Why people use Cherry-style stabilizers instead of Costar

[chanwutk]

Hello,

I have seen most of the keyboards (both pre-made and DIY) use Cherry-style stabilizers, while there are some that use Costar stabilizers.
I only have an experience with Cherry-style, so I do not know much about the feeling of Costar stabilizers.

Cherry-style stabilizers seem a lot more complicated than Costar stabilizers, so I think Cherry-style can rattle more. There are more contact point in the Cherry-style, and in order to lube them, the switches must be desoldered before, while it seems a lot easier to apply lube in the Costar stabilizers. And, Costart is also cheaper. So, why people still choose Cherry-style stabilizers over Costar?

I'm planning to buy stabilizers to replace my old ones in the Magicforce 68. So, I am choosing between Cherry-style and Costar.

Thank you
Chanwut

[killyou]

Your plate needs to support Costar if I'm not mistaken. I would gladly get rid of cherry stabilizers in favor of Costar in my Pok3r. I recently played with Costars and they are soooo nice. Some lube + foam underneath and it's heaven.

[xondat]

Costar is better stock, but Cherry is better when modded.

Also I believe only plate mount Cherry will work on the MF68.

[romevi]

Cherry > Costar.

[chanwutk]

Thank you 

[Hyde]

Costar lubed is amazing, the stabilizers just disappear and you only left with switch feel.

Though Cherry is easier to change keycaps also Costar grinds a bit on thick keycaps while Cherry doesn't.

[Sup]

I think they are both nice if you just use **** load of lube.

[HotRoderX]

Prefer cherry's 100% over costar's my self. Trying to line those stupid clips up is a PITA thats just to much of a headache. Honestly I think the major issue we see with stabilizer's is generic cherry's. Real, GMK, and Zeal stabilizer's are pretty darn nice. These cheap Chinese knockoff's are where most problems reside and I am 99% sure most companies use the cheap cherry knock off's. Keep in mind if there was more of a demand for Costar's sure we see the same issue. Cheap knockoff's that hardly function alongside there typical offerings.

[Kevadu]

Prefer cherry's 100% over costar's my self. Trying to line those stupid clips up is a PITA thats just to much of a headache. Honestly I think the major issue we see with stabilizer's is generic cherry's. Real, GMK, and Zeal stabilizer's are pretty darn nice. These cheap Chinese knockoff's are where most problems reside and I am 99% sure most companies use the cheap cherry knock off's. Keep in mind if there was more of a demand for Costar's sure we see the same issue. Cheap knockoff's that hardly function alongside there typical offerings.

Not necessarily.  Costar stabilizers are so simple there isn't much you can screw up.  Cherry stabilizers on the other hand have much lower tolerances to production defects.  For example if the bends in your wire are even slightly too close together or too far apart it will dramatically affect the feel of the stabilizers (and not in a good way...).  That's because the plastic pieces must sit exactly where the bends are.  Costars just use a simple hook design though...if things are slightly off it doesn't even matter.

[HotRoderX]

Prefer cherry's 100% over costar's my self. Trying to line those stupid clips up is a PITA thats just to much of a headache. Honestly I think the major issue we see with stabilizer's is generic cherry's. Real, GMK, and Zeal stabilizer's are pretty darn nice. These cheap Chinese knockoff's are where most problems reside and I am 99% sure most companies use the cheap cherry knock off's. Keep in mind if there was more of a demand for Costar's sure we see the same issue. Cheap knockoff's that hardly function alongside there typical offerings.

Not necessarily.  Costar stabilizers are so simple there isn't much you can screw up.  Cherry stabilizers on the other hand have much lower tolerances to production defects.  For example if the bends in your wire are even slightly too close together or too far apart it will dramatically affect the feel of the stabilizers (and not in a good way...).  That's because the plastic pieces must sit exactly where the bends are.  Costars just use a simple hook design though...if things are slightly off it doesn't even matter.

honestly I can see two parts that could easily be screwed up on a costar stabilizer. Though both parts are easy to remedy but there the same on a cherry stabilizer. Number one defect would be making the plastic clips that hold the key's into place.. brittle are thin. Then another would be allowing to much shrinking in those parts allowing them to easily slip off during activation from the key ((something had happen to cherry stabilizer's)) . Then another way this one is kinda a toss up if its really a big deal are not. Is using to thin a metal for the stabilizer's bar causing it to rattle worse then they do now.

I am not trying to say there inferior just there not that superior over what cherry offers either. 

[killyou]

Do you guys know what are Pok3r stabilizers? Meaning are they Cherry or some cheap knockoff? Having Pok3r myself I find them inferior to Costar, however I haven't mod them at all. Might look into it.

[clasicks]

Do you guys know what are Pok3r stabilizers? Meaning are they Cherry or some cheap knockoff? Having Pok3r myself I find them inferior to Costar, however I haven't mod them at all. Might look into it.

Unless they had cherry/gmk make them custom orange stabs I think that are most likely cherry style.

A  liberal dose of superlube does wonders IME

[Kavik]

I only have one keyboard that uses Costar stabs, and I always find it a pain to change caps. I also think the stabilized keys feel rattly and hollow. The reason could be that it's a Rosewill, so not the best quality.

Knock-off Cherry stabs can also be really rattly. I have only used Zeal stabs in my custom builds, and I really like them. The only thing I hate is that the wires become unclipped when removing keycaps sometimes, and it is an absolute PITA to get them back in since they're usually covered by a switch plate and other switches are in the way too.

People say Cherry stabs are squishy, but I prefer the slightly dampened feel and sound to a rattly, plastic collision sound.

[Riverman]

I only have one keyboard that uses Costar stabs, and I always find it a pain to change caps. I also think the stabilized keys feel rattly and hollow. The reason could be that it's a Rosewill, so not the best quality.

Knock-off Cherry stabs can also be really rattly. I have only used Zeal stabs in my custom builds, and I really like them. The only thing I hate is that the wires become unclipped when removing keycaps sometimes, and it is an absolute PITA to get them back in since they're usually covered by a switch plate and other switches are in the way too.

People say Cherry stabs are squishy, but I prefer the slightly dampened feel and sound to a rattly, plastic collision sound.

I completely agree with this.  I have several keyboards with Cherry stabilizers, and I much prefer them to my two Filcos with Costar stabilizers.  Strangely enough my Cherry G80-3000 had my least favorite stabilizers out of the Cherry bunch, so I don't know that genuine Cherry stabilizers are all they're cracked up to be.  I can't say what brand my Varmilo keyboards use, but they're Cherry-style.  It's also so much quicker and easier to change keycaps on the non-Costar keyboards, and both of my Filcos have occasional issues with squeaks from the stabilized keys.  QMX Clips also install much more easily on keyboards with Cherry stabilizers.