Holy Panda Wars: Invyr vs. Yok vs. Glorious

[@griffpls1880]

THIS IS SOME OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY ENTHUSIAST KEYBOARD CONTENT I HAVE EVER WATCHED

[@IOSam]

Wow thank you!!! New video dropping next week! :)

[@j9ke3r]

for someone under 10k subs, which makes it even more amazing!

[@Lets_get_wealthy]

You are wrong mate. I don't think it is among the best ones ever made. It is simply THE BEST one. Congrats SAM. We can really see that you love keyboards. Only when you love something you can spent 45 minutes talking about a "simple" switch. Congrats mate, you got a sub which will watch everything you post.

[@justinnguz23]

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

[@IOSam]

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...

[@Yo-Geo]

I have a feeling that you're gonna become a farely popular KZbinr...

[@IOSam]

Haha, thank you!!! If I do, it will be thanks to supporters like you! 🙏

[@Yo-Geo]

@@IOSam You are very welcome, I'm new to building keebs and I have learned a lot of things just from the 2 videos you have!

[@Daymien01]

This video is so concise, love the format and presentation

[@IOSam]

Thanks a lot mate!!! Your feedback is highly appreciated!

[@symz81]

This dude does a great deep dive missing some from other youtubers

[@LemonsGG]

I LOVE your videos, I swear the way you broke down springs and exactly what they are and went sooo in depth was amazing. I am absolutely subbing and telling everyone. You deserve a bigger following. Please please please go in depth on more linears and tactiles. I love this channel. Just remember us when you become a million sub creator. I'm here for the long haul!!!!

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much!!! Loved the feedback! It is indeed my goal to go long form KZbin when the subject calls for it (which for keyboard switches, it totally does). Long YT videos might not be popular for all topics, but I suspect there are people out there (like you) who do enjoy in-depth analysis of technical topics. But I don't expect these to garner millions of followers... LOL (but I know I'll reach the good ones ;) And yes, there will be videos focused on linears (and, gasp!, even clickies 😱) coming to the channel pretty soon! Just as a heads up, there will be a complete guide to vintage Cherry Blacks coming in February (lot of work on that one!).

[@Kogami]

A year late but this is such a great video and a unique style of reviewing too! I wish there were more videos that cover the historical part of the mechanical keyboard hobby like this, it's really a thing for a beginner like me often misses out on. Thank you for the very detailed sound test and reviews too, especially with the microscopic shots of the switches' structures!

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much Kogami!!! And I totally agree with you about giving context and bit of history when reviewing products! Which is why I always take some time to give as much background and context about the products, companies and people behind the stuff I review here. I know that not everyone cares, but people who only want a quick 5 minutes product briefing video have plenty of other KZbin channels out there to get that. I want this channel to be THE place for people who want the full picture! ;)

[@DanmTheSystem]

Please make more videos! I was hooked since the GMMK one, and was surprised it was your first!

[@IOSam]

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 KZbin "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! ⏳

[@Steamo83]

I really appreciate how organized your videos are and the regimented, scientific way you present your case. You got a sub from me.

[@IOSam]

“Organized”, “regimented” and “scientific” are some of the best compliments I ever got for the content I put on this channel!!! Thank you so much for such nice feedback (and your sub is highly appreciated)!!!

[@Pandapanda12975]

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!

[@IOSam]

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! ⌛

[@Pandapanda12975]

@@IOSam 👏Amazing! Can't wait for it

[@WhatzHappeningNow9]

The amount of work went into this video is insane!

[@IOSam]

Hehe... You'd be right about that! :) It took me literally months to produce this video in the end of 2020.

[@kindaFunkyNGL]

The quality of this video was so high its kinda crazy. Great job!

[@IOSam]

Hehe Thank you so much!!! Feedback is highly appreciated! :)

[@kindaFunkyNGL]

@@IOSam I think you covered everything well. How you built & lube guide, sounds & feel comparisons even macro shots! I have no idea what you could add to this. Even camera and sound was on point.

[@IOSam]

@@kindaFunkyNGL The only thing to sweeten up this deal... is to bring another massive switches comparisson video to the channel soon ("hyped linears" this time)!!! 😏 Stay tuned!

[@kindaFunkyNGL]

@@IOSam Ohhh! I'm excited to see this! 🔔

[@Clayfacer]

this was awesome, love the depth you went into on each switch. Would love to see a comparison of other switches.

