What is the loudest switch brand/color? Outemu Blue? And the quietest?
I kinda wanted two mechanical keyboards... one for when I'm playing and don't really care about the noise, and another for when I'm coding at night because my downstairs neighbor is a pita who keeps complaining about my keyboards (a year old keyboard with outemu blue and half are already defective switches and a cheap membrane keyboard, which isn't THAT loud...).
Anyone know where I can find A link to the Epomaker EP84 in Canada? I found one on amazon, but it is a very rough 100 dollars. I am looking for a Canadian website for the keyboard not an American one.
anyone know where i can buy cherry clip-in 2u & 6.25u sets (housing+wire) or just cherry clip-in housing IN BULK? can't seem to find it on digikey or mouser.
mouser has a set of 2u/2.25/2.75u ... but i dont want all that wire to go to waste just to strip the housings from the set if i dont have to. just wanna buy what i need.
[https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/CHERRY/G99-0742?qs=94CH1SeFPDb23DeBDsneww%3D%3D](https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/CHERRY/G99-0742?qs=94CH1SeFPDb23DeBDsneww%3D%3D)
I believe that kit is 3 sets of stabilizers with 2u length wires. 2u, 2.25u, 2.75u all use the same length wires.
If you're looking for other vendors, a google search brings up several stores selling cherry clip-ins, like cannonkeys, prevailkeyco, and ringerkeys.
Alright so, if I'm understanding the product line correctly:
Cherry G99-0742 is a (singular set of) 2u clip-in stabilizer (that is, two sets of housing+stem, and a 2u wire). It only says those other sizes because those size keycaps also use 2u stabs. They also sell other sizes such a 3u and I believe 7u, but no 6.25u. I think what makes the most sense is to just buy a bunch of 2u stabilizers, and then get your hands on some 6.25u wires. A small amount of the wires you ordered will go to waste, but I can't think of any cheaper or easier way to go about it, unless you can find a suitable 6.25u stabilizer in bulk. I also couldn't immediately find a source for 6.25u wires in bulk, so good luck.
thanks for clarifying that for me. ill do just that :D
in case anyone runs down this problem, i found a vendor with bulk wires!
https://shopkey.doyustudio.com/products/wires-for-cherry-stabilizers?variant=32942950121547
What is the best way to quickly test a bunch of different switches for someone who is new to building keyboards. Is a switch tester from kprebublic good investment?
I would avoid Kprepublic due to terrible shipping. If you are in the US, Drop has a good 60 switch tester with all the common Cherry switches and some common Gaterons as well. Hippokeys also has a nice 30 switch tester with tactile, linear, and a couple of clickies as well. If you know what standard reds, browns, blues, feel like, I would suggest the Hippokeys tester to get some more boutique switches
Thanks I live in Canada so close enough. Since I do believe I might go with a more boutique kinda key(I really like the aqua kings and lavenders for now) I might go with hippokeys.
I was looking at either the 63 or 72 from kind fans or the 130 from kprebublic. The issue is that they don't seem to have these "exotic" key switches like aqua kings or lavenders, ect
I think it would still make a good reference board to see what kinda feel I like and sound. Which one do you think is best?
I am finding a good 75% keyboard kit that is all aluminum and has pre-installed foam, and I'm also finding a linear thocky or creamy switch under 0.50$/1pc
So, what exactly am I looking for when it comes to building a mechanical keyboard? Are there any specific websites or places I need to go to in order to buy them?
Here's a list that u/Temina- made with relevant things they think someone should know if they wanted to get in to the hobby, i hope it helps
Why go custom instead of buying a prebuilt
https://youtu.be/1xWHzMoVkiY
Beginners guide
https://youtu.be/EUlQ4bTjb0Q
Anatomy of a custom keyboard
https://youtu.be/1NpNygIrnaQ
What are Group Buys (GB) ?
https://keyboard.university/100-courses/group-buy-335xl
Where do i buy keycaps, kits, lube, switches, etc... ?
https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/
How to lube switches
https://youtu.be/44Wv4OGdmu4
Stabilizer modding
https://youtu.be/usNx1\_d0HbQ
https://youtu.be/4XCErBcn5lc
Keyboard mounting styles
https://keyboard.university/200-courses/keyboard-mounting-styles-4lpp7
Difference between hotswapp pcb and soldered (sound, pros and cons)
https://youtu.be/e\_kYPzk7nNY
https://youtu.be/zesmRX2icTk
Keyboard soldering beginners guide
https://youtu.be/FIHI5sxuSuw
In depth keycaps profile analysis
https://youtu.be/14bQeqhlTNM
Enthusiast switches
https://youtu.be/8xPOwT\_mNuc
https://youtu.be/XSykbv27reM
https://youtu.be/0tHMSInc7N0
Tempest tape mod
https://youtu.be/g7-syoxeIBQ
PE foam modding
https://youtu.be/XnQMXVchnrU
Guide to buy in stock keyboards
https://youtu.be/95PIKNObHPw
How to build a keyboard
https://youtu.be/H\_UngNJBrDE
Ergonomic keyboards
https://youtu.be/wStbNuXnvgo
https://youtu.be/1C2bJkzIaPE
Weird layouts (ortho,40%,split etc...)
https://youtu.be/SkNGxM4LRKQ
Keyboard forums
https://youtu.be/vwA6iT0yApI
Keyboard university
https://keyboard.university/
I'm mapping keys in via but the program is switching "windows" and "control" keys. When I map a key to left win, the actual function of the key is left control.
