What did you get in the mail today? (Part 1)

Ordered a Planck case and got a Minivan case instead. The universe really wants me to never go ortho :rofl:

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write options. :pencil2: :ledger: :page_facing_up: :white_check_mark:

For which, linear (raed/blaeck) or tactile (naevy)?

all
everyone please. for future tests.

2012 pro2. Of half a mind to let it bake outside for a lil more yellowing. Domes on its way to aging quite well.

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There are a couple of threads on here:

these are my vote. I would add a few now that time has passed. I would add Epomaker Iceberg Silent Silver (or spring weight of your choice) to best silent switches. Also the Kailh Santa Switches are interesting once you turn the spring upside down. Also Gateron oil king and the Keybling switches from Kono feel more premium to me than the Raeds or Blaeks when it comes to pre-lubed linears.

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Thank you. But unfortunately, I wanted to take note from you of a switch that I don’t have yet. But your list repeats and even poorer than mine. This is not bragging. I like to read all opinions about all switches, and in general about all keyboard topics, to look at what I see from a different angle, a different opinion.

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Yes, switches certainly come down to personal preference. My preferences have been developed over the past 12 years after trying close to 700 different switches.

I sometimes try a switch based on others opinions or scorecards. Sometimes it works out and I agree the switch is great. More often, I find the switch is okay, but not for me.

It makes sense that we would all prefer different things with so many variables. Wrist position, typing technique, typing speed, gaming vs. data entry vs. programming. Some people wear headphones and don’t even think about sound, some type in spaces where switch noise is unacceptable. There’s a lot of variation.

The good thing is that switches aren’t incredibly expensive. The bad thing for me is that I’ve never evaluated a switch based on a sample, I always buy at least 70 or 90. So yeah, I have quite a stash of unused switches (11 x 15liter storage bins at this point)
:face_with_diagonal_mouth:

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Yes. To understand yourself. All you have to do is buy it, install it and print it.
But in order to understand what to buy from a huge assortment, I like to read different opinions about the same thing. And then buy. I don’t have endless money, but switches are constantly releasing new ones))))
I rarely buy 1-2 pieces, this is for the collection, so that I always have it. I want to take it at any time, check it out. Or to make frankstein.
If the switch is interesting, but for example controversial, or I spend a lot of money temporarily. I take a pack of 10 pieces. But more often I take 40-50 pieces. This is enough to print. If everything is good, then the next time I buy new switches, I buy up to the number 60 or 70.

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Have surface, will sticker.

Picked up a countertop dishwasher so I don’t have to carve out a cabinet, decided to sticker-up the side that will be hidden when not in use. A perfect place for big stickers and others I couldn’t cram into an existing switch theme.

  • Potatoes: Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew

  • Josephine Baker

  • NMESH

  • Ya Boix!

  • Sailor Goku / Son Moon

  • Elderbrew, hometown beer folks

  • ARM CHAINSAW the standard of groovy

  • ThockPop

  • Tibetan Borgar Fox

  • BERRY GOOD RECORDS

  • NOVEL KEYS

  • MAVS | Makeup And Vanity Set

  • A bird skull sticker I designed

  • Unofficial cycling club sticker I designed with a friend ages ago; “Team Destroy”

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whenever I see this deskmat I wish I had bought it

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Same. Most of my deskmats are in my closet because I wanted to support a given project, but that one is really neato

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I received my “One of Everything” Sampler Pack from HippoKeys. I put all the switches in the acrylic test board and have all kinds of fun playing with them. It’s my new favorite thing to fidget with. This sample kit doesn’t really give me a great understanding of my ideal switch, but now I have a much smaller list of which switches I need to buy in a board quantity. I also have a hot-swap Keychron K8 on its way. I’m soooo excited.

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You’ll have to let us know which ones you liked the best. You will want to make sure you are trying these with a keycap on top for best results. Also, you might be surprised to find that your opinion about a switch you liked a lot in the sampler might change after typing on a full board with those switches.

Once you find something you like, the next question might be, “Why do you like it?” There are some basic factors that differ from switch to switch that you should take note of to start pinning down your preferences.

