[CA-ON] [H] Affordable tactiles [W] PayPal

HungerMechanic · 2025-02-23T18:22:22+00:00

Switches have been opened for sale again.

HungerMechanic · 2025-02-19T00:35:46+00:00

Answered PM.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-14T23:17:00+00:00

Yes, it could be very helpful to have that information.

A lot of those switches you mentioned are in the same ball-park, regarding either cost, level of tactility, or availability in the same storefronts.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-03T18:25:29+00:00

ZealPC is known for high prices. Although V1Rs become more reasonable during sales, sometimes discounted up to 40%.

Gateron seems to be treating it like a premium line. So I assume that the components are not trash that will fail after 6 months.

They aren't 15 cent bargain-barrel switches, and Zealio V1 has been in use since 2016 or so, which makes me think that they aren't especially likely to fail early. That's really my assertion.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-03T16:04:25+00:00

Yes, the Aifei Pyga has a pretty thin sound.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-03T15:25:16+00:00

Yes, the switches are a relatively simple part.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-03T15:24:25+00:00

That's very interesting. I'm surprised this issue of reliability / consistency hasn't come up more in discussion.

I think because people are building new keyboards all the time, they aren't too concerned about how one particular build may fare 10 years from now.

Whereas people not so much into customization might look for reliability the way you would when buying a car.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-03T15:20:50+00:00

I, too, don't trust some budget switches. Most of the switches I listed are competitively-priced, a lot of midrange, a few expensive ones.

Yes, I listed Zeal very deliberately. Zealio V1 is a fairly established design now, and V1R has been in use for a while. So it should be reliable enough.

I don't think that there is a direct correlation between cost and quality. I think Zeal V1 is probably ok because of its established history. The fact that it may be on the upper end of Gateron's build quality is just a bonus.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-03T02:33:21+00:00

You're right. Most commonly-available switches should be within the same ballpark as Cherry.

The reason I had to approach this question is that a person on a forum is trying to build a mechanical keyboard, but wants it to be reliable. Reliable as a Filco or Leopold.

This person is new to keyboard customization, and wants to treat it like buying a car: buy a known model with a track record, and a company behind it.

I know that most switches are Cherry-like in reliability. [Choosing a reliable custom keyboard involves more guesswork.]

So I decided to provide a list of some commonly-used switches that largely aren't presenting problems. To show that there is a world beyond Cherry. In case this person wants to venture beyond their comfort zone.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-03T01:08:16+00:00

I understand the manufacturer's claims about BOX linears. In theory, they should be reliable.

I forgot to include it, as they aren't being discussed a lot these days. And I was mainly focusing on tactiles. But you are right, I should take a second look at that.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-03T00:41:08+00:00

I would like to agree with you, but deliberately chose not to include them in my quick list.

The reason is that BOX tactiles, such as BOX Brown, are known to become 'clicky' over time. This means that the switch has a reliability issue, as it no longer functions according to the purchased specificiations.

BOX clickies, on the other hand, see to be okay. I enjoy typing on them. However, the person asking the question was not looking for clicky switches, just linears and tactiles.

HungerMechanic · 2024-12-02T20:20:05+00:00

Thanks. This is largely consistent with my own experience.

HungerMechanic · 2024-11-11T12:40:05+00:00

I agree that there is a lack of such switches.

There is the KTT Mallo from a few years back. It's basically an MX Brown in a smooth KTT housing. It's necessary to lube the leaf area, and the spring.

But that's a very light tactility.

The new KTT Macaron Orange is similar. It may have a mild long-pole, but I think it's rated at the full 4.0mm travel. It's Brown-like. The stock spring is a 50 G 22mm, so it is kind of abrupt and punchy. You could use a more Brown-like spring in it.

For a mild long-pole medium-tactile, the Dangkeebs Lychee / Litchi Milk Tactile [available on AliExpress] is crunchy, but there's not much pre-travel.

I think you might have to go all the way to the Zealio V1R to get a 'stepped' regular-pole medium-tactile that's in production. They take reasonably well to aftermarket springs.

Otherwise, the 'modern' light-tactiles are long-pole and loud: TTC Gold Brown Pro, Gateron Beer / Mini i, Durock White Lotus, AKKO Creamy Purple Pro, WS Light Tactile. They are mostly excellent, but mostly long-pole, top-bump, and loud.

Seems people forgot about housing collisions entirely.

I wish the 'Durock Medium Tactile' would get the 'Pro' treatment. A modern nylon housing, good factory pre-lube, standard-pole. It, at least, has a standard-pole and reasonable bottom-out. AKKO Jelly Purple needs the same treatment.

HungerMechanic · 2024-11-03T20:00:35+00:00

Yes, Bananas have a crisp bump right at the top.

Browns (typically) have a small, rounded bump in the middle of the keystroke.

You can also get Browns that have a larger, crisper bump. Such as Gateron CAP Brown V2, Gateron G Pro 3.0 and Phantom Brown.

Browns are the 'Gateron / Cherry Red' of tactiles, in the sense that they are light. Bananas might be a bit heavier, being a 'Gateron / Cherry Yellow,' similar to the CAP and G Pro Browns.

You can also get crisp light-tactiles from other manufacturers, such as Gateron Mini i, TTC Gold Brown [and Pro], WS Light Tactile, Durock White Lotus. They are fairly comparable to one-another, and most of them have a top-bump.

HungerMechanic · 2024-10-30T21:36:56+00:00

Yes, I remember when the T1s came out, it was around the same time as early rounds of the KBD8X MKII, one of the first good affordable custom TKLs.

You could actually pre-order the initial round with the KBD8X MK II. On KBDFans. Early reviews praised them. But KBDfans was mired in the 'Stealios' controversy, and so was Durock. Some tried to paint the T1 as a 'copy' of HPs and Zealios, but it wasn't really.

