Newbie Guide: Determine your favourite switches by trying them in a keyboard.

[Karura]

Just thought I'd share my experiences from trying to figure out my keyboard preferences over the years.

Instead of testing switches individually by pressing on them one by one, to really get a feel for a switch type, you should try to find a full keyboard with those switches.

When you use a keyboard normally, you are going to be using both hands to sequentially press a lot keys with different fingers (of varying strengths), in a short amount of time, so if you were to try out switches in a switch tester, you will not be able to get an accurate feel of how the keyboard would be under normal usage.

For example, you might have an index finger that is very strong, and have no problem pressing an individual MX Green switch, so you decide you like it and go to your local PC shop, buy a QFR in MX Greens, and within two hours of using the keyboard, your pinky starts to hurt, since it is a lot weaker than your index finger.

I've always believed in the idea of testing and trying out something the same exact way as you would use it normally. Just like how you wouldn't test drive a car by driving it 30 km/h in the parking lot, you're going to want to push it a little, and see how it performs under different circumstances!

If you are unable to try out a complete keyboard in your switch of interest, then at the very least, I'd highly recommend that you try to get two of them. With two switches, at the very least, you would be able to use your index and middle fingers to alternate and press down on them, which would give you an idea of how it would feel if you were pressing them fast.

It's a simple concept, but I thought I'd share anyway in hopes that it may help someone, since this was how I was really able to determine my two favourite switches out of all the ones I've tried.

I wish everyone the best of luck, and happy keyboarding!

[Novus]

This is going to sound a bit mean but this isn't really a PSA :/ and I have to say also incredibly obvious.
Most people simply can't walk into a local shop and try a full keyboard out before they purchase which is why we basically always have 1-5 threads asking for opinions all the time.
Anyways, I think this is about as helpful as me telling you to go buy an HHKB TYPE S

If 1 switch tester doesn't tell you what you need to know (as it often does for most people), then 2 isn't really going to do the job.
With 2 switch testers, you're just using 2 fingers on 2 hands that stay still instead of 1 finger on 1 hand.
To use your analogy (even with 2 switch testers you still haven't left the parking lot yet).
When you use a full keyboard your hands move and shift yada yada (that's where the "road" begins for your analogy).
It's not a paramount difference in this regard.

Budget's also another issue.
2 switch testers is ~20 bucks? That's 15-25% of a keyboard right there.
Not very smart economics either.

[Karura]

This is going to sound a bit mean but this isn't really a PSA :/ and I have to say also incredibly obvious.
Most people simply can't walk into a local shop and try a full keyboard out before they purchase which is why we basically always have 1-5 threads asking for opinions all the time.
Anyways, I think this is about as helpful as me telling you to go buy an HHKB TYPE S

I understand and have acknowledged that it might seem pretty obvious, but I feel that a lot of newcomers to this hobby might get the misconception that they can buy a switch-tester and instantly figure out their favourite switches.

I know I have made this mistake myself (that story about buying MX Greens based off an individual switch is a personal annecdote), and just want people to understand that testing out an individual switch to understand its characteristics is totally okay, but having 87 of them in a keyboard might feel a little different 

Budget's also another issue.
2 switch testers is ~20 bucks? That's 15-25% of a keyboard right there.
Not very smart economics either.

I agree with you, but there are many ways to test out a keyboard without having to purchase it. Find a local shop with demo units, or a good return policy. Or even better, find some local enthusiasts and have a mini kb meet!

[tbc]

(that story about buying MX Greens based off an individual switch is a personal annecdote)

yes yes

[Sifo]

This is going to sound a bit mean but this isn't really a PSA :/ and I have to say also incredibly obvious.
Most people simply can't walk into a local shop and try a full keyboard out before they purchase which is why we basically always have 1-5 threads asking for opinions all the time.
Anyways, I think this is about as helpful as me telling you to go buy an HHKB TYPE S

I understand and have acknowledged that it might seem pretty obvious, but I feel that a lot of newcomers to this hobby might get the misconception that they can buy a switch-tester and instantly figure out their favourite switches.

I know I have made this mistake myself (that story about buying MX Greens based off an individual switch is a personal annecdote), and just want people to understand that testing out an individual switch to understand its characteristics is totally okay, but having 87 of them in a keyboard might feel a little different 

Ye what newer people or people who haven't experienced a custom board sometimes don't realize is that mechanical keyboards feel differently not only based on what switch they use, but a whole ton of other factors like plate vs no plate, what material the housing is made of, what keycaps are on it, etc. Really hard to get any idea of what you're getting into without actually being able to try something. Same with audio just have to pray that I can settle, or best case scenario actually enjoy what I have!

[SpAmRaY]

Why does the title say PSA? I thought this was common sense.

[ander]

Switches are about much more than how they feel as individual buttons. They're about how they actuate when you use them.

Typing styles are incredibly individual, as unique as fingerprints. ("...Typing behaviour of individuals has unique features that cannot be copied..." – ZDNet article)

Thus the only way to know, in a meaningful way, how switches respond to you is to try them in a real KB connected to a real computer.  ;?)