Stem type - Linear, Tactile, and Clicky:
This is one of the biggest distinctions in a switch. Linear feels smooth all the way from the top until the switch bottoms out. Tactile has a bump along the way. Sometimes the bump is right at the top, and sometimes it is somewhere a bit further down. Clicky is just that… it clicks when you press.

Spring weight:
Does the switch feel delightfully light or heavy to press? Is it a perfectly medium weight? Does it feel light at the top and heavier at the bottom? Does it feel exactly the same stiffness throughout the keypress? Spring weight is an important preference because with almost all of the switches you have there (exception being the yellow gateron cap switch) , you can buy aftermarket springs and put them into the switch you like. So, if there is a switch that appeals for another reason, but you just don’t like how light or heavy it feels, you can switch out the spring for a better personal fit.

Smoothness:
Does you favorite switch feel noticeably smoother when you press down compared to others? Or perhaps there is a bit of texture (roughness) to the stem travel that you prefer.

Wobble:
Does a keycap have a lot of wobble when you rest your fingers on top and slightly wiggle the caps? What about wobble as the key travels and comes to a stop at the bottom? Does it feel loose and wiggly, or solid all the way?

Sound:
If you find you like the sound of the switch better, how would you characterize the sound? Does it sound higher pitched like tapping fingernails on plastic? Does it have a deeper sound like big raindrops on a cardboard box? Also, listen for any extra sounds that might creep up. These would usually be a pinging/ringing sound after you let go from the spring, or a chirping noise when your glide the key down from the contact leaf inside the switch.

Color:
This used to not be much of an issue, b/c you cannot really see much of the switch when it’s in a keyboard, but perhaps the colors of the switch are what draws you to like it.

There is no universal right or wrong/better or worse for any of these categories. It’s all up to the individual’s personal preference. This is a lot to go through. It’s as if you’ve never had food before and someone placed a dish from every type of cuisine around the world in front of you. It will take time to get a better idea of what you like most. Also, there will certainly be those dishes (switches) that you know immediately aren’t for you (for me, that would be mussels… :face_vomiting: and Box Navies)

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I used box navi for the escape button for a year)))

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It’s very hard to form a concrete opinion from trying one switch in a tester. They are more for you to figure out if you prefer linear, tactile, or clicky switches TBH, but you can glean a little more info out of them. Like figuring out what materials you prefer your switches to be made of, how smooth a particular switch is, etc. They definitely won’t tell you everything, but like you said they help narrow your search some.

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I have discovered (from my sample set above) that linear switches are not my favorite thing. I want to have a “work” keyboard with linear, so I have an option if I’m ever in a shared workspace. I am currently working from home. I’m leaning towards the HippoKeys Unicorn, the Gateron Mochi, or the NK Silk Olivia (eventually). So far I like the Tactile and the Clicky switches. I think I’ll like the Clicky sound and feel for my everyday driver, but I like the feel of a LOT of the Tactiles. In the Tactiles I like the Kinetic Labs Salmon (partially because it is a little “clacky” I think), the GoPolar Azure Dragon, the NK Cream Tactile, the Tecsee Sapphire, the Durock T1 and the Gazzew Boba U4T. My favorites Clicky was the Kailh Pro Light Green. I have keycaps inbound from Epomaker, but I’m looking at taking advantage of the sale on KBDfans as well. We’ll see which set gets here first. I won’t be making any purchasing decisions until I have keycaps to try on these guys.

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Attend keyboard meetups as often as you can to try things. Buying everything out of curiosity will leave your wallet empty and a heap of unused or unwanted crap.

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i’m keeping an eye on the vala supply (US) discord to see if they have extras. beige kinda ran into a printing snafu and they ran replacements for buyers. hoping to scoop up an extra or misprint if they release any.

Can confirm. I just extract value from the non-favorites by writing reviews and setting things aside for future promotional give-aways. :sweat_smile: But! My curiosity is satisfied. If I manage to satisfy the curiosity of another person or two along the way, hey it was worth it.

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