Hey everyone, today my question is which mechanical keboards are the best for typing and gaming. Also what are the features of each.
Cherry MX: blue, green, brown, red, black, clear
Too many options for me. This will be my first time using mechanical keyboards (former mebrane user) all my pc gaming friends recommened a mechanical keyboard but never specefied which is the best. Thanks.
I really like the rosewill rk9000 I use mx black and am really enjoying them. I personally think the mx browns are the all around best switch but they tend to cost a bit more.
If you scroll down to the "Cherry MX Switches" section of this page, they have diagrams and explanations of all of the more common switch types:
http://www.daskeyboard.com/blog/?page_id=1458
The only one I didn't see in there were greens. From what I've heard, Greens are pretty much the same as blues; they just take more actuation force.
For most people, blues are best for typing, browns are best for both typing and gaming, and blacks are best for gaming. Reds are becoming more popular with gamers though because they're the same as blacks, but they take less actuation force.
It really does come down to personal preference though. I wanted to see if I could get a keyboard with brown switches because I type a lot, but I also game. I found a keyboard that had everything I wanted, but I could only get it in clear or black switches, so I opted for the clear switch version. I love it, but it did take a little getting used to for gaming just because of the amount of actuation force needed to depress the key and also because of the tactile bump.
On the other hand, I really don't like blue or red switches. I've tried them out in stores, and it might be because I'm so used to clears now, but I really don't like either of them. Blues are too light, and reds feel to squishy.
I don't know why they're saying clears are compared to rubber dome keys either, because they don't feel anything alike and are dramatically different. Clears are actually pretty much the same as browns. They just take more actuation force to depress.
Just got my CM Quickfire today.
Compared to membrane, black switches take less time to press and they are way more accurate in terms of timing. You have control over how long exactly you want the key pressed down to miliseconds. Helps a lot in games like Touhou.
And while being gaming switches, blacks are still way more pleasant to type on compared to membrane keyboards.
MX Blue: Tactile, with a moderately loud click at the activation point, which is pretty near bottoming out. Great for typing, and great for my gaming style, which is moderate to moderate-heavy MMO and strategy gaming, although the style of activation point may not be ideal for FPS gamers. They require 50 grams, or 60g max, to actuate, which is relatively light, but not so light that you accidentally press one by resting your hands on them.
MX Green: Almost like Blues, but with MX Black springs; they are near identical to the MX Blues, but require more force to activate - 80cN, to be exact, which is 30 grams more to actuate than the Blues. Great for typing, if you prefer the "resistance" of the Blacks, but otherwise, Blues may be a better option if you still want a click.
MX Brown: Quiet, tactile, and relatively light, with no clickly feedback, but a tactile bump instead, that signifies the actuation point is directly below, and will be hit. It has noticeably less feedback than the Blues, Clears, or Greens, but is still an enjoyable bump; very gratifying, but not nearly as much as Blues, in my opinion. They require 45 grams of force to actuate, which is relatively low, but still not "dangerously" low. Very easy, and enjoyable to type on.
MX Reds: Reds are, in every sense, lighter versions of the MX Blacks. They require only 45 grams of force to actuate, and are a linear-style switch, like the Blacks, meaning there is no tactile bump or click; instead, you bottom out the keys to guarantee they actuate, similar to membrane switches, but much more "solid" and long-lasting.
MX Black: The base of the Red, and ghetto-Greens, the MX Black is a linear switch, that requires some of the most force out of all MX switches to actuate, save the Greens. It's the basis of the Reds, so everything I've said about them still applies.
MX Clears: Also a tactile switch, like the Brown, but requiring more force to actuate. I, for one, enjoy a "resistant" keyboard, like Topre switches, at least, or MX Blacks. The Clears require 55 grams of force to actuate, which is slightly above "average", but not noticeably. The tactile bump is also enjoyable, as with the Browns, but Clears come in much lower supply, so if you can't find them, Browns are probably the best replacement.
instead, you bottom out the keys to guarantee they actuate
You don't do that in many kinds of games. For example in racing games to control steering precisely you repeatedly tap the key without bottoming out.
To physically complete the circuit, and make sure you did, you have to bottom them out because of the design. I was not referring to any specific game-playing style.
To physically complete the circuit, and make sure you did, you have to bottom them out because of the design
No you don't. Linear switches actuare halfway through bottoming out and you can float above and below actuation point as you want.
This gif, for example, shows it clearly:
Correct, they do not require to be bottomed out to actuate, but to know you've actuated, you almost have to bottom out, because of the lack of a tactile bump or click.
You don't need to know, in those cases you plan the duration of the actuation before pressing the key.
In my personal experience with MX Blacks, I did not like the "uncertainty" of the lack of bump or click. Others may be used to the lack of feedback, but it is no better than a membrane keyboard, at that point, to me at least. I would like to know that the key was pressed, especially when messing around with Terminal, where my input may not be displayed.
I got the cherry-browns. I feel it was a good compromise. Tactile feel without the noise. Seems like a win win unless you dig the clicks. Good for counterstrike and typing, the moltirole keyboard for everything.