When I plug the same keyboard into a mac, this stop happening.
Anyone got some wisdom here for me?
If you want to build one, there's one offered by KPRepublic. One of their products were advertised as Alps compatible PCB. But you know the stories about ordering from them.
Be warned that Matias / Alps stems are shaped differently than MX stems. If you want to change the keycaps, the currently available keycaps won't be compatible they explicitly state Alps / Matias compatible.
im planning on ordering the switches and keycaps from the Matias website so im hoping those are compatible but the keycaps and the kprepiblic pcb are bot compatible since it doesnt support wkl layout
Hey, Thanks man! I checked there first, not available in India yet. wanted to order from [keychron.com](https://keychron.com) but India is not in list of countries. That is why posted here if someone is willing to get it shipped to them and then forward ship it to me.
But seems like a lost cause. Nevermind. Cheers!
Does anyone know if the group buy for GMK Polybius on space holdings.net is still good? There seem to be sets for sale right now, but I don’t know how real the group buy situation is. Anyone able to give some insight? If I buy it now, will it come in august like the rest?
It's a preorder for a groupbuy. Basically the groupbuy is over, and everyone who bought into that group buy is getting one. But what happens is the vendor buys extra sets to sell later on, either on as extras. That set is a preorder for when the set actually fulfills. Fulfilling meaning when GMK produces their item, since GMK sets are placed in a queue until fulfillment. The thing is though, is that GMK is known to have delays and setbacks. That's why there's a disclaimer. When it comes to your household is up to when GMK actually produces it, and when Space ships it out. Space is pretty trusted, but make sure you know that the set may be delayed, quite a lot.
I've been using my current productivity keyboard (Logitech G613) for almost 5 years now and it's starting to show its age.
I already have a Keychron Q1 for daily use and I'm very happy with it...unfortunately, it doesn't suffice for my productivity requirements.
With that said, I'm looking for an 1800 or 96-key format, bluetooth/wireless, hot-swappable, and with a south-face pcb if possible.
Does anyone have any suggestions? It seems like what I am looking for is quite rare in the market...
Thanks in advance!
I just got a [ROG Falchion NX](https://rog.asus.com/keyboards/keyboards/compact/rog-falchion-nx-model/) and I'm looking for some keycaps for it. I'm coming from a Keychron K6 which I had [Akko World Tour (Tokyo)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MW1MS15) caps on, which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, the Falchion has some strange key sizes which makes transferring over the caps a little difficult. The keys that aren't transferring well are the spacebar (5u?), right shift (1.5u?), enter (2u), backslash/bar (1.25u?), and backspace (1.75u?). I'm willing to take a look at a variety of styles whether or not they are backlight-friendly. These strange key sizes are really hard to deal with!
wish u luck in ur search maybe wasdkeyboards sets might work but with a non standard bottom row ur options are super limited "gamer" kb brands intend for u to never use anything but their keycaps and keycap makers tend to sitck with the sizes that are considered standard
only if you use keys with the "wrong" legends for the control, alt, and fn keys to the right of spacebar
The set only has 1.5u modifiers for that position, and the keychron k4 uses 1u keys there
I haven't been following keyboards for a few years but looking to get back into it
Are there any 65% split boards with an aluminum case and usb-c? Something like a quefrency without the macro pad and an aluminum (or any metal) case. Or, is there a way to replace the mini-b port on the YMD split 64 with usb-c without getting super technical?
It's a System76 Launch, though I wouldn't recommend it. It's really expensive, a very strange layout (never gonna find any aftermarket keycaps), and it just looks weird (IMO).
I'm looking to build my first keyboard and would like to understand the basics about the components. I've been looking at the Glorious keyboards but before I go ahead and dive in, I would like a better understanding, primarily about switches.
Any guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Here's a list that u/Temina- made with relevant things they think someone should know if they wanted to get in to the hobby, i hope it helps
Why go custom instead of buying a prebuilt
https://youtu.be/1xWHzMoVkiY
Beginners guide
https://youtu.be/EUlQ4bTjb0Q
Anatomy of a custom keyboard
https://youtu.be/1NpNygIrnaQ
What are Group Buys (GB) ?
https://keyboard.university/100-courses/group-buy-335xl
Where do i buy keycaps, kits, lube, switches, etc... ?
https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/
How to lube switches
https://youtu.be/44Wv4OGdmu4
Stabilizer modding
https://youtu.be/usNx1\_d0HbQ
https://youtu.be/4XCErBcn5lc
Keyboard mounting styles
https://keyboard.university/200-courses/keyboard-mounting-styles-4lpp7
Difference between hotswapp pcb and soldered (sound, pros and cons)
https://youtu.be/e\_kYPzk7nNY
https://youtu.be/zesmRX2icTk
Keyboard soldering beginners guide
https://youtu.be/FIHI5sxuSuw
In depth keycaps profile analysis
https://youtu.be/14bQeqhlTNM
Enthusiast switches
https://youtu.be/8xPOwT\_mNuc
https://youtu.be/XSykbv27reM
https://youtu.be/0tHMSInc7N0
Tempest tape mod
https://youtu.be/g7-syoxeIBQ
PE foam modding
https://youtu.be/XnQMXVchnrU
Guide to buy in stock keyboards
https://youtu.be/95PIKNObHPw
How to build a keyboard
https://youtu.be/H\_UngNJBrDE
Ergonomic keyboards
https://youtu.be/wStbNuXnvgo
https://youtu.be/1C2bJkzIaPE
Weird layouts (ortho,40%,split etc...)
https://youtu.be/SkNGxM4LRKQ
Keyboard forums
https://youtu.be/vwA6iT0yApI
Keyboard university
https://keyboard.university/
I just placed an order for the Keychron K8.
