Which key switch is right for me?

[ALEXANDER9]

Hello,

 

i am interested in buying a mechanical keyboard but i dont know which switch is right for me.

 

I do alot of typing and gaming

 

I bought a 12 cherry key switch tester but it has not helped me decide

[Slottr]

That's really hard to tell because its specific to you

 

I really like browns and silvers. Browns for gaming and silvers for my programming and schoolwork.

[GDRRiley]

that is super personal. I love cheryMX blacks (harder version of reds) and I wish there was something heavier.

 

[AndreiArgeanu]

It varies from person to person, not to mention that there are loads of switches out there, from different manufacturers, each with a different feel and sound to them. For starters it may be good just picking a blue, brown, or red switch keyboard (depending on preference) and then looking at what you like and don't about the switch and seeing if there is a better one out there. So think about it, do you like the loud and tactile switches, then you may want to start with blue, like the tactility but not the noise, then the brown switch, don't like the tactile bump and just want a smooth actuation, then the red's are for you. After you choose your keyboard and use it for a while think of what you like and what you don't, perhaps you wish the actuation force was higher, or want a lower actuation distance, then look for a switch that meets those requirements.

[TheChromaBristlenose]

There are loads of switches out there, and I recommend that you not limit yourself to Cherry since there are subjectively better options out there depending on what you want. Once you've established the basics like whether you prefer linear, tactile or clicky, picking up a Novelkeys tester with selected switches that interest you would be a good next step.

[Dr0y]

7 hours ago, AndreiArgeanu said:

It varies from person to person, not to mention that there are loads of switches out there, from different manufacturers, each with a different feel and sound to them. For starters it may be good just picking a blue, brown, or red switch keyboard (depending on preference) and then looking at what you like and don't about the switch and seeing if there is a better one out there. So think about it, do you like the loud and tactile switches, then you may want to start with blue, like the tactility but not the noise, then the brown switch, don't like the tactile bump and just want a smooth actuation, then the red's are for you. After you choose your keyboard and use it for a while think of what you like and what you don't, perhaps you wish the actuation force was higher, or want a lower actuation distance, then look for a switch that meets those requirements.

Start with a used or inexpensive brand new keyboard as it probably won't be your last and it's sad paying like 200$ for a keyboard that you don't like in the end and just want to change. 

 

I got a redragon k552 which has outemu blue switches.  Didn't like them at all, way too noisy for me.  They are a bit heavy for my liking too ... not that the k552 is a bad keyboard, it's just not the one for me ... but those things you discover with experimenting by yourself with an actual keyboard.  I was thinking about swapping the switches as they are swapable on recent k552 but outemu switches are not the best out there and they are more expensive here than the kailh and gateron I could find.  I got the gmmk barebone and put those outemu in and I really like them more on that board than on the k552 ... don't know why tho but the feeling is different.  

 

So the keyword here is experiencing for yourself.  If you want to try different switches I would suggest to get a swapable barebone and order one type of switch you think you would like.  If you don't like noise then don't bother with any clicky switches.  If you like having some tactility force and silence then tactile like brown will be a good option.  If you want them linear then things like red or black will suit you.  If you want something really quite then some dampened switches are there for you in the form of silent red and such.  those are just some guideline referring to the most common switches denomination ... there's tons and tons of switches that exist and each are different in sound, tactility weight, smoothness, actuation point ... ...  

 

Well hope that helps and that I didn't confused you too much.  I'm just a novice in mechanical keyboard and others will probably be able to help you far more than I can.

[seon123]

Personal preference. If you like scratchy linears that even bind sometimes, go for Cherry MX Red or Black, if you like barely tactile and very scratchy tactiles, go for Cherry MX Brown, if you like rattly, horrible sounding clickies, go for Cherry MX Blue or Green. If you want actually decent switches, go for a switch that isn't made by Cherry. Kailh, Gateron, Durock/JWK and Outemu all have actually decent switch options.

Here is a flow chart by Ai03:

Spoiler

https://wiki.ai03.me/books/switch-choice/page/switch-choice-flowchart