"Beginner" Mechanical Key switch?

[Timmy-P]

I have never touched a mechanical keyboard in my entire life. I want a board, however finding a right switch without having several of them available for hands-on use is a bit tricky. I already took the quiz, and I get either Reds or Browns, seemingly opposite from each other (linear vs. Tactile).

I want something tactile so that I know when I activated the key, hence Browns. But I want something easy to press while gaming, in which I can't see the something tactile like Browns being useful for gaming, right? So it's easier to press? Hence Reds.

Another factor is that I want to bottom out so that I don't have a balancing act going on in my fingers when holding down WASD, so I'm thinking Reds + O-rings, is that too far off? Is having to balance the keys a thing?

What switch should I get? Do O-rings help, and do they do what I expect them to?

[WoodenMarker]

It's hard to go wrong with cherry mx browns. i personally prefer a good membrane keyboard over reds. 

O-rings make the keys more mushy.

[atavax]

browns aren't hard to hit and should be fine for gaming. Topre is another option, but they're pretty expensive, so probably not ideal for a beginner.

[Timmy-P]

O-rings make the keys more mushy.

O-rings make the keys mushy only when you bottom out, correct? I don't care how of feels, provided I can press down on it for WASD But is having to keep the keys passed down without bottoming out a big worry?

browns aren't hard to hit and should be fine for gaming. Topre is another option, but they're pretty expensive, so probably not ideal for a beginner.

Thanks for the input, I'll look into Topre.

[WoodenMarker]

O-rings make the keys mushy only when you bottom out, correct? I don't care how of feels, provided I can press down on it for WASD But is having to keep the keys passed down without bottoming out a big worry?

Yes--only when bottoming out. Bottoming out is fine but not doing so helps for faster typing.

[atavax]

Thanks for the input, I'll look into Topre.

 

Topre have much shorter actuation distance and have a much shorter debounce time; which makes them superior gaming switches compared to any cherry switches. Plus they have tactile feel. The knock against them is some people like that mechanical click they get from cherry mx switches which you don' get with topre. Along with you know, the price...

[Timmy-P]

Yes--only when bottoming out. Bottoming out is fine but not doing so helps for faster typing.

I understand that, but for gaming I think bottoming out with o-rings would be better than without.  I have no experience, so I wouldn't know how gaming on Reds would feel.

Topre have much shorter actuation distance and have a much shorter debounce time; which makes them superior gaming switches compared to any cherry switches. Plus they have tactile feel. The knock against them is some people like that mechanical click they get from cherry mx switches which you don' get with topre. Along with you know, the price...

I'll take that into consideration.

[STRMfrmXMN]

I understand that, but for gaming I think bottoming out with o-rings would be better than without.  I have no experience, so I wouldn't know how gaming on Reds would feel.

I'll take that into consideration.

Reds feel a bit airy when pressing them down because they're light and have no "feelable " actuation point. Great for gaming although people with heavier hands (me) would find it impossible to type on.

 

Browns and reds are pretty light so moving to them from rubber domes may feel a bit weird. I suggest browns of the two but that's what I think. If you're going to type more, browns seem like the way to go.

[Timmy-P]

Reds feel a bit airy when pressing them down because they're light and have no "feelable " actuation point. Great for gaming although people with heavier hands (me) would find it impossible to type on.

 

Browns and reds are pretty light so moving to them from rubber domes may feel a bit weird. I suggest browns of the two but that's what I think. If you're going to type more, browns seem like the way to go.

I've done my homework on the switches, and it does appear that Browns are light to the touch.

 

One thing I neglected to mention, is that I *want* to bottom out when gaming, so I don't have to worry about "balancing" the keys when holding down WASD or something like that... Is that a thing?  That's why I considered O-rings.

[STRMfrmXMN]

I've done my homework on the switches, and it does appear that Browns are light to the touch.

 

One thing I neglected to mention, is that I *want* to bottom out when gaming, so I don't have to worry about "balancing" the keys when holding down WASD or something like that... Is that a thing?  That's why I considered O-rings.

If you want to bottom out while gaming then reds are fine. O-rings just make the bottoming out quieter and a bit mushy.

[Timmy-P]

If you want to bottom out while gaming then reds are fine. O-rings just make the bottoming out quieter and a bit mushy.

Oh, I was under the impression

they also shortened the travel distance a bit as well.

I think that covers it; I'll post back here if I have any more questions. Thanks everyone for the help!

[WoodenMarker]

I understand that, but for gaming I think bottoming out with o-rings would be better than without.  I have no experience, so I wouldn't know how gaming on Reds would feel.

I'll take that into consideration.

Bottoming out or rubber o-rings is fine with any switch--it's just preference.

I've done my homework on the switches, and it does appear that Browns are light to the touch.

One thing I neglected to mention, is that I *want* to bottom out when gaming, so I don't have to worry about "balancing" the keys when holding down WASD or something like that... Is that a thing?  That's why I considered O-rings.

Browns don't feel nearly as light as Reds. Browns are more like knocking on wood compared to the easy slide of Reds with little to no bump or Blues which are like tap dancing with your fingers. 

[Robi_g]

Don't know if it's been said, but buy a keyswitch sampler, they are easily worth the money