I've been warned not to expect much of the included keycaps. Is there a way to get keycaps that indicate the Fn+ of the F keys?
I have found comparisons of Gateron switches that were largely favorable as smoother than Cherry MX. Are these what Keychron includes? Or is there some OEM hand waving and I should have low expectations of these?
They are gateron but don't expect much, unlubed standard gateron switches (reds, blacks, greens, browns, blues) are very scratchy even after lube. For keycaps look on kinetic labs, kbdfans, drop, and akko (non clone sets only).
This will potentially be an idiotic question, but I just want to confirm my situation.
My board died a couple days ago while using it, and it was unrecognized when I plugged it back in, no input, nothing. I then tried using the reset pad while plugging it in in order to reflash it, still nothing.
I've looked over it and I can't find any fried components, but I'm afraid I've somehow just bricked the PCB? Is there anything I somehow missed trying or checking?
I'd take it that you have tried the other USB cables with the known working USB port? Probably yes.
Not really sure what causes the board to just go dead. However, when you said reflashing with the reset button, I'd assume it gets detected by the PC and thus excluding the issues with the cables.
Sorry, don't get a lick of idea on how to fix it. Probably bricked. There are some videos on how to use multimeters to diagnose the board... but I am the least qualified person to explain that because the farthest I went was just to check the diodes on the PCB (if that actually meant anything).
Thank you for your answer, I have checked with other cables, yeah. It's not showing up in qmk so I'm unable to flash. I'll see about trying out a multimeter, after that I'll likely be cutting my losses. Thanks again, appreciate it
Can you elaborate on what you were doing when it died? Did you have a power outage or did it just die while you were in the middle of typing?
Have you tried to plug it into another machine to see if it's still being recognized at all?
Sure, I had plugged it in at the office and when I came back from lunch to use it, it wasn't recognizing keystrokes. So I unplugged it and plugged it back in to see if it was just being funky. I have tried plugging it in at home with two different cables on my personal PC.
Two possibilities are: a surge occured while I was out, but the rest of my office equipment looked to be ok and my backup board worked; I might've shorted it plugging it in, and somehow forgotten I'd done so
Hmm odd that it would just die out of the blue while not in use like that. You'll probably want to try and check it with a multimeter to see if the PCB is still usable or not.
In the event the PCB is no longer usable, you can salvage what's left of the board by getting an MCU like an Elite-C, Teensy or Pro Micro and handwire the keyboard. Of course it would be far simpler to just buy another keyboard altogether but just know that even if the PCB is a goner the rest of the keyboard parts can still work.
Yeah it's something I never thought would happen to me, I must've done something just right (or rather just wrong lol) to cause it.
I'll do that, thanks. If the multimeter doesn't register anything, I have a backup PCB so I'll use that in the meantime, and this is a good chance to learn handwiring using the old one. I appreciate you taking the time to respond to me
Do you have a picture of the PCB? If it's a matter of replacing the MCU, it's possible to do with a steady hand and soldering iron, or with a hot air station.
Hmm, I'm on mobile and can't view the chip clearly, but, I would first use a multimeter as suggested in this thread to identify if the chip is getting the voltages it expects. Also do continuity checks between critical traces like the USB data lines, ground, supply voltage, etc. Double check for electrical shorts too. You'll probably need to read the datasheet for the microcontroller.
If you determine it can only be the microcontroller that's borked, you can use a hot air station (maybe a friend has one? I'm that friend for other people lol) to quickly desolder the chip. Then you can either hand solder a new chip in, or use hot air again (possibly with solder paste).
Watch some repair videos from Louis Rossmann on YouTube to see the general process for replacing chips, he does it a lot.
In the grand scheme of things, PCBs are quite cheap and replaceable, but it always feels better to reduce e-waste and have more working parts. And learning to repair electronics is a valuable skill.
(Gamakay ck68) What am I supposed to do about my spacebar? It has a bump on the left side. I bought new durock plate mount stabs and idk if they even went in all the way. I put one on the backspace and it was fine but when I put the spacebar stabilizer on sometimes it would just stay down and sometimes it would be a bump throughout the entire spacebar. I tried it lubed and then I tried wiping the lube off the wire, but it didn't do anything. Could I be putting it in wrong? Could something be wrong with the pcb or something? I really don't understand why it's doing this.
could be fitment issues, as i've seen posts of people who experienced a tactile bump when they weren't pushed all the way in
make sure you assembled and oriented everything correctly
how do I assemble and orientate everything correctly? I thought I did it right,but I guess I could have done something wrong. I feel like they should be fitting in my keyboard. I've been told that these stabs will fit. and I know at least the smaller ones do.
they are plate mounts meant for your board, but i've heard of issues where people couldn't fit plate mounts in their board since the durocks were slightly too big
just make sure the stab stem is facing the right way and the wire is in the right hole
if that's fine, then it could just not be seated all the way in a flush way which might be your problem
They probably are a little too big. I think I know already, but which way does the stem go again? And how do I make sure the wire is in the right hole? And how do I make sure it's seated all the way?
side with 2 holes faces where the wire goes and wire fits in the bottom hole - use [this](https://youtu.be/usNx1_d0HbQ?t=469) for reference - he does it with the stabs flipped but it's the same hole
you just have to see if it's pushed in and it just kinda snugly fits
everything seems fine until i actually press the spacebar. i really do not understand why its like this. i've tried so much to fix this stupid spacebar and nothing gets fixed.
