I agree that breaking in switches may benefit lubing for certain type of switches. I just don’t believe in breaking in in general. Every other reviewer says something like “these switches are good, but they will be great after breaking in”. I simply do not feel the phenomenon myself, but people just assume that “breaking in” is a thing for every switch.
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Great discussion and insights, especially @HungerMechanic. I’m currently evaluating V2 cap golden brown vs. pro brown and waiting for V2 cap crystal browns to arrive.
The golden has flipped the post/tube structure, putting the tube on the stem and the post in the bottom case, which is really just a thinner tube closed on one end with a hole in it.
The tube on the stem is a significant diameter so the golden has a wider diameter spring. It’s a kinda freaky unique switch, a switch you cannot franken-switch with different stems or lower casings. And swapping in springs seem to be hit/miss. Some of mine aren’t large enough diameter and some coils fully compress before bottom out.
The golden’s unique air-escape hole that lets air in & out of the bottom case during switch operation impacts the sound, especially on return “clack” as the stem slams into the upper case, something others describe as a “deeper” sound. I hear it as a quieter return clack.
I’ve been comparing tactility, and though operation force (whatever that is) is the same, the larger tactile bump has to compress the clip more, so activation feels like it takes more effort to get past the bump, which makes falloff feel greater as well. Maybe that’s what comes with greater tactility.
I’ll skip the other details (lube, clip & spring sound, tactile legs, etc) and summarize that the V2 cap golden feels more tactile (larger bump), seems to bottom out less and has more return velocity (likely features of the longer spring), and is quieter on return because of it’s design, making for a quieter switch overall. These are subtle but noticeable differences.
Golden vs. Pro comes down to the golden’s overall tactility and typing effort, with more tactility and slightly more typing effort, noticeable even with thicker PBT keycaps.
I may eventually like that about the golden, but for now after some hours comparing, I tend to prefer the lower effort and more gentle tactility and fall-off of the pro brown. If there was a progressive spring that preserved what I like about the pro while reducing bottom out, that would be nice.
I’ll keep comparing as I wait for V2 cap crystal browns to arrive. I have a feeling I’ll end up on pro browns with that nice cap crystal top case swapped in.
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Great post! Thanks for the detailed thoughts, solo-act. I will examine them.
I have my own subjective impressions of the CAP Golden and Milky Browns after using them for several months.
After some medium-term use, I can’t say I am pleased with them. I would say that they are an aggressively mediocre switch.
I say that because the sound-profile, while resembling somewhat that of hand-lubed switches, is also still inconsistent. There are squeaks and swishing noises. They are especially noticeable with the stock Milky Brown in a Rakk Lam Ang Pro. So while they don’t sound as bad as something like stock hyperglide Browns in a pre-built case [or similar], they don’t sound as good as lubed Ergo Clears or Pandas and such.
It’s this banal kind of ‘clop-y’ sound. It’s not scratch, but it’s not pure thock either.
In terms of the tactile profile of the switch, which is more important to me, I also am not satisfied. It looks like Gateron wanted to go with user suggestions and implement a tactile bump that’s larger, more noticeable and crisper than MX/Gateron Brown. And they largely succeeded in this regard.
Unfortunately, there is only a rapid collapse after the larger tactile bump, then it’s bottom-out city. They probably should have investigated a progressive or slow-spring solution as you see with Kailh Pro Purple or some more exotic switches. As it is, the spring then has to push up through that crisp tactile bump again. Some people have resorted to using Long springs to soften the tactility at the top and maybe provide a greater return force through the bump.
So I would say that there is a disconnect between the bump profile, and the spring that is used. They should have investigated other options. My CAP Browns feel a lot like 62-65 G Ergo Clears, but the latter doesn’t slam down as hard. [They both might have mild return issues, though].
CAP Browns also use non-standard parts and springs. So they will be more inconvenient to mod. This all suggests to me, as I wrote earlier, that CAP Browns are ideal for people who just want to stick their CAP Browns into a board and get on with things. Not for modders.
I have CAP Golden Browns in an MK870 with a polycarb plate, and it turns out it’s a great gaming board. The polycarb plate softens the action somewhat, and provides a more resonant sound. I had been aiming for a typing board, I’ve only used it for light testing. It’s a great setup for gaming overall, so I think I will gift it to a friend. But it lacks the subtlety I prefer in light tactiles, the kind that allows you ryhthmically to glide across keycaps without heavy bottom-out.
Your analysis appears to be more objective, less subjective, more analytical and detailed. So I will think about what you have to say about the switches. I think they are a reasonably successful mass-produced tactile with some enthusiast characteristics. Kind of like how you see enthusiast features creeping into mass-production boards.
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Thanks again for your careful assessment of the CAP Brown. I have read it, and have some thoughts on it.
I agree with your depiction of the structure of CAP Browns. It looks to me like Gateron has the resources to try and re-engineer the MX design, trying to create a ‘better mousetrap.’
This would be expensive to do for small batches, but it’s my understanding CAP switches have giant automated assembly lines. It’s potentially very cheap for Gateron to produce these, maybe with good consistency too. They can create a ready-made tactile cheaper than Cherry.
I don’t entirely agree that the air-escape hole necessarily makes the switch quieter. With my stock Milky Browns especially, I think there is a popping or escaping-air noise at times. I’m not sure if these are V1 or V2, though. The return clack is deeper, as you say.
The spring isn’t as “long” in its actuation as some people would like. I understand that Gateron took a risk using a long spring in a light tactile. If it’s indeed 55 G, it must be a long spring. But the spring still isn’t doing what a lot of people want it to do, which might involve greater strength at the top and / or bottom.
[I know that I wrote that the fall-off after actuation seems too speedy, which goes against your observation that the spring is more powerful than other Gateron springs. This may be the case, I’m not contesting that.
Rather, I’m saying that I personally wish that the force after actuation was even greater, to make bottom-out even more difficult, and the upstroke even stronger. It feels too “empty” after the bump - which is larger than other Gateron Brown-types.]
Very interested in your thoughts on the Crystal Brown. There had been discussion here about it, but I haven’t heard much from users. I agree that CAP Brown is a higher-effort, higher-tactility switch, which is again why I think their enhancements to the spring may not have been enough.]
Hi @solo-act,
This was a really great post.
I received a question about CAP Brown V2 vs. Pro Brown on another forum, and wondered if you or anyone has any further thoughts on the two.
You seemed to indicate a preference for Pro Brown, being a gentler switch. I think that’s still the case with CAP Brown V2. But could you tell me if your opinions changed at all with the introduction of the V2 wrt any other characteristics of the switch?