This video covers everything we need to know about these switches. Can't imagine how much time and effort you put into it but we appreciate it. Great video you earned a sub
Thank you for the words and for the sub! I'm commited to keep the same level of quality and details in all my videos in this channel, so I hope you enjoy your time here! And yes... These videos indeed take a reeeaaally long time to make! 😂 But I'm having fun making them, so that's what matters in the end...
Thank you my good sir!!! Highly appreciated! From the beginning I set out to only release videos I can be really proud of. As a result, I end up putting a lot of time and work into each one. At this point (when I'm still learning the UA-cam "ropes" so to speak), I still don't have a video release schedule yet, but that is coming later this year. At any rate, I have two more in production right now and the next one (reviewing the NovelKeys NK65) will drop sometime next week. So, stay tuned! ⏳
Thank you! After the great feedback I'm getting for this video, you can bet I'll make more switch comparissons like these again! ;) My next switch video will be all about Vintage Cherry MX Blacks, and it's gonna be another one pack-full of information. And then I'm planning a roundup of linear switches (Tealios vs. Inks vs. JWKs) after that.
This video is AMAZING. By far the best comparison video I've seen. Gone down the rabbit hole these past couple of days and back and forth on a lot of things, but your videos have helped me understand things SO MUCH BETTER than anyone else did. Can't wait for more videos and for you to continue getting the recognition you deserve. THANK YOU!
Thank you mate!!! Highly appreciate your words! And I'm glad to know this video was helpful (that's what motivates content creators like me to put in the work into these videos :). By the way, I'm finishing rendering my new video now (a week later than planned LOL)... NovelKeys NK65 Entry Edition review is coming tomorrow! ⌛
hey man- this is amazing content. the level of rigor here is just incredible and polish/editing is so 100. the trigger warning and the error bios boot made me lol. if I could give just one piece of constructive criticism, I would just suggest using maybe a mouse click instead of a lighter for the calibrating sound, since it's a reference more people would recognize, esp. in the mech/PCMR space. optimum tech does this for his fan test videos and it seems to work well. keep up the awesome stuff!
Ah thank you man! Loved the feedback!! Despite all the rigor, it's easy to tell I had a lot of fun putting this one together :) As for the reference sound calibration, you do make a fair point! Zippo's trademark clicks are no longer in people's conscience anymore (unless for those that have been around for as long as I have 🤣). The reason why I was using them, was that they helped me to sync audio a bit better between my ZOOM recorder and my cameras footage (since they're considerably louder than a mouse click), but your point about people's familiarity with the mouse click still stands. Thanks again for the constructive criticism here! I really do appreciate it!
Hey thank you so much!!! Yeap... Baby channel still, but I have been trying to keep the quality up there. That unfortunately means less videos, of course (it takes waaay longer to produce them in this level), but I was always much more about quality than quantity anyway... XD
He really had us in the first half with that rattly spacebar in the sound tests XD awesome video, I was just wondering how to fix that dang leaf spring on the glorious pandas and this video was all the info I needed and more!
Hehe… Thank you!!! And I swear the rattly space-bar was not planned when I wrote the script, but once I heard it… It was just begging for a gag like that! 😂
really really great video man, was surprised to see how low the view count was when i clicked off the vid. really well put together, thorough, professional, great editing. this channel is gonna take off
Thank you sir!!! Loved the feedback! And yeah... Just getting started here, so my videos are still mostly flying under UA-cam's (algorithm) radar for now. But that's Ok, we're here for the long run! :)
Thank you for the feedback!!! Yeah, the microscope images indeed make it so much easier to understand and compare the tactility and smoothness of keyboard switches. And there will be more of that in my next switches comparisson focused on linears (coming soon ;).
@@wijobu7385 Nice choice!!! My favorite "thocky" Holy Panda as well! I hope you enjoy building and using them (and let me know how it goes once you have them installed in your board).
I watched this entire video thinking you were someone with 500k subscribers who I'd somehow never come across. Feels good to be somewhere I can legit say "I was there before they even had 1000 subs" and know that that will impress people in a little while.
🤣 Thank you man! I got a good laugh out of your comment now! I appreciate your kind words immensely and would like to welcome you to this channel's humble beginnings.
Glad to hear it!!! I know its a long video (and I know a lot of viewers can't handle anything longer than 10 minutes on UA-cam 😆), but I felt it was impossible to convey so much useful information in a short format video. At any rate, I'm very happy to see so much positive feedback, such as yours, for these long format in-depth videos! So I guess I'll keep making them... :)
Really good and in-depth video. Also, you kind of saved me from buying Glorious Pandas, which were my least favorite of the bunch because of the spring ping. Thank you!
Okay, I'm new to this whole custom mechanical keyboard stuff, but this video was awesome. Like man, the video was so informative, and at the same time so entertaining, that I could watch the whole thing without skipping. And I absolutely lost my shit when I saw your subcount, as I thought you would be around 100k subs, like the quality of this video is just that high. Please, keep up the awesome work!
Wow thank you so much for the feedback!!! And yeah... Channel still giving its baby steps... hehe! But we'll get there eventually. What I can promise you is that all my videos will always have this same level of production and quality! So, stick around cause there is much more to come! ;)
This is definitely the most comprehensive video I have ever seen on a switch review. I can only imagine how much time it took you! Appreciate it mate, subbed :)
It did take a lot of work! 😂 But it was totally worth it! I was not 100% sure about making these videos regularly until I made this one and had so much fun that I decided I should keep doing them... And the feedback has been so incredibly positive that now I know I should really keep doing them! LOL Thank you so much for your support and your sub! I hope you have as much fun watching my videos as I have making them!
That was an absolute masterpiece, such a pleasure to watch! Didn't even realize it was 45min until I finished it. You deserve way more views and I'm sure you'll get them! 👍
Wow thank you man!!! Loved the feedback! I always get questioned about going with long form videos (and how much that can limit the growth of my channel on YT), but I'm basically making the types of videos I wanted to see but could never find before... So, I've been super happy to see that I'm not alone in this regard! Going from 0 to 1.7k subs with just 5 videos is more than I could have ever hoped for! And that 5 is about to become 6 soon: "GMMK Pro: The ultimate guide" is in the polishing phase and will hit the channel sometime next week :)
The long videos are exactly what we need! Always better to watch 1 good in-depth video than 5 which just scratch the surface and don't provide any new information. 1.7k and rising 👌 Looking forward to the new guide for sure!
Thank you for your support! So far, I'm very happy with the feedback I'm getting and with the channel's growth with just 4 videos in. Much more to come!
Thank you so much for your support! I've been putting a lot of effort to make every minute of my videos count! As long as people enjoy this longer format (very in-depth reviews packed with information), I'll keep making these! :)
Don't bother lubing the leaf of your GP's, at least while gaming, I always have my headset on and I can barely hear the switch itself. And even when casually typing and not wearing my headset, I'll have to come close to my keyboard to actually hear the leaf spring.
True! While people freak out with ping noises on videos, we can't loose sight of the fact the microphones we use to record these sound tests are much more sensitive to these types of noises than our own ears (specially when gaming with headsets on). But, as usual, it depends on each person's use case and preference, but I'd say for most people, the leaf ping noise might be drowned out in the "clacky" noises of most keyboards anyway and it might be less of a concern to them than to most enthusiasts.
AHAHAH... haha... ha... this is true for people not using open back headphones. I'm wearing hifiman anandas and oh boy they block out zero noise. I don't mind because I like the sound of my keyboard, but for people who like the feel but hate the sound, don't use very open back headphones.
Another terrific video! I can't sing your praises enough Sam. Fair, level-headed, no bullshit analysis of one of the most hyped products in the hobby. Good production value, super helpful information, thorough explanations... And more videos on the way! I'm sold, I'm subscribed, I've rung the bell, and I'm telling my friends. Thank you for making great, helpful, high-quality content.
Thank you so much for the kind words!!! It is feedback such as yours that inspire new content creators like me to put the crazy amount of work that it takes to makes these videos. Highly appreciated!!!
This was very well done. I am just getting into customs and wanted to find out the deal behind all the pandas and if I would like them . I have come to the conclusion that I am trying the Yoks. You, sir, should have more subs! Go to show how broken the YT algorithm is.
Thanks for the nice words Jerry!!! Very much appreciated! And I can say that my Yok Polar Pandas are still my favorite panda switches to this day (mostly for their deeper sound profile). If you can find them for a reasonable price, they're definitely a great pick for "super-tactile" switches! As for the channel growth, I have to say I'm rather happy to see 10k subs after 2 years and just 21 videos... To be perfectly honest I never thought I'd get this many subs with my long format (and densely packed) videos considering how short attention spans are these days. So I'm grateful for every single subscriber who has ever graced this channel with their viewership! 🙏
Thank you!!! Loved the feedback! And yeah... New channel, so we are still in the process of convincing our UA-cam algorithm overlords... :) But we're getting there...
Thank you!!! I'm amazed myself with the success of this video after all this time! It goes to prove that videos that tell a story (other than just review a product) are timeless and evergreen. Surely a lot has happened since then, and the market has been flooded with cheaper "super-tactiles" that are as good as (and sometimes even better) than the OG Holly Pandas. But the story of how the whole super-tactile switches got started will always be interesting regardless.
Never have I EVER seen such a high-quality channel like yours. The old Windows OS theme during the notification about YOK panda stock was brilliant. Got a little chuckle out of me hahah
@@IOSam You easily earned a sub from me based purely on the absolutely immaculate video presentation, the info was concise but thorough and the data was well organised. Keep it man, i'll be around for quite some time! and keep the retro computing gag going, I love it! such a unique thing ya have goin'. I hope this channel explodes cause the production value and your efforts are certainly is deserving of that! 🤘 Edit: if possible, would you be able to do a review/breakdown/comparison on the deskeys films with different switches and film types! got myself some deskey films for my first custom mech build and I'm curious as to how they perform with the likes of the Glorious Panda switches vs say Zilent, Zelios, NK, and INVYR to name a few
@@MaliceOfRites Thank you so much man!!! Highly appreciated! And yeah... the retro stuff has be a staple in my videos. If for nothing as else, as a reminder that I'm probably twice as old than most PC peripherals UA-camrs out there (and I have actually used all this retro stuff myself!)... 😂 My next switch video will be an even bigger endeavor that this Holy Pandas one was, where I'll compare some of the most hyped linear switches of the last couple of years (including vintage Cherry MX blacks no less!). On that one I'll try to show them all in stock, lubed and filmed form. Just trying to figure out how to do it without making the whole thing too complicated (since I'll be reviewing around 9 different switches). After that I'll go back to "super tactiles" to cover the remaining most hyped tactiles beyond Holy Pandas (Bobas, Zealios, T1s, Blueberries, etc) and than lastly (possibly next year) I'll cover soft tactiles (Cherry Clear, SP Star Purple, Outemy Sky, etc). I'll try to cover both these tactile batches in stock, lubed and filmed, but with these I'll try to show them also in "lightly lubed" and "heavily lubed" form as well, since this seems to be another point of contention for people. Oh, and I'm also preparing to cover vintage switches (circa 1988) restoration projects. I'll show how to restore vintage Cherry MX Blacks (currently working on these), Orange Alps (tactiles) and Cream Alps (damped linears). Then I'll install them on modern custom boards to check out the final results. So yeah... I have about two years worth of mechanical keyboard switches content planned for the channel. Given the long form nature of my videos, they'll obviously take a long time to produce, but once they're out, you can expect the same level of production quality you've seen here already.
@@IOSam Ohohoho all of that sounds amazing! I'm looking forward to each and every video. If i'm honest, after the amount of research i've done on the custom mech community, your videos have been the deciding factor for me in which switches to buy. Just as a little peek into what I chose, I went with the GMMK TKL with Glorious Panda switches, Deskey films, G-lube (it's affordable for me given my first time + more in the tub for less than Krytox is. Despite Krytox's reputation for being one of the best lubes on the market) and hyperX pudding keycaps for the extra flair. Never built a custom Mech before so here's hoping it goes well. All in all, cost around £180 for all the kit (just over $200 I believe) in your opinion, is it a good set up for a first timer despite the modding that needs to be done?
