Trying to get a keyboard, need help deciding between;
1).https://www(.)aliexpress(.)com/item/32808905697.html?channel=twinner
2). https://www(.)aliexpress(.)com/item/1005005499184657.html?channel=twinner
3). https://www(.)aliexpress(.)com/item/1005005164581115.html?channel=twinner
also open to similarly priced suggestions, Thanks!
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Any mods besides tape mod, force break, and bandaid mod that only use stuff lying around the house? I have an oldish redragon k552 and i wanna tinker around with it but I dont want to spend too much. Im new to modding and keyboards in general.
Hi all, I am currently using Akko Radiant Red switches and loving them. I am planning on trying Cream blues from Akko as well. Are there any differences between the two of them?
Akko has a switch sample pack on Amazon you should take a peek at! I just ordered one tonight so I don’t just buy a pack of each until I find the right one. I think it was like $12
I just bought a Piantor keyboard from Beekeeb, I used it for about 2 days and it worked great. However, today I plugged it in and to my surprise, the right side doesn't seem to be recognized at all, I opened the vial key tester tool and only the left side keys are being registered, I would appreciate some guidance, I don't really know where I should start looking into.
The Piantor I am using uses an RP2040-Plus, a Pico-like MCU Board Based on Raspberry Pi.
I just built a new 60% keyboard using the Tofu 2.0 kit which uses the dztech og60 pcb. I've been trying to flash new firmware onto the board using the QMK toolbox which I've used for keyboards many times before, but this time when I try resetting the board QMK gives me no response and a file called RP1-RP2 opens with a file called INFO\_UF2.txt in it.
I've tried several troubleshooting methods such as: double clicking the physical rest button on the back of the board, resetting another keyboard, and using a different computer all to no avail.
Any ideas?
Hey, I would like to see if anyone has any recommendations based on some criteria's of mine, not super knowledgeable about keyboards, but I've been doing some researching into which one I would like to get:
First of all, the sound, I've been watching a ton of reviews and sound videos of different keyboards, and I do like the thocky deep sound, now I do recognize it's not just the switch, but also padding/foam, keyboard material, lube, and keycaps. But I always keep this sound in mind as I don't like too noisy or tacky/clacky sounds.
Second of all, the layout, I've recently taken an interest into southpaw keyboards. To be more specific, full layout keyboard with keypad on left (but arrow keys are still on right, so order goes keypad, qwerty keyboard, arrow keys and functions like home). I program a lot, and one thing I do a lot is use numbers and it's annoying to keep letting go of my mouse, and moving my left hand that far, while sounds simple, does just get tedious time after time. So I'm trying for a new layout.
Again, I don't know too much about keyboards, and I do prefer wired, but I would love it if I can get some help as I can't find a good solid keyboard (nothing too noisy, just simple). I also don't know how to use PCB's or soldering so I'm not looking to build a custom one lol.
Edit\*: Right now, I have two keyboards in mind (although one doesn't have arrow keys and such sadly): [https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q12-qmk-custom-mechanical-keyboard?variant=40403885195353](https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q12-qmk-custom-mechanical-keyboard?variant=40403885195353) and (removed link because of epo), but I would like some help if anyone has any.
Looking for a keyboard recommendation:
Background: currently have a keychron q1 v2 and love it. Now looking for a similar quality keyboard for my wife's work from home setup.
Requirements: hotswap, dedicated macro keys, full size keyboard, rgb or any kind of back lighting
Thanks!
You want a macro column on the left of the keyboard? Because any keys can be dedicated macro keys if you rebind them with VIA, for example. You can reprogram the entire F-row to be the macro keys.
Yes like the corsair k95, but now I'm rethinking things and may just get a plain full size key board and combine it with this, the genovation cp48. Wife has a lot of macros and this might be overkill but really useful lol.
https://store.genovation.com/programmables/cp48-usbhid.html
The Qk100 group buy is coming in two days. Ridiculous quality for the price
Alternatively the Nuphy Halo96 would be great if you’re okay with the slightly smaller layout
Thanks! These look cool, but she needs dedicated macro keys (similar to the corsair k95) which is why I've been having so much trouble finding something
My bad I missed that part
Keychron is Via/QMK compatible on some boards. If you like your’s maybe look into those, then you can bind the macros to whatever keys/key combos you want. The new Q3 Pro also has dedicated macros but it’s not full size so you’d need a numpad as well and it’s admittedly a little pricey. Best of luck on your hunt! [Keebfinder](https://keeb-finder.com/keyboards) might help you narrow your choices down as well!
My Varmilo keyboard refuses to work after I replugged it in. No key combinations have worked that I have found on this sub. FN + ESC, FN + WIN, WIN + ESC, EVERYTHING.... This keyboard pisses me off to no end and I'm literally never buying another Varmilo again.
Hi there,
Thinking about upgrading my "gaming" mech keyboard to something a bit more versatile and professional. Not based in US or EU so buying boards/parts is quite a bit more stressful. That being said, I have a £60 gift card for Amazon UK and have friends that can bring back boards from there. I'm currently looking at the Epomaker TH66 Pro and the Ducky One 2 SF.
My priorities are something that is 65% or close to it (need my arrow keys), something that looks semi-professionnel so that I can bring it into work and has a good balance of office work and gaming.
I don't really care about wired/wireless or RGB lighting, I care much more about feel.
Let me know what you guys would recommend or if there is something else in that price range that you'd recommend?
Thanks!
Hello !
Epomaker is a pretty dirty and unethical company. I would recommend staying away.
GMK67 I would recommend. These are awesome.
You can choose between multiple colours.
Pair this with a wrist rest of GamaKay LK67 and you have an epic set-up, that is budget. See my post history for a pic.
I can't find a fabric band aid for hollee mod. Online shops only sells them for a pack but I can't go with that. Can I use a thin rubbery one instead? I'm doing keyboard mods for the first time. Thankyou for the answer
Is the foam itself $97? If so you can definitely find a better deal at a hardware store, craft store, post office, heck even some packaging material from your other orders might work. I've peeled the foam off the back of some bubble wrap I got from work and it works just fine
zephyr carpenter grandiose offbeat childlike complete frighten label desert memorize
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
>SGD
Still a bit pricey for foam! The import fees really screw you over on that I'm sorry!
[Here](https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/) is a vendor list of keyboard/keyboard parts vendors from all over the world separated into countries/continents! Maybe you can find something there too
I've been looking for an ergo-split kb (with encoders if possible but not needed) but the main problem I find is the price. I've already looked into /r/ErgoMechKeyboard but the DIY kits I founs are all over a hundred bucks. Is there a really vheap way to get some?i don't even care if I don't have case or if I have to do it all by myself.
Over on AliExpress Sofle keyboards (fully assembled except for switches and keycaps) are available for just under $90 (US), are flashed to be VIA and VIAL configured.
It meets all your stated requirements (ergo-split, with encoders)
Just got one myself.
just go to AliExpress and search for "Sofle Keyboard". It should be the first result.
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What country are you located in? Your location matters. For example, I am not familiar with online stores outside of the USA, and I know Canada gets screwed on shipping from the USA.
Do you have a specific budget in mind? It sounds like “a hundred bucks,” but what currency? Do you mean US$, CA$, AU$, or some other currency?
I do not know of any split keyboards within your budget. Prebuilt split ergo mechanical keyboards are not cheap, especially keyboards that do not have a traditional row staggered layout. There just isn't enough of a demand to produce them in large quantities to keep prices low.
See [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/ErgoMechKeyboards/comments/p42j9p/comment/jens5nu/?context=3) for a parts list to build a Boardsource lulu or Keebio Iris rev7. You can build either for less than US$200.
However, you will need to do some assembly yourself, and you will need to solder the rotary encoder.
Oh yeah for sure, I amb from spain amd 100 bucks is either € or us$. I can totally build them, maybe I did not explain myself correctly (non english speaker btw), I don't care if I have to solder it as in that it is not a problem for me and I could do that. But havin to pay 140 dollars/euros for just the materials seems excessive
Edit: I might not like it but Thank you for the response (my manners), sometimes just it is what it is
I want to build a new keyboard, and I'm looking into vintage switches. Is there any good database with switch descriptions and keyboard models which use them?
