The Cherry Switch Try Gaming PCB's

[fsykop]

Ok I just received them today. I'll send them ASAP.

[GeorgeStorm]

Can I still get in this round?
In the UK, would be good to be able to test a variety of switches to stop me buying a keyboard I regret

[Spharx]

Ohh good that they arrived .. I honestly expected problems with DHL .... like always
Do you have the address of kekekeroro ?? He send me his address and didn't replayed to my pm in which I told him that I am the wrong guy.

[fsykop]

Yes I do. Do you feel too a problem with Blue Switch? The top key do not clik. But the other ones are ok.

[Spharx]

Yes it was discussed before that one of them is broken.

[zulios]

Do you have the address of kekekeroro ?? He send me his address and didn't replayed to my pm in which I told him that I am the wrong guy.

From his profile :
Last visited: 28 Oct 2011, 14:34

I'm a bit concerned since he didn't reply any of my PMs regarding my adress

[CeeSA]

if the user enters an email to his profile, you may send him an email as well.

otherwise move on to the next guy!

[zulios]

Hello,

The PCB gaming switches are soon about to be sent to you, but it seems you sent you adress to the wrong person.
Could you please correct this and also let me know if you got my adress correctly ? Otherwise you might end up being skipped.

Thanks,
zulios.

PS : you may answer to me in french if you prefer to, just wanted to make sure you would understand me here

Just sent him this email, hope he will get it and answer quickly.

[kekekeroro]

hi, don't worry i'm here, i sended my adress on the 28th October to the 2 persons right before me (meaning spharx and fsykop ) and dont worry zulios i have your adress, i was just lazy to reply

[SBI]

Yes it was discussed before that one of them is broken.

Has anyone tried taking it apart? If it's broken already anyway, there isn't much you can make worse. Maybe something just got jammed in there during some transport.

[zulios]

@kekekeroro : thank you, I feel reassured now sorry for the inconvenience caused !

[kekekeroro]

I received the package this morning, i'm testing them right now. Sending to zulios on Monday (i'm busy tomorrow)
I will edit this message to post my impressions.

FIRST ROUND

MX Blue

TOO LOUD. I can easily imagine the clicky annoying sound getting on my nerves. They are sharp though. If i were to go the typing way and didn't care about the noise this is the one i'd choose. Ruled out

MX Brown

I don't like them, the word i'd use to describe them is lousy.They are not refined at all and in fact it's hard to tell the difference in quality with my 5$ rubberdome i'm using right now. Why is it popular ? Seems like a trend thingy... Ruled out

MX Red

Light and friendly, for gaming purposes they seem to be the way to go. Qualified

MX Ghetto Reds

Like said earlier in this thread, it feels like pushing on a heavy cloud. Nice feeling. Qualified

MX Black

I can easily see how they would unpleasant for long typing sessions. You could let your fingers rest on the caps which is good for gaming, unfortunately it is hard to tell the activation point of the linear switches just by looking at the graphics from geekhack. Ruled out

MX Clears

They feel muddy, however, i thought they made the less noise. Ruled out

MX Clears with Brown springs

Lighter clear, but the tactile feedback feels more cheap. Ruled out

MX Greens

This one is a winner : LOUD & HEAVY : BLUE+BLACK. But i don't hate them ,i rather find them interesting. Ruled out

FINAL ROUND

MX Red against Ghetto Reds. This one is a no brainer, correct me if i'm wrong but you can't find a stock keyboard with ghetto reds, and since i'm not yet planning on tweaking KBs the winner is :

MX RED

Conclusion :

Overall, i found that the cherry switches feels a little bit cheap. I mean they are better than the traditionnal rubber dome but if i'm paying a hundred euros for a keyboard i would expect being more "wowed" . Spending money on a keyboard I might just go the topre way, seeing that the vast majority of people do not have complains about it, and saving me from wondering if i made the right switch choice. (but delesting me from more money !)


