KeyChron K3 Optical Brown Twitchy Switch Mod
2021 ж. 15 Ақп.
20 656 Рет қаралды
Sharing a quick video of how I corrected the issue of the Brown Optical switches in my KeyChron K3 being too sensitive, and registering a keypress well before the tactile feedback of the switch itself. Not everyone seems to experience this issue, but by simply removing the preloading spring from the plunger that breaks the optical beam, I was able to get a much more pleasant operation of the switch.
Official Blog Post from Keychron: www.keychron.com/blogs/news/how-to-make-the-k3-brown-swtiches-less-sensitive Spoiler: It's exactly the same process
Update since I recorded I also got Keychron Orange Opticals, and these do not exhibit the same issue. Also in this time, the RGB LED for my F9 key has gone kaput.
Further update: I've ordered a new set of Brown switches, we'll try them out and see if I can tell the difference.
@@blaiserienzo3647 Did you order a new set of brown optical? Why? to fix de F9 key? Sorry for my question, I am waiting for my K3 with brown optical to arrive and I want to be prepared. I will definitely do this workaround to fix the sensitivity. Your video was very helpful
@@fbb5599 I did order a new set of Brown Optical, I want to see if there is any real difference between the V1 switch with this modification, and the "new" switch. Unfortunately the F9 LED is dead, I'd have to desolder it and install a new one.
@@blaiserienzo3647 Hello Blaise, thank you for sharing this helpful information. And we would be grateful if you could share the difference between the previous version of the switch and the new one you will get.
I bought the updated K3v2 version with optical brown switches, where they seem to have fixed this issue. I've has it for several months now and if anything I want it to have slightly less force to activate a key press. I'm measuring about 52g to activate.
Excellent explanation. I didn't think it would be 13 minutes of interest, but it was really interesting all the way through. Good job :)
Did this with browns, works so much better now. Thanks!
for anyone who's wondering, this was an issue with early k3's and specifically with the brown optical switch. i had a blue optical on my k3 and this wasn't an issue. idk if they fixed this issue with browns but now you can configure your k3 with banana (57gf) and mint (67gf) switches, both are near 0 pre-travel early-bump tactiles that feels super satisfying to type on.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are my hero. I was constantly making screenshots when using backspace. It was so annoying. I really like the keyboard and now even more.
My original switch was Brown then bought Orange wanting get some feedback and sound since brown was so quiet and sensitive as well so now, I did this with my Brown Switch and am loving the experience and I noticed the sound is better not sure why and it's actually indeed added some weight when typing on! Though it took me 2 hours to remove spring, remove orange switches and installing the brown and keycaps! Whew!
This is gold! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the solution. I wonder if just using unmodified switches for a longer time would in effect reduce spring elasticity, and make it less sensitive, but that would mean prolonged suffering :D
Wow.. Tish mods helps me a lot. Thank you
Glad to hear!
It helped out, thank you!
I tried it on my worst switch and it fixed the issue perfectly. I will do that for all the others now as well! Thank you so much!
It took 2 hours. Perfect!
I can't understand how they can even sell those switches in the first place. They are by every measure way too sensitive to the point of being unusable. There is no way keychron doesn't know about this issue. Also it is not acceptable having to modify the switches and remove about 100 little springs. They should work well out of the box. But thanks for the tutorial. Definitely useful.
Any way to buy the rubber trigger rods separately (the one where he removes the spring)? rather than full switches??
I tried this with my White Switches and works like magic and it even feels like little more heavy
what if to cut the spring half-length? would it be even better?
I think with the K3V2, or maybe at some point, this issue is fixed. My K3V2 optical brown never actuates before going through the bump.
Might try this for my red opticals. They activate way too quickly as well
So how it with red?
It's a design flaw from overcomplicated design. The stem is not pressing the small plunger, but the spring. With the spring in, it keeps the plunger always as low as possible and maintains a cushion between the stem and the plunger. The simples design would have been to make the plunger part of the stem but I guess they decided that that would make the stem too fragile as the plunger could break off (but who would mess with it enough to do that, IDK).
You could also try taking the plunger out and sanding or shaving down the end so it’s not so long, and just leave the spring in. Haven’t tried it but it’s a theory.
these brown keys are not pleasant to type on anyway, what's an optical lp switch that feels good? Blue, Banana?
Maybe just keep the spring but grind down (shorten) the pin itself?
I have the same problem and though this video could be helpful but this is not a solution. If you are planning to buy this keyboard I'd suggest to reconsider as at this point the keyboard is not really usable.
K3E3 optical browns here. this is highly irritating. tried editing on Premiere, and it just registers multiple key strokes if i even rest on the keys. i'll have to try this mod out.
Ok, i just did the mod on the space bar. Looking at the spring/plunger design, the spring is putting pressure on the plunger downward. So the return of the plunger back into the up position is going against the spring. Removing the spring, the same friction that returns it to the upward position is applied...since the spring always wants to push it down. In other words, the spring has no function in returning the plunger back to the upwards position. In fact, b/c the spring works in pushing it downwards...i would say by removing it, it's putting less wear & tear on the return mechanism (or friction as you call it).
Can I do these with Red Switches?
My reds have the same issue, they activate when I barely look at the key. Haven't tried my blue's and browns yet, but I fear they'll have the same issue. Looks like Keychron made a major design in their switches flaw if you ask me.
I've seen a picture of the blue switches disassembled, and while they don't use the same exact design as the browns, they do also use a spring that pushes the plunger Down. From what I can tell, removing the spring on those wouldn't work, they wouldn't get the benefit of friction holding the plunger up.