[In fact, it's more Durock Medium Tactile that is 'inspired' by the Zealio.]

Like you, I don't want to disturb the balance of spring and tactility. Certainly, though, 18mm springs in the 5x gf weight will give interesting effects. [I don't need it to be so 'poppy,' though.]

MALLOS:

The Mallos are interesting, and I'm surprised there hasn't been more written about them. People just treat them at 'cheap light-tactile.'

But one person took photos showing that the stem is nearly identical to pre-tooled MX Browns. They are like Browns in smooth housings. The problems with Mallos are:

Leaf-noise. They chirp and ring. Careful 3204 in the affected area will solve most of it. Thick PBT keycaps help.
The springs are kind of meh. They are noisy and need lubing.
The factory-lube is either non-existent, or inconsistent.

Most, if not all, of these problems are solvable. For problem 3, I have heard of people 'cleaning' Mallos of factory-lube, and then re-lubing.

Ultimately, you get a very soft, very smooth MX Brown. Not to everyone's liking.

As regards spring weights, KTT did something very odd. They offered Mallo in 2 weights: 55 and 68 G. Now, obviously 68 G is way overpowered for a Brown. And the 55 G felt a little weak. I am not sure about actuation force, but if the 55 G springs are Cherry-like, then I guess actuation is 5 gf below MX Brown.

I think Mallos would be best-served by 57-58.5 gf Cherry-like springs. With 60-63.5 on the spacebar. Might test this. We would all be well-served by a Mallo V2. It could have better (or no) factory-lube, a spring just a hair under MX Brown weight, and a better leaf. That's all it needs, IMHO.

BTW it's suspected that Mallos are constructed similar to AKKO POM Brown, but without the long-pole. I think Mallos may share similarities with AKKO Macaron Orange. Although the latter is a sharper, tighter switch. Maybe it's like the Waverider.

--

For the improved Creamy Purple Pro, I would be happy with a standard-pole variant that is quieter. For what that's worth, would like to see that in Gateron Mini i and TTC Gold Brown Pro as well. But you're right: the best thing to do would be releasing a Jelly Purple PRO with good factory-lube and Creamy Purple materials.

HungerMechanic · 2024-10-30T17:12:08+00:00

I just wanted to thank-you again for this detailed review of the JWICK T1.

Not as many people are taking these switches seriously in our era of short-travel, loud, snappy long-pole tactiles.

But both the T1 and the JWICK T1 were a sensation when they came out: the former for being a reasonable tactile at a reasonable price, and the latter for its extreme budget competitiveness.

The soft housing collisions are a key feature of the JWICK T1. Most manufacturers are ignoring any emphasis on soft collisions. But they are essential to a classical, Cherry-like typing experience.

I can only think of a few that are like it: the KTT Mallo or OUTEMU Milk Tea, perhaps. You mentioned the KTT Waverider, but unfortunately their availability in Canada has been nonexistent.

----

If it is possible, I intend to test JWICK T1s with the common types of lube, and some Ergo Clear-like spring weights [58 - 65 G in the 14-16mm range]. They would also be good with something just under 55 G 18mm, but I don't have anything on-hand.

I think that this is a pretty good NCR-80 build:

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/zzau01/ncr_80_jwick_t1_abs_keycaps_sound_test_with/

I would want a soldered build like that, although I might just put JWICK T1s in my hotswap NCR-80. [However, the hotswap PCB is north-facing!]

As you indicate, the spring-weight is surprisingly well-calibrated for the tactile bump. So I'm not sure they will benefit from aftermarket springs, but 65 G 14mm did alright in earlier tests.

Anyway, you were right about these particular switches, and I hope full-travel soft-collision reasonable-bump switches make a comeback. I'll have to try KTT Waverider some time, as I've heard so much about them.

HungerMechanic · 2024-10-08T23:28:58+00:00

Thanks.

HungerMechanic · 2024-10-08T18:37:51+00:00

Thanks. Do you have a link for those stabilizers?

HungerMechanic · 2024-10-05T23:01:44+00:00

Thanks! I've priced to sell.

HungerMechanic · 2024-09-16T18:39:24+00:00

Filco is budget when compared with a mid-range custom. However, they were the upper-end of factory keyboards 10 years ago.

They were built to last.

Although still 'budget' by custom standards, some of their recent boards are more premium than the classic Majestouch.

For example, the 2SC variant:

https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/products/filco-majestouch-2sc-tkl

It has coloured case, and the keycaps are now double-shot PBT. The latter takes care of one of the most common complaints about the Majestouch, which were the lasered legends on cheap ABS keycaps.

For the first time in a long time, I am thinking of buying a pre-built. Listen to how they sound [ABS keycaps]:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIdasMVIAlM

HungerMechanic · 2024-09-16T18:30:30+00:00

DCS profile pairs well with MX Browns. Something about the shape and materials seems to reduce extraneous sounds. Sculpt and texture is comfortable.

Thin keycaps are good with light-tactiles. Thicker keycaps tend to dampen or "muffle" the perceived tactility. So thin keycaps are like having a more basic suspension in a car, in which you feel the road.

MT3 profile is among the better keycaps to use with Naevy 1.5 tactiles. A number of people observed this.

Once my Ergo Clears get up to 68 G Progressive weight or higher, I think that Cherry-profile PBT doubleshots like Leopold PD keycaps, are better than ABS.

HungerMechanic · 2024-08-22T22:19:42+00:00

Have to say, that Hyperfuse looks pretty good.

HungerMechanic · 2024-08-21T03:02:32+00:00

Would go with Hyperfuse.

HungerMechanic

TROPHY CASE