What is your favorite switch and why?

Mrinterface · 03 Feb 2011, 12:36

sixty wrote:Once we have a Euro meetup happening (still gonna be a while, pretty fking busy)

Yes, Yes, the Euro meetup!

Somewhere in the spring maybe?

Regards.

iMav · 03 Feb 2011, 15:26

Cherry MX blues have been my favorite since purchasing my first 'board with them back in 2007 (SMK-88). I was fortunate to get a couple of the last ones that were produced with the blues.

Although I find white Alps (all iterations) and buckling springs to be fun to type on, the Cherry blues give me a more precise and consistent feel...they are light and clicky. Whether that is substantiated by the various force graphs and so forth, I have no idea. I know what I like and I thoroughly enjoy typing on them.

Now, that being said, I also LOVE the HHKB layout. It is by far my favorite layout. The HHKB Pro 2 (gotta have that USB hub for my pointing device) is my favorite keyboard because of the layout. I find the Topre switches to be nice and "good enough" to not trump the layout. I believe the FN layer on the 'board is near-perfect...and I find myself feeling like I am missing keys when I am on other 'boards (even though they have MANY more physical keys).

Of course, right now I am exclusively using a Kinesis Advantage with brown Cherrys...which simply means that I enjoy a variety of typing experiences and am willing to switch things up to better relate to the various niches in the GH community.

itlnstln · 03 Feb 2011, 20:03

Cherry Browns and (Realforce) Topres are my favs.

DeadBeat · 03 Feb 2011, 21:34

I haven't tried out a lot of switches yet, but so far I like Topre and buckling spring the most.

Minskleip · 04 Feb 2011, 00:31

I'll be getting a board with blacks in the mail soon; maybe I'll love it! I'll sure love putting those round three keys on it

ironman31 · 04 Feb 2011, 01:21

I don't really have an all time favorite. The current one I'm really liking is the variable Topre, usually changes back and forth from MX Browns.

Julle · 04 Feb 2011, 21:11

My current favourites are Topre, MX Brown and MX Ghetto Red switches.

I forgot about the 'why' part. I guess it's just a result of trial and error. I like how MX Blues and buckling springs feel and sound, but not in the long run when I go to typing mode.

With MX Blacks I tend to bottom out (use excessive force) more easily than with "reds". I also tried modifying an entire keyboard with Ghetto Greens, which proved to cause finger fatigue pretty fast despite the satisfying clickyness.

I tried black ALPS for a week. The board, however, was in need of some maintenance, since switch feel was not consistent. I didn't bother spending too much time on that keyboard. The switches that functioned properly felt 'meh' at best. I also briefly tried some linear ALPS switch on an ancient laptop. Meh. That's all the experience I have with ALPS.

noctua · 04 Feb 2011, 22:04

My favorite is Cherry MX blue, my first mechanical keyboard was an classical G80-3000, but i have never used that
because i have taken the switches and put it into my selfmade keyboard, that i use now since six months..

sixty · 04 Feb 2011, 22:07

noctua wrote:My favorite is Cherry MX blue, my first mechanical keyboard was an classical G80-3000, but i have never used that
because i have taken the switches and put it into my selfmade keyboard, that i use now since six months..

I keep reading about your project in some posts. Did you ever post any pics? I never saw them

Would love to read more about it! Feel free to open a topic in the Workshop section!

Ascaii · 05 Feb 2011, 10:52

I was very happy with my black alps board. Then i started carrying a g80-1800 to university for computer classes. Im using this black cherry board more and more. As of now I am still undecided.

sixty · 05 Feb 2011, 17:17

I think you are still the only person I know whose favorite are black alps

Ascaii · 05 Feb 2011, 17:29

sixty wrote:I think you are still the only person I know whose favorite are black alps

perhaps that will change once i go through more boards. So far I really like both the black alps and black cherries. I thought i would really like the blues and Bs boards after i first touched them, but i didn't like them as much for extended use.

And yes, i know i'm a freak^^

Anyone in europe have a black 102 for me?

