mechanical keyboards and switches?

itzshadow

Weaksauce
Joined
Aug 12, 2011
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104
I am looking to switch to a mechanical keyboard and been looking into things like color switches.. would love some recommendations on brands and color switches from some of the people here
 
Mechanical keyboard guide

The most common Cherry switches are red, blue, and brown, with each having a distinct feel and sound.

Do you have a local store that has mechanical keyboards on display? I suggest trying the different switches if possible.
 
I think the frys near my house has some on display not sure though but I'll probably go today and check em out and that guise is really useful
 
I think the frys near my house has some on display not sure though but I'll probably go today and check em out and that guise is really useful

That's really the best thing you can do. You could always get a switch tester, but try 'em out at your local store and put the $15 towards the actual keyboard.
 
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That's really the best thing you can do. You could always get a switch tester, but try 'em out at your local store and put the $15 towards the actual keyboard.

So far I have tried the reds blues and browns, kinda liking the browns cause they aren't too noisy and it isn't that resistant but i like the blues cause its soffter keys but so loud lol all i hear is clack clack clack
 
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I like the brown switches, but that's the only ones I've ever had a chance to try. I'd like to try the Cherry red switches eventually.
 
I like the brown switches, but that's the only ones I've ever had a chance to try. I'd like to try the Cherry red switches eventually.

Don't use reds if you type a lot. I constantly double and triple tap my reds, but type perfectly on other boards. They are very sensitive. I'm going to move on to browns when the Ducky 5 comes out.
 
Don't use reds if you type a lot. I constantly double and triple tap my reds, but type perfectly on other boards. They are very sensitive. I'm going to move on to browns when the Ducky 5 comes out.

I've never had issue typing with reds, many others haven't as well. The choice comes down to personal preference, you'll preform best on what feels best to you; the only switch type that has the possibility of hindering any activities is blues (or other click type Cherry design) with button spam gaming due to hysteresis.
 
OK, don't use reds if you have big hands and heavy fingers like I do then :eek:
 
Brown is a good starting point. They are light and fast but still have the tactile feeling mechanicals are known for without being obnoxiously loud like blues. If for some reason you dont like the tactile feel then look at the reds and blacks and such.
 
Brown is a good starting point. They are light and fast but still have the tactile feeling mechanicals are known for without being obnoxiously loud like blues. If for some reason you dont like the tactile feel then look at the reds and blacks and such.

I'll keep that in mind thanks for the tip, I am really set on getting the browns just gotta go find a nice looking keyboard now =)
 
Recently just picked up the corsair k70 with brown switches. I love how it feels.
 
Is there a specific brand I should go with so far I been reading about ducky shines and corsair. A friend of mine has the orion spark keyboard and it feels ok
 
I have a Max Keyboard Nighthawk w/ Brown switches. I like it and all, but even the browns are too sensitive for my sausage-fingers. If I could find a Cherry MX Clear switch on a LED backlit keyboard, then could find someone to take my browns, I'd upgrade in a heartbeat.
 
blues are the best in my opinion, especially if you like the clicking sound.
 
Only one I've seen at MicroCenter are the reds and I wasn't a fan of them.

From what I've seen, I think I'd like the blues but would definitely need to keep my current keyboard off to the side to use at night to keep the noise down.
 
Only one I've seen at MicroCenter are the reds and I wasn't a fan of them.

From what I've seen, I think I'd like the blues but would definitely need to keep my current keyboard off to the side to use at night to keep the noise down.

Maybe go with browns then. They are very similar to blues but with less noise.
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll have to take a look next time I'm at MicroCenter.

I think most of the mechanical keyboards are in boxes that're sealed with the security tape unfortunately.
 
I got my k70 yesterday. Sounds like a god damn type writer. I'll have to see if I get used to it. Pretty sure it'll drive the wife nuts.
 
I like the loud clacking. I like watching the videos of pro SC2 players with there 300APM, I like to think they're a bunch of futuristic robots executing intense computing. Only bad thing is when I do it I just feel like a moron keyboard smashing.

Anyways I have a CMStore QuickFire Rapid Mini, I love it. Only thing is that sometimes a key wont work but it's never gotten to the point where it get in the way of any intense gaming. It's usually one of the keys that I hardly press and chances are its just be derping because somehow I unbinded the key.
 
you could try putting O rings on the switches, may reduce the noise a bit when you bottom out a key
 
I recently bought a Deck tenkeyless (Francium Pro) with brown switches. I love the browns for gaming and I'm getting better at typing with mech switches. The board's compact size and white backlighting are great features, too.
 
