Going from MX Blcks to Browns

[Finwens]

Hey everyone. I am currently using a steelseries 6gv2, which I really like, but I have some faulty switches and seeing that I'll have an opportunity to get a new keyboard soon, I might pull the trigger on it.
I want a tactile switch, so no reds for me, and I think blues would bother me when playing games, and my family at night. So I want a filco with mx browns, but I'd like to know if it's hard to adapt to it. I know they are very light compared to blacks (which gives me fatigue when playing WoW for example, where I double tap like crazy) so that's a good point. I play FPS too, and type casually (forums, skype, school work, etc.).

I'd like some opinions on this, please (and sorry for any grammar mistakes).

[sammsorensen]

Any problems adjusting will be very minimal.. Blacks are a terrible switch to type on, you will immediately realize this. As for gaming you shouldn't notice much at all, but blacks are said to be better for FPS.

I made the same change not too long ago (blacks to browns) and couldn't be happier.

[precarious]

a friend of mine who has been using blacks for a while expressed interest in having a board with browns after trying mine, so it's not an impossible switch.

if you're used to the stiffness and just want some tactility, you may want to look into a board with clears, or there's supposed to be a ducky coming out soon with grays.

[nullstring]

I doubt you would have any difficulty at all.

[Finwens]

Any problems adjusting will be very minimal.. Blacks are a terrible switch to type on, you will immediately realize this. As for gaming you shouldn't notice much at all, but blacks are said to be better for FPS.

I made the same change not too long ago (blacks to browns) and couldn't be happier.

Actually I like them for typing, even long sessions don't give me fatigue, only mashing buttons on games. That's nice to read, thanks.

a friend of mine who has been using blacks for a while expressed interest in having a board with browns after trying mine, so it's not an impossible switch.

if you're used to the stiffness and just want some tactility, you may want to look into a board with clears, or there's supposed to be a ducky coming out soon with grays.

I think I'm settled on mx browns, and I don't think there are any mx clear keyboards on amazon. I'll spend around 10 days in the USA, so I have to buy it fast and can't wait for the ducky.

I doubt you would have any difficulty at all.

That's nice, thanks.

[PointyFox]

Here's my progression in switch types:

Buckling spring: Seems a little clunky.
Rubber dome: These are nice.  Can type faster with them and they don't sound annoying.
Rubber dome (later):  I don't like how they squish at the bottom and take more force to press at the edges of the key.
Cherry MX brown:  These feel pretty light.  The bump seems to help me figure out where the activation point is.
Cherry MX brown (later): I'm completely ignoring the bump when I type fast or game, and it seems to get in the way.
Cherry MX blue: These feel pretty nice and have a nice click.
Cherry MX blue (later):  These interfere with double tapping because the reset point is above the activation point.  I need to bottom out to game well which defeats the purpose of the click.
Buckling spring (much later): I really dislike these.  Super clunky feeling with an annoying sound.
Cherry MX black:  These feel nice and smooth.  I love these for gaming.  Nothing to get in the way of pressing the keys down.
Cherry MX red: I can't feel these.  It's like the buttons aren't even there.  Wimpy keys for invalids.  Makes my keyboard feel like a toy.
Chery MX black (later):  These definitely feel better.  Great for gaming.  Very satisfying and smooth to press.  I want to try a stiffer key.  I still like rubber dome, but MX black is more reliable and consistent feeling.

[jamdox]

In my non-expert opinion, unless you need to "double tap", which I guess is in RTS games (which I haven't played since Dune  ) ), you should get the blues.  They are much, much crisper than the browns, which feel like you're rubbing a nub of injection-molded plastic against a piece of metal.  Because that's what you're doing 

And compared to the noise of bottoming out, depending on how hard you do it, the clicks aren't that bad.  So I'm personally going with blues when I find the specific model I like, but that's just me.

[Finwens]

Here's my progression in switch types:

Buckling spring: Seems a little clunky.
Rubber dome: These are nice.  Can type faster with them and they don't sound annoying.
Rubber dome (later):  I don't like how they squish at the bottom and take more force to press at the edges of the key.
Cherry MX brown:  These feel pretty light.  The bump seems to help me figure out where the activation point is.
Cherry MX brown (later): I'm completely ignoring the bump when I type fast or game, and it seems to get in the way.
Cherry MX blue: These feel pretty nice and have a nice click.
Cherry MX blue (later):  These interfere with double tapping because the reset point is above the activation point.  I need to bottom out to game well which defeats the purpose of the click.
Buckling spring (much later): I really dislike these.  Super clunky feeling with an annoying sound.
Cherry MX black:  These feel nice and smooth.  I love these for gaming.  Nothing to get in the way of pressing the keys down.
Cherry MX red: I can't feel these.  It's like the buttons aren't even there.  Wimpy keys for invalids.  Makes my keyboard feel like a toy.
Chery MX black (later):  These definitely feel better.  Great for gaming.  Very satisfying and smooth to press.  I want to try a stiffer key.  I still like rubber dome, but MX black is more reliable and consistent feeling.

