I'm bored and I enjoy discussing with the community so let's discuss about switches

What characteristics are most important for you to make a good switch and what is the switch or switches that currently do that for you? For me the most important things for me in a switch in order from most to least are feeling, smoothness, sound and wobble so pretty much everything because I’m picky I don’t care too much about cycle life.

The 2 switches which are currently at the top of my favourites list are lubed and silenced 55g topre wow nobody every saw that coming and nos vintage blacks which are lubed, filmed and spring swapped to 68g another huge surprise.

The reason I like topre so much is I like me some tactile switches for typing and while I do enjoy mx switches like zealios topre is just one notch above for me due to their lack of wobble, extreme smoothness, extremely round drawn out tactility which is still snappy and that classic sound signature thocc that no non dome switch even zilents or healios can replicate.

I like vintage blacks just as much but for completely different reasons they don’t force you to bottom out like topre which makes them great for quick double tapping in games, basically no wobble after filming them especially, god like smoothness yet again and the harsh clack is so enjoyable in both feeling and sound with lighter springs, I couldn’t imagine not bottoming out a linear unless I’m playing a game anyway.

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I’m curious because I really like silenced 45g topre but I have never tried 55g.
How would you describe the difference?

Still looking forward to a good out of the box linear.

What I’d like to have:

  • Good build quality. Edges are smooth and cr
  • No wobble. Less than default cherry MX. Stem feels firmly in place.
  • Smooth, as in manufactured smooth, factory lubed.
  • Pleasant bottom out. Not liking Cherry MX Black too much currently.
  • Decent spring.

So far Gateron and Tealios are wobbly, YOK is scratchy, Geekmaker is rattly, waiting on Varmilo EC reviews.

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The tactility is a bit more snappy and pronounced than in 45g topre and of course that means they require more force to press but it’s not a big deal imo.

Have you gave novelkeys cream switches a go? They’re a pretty smooth out of the box linear due to the housings being POM.

MX blacks are pretty heavy stock which makes them feel sluggish when bottoming out.

No, but I saw some review where it was said they have some kind of weird issue when pressed off center afaik.

I’m using blacks with 67g springs on one of the keebs and find Tealios with cherry tops much better.

They kinda feel like rubbing leather on leather when pressed off centre because both the stem and housing is made from POM but still smoother than most stock switches and don’t seem to wobble as much as gaterons. I think tealios would for sure suit you the best though as far as stock linears go since they’re just as smooth as gaterons without all the wobble.

What do you prefer about the tealios bottoms? The smoothness I’m guessing, once breaking in nos vintage blacks or retooled blacks and lubing them they’re plenty smooth for my taste. I’ll have to give tealios with cherry tops a shot though and see how I like them.

With cherry tops they are as smooth but less wobbly.

My thoughts exactly, I’ll give them a shot.

@mgsickler has said that this was fixed in the production batch iirc

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Speaking of NovelKeys creams, anybody know when they are gonna come out? I’ve been checking the NK site every once in awhile & there still is no listing for them at all. Did I miss them possibly? There was a couple weeks there awhile back where I couldn’t keep up with the community news, but I figured there’d at least be a listing stating they’re sold out if they were released? While I’m not a huge linear fan the creams have really caught my attention & are a switch I definitely want to try out sooner than later.

I think they’re expected early February from the last post I saw from Mike.

To throw my 2 cents in, I like silent linears and smooth rounded tactile switches.
So far I think healios are the best in the first category although I haven’t lubed or mounted them yet. They already feel better than my cherry silent blacks.
As for the tactile switch I still haven’t encountered anything as nice as what I had in my first board I bought off MM which had lubed ergo clears. I’m hoping that once I get my hands on red panda and halo stems and the eventual holy panda from Massdrop that my opinion will change!

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Oh that’s cool didn’t know that.

Yeah the rubber on healios is harder on healios making them less mushy and nicer imo, ergo clears are always a solid switch and I’m still yet to try holy pandas/gsus/yok too.

I haven’t found a linear I like more than the classic Gateron Yellows. Anybody have thoughts on the use of Nylon housings in the new Linjär switches?

Gateron yellows are good value linears but they’re a bit too wobbly and high pitched imo. The Linjar switches look pretty cool I’m definitely going to be keeping an eye on those.

Just so you know, that was fixed by using a plastic that has PTFE basically embedded in the plastic.

Good to know, thanks!

Interesting so the housings aren’t full POM anymore then

Not really. They are still POM. They just have an additive to them. Like how ABS is still ABS even though it has fire retardants in it.