I have yet to fully appreciate linear switches but I’m finding them useful on modifiers when the combination of switch, plate, case, and mounting style results in annoyingly loud modifiers.
For example, mods on Holy Panda + POM plate + Lambo 60% case (tray-mount, WTF acoustics, ) combo I was trying to resuscitate over the weekend was way too loud. Replacing Holy Pandas on modifiers (Tab and Backspace too) with Gateron Yellow made them sound very pleasant. Simpler linear feel is starting to grow on me too. I had 205g0 on them Gat. Yellow for buttery feel but resulting feel was slothy so I wiped the lube off to get some snappys back.
When I get addicted enough to the linear feel, I’ll order some Gateron Black Inks and lube them with 3203 to see what off-the-counter best linear today should feel like.
If you’re interested in ALPS switches, checkout the companion thread Easing into ALPS.
It’s really easy to overlube linears with 205g0 - my personal experiments have shown 205g0 on the housing and 3204 on the stem is nice and fun, but YMMV. I know a popular secret sauce for a while (specifically with Huey) was 3203 stem + 3204 housing.
I’m trying linears this week myself. Built the second plate and PCB for my Space65 with Novelkeys Cream switches - lubed with 205G0 and filmed. First impressions: “Wow, are these smooth!”, “I really like the sound.”, and “Man, I really don’t enjoy typing on these…” I’m going to give it a shot for the next couple of weeks and see if I can adjust.
Tactiles were all when I got into the hobby, but I find myself feeling less inclined to use them and instead gravitate towards linears. Unless its a switch that has a rounded bump up top that allows most of the switch to be linear, tactiles just seem to slow me down. I usually need at least a 70g spring for 205g0 to feel proper. To me, 3203 is okay, but if 205g0 won’t work on the switch, 3204 is usually perfect (also dampens the sound significantly more than 3203).
Pretty much the same for me. I can appreciate linear’s simpler sound but I have difficulty appreciating smoothness and lack of tactile feedback makes typing on linear switches feel like:
I’ve lubed almost two thousand linears with 205g0 and once you understand just how much to put, they feel like an absolute dream. For those that love tactile switches and primarily use them, it’s going to be a bizarre adjustment, but change out the springs, fiddle with regular and slow curve, and you might find a combo that works best for you!
Yeah, I suspected stronger spring may be needed for 205g0 but didn’t even try because anything above 68g is too straining over time except for the spacebar. This is why I backed off to 63.5g with Holy Panda. Gat. Yellow’s stock spring feels pretty nice but I think I may have to go even lower on spring weight or lighter on the lube to find my sweet spot, basically doubling-down on speed and sound.
For me the lack of tactile feedback in linears lets me set my own pace while typing instead of waiting or acknowledging the bump. The reset seems faster as well.
Any chance you are providing lubing services in the US? Lol I’m getting too busy to do my own.
On topic, I find linears are just forgettable but in a good way. Tactiles are a blast to type on but I am always more aware of the keyboard under my hands. It’s not a bad thing, just a different experience. Today I used box navies because I wanted to feel like a big bad lumberjack hacking down letters, but tomorrow I might use tangerines to feel like a prince that hardly lifts a finger. Wait, I just realized I assume different personas depending the keyboard…have I gone too deep?
This not only made me crack up, but this is also how I feel using linear switches! I got a couple linear boards that I will use every once & awhile, but it’s not often because I have never really took to them for whatever reason. I recently got a sample pack of Creams & think they might be a linear switch that I can get into. It’s tough to make the call on a whole new build when you’re not 100% on the switches chosen though.
Edit: I really just need to quit f’n around, get a 60% hotswap PCB & cheap tray mount case so I can use it as s test bed.
I recently got super into linears as well and they might be my switches of choice at this point. It just started out with curiosity when the roselios GB ran. Lubed them with 205g0 and getting that nice smoothness is a really nice feel. Ended up going for a lighter batch of sakurios for a planck and I kinda like a lighter switch for linears to be honest. Might be because its easier to bottom out and get a small amount of sound out of the silenced stems hahaha. Would probably not go silenced in the future just for a more satisfying sound. I got a bunch of novelkeys creams and am very excited to try them in a future build.
I don’t like GMMK’s for that purpose since they use north facing led orientation and they don’t have PCB mount holes so you would have to clip/destroy any PCB mount switch you populated.
) combo I was trying to resuscitate over the weekend was way too loud. Replacing Holy Pandas on modifiers (Tab and Backspace too) with Gateron Yellow made them sound very pleasant. Simpler linear feel is starting to grow on me too. I had 205g0 on them Gat. Yellow for buttery feel but resulting feel was slothy so I wiped the lube off to get some snappys back.