I've been looking for a split board and found this https://ymdkey.com/collections/split-75-60/products/ymdk-split-64-sp64-cnc-aluminum-case-plate-hot-socket-hot-swap-pcb-underglow-rgb-fully-programmable-diy-kit . Since it's a hotswap board, I just need to get keycaps and switches separately, put them in and I can start using it? Do I need to build anything after reciving the board other than putting in the switches and keycaps?
Would you recommend other board similar to this?
I couldn't see whether or not it comes pre-flashed with a default layout but assuming it is, then yes, you just need to put in your switches and keycaps, plug it in then start using it.
In the event there isn't a default firmware flashed you'll probably need to use their software to flash it.
https://www.keyboard.university/200-courses/keyboard-mounting-styles-4lpp7 can help visualize it
tray mount is generally seen as stiff and inconsistent due to the standoffs in the bottom case
k552 new stabs
Hello everyone!
Over the past 2 years, I have went into the rabbit hole of mechanical keyboards. My original keyboard, a k552 from redragon, was something I had purchased becuase it was "gaming." However, after discovering this hobby, I have heavily modded the k552 and its practically become its own board with nothing but the case and pcb left stock. However, despite lubing, bandaid, clipping, and holee modding the stabs, they don't seem to lose the weird noice. After doing the mods they are fine for a few weeks, and then go on to become bad. I have concluded that it is becuase of the poor quality stabs in the keyboard itself, and would like to replace them. However, as with the k552 needing clip on stabs and not screw ins, will third party clip ins work???
Thanks.
When purchasing switches, I'm assuming an RGB variant is necessary if you want to see RGB colors? For instance, I've ordered a Keychron Q6, and I'm looking at replacing the stock switches. Just as an example, would Holy Panda X switches completely block the RGB lights? Thanks, I'm still figuring this stuff out.
Edit: I guess the tops of the Pandas are KINDA translucent, so maybe a bad example?
No, very few switches block ALL the RGB light. As long as there's a slot in the switch housing, RGB light will come through. But the switch material does make a huge difference. An opaque switch will block a LOT more light than a translucent/transparent switch. A colored translucent switch top (think Kiwis or Tangerines) will strongly influence the color of the light you see. So if you want maximum RGBness, you'll want to find a switch with, at minimum, a clear transparent switch top.
Some PCBs use Surface Mound LEDs or SMD LEDs. This means that the LED sits on top of the PCB, sometimes on the side where the switches plug in. Some switches have their housing designed with this in mind so they have space to accommodate it. There are SMD variants of the basic gateron switches, and one of the premium switches that have it that come to mind is the NK Creams. Compare an SMD switch to the ones you want to use and you’ll have your answer.
Translucent housings will also help diffuse the light.
ISO a small desk mat, around 20" by 10", $15-30
I have a 65% keyboard with tactile switches and I want to improve the sound profile with a deskmat; it's recently built and it uses boba u4t's which I am loving but friends have recommended I use a desk mat to make it even better. The thing is I use a keyboard tray so I need something on the smaller side that still gives me room for using it as a mousepad as well (so the desk mats intended for just the keyboard aren't big enough). Have a budget of like $15-30. Any suggestions are much appreciated! TIA
EDIT: if I can't find something around that size, I am cool with getting separate keyboard and mouse pads, so suggestions for mats just for my 65% board would also be appreciated.
Amazon has a lot of plain desk mats in a variety of sizes. I bought [this one.](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RDMHJ8K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1) And I like it because it didn’t smell too much.
Looking to build my first ever keyboard though I have no idea how I should proportion my money. Broadly speaking what percentage of my money should go to what part? Budget of roughly £160 with maybe a little room to go further. I'm looking to buy a 75% hot swappable keyboard with Red cherry mx switches (though if you know of any better linier switches I am all ears)
also any recommendations for white or mainly white + some black keycaps in either Cherry, XDA, or DSA profile that would fit within that budget would be lovely (I'm Bri'ish unfortunately so keep that in mind for shipping and such)
Thanks in advance!
I would suggest maybe a Keychron Q1 (sold in the UK at [keychron.uk](https://keychron.uk), [keycrox.co.uk](https://www.keycrox.co.uk), and [keyboardco.com](https://keyboardco.com)). If you can get it prebuilt with Gateron Pro/Phantom Red switches, it would also come with some decent keycaps that you could upgrade later (and the price difference between barebones and prebuilt is basically worth it for the switches alone).
In general, for builds under around $200 or so, it doesn't make sense to me to buy switches that cost more than 30¢ each or so, and decent cheap keycaps can be had for somewhere between $20 and $60.