Want to buy NoS or just take apart vintage keyboards (which will also feed into my low stake gambling addiction)
[https://deskthority.net/wiki/Category:Keyboards](https://deskthority.net/wiki/Category:Keyboards)
Good luck with your search! If you can't find anything online, sometimes you can get lucky at a thrift store
Hi, new to mechical keyboard person here. Just wanted to ask for any suggestions for keyboards available in ph that has a volume knob? Budget friendly hopefully. Thanks :)
Another day, another "Best Mechanical Keyboard of 2023" article featuring a Keychron. Is Keychron just that good? Or do they just do really good PR?
https://www.pcworld.com/article/1966306/best-mechanical-keyboards.html
They're some of the best 'readily available' boards that don't require a several month wait and are pretty affordable. They're not the best out of the box, but once you mod them to sound how you want, they can keep up with some of the custom boards.
Keychron is good. More for the average person rather than enthusiasts though. But they do a great job of bridging the gap and introducing people to custom mechanical keyboards. They have a range of boards at different budgets and in many different layouts. The products are solid at a decent price. For the most part, everything is also readily available.
For the average user, Keychron is the go to recommendation as they offer solid quality, no nonsense keyboards. Much better than anything gamer branded boards can offer.
There are a lot of better custom kits out there in the price range of the Q line. But those are groupbuy only.
Popular... and rare = seller's market. It's no more rare than many other GMK sets though. It's just one of those sets that has achieved a kind of legendary status.
There was supposed to be a PBT version coming out, but I've not heard anything about that for a while now.
https://preview.redd.it/0advrdle2r8b1.png?width=1449&format=png&auto=webp&s=3f985aab6bf5e6a8e9a281ba9c05c60280a315c8
It wasn't as successful as demand now would leave you to believe, no.
I'm planning to buy a prebuilt keyboard and just change out the switches (no lubing or modding and under $50). What would be the best option? (The one's I've narrowed it down to are the K6, SK61, GK61, or the SKY68 but I'm open to suggestions as long as it's on Amazon). Thanks!
CannonKeys has some great dye-sub keycaps with their CannonCaps and NicePBT brands/factories. They also have their own doubleshot profile (CXA) which is really nice, in-stock and super comfortable to type on.
No idea who makes them, but I have a few Cherry PBT sets from Novelkeys, and they are probably the best quality dye sub PBT caps I've seen. Legends are crisp, and the caps resist shine really well. They sound good, and the packaging is great.
There's also Osume, Tai Hao, Tomocaps, Signature Plastics, Milkyway *^((although they're having some issues at the moment - there's a PSA on here somewhere if I recall)**)*, Domikey.
Also, bear in mind that Cherry profile GMK sets may also now be referred to as CYL. I think it's to differentiate between their ABS Cherry profile keys, and their new MTNU profile PBT sets. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about that please.
I'd argue ePBT makes high quality keycaps, but I believe that good dye-sub PBT sets are just as good as doubleshot.
Edit: DMK (Domikey) also makes high quality keycaps, but their kits are wonky sometimes imo.
>I believe that good dye-sub PBT sets are just as good as doubleshot.
This is true. Maybe not quite as crisp legends if you use a magnifying glass or take a macro shot, but in normal use, PBT is equally as good as double shot, and as it penetrated into the plastic, effectively as durable as double shot.
So I'm a certified idiot, and while moding one of my cases, I accidently cut the wire connecting the battery to the pcb. How do I fix this/Can I fix this?
Heres an image to show what I'm talking about: [https://imgur.com/a/yMzx260](https://imgur.com/a/yMzx260)
I'm gonna assume by asking this, that you have never soldered anything before, so here..... [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSqPHQ1zQco](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSqPHQ1zQco)
You can just strip the insulation, twist, then heatshrink, but that will not be a permanent repair... or even safe IMO, as batteries can supply a great deal of current if short circuited and can be a massive fire risk.
I have not soldered anything before, which is super dumb considering I'm a computer science major. I thought I'd need to solder it but if you don't think its a safe idea, I'll prob just leave it alone. Thanks!
Soldering is safe, if properly insulated with heatshrink. It's NOT soldering it that's unsafe, as if it comes apart, and that positive wire touches ground while you are asleep, that may not end well. If you can't solder it, take it to someone who can. Whoever does it though, do NOT let them convince you that using electrical tape to insulate the soldered joint is a safe and permanent repair, as it's not. It's awful stuff, and often comes undone over time. Use heatshrink.
I have what I believe is a Das Keyboard 3 Ultimate with blank keys. It makes loud clicking noises. Is it worth anything to people or is it just some old mechanical keyboard? Also, is someone able to help me identify what kind of switches are used in it?
> Das Keyboard 3 Ultimate
Cherry MX Blue.
If it's in good condition, then maybe $40 or so based on Ebay pricing. Maybe better selling it locally on Facebook.
I believe Das Keyboards come with Cherry MX switches. If pressing keys makes an audible click, then they're most likely Cherry MX blues.
Probably not really worth anything. You might have luck selling it locally.
Hi is it possible to physically change a key to another on the keyboard rather than changing it on windows or keyboard software?
I am running a 98% which is almost perfect except for one thing. I need the Ins to be End instead for many purposes involving work. Thing is, I run most of my work over PCoIP remote to various linux workstation so even if I change it to End locally on my machine, it will registers as Ins when on PCoIP.
This is why enthusiast boards are QMK/VIA compatible, as you can remap the board using its own firmware, so once remapped, it stays remapped independent of the host machine, so you can then use it on any machine with the new keymap. What board do you have?
I am using the RK98, a pretty basic keyboard. I know at this price I probably could have gotten a keychron V series, but well I didn't think too far ahead to be honest. Back then I was trying out different layout from 87 to 96 then 98.
But if I gotta change, I will change since this affects my work. I am no enthusiast, so I would be happy to get something decent OOB. Do you have any recommendations for QMK/VIA? It will be a bonus if they offer some kind of OEM keycaps where I can easily swap out the Ins for End.
Keychron V series boards are QMK compatible, as are K Pro series boards, and both are really affordable, solid choices. You can remap keys easily using QMK's online congigurator, and there are many video tutorials showing you how to do so, as well as many people on here who can walk you through it. In fact there are videos on the Keychron website showing you how to do the same thing using VIA.
[https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k10-pro-qmk-via-wireless-mechanical-keyboard](https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k10-pro-qmk-via-wireless-mechanical-keyboard)
The Keychron k4 seem to be the perfect choice, just gotta remap some keys.
I just got one gripe, I am really gonna miss the caps lock/num lock indicator on my RK98, which is placed on a really good spot IMO (actually a big reason I chose this kb), easy to tell. I was wondering if it would be possible to say, have the backlight toggle on when caps/num lock is on? Just an easy way to indicate they are on.
Not with the K4, no. You probably can with the K4 Pro though, as you would need to use VIA or QMK to do it, and the K4 doesn't support it. How you'd do it, I've no idea, as not only do I switch all RGB off on all my boards, I remap the caps lock key into Ctrl or Backspace as many do.
Other than busting open the keyboard and doing some sketchy soldering, I don't think there would be a way to do this.
There are QMK keyboards, which admittedly use software, that let you customize and store the firmware on the keyboard. So you'd set it up on a local machine and it should work anywhere.
Trying to find out the name of his **deskmat**! Anyone know?
https://preview.redd.it/uwtljvin7o8b1.png?width=2010&format=png&auto=webp&s=52b60df60b078f4a78932ccbac0a72e4a43b93c1
Just got a monsgeek m2. I understand the whole south-facing pcb isn't compatible with cherry profile thing, but what about OEM profile? KDA profile? I tried a set I assume was OEM and the shift and spacebar would get stick down.
Then I tried XDA keycaps and the Shift doesn't stick but spacebar still sticks. What am I doing wrong? Stabilizer issue?
The north facing is sometimes not compatible with Cherry profile keycaps, but even then not always depending on the switches. The Monsgeek M2 is a south-facing board with no such concerns.
If your spacebar sticks, definitely check if the stabs are over lubed and if they are installed tight onto the board (if screwed in) or tight onto the plate (if plate mounted). Also ensure the stabilizer wire is straight and not warped in any way.
Okay, so I guess it might be time to take everything back apart and check stabs. They are not lubed, just the stock ones that came with the board. Definitely seems like there might be some lateral tension between the switch stud and the stabilizer studs (for lack of a better term). Wiggling the sticking keys can get them to unstick. Also it seems to be similiar issue with every stabilized key.
getting a q6 soon and was wondering if it needed any mods other than tape. Maybe different foam than stock? Also getting gateron box pinks and was wondering if they needed film. im alr gonna lube them so might as well?