I have tried only blacks and blues. I think blacks are superb for playing FPS, and not so good for MMO. I got used to the stifness in one week, but for mashing buttons in MMOs I feel some fatigue and I'm afraid of carpal tunnel or something like that. I'm really interested in using browns because they are lighter and an all around switch.

In my non-expert opinion, unless you need to "double tap", which I guess is in RTS games (which I haven't played since Dune  ) ), you should get the blues.  They are much, much crisper than the browns, which feel like you're rubbing a nub of injection-molded plastic against a piece of metal.  Because that's what you're doing 

And compared to the noise of bottoming out, depending on how hard you do it, the clicks aren't that bad.  So I'm personally going with blues when I find the specific model I like, but that's just me.

I  bought a keychain with a blue switch and double tapping seems horrible to me, I think that's mainly because I'm used to the blacks, which are so easy do double tap. Also, even with orings the sound of blues bother me so much. And I like to use the computer at night, so I don't want to wake up my brother (I share the room with him).

[jamdox]

And I like to use the computer at night, so I don't want to wake up my brother (I share the room with him).

You'll def want o-rings, then. 

[Finwens]

And I like to use the computer at night, so I don't want to wake up my brother (I share the room with him).

You'll def want o-rings, then. 

But as I said, the problem is not only the noise, I don't like blue switches at all.

[jamdox]

No, for the browns!

[Finwens]

No, for the browns!

Oh, I see, haha. Yeah, maybe I'll get orings for it.

[PointyFox]

No, for the browns!

Oh, I see, haha. Yeah, maybe I'll get orings for it.

I don't think they help with the sound too much.  If you do get them for brown, get thin ones.  The thicker kind make it so the tactile bump is almost at the bottom of the keystroke, and if that's the case, you might as well just get MX red. 
I've tried orings on brown, blue, and black, and I loved it on the blue and hated it on the black. Since you're bottoming the keys out on the black, you don't want the termination of the press to feel mushy or it feels like you're typing on a really bad rubber dome keyboard.  I liked it on the blue since it helped minimize the double tap/accidentally holding the key too far down problem by making the release point closer to the stroke bottom.  I didn't have this problem with the browns, so it didn't do much for me except make the "clack" noise more of a "thunk".

WASD keyboard makes "landing pads" which are similar to orings.  I haven't heard much about them but they're an option.

[Finwens]

No, for the browns!

Oh, I see, haha. Yeah, maybe I'll get orings for it.

I don't think they help with the sound too much.  If you do get them for brown, get thin ones.  The thicker kind make it so the tactile bump is almost at the bottom of the keystroke, and if that's the case, you might as well just get MX red. 
I've tried orings on brown, blue, and black, and I loved it on the blue and hated it on the black. Since you're bottoming the keys out on the black, you don't want the termination of the press to feel mushy or it feels like you're typing on a really bad rubber dome keyboard.  I liked it on the blue since it helped minimize the double tap/accidentally holding the key too far down problem by making the release point closer to the stroke bottom.  I didn't have this problem with the browns, so it didn't do much for me except make the "clack" noise more of a "thunk".

WASD keyboard makes "landing pads" which are similar to orings.  I haven't heard much about them but they're an option.

My current keyboard doens't bother my brother, do you think browns will?

[Polymer]

I don't think they help with the sound too much.  If you do get them for brown, get thin ones.  The thicker kind make it so the tactile bump is almost at the bottom of the keystroke, and if that's the case, you might as well just get MX red. 
I've tried orings on brown, blue, and black, and I loved it on the blue and hated it on the black. Since you're bottoming the keys out on the black, you don't want the termination of the press to feel mushy or it feels like you're typing on a really bad rubber dome keyboard.  I liked it on the blue since it helped minimize the double tap/accidentally holding the key too far down problem by making the release point closer to the stroke bottom.  I didn't have this problem with the browns, so it didn't do much for me except make the "clack" noise more of a "thunk".

WASD keyboard makes "landing pads" which are similar to orings.  I haven't heard much about them but they're an option.

