Which microswitches to buy?

Tech Talk
1

I want to make a custom controller to play Tekken 7.

TLDR version: advise me please, what type of microswitches are the best for Tekken.

What kind of microswitches are the best for Tekken 7? I’ve looked up all types of controllers, and I see few options for myself, but I don’t know which one is the best, because I haven’t played Tekken using any of these options:

  1. 2-dimensional stick. People say Korean version is better, because it goes to neutral faster.
  2. Hitbox layout with 4 appropriate buttons(left, right, up, down) on the left side.
  3. Cherry MX switches for mechanical keyboards.

Most people say that hitbox layout is better than a stick, so I am left with 2 real choices: hitbox microswitches vs cherry mx. I don’t know which ones to choose.

I have seen people comparing mechanical switches from different manufacturers for keyboards but I have never seen people comparing mechanical switches for keyboards with microswitches for arcade sticks.

Cherry mx red, for example, have 4mm travel distance and actuation point at 2mm down, so in the center. They say cherry mx red is good for tapping multiple times in video games. Arcade stick microswitches on the other hand have ~1mm travel distance(from what I’ve seen on images, they use same microswitches as mouses) and actuation point at the bottom. So button can’t be half-pressed physically and not activated logically, it can only be either released or pressed, both physically and logically. But is this good or bad compared to Cherry MX Red switches, for example? They say that it is a good thing that actuation point for Cherry MX Red is at the center, so you can quickly press/release/press/release a button a lot of times without actually fully pressing and releasing a button.

What I want to determine is if cherry mx better than hitbox microswitches for fighting games. And what microswitches in particular I should buy? If it’s cherry mx, then what kind? There are black, red, blue, green, clear, etc? There are a lot of types of switches for mechanical keyboards. Which one would be theoretically objectively the best? Linear? Tactile? Clicky? My best guess that it’s linear - red or black.

Same with hitbox microswitches. There so many more different kinds of buttons for arcade sticks. If I wanted to make a hitbox controller(with arcade buttons) for myself, what models of switches I should be looking for?

2

That is certainly debatable. All of the top Tekken players are using a stick. Personally I prefer a Korean lever.

In regards to switches, it’s all personal preference. Look up the features of each and find what best suits you. I’m typing this on blue switches right now which have a tactile bump and an audible click.

3

Didn’t you post these same questions in the Tekken Zaibatsu discord?

4

My 2 cents on this, get Kailh Box Reds, Blacks, or Dark Yellow imo, but Kailh Pro Burgundy or Speed Silvers should also work, they’re linear like Cherry MX Reds, also look into Gateron switches, they’re really smooth and cheaper than Cherry MX switches. These are clones, but clone MX switches are really stepping up their game and by a lot in this past year considerably so. I like them better than stock Sanwa buttons and certainly a lot more than Cherry MX switches now.
But here’s what I prefer in order of most to least, but none of the options are really bad tbh and in the end this is all personal preference:
Sanwa OBS-24/30A (I threw in Cherry KWJ switches in here)
Kailh Box Yellow (you can throw them into OBS-MX buttons with the PCB for the Blue switches)
Gateron Blacks
Kailh Pro Burgundy (should be able to be thrown into OBS-MX buttons as well)
Would be Sanwa RGs here, but no 24mm variant, heh.
Kailh Speed Silvers (I tried these on OBS-MX last time and the actuation distance was too much thus it didn’t work, should work in Gamerfinger tho)
Seimitsu smaller switches
Stock Sanwa buttons
Cherry MX Reds (these are scratchy as hell, but they get the job done well, but Cherry did get a retool a bit earlier this year and I heard they got a lot better, so retooled Cherry probably would be somewhere else on that list if you get the retooled ones)

5

I typically make my own out of resources taken from the earth and forged in my garage

6

[EDIT] dude was not only banned, but his comment removed, so my previous comment is no longer relevant :wink:

7

Thanks for a bump, anyway.

8

This. 100%
There is no right answer, with one point to make. Don’t go with the super cheap stuff, you will regret it.