                          RGB Red
125   Kailh                          RGB SMD Black
126   Kailh                          RGB SMD Blue
127   Kailh                          RGB SMD Brown
128   Kailh                          RGB SMD Red
129   Kailh     Clicky       Sage
130   Kailh                          Silver
131   Kailh           Clicky       Speed Bronze
132   Kailh         Tactile       Speed Burnt Orange
133   Kailh           Tactile       Speed Copper
134   Kailh           Clicky       Speed Gold
135   Kailh           Linear       Speed Silver
136   Kailh           Clicky       White
137   KBDfans.cn      
138   Omron   Tactile       Romer-G Black
139   Omron   Tactile       Romer-G Blue
140   Omron   Linear       Romer-G Gray
141   Outemu   Linear       Black
142   Outemu   Clicky       Blue
143   Outemu   Tactile       Brown
144   Outemu                  DS Black
145   Outemu                  DS Blue
146   Outemu                  DS Brown
147   Outemu                  DS Red
148   Outemu                  DS Teal
149   Outemu   Tactile       Grey
150   Outemu                       Ice Blue
151   Outemu   Tactile       Ice Dark Purple
152   Outemu                  Ice Light Purple
153   Outemu   Tactile       Ice Purple
154   Outemu   Clicky       Ice Teal
155   Outemu                  Purple
156   Outemu   Linear       Red
157   Outemu                  RGB Black
158   Outemu                  RGB Blue
159   Outemu                  RGB Brown
160   Outemu                  RGB Red
161   Outemu                  RGB SMD Black
162   Outemu                  RGB SMD Blue
163   Outemu                  RGB SMD Brown
164   Outemu                  RGB SMD Red
165   Outemu   Linear       Silver
166   Outemu                  SMD Black
167   Outemu                  SMD Blue
168   Outemu                  SMD Brown
169   Outemu                  SMD Purple
170   Outemu                  SMD Red
171   Razer                  Green
172   Razer                  Orange
173   Razer                  Purple (Opto-Mechanical)
174   Steelseries          QS1
175   Tai-Hao                  APC Blue
176   Tai-Hao                  APC Green
177   Tai-Hao                  APC White
178   Tealios   Linear       67g
179   Topre   Tactile       Capacitive (55g)
180   Topre   Tactile         Capacitive (45g)
181   Topre   Tactile       Capacitive (30g)
182   Topre   Tactile       Capacitive (45g w/ adjustable actuation points)
183   Topre   Tactile       Capacitive - Silent
184   Zealios   Tactile       62g
185   Zealios   Tactile       65g
186   Zealios   Tactile       67g
187   Zealios   Tactile       78g
188   Zilents   Tactile       62g (Blue)
189   Zilents   Tactile       65g (Blue)
190   Zilents   Tactile       67g (Blue)
191   Zilents   Tactile       78g (Blue)



Offline pixelpusher

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #7 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 16:39:19 »
I don't see
Gateron Linear Linjar switches\
Gateron Linear Glow in the dark switches
Gateron linear FEI switches
Gateron liner Tangerine switches (milky bottom)
Gateron linear Tangerine switches (black bottom)

I don't know much about them, but there is a line of Gateron Punchy switches too.

Offline pixelpusher

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 16:40:42 »
also, Taiwan White switches (aristotle)

Offline pixelpusher

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 16:45:00 »

Offline Vailen

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 17:59:07 »
Thanks for the link! I was looking for a comprehensive list. I knew there were a lot of switches but OMG! Maybe collecting every switch will be more long-term. 😃

Offline Warrenified

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 18:33:09 »
It might be worth mentioning/adding that there are two versions of zealios/zilents. Theres the zealios/zilent v1's which have a small tactile bump than the zealios v2. They are both offered in the same weights as you have listed, though.

Offline rajendra82

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #12 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 20:51:29 »
Also missing the four Kailh China style box switches Noble Yellow, Ancient Grey, Chinese Red, and Glazed Green:

https://www.keychatter.com/2019/01/11/kaihua-goes-china-style-with-new-box-switches/

Offline Vailen

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #13 on: Sat, 08 June 2019, 21:16:20 »
Thanks for that link! What I though would be a list of about 300 switches is now 531 and climbing thanks to the two links posted on this thread.

I was interested in switches and keyboards back in the 1990s and early 2000s. I lost interest after that and recently am getting back into learning more about modern keyboards. I honestly had no idea so many mass-produced switches had been created from around 2005 until today.

Now my switch tester that has 72 switches does not seem so impressive.  :D

Offline chyros

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #14 on: Sun, 09 June 2019, 02:44:58 »
There are thousands of different switch types. I only have about 370 and that isn't even scratching the surface.
Check my keyboard video reviews:


Offline Sintpinty

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #15 on: Mon, 10 June 2019, 09:51:42 »
I don't see
Gateron Linear Linjar switches\
Gateron Linear Glow in the dark switches
Gateron linear FEI switches
Gateron liner Tangerine switches (milky bottom)
Gateron linear Tangerine switches (black bottom)

I don't know much about them, but there is a line of Gateron Punchy switches too.

bring back glow in the dark switches pls

Offline ThereminGoat

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #16 on: Mon, 10 June 2019, 11:09:51 »
There is actually a discord entirely dedicated to switch collectors that might be worth your time checking out - there are more than a couple of people, myself included, who have over 200 unique switches to their collections this far along.

Here's a link if you're interested: https://discord.gg/9Atk9fM

Offline Vailen

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #17 on: Mon, 10 June 2019, 14:38:31 »
Thanks for the invite! I just joined.

Offline Sintpinty

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #18 on: Mon, 10 June 2019, 19:45:15 »
I don't see
Gateron Linear Linjar switches\
Gateron Linear Glow in the dark switches
Gateron linear FEI switches
Gateron liner Tangerine switches (milky bottom)
Gateron linear Tangerine switches (black bottom)

I don't know much about them, but there is a line of Gateron Punchy switches too.

Edit: Glow in the dark switches have been made available :)

Offline rowdy

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #19 on: Fri, 14 June 2019, 04:38:37 »
Do people still differentiate between MX black and MX vintage black?

Also NEC blue oval switches missing from OP's list, although not from the Deskthority list.
"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline ThereminGoat

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Re: How many switches are there?
« Reply #20 on: Wed, 14 August 2019, 18:36:59 »
Do people still differentiate between MX black and MX vintage black?

MX Blacks, MX Vintage Blacks, and NOS MX Vintage Blacks are all classically used differentiations.