[@IOSam]

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.

[@OkieDokieSmokie]

Subbed for quality content. You certainly deserve it. 10/10.

[@IOSam]

Welcome aboard my friend!!! And thak you so much for the nice words!!🙏

[@attangfangirl]

wow your videos are insanely high quality, crazy to think that this channel is still very new

[@IOSam]

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

[@roningrae]

this is the ultimate panda guide. really well done. subbed

[@IOSam]

That's what I had in mind for this video (and 'ultimate guides' seem to be the direction I'm taking with this channel :)! Glad to know it was helpful and I really appreciate your feedback and sub!!!

[@soundwaves0995]

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!

[@IOSam]

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! 😂

[@tims]

We need more content from this channel! I love the deep dives and background info.

[@IOSam]

Thank you Tim!!! Another doozy (over 1 hour long “documentary” 😂) is dropping this week in fact! Stay tuned...

[@tims]

@@IOSam That sounds great! I'm looking forward to it!

[@BourbonManRyan]

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

[@IOSam]

Thank you sir!!! Loved the feedback! And yeah... Just getting started here, so my videos are still mostly flying under KZbin's (algorithm) radar for now. But that's Ok, we're here for the long run! :)

[@armand5870]

what an in depth comparison and reviews! hoping to see your channel go big!

[@IOSam]

Thank you!!! Hope you stick around for the ride! :)

[@Dysonchips]

Literally the best video switch review video I have ever seen in my life.

[@IOSam]

Wow, thanks a lot!!! And that might have been the best compliment I ever got for this video! 😁🙏

[@b3lka_]

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!

[@IOSam]

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! ;)

[@EnvyP]

very well edited! thank you for this review! still helpful in 2022!

[@IOSam]

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.

[@mrmozao]

This guy just dropped the best panda video out there! Nicely done! I would put Gazzew U4T as a great 2022 choice for snappier tactile too! Great video!

[@IOSam]

Thank you my good Sir!!! And yeah... Ever since the U4T came to market (right after I had posted this video), life was never the same in "tactile switches land"! 😂 Gazzew Bobas are my standard recommendation for anyone who asks me which tactile switches they should get! They are that good!!

[@sultanfahad7075]

I know this is almost a year since the release of this video but man is it good i had to sub for it. Amazing video Sam

[@IOSam]

Thank you Sir!!! Your nice words (and your sub) are highly appreciated!!! FYI: I am working on the larger "hyped linears" follow-up for this video to come in 2022. It'll be a monster guide covering ~10 different linear switches. Stay tuned! ;)

[@sultanfahad7075]

@@IOSam fantastic I’m looking forward to it. Been waiting for a analytical linear video. ❤️🙏 best of luck Sam. No need to thank me you’re work speaks for itself 🙏🔥

[@HaiNguyen408]

What a well researched and well executed video. I'm only 15 mins in and I know I'll enjoy the rest of the video.

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much! A lot of effort was indeed put into this one, so I'm happy to know it came out informative and engaging!

[@mgav006]

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 :)

[@IOSam]

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!

[@wijobu7385]

Thank you for being so comprehensive. Love the microscope images especially!

[@IOSam]

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]

@@IOSam Looking forward to that! Thanks to this video, I'm making Holy Polar Pandas next weekend ^^

[@IOSam]

@@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).

[@hrolvnir]

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!

[@IOSam]

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!

[@vucanes]

What a video. Great detailed content. Far better compared to the other popular streamers. The amount of time go into this video must be so high. Thank you.

[@IOSam]

Thank you!!! And you're right... This video took me many weeks to produce. But I had a lot of fun making it and the feedback has been amazing! So it was totally worth it! :)

[@thepopeofkeke]

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

[@IOSam]

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.

[@gabrielsuchy6662]

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

[@IOSam]

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 KZbin 😆), 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... :)

[@gretchman]

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.

[@IOSam]

🤣 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.

[@ClarkieReidri]

This video was immaculate. In depth, no bullshit, and great information. You earned a sub

[@IOSam]

Thank you sir!!! I appreciate your time and your trust! And I hope you enjoy the next video dropping later today as well: the (same level of in-depth) review of the hyped NovelKeys NK65 Entry Edition!

[@elephantpants923]

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! 👍

[@IOSam]

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 :)

[@elephantpants923]

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!

