Grey Switches

[Quardah]

Hello all.

I have been using my Poker II with browns for about 8 months now. I really appreciate the layout, the build quality and the programmable functions. The only things i don't really appreciate about it are its keycaps (the font and the dark grey color is just not nice) and while i like the tactile feel, i would get some harder-to-press switches for it.

I have recieved a sample set for the switches you can buy at Deskthority, and so far i really like the grey switches (Tactile @ 80cn) which are harder to press than browns. I would switch the entire board to greys, but i have never seen anyone using greys on a board, and on the Deskthority wiki, it's labelled as a "spacebar" switch...

While the label is not really important since the green mx is labelled for "spacebar" aswell, i still don't know if it really is worth the shot. Should i step down to clears mx or go with my somewhat crazy/innovative idea using greys?

Thanks for your comments/wisdom.

[samwisekoi]

That'd be an intense keyboard.  I have some clicky Gray switches in places (e.g. my Poker's spacebar) but I don't think all-Gray would feel good.  Have you tried an all-Green keyboard?  I use an IBM Model M at work, and both a Brown TKL and a Green 104 at home.  The Green feels good, but is tiring after a while.

I don't like Clears, so my experience might not apply to you, but FWIW...

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[ebacho]

I'm going to echo samwisekoi's post.  Unless you really, really like stiff switches it's not going to be a pleasant feel (in my opinion, of course).  I don't mind blacks or clears at all, even greens to an extent, but when I did a test with linear greys and tactile greys (threw a few into a PCB mounted Cherry board to actually get a typing feel), I couldn't really see myself using them for a daily driver.  It'd be fun to have around to take out every now and then, though.

[Puddsy]

Samwise may have talked into a cave here

I think greens are nice, but after about half an hour of gaming or even less typing, it is really tiring to use greens. If you like heavy, you can take blues (or greens) and mod in black springs. That's what I'd do anyway.

[SpAmRaY]

I've got a CM XT with tactile greys. Its like a really heavy clear with a slightly less bump.

The switches are available from mechanicalkeyboards.com.

[Quardah]

Thanks for the reply so far!

First, i would like to know what's the difference when modding to black springs. Right now a grey switch is tactile @ 80cn, how low will it go with black springs?

Second, how comes tactile greys and linear greys? On the wiki it only states Grey and Dark Grey.

Thanks.

[berserkfan]

I've got a CM XT with tactile greys. Its like a really heavy clear with a slightly less bump.

The switches are available from mechanicalkeyboards.com.

SpamRay, was that a CM prototype or did you mod in the switches yourself? I am really curious about it. I like heavy tactile, although so far I suspect clears are all that I need and anything heavier probably won't be good.

[SpAmRaY]

I've got a CM XT with tactile greys. Its like a really heavy clear with a slightly less bump.

The switches are available from mechanicalkeyboards.com.

SpamRay, was that a CM prototype or did you mod in the switches yourself? I am really curious about it. I like heavy tactile, although so far I suspect clears are all that I need and anything heavier probably won't be good.

It was a CM prototype with whites and I replaced them with tactile greys. I'm not sure it'll be a long term use board but I'm thinking of experimenting with lubing some greys.

They have a unique sound from all the other MX switches I have used.

[exitfire401]

I've gotta agree with the first few posts here. Unless you know for a fact that you will like all of the switches, I'd shy away from it. They're a really heavy switch, and I could barely stand it as the spacebar on my ducky.