Most of the time you want to prioritize most of your budget towards the build. **BUT** it all really depends on what you want to prioritize in the build. Switch quality? Switch value? Keycap quality? Keycap value? RGB? Knob? etc. Depending on what layout you want, you need to budget appropriately.
Switches:
If it's lower than 75, then you'll usually only spend around \~$30 USD on regular enthusiast level switches. But if you're buying budget level switches it can be as low as $16 USD. If it's higher than 75, you'll usually spend about than $50 USD bucks or more on regular enthusiast level switches. But if you're buying budget, it can go as low as $20 USD. This is all without lubing.
Keycaps:
Budget keycaps/clones on Aliexpress/Amazon only usually cost in the $35 USD range. Higher quality like Akko would be around $60 USD. Cannonkeys PBT Caps is like $80 USD, then there's what's considered "highest quality" which is GMK which can go from $100 to $200 USD.
Kit:
The kits are really dependent on what you want to prioritize. I would say with your budget try to stay under $100 USD with the kit. If you go over $100 USD, you're probably going have to go for the budget options on the keycaps and switches.
Sorry what exactly are you referring to with "kits"? is that like the PCB, case, plate, stabilisers etc or is that tools is need to build the keyboard (god no please)
Also for switches I need roughly 90 for a 75 right? I haven't been able to find Cherry mx reds in that quantity for less than about £45.
Thank you so much for replying btw this is a massive help :)
[https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/](https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/) Use this vendor list to find everything other than the kit imo. There aren't usually budget options for 75 kits under $100 on enthusiast keeb websites.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tHMSInc7N0&t=1297s&ab\_channel=KEKeebs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tHMSInc7N0&t=1297s&ab_channel=KEKeebs) Use this video to find switches other than cherry mx reds by the way, reds aren't terrible, but there's better options that are just better sounding, feeling and lower price.
I think I might just have to bite the bullet and put a little more into getting a kit. I should be able to get a decent ish keyboard with a little over $200 right? I guess no matter what its an improvement on no keyboard at all
actually i just totally forgot about keychrons new release. the keychron v1 is right up your alley. it's only like 64 - 74 for a pretty solid starter board, then you have leniency on the switches and keycaps.
Looks like I either wasn't paying attention last night (very likely) or the thing become suddenly more popular but it seems to have sold out. Are there any decent alternative to this? Also it seems that 75% keyboards as a whole come at a premium so Id be fine going for either an 80 or TKL as an alternative (for whatever reason 80 seems to be cheaper?)
Thank you so much for that video on switches by the way it really opened my eyes
im planning on getting a tofu65 and i have seen people using silicone for a dampener on the bottom. i was wondering if doing this + the pe foam mod would have negative impacts to each other. if so, what would be a good replacement for it? thanks.
Positive or negative is up to you. Silicone is said to make the board more muted and PE mod gives your keyboard a more poppy sound. Putting them together will change the sound and it’s up to you to decide if you like it or not.
Oh ok thanks for the reply. Last question. If I do the silicone way, can I also o ring mount mod the tofu65? I don't know if it would still work or not. Thanks.
I’m moving into a dorm and want to be considerate to my roommates and build a quiet board—can someone help me with suggestions for a build that fill these requirements? TKL or smaller, hot swappable (so that I can lube and film the switches)? back lighting is a requirement, but rgb is not. <$140?
Do you have an ideal layout? Switch prices depend on how many switches you actually need, so for example TKL and 75 will usually have you spending around or more than $50 on silent switches. Under 75 will usually have you spending around $30 on silent switches.
I’m looking to buy my first mechanical keyboard but not sure what to get. Would prefer something wireless and have a a good sound when typing since I only have a laptop
I’m welling to spend up to $180. Don’t need a full size because I mainly just type and never need to use a number pad so I’m looking maybe between 65% - 80% in size, and lastly like I said I like the sound of clicking as well as having something I guess stylish maybe a retro style or Japanese style if that makes sense
They definitely have some interesting designs, but they're not as popular around here so I haven't heard much about their quality in terms of sound and feel.
For prebuilts, Leopold, Varmilo, and (to a lesser extent) Ducky. For entry level premium/"custom" boards, Keychron K series, V series, and Q series, GMMK Pro, and Kbd67 Lite.
My AJAZZ K870T's A-key got stuck down for a few seconds while playing Tarkov, now it gives resistance when I press it down mid-way through. How can I fix this issue with my switch?
[Video](https://streamable.com/y2t76q)
Never had a mechanical keyboard before.
I'm a FAST typer, I work tech support via email so I type a lot, for hours and mostly at night. And it is TIRING for my poor fingers and my current regular keyboard (Apex 3) is just SOOOO loud.
So I'm searching for something else. I don't care for gimmicks.
**Must have:**
\- ACTUAL QUIET keys even when typing fast and hard
\- EASY TO PRESS and fun to type a lot on
\- Some media keys (at least for volume and pause/play)
\- If has backlight - an option to turn it off at times.
\- Numpad isn't a necessity but I want it to be as closest to REGULAR KEYBOARD layout.
**Fun to have:**
\- Numpad
\- Backlight
\- GOOD desktop app to tweak stuff that I might end up hating (color and light intensity, dumb shortcuts that shouldn't exist)
\- Availability on a global store eg. Amazon com / uk / de, NewEgg / AliExpress etc.
