So I was looking for a new keyboard. At my work I have a CODE Keyboard (first version), with Cherry MX Clear Switch. It was my first mechanical keyboard, and I didn’t even try out different switches beforehand. Back then CODE Keyboard was only available in clear switches anyway. The mechanical keyboard somewhat available locally were all red and black switches, so I couldn’t try if I wanted anyway.
I love MX Clear. I find myself unable to type properly on either blue or brown switches, finding them too light. But as luck would have it, pre-built keyboard with MX Clear was quite hard to find (not as hard as MX Green, but still quite hard).
In 2020 when we start work from home, I wanted to buy another keyboard to use at home (my desk at home is too small for a full-size keyboard). I bought Vortex Tab 60 keyboard, again with MX Clear. It was… good, but I find that not having arrow keys is pretty limiting. Fortunately I was using a laptop so I just reach out and use the arrow key on the laptop keyboard.
So again, I was looking for a perfect keyboard for home. I pretty much realised that anything with operating force of at least 60g, preferable 65-70g. Which is pretty limiting on what switches are available.
I stumbled upon Keychron keyboards, but most of their models are only available pre-built with either red, blue, or brown switches. Which wouldn’t work.
(I know I can change switches myself, but I don’t want to)
Until I stumbled upon the Mint switch. Mint switch is an early tactile switch (like Panda series) with 67g operating force. This immediately interested me. So I tried to find which keyboard they offers with Mint switch. There’s K1, K5, K7. That’s it. So I ordered K7 (65% layout).
It arrived today, and I can say I was very pleased with it. It’s a low profile keyboard, yes, but since the early tactile is so heavy it’s unlikely you will be able to accidentally press a key anyway. Overall, if you like heavy switch, Keychron Optical Mint Switch might be your call.
Remark: When I bought the CODE Keyboard, it was when the patent on Cherry MX was expiring, so the market was exploding with alternative switches. I didn’t follow the trend — I already have keyboards that is likely to last me years after all. It wasn’t until now that I have to look up what switches are available and what characteristics they have. So far, I believe that only these switches are for me:
- Cherry MX Clear (65g)
- Cherry MX Green (80g)
- Keychron Lava Optical Mint (or the low profile version) (67g)
- Holy Panda (62g)
- Zealio 78g (bottom out force, should be around 62g operating)
Apart from the Keychron, these are among the most expensive switches available. 😥
Remark 2: I feel like people are obsessing over mechanical keyboard in a bad way. I was looking at a lot of review both on various blogs and on YouTube. Here’s my impression:
- Mechanical keyboards are meant to last years with metal/aluminium body and the mechanical switches rated for millions of keypresses. Why would you buy 4-5 new keyboard per year?
- Force/travel distance graph for newer switches are so hard to find. In the Cherry MX day these graph are what people wanted to see and is what tell the characteristic of the switches.
- WHY ARE YOUTUBE REVIEWS ALL ABOUT KEYBOARD SOUND????