kidchunks, a GH user in Boca - AKIMbO - is due to get the "Cherry tester" numpad some time late Dec/early Jan - i sent him a PM to meet up when he gets it. you might PM him to see if we could get a mini FL keyboardCON thing going. you might only get a few minutes with it, but that might be enough time to get an idea.

Got these out today and will have a good fondle of them



Will report how I find them later.

After a quick play here's what I thought of them -

Cherry's

Linear

Red - Very light smooth can see why these are popular for gaming keyboards.
Black - Similar to Red but needs more force.

From the two above I preferred the Red and think it would give less fatigue when gaming.

Tactile Clicky

Blue - Light clicky but was not a fan of the sound.
Grey Alps - A little stiffer than the Blue Cherry and feels different.

In this category I liked the Grey Alps the best they felt nice and think it would be good for typing.

Tactile no clicky

Clear - Feels like a black with tactile feedback.
Brown - Light with nice tactile feedback.
White Alps - Light but for me had a mushy feel, didn't like this.
Cherry ML - Feels like laptop key, reminds me of the Dell Vostro keyboard but lighter.
Blacks Alps - Similar to the Grey Alps but slightly stiffer

From the above I liked the Browns overall.

Conclusion

Here's what I would pick -

Gaming and Typing - Brown
Typing only - Grey Alps
Mainly Gaming - Red

I will get these past on to the next person in the list.

Thanks alot mrinterface for setting this up!

The two sinklists are up and running. They officially split up.

1 for EUROPE

1 for US/CANADA

IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE : SEND ME AN EMAIL WITH THE LIST YOU'D LIKE TO BE ON. I'll put you on the list and you will be contacted by the previous receiver so he/she can forward it to you.

Regards.

Ok, the Australia bag has transformed into the USA bag - and is now on it's way to xxmastermushxx

Should be there in about a week - give or take because of Christmas holidays lol

Ahh morning peoples - I got the Switch Try Bag last night! I was home so late that I didn't really get much of a play with them.

I'll have a more in depth look when I'm home from work tonight.

One thing I noticed was that one of the cherry key caps has some damage - but its no big deal for testing.

Will report on the keys tonight!

mrog wrote:
One thing I noticed was that one of the cherry key caps has some damage - but its no big deal for testing.

Will report on the keys tonight!

Yeah it was damaged prior to me receiving them.
I think trax mentioned it to mrinterface a while back.

When I posted it I added some extra bubble rap just to be safe.

I hope for mrinterface this won't be like the thing where one person tells something to another, and so on, it comes back to the first, and the message is entirely different. In this case mrinterface would get back a collection of rubber domes.

I think these kind of problems are inevitable when so many members and international post are involved.

nightcabbage wrote:Ok, the Australia bag has transformed into the USA bag - and is now on it's way to xxmastermushxx

Should be there in about a week - give or take because of Christmas holidays lol

Thanks nightcabbage, I look forward to its arrival!

Well It seems I don't like linear switches. I'm defiantly very tactile and clicky - I guess that's just what I'm brought up on.

But here is a summary of what I thought about each:

Linear

Cherry Black - Very Heavy, not comfortable at all. Will cause fatigue
Cherry Red - Much better than Black -light to the touch, If I were convinced linear switches are good for gaming then I would get this switch.... but I'm not.

Tactile Clicky

Cherry Blue - I thought I would like these, and yeah its OK, but its too light I think, and not tactile enough over the click.
Grey Alps - I like these, the point of actuation feels pretty solid. I think I want to find a keyboard with this switch.

Tactile

Alps Black - Feels quite similar to the Greys - without the click, slightly lighter over the actuation point. I like these as a quieter alternative to the Greys.
Cherry Brown - Nicely tactile, fairly light, and very quiet. When shown to friends this was often the favourite, and I guess I can see why, some reason they don't feel right to me though, too quiet.
Cherry Clears - A bit heavier than the browns - I guess like the black - perhaps its like a cross between a cherry black and and a Cherry Brown.
Alps White - Not fond of this switch, feels too soft after the click, and the click itself if very light. I'll avoid this switch I think.

Cherry ML key - I don't love it - but considering its low profile, its pretty good - If I had a laptop with these in I would be very happy.

Right I'm, literately leaving to go down the post office to send these to loadsas now!

A thousand times, thank you MrInterface for setting this up, and the trust you put into this.

Switch bag from nightcabbage received. Review following shortly.

I'm sorry for the wait. I finished with my school finals only a couple days ago and then became sick. I'm starting to recover but I'm not 100%. I'll write the review after Christmas; hopefully soon after Christmas, depending on my recovery speed.

I've had a lot of time to fiddle with the switches though and from my first impressions I'm actually very much taken with the Cherry MX-Black switches. Until later...

xxmastermushxx wrote:I'm sorry for the wait. I finished with my school finals only a couple days ago and then became sick. I'm starting to recover but I'm not 100%. I'll write the review after Christmas; hopefully soon after Christmas, depending on my recovery speed.

