keyboard mod Searching for reassurance on how replacement switches work

LisaMiza · May 4, 2021

o/ So I got a mentally ill sis that can't take the sound of my new, second hand keyboard. It's the Corsair k95 rgb (the original one, not the platinum with less keys), bought for the reason that it has 18 dedicated macros (and that it was cheap oc), Cherry brown. I'm ready to re-solder new ones on. So here's my questions:

How do I know if they pins line up to the pcb?
And what keys are more quite than the ones I already got, and will match the holes in the pcb?

seon123 · May 4, 2021

19 minutes ago, LisaMiza said:

How do I know if they pins line up to the pcb?

They are standardised. As long as you get Cherry MX style switches you'll be fine. Whether they be from TTC, Durock, Gateron, Outemu, Cherry etc etc. If you get 5 pin switches, you'll just have to snip off the two extra plastic mounting legs, which can be done very easily, e.g. with side cutters.

20 minutes ago, LisaMiza said:

And what keys are more quite than the ones I already got, and will match the holes in the pcb?

If you want silenced switches, there are quite a lot of options. Are you looking for tactiles or linears?

If you want to avoid having to desolder the old switches and solder on new ones, you could consider QMX silencing clips instead. Just don't get o-rings.

geo3 · May 4, 2021

There's other things to do to that effect the sound, sometimes even more than they kind of switch you use. First and fore most is lube your stabilizers. Unless you have clicky switches an unblued stabilizer will be the loudest thing on your keyboard by far. Next is to put some dampening material under the PCB, any sheet of foam or silicon, and to a lesser degree felt, will dampen the noise somewhat.

LisaMiza · May 4, 2021

20 hours ago, geo3 said:

There's other things to do to that effect the sound, sometimes even more than they kind of switch you use. First and fore most is lube your stabilizers. Unless you have clicky switches an unblued stabilizer will be the loudest thing on your keyboard by far. Next is to put some dampening material under the PCB, any sheet of foam or silicon, and to a lesser degree felt, will dampen the noise somewhat.

Oh that may be worth a shot! It is an old keyboard! TYVM!

22 hours ago, seon123 said:

They are standardised. As long as you get Cherry MX style switches you'll be fine. Whether they be from TTC, Durock, Gateron, Outemu, Cherry etc etc. If you get 5 pin switches, you'll just have to snip off the two extra plastic mounting legs, which can be done very easily, e.g. with side cutters.

If you want silenced switches, there are quite a lot of options. Are you looking for tactiles or linears?

Okay nice, good to hear! Linears, since the sound is less ear piercing, from what I can tell. Feel matters little to me, I'll adapt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

22 hours ago, seon123 said:

If you want to avoid having to desolder the old switches and solder on new ones, you could consider QMX silencing clips instead. Just don't get o-rings.

YES! That looks perfect!! Those, a good lubing and a pad on the bottom, may be cheaper (and faster perhaps, depends on how annoying switches are to assemble)!

So, like, these: https://uniqey.net/en/accessories/18/qmx-clips-plate-mount-110-pcs.? I'm in the EU