Post-scriptum : I actually have a Filco majestouch2 tenkeyless MX-blue us acsii imported from Japan (that i'm selling at a good price by the way, pm if you are interested) I quickly opened the box and compared it to the MX blue from CeeSA. There is a little variation in both sound and feeling between the two's, and it is likely the same applies for all switches but you probably already knew about that
I want to thanks CeeSA for making this possible, trying the switches really helped me making up my mind.

[zulios]

Got the package today and tried them out. Just so that you get things right, I'm one of those masochists using MX blacks currently, and I even happen to like them. Either way, I wouldn't even think of them for office use so I took the opportunity to join in order to find the right candidate in that matter.

Blues : as expected ! Light and noisy, I can't really feel tactility in it and tend to bottom out easily.The noise is catchy, but that apart I find them of little interest.

Greens : feel like stiffer blues.

Browns : very interesting one. Feels perfect in terms of actuation force, just a tad lighter than blues. No noise and tactility just as described in the reviews with a discreet actuation point. The matter being it's maybe TOO discreet. It feels like someone whispering at you, you get it only if you pay attention but otherwise wouldn't even notice. That gets me thinking you would need lots of training to use them right.

Despite that I understand why they're considered a good switch for beginners, they have a good overall feeling and a learning curve fitted whatever your experience may be. Beginners are most likely to bottom out all the time, but will appreciate the light actuation force, especially when coming from a rubber dome. Experienced users will get the actuation point right and make the most out of it.

Reds and ghetto reds : MAJOR surprise for me. Believe me or not, but they didn't actuate by looking at them, even after several minutes and having tried my most scary eyes. I'm dead serious here, NOTHING happened ! I think they're broken. Sorry everyone.

Clears : interesting switches. They feel close to blacks in terms of force at the beginning, but once you get past the actuation point the resistance increases like hell. Do not even think of bottoming out,or you will get tired in no time. Strong tactility, which is really appreciable. If browns are whispering, this one is shouting at you and you can go full speed ahead.

These would hardly fit a beginner in my opinion, as beginners would most likely try to bottom out and after two days use have their fingers shortened from a few centimeters with all that pressure. If you have a crush on blacks, do not bottom out and miss tactility, then you should probably give them a try however. Just a I expected, I'm really intesrested in them but the stiffness is too high for long sessions.

Ergo clears (clears with brown springs) : my favorites. Sure, you don't know what side they're on. Light actuation, and strong tactility in the middle of the stroke that feels more than friction than tactility actually. It will be considered as puzzling for some, but to me that's exactly what I was looking for. You just can't miss the actuation point, and the light actuation force makes them most comfortable. Now I need to do something about my two left hands or I'll never get that mod made.

Blacks : A lovely switch, whatever people may say. Tiring if you bottom out but you can easily learn not to with little training. For home use I think they're great, but I wouldn't choose them for office use. I just can't think of not bottoming out in these circumstances and my fingers are in pain by the end of the day. Much better than my rubber dome, but still... after having tried the others switches, it's hard getting back to black. Amy Winehouse approves.

I tried the soft landing pads quickly but they shorten the travel distance way too much to my taste. Tried the cheapass o-rings from kaiserreich (geekhack) as well and these worked like a charm for me. It softens the key press but doesn't reduce the travel distance that much from what I've felt, pressing feels just smoother. Clears could really be an option with these. I'll be putting 4 of them in the package so that the next people in the list can try as well. They're 50A rings, considered as "hard" by shops like WASD. I personnaly got them from kaiserreich at geekhack ($3 for a 120 pack, $1 shipping worldwide).

Thanks for organizing this chain, that's a great experience I'll be sending the package most probably on saturday morning, the post office usually closes before I get back home to make it in time.

[woody]

Blues : as expected ! Light and noisy, I can't really feel tactility in it and tend to bottom out easily.The noise is catchy, but that apart I find them of little interest.

[zulios]

Well, that's my personal feel with them. I just tend to bottom out every time and get absorbed by the clicky sound they generate, so I don't concentrate at all on anything else.

-- edit --

Package departed today for Germany ! The tracking number has been provided to RC-1140.

[pepoteES]

would it be possible to participate? I'd love to try all the different switches!