[@IOSam]

@@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

[@nahuelbarrios732]

The quality of this video is INSANE. Thank you so much for the information! New sub here

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much for feedback (and for the sub :)!!!

[@525guy]

Your vids are more informative than most other keeb builder. Keep this up and you’ll find yourself up their with others very soon!

[@IOSam]

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! :)

[@m4nc1n1]

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.

[@IOSam]

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! 🙏

[@henrylu5873]

This format is so clean and very informative. subbed

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much (and welcome aboard)! Next video dropping very soon ⏳

[@MaliceOfRites]

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]

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

[@MaliceOfRites]

@@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

[@IOSam]

@@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 KZbinrs 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.

[@MaliceOfRites]

@@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?

[@IOSam]

@@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!) 👍

[@devanatkinson1134]

Wow amazing video, thank you for such an in-depth view and for keeping the budget side of things in mind. As someone who used to be big into the hobby 10 years ago (but took a step back because of the cost side of things) and is now easing my way back in I found it extremely informative. Keep doing what you doing :)

[@IOSam]

Thank YOU for the awesome feedback my good Sir! And yeah… This hobby can be a money pit, so I always try to keep the budget side of things in the picture whenever possible (I don’t think a keyboard needs to be a luxury item to be good ;). As for good budget tactile switches, the market has exploded with options since I published this video. Nowadays my go-to recommendation for a fairly priced “super tactile” is the Gazzew Boba U4T (or U4 for the silent version). Great switches for around $0.65 each (which will be featured here on the channel soon)!

[@devanatkinson1134]

@@IOSam I will keep an eye out for the Gazzew Boba U4T, might be a while before it trickles its way into South Africa though. Looking forward to your review of them, been greatly enjoying watching your vids while lubing my Durock Pom linears :) BTW appreciated your hint on lubing the top housing for a deeper top stroke

[@rodok3836]

This is such an informative and well-done video. Well done, such an underrated video/channel.

[@IOSam]

Thank you!!! Loved the feedback! And yeah... New channel, so we are still in the process of convincing our KZbin algorithm overlords... :) But we're getting there...

[@paulnguyen5312]

Very good video, this channel is going to blow up

[@IOSam]

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!

[@shaneomacmcgee]

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.

[@IOSam]

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!!!

[@symz81]

Great quality in depth review! Love the time stamps too

[@IOSam]

Glad you like them! These time stamps are indeed a huge time saver! Got the idea from another guy who does long-form in-depth YT videos (Steve from Gamers Nexus in their weekly news) and just adapted it to my style of content and presentation.

[@StogieVince]

Awesome would be a poor word to describe this video packed with quality information presented in an easily digested form factor. Subbed!

[@IOSam]

Thanks for the kind words my good sir! Your time (and sub) is highly appreciated!!!

[@4oursins]

nothing to add! complete and perfect video! thx and dude, what a great channel

[@IOSam]

Yo! Thank you man!!! Feedback highly appreciated! 👍

[@Gibbols]

Love the smooth calm talking, reminds me of dave2D. 👍🏻 keep it up

[@IOSam]

Haha thank you!!! I'm flattered by the association! 😁🙏

[@coluzea]

why'd youtube take so long to show me this channel? this is really high quality and relaxing content

[@IOSam]

Small channels have to work twice as hard for some KZbin algo love... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But I'm glad you found the channel (better late than never :)!!!

[@coluzea]

@@IOSam keep doing what you're doing man, the algorithm will bless you one of these days and i hope for the best.

[@marginalmeaning]

Wow! Extremely thorough and informative. Definitely a sub and follow. Excited to see what you work on next!

[@IOSam]

Thank you sir! Highly appreciated sub and you'll not be disapointed with the content coming to the channel! :)

[@hankmakesvideos8628]

Master class. Genuinely unbelievably well done.

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much for your time and your valued feedback!!! Highly appreciated!

[@doggzofwar7440]

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.

[@IOSam]

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! :).

[@iggytheloser]

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!

[@IOSam]

Glad I could help!!!

[@divit6527]

if you lube them the pinging sound somewhat goes away from what i know (you can barely hear it)

[@soccorsimon69]

Insanely well put together video, thank you sir.

[@IOSam]

Thanks a lot man! And thank you for your time and for your much appreciated feedback!

[@ButteredTimbers]

Such production quality! Amazing job!