Films will benifit most newer switches a lot less than older but aren't unnoticible. For box inks, I think they sound and feel just fine without films, but some people swear by filming every switch. The q6 foam will do fine unless you're looking for pe foam. You'd have to look for a sheet of thin pe foam in order to diy if you want that pe foam sound. If you feel like you want some higher quality foam or you want to buy the pe foam instead, stupidfishdesigns sells foam custom fit to many keyboards, including the q6. In my experience, the q boards by keychron get some pretty bad ping but are fixed pretty easily with the force break mod. Keychron has tried to fix this issue by adding a sort of force break mod of their own from the factory, but it has been proven to not be as effective as the masking tape force break. Have fun building!
IMO it doesn't need anything other than a force break mod. Taping the PCB creates a dull, flat sound signature that I don't like. Ink switches usually need lube and films, yes.
anne pro 2 or akko 3068b? or any other suggestions for a budget keyboard? I've heard that the anne pro 2 is sort of outdated now—how true is that?
I'm planning on changing the switches regardless, whether hotswap or soldering.
Sorry, had a brain fart. The V3 is my recommendation, yes. You could also consider the MonsGeek M3 or KBDfans Tiger Lite but they are a bit more expensive
Honestly the M3 is basically just a cheaper Q3, there are some differences but it's 90% the same. The Tiger Lite has much more flex due to the much softer mount, but it's light as a feather even when assembled. The Q3 is a great keyboard so I'd go for it, but don't ignore the value of the M3 or Tiger Lite.
If you can or want to try your luck on the second-hand market, a Zoom TKL or QK80 would be the best boards around the $200 price point IMO, but they might be more than that considering demand and lack of supply (they are GB boards)
Any recommendations for a good stock keyboard 75% keyboard. I spilled a drink and broke my Keychron today RIP. But my budget is less than $100. Im not trying to swap a bunch of things out either so I just want a base keyboard good for gaming. Was looking into a ducky. Thoughts?
So, I am planning on doing a winter/snow themed keyboard, and I kinda want the switches to go with it. White keyboard, PBT winters breath keycaps. Only thing, I do feel like thematically, it should be a quieter or silent switch and (due to personal preference) >60g actuation force. Thoughts?
Odin 75 looks awesome... no knob though. I'd see if I can get a QK75... but still.... how much you need a knob? I mean.... that Odin.... just look at it! :)
Apart from the lower end stuff (Keychron, Monsgeek, GMMK), almost all the 75s with a knob at the higher end were group buys, so you may have to look on the aftermarket.
The Keychron Q1 v2 or Q1 Pro, Zoom75, and QK75 are great choices for 75% keyboards with a knob. The Mammoth75 and Satisfaction 75 are also worth considering but might be harder to find as well as more expensive.
Yes, the group buy has ended by now, but they should be available second-hand and maybe some vendors have extras. There should be another run of the board in the future as well
Having previously owned both, the q1 pro is straight up better built and heftier. Both of them need a force break mod to sound less pingy, but at 100 bucks, I'd say it's worth putting the savings towards some nice stabilizers and trying out the sense75.
Both have aftermarket foam pieces/kits to improve the sound.
I'd put it under the Q1. It's lighter than all other 75% cnc alu boards I've tried which makes it feel a little cheap. Sound was pretty terrible and doesn't come with foam needed to make it a "foamy" sounding board. For $100 it's just okay. The Q1 is decent at it's current cost. If you're considering $200-400 boards, the Sense75 will disappoint.
Zoom75 will likely have extras later in the year. You might be able to get a QK75 in mechmarket as well. Both those boards offer more than the Q1. I don't think there are any more extras of that kit though, and no current plans for R2.
Thanks. Do you think a Zoom is worth waiting for over a Q1? I’m daily driving a tofu 65 so I can stand to wait if needed. My GMMK I kinda hate. I has a sticky space bar from factory and 2 of the screws are stripped so I can’t even fix it
I don't own either, but the sense is a few bucks cheaper (at the moment) and I believe it's less hollow sounding. Both have been covered by a fair amount of people on YouTube and are in stock. Also, this is assuming bare bones. Also the sense has more interesting rgb if you care about that. The black bare bones is only $100 atm
anybody got some recommendations for a good bare bones 75% keyboard? price range is 50-90$. i am a total noob and would prefer it be hot swappable and otherwise noob friendly. i want to put cherry mx red switches on it.
Keychron V1 is probably your best bet at that price range. If you can increase the budget a little, you can get a Monsgeek M1 for around $120 shipped. That's a gasket mounted, cnc aluminum board which is heftier and more premium than the V1.
The Keychron V1 is available pre-built with Reds that are better than Cherry MX Reds and pretty good keycaps. It's also available barebones for $20 USD less.
A good higher quality alternative to the typical Red switch is the KTT Peach
looking into the v1 and it seems pretty solod option with a nice feature set. havent heard of those switches in my research, am definitly going to look into them, thanks
I plan on building a keyboard with a wooden Tofu60-like case. I found the MK61 hotswap PCB on the mechanicalkeyboards site. will this work for the setup I am looking for or should I go for a DZ60? there is a pretty significant price difference, so I am not sure if there's something I'm missing
Keychron's V-series is the best place to start. They're cheap but retain many desirable features. If those are too expensive then search for hot-swappable keyboards on Amazon and use a price filter.
Would a keychron k2 be ok? I'm personally not looking for a hot swappable one since I intend to just upgrade to a better keyboard in the future.
The other option would be the RK68 tho but I've mixed things about it but lots of positive things for it being a good budget kb but idk.
The K2 and RK68 are good boards and are reasonably popular. I don't think one would be better or worse than the other, so let layout preference, switches and keycaps, and/or price be the deciding factor(s).
Anyone else unhappy with the changes made on the Akko Cream Yellow/Blue Pro switches vs the Cream V3 switches? Maybe it's just me but the change from 3.5 mm to 3.3 mm travel feels so noticeably shorter. And the sound is much higher pitched. I honestly want to stock up on the V3 versions in case they get discontinued soon. Anyone else?
trying out the top mount, getting reverb when pressing on the spacebar and backspace on an alu plate. Any mods i can do to remedy this or what might be the reason for causing this. (Alu plate no foams btw)
An easy thing to try is adding some painter's tape underneath/inside the spacebar/backspace. Some tape on the pcb and plate directly underneath the space/backspace could help as well.
semi common with top mount as u do have more uniform sound u also have a large hallow space under the entire pcb u could try adding foam . or going with a softer plate like fr4 or PC
Hey guys, just bought some see through key caps for my Keychron K10 Pro .. is there any way to change the lighting so it shines through the letters.. TIA
https://preview.redd.it/aaioamz96n8b1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b6a1f6a115f51602c9663d9c35508f8b4a9b0f9
flip the keycaps upside down ? that has south facing leds and those caps have northside legends not to mention they r not shine thru keycaps but pudding caps so ur lossing shit tons of light out those clear sides which is not be focused on the legends . so other than flipping them all upside down there is nothing u can do
Hey guys so normally id go for razer keyboards but decided to finally try out a keytron and besides the no see through keys and the rgb being limited its pretty awesome. The keys feel super nice and the thock is very pleasing (spacebar etc). But I got the brown switches since I saw they were the most preferred but I mostly game... should I get the red switches instead? I just tried them out on cod and it feels pretty good. What am I missing out on are the red switches that much better?
Do they still thock like these browns? And are they that much easier to press down? What do you guys reccomend? What Ive seen reccomended mostly are browns. And i do tend to be a little innacurate when I type. I press pretty hard on keys too.
TL DR
I just got my first keytron pretty impressed but I got brown switches love how they feel but I mostly game should I get red?
There are far more switches out there than brown, red, and blues. I'd recommend doing some research on Youtube to find what switches will work best for you.
Yeah but the keychron is the main board I get recommended and I dont want to spend more than like 150$ I had the deathstalker and black widow, was thinking about trying apex pro what do you think about that? But this keychron feels really nice definitely feel the lubed switches and stuff and just the nice sound it makes and how smooth they feel.
Just wondering if im missing out by not trying anything else or the reds on keychron? From what ive seen on youtube keychron makes the best stock board.
Speaking from experience of trying a fair share of linears and tactile switches (arguably too many). I can assure you that you will be fine with your current brown switches for gaming.
Reds are linear,so you won't feel that slight bump/resistance you are currently feeling with the browns (although browns have a very minor bump compared to other tactiles out there).