@@MaliceOfRites I think you could not have picked better parts for a first build! I like the GMMK so much that I picked it to be my first video on this channel, for my silent keyboard build for office use, which still is my daily driver for work. Glorious did an amazing job to put together a crazy value hot-swappable board that covers almost all the bases! While the market for hot-swappable keyboards has been growing a lot, the original GMMK barebones might still be the best value out there after all these years since it was launched (way back in 2016), specially if you need ISO layout (which I'm asuming you do in the UK). Glorious Pandas are also a phenomenal value for a super tactile switch if you're willing to lube them. As for the G-lube, while I have never tried it myself, I've seen reviews that show it to be good enough to do the job. So, again, for its price it is great value! And finaly, for the keycaps, puding keycaps is a good choice if you want to get the most out of the GMMK's SMD LEDs through an opaque switch such as the Glorious Panda. If you had gone with traditional Matrix or Razer's backlit sets in this case, you probably would get slightly dimmed lights coming through. So here again, I think you made a good choice (not to mention this HyperX set for around US$25 is a steal!) 👍
😂 You're welcome! You know, when I was producing that video I was so shocked by how loud the stabs were in the recording that I almost didn't include those sound tests. But then in the end it worked out fine as comic relief. So, it's all good...
When I lube the spring I put it length wise on the tweezer(closed) then let them open. It’s easier to hold on too and you can even sit them up right (most will balance) You can build up a nice little pre coat on the tweezer tips. Only concern would be just make sure your tweezers aren’t super super wide open to where it deforms the spring
Yeah, I think I’ve seen someone lubing springs individually like this in a video sometime in the past… But I never tried exactly for the reason you mentioned there: I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to control the tension on the tweezer and end up deforming the spring (making it more “oval”). But I can see that if you get the gist of it, it would be easier to hit all sides of the spring evenly and thus lube it in a more consistent way.
I love Yok Holy Pandas! They are the best sounding Tactile switches I have ever tried! And I just checked and it seems you can still get the black Yoks (a.k.a. the "Trash Pandas") at Novelkeys [ novelkeys.xyz/collections/switches/products/yok-panda-switches ] and the Yok Polar Pandas at Kinetic Labs [ kineticlabs.store/switches/bsun/polar-pandas ]. So there is still time :)
Your videos are awesome! I appreciate the time and effort this would take to do all the research, lubing and testing. Thank you for such great content.
Your feedback is highly appreciated!!! Thank you for checking out my channel and I hope you stick around for much more content to come (new video dropping this week! :).
Thank you!!! Yok Holy Pandas are my favorite as well! By the way, the video where I install them on a very nice board will come sometime in Q3. Stay tuned! ;)
Stabilizers improved sooo much on budget and entry level mechanical keyboards since I made this video... If you buy a NK65 today, it comes stock with very good stabs out of the box. But just 2 and 1/2 years ago, things were bleak in that department! 😂
Wow thank you man!!! Not sure I'd ever deserve such honor!! But I'm humbled by your kind words and happy to think this video has been helpful to you! 🙏
I wasn't expecting that much quality. It's just great, every aspect of the video and was surprized it's the second one. You earned a sub. Just a question: yok pandas can be done with any yok panda switch, like the trash panda?
Haha... Thank you man!!! Appreciated!!! Answering your question: yes. Any Yok Panda (regardless of color, spring weight or type of stem) will work to make Yok Holy Pandas, since they all share the same housing materials and the same leaf spring design.
As a Topre user for several years, I just got some Holy Pandas and, while everyone online said they don't really compare to Topres, I was shocked at how much they inidially did, just putting a keycap on and testing it out. I still haven't gotten the board they're supposed to go into, so I don't know if that will remain the case for long. They are a bit more difficult to initially press than my 45g Topre board.
While the “discovery” of the Holy Panda was an accident, the end-result was indeed the closest thing to a Topre’s tactility we had ever experienced in the Cherry MX compatible world. I have both 55 and 45 grams Topres here, and while the 55g still feels heavier and more tactile, the HP is very close to the 45g in terms of actuation force and tactility. After the “Holy Pandas fever” of a few years ago, I think the switch that got the Topre feel closer than any other has been the Gazzew Boba U4T (or the silent U4 if you want to also get Topre’s soft bottom out feeling), that manages to get closer to a 55g Topre in terms of tactility (for those who also like the 55’s heavier feel).
I was always told to never lube the well because you can end up getting suction. Anyway, I have my board I built, a simple GK61 build and I used Glorious Pandas. And they are great. I don't really hear the ping. But maybe my ears aren't sensitive enough to hear it. I have spend a lot of time around guns and loud music so.......... Anyway, this is a cool video. It actually taught me some stuff I didn't know about my own switches. And, it shows how much Glorious actually does have some integrity. When called out trying to make "Holy Pandas" theirs', they backed off and apologized. I think that was cool of them.
Yeah… I’ve been hearing that for years now and, like with everything in life, this is not as cut and dry as “keyboard influencers” out there try to paint it… While lubing the well (or the slider of the stem) can create a vacuum that will sound and feel bad, unless you overlube it, the vacuum (or air bubbles) will eventually work themselves out and the switch will operate normally after a while. But the reason why I still lube the well to this day is because doing it (correctly) can make an enormous difference in smoothness, since it doesn’t take much to realize that the majority of friction in the switch slider operation happens right there. So, the way I do this today (which was not something I knew when I put out this video literally years ago now) is to use an eyelash micro-brush instead of a regular oil-painting brush to lube switches, which helps you to put the perfect amount of lube with the right consistency every time. With a micro-brush I can confidently lube the well with a tiny amount of lubricant that forms an invisible layer between the well and the slider that works wonders in smoothing the switch operation and does not trap bubbles nor creates vacuum. As for the leaf spring ping on the Glorious Panda, many other tactile switches from other manufacturers suffer from the same issue… Which derives from the fact that the leaf spring has to be stiff for these super-tactile switches do their thing, and that extra stiffness results in extra resonance of the leaf when it snaps back to its original position on the upstroke (the reason why the “original” Holy Panda didn’t suffer from that problem in the same level is because it is less tactile and has a softer leaf spring). So, this is not something particular just to Glorious tactile switches and it is not something that bothers most people from what I have been able to observe in the last couple of years (most people cannot even detect much louder spring pings in Cherry switches for example). And your point about how Glorious handled the backlash with the “holy panda” branding debacle, I agree with you (I even went into more details in a Blog post I wrote at the time that you can read here 👉 www.iosamfranco.com/post/imho-the-glorious-holy-panda-controversy ). Glorious managed to grow as quickly as they did because they were very quick and very aggressive when tackling new markets, and that meant they were much more prone to ask for forgiveness than asking for permission when releasing new products. Having said that, they always at least try to fix whatever they break in the process, which is more than can be said of most businesses today.
@@IOSam Great reply. And thanks for it. I know it was a long time ago but I just started modding/building, so a lot of that was new to me. This actually gave me even more understanding of the switch and lubing. I REALLY love the upward pop GPs have. They sound great (to me) and they have a smooth, rounded feeling, but it's "poppy". And I love the "clack" that they produce. Now, I lubed them myself. But, I didn't lube the leaf or the well. And, I'm an artist. So, while painting isn't my favorite medium, I can do it. So when it comes to lubing, it felt natural to me. It's like micro painting with clear paint. Or, that's just a connection I made because it was easier than I thought it would be. I used a mix of SuperLube and regular dielectric grease. But, I made sure to use a thinner mix on my switches, and a thicker mix on my stabs. (Something else I was told to do). I also used foam in the bottom, and got a silicone gasket. Then left the middle screw undone. So it sounds great to me. I went from stock boards, to a modded Ducky One2 Mini, to my own build. (Segway) I switched from my Ducky One2 Mini, and I actually did a pretty good job of lubing the MX Browns without de-soldering them. They are super quiet, but I lost a lot of the upstroke that I like about tactile switches. And "blues", (clicky), while really easy to type with, just sound like pure rattle to me now. Anyway, thank you for the comment. I'll check out your other videos. This was really helpful on it's own. And, I might do a slight re-lubing (hitting the wells) when I upgrade the stabs and case. I do need to get better at putting hot-swap switches in, though. Because I ruined like, 5 switches by pushing them in, seeing that they didn't work, then pulled them only to see that I had completely coiled a pin. So I couldn't even straighten them. Okay.... Sorry this is so long. Thanks again. Super cool of you, helping me out like this.
Yes, I heard that even the supposedly unlubed version of the Glorious switch now seems to have a thin machine applied layer of oil in the metal leaf to damp the metal reverb that causes ping (kinda like Invyr already does with theirs). Glorious tends to listen to critics and eventually smooth out the edges on subsequent versions of their products. Which is something I do appreciate about them!
Nice Video! The only thing what is not optimal is that the logo of your chanal when im waching on fullscreen is over the soundmesure thing (i dont now the name in englisch😅), so I can't read this. Besides that I coud not tell that you have not more supscribers. This video is 👌🙃
Oh thank you for pointing that out!!! I'm fixing that right away (I can remove the "channel bug" from the video corner). I really appreciate the feedback!
Thank you so much!! And yeah... My videos take many days to produce (which is why I cannot publish as often as I would like). But maybe one day I can do this full time and put out videos more often... At any rate, there is a new one droping this Friday. So, stay tuned! :)
@@IOSam Glad to hear, the quality and editing is really satisfying/professional. As someone who started making their own mechanical keyboards the sound test with lube/without is nice. But also doing a test with and without films is amazing. Nobody seems to do film test and it really can alter the sound profile
What do you think about the Feker Holy Pandas? I recently got some and found them to be pretty amazing for the price. This leads me to my next question: Feker opted for two-stage springs on their Pandas. I found this idea kinda brilliant, as it makes the switches very linear in actuation force, which I like, but it's different from what Holy Panda switches in the past used to be like. Any thoughts on multi-stage springs on Pandas? Great video!
Thanks Alpay!!! Appreciated!! While I have not tried any of the Feker switches yet (I might have to, considering how many times people mention it :), I have tried Tecsee switches with those two stage springs. And I do like them! But then, I also liked the traditional "progressive" springs from Halo switches before, which kinda resembles the two stage springs (albeit without the clearer "shift" from lighter to heavier that two stage springs have). I can totally recommend two stage springs to anyone who didn't like the linear weight progression from the original Halo switches (and found them too heavy) AND doesn't care about bottoming out every stroke. The whole point of progressive springs (which most two stages are) is to dissuade you from bottoming out (thus making you a faster/better typist on mechanical keyboards) without feeling too heavy up to the actuation point. Really clever design!
@@IOSam Thanks a lot for the opinion!!! Since I discovered different spring types I've been experimenting and was wondering what your opinion on the topic was, as you seem to be quite the expert and know a whole lot more than I do. Very insightful!
What are the stab pads you are using? It looks so clean and professional. I have been putting off the band-aid mod on my labor of love, because the board doesn't have a cut just needs some padding.
Those stickers ate "Adhesive Non-Slip Grips for Quilt Templates". Check out the Amazon link for it in the comments section above. These things are amazing for fixing stabs! Super clean and easy to install.
are polar pandas a "blue mx" version of the glorious panda switches? wondering which panda switch is the direct competitor to classic blue mx switches. also, would these fit in a thermaltake level 20 keyboard?
