What changed from NovelKeys version:
They also emphasize following changes:
I’m going to wait for reviews before ordering but looks very promising.
Kinda weird that they used NovelKeys’ product image for the Yok Pandas, as I’m… reasonably certain NK shoots those product images themselves and own them.
Scummy to steal NK’s product images for Yok pandas… like is it so hard to grab some, put it on a nice table, and take a pic?..
Yikes.
It’s not just the “Blue” (Polar) Panda image, either - it’s the Red, Mint, and Trash ones too - and those are even using the same names despite NovelKeys having made a point of saying there wouldn’t be any more of the Reds and Mints, and that they are (as far as I’m aware) still selling Trash Pandas.
I get these are technically a different product… sort of… but if they’re going to ride on being an update to an existing, recognized product and go so far as to use the names of those products… well. I have a really hard time seeing that as on the level.
Seems the Panda sauce is all-too irresistible for the unscrupulous.
Some observations:
Also, with the whole thing regarding the HP drama, do we know who the actual owner of Yok is? Like is that NK_ or is it some factory or something? Because if it is NK_ then I would think that this is in bad taste to not only use the “wrong” pictures but also the wrong picture than what is apparently being sold
I’m going to assume Novelkeys based on the rest of the pictures on Mike’s site that aren’t of Yok switches. I think Novelkeys actually took all of those pictures… either that or somehow Cherry, gateron, GMK, Yok, and everyone else all use the same photo composition
NK doesn’t own YOK switches, that we know.
I’m reasonably certain NK took the photos; they have a consistent set of product shots for all of their switches (regardless of manu on them, and we know they have several different manus involved). They may have an open license for them, or they may have taken those shots for the manus to provide as stock photos, I don’t know! Just a weird thing (and in this hobby full of scummy behavior and everything I lean towards “everybody does it” being any kind of indicator of whether or not it’s legitimately in anybody’s rights to do it) I figured was worth pointing out.
Insofar as NovelKeys having said there wouldn’t be any more of the reds and mints: I think they were only speaking for themselves there. BSUN (or TecSee? It’s unclear to me who exactly makes the YOK switches, or if they’re all just brand names for the same factory’s output) has been making them and selling them constantly over the past year or so (ilumkb runs relatively frequent GBs for more of them) so I don’t think that’s too much of a red flag.
Wow, I had no idea that people other than novelkeys sold the yok switches damn
I suppose that’s fair enough with the naming, at least in terms of legality - but it does leave a sour taste in my mouth that they couldn’t just come up with their own colors - or even names for the colors. (Oddly they did this with one but not the others? “Trash” stands out especially, as that’s definitely not an obvious color name like “Blue” or “Red” or even “Mint”.)
It’s a far cry from some other recent shenanigans - but man I’d be 100% excited for 4 NEW colors for Panda housings, especially with the other updates they’re supposedly making.
hmmmmmmm, just like with POMda’s I’m going to wait for a review of these before pulling the trigger.
FWIW I don’t think there’s been any materials drama with YOK switches, which is more than we can say for Drop or JWK. Totally understand on your part tho, and I’m… similarly apprehensive
from r/MechGroupBuys thread:
To my understanding, inner polishing is the new processing method for lower housings, specifically on the rails that the stem slides on.
JWK has been doing it for theirs for a while now.
I’ve been wondering how JWK up their game and thought it might be some new curing process. Not sure if BSUN/TecSee is using the same process or came up with their own but I’m glad we’ll be seeing same level of smoothness from more vendors.
Before starting this hobby I liked pandas. I thought they were cool when I saw them at the zoo as a kid.
Now, I know pandas cause nothing but drama and pain. I don’t like pandas anymore. If I saw them on TV, I’d change the channel. If I saw them in nature, I’d walk away from it without even saying “aww”.
The only logical conclusion to the great panda debacle that has gone on for years is one manufacturer making a final switch named the Sad Pandas.
If somebody made an odd-ball switch called the Sun Bear, it just might make up for all this Panda nonsense.
So does this mean it’ll be a linear that’ll actually be good to use as is? Barring lube and spring swaps?
Could be. But there are so many things that could go wrong in manufacturing which is why I’m going to wait for reviews.
This 100%, Pandas of any type going all the back to the OG Inyvr Pandas have been terribly scratchy & tight linears. The tightness of the tolerances lead to an incredibly tactile switch when paired with any tactile stem (anyone remember Zandas? V1 Zealio stem in a OG Panda housing), but still a fairly scratchy switch even after lube IME. If you are buying these to make Holy Pandas I’d say go for it without reviews as I can’t see them getting botched so bad they make for bad HPs. On the other hand if want these as linears definitely wait for reviews!