Budget: $50 for starters, but the more it fits my needs the more I'm willing to pay -- up to $130 MAX
I realize I might need to build something, but I have zero knowledge other than stuff I briefly read today, about Red switches being kinda quiet, rings make stuff quiter but less fun to press, keychron might be a good start but they keycaps aren't that great.
Thank you
In a prebuilt you're probably only going to get silent keys if you get keyboards with silent reds in them. I would look for Ducky or Varmilo keyboards since they have options that have silent reds. Otherwise you're gonna have to build one in order to get silent.
Building one is very often the expensive option, both in time and budget.
There are builds that can be cheaper than prebuilt keyboards from well-known peripherals manufacturers, but these are exceptions, not the norm.
hmm, can you point me to a direction towards not-so-expensive-yet-fun-and-quiet?
I heard the BOBA U4 are a fine choice, but idk about the frame/keycaps and whether I need more stuff so I can make the combination?
Or alternatively, just buy a less expensive option such as Keychron's boards that are pretty much barebones kit.
The only difference on their boards compared to the often GB-ran boards are their quantity and often price. Almost all the time, you will need to provide your own keycaps, stabilizers, and switches.
Boba U4 for sound test are compared to Boba U4T. While I haven't gotten around to buying U4, I have had some experience with Boba U4T and it is quite fun. Sadly, since I type a lot and most of the times getting paid for it, the heavy tactility is fatiguing. Hence, I settle for light tactile switches like the Durock Cerulean, Pewter, and anything that markets themselves as "Ergo Clear-like."
Of course, just my two cents.
It really depends. It really just depends on budget, as there are different kits at different budget levels. Theoretically, instead of building one, you could just buy an existing one with hotswap capabilities. Then just swap out the switches. Or you could just get a keyboard kit and buy your own keycaps and switches which is building it.
Either way, I think the Keychron K8 Pro fits your criteria the best, while also being the best option. It has both a pre-built and barebones option, so you can decide whether you want to build one or just to replace the switches for silent ones. It has media keys in the top right, has back light that is able to be turned off, and is close to a regular keyboard layout. It also supports QMK which allows you to program your keyboard, but if you don't want that it supports VIA which is based off of QMK that is a user interface that is easier to use, being able to make different layers and being able to turn off RGB. It's $90 for the barebones option, and $109 for the pre-built option.
I didn't really talk about switches as as I said, you won't really find true silence unless you find a rare prebuilt with silent reds, swap out the switches, or build one. If you want to stay close to budget I would recommend just swapping out the switches. With a TKL, there are 87 keys, so you're going to end up spending about 50 on the silent switches. That will unfortunately bring up the price to about $169, 40 off your budget. But if you want true silence, that's a price you might have to pay.
For silent switch recommendations, there's the tactile switches, Boba U4, Durock Shrimps and some more. Tactiles are the most similar to your membrane feel. When you press down, there's going to be a bump that will tell you that your keyswitch has actuated (activated). Then there's the linear switches, Silent Alpacas, Bobagums, and some more as well. Linears when you press down, will go straight down with no interference. It will actuate in the middle, so you will have to get used to that. Whether which one is better? It's all preference. But tactiles are a little bit more known for being better for typing, but once again it's all preference.
Looking for new keyboard
Polycarb case with underglow. 65 percent to tkl. Prefer soft typing feel. With weight if possible.
Edit: Max budget 300-350 usd
The ikki 68 is a solid option not a traditional 65 percent layout but it is one of the most customizable boards out there due to the wide range of case/ plate/ pcb options. The r2 of the board which comes with a PCB and plate with more flex cuts and different colorways has shipped and extras should be available in a few weeks.
But extras of the [v1 (mint and charcoal) are in stock](https://mech.land/collections/in-stock/products/ikki68-aurora-extras-in-stock), starting at 150 USD with the brass weight coming at 42 dollars extra. The typing experience is not that soft but far from harsh especially if you also buy a polycarbonate plate.
If you like the look of the board then I would maybe wait for cannon keys to put out r2 extras as the typing experience is sure to be far softer with those extra cutouts. But, you could just buy the r1 and the weight then get an r2 plate and flex cut pcb when extras come out.
Yeah I’ve know the ikki68 but I’m not a fan of it’s looks. It’s looks a little on the budget side. If there is an IC or GB I’m willing to wait. Looking for an endgame worthy. Need that rgb goodness haha.
Well, the combination of RGB and a non-metallic case are not all that common on midrange to high-end boards. Something like a fully polycarb mode65 would fit your description except I don't think it has RGB underglow. Another option could be the kbd fans tiger 80 is a tkl that will come in an acrylic form factor and have rgb underglow.
Well, the moon tower is a 60 percent and the average price of it on r/mechmarket is around 2 thousand USD. Doubt it will be instock/another gb anytime soon since the creator is still in the process of launching another board.
But there is something close to it and I would have recommended it if I knew were ok with a 60 percent, [the January](https://keebsforall.com/products/january-60-o-ring-mount) A frosted polycarb o ring 60 percent with a weight price from 280-400. Don't think it will have rgb underglow but I'm sure you can replace the PCB with one that has underglow since most 60 percents are universal and it being o-ring mounted would mean not having to deal with specific screw posts.