Not really. All "panda" switches are very tactile, but without the clicky sound you get on a Cherry MX Blue (think of a Cherry MX Brown, but with a much stronger tactile bump). The blue color of the Polar Pandas I showed in the video is just decoration... It doesn't mean it is clicky like Cherry MX Blues. In the world of enthusiast mechanical switches, the most used and recommended clicky switches are the Kailh Box White (my favorite, that has a softer click) and the Kailh Box Navy (stiffer and louder). I'll have a keyboard build with Kailh Box Whites here in the channel sometime this year. As for replacing the switches on a Thermaltake Level 20, you can't simply remove them without desoldering the switches, since the Level 20 is not a keyboard with "hot-swappable" switch sockets, such as the GMMK I used here ( ua-cam.com/video/3s4ruFFqmqo/v-deo.html ) or the NK65EE I used here ( ua-cam.com/video/Q20b4RhC2ao/v-deo.html ). If you would be willing to open you keyboard and desolder its factory installed switches (assuming you have desoldering equipment), you technically could use any switch that has a Cherry MX standard size and pin layout (such as the Holy Pandas I showed on the video, for example).
🤣🤣🤣 Thank you!!! And yeah... I admit I may have gone a bit overzealous in my dissection there... But fear not! The switch "ripper" will come back soon to dissect some super hyped linears as well ;) Stay tuned...
Yeap! You got that right... That would be the Gazzew Boba U4. But if you go with the Bobas, you don't even have to worry about getting Panda Housings, since the Boba housing is pretty the same thing (shape and materials). In fact, I'd say that if you're in the market for some silent Holy Pandas, look no further than the Boba U4! Amazing switch!!!
Thank you! Oh the problem there was that when I recorded the first typing tests I didn't expect the spacebar rattle to be so loud on the recordings (my microphone is really sensitive!). And by the time I finished tuning the NK65's stabs I had already soldered the other Pandas to other keyboards... But I'll have both Invyr and Yok Pandas returning to other videos soon (in their respective final destination keyboards with pristinely tuned stabs), so you'll still be able to hear them on this channel! ;)
Haha... Yeah... We're just a new channel... :) But thanks to viewers like you, this channel is growing fast! So, we'll get bigger numbers eventually...
Hi Simon! You don't need to, since the Glorious Panda housing is pretty tight, but you certainly can if you want to tone down the noise from the switch a notch. For Glorious Pandas I suggest you use 0.125mm TX films (that are thinner than regular 0.15mm films) which should fit the GPs without making it too difficult to close back the switch. You can get these from Divinikey (divinikey.com/collections/switch-films/products/tx-switch-films?variant=39414188572737).
I bought the drop invyrs, and the glorious pandas, I heard the fekker ones suck, and I've never heard of yok. Both unlubed I think, but I ordered glorious lube along with them, though I've got no idea how to apply it I'm sure you just smear the stuff on their with a brush, doesn't seem like rocket science just tedious. Ordered a bunch of others, notable other pair of interesting ones are boba gazzew u4t clear and black and the new(I think) boba gazzew LT Lol this man weighs out his lube like dealers weigh out drugs Liked video and added to watch later so I know how to lube them right when the time comes.
Considering how freaking expensive Krytox lubricants are, it’s not a coincidence one has to use a high precision milligram scale that is normally used to weight other far more “interesting” substances… 😂😂😂 But on a more serious note, Gazzew Boba U4 (silent tactile), U4T (regular tactile), Bobagum (silent linear) and LT (regular linear) are some of the best switches in the market right now in my humble opinion… I have boards with all of them except for the LT. These are all truly “end-game” material that put to shame any “original” Holy Pandas (Gazzew switches were launched after the “Holy Panda fever” of 2019, so he clearly improved on the design of those older switches). At any rate, thanks for the like! And whenever you decide to work on lubing your Panda and Gazzew switches, don’t hesitate to ask any questions here or on my sub-reddit (www.reddit.com/r/IOSam ) and I’ll be happy to assist!
Sure! The switch opener I use is the KBDFANS X AI03 2-IN-1 Aluminum Switch Opener that is currently available on Drop ( drop.com/buy/kbdfans-x-ai03-2-in-1-aluminum-switch-opener?referer=J2NSDA ). This one has two parts that allow you to open both Cherry/Gateron style and Kailh style switches. The lube station I used you can also find on Drop ( drop.com/buy/mstone-acrylic-mechanical-switch-lube-station?referer=J2NSDA ). The nylon brushes are Wooster #2( ebay.us/z3CMXG ). The lubes I use, Krytox 205 G2 and 105, I buy in bulk here ( ebay.us/LZVHKH ) and here ( ebay.us/yS0ObN ). These three eBay links are from a seller I trust and have bought from them many times (Zoro).
@@danieltiger8789 Oh, and if you're going to lube Glorious Pandas for just one keyboard, you can also buy just a small tube of Krytox 205 G0 ( ebay.us/H2qlw6 ), instead of buying the 205 G2 and the 105 in bulk to mix them like I do. Mixing lube bought in bulk is a good deal if you know you'll be lubing more than one keyboard, but for a single job you can go straight to the 205 G0.
THIS MAN SINGLE HANDEDLY HAS MORE OF AN BETTER PRODUCTION THAN HALF THE UA-camRS WITH MILLIONS! Bravooooo, Telling people about how to make the best krytox lube yourself for cheaper damn!!!, Also what about your opinion on ebay holy pandas, or even the fekker ones?
😂 Thanks man!!! Appreciated! While I got started with this channel mostly to have some fun with my favorite hobbies, I still feel compeled to reward my viewers' time with quality content. Feels like a fair deal to me! ;) As for the "Feker" switches, while I have never tried them before, I'll admit I had some good LOL moments watching some of their reviews here on UA-cam... And while we've seen dozens of HP clones in the last few years, the Feker Pandas definitely take the cake as the most shameless attempt to copy the original design!
Hey there! Happy to know this video is still helping people in 2023!! :) They all feel slightly better after lubed, since Pandas are not exactly super smooth switches. I guess it all depends on how sensitive you are to switch smoothness (if you're used to lubed switches, you'll notice). But here, because these switches are so tactile, the bump ends up almost completely masquerading any change in the smoothness brought by the lubricant. On sound, other than the Glorious (that can sound better when lubed) the Invyr and Yok sound were barely affected by lubing.
@@yanhuan1 I'd say so, yes. Glorious Pandas are cheaper, easily available worldwide, and can be bought pre-lubed. Hard to go wrong if you like tactiles.
This is a really in depth and nice dive into the look for the switches, I really enjoyed it :) I was just wondering if you would be interested in checking out some "holy bobas" by any chance? I built some couple months ago (typing on them atm), and the sound profile is very similar to what was shown here, and also being very tactile. Anways, keep up the nice work, looking forward to your future projects.
Thank you man! Appreciated!!! I really liked how this video came out and I already have a few other "switch guides" planned for this year: one about how to restore Vintage Cherry MX Blacks, another one comparing some popular linear switches and will also do one for "mid-tactility" ones (similar to Cherry MX Clears). While I have not tried the Holy bobas yet, I have some Gazzew Bobas on their way to me as we speak. I'll play around with them and try different stems and springs (I heard they are great basis for all sorts of switch modding!). So there is a good chance they will be featured in a future video here later this year... ;)
If you're willing to lube the switches, the Glorious is a good option for the price. If you don't want to lube, then I'd suggest you get Durock T1 or Koala (from Aliexpress) or C3Equalz Kiwis (from TheKey.company), since those already come pre-lubed for you.
@@IOSam Thanks I bought some Kiwis witch I really like but then tried some dusk pandas lubed w/3203, which is my favorite tac at the moment. I did have to lube behind the leaf though to remove the horrible crunch the Dusk pandas had, but are amaing in sound and feel now.
Thank you! I'm still in the process of building my collection of switches for more comparisson videos later on. But I already have some Jades on their way to me as well ;)
I can't give an honest opinion on those, since I have not tried them myself. But based on the opinions of some other reviewers out there who did try them, I'd probably go for other budget switches with better QC. My budget Panda recommendation at the moment is the Tecsee Purple Panda ( www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002462284350.html ). These are solid "super tactile" switches that have been very well reviewed accross the board. And my super budget recommended switches now are the Akko CS line: amzn.to/2UDf25a They offer heavy and light linears (green and red) and tactile (blue). While the Akko CS Ocean Blue doesn't give you the "super tactility" of a "Panda style" switch, they do have good QC and are very smooth.
Great video, I am looking at making a super heavy switch 210g and trying to find the heaviest tactile switch so it would survive that sort of spring any recommendations?
210g??? 🤣 That will be quite a workout!!! LOL I think the heaviest tactiles I've seen are the original Cherry MX Clears, that had (maybe they still do?) a 95g bottom out force (with 65g actuation). Since then, the only other tactile MX clone with a heavy-ish spring (78g) is one variety of Zealios V2. The problem with going too heavy on tactiles is that the heavier the spring gets, the less you'll feel its tactility, which is the reason why people started making "ergo Clears" back in the day (replacing the heavy springs of the MX Clears with a ligher ones from MX Blues or Browns), so they could better feel the tactile bump. So I think that if you put anything heavier than 100g bottom out force on a tactile switch, you might run the risk of "linearizing" them to some extent.
Since you helped me a ton last time and my keyboard came out AMAZING, I want to build a new one with some better switches. I want to stay tactile switches but what's the most thocc switches have you used?
You should check out Gazzew Bobas U4T ( www.ashkeebs.com/product/gazzew-u4t-boba-switches/ ). They sound amazing and you can get them for around $0.60 per switch plus shipping, which is not a bad deal at all for a tactile that sounds better than any Holy Panda out there.
Thank you! In my opinion Zilents (and Zealios for that matter) are noticeably more tactile than any of the Holy Pandas I tried in this video. In a scale from 0 to 10 (where 0 is linear and 10 is extreme tactility), I'd give these switches the following grades: Cherry MX Brown: 1 Cherry MX Clear: 3 Invyr Holy Panda: 4 Glorious Panda: 4 Holy Yok Panda: 5 Mathias Quiet Click (ALPS style): 5 NovelKeys Blueberry: 6 Zilent/Zealios: 7 Cherry MX Blue (clicky): 8 Kailh Box White (clicky): 8 Kailh Box Royal: 8 Kailh Box Jade (clicky): 9 Kailh Box Navy (clicky): 10 IBM buckling spring... 11 (ua-cam.com/video/4xgx4k83zzc/v-deo.html 🤘😆) The biggest advantage of the Zilents is, of course, how unbelievably quiet they are compared to any other tactile switch I have ever tried.
@@SamBoga No problem, that's what I'm here for! 😉👍 I'd put Gat browns in the same tactility level of Cherry MX Browns (a 1 in my scale), which is to say, they are barely tactile. Although I do prefer Gats because of their smoothness (if compared to Cherry). Next, I’d give the Outemu Ice a grade 2 for tactility, which means it is more tactile than browns, but less than Cherry Clears. And lastly, I’d give the Outemu Sky a grade 3 for tactility, which is equivalent to Cherry Clears, but with a slightly lighter spring (more like the “Ergo Clear” frankenswitch). Both Outemus (Ice and Sky) have tactile bumps that feel rounder than Holy Pandas (the bump is longer, it finishes almost at the end of the travel)., which might be the reason why they feel a bit less tactile than HPs. One thing to notice about these two variations of Outemu switches though, is that while they have good housings and stems, I don’t particularly like their springs, so you might consider swapping them for some aftermarket ones and you should definitely lube them to improve their sound!
While I never tried Outemu's Gold and Clear, I can assure you that pretty much any MX style switch will usually feel and sound better if lubed. And I'd even say that cheap switches stand to benefit the most, since they are more likely to have noisy springs and scratchy housings. So, I'm confident to say that if you can lube these Outemu switches, you should definitely do it.
In this video you mentioned lubing the top housing to lower the pitch of the upstroke. What type of lube do you think works best for this? I'm new to the hobby and have found that I love topre and wanted to buy one. I've decided that I'd like to keep the clack sound on the upstroke (as opposed to applying silencing rings) but I wanted to lower the pitch and am not sure which lube is best for this.