Looks like te blue switches don't suffer the same flaw. Can't say I like the sound of them, but maybe they'll grow on me. It's not like I have a lot of options with 2 out of 3 ordered having the same issue.
do you know if this is the older version KS-15, and if the newer version KS-22 no longer has this issue?
The one in this video is the older version. I got a newer version and they appear to have resolved the issue.
So a week later after removing each spring you’ll actually have what you hoped you had paid for in the beginning.
Are the springs even working? It's like they are smoothing the way for the pins and they are just falling down. Switch without a pin and a spring give the same tactile bump as after the fix. I don't understand what's the spring really do.
they are, but what the springs are there for is to push it down, so as you touch the top of the switch the spring makes it so that the pin pushes away from the switch, going down sooner than it should and as he said, it would be better if the spring was placed in some way to create resistance so the key would need to push the spring down for it to activate, rather than having the spring push away from the key so it activates earlier
I have a "newer" k3 model (with brown optinical switches) and it doesn't experience this issue at all. Not sure if it is worth modifying if you can just send it back and order a new one without the issues
How much newer? They only just got the preorders out the door.
I've received mine mid last week, and it was shipped about 1 and a half week before that I think
@@blaiserienzo3647 I received mine mid last week as well (shipped on 9th Feb.) Out of all the optical browns only 3 were facing the issue, and that was with me really trying to "trick/test" the trigger when pressing down enough to meet the actuation point but before getting the tactile bump. I opened 2 switches (a faulty and a normal one) but didn't really find any differences between them. In my case the brown were almost perfectly useable (although I have since switched to orange switches to test them out).
I ordered one month and i got brown switch with Orange plate it looks problem still occurs.
Would it be also possible to just shorten the plunger? Wouldn't be non destructive of course.
It may be, but with the way the plunger is designed, you'd have to cut either the end that holds the spring in, or the end that holds it to the switch. From what I gather though, users who got the 'new' brown switches are seeing much better results, even though it is not obvious what was changed.
On k3v2 with red swithes same issue
Once I disassembled the brown switches, they lost their tactility - there's another coil spring at the 'north' side which provides the 'tactile' feel seems to be the culprit. They suddenly become red switches. BTW I'm using K3 V2
does the v2 still have the same issue? should i just go for the gateron mechanical?
You need to put them back together properly with the brown switches. There's a video tutorial on lubing brown switches somewhere. Just follow that and your tactile feel will be there
Had the same experience. The smaller spring leg has to be on the right of the switch leg. You can see this if you look closely at any switch on the board while actuating it without the keycap.
After watching this , I just feel that its really bad design from keychron. I would prefer non optical switches as even after paying I would have to mod it to get perfect experience.
It totally should have been a spring pushing up, not down. The switch register way before the bump defeats the purpose of brown switches. This is almost a touch keyboard as is. I wonder how long will this solution lasts until the rubber looses enough friction to just drop down very inconsistently, my guess is about 1000 clicks per switch.
Yep I'm wondering as well, this workaround has a limited life expectancy and once the rubber no longer grips its back to super sensitive. From the little bit I've seen in the Keychron Facebook group, the new version of the switch works better, but I haven't seen good pictures of what exactly is different.
@@blaiserienzo3647 Well, at least this is hot swappable if they recognize it and make a new Brown V3 switch. But that is only if they recognize the issue, in their blog about this they sound very defensive and just made a clone of your video but without any mention of what the spring does. (I say V3 because the first version was similar to the red switch but with a bump in the slider, the V2 has a bump in an extra spring, similar to blue switches) would it be better for people that want browns to just get the non swappable gaterons? Or wait for a V3?
@@XxM1G3xX My gut instinct would be to with the Gaterons if you want it anytime soon. Keychron has moved onto pre-orders for the k12 so who knows how long before there is a K3 revision. Failing LEDs and weak frame are also downsides to the K3.
KeyChron should give this guy a life time supply of free keebs for this..
I keep activating my screenshot key on a sloppy reach to 'backspasce'. Will try this. What's your long-term review??☺️ Still good?
Yes still good, it is one of my favorite keyboards. The V2 is even better, but the differences are small if you already have the V1.
@@blaiserienzo3647 did v2 brown optical is still having same issue? I already ordered this and on shipping now....shame I found this issue after my order....
@@AlexSeadanya I found that the V2 brown completely solved this problem.
@@blaiserienzo3647 I hope like that, thanks anyway for your reply...
@@blaiserienzo3647 I got it yesterday and yes Im glad no issue like this, but bad bluetooth performance...
So, basically you’re making it actuate only when it’s bottoming out?
Not quite bottoming out, it activates just at or slightly after you feel the click, so perhaps at 50% of travel? This mod does not mean you now have to smash the keys down to get them to work, they register at what feels like a very natural position to me. In terms of feel, it is actually very similar to the keyboard on my Surface Book now, albeit with more travel
I wanted to buy this keyboard with optical brown switches. After this video I am considering to buy gateron mechanical version or even different brand. Does anyone know if gateron mechanical have the same issue or it’s optical specific issue?
From what I understand, this is specific to Keychron's own optical switches, particularly the browns. Since I first made this video, I have gotten the Keychron Orange Opticals and I have not experienced this issue with them.
short version - REMOVE THE SPRING
crap music man, very annoying and does not let hear the sound of the keycaps. En, fin, por lo demás, great job, very usefull, perhaps after seeing it I would not choose to buy optical switches. Thanks
Genious you showed the switch working upside down stating the rubber stays 'up' while installed it would sit down.
that just seems like a lazy ass design and quality control flaw. bad company management.