[@brandonlee418]

Great video - super helpful review and comparison of each switch. Just fantastic.

[@IOSam]

Thank you!!! Much appreciated!

[@PanAkuIkari]

this channel is a gem

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much!!! Glad to read this! :)

[@jayantriser9165]

Brother, thank you for providing a next level explanation + great high quality content.

[@IOSam]

You're totally welcome! And thank you for checking out the video and leaving such great feedback!!!

[@darthollpheist1156]

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.

[@IOSam]

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.

[@darthollpheist1156]

@@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.

[@punangai]

You deserve more subscribers. Great work.

[@IOSam]

Thank you!!! You can bet I'm working hard to get those subs in the coming months and years! ;)

[@muCephei_]

Why did I find this video just now? The indepth review is insane!

[@IOSam]

I know, right? That's the KZbin algorithm uphill battle that small creators have to climb... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But happy you found the channel (and thank you for the feedback)!

[@pabloruiz4295]

Dude I was hating those stabs and really laugh with your mod gag. Great video, keep em coming!

[@IOSam]

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.. 😂

[@BigCubah]

Dude after he modded the stabs my god 😫 that space bar sounded so nice

[@IOSam]

Modding stabs... It's tedious work, but always worth it! ;)

[@Cons-Cat]

Wow! This video is incredibly well made!

[@IOSam]

Thank you!!! Another one dropping in 30 minutes... ⏳😉

[@makavelisoft]

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.

[@IOSam]

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.

[@niko1even]

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.

[@cozymonk]

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.

[@IOSam]

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).

[@blue_acid]

What a great video! Too bad that the yok panda seem to be unavailable. That sound was *chef's kiss*

[@IOSam]

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 :)

[@maxmouse3]

Really nice video. Very concise and complete :)

[@landslide8703]

The production quality is incredible! You also have a nice voice.

[@IOSam]

Yo thank you!!! And yeah... No squeaky voiceover here! 😂

[@danieltiger8789]

Also a month later glorious switches are available for purchase and in stock.

[@IOSam]

Yes! GPGR has finally fulfilled their promisse to offer these switches from inventory :)

[@MisterMayhem17]

Thank you for fixing the stabs! The stock ones were killing me lmao.

[@IOSam]

😂 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...

[@woolymoldy]

I really like your videos overall and this specific video. Thank you for making it. Subscribed.

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much for your feedback!!! Your sub is extremely appreciated!!!

[@xplozivxploziv9532]

Great video analysis on the Holy War! Love the Yok Holy Panda's the best

[@IOSam]

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! ;)

[@davidjrshero]

Outstanding video! You explained everything thoroughly, great job.

[@strahinjavranes9731]

Great review. Watched it after I ordered Glorious Panda`s along their gmmk tkl board, it will arive in a few days time. Stumbled upon the vide by accident. It is on par with the best reviewes I have seen thus far and more in details. Thanks Mate, for the great review. Shame there is no tripple subscribe or like. Keepo it up. p.s. Don`t have any idea why people would deslike this video, by the way.

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much!!! Really appreciated!!! As for why some people dislike this video (or any other video for that matter) is just because there are always bitter people out there who think that if they disagree with anything you say (for small and inconsequential as it might be) then you deserve a dislike... So, there isn't much anyone can do about those individuals... 🤷‍♂️ Statistically, most average videos on KZbin (excluding news and political commentary, of course) get between 1% and 3% dislikes, which shows the percentage of bitter people on the internet 😂 (I would have to literally feel personally insulted or disgusted to leave a dislike on a video) But that's Ok. Better focus on the hundreds of people (like you) who not only like, but are nice enough to leave positive and constructive feedback in the comments section! So, I'm thankful for the 98,7% of viewers that, even though might disagree with something I say, still appreciate the work that content creators like me put into these videos! Thanks again mate!!!

[@BType13X2]

Thank you for making this, I am thinking of getting the glorious panda's or the Durocks not quite sure yet. I know I don't like linear switches, so I want to try something with a bit of a bump with glorious and durock being so cost friendly I feel like I can buy each and not feel like I wasted money if I don't quite like them.

[@IOSam]

You’re very much welcome my friend! And that was the great thing about Glorious Pandas and Durock T1’s when they came out: they forced the price of these "super-tactile" switches down to the much more reasonable level they are today (compared to when I produced this video). It is far easier and cheaper to get good keyboards parts to try out these days than mere two years ago… Which is awesome!