For lubing the top housing with the specific goal of reducing noise (by lowering the pitch), I'd say you can safely go with Krytox 205 G0 (which is very thick) for all types of switches (linears and tactiles), since the lube in this part of the switch will not interfere with the speed and feel of the stem trajectory. It will instead just help to "stop" the stem from hitting the top housing with too much force (thus changing the noise profile). You can use the thinner Krytox 204 (or the equivalent Tribosys 3204) if that's all you have, but I'd say that the thicker 205 will be more effective to change the switch sound. I'd avoid using oils (such as Krytox 105) for the top housing, since they are more likely to run to the bottom of the switch with time and use. Oh, I have a Topre Realforce review coming in February as well! ;)
@@IOSam Do you think a mostly grease solution or a more balanced solution (like 205g0) is better? Since you recommend against oil and I'm guessing more grease will be even thicker than 205g0. Looking forward to your realforce review, your videos so far have been fantastic!
@@Zentennen The balanced solution (205 G0 or the equivalent 50/50 mix of 205 G2 & 105 that I use) is safer than applying pure 205 G2 for example, since the G2 it's so thick that depending on how much you apply, it could make the stem feel stuck on the top.
@@Zentennen I wouldn't say adhesive, but after you go over a certain level of thickness, the grease can sometimes create a vacuum or suction effect, between the small area between the top housing and the stem, that can make the stem feel a bit stuck on the top (which would hurt the consistency of the stem travel), depending on the application. So, I would not use 205 G2 without diluting it a bit with 105. If you are careful with the application (to avoid over-lubing), you can try 60/40 or even a 70/30 ratio (although I would not go over that) to see how that affects the sound and the feel of the switch. Then you could fine tune it from there to get the result you want. If you don't like it, you can always go back with a clean brush and remove the excess grease.
I never said they feel the same. What I said was that in a "blind and deaf test MOST PEOPLE would never be able to tell the difference between Glorious Pandas, Invyr or Yok Holy Pandas" 👉 ua-cam.com/video/AfdfJ5jq6qM/v-deo.html If you can tell the difference, it's because you're not "most people" and you're probably an enthusiast that dedicates time and money precisely to be able to tell such differences apart in mechanical keyboards' switches. These 3 switches obviously sound different (I showed that myself on my video) and do feel different, but not as much so that any "normie" out there would be able to tell such difference in blind tests (if you don't believe me, just remember how wrong most non-keyboard-enthusiast tech guys/gals got switches blind tests on LTT: ua-cam.com/video/dqai0_nnTgs/v-deo.html ).
If you mean the black linear stems that come with the Yoks, I don't really know what the material is. Honestly, it might difficult to find, since these are put there just as placeholders, since the manufacturer knows people will just throw these out... If you mean the Halo stems used to make the proper Holy Polar Panda, I'm 99% sure it is POM (not 100% because Drop.com doesn't officially disclose it, but it looks and feels like POM).
@@karlmeleontv I've never used them as linears, but I'm sure that if you put some smooth linear stems in them (say some POM or UHMWPE ones), they'll feel good. But then they'll feel a bit on the heavy side (because of their heavy leaf springs). The issue in this case is price... YOKs are very expensive as is (plus the price of some decent stems and you're over $1 per switch), and with the huge variety of cheap and incredibly smooth linear switches out there (JWKs), it would be hard to justify making linear frankenswitches with the expensive YOKs or Invyrs.
I've been using Kailh Box Silent Brown switches for a little while now, and they are just too..darned..tactile. I think I'm going to get some Glorious Pandas..and some lube.
If you want to go with a rounder and smoother tactility, I'd say the Glorious Panda is not a bad choice. But, if you want to go for something even more rounded, you could go with a Cherry MX Clear style of switch, such as the Outemu Sky, SP Star, Kinetic Labs Penguin or TKC Dragon Fruit.
So true! Gazzew Bobas have taken the market by storm in the last few months and U4 and U4Ts are now my recommended tactiles (and silent linears as well with their Bobagums). Who would've thunk that Outemu would eventually make such a banger of a switch, eh? XD
I feel like I started this hobby thinking I needed the smoothest linear and most tactile tactile: holy pandas, inks, alpacas, zealios, and such. Now I think all of those switches are just ehh. Favorite linears are creams and tactiles are ergo clears. Choosing a switch by preference I feel is so under looked in this hobby, too much hype about maximizing everything.
I hear ya... Typing on Creams right now and have been enjoying an Ergo Clear clone (SP Stars) on another board and I agree with you that more of anything (tactility in this case) is not necessarily better. While I can enjoy Holy Pandas for what they are, I don't think they are for everybody. For most people interested in "super tactiles" I have actually been recommending T1s for less than half the price and none of the lubing work. But that was one of my goals with this video (and others I'm currently working on): try to show things in a dispassionate manner and present the best objective and subjective information I can (always giving context) and show the cost/benefit side of things while leaving all the hype aside whenever possible. While I love this hobby, I do not necessarily share the same elitist views that some other members of the community have for the most hyped, exclusive and expensive products and I hope my other videos in this channel can make that abundantly clear to my viewers.
True... There is indeed a big difference between a sound test, with a super sensitive microphone in an accoustically treated room, and our regular day-to-day keyboard use in a normal environment. Here, I showed these switches in the worst possible case (in a super quiet room) but I also doubt I would be able to hear the ping on my noisy office for example.
I remember using a IIsi running OS7 (that was pre-powerPC days) at my first internship job in a consulting firm in 1996 (I'm old 😂)! Three and 1/2 years later I tried the first generation iMac (with a teal translucent back) running OS9. And now I need a G4 Tower just for old times sake... 😂😂
@@IOSam Mac OS 7 I think it was installed on the 5300 just released but I was only 4 years old. The time it took me to understand how to open Warcraft and Maraton I was already a few years older and then I started playing with the Mac from 9, as I tell you as soon as you saw the intro you made me jump into the past! I forgot about the colored folders and the Netscape icon! I've always liked the G4, I should have the monitor somewhere too! But for me the best of all is the G5, wow, if I could I'd do a build with that!
i like your video but it will help if you make it into 4 10 min videos that released once a week or so greet work i know you will be big time if you continue on making videos
You know, that is a good point that you raise here... As someone who does not work as a full time UA-camr I always debated between: a) editing the whole story in a single video and offering the whole thing at once (like a Netflix series where you can watch as much as you want in a single binge) and be done with it for a while; or b) put an extra amount of editing work to split the videos into smaller episodes and then dose them out more sparsely (like an HBO series, where you have to wait for the next episode). Some people say the second option will please the UA-cam algorithm more than the first, but I always wondered if my viewers would prefer that (and if they would have the patience to wait for weeks on end to get the whole story). This might be something I'll have to experiment with to find out what works best for the channel and for the viewers. Thank you for the valuable feedback!!! (oh, and yeah… there are a ton of other videos being produced right now! :)
Yeah, I know... It's just that it feels like 2 of those (expensive) drops end up stuck in the walls of the plastic bag instead of the springs 😕 Turns out I'm a cheap SOB with my Krytox 😂
Haha... True! That's why fair warning (30:41) was absolutely required here! 😂 But jokes aside (and "preference" notwithstanding, of course) the stiff springs of HPs at least hold well under heavy lubing, so they don't feel sluggish IMHO. But I agree with you that overlubing basically mutes the switch completely, which will please those who want their MX switches to sound like Topre, but will disgust everybody else for sure... XD
This video covers everything we need to know about these switches. Can't imagine how much time and effort you put into it but we appreciate it. Great video you earned a sub
Thank you for the words and for the sub! I'm commited to keep the same level of quality and details in all my videos in this channel, so I hope you enjoy your time here!
And yes... These videos indeed take a reeeaaally long time to make! 😂 But I'm having fun making them, so that's what matters in the end...
Please make more videos! I was hooked since the GMMK one, and was surprised it was your first!
Thank you my good sir!!! Highly appreciated! From the beginning I set out to only release videos I can be really proud of. As a result, I end up putting a lot of time and work into each one.
At this point (when I'm still learning the UA-cam "ropes" so to speak), I still don't have a video release schedule yet, but that is coming later this year.
At any rate, I have two more in production right now and the next one (reviewing the NovelKeys NK65) will drop sometime next week. So, stay tuned! ⏳
The amount of work went into this video is insane!
Hehe... You'd be right about that! :)
It took me literally months to produce this video in the end of 2020.
this was awesome, love the depth you went into on each switch. Would love to see a comparison of other switches.
Thank you! After the great feedback I'm getting for this video, you can bet I'll make more switch comparissons like these again! ;)
My next switch video will be all about Vintage Cherry MX Blacks, and it's gonna be another one pack-full of information. And then I'm planning a roundup of linear switches (Tealios vs. Inks vs. JWKs) after that.
This video is AMAZING. By far the best comparison video I've seen. Gone down the rabbit hole these past couple of days and back and forth on a lot of things, but your videos have helped me understand things SO MUCH BETTER than anyone else did. Can't wait for more videos and for you to continue getting the recognition you deserve. THANK YOU!
Thank you mate!!! Highly appreciate your words! And I'm glad to know this video was helpful (that's what motivates content creators like me to put in the work into these videos :).
By the way, I'm finishing rendering my new video now (a week later than planned LOL)... NovelKeys NK65 Entry Edition review is coming tomorrow! ⌛
@@IOSam 👏Amazing! Can't wait for it
hey man- this is amazing content. the level of rigor here is just incredible and polish/editing is so 100. the trigger warning and the error bios boot made me lol.
if I could give just one piece of constructive criticism, I would just suggest using maybe a mouse click instead of a lighter for the calibrating sound, since it's a reference more people would recognize, esp. in the mech/PCMR space. optimum tech does this for his fan test videos and it seems to work well.
keep up the awesome stuff!
Ah thank you man! Loved the feedback!! Despite all the rigor, it's easy to tell I had a lot of fun putting this one together :)
As for the reference sound calibration, you do make a fair point! Zippo's trademark clicks are no longer in people's conscience anymore (unless for those that have been around for as long as I have 🤣). The reason why I was using them, was that they helped me to sync audio a bit better between my ZOOM recorder and my cameras footage (since they're considerably louder than a mouse click), but your point about people's familiarity with the mouse click still stands. Thanks again for the constructive criticism here! I really do appreciate it!
wow your videos are insanely high quality, crazy to think that this channel is still very new
Hey thank you so much!!! Yeap... Baby channel still, but I have been trying to keep the quality up there.
That unfortunately means less videos, of course (it takes waaay longer to produce them in this level), but I was always much more about quality than quantity anyway... XD
He really had us in the first half with that rattly spacebar in the sound tests XD
awesome video, I was just wondering how to fix that dang leaf spring on the glorious pandas and this video was all the info I needed and more!
Hehe… Thank you!!! And I swear the rattly space-bar was not planned when I wrote the script, but once I heard it… It was just begging for a gag like that! 😂
Love the smooth calm talking, reminds me of dave2D. 👍🏻 keep it up
Haha thank you!!! I'm flattered by the association! 😁🙏
Dude after he modded the stabs my god 😫 that space bar sounded so nice
Modding stabs... It's tedious work, but always worth it! ;)
really really great video man, was surprised to see how low the view count was when i clicked off the vid. really well put together, thorough, professional, great editing. this channel is gonna take off
Thank you sir!!! Loved the feedback!
And yeah... Just getting started here, so my videos are still mostly flying under UA-cam's (algorithm) radar for now.
But that's Ok, we're here for the long run! :)
Literally the best video switch review video I have ever seen in my life.
Wow, thanks a lot!!! And that might have been the best compliment I ever got for this video! 😁🙏
Thank you for being so comprehensive. Love the microscope images especially!
Thank you for the feedback!!! Yeah, the microscope images indeed make it so much easier to understand and compare the tactility and smoothness of keyboard switches. And there will be more of that in my next switches comparisson focused on linears (coming soon ;).