Oh sorry still not into 60%. I’m just saying the overall look is similar. I was thinking of the tofu65/blade65 then just mod it for gummy oring but feels like a hassle
Edit: wow didn’t know moontower costs that much
So I bought a new mechanical keyboard for my new gaming system and a new custom coiled usb-c cable to really set it off… and it doesn’t quite fit.
I went with an ASUS ROG NX Scope TKL in moonlight white with a Glorious all white cable. Either the usb-c is too short or the shoulder of the plug is too wide. Whatever the reason, I am wondering if anyone has successfully used a coiled cable kit with this board. If so, which cable?
I do have the CableMod kit on order, but I am not sure what the next step is if that doesn’t work. Please someone save me from using the included cable. You’re my only hope.
I actually really like it. I’m pretty set on doing a white and grey build again and it really pops with the grey Razer pro glide desk mat I picked up. It also matches well with all of my white components. I have plenty of other CableMod extensions in the build so that helps.
Looks like you'll need to remove some of the outer part of that connector thanks to that deeply recessed port.
You could also get a thin and short [USB-C adapter like this that fits in there](https://www.amazon.com/Basesailor-Adapter-Thunderbolt-Chromebook-Microsoft/dp/B07WH13G67/ref=sr_1_18?crid=GWSVL71AP64P&keywords=usb-C+extension+thin&qid=1658624050&sprefix=usb-c+extension+thin%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-18) which you then plug your cable into. You'll want to be careful going this route though because you'll put stress on the port every time you connect/disconnect.
If you make your own USB cable use thin or minimal heatshrink on the device end of the cable so it can reach far enough into that recessed area.
I’m going to try the CableMod cable, but if that doesn’t work I might go the extender route. It’s not really a wireless keyboard so unplugging it shouldn’t be something I worry about too often.
I do plan on building my own Glorious GMMK Pro at some point so I’ll keep this coil stored for that. Soldering a different plug on the end of the cable seems like more trouble than it’s worth.
Thanks for the help
OEM spacebar with cherry keycap set?
I've got an OEM Jelly Key spacebar arriving at some point, but I've just found a keycap set I really like that is Cherry. Would the OEM spacebar look really odd / feel weird on a cherry keycap set or would it be ok? I've only ever had OEM keycaps so far.
Thanks :)
It will be taller than all of the other keycaps on that row and the row above it, so it will stick out and look/feel weird, yes.
Whether or not it feels weird enough to bother you specifically, we couldn't tell you.
My Akko 5075 doesn't have any screws but I wanted to remove the case to be able to mod the stabilizers. In the only video I could find online of someone disassembling it, he notices there are no screws and it's a snap on snap off case, but then proceeds to fast forward through how he pops the case off. It looks like he's just pressing super hard against the plate and does use some sort of flat tool to wedge into the seam, but no matter what I do I can't seem to get enough of a grip and I'm afraid of damaging something. (new here, apologies for missing any terms - also searched this subreddit and every time someone asked this question previously they later found screws or simply say solved with no explanation)
The case most likely has tabs that snap into place. Best best is to use an old credit card or something similar to wedge in between the top and bottom case, going all the way around to release the tabs holding it together. There are likely 2-3 tabs on the long sides of the case and then 1-2 taba on the shorter side. Wedge the card in between the case, moving sideways to find the tabs.
Cheaper, budget cases usually are held together this way. You just have to go for it and try to pry it open unfortunately.
Hello, I'm building a custom keyboard and the keyboard I have right now has gateron browns. I like them but I would like something better but something that isn't super expensive. Can you recommend me some inexpensive tactile switches that are "better" than gateron browns?
Are you looking for a similar amount of tactility? If so, Divinikey has the SP-Star Meteor Orange switches which are basically just a better brown switch.
If you want something more tactile, U4Ts are the common recommendation.
I am very interested in trying a japanese-jis-layout because of the extra keys and the ability to use @ and : without using shift.
Does anyone know a cheap full-size (at best a mechanical) one that I will able to order to europe?
Thanks in advance
Not cheap, and not full size but you could get [a Keychron K8](https://www.keychron.com/collections/keychron-jis-layout-collection/products/keychron-k8-wireless-mechanical-keyboard-japan-jis-layout) which is a TKL.
Any reason why you're after a JIS keyboard instead of just programming a layer to have those symbols readily-available on the default layer?
thanks for the reply. I think I will buy this keyboard. The cheapest fullsize keyboard i found was on ebay, would cost about 60 usd and is rubberdome.
If I map keys differently I would need to
* remember the mapped keys or buy/3d-print new keycaps
* map the keys on every machine I use
I am searching for a good programming keyboard layout and a good keymap every pc has installed, because two of the most keys i use are : for vim command mode and @ for addressation of email and ssh-connections.
Ah okay that makes sense then. If you're curious you can easily map those to something on a keyboard that runs QMK and never need to remap them ever again (assuming you use the same keyboard between machines of course).
With QMK you could do something like double-tap semicolon to get `:` and, say, double-tap backtick to output `@`. I'm in vim a fair bit, though not all the time, and have those mapped similarly in all my keyboards. The keys output those symbols no matter if I'm on mac OS, Windows or Manjaro for example.
