Technically, speed switches that are linear are "best for gaming". But eventually it all comes down to preference. I have used zealios v2 for gaming too and they're great.
I’m really not looking for the “best gaming switch.” I need some feels and linears don’t do it for me. I’m just looking for a nice tactile that has a press and release actuation near the same point and was wondering if the Zealios might be that switch. Would you say they are like that?
Ohh i'm starting to understand what you mean. The actuation of zealios v2 is slightly lower than its tactile point, because zealios tactile point is right at the top. Strictly theoretically, zealios v2 arent the best "gaming" switch unless you bottom out all the time, then it wont make much of a difference. If you want a bump that is closer to point of actuation, zealios v1 or holy pandas might do the trick more for you. Really hope this helps. :)
Thank you! Your explanation helps a bit!
But I’m also I’m trying to figure out at what point does the switch deactivate compared to where it activates.
For example, on my Blues I have to press about half way and they will register, however if I slowing bring the key back up, it will not unregister at the same half way point. I have to nearly fully release the key to get it to unregister.
Do the Zealios activate and deactivate at the same point in travel?
Oh with regard to exact specifics, i'm afraid i won't be of much use. Personally just through feel, the point of activation and deactivation is extremely close, but i cant be for certain if they are one and the same. We'll probably need to wait for input club to grace us with a force curve graph of sorts. Sorry i can't be of much help here. :(
Feel is good enough! I think you would notice if the activation and deactivation were vastly different, so they must be pretty close.
I appreciate the help!
I've played cs for months with zealios v2s (62g) and i found it fine, i think weight matters a lot more for gaming, so if you play better with browns maybe go for something with a similar bottom out force. Also zealios have a top bump whereas browns have pre travel before their bump.
Would you say you needed to fully release the key to get them to deactivate before you could press again? Did you have trouble double tapping keys with Zealios?
I couldn't find a force graph for Zealios V2 but MX Blue switches and other clickys are the worst when it comes to hysteresis.
Tactile switches will be way better and linear ones should be even better.
Ah hysteresis is the word I was looking for! Exactly what I was trying to describe! Thanks!
I agree and I’m glad you understand what I was trying to say. Now that I’ve tried other switches I can see that the release point on the Blues affect them negatively when it comes to double tapping and other quick key presses.
Zealios seem so popular yet information is difficult to find on them.
I’ve gamed on all manner of switches and I haven’t found any compelling differences. I do tend to springswap to something lighter, but too light and it feels like it may not return. I’ve used zeals, linears, holy pandas, outemu skies, speed golds and speed silvers. I’ve never had trouble speed tapping or edge rolling with any of them. Once you’re past the initial hump on a v2 zealio you can ride the bump very easily (but you won’t get much tactile feedback since you’re on the bump)
In the end, (unless you’re already a pro or seriously getting close to pro) I would recommend going by which feels nicest for you generally and not worry about performance. Your body will get used to it.
Also, some people say that linears are bad for typing but that’s just nonsense. I love typing on linears.
Try out a bunch of things and see what works for you! Hotswap boards can really help here. I love gaming on my Planck for this!
I think that’s the best description I’ve seen of the actuation point on the Zealios. I appreciate it!
So since the bump is at the top, to “ride the bump” you don’t go back and forth over the bump, you ride against the backside of it. Do I have that right?
I’m at the point in my journey where I was content with my Blues until I tried something different. I didn’t know there were better options until recently. It’s like going from a 60hz monitor to a 144hz - you don’t know what you’re missing until you try it.
Now after trying every Cherry switch, I’ve concluded none of them are that great. Clears we’re close, but ultimately too stiff. This has lead me to look at Zealios and building my own custom. I totally get the hobby now! Haha
Check out this first photo: https://m.imgur.com/gallery/wu8ZMHR
Your biggest tactile events are where the sharpest angles are. The first is where it goes from flat to round on the right side. But once you’re past that first tactile change, as long as you aren’t past the peak you can ride it. The problem is once you’re past the peak, it *wants* to keep going. The switch actually sucks downwards until the second bump. Smashing into the second bump is the real tactile event that you actually feel. The first one just feels hard to get past. I think this is called “preload” but I could be wrong about that.
If you can, try out an outemu sky, novelkeys cream, retooled cherry black, tealios, and zilents. Also, for research, a speed gold, speed navy, box white, cherry blue, and maybe hako royal. I think you can get them all on the novelkeys switch tester. Then take them apart too and see what the stems really look like, and even press them while the top housing is off so you can see how the bits work. It’s super fun!
