Author Topic: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?  (Read 2897 times)

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Offline frank346

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I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 01:03:02 »
So I have wanted to get a mechanical keyboard for a long time now. I game a lot, but I will also be typing a lot as part of my job. I Skype a lot with my friends so I can't really get Cherry MX Blues because I know the click will annoy them. So any other switch besides green and blue will suffice. The membrane keyboard I use right now has an heavy actuation force and I'm fine with it for gaming, but when typing I get tired in just a few minutes. So I guess that means no Blacks either. I am between the reds and the browns. I heard reds have a light actuation force required but I mostly bottom out keys and I never touch type so I'm kinda confused on what to get. Any tips?

Offline rowdy

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 01:04:48 »
Welcome to Geekhack!

Reds!

You've kinda excluded the other common switches.
"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

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Offline skuko

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 01:28:45 »
Welcome to Geekhack!

Reds!

You've kinda excluded the other common switches.

/thread :)

Offline quickcrx702

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 01:42:43 »
Reds and Browns are both loud if you type heavily and bottom out all the time.  If not then either one sounds like it would work for you.  I would recommend brown over red, because I think red feels horrible.  To me reds suck for gaming(blacks are better to me), and they suck for typing(for me any tactile switch would be better), but you really need to try both to decide.  Asking people to explain how keyboards feel over the internet is like describing the difference between the color blue and red to a blind person.  You might be able to give them a general idea, but they would need to acquire eyesight to actually decide on a favorite color.  Go to an electronics store like Fry's or whatever is the equivalent wherever you live, and just type on a few keyboards.  Mechanical keyboards are everywhere these days, it shouldn't be too difficult to find a brick and mortar to try them out.  You might correctly agree with my opinion after trying out different boards, or you might correctly disagree, it's all subjective.

Offline rowdy

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 01:49:57 »
O-rings will help reduce bottoming out noise.
"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

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Offline mapple

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 02:07:26 »
So I have wanted to get a mechanical keyboard for a long time now. I game a lot, but I will also be typing a lot as part of my job. I Skype a lot with my friends so I can't really get Cherry MX Blues because I know the click will annoy them. So any other switch besides green and blue will suffice. The membrane keyboard I use right now has an heavy actuation force and I'm fine with it for gaming, but when typing I get tired in just a few minutes. So I guess that means no Blacks either. I am between the reds and the browns. I heard reds have a light actuation force required but I mostly bottom out keys and I never touch type so I'm kinda confused on what to get. Any tips?

browns will give u that little feel for bump when keypressed (u won't feel it at all when fast typing). Reds are linear, i'll give thumb up for quickcrx702 cause he's right for asking ppl of feeling over internet. But if that's only way for you to get it there ya go. remember REDS are linear blacks feel same..... browns little bump. as for noise reduction rowdy 100% right.

ps. i can ensure you that after few months u'll go to other switch maybe topre just to try, that's how story starts;)
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Offline Jack Karneval

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 09:55:51 »
So I have wanted to get a mechanical keyboard for a long time now. I game a lot, but I will also be typing a lot as part of my job. I Skype a lot with my friends so I can't really get Cherry MX Blues because I know the click will annoy them. So any other switch besides green and blue will suffice. The membrane keyboard I use right now has an heavy actuation force and I'm fine with it for gaming, but when typing I get tired in just a few minutes. So I guess that means no Blacks either. I am between the reds and the browns. I heard reds have a light actuation force required but I mostly bottom out keys and I never touch type so I'm kinda confused on what to get. Any tips?

Honestly, unless you're typing a lot while you're talking to your friends the sound of the switches probably won't annoy them, so I wouldn't really let that deter you from trying a clicky switches. Also, if you have a decent enough microphone and you can adjust the gain settings, you can probably eliminate most of the noise they would hear from your keyboard. Also, I've used Blue switches for an extensive period of times, and none of my friends ever really complained about the noise while I was gaming with them.

Just my 2 cents
: CM Storm Trigger (MX Green) : KBT Pure Pro (MX Blue) :

Offline Danule

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 10:05:45 »
Looks like you either want Red or Brown, depending on if you want to feel the little bump half way down the keystroke.  Try going to a local store and seeing if there are some keyboards you can try out.
45g Brown Brown Blue

Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 10:07:38 »
Join Hashbaz's Universal Switch Tester tour and personally touch every Cherry switch ever. Figure out for yourself what works best for you.