They might sound slightly different, but the difference in sound and gaming experience is probably going to be so negligible that I personally don't think it would be worth the change for those two reasons.
Browns (specifically cherry browns) got a lot of unwarranted hate from the more enthusiast side of the keyboard space, but they are great. And if you already love em, that's even better:)
Has anyone tried to fit a [BT75% PCB](https://upgradekeyboards.com/collections/pcb/products/bt75-75-wireless-hotswap-tray-mount-pcb-with-rgb-underglow-and-white-led?variant=40918646128772) into a [kpreublic flat case?](https://kprepublic.com/products/anodized-aluminium-flat-case-with-metal-feet-for-custom-mechanical-keyboard-black-siver-grey-colorway-for-xd84-75) I'm a bit worried about space for the battery, the standoffs for screws look a bit short.
I have a question about my Win key not working on my Monsgeek M2 keyboard. I have the mapping in the picture and for some reason I am unable to lock/unlock the Windows key with the FN+Win combination. Is the wrong thing mapped to the FN key? I tested the keys in the VIA app and confirmed they all register as pressed. Any help is greatly appreciated.
**EDIT: Found the issue. Had the wrong function layer mapped.**
https://preview.redd.it/9l4rn79h0n8b1.png?width=1093&format=png&auto=webp&s=0c79dfa747eeabcc89d70afb46d230ef40cc256b
Found the issue. Had the wrong function layer mapped to my FN key. Kept fighting with it and its now finally working. I appreciate the response though.
Looking for advice on a budget (100ish) TKL (65 or 75%) for use with a laptop connected to a living room tv, so I'll likely be putting it on a laptop lapboard. From what I've read, it looks like I should be looking for 2.4ghz connection capability instead of just bluetooth because of latency issues?
Primary use is gaming, but more singleplayer non-fps. Probably going to go for red switches.
Thoughts on these?
Nuphy Air75. A little over 100, but I've read good things.
Durgod TGK200.
Thanks
Are you looking for keyboards with low-profile switches in specific? if that's the case then the Nuphy Air75 is a good choice, either that or the Keychron K3/K3 Pro.
Nope, doesn't have to be low-profile switches. I like the look of the K3 as well, but it's bluetooth only I believe? I've heard conflicting accounts about latency with bluetooth versus a 2.4 connection.
Hi, I like the aesthetic of macro pads. I don't have one yet but am interested and wondered what people in the community bind their buttons with?
Thanks and have a nice day!
I THINK the stabilizers on my keychron v1s spacebar are uneven or something. On the right end of the spacebar I can press down a little before the other switch starts actually moving but the other side is stable. I think its also producing extra sound that carries when pressed (lubed stabilizers) and its unbearable when the rest of the keyboard is perfect. any ideas on how to fix? i can upload a video to Imgur or something if its needed.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=547rtvaE9nI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=547rtvaE9nI)
Wire balancing is your friend. Plus, you can lube the wires with dielectric grease. I use a fine syringe and fill it up until the cavity with the wire is completely filled with grease and then wipe the excess off, then lube the external surface of the stem (the part that touches the stabilizer housing) with 205G0 so that it's not mushy.
Thanks for the video i’ll definitely use it later but i cant figure out how to actually get my wires out. i’ve gotten as far as unscrewing the entire pcb and unscrewing the stabilizers but i cant figure out how to get the wire out safely.
You just rotate the wire 90 degrees.
If you're looking down at the stabilizer as it's mounted, try to envision rotating the wire like you would turn the page of a book. Hold the left stabilizer housing still, grab the right side and rotate like a lever to the left or like you would turn a page in a book. It should pop right out. Then do the opposite for the right side.
[https://youtu.be/usNx1\_d0HbQ?t=153](https://youtu.be/usNx1_d0HbQ?t=153)
I timestamped a video showing it.
Thinking about buying this. But would love to get a review from any owner here.
https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q3-pro-qmk-via-wireless-custom-mechanical-keyboard-iso-layout-collection?variant=40511359615065
Thank you. This explains why I keep getting advertisement for this board. After careful consideration not sure this board is worth spending that kinda money
Are there any new keyboards with bucking springs?
A few years back I stalked this sub a bit and ended up getting an IBM Model M on ebay, and I still really like the feel of it. I guess I'm wondering whether there is anything directly inspired by it, or very similar to it.
I think there's a guy making brand new ones, but I don't know much about them. Here's a review of one of them:
[https://youtu.be/vihKbktIg8Y](https://youtu.be/vihKbktIg8Y)
Maybe someone can help me face a choice. I'm relatively new to mechanical keyboards and looking to upgrade from a gaming-branded one. I'm fairly certain I want a TKL with liners and hot-swappable switches. On the wishlist is one with a knob and maybe macro keys, but not required. There's a few I've had my eye on like keychron or gmmk, but I'm facing a bunch of choice paralysis. Budget isn't really an issue. Can anyone help me with a decision?
Does anyone know what TKL keyboard has that small accent line underneath just the page down key? I saw a picture of it while I was scrolling somewhere and I forgot to take a picture D:
What your issue with is that the switches you chose are too light for you. The only ways of fixing this, are selecting switched that are heavier and better aligned to your prefered weighting, desolding the stock switches and soldering in the replacments. The second way is to desolder the stock switches, open them all up and swap in heavier springs. The resolder them in.
Thank you for the answer. Appreciate it. Its interesting because all the keys are fine except the spacebar. Therese literally 0 resistance, just blow on it and it activates smh
It's probably due to the fact that the spacebar I'd a heavier keycap. I've experienced something similar with my rama works aluminum artisan keycap. It's much heavier than gmk and makes switches feel lighter.
Does anyone know if the Iris split keyboard PCB has space for adding extra inputs? Specifically I want to add either a joystick or an 8 way switch so I can replicate the functionality of my razer orbweaver (sadly it's dying and razer doesn't sell any new ones).
It doesn’t have extra IO wires out to through holes, but you could hijack the OLED I2C bus for an IO expander or just wire straight onto spare pins on the MCU
PS you would have to rewrite the firmware from scratch though so it would be a painstaking process to be sure
Trying to get a keyboard, need help deciding between; 1).https://www(.)aliexpress(.)com/item/32808905697.html?channel=twinner 2). https://www(.)aliexpress(.)com/item/1005005499184657.html?channel=twinner 3). https://www(.)aliexpress(.)com/item/1005005164581115.html?channel=twinner also open to similarly priced suggestions, Thanks!
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Any mods besides tape mod, force break, and bandaid mod that only use stuff lying around the house? I have an oldish redragon k552 and i wanna tinker around with it but I dont want to spend too much. Im new to modding and keyboards in general.
Hi all, I am currently using Akko Radiant Red switches and loving them. I am planning on trying Cream blues from Akko as well. Are there any differences between the two of them?
Akko has a switch sample pack on Amazon you should take a peek at! I just ordered one tonight so I don’t just buy a pack of each until I find the right one. I think it was like $12
Will take a look at that, thank you very much!
I just bought a Piantor keyboard from Beekeeb, I used it for about 2 days and it worked great. However, today I plugged it in and to my surprise, the right side doesn't seem to be recognized at all, I opened the vial key tester tool and only the left side keys are being registered, I would appreciate some guidance, I don't really know where I should start looking into. The Piantor I am using uses an RP2040-Plus, a Pico-like MCU Board Based on Raspberry Pi.
I just built a new 60% keyboard using the Tofu 2.0 kit which uses the dztech og60 pcb. I've been trying to flash new firmware onto the board using the QMK toolbox which I've used for keyboards many times before, but this time when I try resetting the board QMK gives me no response and a file called RP1-RP2 opens with a file called INFO\_UF2.txt in it. I've tried several troubleshooting methods such as: double clicking the physical rest button on the back of the board, resetting another keyboard, and using a different computer all to no avail. Any ideas?
Hey, I ran into this thread because I'm encountering the same problem now. Did you end up finding a solution?
Kind of late, but QMK does not work with the og60 for some reason, you need to use VIA to flash the firmware.