O-rings definitely make a difference in sound..there is no doubt about that.  I don't think bottoming out on them feels mushy either...maybe not quite as hard as plastic on plastic but far from mushy.

There is also the option of getting harder o-rings as well if you feel it is too mushy..of course you give up a bit in noise reduction...

[1391406]

I went from MX Brown (Filco MJ2) to Black (Dell) and found the latter more to my liking. Black has a higher actuation force. Perhaps I'm a heavy handed typist, but Brown's were far too light, in my opinion.

[Finwens]

I went from MX Brown (Filco MJ2) to Black (Dell) and found the latter more to my liking. Black has a higher actuation force. Perhaps I'm a heavy handed typist, but Brown's were far too light, in my opinion.

I didn't even know that dell made mechanical keyboards.

Anyway, I like mx blacks for typing (not long sessions) and gaming. But for mashing buttons and writing school work it's a bit tiring.

[Terrorsathan]

While not optimal, Linus Sebastian and I are the only people I've ever heard say that MX blues are just fine for gaming.  Granted with 2mm 50A orings

[PointyFox]

While not optimal, Linus Sebastian and I are the only people I've ever heard say that MX blues are just fine for gaming.  Granted with .2mm 50A orings

I think you mean 2 mm.

I've used 2.38 mm (3/32 inches) on blues; and it is fine for gaming for reasons I mentioned earlier.

I went from MX Brown (Filco MJ2) to Black (Dell) and found the latter more to my liking. Black has a higher actuation force. Perhaps I'm a heavy handed typist, but Brown's were far too light, in my opinion.

I didn't even know that dell made mechanical keyboards.

Anyway, I like mx blacks for typing (not long sessions) and gaming. But for mashing buttons and writing school work it's a bit tiring.

You'll get used to them; or you can try MX red.

[Terrorsathan]

Ah yes, that is what I mean, thanks!

[rowdy]

While not optimal, Linus Sebastian and I are the only people I've ever heard say that MX blues are just fine for gaming.  Granted with 2mm 50A orings

I find blues fine for gaming, although I tend to do more typing on them, so I have a QFR with blacks connected to my gaming rig.

[jabar]

Blues are just fine with gaming. My MX Blue Noppoo Choc Mini gets 90% of my gaming attention. Not a huge fan of it for typing though.

[Finwens]

While not optimal, Linus Sebastian and I are the only people I've ever heard say that MX blues are just fine for gaming.  Granted with .2mm 50A orings

I think you mean 2 mm.

I've used 2.38 mm (3/32 inches) on blues; and it is fine for gaming for reasons I mentioned earlier.

I went from MX Brown (Filco MJ2) to Black (Dell) and found the latter more to my liking. Black has a higher actuation force. Perhaps I'm a heavy handed typist, but Brown's were far too light, in my opinion.

I didn't even know that dell made mechanical keyboards.

Anyway, I like mx blacks for typing (not long sessions) and gaming. But for mashing buttons and writing school work it's a bit tiring.

You'll get used to them; or you can try MX red.

I don't think I can get "more" used to it. I have it since August and it still tires me a little bit.

[xDezor]

I found for fps gaming the Brown's of my QFR are somewhat annoying. The bump gets in the way of riding the actuation point on the wasd keys. My next keyboard will have black switches.

[ImSoHungry]

I have a blue QFR and I love it for typing, coming from a Logitech G15. I'm ordering a CNC's Pure with brown switches as my full-time board since I'm always up late and they bother my wife.

I also game a lot, a lot of FPS and RTS, RPG, and racing sims, hopefully the arent a bother for that.

[uJalled]

I've had a filco mx-blue board for a few weeks now, and they suit pretty much every function. I play mostly FPS games, but occasionally I like to play LoL, and the feel of the board is perfect. I haven't tried mx-reds, so I can't compare them to the blues, but I have no problem with the blues for typing or gaming.

[ImSoHungry]

I've had a filco mx-blue board for a few weeks now, and they suit pretty much every function. I play mostly FPS games, but occasionally I like to play LoL, and the feel of the board is perfect. I haven't tried mx-reds, so I can't compare them to the blues, but I have no problem with the blues for typing or gaming.

How do you feel about the sound?

[uJalled]

I've had a filco mx-blue board for a few weeks now, and they suit pretty much every function. I play mostly FPS games, but occasionally I like to play LoL, and the feel of the board is perfect. I haven't tried mx-reds, so I can't compare them to the blues, but I have no problem with the blues for typing or gaming.

How do you feel about the sound?

Pretty loud, but it doesn't bother anyone in my household