Okay, so I finally got around to messing with these Blue Outemu switches. I’d heard a lot about them – mostly that they’re super clicky and tactile, and, well, cheap. I wanted to see if they lived up to the hype (or, you know, the anti-hype, depending on who you ask).
First thing I did was grab a handful of them. They felt pretty light, kinda plasticky, but not in a terrible way. Just, you know, not premium. I pressed one a few times just in my hand, and man, that click is LOUD. My wife immediately gave me the side-eye from across the room.
Getting Started
I pulled out my old, beat-up keyboard that I use for experimenting. I figure, if I mess something up, it’s no big loss. I already had some other switches in there that I’d been testing, so the first step was removing those.
- Popped off the keycaps – easy peasy.
- Used my switch puller (a must-have tool, by the way) to yank out the old switches. Some were a little stubborn, but they all came out eventually.
Installing the Outemus
Inserting the Blue Outemus was pretty straightforward. They just snapped into place. I did notice that the pins were a little bit flimsy, so I made sure to be gentle. Bent pins are a pain to fix. I went through and installed all of them, row by row, making sure each one was seated properly.
Once they were all in, I plugged in the keyboard and did a quick test. Every key worked! And, yeah, the clickiness was intense. It’s definitely a satisfying sound, but I can see how it would drive some people (and their spouses) crazy. I typed out a few sentences, and the tactile bump was very noticeable. It’s a very different feel from, say, a linear switch.
My Thoughts
After using them for a bit, I can say that they’re…interesting. They’re definitely not for everyone. If you like a quiet keyboard, run far, far away. But if you enjoy that click-clack typewriter feel, and you’re on a budget, these are worth checking out. I wouldn’t use them for my main keyboard, personally, but they’re fun to mess around with. I definitely got the clicky experience that I had in my mind. They are a great, fun and affordable switch.