Best keyswitch

chzel · 04 Dec 2016, 01:32

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Vote in this round for a chance at winning an Ice Cap set, a Midnight set, and a Grab Bag from Pimp My Keyboard / SP!

Round 3 rules:
This is the final round. Vote for the crème de la crème of switches in 2016.
Congratulations are in order for every nominee, even if they didn't make it to the finall!

You can select ONE of the top 5 nominees for best keyswitch. You can, of course, change your vote right up to the last minute!

The final round ends on Saturday 10 December, 20:00 UTC. You can change your vote until the end of the round by resubmitting the poll. The winner and full results will be released soon after the vote closes.

Official nominees:

Cherry MX Clear
Good old MX Clears: tactile, heavy, and a staple for the MX crowd, it has been the switch of choice for many.

Zealios
The newer, smoother, and ergo-er MX Clear! These purple-stemmed children of ZealPC are a new favourite among Cherry MX lovers!

Beam spring
The exquisitely tactile masterpiece of IBM engineering, it has a certain swing that makes you fall in love at first press.

Capacitive buckling spring
IBM's attempt to make the beam spring more compact and cheaper gave us this gem, a great switch in it own right. Light, crisp and loud! Easier to find than its predecessor, it has thousands of fans across the world.

Topre
Oneness with the cup rubber, typing on boobs, the king of domes. Japan knows best, 'nuff said!

emdude · 04 Dec 2016, 02:15

I am quite surprised none of the Alps nominees made the cut.

002 · 04 Dec 2016, 02:19

Alps is just a meme switch m8

emdude · 04 Dec 2016, 02:24

*coughcoughtoprecoughzealiocough*

Tesel · 04 Dec 2016, 04:41

IBM offerings are tempting, but Zealios all the way.

OutragedPudding · 04 Dec 2016, 10:47

emdude wrote: I am quite surprised none of the Alps nominees made the cut.

Me too! I really want Beam Spring to win but am disappointed that Alps isn't on the list

Hydra04 · 04 Dec 2016, 11:31

This is the only easy-vote for me

vivalarevolución · 04 Dec 2016, 23:47

Typing this on beam spring, you probably can guess what I voted for.

emdude · 05 Dec 2016, 00:06

The feel and sound of a beam spring switch is fantastic, but my vote will have to go to capacitive buckling springs; I thought I wouldn't like them but I was very much wrong! With its improved tactility over membrane BS and musical ping (which I was positive I'd hate), it's one of my favorite clicky switches!

ohaimark · 05 Dec 2016, 00:13

Capacitive buckling springs have been an exciting technology of late. So many new projects centering around them...

DirtierDan · 05 Dec 2016, 00:27

I was really hoping that fosen aquamarine's would be a choice. Zealios are a close second though.

CoffeeHamster · 05 Dec 2016, 02:26

RIP Blue alps

. Topres are cool though.

gandroider · 05 Dec 2016, 02:52

Torn between BS and Topre... but choose Topre, because the 55g really got me hooked.

dlightningd · 05 Dec 2016, 03:36

Long time lurker - I'm honestly surprised the clears beat out the browns - didn't they win best switch a few years ago?

Techno Trousers · 05 Dec 2016, 05:32

Capacitive buckling spring for life!

Hking0036 · 05 Dec 2016, 14:21

dlightningd wrote: Long time lurker - I'm honestly surprised the clears beat out the browns - didn't they win best switch a few years ago?

Clears are the hip switch because browns have stems people don't like. I have 62g clears and it's a lot better than any browns or blues I've typed on, at least. I don't know that it's the weighting or if it's just the stem but I think people make ergos with springs from browns, and it makes me wonder why cherry hasn't just started painting over clear stems by now.

Makes me very interested in zealios but I've never touched the things so I don't know.

ramnes · 05 Dec 2016, 14:32

Capacitive BS is definitely the switch of the moment, but Beamsprings are just the best switches ever made in term of feels.

ohaimark · 05 Dec 2016, 16:43

In alphabetical order, the top two contenders are:

Spoiler:

Please remember to vote!

Chiovatto · 05 Dec 2016, 21:34

Hking0036 wrote:
dlightningd wrote: Long time lurker - I'm honestly surprised the clears beat out the browns - didn't they win best switch a few years ago?
Clears are the hip switch because browns have stems people don't like. I have 62g clears and it's a lot better than any browns or blues I've typed on, at least. I don't know that it's the weighting or if it's just the stem but I think people make ergos with springs from browns, and it makes me wonder why cherry hasn't just started painting over clear stems by now. Makes me very interested in zealios but I've never touched the things so I don't know.

Dont know that too man, could you send a few of those so I can help you test them

Khers · 05 Dec 2016, 21:42

dlightningd wrote: Long time lurker - I'm honestly surprised the clears beat out the browns - didn't they win best switch a few years ago?

I checked and, yes, Browns did win the very first dta in 2011 (that was before I even started lurking). They haven't made it to the last round since though.

Halvar · 05 Dec 2016, 23:34

It's a hype circle unfortunately. I don't know what's great about stock MX Clears, for me they are only good after you change the springs.

MX Browns on the other hand were bashed by Mu for years on DT ...

002 · 05 Dec 2016, 23:54

Probably availability played a large part in securing browns the spot back then. They were probably the most common switch in new mechanical keyboards and a safe recommendation for newbies over the other common options (blue, black). Since then we have switch options galore.

chzel · 06 Dec 2016, 00:01

I believe Browns is the best "newbie" switch. It's a safe bet and can guide you towards what you like more.
You don't like the tactility? Go linear. Can't get enough? Go Clears/Zealios/whatever...Miss a bit of sound, go clicky...
But only that far. After the first "orientation" it becomes a switch that does nothing good.

002 · 06 Dec 2016, 00:03

Agree - It's like a preference calibration switch

pr0ximity · 06 Dec 2016, 00:27

ramnes wrote: Capacitive BS is definitely the switch of the moment, but Beamsprings are just the best switches ever made in term of feels.

+1

webwit · 06 Dec 2016, 00:31

I wonder which switch 002 voted for.

002 · 06 Dec 2016, 01:07

Well I can only vote for what I have actually used, so that narrows my choices down to two. One of them is a good switch, and the other one is Cherry MX Clear.

Chyros · 06 Dec 2016, 01:18

Some day blue Alps will win. SOMEDAY!

cabalforces · 06 Dec 2016, 02:58

Well, if i have to chose from theese, then zealio i guess.

CoffeeHamster · 06 Dec 2016, 03:51

Chyros wrote: Some day blue Alps will win. SOMEDAY!

I'm with you Chyros. There's always a next year.