[@BType13X2]

@@IOSam I ended up purchasing Durock T1's, Tecsee Purple Panda's, and Gateron Oil Kings. I would love to see a video though by you in the future where you do "Office Friendly" switches and keyboards. My office almost banned "mechanical type" keyboards due to people picking loud obnoxious switches for the love of the thock / click sound. I'd like to see what switches give you the feel but also wont make your co-workers want to murder you. That is largely the reason why I have stuck to Browns for tactile in office, MXclears or linear switches like reds and blacks in the past.

[@IOSam]

@@BType13X2 Both the T1 and the Purple Panda are amazing “super-tactile” switches for a great price! And the Oil King may as well be one of the best linears I’ve ever tried. So, you’re in good hands with your switch choices there! Having said that, they might not be the most office friendly switches in the market, since they are not damped switches. As someone who does understand the problem of using mechanical keyboards in an office environment (it was the reason why I made the first video in this channel), I know that many offices will not allow you to use non-damped mechanical switches. While I understand that a lot of people dislike damped switches (such as the Zealios I used on that silent “budget” build), I’d say that even silent switch haters would probably prefer damped mechanical switches to membrane keyboards. And in that context, my #1 recommended silent tactile switches are still Gazzew Boba U4: they feel great (especially when lubed, as I showed here👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hF6piqGKbJ6sbtk ), they are well built and fairly priced. As for silent linears, there are too many good options in the market for me to have a single recommendation (it is, after all, much easier to build good linear switches than good tactile ones)… Basically any silent offer from Gateron, Kailh, JWK or Gazzew will work well after lubed. As for more coverage of office friendly keyboards and parts, I have a big roundup of a bunch of 96% keyboards, focused on office use, that I have been working for a while now and that should drop sometime this year here in the channel. On that video I’ll go over the topic of office friendly switches (some of them damped and others non-damped, but still quieter than average) and keyboards. So, stay tuned… ⏳

[@LordWiseWolf]

I kinda like the leaf ting noise a little bit. Reminds me of when I go to the range.

[@IOSam]

Exactly! Sounds like a M1 Garand clip ejection! 😂

[@LordWiseWolf]

@@IOSam hahaha yes! 🤣 I think this just made my switch choice for my first keyboard.

[@justliketheoldtime384]

Quality content!!! You're deserve a sub.

[@IOSam]

Thank you very much for the feedback and sub!!! And welcome aboard!

[@JayzBeerz]

Using the Tecsee Purple Panda and wow they are amazing.

[@IOSam]

I'm gonna have to get my hands on some of these Tecsee Pandas now to try them out... People are going crazy over them!

[@JayzBeerz]

@@IOSam 1upkeyboards has free shipping and the best price right now.

[@IOSam]

@@JayzBeerz 1UPkeyboards to the rescue (as always XD)... Thanks man!

[@JayzBeerz]

@@IOSam no problem dude take care.

[@coolbrotherf127]

These days, the Boba 4ut switches seem to be a very similar tactical experience with better stock quality, a cheaper price, and availability. I think the lure of saying they have a holy panda is why people are still very interested in getting them even though they may not really be the best option at the current time.

[@IOSam]

First, let me thank you for actually checking the date this video was posted (and considering the context of that time) 😆!!! It amazes me the number of comments I get on these fairly old videos now (despite how much traffic they still get and considering how fast this hobby has evolved) from people who simply don't bother to see the date the video was posted, and to remember that all of these fantastic switches that flooded the market in the last year and a half didn't even exist when this video was posted. And let me say I couldn’t agree with you more on the Gazzew Boba U4T! Ever since I tried the U4T (which I even featured in my last video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXyTZmltoLpomKc ) I was completely blown away by how freaking fantastic this switch is! For sure far better than any Panda I have ever tried and it is now my standard recommendation for the best super-tactile switch anyone should get. But even at the time when I posted this Holy Panda video, there were already some amazing tactile switches starting to pop up in the market (mostly from Durock at the time) that made the ridiculously high prices Drop was (and I think still is) charging for their Invyr Pandas completely obsolete -and I even made that point in my conclusion segment... Since paying more than $1 per switch, when you could get a T1 for $0.65, was just crazy. And I also agree with you that the whole drama behind the original Holy Panda (which, granted, was in good part responsible for bringing switch modding to the masses in a way that Ergo Clears didn’t do to the same extent a few years before) created this “mystique” that, to this day, is still the main reason why people still care about Holy Pandas.