@@IOSam Looking forward to that! Thanks to this video, I'm making Holy Polar Pandas next weekend ^^
@@wijobu7385 Nice choice!!! My favorite "thocky" Holy Panda as well! I hope you enjoy building and using them (and let me know how it goes once you have them installed in your board).
I watched this entire video thinking you were someone with 500k subscribers who I'd somehow never come across.
Feels good to be somewhere I can legit say "I was there before they even had 1000 subs" and know that that will impress people in a little while.
🤣 Thank you man! I got a good laugh out of your comment now!
I appreciate your kind words immensely and would like to welcome you to this channel's humble beginnings.
This was exactly the video i needed right now
It told me about everything in-dept, and that is something you don't see every day
Glad to hear it!!! I know its a long video (and I know a lot of viewers can't handle anything longer than 10 minutes on UA-cam 😆), but I felt it was impossible to convey so much useful information in a short format video.
At any rate, I'm very happy to see so much positive feedback, such as yours, for these long format in-depth videos! So I guess I'll keep making them... :)
We need more content from this channel! I love the deep dives and background info.
Thank you Tim!!! Another doozy (over 1 hour long “documentary” 😂) is dropping this week in fact! Stay tuned...
@@IOSam That sounds great! I'm looking forward to it!
Really good and in-depth video. Also, you kind of saved me from buying Glorious Pandas, which were my least favorite of the bunch because of the spring ping. Thank you!
Glad I could help!!!
if you lube them the pinging sound somewhat goes away from what i know (you can barely hear it)
Okay, I'm new to this whole custom mechanical keyboard stuff, but this video was awesome.
Like man, the video was so informative, and at the same time so entertaining, that I could watch the whole thing without skipping.
And I absolutely lost my shit when I saw your subcount, as I thought you would be around 100k subs, like the quality of this video is just that high.
Please, keep up the awesome work!
Wow thank you so much for the feedback!!! And yeah... Channel still giving its baby steps... hehe! But we'll get there eventually.
What I can promise you is that all my videos will always have this same level of production and quality! So, stick around cause there is much more to come! ;)
This is definitely the most comprehensive video I have ever seen on a switch review. I can only imagine how much time it took you! Appreciate it mate, subbed :)
It did take a lot of work! 😂 But it was totally worth it! I was not 100% sure about making these videos regularly until I made this one and had so much fun that I decided I should keep doing them... And the feedback has been so incredibly positive that now I know I should really keep doing them! LOL
Thank you so much for your support and your sub! I hope you have as much fun watching my videos as I have making them!
That was an absolute masterpiece, such a pleasure to watch! Didn't even realize it was 45min until I finished it. You deserve way more views and I'm sure you'll get them! 👍
Wow thank you man!!! Loved the feedback!
I always get questioned about going with long form videos (and how much that can limit the growth of my channel on YT), but I'm basically making the types of videos I wanted to see but could never find before...
So, I've been super happy to see that I'm not alone in this regard! Going from 0 to 1.7k subs with just 5 videos is more than I could have ever hoped for!
And that 5 is about to become 6 soon: "GMMK Pro: The ultimate guide" is in the polishing phase and will hit the channel sometime next week :)
The long videos are exactly what we need! Always better to watch 1 good in-depth video than 5 which just scratch the surface and don't provide any new information.
1.7k and rising 👌
Looking forward to the new guide for sure!
@@elephantpants923 "better to watch 1 good in-depth video than 5 which just scratch the surface"
I could not have said it better myself! XD
Very good video, this channel is going to blow up
Thank you for your support! So far, I'm very happy with the feedback I'm getting and with the channel's growth with just 4 videos in. Much more to come!
Dude I was hating those stabs and really laugh with your mod gag. Great video, keep em coming!
Thanks man! I really wanted to keep the NK65 stock for this video, but those stabs were atrocious! At least it worked as comic relief.. 😂
Your vids are more informative than most other keeb builder. Keep this up and you’ll find yourself up their with others very soon!
Thank you so much for your support! I've been putting a lot of effort to make every minute of my videos count! As long as people enjoy this longer format (very in-depth reviews packed with information), I'll keep making these! :)
Don't bother lubing the leaf of your GP's, at least while gaming, I always have my headset on and I can barely hear the switch itself. And even when casually typing and not wearing my headset, I'll have to come close to my keyboard to actually hear the leaf spring.
True! While people freak out with ping noises on videos, we can't loose sight of the fact the microphones we use to record these sound tests are much more sensitive to these types of noises than our own ears (specially when gaming with headsets on).
But, as usual, it depends on each person's use case and preference, but I'd say for most people, the leaf ping noise might be drowned out in the "clacky" noises of most keyboards anyway and it might be less of a concern to them than to most enthusiasts.
AHAHAH... haha... ha... this is true for people not using open back headphones. I'm wearing hifiman anandas and oh boy they block out zero noise. I don't mind because I like the sound of my keyboard, but for people who like the feel but hate the sound, don't use very open back headphones.
Another terrific video! I can't sing your praises enough Sam. Fair, level-headed, no bullshit analysis of one of the most hyped products in the hobby. Good production value, super helpful information, thorough explanations... And more videos on the way! I'm sold, I'm subscribed, I've rung the bell, and I'm telling my friends. Thank you for making great, helpful, high-quality content.
Thank you so much for the kind words!!! It is feedback such as yours that inspire new content creators like me to put the crazy amount of work that it takes to makes these videos. Highly appreciated!!!
This was very well done. I am just getting into customs and wanted to find out the deal behind all the pandas and if I would like them . I have come to the conclusion that I am trying the Yoks. You, sir, should have more subs! Go to show how broken the YT algorithm is.
Thanks for the nice words Jerry!!! Very much appreciated! And I can say that my Yok Polar Pandas are still my favorite panda switches to this day (mostly for their deeper sound profile). If you can find them for a reasonable price, they're definitely a great pick for "super-tactile" switches!
As for the channel growth, I have to say I'm rather happy to see 10k subs after 2 years and just 21 videos... To be perfectly honest I never thought I'd get this many subs with my long format (and densely packed) videos considering how short attention spans are these days.
So I'm grateful for every single subscriber who has ever graced this channel with their viewership! 🙏
why'd youtube take so long to show me this channel? this is really high quality and relaxing content
Small channels have to work twice as hard for some UA-cam algo love... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
But I'm glad you found the channel (better late than never :)!!!
@@IOSam keep doing what you're doing man, the algorithm will bless you one of these days and i hope for the best.
This is such an informative and well-done video. Well done, such an underrated video/channel.
Thank you!!! Loved the feedback!
And yeah... New channel, so we are still in the process of convincing our UA-cam algorithm overlords... :)
But we're getting there...
very well edited! thank you for this review! still helpful in 2022!
Thank you!!! I'm amazed myself with the success of this video after all this time! It goes to prove that videos that tell a story (other than just review a product) are timeless and evergreen.
Surely a lot has happened since then, and the market has been flooded with cheaper "super-tactiles" that are as good as (and sometimes even better) than the OG Holly Pandas. But the story of how the whole super-tactile switches got started will always be interesting regardless.
Awesome would be a poor word to describe this video packed with quality information presented in an easily digested form factor.
Subbed!
Thanks for the kind words my good sir! Your time (and sub) is highly appreciated!!!
This format is so clean and very informative. subbed
Thank you so much (and welcome aboard)! Next video dropping very soon ⏳
Never have I EVER seen such a high-quality channel like yours. The old Windows OS theme during the notification about YOK panda stock was brilliant. Got a little chuckle out of me hahah
Thank you so much!!! And glad you liked that gag!! I have so much fun adding these retro computing "easter eggs" on my videos when I can! XD
@@IOSam You easily earned a sub from me based purely on the absolutely immaculate video presentation, the info was concise but thorough and the data was well organised. Keep it man, i'll be around for quite some time! and keep the retro computing gag going, I love it! such a unique thing ya have goin'. I hope this channel explodes cause the production value and your efforts are certainly is deserving of that! 🤘
Edit: if possible, would you be able to do a review/breakdown/comparison on the deskeys films with different switches and film types! got myself some deskey films for my first custom mech build and I'm curious as to how they perform with the likes of the Glorious Panda switches vs say Zilent, Zelios, NK, and INVYR to name a few
@@MaliceOfRites Thank you so much man!!! Highly appreciated! And yeah... the retro stuff has be a staple in my videos. If for nothing as else, as a reminder that I'm probably twice as old than most PC peripherals UA-camrs out there (and I have actually used all this retro stuff myself!)... 😂
My next switch video will be an even bigger endeavor that this Holy Pandas one was, where I'll compare some of the most hyped linear switches of the last couple of years (including vintage Cherry MX blacks no less!). On that one I'll try to show them all in stock, lubed and filmed form. Just trying to figure out how to do it without making the whole thing too complicated (since I'll be reviewing around 9 different switches).
After that I'll go back to "super tactiles" to cover the remaining most hyped tactiles beyond Holy Pandas (Bobas, Zealios, T1s, Blueberries, etc) and than lastly (possibly next year) I'll cover soft tactiles (Cherry Clear, SP Star Purple, Outemy Sky, etc). I'll try to cover both these tactile batches in stock, lubed and filmed, but with these I'll try to show them also in "lightly lubed" and "heavily lubed" form as well, since this seems to be another point of contention for people.
Oh, and I'm also preparing to cover vintage switches (circa 1988) restoration projects. I'll show how to restore vintage Cherry MX Blacks (currently working on these), Orange Alps (tactiles) and Cream Alps (damped linears). Then I'll install them on modern custom boards to check out the final results.
So yeah... I have about two years worth of mechanical keyboard switches content planned for the channel. Given the long form nature of my videos, they'll obviously take a long time to produce, but once they're out, you can expect the same level of production quality you've seen here already.
@@IOSam Ohohoho all of that sounds amazing! I'm looking forward to each and every video. If i'm honest, after the amount of research i've done on the custom mech community, your videos have been the deciding factor for me in which switches to buy.
Just as a little peek into what I chose, I went with the GMMK TKL with Glorious Panda switches, Deskey films, G-lube (it's affordable for me given my first time + more in the tub for less than Krytox is. Despite Krytox's reputation for being one of the best lubes on the market) and hyperX pudding keycaps for the extra flair. Never built a custom Mech before so here's hoping it goes well. All in all, cost around £180 for all the kit (just over $200 I believe)
in your opinion, is it a good set up for a first timer despite the modding that needs to be done?
@@MaliceOfRites I think you could not have picked better parts for a first build! I like the GMMK so much that I picked it to be my first video on this channel, for my silent keyboard build for office use, which still is my daily driver for work. Glorious did an amazing job to put together a crazy value hot-swappable board that covers almost all the bases!
While the market for hot-swappable keyboards has been growing a lot, the original GMMK barebones might still be the best value out there after all these years since it was launched (way back in 2016), specially if you need ISO layout (which I'm asuming you do in the UK).
Glorious Pandas are also a phenomenal value for a super tactile switch if you're willing to lube them. As for the G-lube, while I have never tried it myself, I've seen reviews that show it to be good enough to do the job. So, again, for its price it is great value!
And finaly, for the keycaps, puding keycaps is a good choice if you want to get the most out of the GMMK's SMD LEDs through an opaque switch such as the Glorious Panda. If you had gone with traditional Matrix or Razer's backlit sets in this case, you probably would get slightly dimmed lights coming through. So here again, I think you made a good choice (not to mention this HyperX set for around US$25 is a steal!) 👍
Thank you for fixing the stabs! The stock ones were killing me lmao.
😂 You're welcome! You know, when I was producing that video I was so shocked by how loud the stabs were in the recording that I almost didn't include those sound tests.
But then in the end it worked out fine as comic relief. So, it's all good...