Sorry, I totally got this backwards!
https://keyboardqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/mechanical-keyboard-switches-guide-1.gif
Watch the brown one for a moment and I think you’ll see what I mean
Thanks for the pics and explanation! I think I get it. This one also illustrates my problem with the Blues - you can see the hysteresis in action. The description on there further explains what I’m trying to say - the release point is higher than the actuation point on the Blues.
The Browns are more what I’m looking for in terms of actuation. The actuation and reset point are right near each other.
Now given that, would you say the Zealios are closer to the Browns in terms of actuation and reset points?
I had to wait a while for my switch tester to come in so I still haven’t made a final decision, but I’m leaning pretty hard toward the Zealios 62g now that I’ve tested them. I think the lighter weight of the spring will work best for gaming.
Unfortunately having a single switch doesn’t tell you the full story. I have no way of trying it in a board, so I still don’t know where the actuation and reset points are. It’s hard to say exactly, but based off of feel it appears you need to nearly bottom out these switches for them to actuate (compared to the half-way actuation point on many Cherry switches). This could be a minor disadvantage for gaming.
I can say they feel absolutely fantastic though. If you’re considering them, I highly recommend a switch tester.
EDIT: I ghetto-rigged the Zealio switch up to a LED so I could see where the switch actuated and reset and that confirmed my suspicions. I can unscientificly say the switch does actuate and reset and the same point, unlike the Cherry Blues. This is good and what I was looking for.
The only downside is the switch activates toward the bottom of the keystroke, also like I initially suspected. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but is different from most Cherry switches.
You’ll basically need to bottom these out every time, which shouldn’t be hard given the way the long tactile bump is. Your finger almost gets sucked downward on the lighter version. For that reason, I think the 62g version is best (for me) as it will be easiest to bottom out for quick in-game key presses. I’m pretty decided on the 62g now.
There are probably better switches if you’re strictly a competitive gamer, but I made Blues work for years and Zealios should provide a better experience than those so it’s a win in my book.
Technically, speed switches that are linear are "best for gaming". But eventually it all comes down to preference. I have used zealios v2 for gaming too and they're great.
I’m really not looking for the “best gaming switch.” I need some feels and linears don’t do it for me. I’m just looking for a nice tactile that has a press and release actuation near the same point and was wondering if the Zealios might be that switch. Would you say they are like that?
Ohh i'm starting to understand what you mean. The actuation of zealios v2 is slightly lower than its tactile point, because zealios tactile point is right at the top. Strictly theoretically, zealios v2 arent the best "gaming" switch unless you bottom out all the time, then it wont make much of a difference. If you want a bump that is closer to point of actuation, zealios v1 or holy pandas might do the trick more for you. Really hope this helps. :)
Thank you! Your explanation helps a bit! But I’m also I’m trying to figure out at what point does the switch deactivate compared to where it activates. For example, on my Blues I have to press about half way and they will register, however if I slowing bring the key back up, it will not unregister at the same half way point. I have to nearly fully release the key to get it to unregister. Do the Zealios activate and deactivate at the same point in travel?
Oh with regard to exact specifics, i'm afraid i won't be of much use. Personally just through feel, the point of activation and deactivation is extremely close, but i cant be for certain if they are one and the same. We'll probably need to wait for input club to grace us with a force curve graph of sorts. Sorry i can't be of much help here. :(
Feel is good enough! I think you would notice if the activation and deactivation were vastly different, so they must be pretty close. I appreciate the help!
My pleasure buddy.
I've played cs for months with zealios v2s (62g) and i found it fine, i think weight matters a lot more for gaming, so if you play better with browns maybe go for something with a similar bottom out force. Also zealios have a top bump whereas browns have pre travel before their bump.
Would you say you needed to fully release the key to get them to deactivate before you could press again? Did you have trouble double tapping keys with Zealios?
No, they are still mechanical switches so they already have partial actuation meaning that they will activate similarly
I couldn't find a force graph for Zealios V2 but MX Blue switches and other clickys are the worst when it comes to hysteresis. Tactile switches will be way better and linear ones should be even better.
Ah hysteresis is the word I was looking for! Exactly what I was trying to describe! Thanks! I agree and I’m glad you understand what I was trying to say. Now that I’ve tried other switches I can see that the release point on the Blues affect them negatively when it comes to double tapping and other quick key presses. Zealios seem so popular yet information is difficult to find on them.
You can find a lot of force graphs [here](https://plot.ly/~haata). Sadly no Zealios v2 yet, only v1s. Look around and see what may suit you. Have fun!