I've had a lot of time to fiddle with the switches though and from my first impressions I'm actually very much taken with the Cherry MX-Black switches. Until later...

That's okay.

Take care and merry X-mas!

Regards

P.s. the cherry blacks also recently have become my favorite....

I like the black Cherries, they are fine. In the end I found little point to them, because if you can handle heavy switches, you might as well move away from the vertical leaf switch and all its disadvantages, and use a buckling spring keyboard. No scraping parts.

[Account and posts deleted on request]

webwit wrote:I like the black Cherries, they are fine. In the end I found little point to them, because if you can handle heavy switches, you might as well move away from the vertical leaf switch and all its disadvantages, and use a buckling spring keyboard. No scraping parts.

Maybe BS is my next stage of keyboard evolution, who knows

I'll keep you posted.....

Regards.

5 minutes is not enough for blacks or BS. Try them for a week and they won't feel heavy but normal. Then switch back and find you need another week before your light Cherries stop feeling like scruffy kiddy switches, and Topres like the rubber domes which they are.

I feel it's about time for me to give my opinion on these switches, don't you think? Well, here it goes.

First I need to give an introduction and recognize those who could make all this possible.

Mrinterface, I believe you deserve many thanks for getting this all organized, so, thank you. Without further ado, my review.

When I got these mechanical keys I was surprised how alike they really are. They all have a difference, yes, but it's much less apparent than I assumed.

Cherry MX-switches

Blue: These are tactile and CLICKY. I can feel the tactility, but it's incredibly slight compared to a rubber dome keyboard, at least the one I'm using. It is pretty loud without bottoming them out, because of its clicky design. It's also easy to bottom out. When bottomed out a louder *clack* follows the *click*. I don't particularly like these because of the clicky sound they make.

Brown: These are tactile without the blue's click. These are pretty much blues without the click. They are easy to bottom out, like the blues. I don't particularly like them simply because of the soft sound they make.

(White): This switch was a pleasant surprise. It's take a little more force to actuate (which makes it harder to bottom out), doesn't have the loud annoying sound of blues, but has that slight, yet apparent, tactile bump. Very nice. If' they sold this switch I might consider it. It has the best of Blues, Browns, and Blacks all in one.

Black: I didn't think I would like these from all the negative remarks these have gotten, but I actually like these keys. Being a linear switch it doesn't have any tactile bump, which I've explained before, isn't very apparent anyway, but all that besides I actually like the clean bump-less feeling. The actuation of this switch takes about the same force as the whites which, again, make them harder to bottom out. They're practically silent in comparison to other switches, if not bottomed out. I like these as much as I like whites.

Red: I thought I would like this key. No. They're the same as black, but are just very easy to press down, which makes them easy to bottom out.

ML: I don't know what to say about this switch. If it was in a laptop, would be pretty cool.

Conclusion: White and Black switches are my favorites of those switches.

Alp switches

I don't have too much to say about the Alp switches.

Black: I don't know exactly how to describe the feeling of the blacks alps. They have a tactile bump, they don't emit too much sound when actuated, but of course make more when bottom out. They don't have that same clean crisp feeling the cherry switches have. Which is probably why it's hard for me to explain the way it feels.

Gray: LOUD. This switch is a lot like the blues in terms of sound. There's a tactile bump and it feels crisper than the black alps. Doesn't take too much to actuate, or bottom out for that matter.

(White): Mushy. Feels much like the black alps. Kind of has a very slight tactile bump. Very quiet. Doesn't take too much to actuate or bottom out.

Conclusion: I don't like any of the alps.

Thanks again Mrinterface.

With that done, bags on its way to next recipient.

xxmastermushxx wrote:(White): This switch was a pleasant surprise. It's take a little more force to actuate (which makes it harder to bottom out), doesn't have the loud annoying sound of blues, but has that slight, yet apparent, tactile bump. Very nice. If' they sold this switch I might consider it. It has the best of Blues, Browns, and Blacks all in one.

Cherry "Clear" switches are nice and available as well. If you just need switches, we are running a group buy in the marketplace priced at 0.60$ per switch. Leopold and other companies also offer clear switch keyboards.

If you have the patience to wait a little bit, you could also sign up to Ceesa's Gaming cluster testers, for a few more switches: ergo clears and greens. Ergoclears have the tactility of clears with a little bit less force required. Greens are basically "Strongman"-blues. (Think Black+Blue)

Hello,

I just received them yesterday. I'll follow up with a short review later today.

Since i seem to be the last person in the list, idk to whom should i send them now.
I'll be leaving for a sky trip to Austria next Saturday, so if no one steps forward, you'll have to wait a bit.

My review will be mostly subjective, therefore preferences (by needs or constraints) grades will favor a silent switch, w/o tactile bump, and moderately stiff.

