What is your favorite switch and why?

[sixty]

It seems like literally no one likes ALPS.

[Brian8bit]

I don't mind Alps. What lets them down for me on my current board is the Matias Tactile Pro 3 chassis. The MTP3 chassis makes the sound rattle. When you get up a good typing speed, I'd liken it to typing on a buckling spring IBM in terms of just how obnoxiously loud it can get. I haven't used a buckling spring board for a while now, but I would go as far as to say that I think the MTP3 can in some cases be louder, depending on the desk you've got it on. The rubber pads on the bottom are absolutely useless and provide no traction (or dampening) at all, so the board slides all over the place and the plastic legs to angle the keyboard have no rubber socks or anything to dampen them from the desk.

Myself, I've tried IBM Model M buckling spring, White clicky Alps, MX blues, MX browns and MX blacks. Out of all of them I'd say MX blues are my favourite.

[Crazy9000]

It seems like literally no one likes ALPS.

ALPS are too confusing.

[ripster]

I used to find them confusing. Then I worked on the Geekhack ALPS Wiki and took massive amounts of drugs.

[British]

I've been told ALPS are complicated, even when they're not.

[r99t]

Tried Blues seem ok. May be Browns also.

[Findecanor]

ALPS:
- The initial resistance is too low. I think this could be because the springs are too short and not tensed enough when unpressed.
-There is too much friction after the tactile bump/click.
+They can be opened from above when mounted in a metal frame.

[lucidlts]

actually. how does it feels like for typing on a Topre capacitive switch?

[Jimmeh]

The first mechanical switch i ever tried are mx blues and i think that they feel great when compared to rubber-domes or scissor-switches. But i have also tried topres and have started liking them too, i will probably have to buy atleast one board to evaluate them more closely.

[tehpassenger]

I am personnally more attracted by the MX brown switches since I'm a fan of RTS ... But I haven't tried one yet !
I've also tried the blues, seems very good obviously, but I wait to test the brown to definitely make my choice

[Parabellum]

Alps are great, just not the simplified ones.

[ktkr]

Topre in Realforce is my favorite. It feels simply incredible and typing is effortless. Awesome sounding too, I love the muddily clacky sound. It must the combination of lightness and smoothness, it feels so refined compared to "real" mechanical switches. I love my rubber dome.

Here's a ranking of switches I've used, 100% being the perfect switch in every regard, i.e. never gonna happen:

95.0% 30g/45g Topre Capacitive in Realforce
87.5% Cherry MX Blue, Topre Capacitive in HHKB
75.0% Cherry MX Brown

Lately I got to try buckling springs but since the keyboard isn't in stellar shape and I haven't used the switches extensively, I'm not going to rate them. I think they're definitely in the 85-90% range, though.

[sam113101]

I have tried blue cherries and buckling spring, and I prefer buckling spring.
The reason why I wouldn't buy black cherries is because it's linear, and I want something tactile.

How can someone prefer a linear switch to a tactile switch ? Isn't it boring to type on ?

[xbb]

I have tried blue cherries and buckling spring, and I prefer buckling spring.
The reason why I wouldn't buy black cherries is because it's linear, and I want something tactile.

How can someone prefer a linear switch to a tactile switch ? Isn't it boring to type on ?

I have the same feeling about the linear switch, but I'd did not try red yet, just black.
I like a lot the brown, I want to try the blue but not sure if I will like it more.

[sam113101]

I know now that I want something that is non-clicky and tactile, but I don't know if I should go clear, brown or topre. I'd try topre first but it's so expensive, I might end up buying a leopold brown from EK instead.

[ashort]

I like Cherry browns alot because they are light and fast and I think, tactile enough. Not crazy about blues or blacks because I don't like the pressure required.

A close second would be some of the clickier/louder ALPS switches out there.

[tehpassenger]

I like Cherry browns alot because they are light and fast and I think, tactile enough. Not crazy about blues or blacks because I don't like the pressure required.

A close second would be some of the clickier/louder ALPS switches out there.

Never tried a black switch, but do the pressure required make that a difference ? I thought that was more a question of comfort than a real difference .. But I assume I should be wrong !

[ashort]

Never tried a black switch, but do the pressure required make that a difference ? I thought that was more a question of comfort than a real difference .. But I assume I should be wrong !