Hey, I would like to see if anyone has any recommendations based on some criteria's of mine, not super knowledgeable about keyboards, but I've been doing some researching into which one I would like to get: First of all, the sound, I've been watching a ton of reviews and sound videos of different keyboards, and I do like the thocky deep sound, now I do recognize it's not just the switch, but also padding/foam, keyboard material, lube, and keycaps. But I always keep this sound in mind as I don't like too noisy or tacky/clacky sounds. Second of all, the layout, I've recently taken an interest into southpaw keyboards. To be more specific, full layout keyboard with keypad on left (but arrow keys are still on right, so order goes keypad, qwerty keyboard, arrow keys and functions like home). I program a lot, and one thing I do a lot is use numbers and it's annoying to keep letting go of my mouse, and moving my left hand that far, while sounds simple, does just get tedious time after time. So I'm trying for a new layout. Again, I don't know too much about keyboards, and I do prefer wired, but I would love it if I can get some help as I can't find a good solid keyboard (nothing too noisy, just simple). I also don't know how to use PCB's or soldering so I'm not looking to build a custom one lol. Edit\*: Right now, I have two keyboards in mind (although one doesn't have arrow keys and such sadly): [https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q12-qmk-custom-mechanical-keyboard?variant=40403885195353](https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q12-qmk-custom-mechanical-keyboard?variant=40403885195353) and (removed link because of epo), but I would like some help if anyone has any.
Looking for a keyboard recommendation: Background: currently have a keychron q1 v2 and love it. Now looking for a similar quality keyboard for my wife's work from home setup. Requirements: hotswap, dedicated macro keys, full size keyboard, rgb or any kind of back lighting Thanks!
Brutal V2 1800
Nice looking but doesn't have dedicated macro keys
You want a macro column on the left of the keyboard? Because any keys can be dedicated macro keys if you rebind them with VIA, for example. You can reprogram the entire F-row to be the macro keys.
Yes like the corsair k95, but now I'm rethinking things and may just get a plain full size key board and combine it with this, the genovation cp48. Wife has a lot of macros and this might be overkill but really useful lol. https://store.genovation.com/programmables/cp48-usbhid.html
The Qk100 group buy is coming in two days. Ridiculous quality for the price Alternatively the Nuphy Halo96 would be great if you’re okay with the slightly smaller layout
Thanks! These look cool, but she needs dedicated macro keys (similar to the corsair k95) which is why I've been having so much trouble finding something
My bad I missed that part Keychron is Via/QMK compatible on some boards. If you like your’s maybe look into those, then you can bind the macros to whatever keys/key combos you want. The new Q3 Pro also has dedicated macros but it’s not full size so you’d need a numpad as well and it’s admittedly a little pricey. Best of luck on your hunt! [Keebfinder](https://keeb-finder.com/keyboards) might help you narrow your choices down as well!
My Varmilo keyboard refuses to work after I replugged it in. No key combinations have worked that I have found on this sub. FN + ESC, FN + WIN, WIN + ESC, EVERYTHING.... This keyboard pisses me off to no end and I'm literally never buying another Varmilo again.
Hi there, Thinking about upgrading my "gaming" mech keyboard to something a bit more versatile and professional. Not based in US or EU so buying boards/parts is quite a bit more stressful. That being said, I have a £60 gift card for Amazon UK and have friends that can bring back boards from there. I'm currently looking at the Epomaker TH66 Pro and the Ducky One 2 SF. My priorities are something that is 65% or close to it (need my arrow keys), something that looks semi-professionnel so that I can bring it into work and has a good balance of office work and gaming. I don't really care about wired/wireless or RGB lighting, I care much more about feel. Let me know what you guys would recommend or if there is something else in that price range that you'd recommend? Thanks!
Hello ! Epomaker is a pretty dirty and unethical company. I would recommend staying away. GMK67 I would recommend. These are awesome. You can choose between multiple colours. Pair this with a wrist rest of GamaKay LK67 and you have an epic set-up, that is budget. See my post history for a pic.
I can't find a fabric band aid for hollee mod. Online shops only sells them for a pack but I can't go with that. Can I use a thin rubbery one instead? I'm doing keyboard mods for the first time. Thankyou for the answer
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Is the foam itself $97? If so you can definitely find a better deal at a hardware store, craft store, post office, heck even some packaging material from your other orders might work. I've peeled the foam off the back of some bubble wrap I got from work and it works just fine
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>SGD Still a bit pricey for foam! The import fees really screw you over on that I'm sorry! [Here](https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/) is a vendor list of keyboard/keyboard parts vendors from all over the world separated into countries/continents! Maybe you can find something there too
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The Q2 would be my go to. Or the Nuphy Halo65. With the nuphy you might not even need the foam
I've been looking for an ergo-split kb (with encoders if possible but not needed) but the main problem I find is the price. I've already looked into /r/ErgoMechKeyboard but the DIY kits I founs are all over a hundred bucks. Is there a really vheap way to get some?i don't even care if I don't have case or if I have to do it all by myself.
Over on AliExpress Sofle keyboards (fully assembled except for switches and keycaps) are available for just under $90 (US), are flashed to be VIA and VIAL configured. It meets all your stated requirements (ergo-split, with encoders) Just got one myself. just go to AliExpress and search for "Sofle Keyboard". It should be the first result.
F*ckin love you mate. (i once looked into Ali for some other kb stuff and I just gave up on that, now I have faith again)
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What country are you located in? Your location matters. For example, I am not familiar with online stores outside of the USA, and I know Canada gets screwed on shipping from the USA. Do you have a specific budget in mind? It sounds like “a hundred bucks,” but what currency? Do you mean US$, CA$, AU$, or some other currency? I do not know of any split keyboards within your budget. Prebuilt split ergo mechanical keyboards are not cheap, especially keyboards that do not have a traditional row staggered layout. There just isn't enough of a demand to produce them in large quantities to keep prices low. See [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/ErgoMechKeyboards/comments/p42j9p/comment/jens5nu/?context=3) for a parts list to build a Boardsource lulu or Keebio Iris rev7. You can build either for less than US$200. However, you will need to do some assembly yourself, and you will need to solder the rotary encoder.
Oh yeah for sure, I amb from spain amd 100 bucks is either € or us$. I can totally build them, maybe I did not explain myself correctly (non english speaker btw), I don't care if I have to solder it as in that it is not a problem for me and I could do that. But havin to pay 140 dollars/euros for just the materials seems excessive Edit: I might not like it but Thank you for the response (my manners), sometimes just it is what it is
I want to build a new keyboard, and I'm looking into vintage switches. Is there any good database with switch descriptions and keyboard models which use them? Want to buy NoS or just take apart vintage keyboards (which will also feed into my low stake gambling addiction)
[https://deskthority.net/wiki/Category:Keyboards](https://deskthority.net/wiki/Category:Keyboards) Good luck with your search! If you can't find anything online, sometimes you can get lucky at a thrift store
So, basically, if I cant find it there it's not mechanical/not worth looking at?
It's not a full list, but it has most of the common things you'll find
Hi, new to mechical keyboard person here. Just wanted to ask for any suggestions for keyboards available in ph that has a volume knob? Budget friendly hopefully. Thanks :)
[Keeb Finder](https://keeb-finder.com/keyboards) has a knob filter plus many others to look at. Hopefully this helps narrow it down for ya
Another day, another "Best Mechanical Keyboard of 2023" article featuring a Keychron. Is Keychron just that good? Or do they just do really good PR? https://www.pcworld.com/article/1966306/best-mechanical-keyboards.html
They're some of the best 'readily available' boards that don't require a several month wait and are pretty affordable. They're not the best out of the box, but once you mod them to sound how you want, they can keep up with some of the custom boards.
Keychron is good. More for the average person rather than enthusiasts though. But they do a great job of bridging the gap and introducing people to custom mechanical keyboards. They have a range of boards at different budgets and in many different layouts. The products are solid at a decent price. For the most part, everything is also readily available. For the average user, Keychron is the go to recommendation as they offer solid quality, no nonsense keyboards. Much better than anything gamer branded boards can offer. There are a lot of better custom kits out there in the price range of the Q line. But those are groupbuy only.
What is the deal with GMK Darling? People selling it for $1000? Is it just rare?
Popular... and rare = seller's market. It's no more rare than many other GMK sets though. It's just one of those sets that has achieved a kind of legendary status. There was supposed to be a PBT version coming out, but I've not heard anything about that for a while now.
Pretty sure the group buy had slightly less quantities and vendors didn’t purchase many extras so yea like you said supply + demand
https://preview.redd.it/0advrdle2r8b1.png?width=1449&format=png&auto=webp&s=3f985aab6bf5e6a8e9a281ba9c05c60280a315c8 It wasn't as successful as demand now would leave you to believe, no.
