Cherry reds vs browns (vs Topre if you're at all familiar)

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First, a prayer for the repose of Kitrax's soul, due to where we are. Second, I need a new mech board to replace my Filco Majestouch Blue Tenkeyless.

I'm looking at an assortment of tenkeyless units with either brown or red Cherry switches, somewhat undecided between the tactile and the linear switch, versus Coolermaster's somewhat more expensive Novatouch keyobard, which is, nonetheless, the most affordable keyboard with Topre switches right now.

I have first-handed experience of Cherry browns but none of Cherry reds. I magine reds as being potentially less comfortable to type on in terms of pure sensation but still potentially faster to type on and thus more productive (which in my case often means more money due to being able to take on more projects, faster). On the other hand, the Topre switch is considered by some to be the pinnacle of available typing experience. (Technically, that's a capacitive hybrid switch which combines some features of the usual, membrane ('rubber-dome') keyboard with a mechanical switch (spring mechanism + dome), making it somewhat softer, among other effects.).

I thought some of you guys, especially living in America, where tech pops up faster and is less expensive (even though Cherry is based in Germany), probably tried both browns and reds, both for gaming and for typing (the typing is more important to me here), so I would ask. If you're familiar with Topre, then all the better.

 

Yeah, though I don't have that option (simply not practiced here, except for major retailers, but those put only rubber domes on display). In a better financial situation, I'd just buy two or three keyboards like I used to, but these days I need to watch my finances a bit more closely. Plus, I've already got so many keyboards nobody wants to take from me. And from a short first-hand test I wouldn't be able to draw any longer-term conclusions, which tend to matter a lot in the case of those switches which are a bit more difficult to get used to.

 

Perhaps a Ducky?

 

Probably not the best decision in my life, but I decided to go neither way, ultimately, and just bought a CoolerMaster Novatouch with the Topre switch. Topre is weird. It isn't as exciting as a pure mech switch, though it's pleasant in its own way. Still, either browns or reds would probably have been a better choice. Will let you know in a couple of days, though.