I can't say that I ever really noted the difference as "pressure required" until I saw the graphs for cherry switches and then it clicked. "Oh yeah, that's why blues feel so tight to me, and why browns feel so light and fast!" Blacks were somewhere in the middle and I don't think pressure is bad on them, but browns are lighter and I like that. I'm not sure I totally "get it" for myself because I think I tend to smash keys...people at work have told me that I type LOUD, and that's on my Thinkpad keyboard! For some reason, I really like the browns.

If there were a clicky model (like blues) that were light like browns...I might like that one too!

[tehpassenger]

Never tried a black switch, but do the pressure required make that a difference ? I thought that was more a question of comfort than a real difference .. But I assume I should be wrong !

I can't say that I ever really noted the difference as "pressure required" until I saw the graphs for cherry switches and then it clicked. "Oh yeah, that's why blues feel so tight to me, and why browns feel so light and fast!" Blacks were somewhere in the middle and I don't think pressure is bad on them, but browns are lighter and I like that. I'm not sure I totally "get it" for myself because I think I tend to smash keys...people at work have told me that I type LOUD, and that's on my Thinkpad keyboard! For some reason, I really like the browns.

If there were a clicky model (like blues) that were light like browns...I might like that one too!

Maybe the reds, which seem to be an alternative between blue and brown ?

[daedalus]

It seems like literally no one likes ALPS.

Depending on my mood, Blue Alps are either my 3rd or 4th favorite mech switch.

I have tried blue cherries and buckling spring, and I prefer buckling spring.
The reason why I wouldn't buy black cherries is because it's linear, and I want something tactile.

How can someone prefer a linear switch to a tactile switch ? Isn't it boring to type on ?

They're nice and smooth, which makes them better than some poorly implemented tactile switches. Blacks are not my favorite, but I can understand why people would like them, even as a typing switch.

If there was one that was in between Reds and Blacks in terms of stiffness, they'd be quite nice indeed.

[Ekaros]

MX Clear, very different from all other switches I have tried. Like mutant between brown and black. First you got brown to activation and then you are in black zone... Still quite intesting as you can notice the point cleary, maybe even too cleary...

[ripster]

ALPS has NEVER gotten over 10% in the Mechanical Switch Poll. N=390. Need 110 more so I don't have to use my calculator to figure out statistical significance.

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=11952

[Crazy9000]

ALPS has NEVER gotten over 10% in the Mechanical Switch Poll. N=390. Need 110 more so I don't have to use my calculator to figure out statistical significance.

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=11952

About 4% for the two options in that pole.

[webwit]

Mechanical switch polls are useless, totally. Wake me when all voters got all major switch types and USA today and the Sun are no longer the most popular newspapers in the US and the UK. For punishment, the posters above who used some silly poll in some kind of argument shall be forced to listen to Justin Bieber's latest album, who scores high in the polls.

[ripster]

ALPS has NEVER gotten over 10% in the Mechanical Switch Poll. N=390. Need 110 more so I don't have to use my calculator to figure out statistical significance.

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=11952

About 4% for the two options in that pole.

You mean Poll. Pole is a person of Polish descent. The previous one it was less than 5%. I mean the Poll not my heritage.

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=6626

I also find the trends interesting from year to year.

[magictoaster]

I've tried a the following:

Topre Capacitive (tried both variables and all 55g)
Cherry MX Brown
Cherry MX Blue
Buckling spring (model M)

If I had to chose only one, I would go with the Topre variables (I find them to be the most comfortable), followed closely by the Cherry MX Brown.

[keyboardlover]

I've changed my mind again. Here goes:

1. Cherry MX Clear modded with the springs from blues/browns/reds
2. Cherry MX Blues
3. Cherry MX Red/Topre

[002]

Wake me when all voters got all major switch types.

+1

If I were to guess, I'd say that the reason ALPS switches score so low is because they're not as readily available *in new boards* as Cherry and to a lesser extent, Topre. It might be argued that it's because they're not as good that they're not available but I still believe there would be many more fans if everyone tried them.

I have a board with Brown ALPS (and mini Green ALPS) and a GHSS and I like them both; in fact I think I prefer the brown ALPS switches over Cherry Browns.

[daedalus]

If only Blue Alps were available in a modern keyboard, would leave the Blue Cherries in the dust.

[ktkr]

I've changed my mind again. Here goes:

1. Cherry MX Clear modded with the springs from blues/browns/reds
2. Cherry MX Blues
3. Cherry MX Red/Topre

You traitor!