Mechanical Keyboard Sound Isn't That Simple
Figure 1: I couldn't think of a more literal way to represent this article if I tried... Looking back just a few years ago, there’s no doubt that the huge influx of people that joined the hobby at the peak of the COVID pandemic were drawn to keyboards by way of YouTube, TikTok, and other audio-visual content platforms. Even as the output from these content creators has waned in recent months, their collective impact and legacy on the keyboard hobby is rather firmly etched in the history books. As a result of all of their sound tests, build logs, and opinion videos, the message is clear to any new person joining the hobby: mechanical keyboards are all about the sound. Thock this, clack that. Whether it’s keyboards, keycaps, or even singular switches, seemingly everyone new to the hobby meticulously pores over each component of their keyboard not in an attempt to figure out how it will feel in hand, but how it will sound as they’re furiously grinding their way out from...
Mar 27, 2024
Also this drop; (https://www.massdrop.com/buy/team-wolf-tkl-swappable-switch-mechanical-keyboard) says they need SMD LED compatible keys. Is it the type described in this drop?
EDIT: Apologies, I was unable to get those images to upload, so here I've linked to them on a different site instead. https://static.coltondrg.com/blog/2017/04/IMG_20170408_133228.jpg https://static.coltondrg.com/blog/2017/04/IMG_20170408_133220.jpg
Sorry for the poor image quality as well.
These switches will work on both keyboards but the light will get blocked out from the black bottom housing. The SMD variants have a cutout at the bottom to allow the SMD LEDs to shine through.
This is getting annoying with the other drop, trying to find the right switches for that board with cherry stems seems a bit too much work. And the big deal was supposed to be hotswappability with the other keyboard. Doesn't help that /r/mechanicalkeyboard wiki is the worst organized wiki in the history of wikis.
These ones being through LED compatible means I can put a led through them, right?
Edit: This place stocks the Gateron SMD switches https://www.pcgamingrace.com/products/gateron-smd-led-compatible-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-red-green-clear-brown-blue-black-switches
I recommend the Gateron switches. They're relatively easy to find sources for on the internet and are pretty good switches overall. Finding a set of Gateron SMDs in your preferred colour shouldn't be too difficult. I also agree that the choice of ALPS stems for the other drop was an interesting choice.
About these switches being LED compatible. The housing is transparent and the bottom has some holes punched in it for LEDs to go through. Unfortunately I don't actually know how exactly this works, but I'm guessing it's a method if you're going to be building a keyboard from scratch as every "hot-swappable" keyboard I've seen like the E-Element has SMD LEDs.
http://stores.ebay.com/doyustudio/?_nkw=gateron+smd EDIT: Changed link to be more useful
It seems the keyboard that I got in the last drop (hot swappable E-Element) is only compatible with outemu switches, so I don't think gateron will help me. (Until the moment I feel so into this craze that I decide to build my own keyboard from scratch) For now, I'm gonna try to find a sampler pack, see which switches I like the best after the keyboard comes in and commit to those switches.
Thanks everyone!
Source: I currently own a Z-88 and was unsuccessful at getting either Cherry or Gateron to work. Thankfully, I was able to find SMD compatible Outemu Purples to replace the stock Blues and I'm a super happy camper :D