The community uses bounce and flex interchangeably and idk if there’s technically a distinction between them, but for me: flex is all about flexibility of the pcb and maybe plate, and bounce is about the vertical movement of the whole pcb + plate. Both contribute to a soft typing experience.

For example, the tiger80 has really thick gaskets (although a bit different because I think it relies a bit on a pocket of air?) and a 1.2mm pcb with long flex cuts across each row. That has a super soft typing feel and imo very satisfying.

I have a mode65 thats top mount and I have a flex cut solder pcb and half plate. Its not bouncing up and down like gaskets allow, but its still very flexible with a flex cut on top and below the alphas. Also a soft typing feel and satisfying.

I think its funny you mention people are disappointed when its not obviously flexy, because the community in the west hates flex cuts because of the sound, and maybe it could be because bigger content creators have stated that flex cuts aren’t for them. But I’ve heard flex cuts are popular in the east which is why so many boards came out with flex cuts. And so it seems to me people just don’t want a stiff board.

People loved the qk65 despite its flex cuts. Imo, those flex cuts did nothing lol. I had one, sold it because it felt stiff, but everyone else loved it. It wasn’t stiff enough to make my fingers tired after a while, but I was just disappointed because content creators mentioned flex and bounce and that board practically had neither for me. Imo, the gasket socks just weren’t thick enough. There was almost no bounce, and the flex cuts were so small they didn’t allow much more flex than if it were to have no flex cuts.

So I think if you guys implement thick gaskets people would appreciate it. Because a flexible pcb isn’t well received apparently, so I guess the next route is looking to make the board feel soft by making it bouncy.

I don’t think a board needs to be super flexy for me to buy one, even though I love flexy boards, there is such a thing as too much. I’ve realized that now with my plateless jris65 that I’ve modded to not bottom out when I press hard.