[@jdbaker82]

Great video this is very concise and easy to follow

[@IOSam]

Thank you so much!!! I'm sure there's still room for improvement on my conciseness part though... 😁

[@takoyakeys]

Great production quality and a fantastic breakdown. Can’t believe I wasn’t subbed to you sooner 🐙

[@IOSam]

Mr. TakoyaKeys himself!!! Thanks man!! Your praise is worth more than you can imagine! 🙏

[@Lemminjoose]

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.

[@IOSam]

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!

[@chriswho12345]

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!

[@IOSam]

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! 😂

[@wyvern3525]

I have 3 keyboards with holy pandas, Purple trash pandas, and zelios v2. My favorite is purple trash pandas lubed with a slightly thinner krytox 205g0 and using 62g springs from zelios v2's. Also loved the video break down and information this was so well done. I got a lot of the info i wanted for the polar pandas ^_^. Thanks for the amazing vido keep up the amazing videos!

[@IOSam]

Yo thank you so much!!! Happy to know this video was helpful in your quest for more information on the Polar Pandas! The Yok panda still is my favorite tactile switch of all times and it will be featured on a following video where they'll go on a very special keyboard ;) To this day, this was the most fun I ever had producing a video, which is why I'm now working on a follow up focused on all the main "hyped linears". It will be another doozie, so stay tuned!

[@wyvern3525]

@@IOSam Oooo nice! I made my gf a custom keeb with silent alpacas after she tried the trash panda's, nk cremes, and roselios. But I am slowly venturing into making myself a linear build. I am pretty hyped to see this new one then xD

[@xblazr]

I was shooketh when I saw the sub count you have...Remember me when ya hit 100k and 1m :D. Great content man

[@IOSam]

😆👍 Happy to have so many viewers and supporters like you willing to follow this channel! Thank you!!!

[@alyssawarrick22]

Great, informative breakdown of all the info, but why not do typing tests for Holy & Yok after modding the stabs?

[@IOSam]

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! ;)

[@ericO141]

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?

[@IOSam]

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.

[@d.k.4876]

I in fact looking for the switches for my first build. I watched some other reviews on the Glorious Pandas, and the conclusion is always the same. God switch for the price and when lubed they do sound and feel even better. But i also heard the ping on the spring for the first time in this video. Now i am a bit curious about picking them up. Even i am new to this hobby- i could hear the ping and it somehow triggered me :D Godd video tho- i subscribed !

[@IOSam]

Thank you!!! Happy to know this video informed you well about these switches before you buy any of them! As for spring ping noise, I'd say that pretty much any tactile switch will always have them to some extent, but it will vary wildly depending on manufacturer and (certainly more than with linear switches) model. At any rate, our ears are not as sensitive to these noises as these super sensitive microphones we use for these videos, so when drowned out in your room ambient noise, you'll not always hear them. I'd say the Glorious Panda stock ping noise could be noticeable depending on the keyboard you install them on, so if you don't want to lube their leaf springs you might want to pick a different tactile switch for your build (a different Panda or other type of tactile switches such as Gazzew Boba U4T or any variations of a JWK tactile).

[@d.k.4876]

@@IOSam I planned to lube them- but not the leaf spring. I don't want to run into contact problems. But channels and housing was on my "lubing list". I also thought about filming them (if they are already opened- why not apply a gimmick :D). The switches will be mounted on a kbd75. At this point i am not sure about my keycaps tho.

[@IOSam]

@@d.k.4876 Even if a switch is tight, filming it won't hurt, so you might as well do it (it will most certainly lower the pitch). The KBD75 is a great board (I'm about to build one myself :), but if you're using the brass plate, it might boost the pings of a tactile switch. If you go with tactile JWKs (say Durock T1) it will have a slightly higher pitch sound than the Drop Holy Panda and if you go with a Gazzew Boba U4T it might be a bit more "thockier" (lower pitch). Your choice of switch will mostly depend on your budget at this point (Durocks are cheaper, Bobas are Ok and Drop HPs are very expensive). For keycaps, PBT will also sound a bit more lower pitch than ABS, so that might also be a consideration depending on what kind of sound profile you want for your keyboard.