[CeeSA]

yes, you are welcome

[RC-1140]

Just a short status message: I've received the package and will post the review tomorrow (tomorrow in the sense of after sleeping. So actually it will be later today). I'll see if I can get it shipped on Saturday, but I can't promise anything. If not I will pass it on on Monday.

RC

Edit: It seems to me that one of the soft landing pads is missing. There are 4 O-Rings, but only 3 foam pads. I will donate a small ziplock bag to avoid things like this in the future.

[Triggaaar]

Hi all

Is it possible for a newbie to join in and try the switches?
I checked the first post and didn't see any requirements.

I'm after my first mechanical keyboard (except the ones I used many years ago before I knew what a mechanical keyboard was).

I've enjoyed reading all the reviews, but the only real conclusion I can draw, is each to their own.
I imagine I'd like Blues to type on, but they'd be too noisy for my family.
I assume Blacks will be too heavy.
If I had to order without trying, I'd get the Filco tenkeyless browns - I like the idea of some tactile feedback.
But as many reviewers who like the Browns, there are as many that dislike them. Maybe I'd prefer the reds or the Clears with Brown springs (although how I'd then buy a keyboard I don't know).

Anyway, enough ramblings, thanks all for the reviews so far, and please let me know if I'd be able to try the keys at all.

[AtL]

I've been started with browns thinking that the tactility would be awesome.
In use it just bothers you as it is really too soft and sometimes you type so fast that you don't even notice the tactility. It ends up feeling your board has not a uniform feedback. Sometimes you get it, sometimes you don't. Feels dirty.
The problem with browns is they try to fit 2 jobs at the same time (tactility + linear), resulting in doing the both bad IMO.
To get rid of this I went for reds : so much better!

[CeeSA]

List updated.
@GeorgeStorm - i miss you first, now you are in
@Triggaaar - your are in too

anybody missing her/his name in the 1st post? please send me a pm.

normally i will check the thread for new participants.

[CeeSA]

question:
how is the condition of the testboards?

i've heard one blue switch is not 100% anymore.
i will contact the next guy in germany (less shipping costs) to change it.
anything else?

how is the package?

[RC-1140]

At first: The test boards are in a fine condition, except for the "Blue" one, as the top switch seems to be broken. I've opened it, and it was obvious that the leaf spring, (I don't know exactly how to paraphrase it) the springy piece of metal which creates the contact is bent down. It's impossible to repair, the only solution I could think of would be exchanging the bottom part of the switch housing which inhabits the leaf spring, or the whole switch. All other switch boards are fine. The packaging is pretty battered. My intention was to simply put it into another box to send it along. Somehow this worn off package has a charm on its own. Would a "Post Päckchen XS" be sufficient?

But now to the switches:

Cherry MX Blue:
The switches I put some hope into. But I was somehow disappointed. I'm a Unicomp and IBM Model M fan, so I didn't think that the sound would be a problem at all. But this plasticky, high-pitched click really is annoying. The tactility is not as strong as I hoped, so these aren't my favourites. Gaming compatibility isn't too high either, due to the huge hysteresis. To double tap one needs a lot of key travel.
Cherry MX Green:
Well. Somewhat stiffer than the Blues, but the tactility still remains the same. Too stiff, even for me as an Unicomp user.

Cherry MX Black:
I was already familiar with these little ones, and they really aren't as bad as many people say. For typing they are interesting, as bottoming out isn't a big topic, and it feels like the keystrokes are "flowing". It's hard to describe, but on tactile switches you feel single keystrokes. On Blacks you feel the bi- and trigrams/the words. Typing feels smooth. It is interesting, but not my favourite for typing. For gaming these aren't the worst choice either. Fast keystrokes aren't a problem, there is no hysteresis at all. Double Tapping feels great. But when keeping one key pushed down for a longer period it's somewhat tiring.

Cherry MX Clear:
I was interested in these, as they were a little hyped for a while (at least they were on GH). At first: The tactility is great. One knows when the switch actuated, and bottoming out is hard. But they are too stiff in my opinion. Typing on them for a longer time period would make my fingers ache.