Ascaii · 05 Feb 2011, 17:30

Ascaii wrote:
sixty wrote:I think you are still the only person I know whose favorite are black alps
perhaps that will change once i go through more boards. So far I really like both the black alps and black cherries. I thought i would really like the blues and Bs boards after i first touched them, but i didn't like them as much for extended use. It might also be that most switches im trying are on older, possibly worn out boards.

And yes, i know i'm a freak^^

Anyone in europe have a black 102 for me?

daedalus · 05 Feb 2011, 18:13

I've never seen a black Dell AT102, I suspect that they may have been US only.

sixty · 05 Feb 2011, 18:15

Does anyone know who actually made the AT101/102? I know the PCBs all say "MADE IN KOREA" just like the SGI Granite. Was it Sejin behind them?

daedalus · 05 Feb 2011, 19:18

Early ones were made by Alps themselves. Silitek were the OEM for most of them though (starting with some of the later 'old logo' ATs)

Crazy9000 · 08 Feb 2011, 04:02

Having tried all the Cherry switches (except red), and owning a few boards with them, I can say I like the Topre better for both gaming and typing.

I haven't owned a buckling spring board, but I've tried one before and imagine it would be nice as a backup to type on occasionally for fun.

sixty · 08 Feb 2011, 04:05

Crazy9000 wrote:Having tried all the Cherry switches (except red), and owning a few boards with them, I can say I like the Topre better for both gaming and typing.

I haven't owned a buckling spring board, but I've tried one before and imagine it would be nice as a backup to type on occasionally for fun.

Its hard to judge, some people who really like Topre also seem to enjoy BS. I personally think the switches are nothing like each other and its really hard to compare. The good part is if you ever feel like figuring it out, it will be much easier and cheaper to try a BS board than a Topre one

ohdh2003 · 09 Feb 2011, 17:53

I love Cherry ML switches.

Recently so I made a keyboard, which uses ML.

I also loves Cherry MX clear switches. Some of you knew I made this.

sixty · 09 Feb 2011, 17:56

ohdh2003 wrote:I love Cherry ML switches. Recently so I made a keyboard, which uses ML.

I also loves Cherry MX clear switches. Some of you knew I made this.

It was you who designed the HHML? Never knew that!

Minskleip · 09 Feb 2011, 17:56

Did you make the PCB yourself?

ohdh2003 · 09 Feb 2011, 18:06

sixty wrote:It was you who designed the HHML? Never knew that!

Nope. One of member of OTD ask me to build PCB for HHML. I just drawn it.

ohdh2003 · 09 Feb 2011, 18:06

Minskleip wrote:Did you make the PCB yourself?

Yes. I wanted to make keyboards of my own layout. I practiced kicad for that. Finally I made.

sixty · 09 Feb 2011, 18:10

Btw.. there is a shop here in Germany that still allows me to order blank/no-print Cherry ML keys. Maybe it would be a nice addon for HHML. However, I think the prices are pretty damn expensive. If you are interested, I can send them an inquiry next week.

Minskleip · 09 Feb 2011, 18:11

Cool! Is it possible to do, and get a printed layer, for a human without any machines?

ohdh2003 · 09 Feb 2011, 18:23

sixty wrote:Btw.. there is a shop here in Germany that still allows me to order blank/no-print Cherry ML keys. Maybe it would be a nice addon for HHML. However, I think the prices are pretty damn expensive. If you are interested, I can send them an inquiry next week.

please.

ohdh2003 · 09 Feb 2011, 18:30

Minskleip wrote:Cool! Is it possible to do, and get a printed layer, for a human without any machines?

Yes it is possible. But, I used a company, which makes PCBs, since the quality of PCB are very different. I just ordered to make my PCBs with my drawing.

Minskleip · 09 Feb 2011, 18:33

Ah. I guess that's what I have to do as well, mainly because I don't want to line up and drill a million holes. Which company did you use?

ohdh2003 · 09 Feb 2011, 19:38

Minskleip wrote:Ah. I guess that's what I have to do as well, mainly because I don't want to line up and drill a million holes. Which company did you use?

A Korean company, because I live in South Korea. ( I guess you cannot understand Korean language on their web page, so the name of the company may be useless for you.

)

Minskleip · 09 Feb 2011, 19:44

Nope, I agree. Have to search for something in Europe. Thanks.