Beam spring is substantially different: less tactile than buckling springs, not as loud, much longer post-actuation travel, more snap on the upstroke. Personally I think IBM beam spring switches are fun, and the keycaps are awesome, but overall the switches aren’t among my favorites. (I’ve only typed on one for a few minutes though, so perhaps they’d grow on me.) Among switches with similar internal mechanisms, I like both Marquardt “butterfly” switches and Alps plate spring switches a bit better, but for different reasons.