Clicky

Cherry Blue - this specific click noise is not bad; could get use to typing at the bump limit, but still prefer /need/ something more silent. 3.5/5

Alps Grey - Loud! loud when it clicks, loud when it bottoms; but a nice old-school feel. 3/5

Tactile

Cherry Brown - my browns seem stiffer (group buy VortexPoker) and harder to type on esp when i try to use the ring and pinky finger, so I usually end up bottoming; and the PCB mounting makes them louder also. 3.5/5
But this one has a more continuous feel to it, with a tiny bump to let you know it did its job. Probably that is why I enjoy oh so much more typing on my friends Filco and DasK browns. 4/5

Cherry Clear - like the browns but stiffer, pretty silent, hefty bump but won't bottom that easy; nice. 4.5/5

Cherry ML - nice slim tactile switch, short stroke, small bump, will bottom; would be interesting to see if they pick up in laptops; 4/5

Alps Black - cant pass the bump without bottoming and gets loud; 2/5

Alps White - similar to Clear but mushier dirty stroke; 1/5

Linear
Cherry Black they aren't bad, don't seem that hard to use as people say; I could get used to them if i could test the operating point and use them half way. 4/5

Cherry Red if the bottoming is not too loud these would be nice too; just hope the operating point doesn't trigger too easy; 3.5/5

Do you send around just the switches or are they mounted to something? I don't have anything to put them in for trying out.

Any update on the US/CANADA try bag? As far as I can tell nothing has been posted about it in half a month.

Icarium wrote:Do you send around just the switches or are they mounted to something? I don't have anything to put them in for trying out.

They are not mounted....

BossBorot wrote:Any update on the US/CANADA try bag? As far as I can tell nothing has been posted about it in half a month.

Hi,

I sent an email to the last one who had it : xxmastermushxx

UPDATE : kindari should receive it in a couple of days. xxmastermushxx was very busy and he is sorry for the delay.

Regards.

Hey all - just received the US/CANADA bag. Will review shortly. Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I've been playing around with these switches for an hour or two. Here are my thoughts...

First let me say, I am not that knowledgeable about different kinds of keys. I owned a Razer BlackWidow (MX Blues) for about a week, and I’ve used several Microsoft Wireless Desktop combos (rubber dome / membrane) over the years.

In general, I’m not a big fan of the clicky sounding keys, so I’m definitely biased away from those. I am posting these in order of least to most favorite.

Back Complicated Nonclicky Alps
This one isn’t too bad. It’s not super loud. It does seem to have a lot of resistance, which I’m not a huge fan of.

Cherry ML
I like the low profile of this key, but it’s more like a laptop key to me. It actually looks similar in size to the navigation key array on my Microsoft Comfort Keyboard 4000 (except the ML is mechanical of course!). I’m not sure if I’d like typing on the ML long term, though I’m sure it seems comfortable for its size.

Grey Clicky Alps. Matias Tactile Pro 1
Physically, I liked the feel of this key. It wasn’t hard to push, and had a bump that felt decent – maybe a bit too initially resistant. The click combined with the loud bottoming out sound was too much for me though. I can’t have it that loud.

Cherry MX Clear
This key has a really strong bump – too strong for me. It almost feels like I’m pressing a two stage key. It was quieter than some of the ones above, but not my favorite by far.

Cherry MX Black
While I liked the linear feel of this key, it seemed like it wanted way too much pressure. This might be good for someone who hammers on their keys while gaming or something like that. That doesn’t really describe me, so…

White Complicated Dampened Alps
I liked this one at first, but after comparing with some of the others, it didn’t come out ahead. I like the tactile bump, and the overall quiet sound. It seems like the glide is not really smooth. I know it’s a very short distance to travel, but that’s the only thing I can think of off the top of my head to describe what I don’t like about it.

Cherry MX Blue
I really like the overall feel of this key. It feels fast, light and easy to move, but it still has a solid tactile bump. My main drawback on this key is just the clicky sound. It’s not always that bad – especially if you add a dampener ring to it, but the final two keys reviewed aren’t as loud.

Cherry MX Red
I really liked the feel of this linear key. Honestly, it seems like a toss up between this and the MX Brown right now, but I think the brown is barely ahead. The red is smooth to push (linear) with no bump and I actually dig that feeling. I don’t like the bottoming out sound, though you don’t have to bottom out to activate the keystroke (right?).

Adding dampener pad helped the bottoming out sound a lot, so that was pretty nice. It seems almost the same as the Brown with the dampener.

Cherry MX Brown
I think this ends up as my favorite. The bump is pretty light, which makes it feel almost like the red, but it still has tactile bump to let you know you hit the key. I really like the glide (however short) after the bump. It seems like somewhere between red and blue (without the clicky of blue).

With the dampener, it’s even more quiet, which I really like.

Conclusions
I think if I made a keyboard I would use the Cherry MX Brown or Reds and use some kind of dampening. I like backlit keys though, so I’m not sure how the dampening would work with LEDs. I might have to find some clear soft plastic to use.
I might use Browns for parts of the board and reds in other sections – I’m not sure.

Thanks very much for letting me take part in the switch try sink list! I’ll get to work on sending it to the next in line!

Kindari

Switch Try bag shipped to BossBorot

Could i try this too? i want to buy my first mechanical keyboard and im confused about how many different switches there are