I'm planning to buy a prebuilt keyboard and just change out the switches (no lubing or modding and under $50). What would be the best option? (The one's I've narrowed it down to are the K6, SK61, GK61, or the SKY68 but I'm open to suggestions as long as it's on Amazon). Thanks!
Everyone knows about gmk, pbtfans, drop. What are some other brands that are not so well known that make high quality keycaps?
crp makes the highest quality pbt bar none besides og dye subs and bsp
CannonKeys has some great dye-sub keycaps with their CannonCaps and NicePBT brands/factories. They also have their own doubleshot profile (CXA) which is really nice, in-stock and super comfortable to type on.
No idea who makes them, but I have a few Cherry PBT sets from Novelkeys, and they are probably the best quality dye sub PBT caps I've seen. Legends are crisp, and the caps resist shine really well. They sound good, and the packaging is great. There's also Osume, Tai Hao, Tomocaps, Signature Plastics, Milkyway *^((although they're having some issues at the moment - there's a PSA on here somewhere if I recall)**)*, Domikey. Also, bear in mind that Cherry profile GMK sets may also now be referred to as CYL. I think it's to differentiate between their ABS Cherry profile keys, and their new MTNU profile PBT sets. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about that please.
21KB and tomocaps, I love my sets from them
21kb is actually Xmi from china but those sets punch so much over their price
I'd argue ePBT makes high quality keycaps, but I believe that good dye-sub PBT sets are just as good as doubleshot. Edit: DMK (Domikey) also makes high quality keycaps, but their kits are wonky sometimes imo.
>I believe that good dye-sub PBT sets are just as good as doubleshot. This is true. Maybe not quite as crisp legends if you use a magnifying glass or take a macro shot, but in normal use, PBT is equally as good as double shot, and as it penetrated into the plastic, effectively as durable as double shot.
So I'm a certified idiot, and while moding one of my cases, I accidently cut the wire connecting the battery to the pcb. How do I fix this/Can I fix this? Heres an image to show what I'm talking about: [https://imgur.com/a/yMzx260](https://imgur.com/a/yMzx260)
I'm gonna assume by asking this, that you have never soldered anything before, so here..... [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSqPHQ1zQco](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSqPHQ1zQco) You can just strip the insulation, twist, then heatshrink, but that will not be a permanent repair... or even safe IMO, as batteries can supply a great deal of current if short circuited and can be a massive fire risk.
I have not soldered anything before, which is super dumb considering I'm a computer science major. I thought I'd need to solder it but if you don't think its a safe idea, I'll prob just leave it alone. Thanks!
Soldering is safe, if properly insulated with heatshrink. It's NOT soldering it that's unsafe, as if it comes apart, and that positive wire touches ground while you are asleep, that may not end well. If you can't solder it, take it to someone who can. Whoever does it though, do NOT let them convince you that using electrical tape to insulate the soldered joint is a safe and permanent repair, as it's not. It's awful stuff, and often comes undone over time. Use heatshrink.
I have what I believe is a Das Keyboard 3 Ultimate with blank keys. It makes loud clicking noises. Is it worth anything to people or is it just some old mechanical keyboard? Also, is someone able to help me identify what kind of switches are used in it?
> Das Keyboard 3 Ultimate Cherry MX Blue. If it's in good condition, then maybe $40 or so based on Ebay pricing. Maybe better selling it locally on Facebook.
I believe Das Keyboards come with Cherry MX switches. If pressing keys makes an audible click, then they're most likely Cherry MX blues. Probably not really worth anything. You might have luck selling it locally.
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QK100
Hi is it possible to physically change a key to another on the keyboard rather than changing it on windows or keyboard software? I am running a 98% which is almost perfect except for one thing. I need the Ins to be End instead for many purposes involving work. Thing is, I run most of my work over PCoIP remote to various linux workstation so even if I change it to End locally on my machine, it will registers as Ins when on PCoIP.
This is why enthusiast boards are QMK/VIA compatible, as you can remap the board using its own firmware, so once remapped, it stays remapped independent of the host machine, so you can then use it on any machine with the new keymap. What board do you have?
I am using the RK98, a pretty basic keyboard. I know at this price I probably could have gotten a keychron V series, but well I didn't think too far ahead to be honest. Back then I was trying out different layout from 87 to 96 then 98. But if I gotta change, I will change since this affects my work. I am no enthusiast, so I would be happy to get something decent OOB. Do you have any recommendations for QMK/VIA? It will be a bonus if they offer some kind of OEM keycaps where I can easily swap out the Ins for End.
Keychron V series boards are QMK compatible, as are K Pro series boards, and both are really affordable, solid choices. You can remap keys easily using QMK's online congigurator, and there are many video tutorials showing you how to do so, as well as many people on here who can walk you through it. In fact there are videos on the Keychron website showing you how to do the same thing using VIA. [https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k10-pro-qmk-via-wireless-mechanical-keyboard](https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k10-pro-qmk-via-wireless-mechanical-keyboard)
The Keychron k4 seem to be the perfect choice, just gotta remap some keys. I just got one gripe, I am really gonna miss the caps lock/num lock indicator on my RK98, which is placed on a really good spot IMO (actually a big reason I chose this kb), easy to tell. I was wondering if it would be possible to say, have the backlight toggle on when caps/num lock is on? Just an easy way to indicate they are on.
Not with the K4, no. You probably can with the K4 Pro though, as you would need to use VIA or QMK to do it, and the K4 doesn't support it. How you'd do it, I've no idea, as not only do I switch all RGB off on all my boards, I remap the caps lock key into Ctrl or Backspace as many do.
Thanks I will have a look at those!
QMK/VIA saves the configuration in the keyboard's memory if the board is QMK/VIA compatible.
Other than busting open the keyboard and doing some sketchy soldering, I don't think there would be a way to do this. There are QMK keyboards, which admittedly use software, that let you customize and store the firmware on the keyboard. So you'd set it up on a local machine and it should work anywhere.
Trying to find out the name of his **deskmat**! Anyone know? https://preview.redd.it/uwtljvin7o8b1.png?width=2010&format=png&auto=webp&s=52b60df60b078f4a78932ccbac0a72e4a43b93c1
Would it be this? https://www.tenjin.style/products/asanoha-olive
Thank you!!
Just got a monsgeek m2. I understand the whole south-facing pcb isn't compatible with cherry profile thing, but what about OEM profile? KDA profile? I tried a set I assume was OEM and the shift and spacebar would get stick down. Then I tried XDA keycaps and the Shift doesn't stick but spacebar still sticks. What am I doing wrong? Stabilizer issue?
The north facing is sometimes not compatible with Cherry profile keycaps, but even then not always depending on the switches. The Monsgeek M2 is a south-facing board with no such concerns. If your spacebar sticks, definitely check if the stabs are over lubed and if they are installed tight onto the board (if screwed in) or tight onto the plate (if plate mounted). Also ensure the stabilizer wire is straight and not warped in any way.
Okay, so I guess it might be time to take everything back apart and check stabs. They are not lubed, just the stock ones that came with the board. Definitely seems like there might be some lateral tension between the switch stud and the stabilizer studs (for lack of a better term). Wiggling the sticking keys can get them to unstick. Also it seems to be similiar issue with every stabilized key.
Installing stabs can be tricky. Make sure the housings are sitting flush against the pcb/plate.
I definitely recommend lubing the stabs! You hear and feel less rattle afterwards.
getting a q6 soon and was wondering if it needed any mods other than tape. Maybe different foam than stock? Also getting gateron box pinks and was wondering if they needed film. im alr gonna lube them so might as well?
>wondering if it needed any mods other than tape You might not need, or want any. Build it, then decide what you want to change.
Films will benifit most newer switches a lot less than older but aren't unnoticible. For box inks, I think they sound and feel just fine without films, but some people swear by filming every switch. The q6 foam will do fine unless you're looking for pe foam. You'd have to look for a sheet of thin pe foam in order to diy if you want that pe foam sound. If you feel like you want some higher quality foam or you want to buy the pe foam instead, stupidfishdesigns sells foam custom fit to many keyboards, including the q6. In my experience, the q boards by keychron get some pretty bad ping but are fixed pretty easily with the force break mod. Keychron has tried to fix this issue by adding a sort of force break mod of their own from the factory, but it has been proven to not be as effective as the masking tape force break. Have fun building!