Offline CommunistWitchDr

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 10:09:50 »
and I never touch type

Biggest piece of advice to new members- stop not touch typing.

It takes like a week to get it to the point it's fairly useable (and that was on colemak for me, I didn't even know where the keys were.

Offline badcop

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 10:13:49 »
62g reds or blacks  :D
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Offline Jack Karneval

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 10:28:25 »
and I never touch type

Biggest piece of advice to new members- stop not touch typing.

It takes like a week to get it to the point it's fairly useable (and that was on colemak for me, I didn't even know where the keys were.

Reaction to people who join a keyboard enthusiast forum who don't touch type....


Just kidding  :D
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Offline morpheus

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 10:45:27 »
Browns hands down my favorite Cherry MX switch, then move on to Topre.

Offline shifted

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 14:21:47 »
If you are used to bottoming keys out and don't think you'll change I don't think you will notice the difference between reds and browns during typing.  I would go with reds and o-rings to dampen the feel and sound of bottoming out.  I bet you wouldn't even feel the tactile bump in browns if you type heavily.

Offline agodinhost

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 26 June 2013, 15:59:31 »
Join Hashbaz's Universal Switch Tester tour and personally touch every Cherry switch ever. Figure out for yourself what works best for you.
Yup, good suggestion IF you are at CONUS ...
Sadly I'm not ...
 :)

IMHO the best thing you can do when you don't know something is to try it first.
Whatever you read about the switches you can change your mind after the first click.
That's why I think that the CPTBadAss suggestion is so good.

Clear, Blues, Browns, Reds, Blacks, Greens, anything else?
Try each one first!!!
Even so you can change your mind later (your wife complaining about the click noise blues for instance) ...
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Offline knotra

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 27 June 2013, 05:08:00 »
i would suggest mx browns. browns are my favorite switch alongside blues. all switches are pretty loud and if you always bottom out, i think browns are a bit better for you because there's a little bit more weight in it.
Keyboards: Razer Blackwidow Ultimate, Das Model S Ultimate Tactile Soft, Das Model S Professional Tactile Click, Corsair Vengeance K90, Steelseries 6gv2 Black Switch, Filco Ninja Majestouch-2 Soft Linear Action, Ducky DK9087 Shine II w/ Browns, Ducky DK9008 Shine II w/ Blues, WASD Keyboard v1 w/ Browns, Leopold FC200R Tacticle Touch, White Filco Majestouch-2 TKL Click Action, Ducky DK9008G2 PRO Dark Grey Version PBT w/ Clears, Realforce 87U Tenkeyless 45g White/Grey

Offline crthell

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 27 June 2013, 10:32:29 »
If you know you'll never put the time into touchtyping (understandable,) then Reds would probably be ideal. If you plan on learning to touchtype, you might enjoy the tactile bump of the Browns.
/crthell
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Offline CommunistWitchDr

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #17 on: Thu, 27 June 2013, 10:49:04 »
If you know you'll never put the time into touchtyping (understandable,)

No it's not. It doesn't take that long, lasts forever, and he is on a keyboard enthusiasts forum.

Seriously, just touch type all you can every day (print the layout you want to learn and keep it in sight, do not look at the board) and two finger it if the speed is crucial until you get it down. You don't even have to specifically dedicate time to it, just do it when you're typing anyway.



Also, stop this browns are better than reds for typing stuff. There are plenty of touch typist who prefer reds to anything. And plenty who prefer brown or green or whatever.
The only way to tell what you like is to try it.
« Last Edit: Thu, 27 June 2013, 10:53:41 by CommunistWitchDr »

Offline daerid

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Re: I don't know what Cherry MX switch to pick?
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 27 June 2013, 22:25:19 »
I'd suggest 62g or 65g clears. Stock clears help with bottoming out (as the spring stiffens quite dramatically at the end of the stroke), but they can also make your fingers quite tired. I have 65g clears on my ErgoDox and mmm mmm are they ever so sweet