[@bFOURdwZEROlf]

I got a Invr Panda in my switch tester and it felt like the best switch there. I got a keyboard with Gateron Silent Reds Love those switches. I am going to test it side by side Right Now Hmmm

[@IOSam]

Check you Invyr Panda to see if it is a stock switch (with the linear black stem) or if it has been modded to a Holy Panda (with a tactile white or pink stem). If it is a Holy Panda, it should feel very different from your linear Gat Red.

[@dorcondorcon]

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

[@IOSam]

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 ;)

[@danstenis660]

I just ordered some Glorious panda switches for Glorious GMMK Pro keyboard. Can you make a quick video on your favorite method to lube them?

[@IOSam]

Hey Dan, I’ll go through my old footage and see if there is enough material for me to produce a short video in my secondary channel IQ Sam (bit.ly/iqsam ) showing in more detail how I lubed my original Glorious Pandas. But what I can tell you right now is that I lubed them the same way I lube all other tactiles (coil spring, bottom housing rails and floor, stem rails and sides but not the legs, and optionally a tiny bit of lube on the top housing where the stem rails touch) with just one difference: I put a dab of lube under the spring leaf “fold” and a tiny bit of lube where the metal contacts close. This last step is just to reduce the Glorious Pandas infamous leaf spring ping.

[@danstenis660]

@@IOSam When my order of the keyboard and switch arrive, I will have to watch your video of lubing again with the switch opened up in front of me so I can match up its orientation of my switch to that in the video. Without the switch in front of me, I have no idea which side is which that I am seeing in your video, and thus have no idea which side you are lubing on. And your response above should help too. Thanks.

[@gomi7132]

Great Video! Love the Intro

[@IOSam]

Thank you!!! I had a lot of fun putting that intro together! 😁

[@khoosoonkhong8578]

God tier keyboard enthusiast, thanks for yr effort

[@IOSam]

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! 🙏

[@AlpayYi]

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!

[@IOSam]

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!

[@AlpayYi]

@@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!

[@IOSam]

@@AlpayYi That's what I'm here for! 😎👍

[@EbenezerScroogeMcDuck]

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?

[@IOSam]

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 ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaSXo6h8e9agp9E ) or the NK65EE I used here ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2OTk2eInahll9E ). 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).

[@ooharloo]

I’m quite happy with my T1 switches for tactility bliss.

[@IOSam]

T1s are, to this day, still the best deal on tactile switches out there. Highly recommended!

[@reflex191]

Excellent review! All aspects of each variant was covered in great detail. The sound tests I really enjoyed because you'd hear each switch on the same keys, this isn't something I see a lot. I've had Drop Holy Pandas myself (as soon as the 2nd batch went live). They were pretty bad. Lots of spring crunch and I had tons of them exhibit ticking (I'm pretty sure that's what it was). It sounded exactly like your testing with the Glorious Panda and Taeha's video on the Glorious Pandas. Maybe I got a bad batch., I was surprised because this was a common complaint with Glorious', not Drop's HPs. I'm going to give them another shot with Drop because I really do prefer them on my Zealio V2s. Looking forward to more content like this in the future!

[@IOSam]

Thank you for your feedback! Appreciated!! As for your Drop Holy Pandas, can you confirm if you received them completely unlubed? My therory of why Drop resisted selling these switches completely unlubed is that there is a bigger chance of having leaf spring noises (such as the case with the Glorious, that comes 100% dry). If that is the case, you could try to lube the leaf spring contacts (as I showed for the Glorious Pandas) to see if that fix the noise (you could even try to do that while avoiding lubing the areas where the leaf spring touches the stem legs, since I don't believe that's the source of this tick noise, and this would preserve most of the switch tactility).

[@reflex191]

@@IOSam I wish I could double check, but I sent them back because the ticking drove me crazy. Interesting theory though it’s very possible. I got an earlier batch from the round 2. I’m not sure how they are being shipped now. I really do miss the holy pandas, the Zealio V2 aren’t as much fun to type on. I’ll be ordering again soon hopefully with better luck. Here’s a video I took of the ticking a while back: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r52VaZmmepmql5Y Wasn’t 100% sure what it was but it definitely sounds like the ticking in your vid and Taehas.

[@IOSam]

@@reflex191 Yeap! Sounds exactly the same. Well, if you get a new batch of Drop HPs, and if that problem happens with them, give the leaf spring lubing thing a chance... I'm positve that that will fix the issue the same way it does for the GPs.