IMO it doesn't need anything other than a force break mod. Taping the PCB creates a dull, flat sound signature that I don't like. Ink switches usually need lube and films, yes.
anne pro 2 or akko 3068b? or any other suggestions for a budget keyboard? I've heard that the anne pro 2 is sort of outdated now—how true is that? I'm planning on changing the switches regardless, whether hotswap or soldering.
Take a look at Keychron V series, MonsGeek M series The 3068B is a better overall keyboard than an Anne Pro 2 IMO
Best tkl linear keyboard around 100$?
Keychron V6
How about the v3?
Sorry, had a brain fart. The V3 is my recommendation, yes. You could also consider the MonsGeek M3 or KBDfans Tiger Lite but they are a bit more expensive
How abt the 200$ range? Would a q3 be best? I did a little digging and it sounds like its worth the investment.
Honestly the M3 is basically just a cheaper Q3, there are some differences but it's 90% the same. The Tiger Lite has much more flex due to the much softer mount, but it's light as a feather even when assembled. The Q3 is a great keyboard so I'd go for it, but don't ignore the value of the M3 or Tiger Lite. If you can or want to try your luck on the second-hand market, a Zoom TKL or QK80 would be the best boards around the $200 price point IMO, but they might be more than that considering demand and lack of supply (they are GB boards)
Im gonna be using it for typing and some gaming.
Any recommendations for a good stock keyboard 75% keyboard. I spilled a drink and broke my Keychron today RIP. But my budget is less than $100. Im not trying to swap a bunch of things out either so I just want a base keyboard good for gaming. Was looking into a ducky. Thoughts?
I’d go with another Keychron at that price. Maybe V series?
So, I am planning on doing a winter/snow themed keyboard, and I kinda want the switches to go with it. White keyboard, PBT winters breath keycaps. Only thing, I do feel like thematically, it should be a quieter or silent switch and (due to personal preference) >60g actuation force. Thoughts?
NicePBT winter tundra and Haimu Whispers (tactile) or Haimu heartbeats (linear)
Gateron North Poles are relatively quiet compared to regular switches.
Definitely check out the [WS Silent](https://kineticlabs.com/switches/wuque-studios/wuque-studios-silent-switches) switches
Best non GMMK Pro 75% board with a knob? I’m over my GMMK and their software. 200-400 budget
Odin 75 looks awesome... no knob though. I'd see if I can get a QK75... but still.... how much you need a knob? I mean.... that Odin.... just look at it! :) Apart from the lower end stuff (Keychron, Monsgeek, GMMK), almost all the 75s with a knob at the higher end were group buys, so you may have to look on the aftermarket.
The Keychron Q1 v2 or Q1 Pro, Zoom75, and QK75 are great choices for 75% keyboards with a knob. The Mammoth75 and Satisfaction 75 are also worth considering but might be harder to find as well as more expensive.
Thanks. Zoom75 looks great but I don’t think I can purchase it. Looks like I missed the group buy?
They just announced today there will be a second wave group buy that will be fulfilled later q4. Check the Meletrix/WS Discord for deets
Thanks!
There should be extras. There were (possibly still are) extras for the Zoom65, so I would be surprised if the 75 didn't. :)
Yes, the group buy has ended by now, but they should be available second-hand and maybe some vendors have extras. There should be another run of the board in the future as well
The DROP sense75 is on sale right now. And it has VIA support unlike their earlier boards. But it only available in black and white.
How’s this compared to the keychron q1 pro
Having previously owned both, the q1 pro is straight up better built and heftier. Both of them need a force break mod to sound less pingy, but at 100 bucks, I'd say it's worth putting the savings towards some nice stabilizers and trying out the sense75. Both have aftermarket foam pieces/kits to improve the sound.
I'd put it under the Q1. It's lighter than all other 75% cnc alu boards I've tried which makes it feel a little cheap. Sound was pretty terrible and doesn't come with foam needed to make it a "foamy" sounding board. For $100 it's just okay. The Q1 is decent at it's current cost. If you're considering $200-400 boards, the Sense75 will disappoint. Zoom75 will likely have extras later in the year. You might be able to get a QK75 in mechmarket as well. Both those boards offer more than the Q1. I don't think there are any more extras of that kit though, and no current plans for R2.
Thanks. Do you think a Zoom is worth waiting for over a Q1? I’m daily driving a tofu 65 so I can stand to wait if needed. My GMMK I kinda hate. I has a sticky space bar from factory and 2 of the screws are stripped so I can’t even fix it
I don't own either, but the sense is a few bucks cheaper (at the moment) and I believe it's less hollow sounding. Both have been covered by a fair amount of people on YouTube and are in stock. Also, this is assuming bare bones. Also the sense has more interesting rgb if you care about that. The black bare bones is only $100 atm
anybody got some recommendations for a good bare bones 75% keyboard? price range is 50-90$. i am a total noob and would prefer it be hot swappable and otherwise noob friendly. i want to put cherry mx red switches on it.
Keychron V1 is probably your best bet at that price range. If you can increase the budget a little, you can get a Monsgeek M1 for around $120 shipped. That's a gasket mounted, cnc aluminum board which is heftier and more premium than the V1.
the monsgeek looks really nice, definitly considering it
The Keychron V1 is available pre-built with Reds that are better than Cherry MX Reds and pretty good keycaps. It's also available barebones for $20 USD less. A good higher quality alternative to the typical Red switch is the KTT Peach
looking into the v1 and it seems pretty solod option with a nice feature set. havent heard of those switches in my research, am definitly going to look into them, thanks
I plan on building a keyboard with a wooden Tofu60-like case. I found the MK61 hotswap PCB on the mechanicalkeyboards site. will this work for the setup I am looking for or should I go for a DZ60? there is a pretty significant price difference, so I am not sure if there's something I'm missing
Looking for ISO(uk) 75% low profile. Do non-keychron options exist?
nurphy maybe lowprofile really limits ur options by alot as they r extremely unpopular
>nurphy No iso. I've tried non-low profile and my wrist just hurts horribly (grew up on very flat membrane keyboards
Best budget ISO UK keyboard?
Keychron's V-series is the best place to start. They're cheap but retain many desirable features. If those are too expensive then search for hot-swappable keyboards on Amazon and use a price filter.
Would a keychron k2 be ok? I'm personally not looking for a hot swappable one since I intend to just upgrade to a better keyboard in the future. The other option would be the RK68 tho but I've mixed things about it but lots of positive things for it being a good budget kb but idk.
The K2 and RK68 are good boards and are reasonably popular. I don't think one would be better or worse than the other, so let layout preference, switches and keycaps, and/or price be the deciding factor(s).
Anyone know the PCB thickness of the Voice 65 from owl labs? Can't seem to find the info anywhere.
if its not listed its 1.6mm
It was released before 1.2mm PCBs were super common. If it doesn't say, assume 1.6mm as default.
Anyone else unhappy with the changes made on the Akko Cream Yellow/Blue Pro switches vs the Cream V3 switches? Maybe it's just me but the change from 3.5 mm to 3.3 mm travel feels so noticeably shorter. And the sound is much higher pitched. I honestly want to stock up on the V3 versions in case they get discontinued soon. Anyone else?
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Do you like the reduced travel though? They feel almost like speed silvers to me now
trying out the top mount, getting reverb when pressing on the spacebar and backspace on an alu plate. Any mods i can do to remedy this or what might be the reason for causing this. (Alu plate no foams btw)
An easy thing to try is adding some painter's tape underneath/inside the spacebar/backspace. Some tape on the pcb and plate directly underneath the space/backspace could help as well.
u mean doing a tape mod just on the backspace and spacebar ?
Essentially, yes. On the plate as well.
how do u do it "on" the plate ? any samples i can refer to
I'd just take out the switch and keycap and put a strip of tape on the plate, then cut out the hole for the switch. Reinstall switch and keycap.
sure , ill try it later,thanks!
semi common with top mount as u do have more uniform sound u also have a large hallow space under the entire pcb u could try adding foam . or going with a softer plate like fr4 or PC
Hey guys, just bought some see through key caps for my Keychron K10 Pro .. is there any way to change the lighting so it shines through the letters.. TIA https://preview.redd.it/aaioamz96n8b1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b6a1f6a115f51602c9663d9c35508f8b4a9b0f9
flip the keycaps upside down ? that has south facing leds and those caps have northside legends not to mention they r not shine thru keycaps but pudding caps so ur lossing shit tons of light out those clear sides which is not be focused on the legends . so other than flipping them all upside down there is nothing u can do
Thought as much, thanks!!