Cherry MX Brown:
The beginners switch. Now I know why everyones knows this one as the switch to begin the addiction with. They are alright for everything. But definitely not outstanding in any discipline. The tactility is low, I totally agree on the feeling of a "gritty" linear switch. The tactile bump is not clearly defined, and when typing fast it feels as if you'd hit the key twice, as I would say that the short travel distance before the actuation point feels a little different than behind it. Ok for gaming, double tapping is not an issue on these, but as I stated above: Not outstanding, but alright in any discipline. My mother likes them though... Guess she will buy a Black Widow Ultimate Stealth when it's available in German ISO. She likes Backlighting.

Cherry MX Clear with Brown Springs/ErgoClear
Now we're getting closer to it. The great tactility of the Clears, combined with the ergonomic stiffness of the browns. Would feel fantastic to type on, but the tactile bump is really a bump, compared to the razor sharp actuation point of the Buckling Springs, and the not so razor sharp, but crisp point of the Blues. I can feel when the key actuates, and I can avoid to bottom out. Maybe the most ergonomic switch at all.

Cherry MX Red and Ghetto Red:
This is the best switch for gaming in my opinion. No hysteresis, no gritty tactility, nothing. Just a little push and the button is down. Keeping a button pushed is easy, and double tapping feels absolutely natural. They just aren't so good for typing IMHO. Rest your fingers on them: Actuated. Hit another key accidentally: Actuated. No way to avoid a bottoming out. One smashes into the ground with full force, no matter how hard one tries not to. I guess, that double tapping is an issue with these, but in a different way than with the blues: Key chattering.

Personal Conclusion:

All keys are different. None of them feel as sturdy as an IBM Model M. Not even the greens. But still many of them are good in various ways. If I would have to choose only one keyboard for every usage, then it would probably be the browns. These are better than any rubber dome without doubt, and are good for everything. But as I already have a Buckling Spring board for Typing, they are out. If I'd have to choose a keyboard for office use, so it would have to be quiet, I would buy a keyboard with Clears so I can perform the ErgoClear Mod. This mod is far better than anything else for quiet typing. Original Clears are too stiff. If I'd have to choose a keyboard for gaming -- and I have to choose a keyboard for gaming currently -- then it would be with (ghetto) reds. I couldn't feel any difference between these two switches, and such linear switches are simply the best for gaming IMHO.

Well. And blues, what are these for? I'd say they are great for donating weak springs for ErgoClear and Ghetto Red mods, when there are no browns available as here in Germany.

Thank you very much for creating this PCBs and making this possible!

Greetings,

RC-1140

p.s. CeeSa, if I don't hear anything this night, I will probably send it to haiiyaa on Monday. So if you'd want me to send it to you to exchange the blue switch, or not, just post here. If you don't want to do it now, I might even send it to Denmark tomorrow.

[CeeSA]

no,thanks. go on and sent it to haiiyaa.

maybe i send a complete new blue pcb to a german guy, to replace it.

[Triggaaar]

List updated.
@GeorgeStorm - i miss you first, now you are in
@Triggaaar - your are in too

Wow, thank you

[RC-1140]

The Package is now on it's way to haiiyaa.

[dfxdx]

Hi all,

Would be ever so grateful if I could be added to the list.

London-based and new to mechs - just bought myself a G80-3000 with blues and finding it fantastic to type on although I bottom out all of the time. Want to see if I should invest in another switch type, try putting some stiffer springs in the blues or actively try to adjust my typing style.

Many thanks in advance guys/gals.

[CeeSA]

you are welcome too.

here is the replacement PCB for the cherry blues:

ersatz.jpg (51.9 KiB) Viewed 6398 times

I will ship this to user detto87 for exchange.

Hope, this one lasts longer.

[mhinsch]

In case you missed it, Mr. Interface is starting a new round of key chains:

http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1718

Nice opportunity to compare the Cherrys in the bag with other kinds of switches.

[Icarium]

Okay, to get started, what is a sinklist?