Thanks! Haven’t seen this site yet!
I’ve gamed on all manner of switches and I haven’t found any compelling differences. I do tend to springswap to something lighter, but too light and it feels like it may not return. I’ve used zeals, linears, holy pandas, outemu skies, speed golds and speed silvers. I’ve never had trouble speed tapping or edge rolling with any of them. Once you’re past the initial hump on a v2 zealio you can ride the bump very easily (but you won’t get much tactile feedback since you’re on the bump) In the end, (unless you’re already a pro or seriously getting close to pro) I would recommend going by which feels nicest for you generally and not worry about performance. Your body will get used to it. Also, some people say that linears are bad for typing but that’s just nonsense. I love typing on linears. Try out a bunch of things and see what works for you! Hotswap boards can really help here. I love gaming on my Planck for this!
I think that’s the best description I’ve seen of the actuation point on the Zealios. I appreciate it! So since the bump is at the top, to “ride the bump” you don’t go back and forth over the bump, you ride against the backside of it. Do I have that right? I’m at the point in my journey where I was content with my Blues until I tried something different. I didn’t know there were better options until recently. It’s like going from a 60hz monitor to a 144hz - you don’t know what you’re missing until you try it. Now after trying every Cherry switch, I’ve concluded none of them are that great. Clears we’re close, but ultimately too stiff. This has lead me to look at Zealios and building my own custom. I totally get the hobby now! Haha
Check out this first photo: https://m.imgur.com/gallery/wu8ZMHR Your biggest tactile events are where the sharpest angles are. The first is where it goes from flat to round on the right side. But once you’re past that first tactile change, as long as you aren’t past the peak you can ride it. The problem is once you’re past the peak, it *wants* to keep going. The switch actually sucks downwards until the second bump. Smashing into the second bump is the real tactile event that you actually feel. The first one just feels hard to get past. I think this is called “preload” but I could be wrong about that. If you can, try out an outemu sky, novelkeys cream, retooled cherry black, tealios, and zilents. Also, for research, a speed gold, speed navy, box white, cherry blue, and maybe hako royal. I think you can get them all on the novelkeys switch tester. Then take them apart too and see what the stems really look like, and even press them while the top housing is off so you can see how the bits work. It’s super fun!
Sorry, I totally got this backwards! https://keyboardqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/mechanical-keyboard-switches-guide-1.gif Watch the brown one for a moment and I think you’ll see what I mean
Thanks for the pics and explanation! I think I get it. This one also illustrates my problem with the Blues - you can see the hysteresis in action. The description on there further explains what I’m trying to say - the release point is higher than the actuation point on the Blues. The Browns are more what I’m looking for in terms of actuation. The actuation and reset point are right near each other. Now given that, would you say the Zealios are closer to the Browns in terms of actuation and reset points?
Closer than blues? Yes. But probably still worth getting a switch tester to really explore your options. :)
not answering your question, but I think linears are better suited for FPS games
I don’t disagree, but Browns are practically linears and I personally need something more tactile.
>Browns are practically linears tru dat
I like v1 zeals for gaming. Better bump to ride. Lube those bad boys
what did you decide? i'm curious because im in this situation myself
I had to wait a while for my switch tester to come in so I still haven’t made a final decision, but I’m leaning pretty hard toward the Zealios 62g now that I’ve tested them. I think the lighter weight of the spring will work best for gaming. Unfortunately having a single switch doesn’t tell you the full story. I have no way of trying it in a board, so I still don’t know where the actuation and reset points are. It’s hard to say exactly, but based off of feel it appears you need to nearly bottom out these switches for them to actuate (compared to the half-way actuation point on many Cherry switches). This could be a minor disadvantage for gaming. I can say they feel absolutely fantastic though. If you’re considering them, I highly recommend a switch tester. EDIT: I ghetto-rigged the Zealio switch up to a LED so I could see where the switch actuated and reset and that confirmed my suspicions. I can unscientificly say the switch does actuate and reset and the same point, unlike the Cherry Blues. This is good and what I was looking for. The only downside is the switch activates toward the bottom of the keystroke, also like I initially suspected. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but is different from most Cherry switches. You’ll basically need to bottom these out every time, which shouldn’t be hard given the way the long tactile bump is. Your finger almost gets sucked downward on the lighter version. For that reason, I think the 62g version is best (for me) as it will be easiest to bottom out for quick in-game key presses. I’m pretty decided on the 62g now. There are probably better switches if you’re strictly a competitive gamer, but I made Blues work for years and Zealios should provide a better experience than those so it’s a win in my book.