What is the smoothest key switch?

[Findecanor]

I have seen and heard a lot about Topre's capacitative conical spring/dome switch, which is considered to be very smooth and friction-less, but I think that there may be another rarer older or industrial switch that feels even smoother.
Good scissor-switches can be very very stable -- and because of their construction there is no friction on off-center key presses whatsoever, but they do have a short throw.

What kind of keyboard or switches have you tried, that you found to be very smooth? "Mechanical" or rubber dome, it does not matter.

[litster]

Both Topre and Cherry Red are very smooth in my opinion.

[xmrxkrazy]

Cherry MX Reds. (*edit* Aw crap, lister beat me to it)

[SmallFry]

My green ALPS (linear and complicated) are very smooth, but Cherry switches are easier to come by. I'd recommend going with Cherry, for price reasons. (I have no experience on Cherries)

[yjhuoh]

cherry reds for sure.

[Findecanor]

Linear switches are definitely smoother than tactile, yes, but I think that there could be switches that much less friction than Cherry Reds that aren't Topres.

[nhwhaup]

Topres and MX reds are the smoothest that I have tried.

[sordna]

I think cherry blacks feel smoother than cherry reds. With the reds, the spring is less of a resistance component than blacks, so you kinda feel and even hear a bit of friction (although it would be the same if you could somehow measure it). On my Poker with reds I can definitely hear the switch if I bob it up and down (without bottoming out or topping out). I put some old-fashioned lubricating oil on one of them and it improved the feel (made it smoother) and silenced the audible sliding sound I was getting.

My Goldtouch keyboard and the Comfort Keyboard I used to have (both rubber domes) are definitely smoother than any Cherry MX switch, sadly.

I think lubing cherries is a worthwhile idea; still waiting for Ripster's RO-59 killah investigation, but it looks stalled at the moment :-)

[Pylon]

Probably hall effect boards, but good luck finding one.

[WorldExclusive]

Reds.

[Playtrumpet]

Steinway and the lesser known Blüthner pianos have incredibly weighted keys and actions. I also highly recommend Fazioli. Those are pretty expensive though.

[spolia optima]

1980's-ish cherry blacks. just perfect for basically any application

[hashbaz]

Topre switches are definitely smoother than reds.  Every key press is like cutting into rich creamery butter with a hot knife.

[hcry4]

Topre switches are definitely smoother than reds.  Every key press is like cutting into rich creamery butter with a hot knife.

Silent is even smoother than regular.

[jnsjr]

Topre for sure. I have been alternating between a Topre 45g and variable, and a cherry blue and red. Topres really are buttery smooth. For me, even the cherry reds feel rough and almost choppy compared to both Topres. The blues more so than the reds.

[bpiphany]

Someone needs to invent a switch where the key sits freely suspended in a magnetic field...

I like the Topres, They are a smooth typing exoerience. The reds might be to light for me, I keep bottoming them out.

[F u r u y á]

Someone needs to invent a switch where the key sits freely suspended in a magnetic field...

I like the Topres, They are a smooth typing exoerience. The reds might be to light for me, I keep bottoming them out.

what a nice ideia! that would be the true cloud of b00bs.

[Rafen]

I love the feel of the topre switches. The only problem is that I seem to be bottoming them out more than browns or blues. Topre are still the smoothest in my opinion.

[JBert]

If you like it clicky, the model F's buckling springs are nice.
Since you push down on the spring until it buckles, there's no friction like with the blues (albeit they have very little resistance and hence not that much friction).

[bpiphany]

That is pretty smooth.
(Attachment Link) 27042[/ATTACH]

Nice work! =D

Now you only need to arrange magnets to create the fields to keep the plunger in place without the tube. No risks of any friction is acceptable!

[Playtrumpet]

What's their touchweight?  See RipOmeter if you need to know how to measure them.

Most piano manufacturers try to aim for about 50g, BUT I find that most well made grand pianos range from about 30-45g. I believe Fazioli is known for a very light action. However, if a good quality grand is kept in very good condition and refurbished over the years, its action can become even lighter, which is why a lot of great concert halls carry pianos that are decades old - and if you get the opportunity to play such a high quality instrument, you'll see what light a touch it requires.

But I will try to get some nickels and test the weight of the keys on my school's best grands (if I can get away with it, tehee).

And if people are wondering why I am talking about pianos at all in this thread - I personally don't know ANY type of key/switch/action smoother than that of a high quality grand piano. They are made specifically for a light and smooth touch and I know pianists who practice for hours without their fingers tiring because of this.