When I lube the spring I put it length wise on the tweezer(closed) then let them open. It’s easier to hold on too and you can even sit them up right (most will balance) You can build up a nice little pre coat on the tweezer tips. Only concern would be just make sure your tweezers aren’t super super wide open to where it deforms the spring
Yeah, I think I’ve seen someone lubing springs individually like this in a video sometime in the past… But I never tried exactly for the reason you mentioned there: I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to control the tension on the tweezer and end up deforming the spring (making it more “oval”). But I can see that if you get the gist of it, it would be easier to hit all sides of the spring evenly and thus lube it in a more consistent way.
You deserve more subscribers. Great work.
Thank you!!! You can bet I'm working hard to get those subs in the coming months and years! ;)
Brother, thank you for providing a next level explanation + great high quality content.
You're totally welcome! And thank you for checking out the video and leaving such great feedback!!!
Such production quality! Amazing job!
What a great video! Too bad that the yok panda seem to be unavailable. That sound was *chef's kiss*
I love Yok Holy Pandas! They are the best sounding Tactile switches I have ever tried! And I just checked and it seems you can still get the black Yoks (a.k.a. the "Trash Pandas") at Novelkeys [ novelkeys.xyz/collections/switches/products/yok-panda-switches ] and the Yok Polar Pandas at Kinetic Labs [ kineticlabs.store/switches/bsun/polar-pandas ].
So there is still time :)
Your videos are awesome! I appreciate the time and effort this would take to do all the research, lubing and testing. Thank you for such great content.
Your feedback is highly appreciated!!! Thank you for checking out my channel and I hope you stick around for much more content to come (new video dropping this week! :).
Wow! Extremely thorough and informative. Definitely a sub and follow. Excited to see what you work on next!
Thank you sir! Highly appreciated sub and you'll not be disapointed with the content coming to the channel! :)
Great video analysis on the Holy War! Love the Yok Holy Panda's the best
Thank you!!! Yok Holy Pandas are my favorite as well!
By the way, the video where I install them on a very nice board will come sometime in Q3. Stay tuned! ;)
liked cuz u fixed the stock spacebar rattle
im not a mech enthusiast by any means but i appreciated the same sound and it was super annoying too!
Stabilizers improved sooo much on budget and entry level mechanical keyboards since I made this video... If you buy a NK65 today, it comes stock with very good stabs out of the box. But just 2 and 1/2 years ago, things were bleak in that department! 😂
God tier keyboard enthusiast, thanks for yr effort
Wow thank you man!!! Not sure I'd ever deserve such honor!!
But I'm humbled by your kind words and happy to think this video has been helpful to you! 🙏
Master class. Genuinely unbelievably well done.
Thank you so much for your time and your valued feedback!!! Highly appreciated!
Wow! This video is incredibly well made!
Thank you!!! Another one dropping in 30 minutes... ⏳😉
Insanely well put together video, thank you sir.
Thanks a lot man! And thank you for your time and for your much appreciated feedback!
Quality content!!! You're deserve a sub.
Thank you very much for the feedback and sub!!!
And welcome aboard!
I wasn't expecting that much quality. It's just great, every aspect of the video and was surprized it's the second one. You earned a sub. Just a question: yok pandas can be done with any yok panda switch, like the trash panda?
Haha... Thank you man!!! Appreciated!!!
Answering your question: yes. Any Yok Panda (regardless of color, spring weight or type of stem) will work to make Yok Holy Pandas, since they all share the same housing materials and the same leaf spring design.
As a Topre user for several years, I just got some Holy Pandas and, while everyone online said they don't really compare to Topres, I was shocked at how much they inidially did, just putting a keycap on and testing it out. I still haven't gotten the board they're supposed to go into, so I don't know if that will remain the case for long. They are a bit more difficult to initially press than my 45g Topre board.
While the “discovery” of the Holy Panda was an accident, the end-result was indeed the closest thing to a Topre’s tactility we had ever experienced in the Cherry MX compatible world. I have both 55 and 45 grams Topres here, and while the 55g still feels heavier and more tactile, the HP is very close to the 45g in terms of actuation force and tactility.
After the “Holy Pandas fever” of a few years ago, I think the switch that got the Topre feel closer than any other has been the Gazzew Boba U4T (or the silent U4 if you want to also get Topre’s soft bottom out feeling), that manages to get closer to a 55g Topre in terms of tactility (for those who also like the 55’s heavier feel).
this guy has 600 subs HOLY cow I was expecting to see at least 100k
😂 Thanks man! Happy to know the production effort is paying off!!
We're just getting started, but we'll get there eventually...
@@IOSam you really will bro there isn't a single doubt in my mind that you'll make it
HE REALLY GOT GLARSES PLAYING IN THE INTRO LMAOOO
Of course! Who else would be able to teach us where baby holy pandas come from??? 😂
I was always told to never lube the well because you can end up getting suction. Anyway, I have my board I built, a simple GK61 build and I used Glorious Pandas. And they are great. I don't really hear the ping. But maybe my ears aren't sensitive enough to hear it. I have spend a lot of time around guns and loud music so.......... Anyway, this is a cool video. It actually taught me some stuff I didn't know about my own switches. And, it shows how much Glorious actually does have some integrity. When called out trying to make "Holy Pandas" theirs', they backed off and apologized. I think that was cool of them.
Yeah… I’ve been hearing that for years now and, like with everything in life, this is not as cut and dry as “keyboard influencers” out there try to paint it…
While lubing the well (or the slider of the stem) can create a vacuum that will sound and feel bad, unless you overlube it, the vacuum (or air bubbles) will eventually work themselves out and the switch will operate normally after a while.
But the reason why I still lube the well to this day is because doing it (correctly) can make an enormous difference in smoothness, since it doesn’t take much to realize that the majority of friction in the switch slider operation happens right there.
So, the way I do this today (which was not something I knew when I put out this video literally years ago now) is to use an eyelash micro-brush instead of a regular oil-painting brush to lube switches, which helps you to put the perfect amount of lube with the right consistency every time. With a micro-brush I can confidently lube the well with a tiny amount of lubricant that forms an invisible layer between the well and the slider that works wonders in smoothing the switch operation and does not trap bubbles nor creates vacuum.
As for the leaf spring ping on the Glorious Panda, many other tactile switches from other manufacturers suffer from the same issue… Which derives from the fact that the leaf spring has to be stiff for these super-tactile switches do their thing, and that extra stiffness results in extra resonance of the leaf when it snaps back to its original position on the upstroke (the reason why the “original” Holy Panda didn’t suffer from that problem in the same level is because it is less tactile and has a softer leaf spring).
So, this is not something particular just to Glorious tactile switches and it is not something that bothers most people from what I have been able to observe in the last couple of years (most people cannot even detect much louder spring pings in Cherry switches for example).
And your point about how Glorious handled the backlash with the “holy panda” branding debacle, I agree with you (I even went into more details in a Blog post I wrote at the time that you can read here 👉 www.iosamfranco.com/post/imho-the-glorious-holy-panda-controversy ). Glorious managed to grow as quickly as they did because they were very quick and very aggressive when tackling new markets, and that meant they were much more prone to ask for forgiveness than asking for permission when releasing new products.
Having said that, they always at least try to fix whatever they break in the process, which is more than can be said of most businesses today.
@@IOSam Great reply. And thanks for it. I know it was a long time ago but I just started modding/building, so a lot of that was new to me.
This actually gave me even more understanding of the switch and lubing. I REALLY love the upward pop GPs have. They sound great (to me) and they have a smooth, rounded feeling, but it's "poppy". And I love the "clack" that they produce. Now, I lubed them myself. But, I didn't lube the leaf or the well. And, I'm an artist. So, while painting isn't my favorite medium, I can do it. So when it comes to lubing, it felt natural to me. It's like micro painting with clear paint. Or, that's just a connection I made because it was easier than I thought it would be.
I used a mix of SuperLube and regular dielectric grease. But, I made sure to use a thinner mix on my switches, and a thicker mix on my stabs. (Something else I was told to do). I also used foam in the bottom, and got a silicone gasket. Then left the middle screw undone. So it sounds great to me. I went from stock boards, to a modded Ducky One2 Mini, to my own build.
(Segway) I switched from my Ducky One2 Mini, and I actually did a pretty good job of lubing the MX Browns without de-soldering them. They are super quiet, but I lost a lot of the upstroke that I like about tactile switches. And "blues", (clicky), while really easy to type with, just sound like pure rattle to me now.
Anyway, thank you for the comment. I'll check out your other videos. This was really helpful on it's own. And, I might do a slight re-lubing (hitting the wells) when I upgrade the stabs and case.
I do need to get better at putting hot-swap switches in, though. Because I ruined like, 5 switches by pushing them in, seeing that they didn't work, then pulled them only to see that I had completely coiled a pin. So I couldn't even straighten them.
Okay.... Sorry this is so long.
Thanks again. Super cool of you, helping me out like this.
Also a month later glorious switches are available for purchase and in stock.
Yes! GPGR has finally fulfilled their promisse to offer these switches from inventory :)
I kinda like the leaf ting noise a little bit. Reminds me of when I go to the range.
Exactly! Sounds like a M1 Garand clip ejection! 😂
@@IOSam hahaha yes! 🤣 I think this just made my switch choice for my first keyboard.
I have some of the original "Holy" branded glorious pandas and some from later batches and the ping seems to be fixed in the later batches.
Yes, I heard that even the supposedly unlubed version of the Glorious switch now seems to have a thin machine applied layer of oil in the metal leaf to damp the metal reverb that causes ping (kinda like Invyr already does with theirs). Glorious tends to listen to critics and eventually smooth out the edges on subsequent versions of their products. Which is something I do appreciate about them!
Nice Video!
The only thing what is not optimal is that the logo of your chanal when im waching on fullscreen is over the soundmesure thing (i dont now the name in englisch😅), so I can't read this.
Besides that I coud not tell that you have not more supscribers. This video is 👌🙃
Oh thank you for pointing that out!!! I'm fixing that right away (I can remove the "channel bug" from the video corner). I really appreciate the feedback!
Loved the 45 minute video, I know this had to take hours to make :) hope you find youtube success
Thank you so much!! And yeah... My videos take many days to produce (which is why I cannot publish as often as I would like). But maybe one day I can do this full time and put out videos more often...
At any rate, there is a new one droping this Friday. So, stay tuned! :)
@@IOSam Glad to hear, the quality and editing is really satisfying/professional. As someone who started making their own mechanical keyboards the sound test with lube/without is nice. But also doing a test with and without films is amazing. Nobody seems to do film test and it really can alter the sound profile
Incredibly underrated video thought he had at least 70k subs
Hehe... Thank you so much!!!
And hey... Who knows? Maybe we'll get there some day ;)
What do you think about the Feker Holy Pandas? I recently got some and found them to be pretty amazing for the price.
This leads me to my next question: Feker opted for two-stage springs on their Pandas. I found this idea kinda brilliant, as it makes the switches very linear in actuation force, which I like, but it's different from what Holy Panda switches in the past used to be like. Any thoughts on multi-stage springs on Pandas?
Great video!
Thanks Alpay!!! Appreciated!!
While I have not tried any of the Feker switches yet (I might have to, considering how many times people mention it :), I have tried Tecsee switches with those two stage springs. And I do like them!
But then, I also liked the traditional "progressive" springs from Halo switches before, which kinda resembles the two stage springs (albeit without the clearer "shift" from lighter to heavier that two stage springs have).
I can totally recommend two stage springs to anyone who didn't like the linear weight progression from the original Halo switches (and found them too heavy) AND doesn't care about bottoming out every stroke. The whole point of progressive springs (which most two stages are) is to dissuade you from bottoming out (thus making you a faster/better typist on mechanical keyboards) without feeling too heavy up to the actuation point. Really clever design!
@@IOSam Thanks a lot for the opinion!!! Since I discovered different spring types I've been experimenting and was wondering what your opinion on the topic was, as you seem to be quite the expert and know a whole lot more than I do. Very insightful!