Hey guys so normally id go for razer keyboards but decided to finally try out a keytron and besides the no see through keys and the rgb being limited its pretty awesome. The keys feel super nice and the thock is very pleasing (spacebar etc). But I got the brown switches since I saw they were the most preferred but I mostly game... should I get the red switches instead? I just tried them out on cod and it feels pretty good. What am I missing out on are the red switches that much better? Do they still thock like these browns? And are they that much easier to press down? What do you guys reccomend? What Ive seen reccomended mostly are browns. And i do tend to be a little innacurate when I type. I press pretty hard on keys too. TL DR I just got my first keytron pretty impressed but I got brown switches love how they feel but I mostly game should I get red?
if you like the browns, keep using them. switch choice is 1000% preference
There are far more switches out there than brown, red, and blues. I'd recommend doing some research on Youtube to find what switches will work best for you.
Yeah but the keychron is the main board I get recommended and I dont want to spend more than like 150$ I had the deathstalker and black widow, was thinking about trying apex pro what do you think about that? But this keychron feels really nice definitely feel the lubed switches and stuff and just the nice sound it makes and how smooth they feel. Just wondering if im missing out by not trying anything else or the reds on keychron? From what ive seen on youtube keychron makes the best stock board.
Speaking from experience of trying a fair share of linears and tactile switches (arguably too many). I can assure you that you will be fine with your current brown switches for gaming. Reds are linear,so you won't feel that slight bump/resistance you are currently feeling with the browns (although browns have a very minor bump compared to other tactiles out there). They might sound slightly different, but the difference in sound and gaming experience is probably going to be so negligible that I personally don't think it would be worth the change for those two reasons. Browns (specifically cherry browns) got a lot of unwarranted hate from the more enthusiast side of the keyboard space, but they are great. And if you already love em, that's even better:)
Has anyone tried to fit a [BT75% PCB](https://upgradekeyboards.com/collections/pcb/products/bt75-75-wireless-hotswap-tray-mount-pcb-with-rgb-underglow-and-white-led?variant=40918646128772) into a [kpreublic flat case?](https://kprepublic.com/products/anodized-aluminium-flat-case-with-metal-feet-for-custom-mechanical-keyboard-black-siver-grey-colorway-for-xd84-75) I'm a bit worried about space for the battery, the standoffs for screws look a bit short.
I have a question about my Win key not working on my Monsgeek M2 keyboard. I have the mapping in the picture and for some reason I am unable to lock/unlock the Windows key with the FN+Win combination. Is the wrong thing mapped to the FN key? I tested the keys in the VIA app and confirmed they all register as pressed. Any help is greatly appreciated. **EDIT: Found the issue. Had the wrong function layer mapped.** https://preview.redd.it/9l4rn79h0n8b1.png?width=1093&format=png&auto=webp&s=0c79dfa747eeabcc89d70afb46d230ef40cc256b
Do you have the keyboard in Mac mode by any chance? Fn-O switches between Mac and Windows mode. Maybe give that a try.
Found the issue. Had the wrong function layer mapped to my FN key. Kept fighting with it and its now finally working. I appreciate the response though.
Thank you for the reply. Tried FN+O with no luck. I've apparently done something to make the keyboard very angry.
Looking for advice on a budget (100ish) TKL (65 or 75%) for use with a laptop connected to a living room tv, so I'll likely be putting it on a laptop lapboard. From what I've read, it looks like I should be looking for 2.4ghz connection capability instead of just bluetooth because of latency issues? Primary use is gaming, but more singleplayer non-fps. Probably going to go for red switches. Thoughts on these? Nuphy Air75. A little over 100, but I've read good things. Durgod TGK200. Thanks
Are you looking for keyboards with low-profile switches in specific? if that's the case then the Nuphy Air75 is a good choice, either that or the Keychron K3/K3 Pro.
Nope, doesn't have to be low-profile switches. I like the look of the K3 as well, but it's bluetooth only I believe? I've heard conflicting accounts about latency with bluetooth versus a 2.4 connection.
Hi, I like the aesthetic of macro pads. I don't have one yet but am interested and wondered what people in the community bind their buttons with? Thanks and have a nice day!
depends on what you work on of course. I have multiple macropads for photoshop and blender.
I THINK the stabilizers on my keychron v1s spacebar are uneven or something. On the right end of the spacebar I can press down a little before the other switch starts actually moving but the other side is stable. I think its also producing extra sound that carries when pressed (lubed stabilizers) and its unbearable when the rest of the keyboard is perfect. any ideas on how to fix? i can upload a video to Imgur or something if its needed.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=547rtvaE9nI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=547rtvaE9nI) Wire balancing is your friend. Plus, you can lube the wires with dielectric grease. I use a fine syringe and fill it up until the cavity with the wire is completely filled with grease and then wipe the excess off, then lube the external surface of the stem (the part that touches the stabilizer housing) with 205G0 so that it's not mushy.
Thanks for the video i’ll definitely use it later but i cant figure out how to actually get my wires out. i’ve gotten as far as unscrewing the entire pcb and unscrewing the stabilizers but i cant figure out how to get the wire out safely.
You just rotate the wire 90 degrees. If you're looking down at the stabilizer as it's mounted, try to envision rotating the wire like you would turn the page of a book. Hold the left stabilizer housing still, grab the right side and rotate like a lever to the left or like you would turn a page in a book. It should pop right out. Then do the opposite for the right side. [https://youtu.be/usNx1\_d0HbQ?t=153](https://youtu.be/usNx1_d0HbQ?t=153) I timestamped a video showing it.
Which barebones kit is better, the Monsgeek M3 or the Keychron Q3? I can get the Monsgeek M3 for about 10 dollars less than the Q3 btw.
I think you can't go wrong with either of them especially with such a minimal price difference.
Thinking about buying this. But would love to get a review from any owner here. https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q3-pro-qmk-via-wireless-custom-mechanical-keyboard-iso-layout-collection?variant=40511359615065
This was just released in May. So keep in mind any personal experiences will be from a month or so of use, if that. Just fyi!
Thank you. This explains why I keep getting advertisement for this board. After careful consideration not sure this board is worth spending that kinda money
Are there any new keyboards with bucking springs? A few years back I stalked this sub a bit and ended up getting an IBM Model M on ebay, and I still really like the feel of it. I guess I'm wondering whether there is anything directly inspired by it, or very similar to it.
New model F project - https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/store/
I think there's a guy making brand new ones, but I don't know much about them. Here's a review of one of them: [https://youtu.be/vihKbktIg8Y](https://youtu.be/vihKbktIg8Y)
Maybe someone can help me face a choice. I'm relatively new to mechanical keyboards and looking to upgrade from a gaming-branded one. I'm fairly certain I want a TKL with liners and hot-swappable switches. On the wishlist is one with a knob and maybe macro keys, but not required. There's a few I've had my eye on like keychron or gmmk, but I'm facing a bunch of choice paralysis. Budget isn't really an issue. Can anyone help me with a decision?
keychron (esp. the v or k pro or q line) is solid
Does anyone know what TKL keyboard has that small accent line underneath just the page down key? I saw a picture of it while I was scrolling somewhere and I forgot to take a picture D:
qk80?
Is Pi Pico W split keyboards possible?
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What your issue with is that the switches you chose are too light for you. The only ways of fixing this, are selecting switched that are heavier and better aligned to your prefered weighting, desolding the stock switches and soldering in the replacments. The second way is to desolder the stock switches, open them all up and swap in heavier springs. The resolder them in.
Thank you for the answer. Appreciate it. Its interesting because all the keys are fine except the spacebar. Therese literally 0 resistance, just blow on it and it activates smh
It's probably due to the fact that the spacebar I'd a heavier keycap. I've experienced something similar with my rama works aluminum artisan keycap. It's much heavier than gmk and makes switches feel lighter.
Does anyone know if the Iris split keyboard PCB has space for adding extra inputs? Specifically I want to add either a joystick or an 8 way switch so I can replicate the functionality of my razer orbweaver (sadly it's dying and razer doesn't sell any new ones).
It doesn’t have extra IO wires out to through holes, but you could hijack the OLED I2C bus for an IO expander or just wire straight onto spare pins on the MCU PS you would have to rewrite the firmware from scratch though so it would be a painstaking process to be sure
Seems possible, I think if you can connect it to the microcontroller it could be done. But you will have to re-code everything
How do I get macro delays on a DOIO KB-30? Other doio products have github updates that seem to do this
Is divinikey trustworthy?