[Playtrumpet]

Here's a good picture of a standard Steinway Model D.


But HERE's the action of a key.

btw, those metal cylinders in the wood of the key are weights specifically placed in drilled out holes to help make keys uniformly weighted and perfect for the pianist.

[pitashen]

Topre switches are definitely smoother than reds.  Every key press is like cutting into rich creamery butter with a hot knife.

And you pay almost 3 times more to get that slight smoother feel.

[bpiphany]

And you pay almost 3 times more to get that slight smoother feel.

And that is largely irrelevant. Not buying "the best"/what you really want because of that is usually a lame priority. Save up a few hours of salary more and get what you want.

The full size MX red Filco is £140 at keyboarco, the full size Realforces £160. That is not a big difference.

[hcry4]

I like the way you think.

[Skull_Angel]

And that is largely irrelevant. Not buying "the best"/what you really want because of that is usually a lame priority. Save up a few hours of salary more and get what you want.

The full size MX red Filco is £140 at keyboarco, the full size Realforces £160. That is not a big difference.

$109 leopold MX reds v. $265 Realforce in the states from elitekeyboards. I couldn't tell you which is "the best", but I don't think I'm alone when I say that's a hefty premium. (just making a note that there's a larger difference in price over here)

[bpiphany]

$109 leopold MX reds v. $265 Realforce in the states from elitekeyboards. I couldn't tell you which is "the best", but I don't think I'm alone when I say that's a hefty premium. (just making a note that there's a larger difference in price over here)

The "best" keyboard is the one you want. Yes the Topres are expensive, the Leopolds aren't cheap either. If it is a Topre you want it is the Leopold that is too expensive. The same goes for all enthusiast equipment.

I don't know anything about the quality of the Leopold, but the Topre boards are no doubt more complex technically and presumably built with higher quality materials. The assembly of a Realforce would have to be more complex as well. And I would be surprised if there aren't 10 Cherry switches produced per Tore switch. Also of course Realforce is quite alone in the capacitive switch keyboard market and able to charge a bit more.

[duncan]

The "best" keyboard is the one you want. Yes the Topres are expensive, the Leopolds aren't cheap either. If it is a Topre you want it is the Leopold that is too expensive. The same goes for all enthusiast equipment.

+1

[hashbaz]

What kind of keyboard or switches have you tried, that you found to be very smooth? "Mechanical" or rubber dome, it does not matter.

The OP asked about the smoothest switch.  No mention of cost.  Topre switches are smoother than MX reds.

[hashbaz]

Steinway and the lesser known Blüthner pianos have incredibly weighted keys and actions. I also highly recommend Fazioli. Those are pretty expensive though.

Ripster, when are we going to see a piano mod wiki?

[Mazora]

Topre switch feels definitely more smooth and also more reliable (less shaky?) to me than the mx-red switch.

[Findecanor]

The OP asked about the smoothest switch.  No mention of cost.  Topre switches are smoother than MX reds.

The OP is not interested in either Topre switches or MX reds ...

The smoothest type of switch that I have tested was a light linear short-throw switch in a Tandberg terminal keyboard. I got to try it out at an auction seller's right before he gave it to the auction winner. I had not bid on it because I thought that all Tandberg keyboards had Cherry ML switches, and I am not a fan of Cherry ML. I did pull a cap, though, but I did not recognize the switch and I have never seen that type since. Anyway, I walked away with a bunch of other nice and bad keyboards for very little money, so it was not a bad day after all

[hcry4]

Sounds like it's about time for another meme contest?

[nhwhaup]

Smoothest key switch - toss up between the silent Realforce and reds.

[xwhatsit]

Anything Cherry MX is not smooth. Nice keyfeel, yes, but they're the antithesis of smooth -- the sliders give a very frictiony feel to the keypress. Blues are the most obvious of course but all flavours seem to exhibit it to some degree. Alps are similar.

I'd say straight vanilla buckling springs are much smoother than Cherry MX. Firm keyfeel though and very tactile click. Model F buckling springs are smoother still and slightly lighter (lighter in tactility too).

However the smoothest I've tried has to be beamsprings (once you pull the rubber sheet out). Almost effortless to type on. Very, very little friction. And very light as well.

I'd love to have a Topre board one day.

[BababooeyHTJ]

Probably black alps, especially simplified.

[keyboardlover]

Probably black alps, especially simplified.

Um...lolwut?

Topre is smoothest IMHO.