@@AlpayYildiray That's what I'm here for! 😎👍
Great video this is very concise and easy to follow
Thank you so much!!! I'm sure there's still room for improvement on my conciseness part though... 😁
What are the stab pads you are using? It looks so clean and professional. I have been putting off the band-aid mod on my labor of love, because the board doesn't have a cut just needs some padding.
Those stickers ate "Adhesive Non-Slip Grips for Quilt Templates". Check out the Amazon link for it in the comments section above. These things are amazing for fixing stabs! Super clean and easy to install.
Just watched your NK 65 video where you did mention them. Great videos. Thanks for the reply.
@@erotunr Ah yeah... the link for the stickers are actually on my NK65 EE video's description and not on this one (I got confused 😆).
are polar pandas a "blue mx" version of the glorious panda switches? wondering which panda switch is the direct competitor to classic blue mx switches. also, would these fit in a thermaltake level 20 keyboard?
Not really. All "panda" switches are very tactile, but without the clicky sound you get on a Cherry MX Blue (think of a Cherry MX Brown, but with a much stronger tactile bump). The blue color of the Polar Pandas I showed in the video is just decoration... It doesn't mean it is clicky like Cherry MX Blues.
In the world of enthusiast mechanical switches, the most used and recommended clicky switches are the Kailh Box White (my favorite, that has a softer click) and the Kailh Box Navy (stiffer and louder). I'll have a keyboard build with Kailh Box Whites here in the channel sometime this year.
As for replacing the switches on a Thermaltake Level 20, you can't simply remove them without desoldering the switches, since the Level 20 is not a keyboard with "hot-swappable" switch sockets, such as the GMMK I used here ( ua-cam.com/video/3s4ruFFqmqo/v-deo.html ) or the NK65EE I used here ( ua-cam.com/video/Q20b4RhC2ao/v-deo.html ).
If you would be willing to open you keyboard and desolder its factory installed switches (assuming you have desoldering equipment), you technically could use any switch that has a Cherry MX standard size and pin layout (such as the Holy Pandas I showed on the video, for example).
Holy shit 43 mins damn you literally disceted the switche from inside out damn ! Cherrs to that
🤣🤣🤣 Thank you!!!
And yeah... I admit I may have gone a bit overzealous in my dissection there...
But fear not! The switch "ripper" will come back soon to dissect some super hyped linears as well ;)
Stay tuned...
@@IOSam oh linears .... ( Trys to control the tactile gang shout ) jk can't wait !
Is there any Invr Holy Panda-shaped stems but silent? Am I assuming when I say Boba u4?
Yeap! You got that right... That would be the Gazzew Boba U4. But if you go with the Bobas, you don't even have to worry about getting Panda Housings, since the Boba housing is pretty the same thing (shape and materials). In fact, I'd say that if you're in the market for some silent Holy Pandas, look no further than the Boba U4! Amazing switch!!!
Great, informative breakdown of all the info, but why not do typing tests for Holy & Yok after modding the stabs?
Thank you! Oh the problem there was that when I recorded the first typing tests I didn't expect the spacebar rattle to be so loud on the recordings (my microphone is really sensitive!). And by the time I finished tuning the NK65's stabs I had already soldered the other Pandas to other keyboards...
But I'll have both Invyr and Yok Pandas returning to other videos soon (in their respective final destination keyboards with pristinely tuned stabs), so you'll still be able to hear them on this channel! ;)
This video is incredibly made
Thank you! Loved the feedback!!!
how do you have only 3k views???? great video!
Haha... Yeah... We're just a new channel... :)
But thanks to viewers like you, this channel is growing fast!
So, we'll get bigger numbers eventually...
can you use Switch film on Glorious Panda and what size if so ??
Hi Simon! You don't need to, since the Glorious Panda housing is pretty tight, but you certainly can if you want to tone down the noise from the switch a notch.
For Glorious Pandas I suggest you use 0.125mm TX films (that are thinner than regular 0.15mm films) which should fit the GPs without making it too difficult to close back the switch. You can get these from Divinikey (divinikey.com/collections/switch-films/products/tx-switch-films?variant=39414188572737).
great job buddy!
Thank you!!! Cheers!
I bought the drop invyrs, and the glorious pandas, I heard the fekker ones suck, and I've never heard of yok. Both unlubed I think, but I ordered glorious lube along with them, though I've got no idea how to apply it I'm sure you just smear the stuff on their with a brush, doesn't seem like rocket science just tedious.
Ordered a bunch of others, notable other pair of interesting ones are boba gazzew u4t clear and black and the new(I think) boba gazzew LT
Lol this man weighs out his lube like dealers weigh out drugs
Liked video and added to watch later so I know how to lube them right when the time comes.
Considering how freaking expensive Krytox lubricants are, it’s not a coincidence one has to use a high precision milligram scale that is normally used to weight other far more “interesting” substances… 😂😂😂
But on a more serious note, Gazzew Boba U4 (silent tactile), U4T (regular tactile), Bobagum (silent linear) and LT (regular linear) are some of the best switches in the market right now in my humble opinion… I have boards with all of them except for the LT. These are all truly “end-game” material that put to shame any “original” Holy Pandas (Gazzew switches were launched after the “Holy Panda fever” of 2019, so he clearly improved on the design of those older switches).
At any rate, thanks for the like! And whenever you decide to work on lubing your Panda and Gazzew switches, don’t hesitate to ask any questions here or on my sub-reddit (www.reddit.com/r/IOSam ) and I’ll be happy to assist!
Do you have links or the name of the tools you used on taking apart and lubing the switches.
Sure! The switch opener I use is the KBDFANS X AI03 2-IN-1 Aluminum Switch Opener that is currently available on Drop ( drop.com/buy/kbdfans-x-ai03-2-in-1-aluminum-switch-opener?referer=J2NSDA ). This one has two parts that allow you to open both Cherry/Gateron style and Kailh style switches.
The lube station I used you can also find on Drop ( drop.com/buy/mstone-acrylic-mechanical-switch-lube-station?referer=J2NSDA ).
The nylon brushes are Wooster #2( ebay.us/z3CMXG ). The lubes I use, Krytox 205 G2 and 105, I buy in bulk here ( ebay.us/LZVHKH ) and here ( ebay.us/yS0ObN ). These three eBay links are from a seller I trust and have bought from them many times (Zoro).
@@IOSam Thanks a lot man, i just bought the glorious switches for the gmmk and and new at this and your video helped a lot thanks.
@@danieltiger8789 You're welcome!!! And congrats on your brand new keeb!
@@danieltiger8789 Oh, and if you're going to lube Glorious Pandas for just one keyboard, you can also buy just a small tube of Krytox 205 G0 ( ebay.us/H2qlw6 ), instead of buying the 205 G2 and the 105 in bulk to mix them like I do.
Mixing lube bought in bulk is a good deal if you know you'll be lubing more than one keyboard, but for a single job you can go straight to the 205 G0.
@@IOSam hey so I got the Krytox GPL-205 G0, its telling me not to use on tactile switches, just wondering why?
Great Video! Love the Intro
Thank you!!! I had a lot of fun putting that intro together! 😁
THIS MAN SINGLE HANDEDLY HAS MORE OF AN BETTER PRODUCTION THAN HALF THE UA-camRS WITH MILLIONS! Bravooooo, Telling people about how to make the best krytox lube yourself for cheaper damn!!!, Also what about your opinion on ebay holy pandas, or even the fekker ones?
😂 Thanks man!!! Appreciated! While I got started with this channel mostly to have some fun with my favorite hobbies, I still feel compeled to reward my viewers' time with quality content. Feels like a fair deal to me! ;)
As for the "Feker" switches, while I have never tried them before, I'll admit I had some good LOL moments watching some of their reviews here on UA-cam... And while we've seen dozens of HP clones in the last few years, the Feker Pandas definitely take the cake as the most shameless attempt to copy the original design!
Hello from 2023, so they basically feel the same once lubing?
Hey there! Happy to know this video is still helping people in 2023!! :)
They all feel slightly better after lubed, since Pandas are not exactly super smooth switches. I guess it all depends on how sensitive you are to switch smoothness (if you're used to lubed switches, you'll notice). But here, because these switches are so tactile, the bump ends up almost completely masquerading any change in the smoothness brought by the lubricant.
On sound, other than the Glorious (that can sound better when lubed) the Invyr and Yok sound were barely affected by lubing.
@@IOSam Thanks for replying, I'm not a sensitive guy, then I can just choose glorious panda for saying money?
@@yanhuan1 I'd say so, yes. Glorious Pandas are cheaper, easily available worldwide, and can be bought pre-lubed. Hard to go wrong if you like tactiles.
This is a really in depth and nice dive into the look for the switches, I really enjoyed it :)
I was just wondering if you would be interested in checking out some "holy bobas" by any chance?
I built some couple months ago (typing on them atm), and the sound profile is very similar to what was shown here, and also being very tactile.
Anways, keep up the nice work, looking forward to your future projects.
Thank you man! Appreciated!!! I really liked how this video came out and I already have a few other "switch guides" planned for this year: one about how to restore Vintage Cherry MX Blacks, another one comparing some popular linear switches and will also do one for "mid-tactility" ones (similar to Cherry MX Clears).
While I have not tried the Holy bobas yet, I have some Gazzew Bobas on their way to me as we speak. I'll play around with them and try different stems and springs (I heard they are great basis for all sorts of switch modding!). So there is a good chance they will be featured in a future video here later this year... ;)
@@IOSam That's sounds like quite a lot of exciting projects, expecially that vintage black video. Looking forward to it! 😊
I wish I could test all. I've only had linear but I think I want tactile. Guess glorious best route.
If you're willing to lube the switches, the Glorious is a good option for the price. If you don't want to lube, then I'd suggest you get Durock T1 or Koala (from Aliexpress) or C3Equalz Kiwis (from TheKey.company), since those already come pre-lubed for you.
@@IOSam Thanks I bought some Kiwis witch I really like but then tried some dusk pandas lubed w/3203, which is my favorite tac at the moment. I did have to lube behind the leaf though to remove the horrible crunch the Dusk pandas had, but are amaing in sound and feel now.
You are great! Could you make a video on Everglide Dark Jade vs Zealio v2 78g? They are very similar because they have no pre-travel
Thank you! I'm still in the process of building my collection of switches for more comparisson videos later on. But I already have some Jades on their way to me as well ;)
Have any opinion about the feker pandas? Do you think it is worthy 30$ 110switches aprox
I can't give an honest opinion on those, since I have not tried them myself. But based on the opinions of some other reviewers out there who did try them, I'd probably go for other budget switches with better QC.
My budget Panda recommendation at the moment is the Tecsee Purple Panda ( www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002462284350.html ). These are solid "super tactile" switches that have been very well reviewed accross the board.
And my super budget recommended switches now are the Akko CS line: amzn.to/2UDf25a They offer heavy and light linears (green and red) and tactile (blue). While the Akko CS Ocean Blue doesn't give you the "super tactility" of a "Panda style" switch, they do have good QC and are very smooth.
@@IOSam Thanks so much!! Appreciate so much
Great video, I am looking at making a super heavy switch 210g and trying to find the heaviest tactile switch so it would survive that sort of spring any recommendations?
210g??? 🤣 That will be quite a workout!!! LOL
I think the heaviest tactiles I've seen are the original Cherry MX Clears, that had (maybe they still do?) a 95g bottom out force (with 65g actuation). Since then, the only other tactile MX clone with a heavy-ish spring (78g) is one variety of Zealios V2.
The problem with going too heavy on tactiles is that the heavier the spring gets, the less you'll feel its tactility, which is the reason why people started making "ergo Clears" back in the day (replacing the heavy springs of the MX Clears with a ligher ones from MX Blues or Browns), so they could better feel the tactile bump.
So I think that if you put anything heavier than 100g bottom out force on a tactile switch, you might run the risk of "linearizing" them to some extent.
Since you helped me a ton last time and my keyboard came out AMAZING, I want to build a new one with some better switches. I want to stay tactile switches but what's the most thocc switches have you used?
