Advice on Kailh Browns/Orange

[ianxblog]

Hello.

Hell, I haven't been visiting this forum in months! My keyboard obsession has really taken a step down..

Now, since I've been doing some jobs here and there I have some extra cash that I could use on a keyboard upgrade.

Unfortunately I'm from Argentina and with the importations/demand and high dollar prices keyboards are REALLY overpriced and expensive.
I mean, I buy lots of PC stuff and most are reasonably priced all things considered, but my guess is since mechanical keyboards aren't really a thing they cost more to import or they just ramp up the price, whatever..

I have tried Cherry MX blues for a while in the past, a Blackwidow TE 2013, one broken switch unfortunately and no way to fix it (I tried and ended up ruining the PCB traces, yeah, I suck at soldering; however that was months ago and the frustration has almost really vanished from me  )

I liked the tactile feedback and the click, but for gaming they were pretty bad.

I never had the opportunity to try Brown switches, but afaik they're a pretty good balance between feedback and no hysteresis (for gaming).

However, right now it's impossible to get your hands on brown switches, or even cherries!
The most easy keyboard and the lowest (not near resonable really, but the others ramp up even more) is the blackwidow tournament edition. 2014, I can't get the 2013 one.

So I know they use Kailh switches.
I've been looking around and I all keep finding is mixed information/reviews on Kailh switches.
My target here would be the Blackwidow TE 2014 Stealth, so Kailh Browns or "Razer Oranges".

What really worries me is the tactile feedback. I mean, I tried linear switches and I don't like them a bit.
So in some threads I have read that mx browns feedback is negligible and you gotta look for it, and that Kailh browns supossedly have a more pronnounced bump (so that would be more feedback?) and then I read the contrary, that they even have less feedback than original browns! So what's the deal?

I know they won't have a click, but I mean, is there a noticeable feedback? Is there a "resistance" and there it actuates and goes linear to bottom out?.

Are Kailh Browns any good?

Help me please

[katushkin]

Kailh Browns are pretty much a like for like copy of MX Browns. In my experience of them (over 100k keystrokes) they are good. The bump is good, actuation weights are pretty uniform, no snapped stems! (touch wood) As for Razer products, not so good. I'm SURE there is another mechanical board you can get your hands on, surely...?

[FrostyToast]

There have been people who actually advocate for Kailh and their decent quality.
From what I hear, the feedback is slightly greater than cherry browns, but still noticeably less than clears which honestly sounds great.
Although if you do want something with cherry mx browns, you could probably sift through the classifieds or find someone in the US who would proxy you some items.

I personally prefer linear switches over tactile for gaming the majority of the time. Although when I did have an mx blue board, they were pleasant from time to time.

[RoflCopter4]

I'd say steer clear of Cherry boards entirely. Unless you're some kind of drooling idiot who likes Darth Vader escape keys and multicoloured keycaps, you'll very likely be better served by some kind of an Alps or clone Alps board. Far, far, far more tactile than Cherry switches while also having much lower pitched clicks and no hysteresis.

[ianxblog]

Kailh Browns are pretty much a like for like copy of MX Browns. In my experience of them (over 100k keystrokes) they are good. The bump is good, actuation weights are pretty uniform, no snapped stems! (touch wood) As for Razer products, not so good. I'm SURE there is another mechanical board you can get your hands on, surely...?

Could you elaborate a comparison between the feeling of cherry browns and kailh? I would appreciate it.

[Oobly]

Dude, if he can't find an affordable Cherry board, what are the chances of finding good Alps board? Anyone gonna chip in and advise getting a Topre, too?

I'd say get the board with "Razer" Orange switches. They seem to have greater tactility than Browns and are advertised as having a slightly higher actuation point (and they're relatively quiet and don't have hysteresis). Should be good at least in terms of how the switches feel and react. Of course you'll still have to live with Razer quality control and the stock keycaps (non standard bottom row and 6.0x size spacebar, so no aftermarket keycap sets will fit properly), but as long as you get a working board it should last you a good long while and you'll at least be rocking a mechanical board with switches that feel good.

[RoflCopter4]

Eh? I got this Chicony 5181 for $30 US. I got my Apple Extended Keyboard with orange Alps for $35 US. Granted the former of the two is built like a cheap piece of crap and the latter not exactly clicky, but the switches on the Chicony are possibly the best I've felt short of buckling springs and the AEK is amazingly tactile for a non clicky switch. And granted shipping them to Canada cost their price again, and given that the Canadian dollar is absolutely in the ****ing gutter right now you have to add another 15% to the price (thanks OPEC), but this is the case for any keyboard and certainly the case for any keyboard that makes its way to Argentina.

[Oobly]

Eh? I got this Chicony 5181 for $30 US. I got my Apple Extended Keyboard with orange Alps for $35 US. Granted the former of the two is built like a cheap piece of crap and the latter not exactly clicky, but the switches on the Chicony are possibly the best I've felt short of buckling springs and the AEK is amazingly tactile for a non clicky switch. And granted shipping them to Canada cost their price again, and given that the Canadian dollar is absolutely in the ****ing gutter right now you have to add another 15% to the price (thanks OPEC), but this is the case for any keyboard and certainly the case for any keyboard that makes its way to Argentina.

Then you factor in customs fees and you're getting into new Razer keyboard territory. Not to mention any "extra fees" that may be needed to make the process actually work, or am I getting confused between Argentina and Brasil?

Anyhow, it seems to be easiest to just get what's available in the stores instead of dealing with all of that by buying from outside the country.

And not all of us splatter our MX boards with unicorn vomit the instant we get it in our grubby little "drooling idiot" hands. Being able to change the keycaps is a very nice benefit, IMHO, there are some VERY nice keycap sets out there which actually improve the typing experience (Penumbra is a nice example). Of course, with the Razer it's a bit of a moot point due to the non-standard bottom row, but... At least you can put a few Darth Vaders on the function row

[ianxblog]

Dude, if he can't find an affordable Cherry board, what are the chances of finding good Alps board? Anyone gonna chip in and advise getting a Topre, too?

[...]it seems to be easiest to just get what's available in the stores instead of dealing with all of that by buying from outside the country.

[ianxblog]

I found a Blackwidow Ultimate 2013 used-like new (mx blues, backlight) and I can get it at the same price as an BW Tournament 2014, what do you guys think? Is it worth picking up? I think it's the best option atm, I determined that maybe browns aren't really for me. Too light, not enough feedback..

Opinions?

[Defect]

I found a Blackwidow Ultimate 2013 used-like new (mx blues, backlight) and I can get it at the same price as an BW Tournament 2014, what do you guys think? Is it worth picking up? I think it's the best option atm, I determined that maybe browns aren't really for me. Too light, not enough feedback..

Opinions?

Personally I wouldnt spend more than 40 bucks on a black widow.