I've tried blues, browns, and white alps switches (SIIG uses these). If you think blues are loud, avoid the white alps, those things clack louder than any of the others.

Blues are my favorite. I wasn't aware at the time, but when I ordered my first DAS it came with blues. Ever since, I've always felt that my fingers effortlessly glide from one key to the next. The feeling and sound are great; I personally don't think they're too loud. Although I work from home and have no one else around.
 
Cherry Greens. MAXIMUM FORCE. I don't want to type, I want to BATTLE.
 
My main rig is in the living room alongside my brothers computer and his gf I doubt they would like the clicking sound

Definitely don't go with the MX Blue if there are other people around. I have heard MX Blues in person, in a relatively large, quiet room. If I had to listen to it on a daily basis, that keyboard would be shoved up their ass sideways. It's a very grating sound after awhile.

I ended up getting a CM Storm Quick Fire TK with MX Browns. I love it. It has great response and feel, and it's a lot quieter than MX Blues.
 
When everyone says browns are a good start I can heavily agree.
I started with the Logitech G710+ with Brown Switches, and everything that comes with that keyboard for $110 and in some cases $90 its well worth the purchase.

Today I wish I would have gotten the Blues, but i'd been using membranes for several years, so switching to mechs over those was still a mile of change that I noticed within the first couple weeks.
 
When everyone says browns are a good start I can heavily agree.
I started with the Logitech G710+ with Brown Switches, and everything that comes with that keyboard for $110 and in some cases $90 its well worth the purchase.

Today I wish I would have gotten the Blues, but i'd been using membranes for several years, so switching to mechs over those was still a mile of change that I noticed within the first couple weeks.

I just ordered the G710+ the other day with the blues. I tried it in the store and loved it. You don't like the browns? Can always sell it.
 
I've never had issue typing with reds, many others haven't as well. The choice comes down to personal preference, you'll preform best on what feels best to you; the only switch type that has the possibility of hindering any activities is blues (or other click type Cherry design) with button spam gaming due to hysteresis.

Same here, tho I started off on reds (K90) so that might have something to do with it. I could see how someone that started on blues/brown AND trained themselves not to bottom out (which is good) could get confused on reds by the lack of feedback and end up double tapping tho.

I've got a second Rosewill with browns around here and the feedback is pretty darn subtle IMO, a lot of the time I barely notice it, dunno if that's just me not giving it enough time. Thought about going Ducky TKL or K65 for a while but I don't think with my posture and desk I'd really get much from TKL.

Plus I've gotten in the habit of using the K90 macro keys for Lightroom... Might go for an RGB eventually, tho I'm mildly disappointed they're all black now. My silver/natural alu topped K90 looks pretty sharp near other aluminium hardware (speaker/headphone amps).
 
When everyone says browns are a good start I can heavily agree.
I started with the Logitech G710+ with Brown Switches, and everything that comes with that keyboard for $110 and in some cases $90 its well worth the purchase.

Today I wish I would have gotten the Blues, but i'd been using membranes for several years, so switching to mechs over those was still a mile of change that I noticed within the first couple weeks.

I just ordered the G710+ the other day with the blues. I tried it in the store and loved it. You don't like the browns? Can always sell it.



I would personally stay away from the G710+. I like the keyboard, but the keycaps are extremely prone to breaking. I have broken the left control key three times because it uses subpar plastic and an extra wide key (1.5 instead of standard 1.25). Logitech support doesn't sell or ship replacement keycaps, they instead insist upon you having to RMA an entire keyboard to replace a single broken keycap. Simple google search shows that this is a very widespread problem with this keyboard.
 
I want someone to re-create the original wonderful IBM ThinkPad keyboard (T6xx and T2x era) feel in a full size desktop keyboard.

Note to new Lenovo ThinkPads - No need for you to apply. You SUCK compared to the original IBM TP Keyboards.
 
Hmmm, what do you recommend then the corsair? I like blues
I can't recommend Corsair boards. Had 2 Vengeance K70 fail on me in less than 6 months. Both were the gunmetal aluminum frame version that was the best looking keyboard I've ever seen. Sadly, that model had a lot of problems. I think it was discontinued.

Deck makes great mech boards. They're very well-built and offer lots of switch/LED choices. Some dislike the font, but I think it's cool.
 
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