I was debating between kiwis or the zealio v2
You should check out Gazzew Bobas U4T ( www.ashkeebs.com/product/gazzew-u4t-boba-switches/ ). They sound amazing and you can get them for around $0.60 per switch plus shipping, which is not a bad deal at all for a tactile that sounds better than any Holy Panda out there.
great vid very informative
Great content. Thanks
Great video :) How is the pandas' tactility comparing to your zilents? Thank you!
Thank you! In my opinion Zilents (and Zealios for that matter) are noticeably more tactile than any of the Holy Pandas I tried in this video. In a scale from 0 to 10 (where 0 is linear and 10 is extreme tactility), I'd give these switches the following grades:
Cherry MX Brown: 1
Cherry MX Clear: 3
Invyr Holy Panda: 4
Glorious Panda: 4
Holy Yok Panda: 5
Mathias Quiet Click (ALPS style): 5
NovelKeys Blueberry: 6
Zilent/Zealios: 7
Cherry MX Blue (clicky): 8
Kailh Box White (clicky): 8
Kailh Box Royal: 8
Kailh Box Jade (clicky): 9
Kailh Box Navy (clicky): 10
IBM buckling spring... 11 (ua-cam.com/video/4xgx4k83zzc/v-deo.html 🤘😆)
The biggest advantage of the Zilents is, of course, how unbelievably quiet they are compared to any other tactile switch I have ever tried.
@@IOSam wow thank you so much for the info!
@@SamBoga No problem, that's what I'm here for! 😉👍 I'd put Gat browns in the same tactility level of Cherry MX Browns (a 1 in my scale), which is to say, they are barely tactile. Although I do prefer Gats because of their smoothness (if compared to Cherry).
Next, I’d give the Outemu Ice a grade 2 for tactility, which means it is more tactile than browns, but less than Cherry Clears.
And lastly, I’d give the Outemu Sky a grade 3 for tactility, which is equivalent to Cherry Clears, but with a slightly lighter spring (more like the “Ergo Clear” frankenswitch).
Both Outemus (Ice and Sky) have tactile bumps that feel rounder than Holy Pandas (the bump is longer, it finishes almost at the end of the travel)., which might be the reason why they feel a bit less tactile than HPs.
One thing to notice about these two variations of Outemu switches though, is that while they have good housings and stems, I don’t particularly like their springs, so you might consider swapping them for some aftermarket ones and you should definitely lube them to improve their sound!
While I never tried Outemu's Gold and Clear, I can assure you that pretty much any MX style switch will usually feel and sound better if lubed. And I'd even say that cheap switches stand to benefit the most, since they are more likely to have noisy springs and scratchy housings. So, I'm confident to say that if you can lube these Outemu switches, you should definitely do it.
In this video you mentioned lubing the top housing to lower the pitch of the upstroke. What type of lube do you think works best for this?
I'm new to the hobby and have found that I love topre and wanted to buy one. I've decided that I'd like to keep the clack sound on the upstroke (as opposed to applying silencing rings) but I wanted to lower the pitch and am not sure which lube is best for this.
For lubing the top housing with the specific goal of reducing noise (by lowering the pitch), I'd say you can safely go with Krytox 205 G0 (which is very thick) for all types of switches (linears and tactiles), since the lube in this part of the switch will not interfere with the speed and feel of the stem trajectory.
It will instead just help to "stop" the stem from hitting the top housing with too much force (thus changing the noise profile). You can use the thinner Krytox 204 (or the equivalent Tribosys 3204) if that's all you have, but I'd say that the thicker 205 will be more effective to change the switch sound.
I'd avoid using oils (such as Krytox 105) for the top housing, since they are more likely to run to the bottom of the switch with time and use.
Oh, I have a Topre Realforce review coming in February as well! ;)
@@IOSam Do you think a mostly grease solution or a more balanced solution (like 205g0) is better? Since you recommend against oil and I'm guessing more grease will be even thicker than 205g0.
Looking forward to your realforce review, your videos so far have been fantastic!
@@Zentennen The balanced solution (205 G0 or the equivalent 50/50 mix of 205 G2 & 105 that I use) is safer than applying pure 205 G2 for example, since the G2 it's so thick that depending on how much you apply, it could make the stem feel stuck on the top.
@@IOSam Ah, ok, so 205g2 is slightly adhesive? Have you ever tried 60/40 or 70/30 or something similar?
@@Zentennen I wouldn't say adhesive, but after you go over a certain level of thickness, the grease can sometimes create a vacuum or suction effect, between the small area between the top housing and the stem, that can make the stem feel a bit stuck on the top (which would hurt the consistency of the stem travel), depending on the application.
So, I would not use 205 G2 without diluting it a bit with 105. If you are careful with the application (to avoid over-lubing), you can try 60/40 or even a 70/30 ratio (although I would not go over that) to see how that affects the sound and the feel of the switch. Then you could fine tune it from there to get the result you want.
If you don't like it, you can always go back with a clean brush and remove the excess grease.
I ordered testers for glorious- and invyr holy pandas, totally different both in terms of feel and sound, and I come from linear gang originally
I never said they feel the same. What I said was that in a "blind and deaf test MOST PEOPLE would never be able to tell the difference between Glorious Pandas, Invyr or Yok Holy Pandas" 👉 ua-cam.com/video/AfdfJ5jq6qM/v-deo.html
If you can tell the difference, it's because you're not "most people" and you're probably an enthusiast that dedicates time and money precisely to be able to tell such differences apart in mechanical keyboards' switches.
These 3 switches obviously sound different (I showed that myself on my video) and do feel different, but not as much so that any "normie" out there would be able to tell such difference in blind tests (if you don't believe me, just remember how wrong most non-keyboard-enthusiast tech guys/gals got switches blind tests on LTT: ua-cam.com/video/dqai0_nnTgs/v-deo.html ).
For the stock Polar Panda, what is the material of the stem?
If you mean the black linear stems that come with the Yoks, I don't really know what the material is. Honestly, it might difficult to find, since these are put there just as placeholders, since the manufacturer knows people will just throw these out...
If you mean the Halo stems used to make the proper Holy Polar Panda, I'm 99% sure it is POM (not 100% because Drop.com doesn't officially disclose it, but it looks and feels like POM).
@@IOSam thanks man, how do you find polar pandas as a linear switch. are they good?
@@karlmeleontv I've never used them as linears, but I'm sure that if you put some smooth linear stems in them (say some POM or UHMWPE ones), they'll feel good. But then they'll feel a bit on the heavy side (because of their heavy leaf springs).
The issue in this case is price... YOKs are very expensive as is (plus the price of some decent stems and you're over $1 per switch), and with the huge variety of cheap and incredibly smooth linear switches out there (JWKs), it would be hard to justify making linear frankenswitches with the expensive YOKs or Invyrs.
I've been using Kailh Box Silent Brown switches for a little while now, and they are just too..darned..tactile. I think I'm going to get some Glorious Pandas..and some lube.
If you want to go with a rounder and smoother tactility, I'd say the Glorious Panda is not a bad choice. But, if you want to go for something even more rounded, you could go with a Cherry MX Clear style of switch, such as the Outemu Sky, SP Star, Kinetic Labs Penguin or TKC Dragon Fruit.
Didnt know that berlin from money heist was into keyboards
That's a recurring theme around here! 😂
At some point I really need to get an autograph from Pedro Alonso...
And then a new challenger came: the Gazzew Boba U4T
So true! Gazzew Bobas have taken the market by storm in the last few months and U4 and U4Ts are now my recommended tactiles (and silent linears as well with their Bobagums).
Who would've thunk that Outemu would eventually make such a banger of a switch, eh? XD
Killin it
😎🙏
This video is fuckin legit. Subbed.
Yo!!! Thank you!!!
I feel like I started this hobby thinking I needed the smoothest linear and most tactile tactile: holy pandas, inks, alpacas, zealios, and such. Now I think all of those switches are just ehh. Favorite linears are creams and tactiles are ergo clears. Choosing a switch by preference I feel is so under looked in this hobby, too much hype about maximizing everything.
I hear ya... Typing on Creams right now and have been enjoying an Ergo Clear clone (SP Stars) on another board and I agree with you that more of anything (tactility in this case) is not necessarily better.
While I can enjoy Holy Pandas for what they are, I don't think they are for everybody. For most people interested in "super tactiles" I have actually been recommending T1s for less than half the price and none of the lubing work.
But that was one of my goals with this video (and others I'm currently working on): try to show things in a dispassionate manner and present the best objective and subjective information I can (always giving context) and show the cost/benefit side of things while leaving all the hype aside whenever possible.
While I love this hobby, I do not necessarily share the same elitist views that some other members of the community have for the most hyped, exclusive and expensive products and I hope my other videos in this channel can make that abundantly clear to my viewers.
@@IOSam Good work brother, would love to see more from you.
Holy crap i thought you had a million subs. Maybe some day :)
😂 Thank you so much!!! And yeah... We might get there eventually... :)
doubt my ears would hear the ping from the GPs
True... There is indeed a big difference between a sound test, with a super sensitive microphone in an accoustically treated room, and our regular day-to-day keyboard use in a normal environment.
Here, I showed these switches in the worst possible case (in a super quiet room) but I also doubt I would be able to hear the ping on my noisy office for example.
Mac OS 9 … How long
Always a classic! I still remember fondly of my days on OS9 in the (late) 90's...
@@IOSam I grew up with my Father's Performa 5300, then 8600, up to the fantastic iMac G3 and so on with Core Duo etc etc ... really good times!
I remember using a IIsi running OS7 (that was pre-powerPC days) at my first internship job in a consulting firm in 1996 (I'm old 😂)! Three and 1/2 years later I tried the first generation iMac (with a teal translucent back) running OS9.
And now I need a G4 Tower just for old times sake... 😂😂
@@IOSam Mac OS 7 I think it was installed on the 5300 just released but I was only 4 years old. The time it took me to understand how to open Warcraft and Maraton I was already a few years older and then I started playing with the Mac from 9, as I tell you as soon as you saw the intro you made me jump into the past! I forgot about the colored folders and the Netscape icon!
I've always liked the G4, I should have the monitor somewhere too! But for me the best of all is the G5, wow, if I could I'd do a build with that!
i like your video but it will help if you make it into 4 10 min videos that released once a week or so greet work i know you will be big time if you continue on making videos
You know, that is a good point that you raise here... As someone who does not work as a full time UA-camr I always debated between:
a) editing the whole story in a single video and offering the whole thing at once (like a Netflix series where you can watch as much as you want in a single binge) and be done with it for a while; or
b) put an extra amount of editing work to split the videos into smaller episodes and then dose them out more sparsely (like an HBO series, where you have to wait for the next episode).
Some people say the second option will please the UA-cam algorithm more than the first, but I always wondered if my viewers would prefer that (and if they would have the patience to wait for weeks on end to get the whole story).
This might be something I'll have to experiment with to find out what works best for the channel and for the viewers. Thank you for the valuable feedback!!!
(oh, and yeah… there are a ton of other videos being produced right now! :)
U only 6 to 8 drops of 105 oil for 90 springs when u bag lube
Yeah, I know... It's just that it feels like 2 of those (expensive) drops end up stuck in the walls of the plastic bag instead of the springs 😕
Turns out I'm a cheap SOB with my Krytox 😂
So over lubed that you can hear the squish. Nice video though!
Haha... True! That's why fair warning (30:41) was absolutely required here! 😂
But jokes aside (and "preference" notwithstanding, of course) the stiff springs of HPs at least hold well under heavy lubing, so they don't feel sluggish IMHO. But I agree with you that overlubing basically mutes the switch completely, which will please those who want their MX switches to sound like Topre, but will disgust everybody else for sure... XD
only positive comments here everyone
Right? It seems I'm lucky enough to have the best audience in all of UA-cam's keyboard related channels! 👊😁👍
Gsus Panda