[@reflex191]

@@IOSam Hey got a new batch in from Drop this past week. First impression is they feel much much better. The stock springs do not have that crunch feeling and the tick noise/unpleasant scratchy feeling associated with it is not there. The first batch I got early 2020 went in and out my hotswap KBD67mkii easily like my Zealios. This batch however seems really stuck in the brass plate. I'm going to have a hard time getting these things out when I go to lube them. Any tips for getting them out if you've experienced that? Once they are out just have to decide now if I want to lube the stock springs or go with TX 14mm 65g (I'd imagine this is somewhat similar to the Sprit you used because they're a bit shorter) and 3203 or 205g0.

[@IOSam]

Since I posted this video you are the second person telling me that the latest batch of Drop HPs has improved considerably compared the first, which is great news! As for the difficulty in removing them from hot-swap sockets, it could be because of a change in the housing mold (I'm not aware of such a change, but then Drop probably wouldn’t make something like this public anyway). My suggestion is for you to get a good switch puller (such as this one I got from KBDfans, but that can be found elsewhere: kbdfans.com/products/product ) and then grab and pull the switches from the East/West sides instead of the North/South to avoid breaking the thin plastic bar surrounding the LED hole in the housing (which can happen when switches are stuck). And as for the springs I think the Sprit 65g will indeed be very similar to the 63g one I used (2grams difference might be imperceptible on a tactile switch anyway). I usually don't bother upgrading springs unless I don't like their weight and if they are "crunchy", but if you decide to go with Sprits I can attest to their quality (I have used them many times in other switch mod projects).

[@FBC662]

Thank you for the great review

[@IOSam]

My pleasure! Thank you for checking it out and for taking the time to leave great feedback!!!

[@FBC662]

your welcome man you've earned yourself a sub

[@aam77]

Love your videos and loved this one as well. However, though usually bad switches don't do a good keyboard justice, I think in your case, the keyboard didn't do any of the three switches you reviewed justice. I juspect it's the combination of the keyboard in whole, its stabiliser under the spacebar and perhaps the keycaps are to blame.

[@IOSam]

Very much true! And it is my fault that I never got around to publish the videos about the boards where I soldered these switches on since then... But I have the footage and will still find the time to produce and publish those videos here. Belive me, the definitive boards where I installed these Pandas DO justice to these nice switches! ;)

[@aam77]

@@IOSam when you have the time, do a review of the Drop branded Holy Panda switches. They say the tooling is different on the housing and come without lube. I've got some in my ROG Azoth, another keyboard for you to review if possible but can't tell if theses are better or worse than the originals as I've never used them.

[@kylebigley2727]

Was shocked to see only 700 subs, awesome video. I have a DROP CTRL keyboard and I dig your black/grey keycaps. Do you have a link to where I can get them?

[@IOSam]

Thank you sir! Yes, the channel is shy of 800 subs at the moment, but just a month ago it was around 200... So, thanks to supporters like you, the arrow is pointing in the right direction! :) As for the keycaps, KBDfans usually has a large asortment of enjoyPBT keycaps (both in ABS and PBT plastic) in stock. At the moment, they don't have the "Dolch" color in stock (you can sign up to be notified when they restock it: kbdfans.com/products/enjoypbt-abs-doubleshot-mechanical-keyboard-keycaps-set-1 ), but they have a variety of other interesting colors in stock, so check out the enjoyPBT section of their website: kbdfans.com/collections/enjoypbt-keycaps . At this moment, they have at least 3 variationd of the double-shot ABS series in stock: kbdfans.com/collections/enjoypbt-keycaps/products/enjoypbt-abs-doubleshot-mechanical-keyboard-keycaps-set / kbdfans.com/collections/enjoypbt-keycaps/products/enjoypbt-abs-doubleshot-mechanical-keyboard-keycaps-set-7 / kbdfans.com/collections/enjoypbt-keycaps/products/enjoypbt-abs-doubleshot-mechanical-keyboard-keycaps-set-5 ). I highly recommend these keycaps, since they are close to GMK quality for almost half the price. As for buying from KBDfans, they are 100% legit/reliable. Their shipping is expensive at the moment (they can only ship through FEDEX and DHL now because of COVID), but you'll get it very quickly in any part of the world.