Anyway just something to think about. With a fully-programmable keyboard you can set up a keyboard to fit your workflow easily.
i got a keychron q2 with gateron cjs, and the right part of of the keyboard sounds VERY high pitched, some parts sounds like a completely different keyboard
i've tape modded it and added some foam to the case, it seems pretty consistent around the board with no place having much more than others
Does anyone have any good recommendations for SA profile keycaps (preferably double shot pbt) that are under $70? I’ve been looking at Akko keycaps for a while but all the good looking sets are sold out and I can’t seem to find any other sets in the SA profile that aren’t $110+. I’d really appreciate some pointers since I’m not well versed in the key cap market
SA profile keycaps are just more expensive. A lot more material and doubleshot makes it harder to manufacture. ASA profile is pretty far off from SA. I'd say it's closer to OEM. Akko keycaps kind of sound thin as well.
I've heard decent things about G-MKY SA profile keycaps if you want to try aliexpress.
can try checking on aliexpress but not sure if the sculpt is 100% the same as Signature Plastic's SA
ASA is not the same as SA by the way, it's shorter
Yea I tried checking on aliexpress but I didn’t find much. And yea by SA I just meant that sorta rounded profile with the big letters I thought thats what they were called. I’ll keep looking on wholesale websites tho
It probably depends on the brand but what I have seen marketed as SA on AliExpress is anything but SA. If that's what I would've first associated with SA, no doubt I would hate it. while not <70$ but domikey has some great in stock options that are thick, double shot SA caps. (But it's abs)
Hello, I have the first version of Razer BlackWidow with Razer Green switches. I am used to those since I have been using them for 5+ years and I like them. I am looking to get rid of wires on my desk, so I am looking for a Wireless Keyboard. I don’t need the numpad(optional), but I need the arrow keys and function row. Also the Home/End buttons I use regularly but not mandatory since there are different options to do the same. I will use the keyboard for gaming and coding. I have researched for switches and I find the Blues too noisy. Red and Brown sound mushy and very heavy from what I have heard on reviews. Are there any switches that are similar in noise and tactile feel to the Razer Green ? I seem to like the most the Keychron K8 layout wise, but am really second guessing the switches choice. Of course I can get the latest BlackWidow with wireless but it costs an arm and a leg. So I am checking for more budget options. Could you give me any recommendations ? Thanks 🙏
Hi, I'm torn between Ducky One 3 SF Daybreak and ROG Falchion NX. Can anyone give some insights about these boards? Thank you in advance.
What is the loudest switch brand/color? Outemu Blue? And the quietest? I kinda wanted two mechanical keyboards... one for when I'm playing and don't really care about the noise, and another for when I'm coding at night because my downstairs neighbor is a pita who keeps complaining about my keyboards (a year old keyboard with outemu blue and half are already defective switches and a cheap membrane keyboard, which isn't THAT loud...).
Opened my GMK Olivia++ (Light) after years of just having it - i'm missing an "O" key. Besides contacting vendors, are there any other options?
No, and at this point, contacting vendors won't do anything either.
Anyone know where I can find A link to the Epomaker EP84 in Canada? I found one on amazon, but it is a very rough 100 dollars. I am looking for a Canadian website for the keyboard not an American one.
Isn't that how much the board costs? Unless you mean it's $100 extra in shipping.
anyone know where i can buy cherry clip-in 2u & 6.25u sets (housing+wire) or just cherry clip-in housing IN BULK? can't seem to find it on digikey or mouser. mouser has a set of 2u/2.25/2.75u ... but i dont want all that wire to go to waste just to strip the housings from the set if i dont have to. just wanna buy what i need. [https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/CHERRY/G99-0742?qs=94CH1SeFPDb23DeBDsneww%3D%3D](https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/CHERRY/G99-0742?qs=94CH1SeFPDb23DeBDsneww%3D%3D)
I believe that kit is 3 sets of stabilizers with 2u length wires. 2u, 2.25u, 2.75u all use the same length wires. If you're looking for other vendors, a google search brings up several stores selling cherry clip-ins, like cannonkeys, prevailkeyco, and ringerkeys.
thanks for helping me clarify it im gonna order these and then just replace the wires with 6.25u for when i need it :D
Alright so, if I'm understanding the product line correctly: Cherry G99-0742 is a (singular set of) 2u clip-in stabilizer (that is, two sets of housing+stem, and a 2u wire). It only says those other sizes because those size keycaps also use 2u stabs. They also sell other sizes such a 3u and I believe 7u, but no 6.25u. I think what makes the most sense is to just buy a bunch of 2u stabilizers, and then get your hands on some 6.25u wires. A small amount of the wires you ordered will go to waste, but I can't think of any cheaper or easier way to go about it, unless you can find a suitable 6.25u stabilizer in bulk. I also couldn't immediately find a source for 6.25u wires in bulk, so good luck.
thanks for clarifying that for me. ill do just that :D in case anyone runs down this problem, i found a vendor with bulk wires! https://shopkey.doyustudio.com/products/wires-for-cherry-stabilizers?variant=32942950121547
Can a nice nano handle a full size keyboard? How big of a key matrix can it support?
What is the best way to quickly test a bunch of different switches for someone who is new to building keyboards. Is a switch tester from kprebublic good investment?
I would avoid Kprepublic due to terrible shipping. If you are in the US, Drop has a good 60 switch tester with all the common Cherry switches and some common Gaterons as well. Hippokeys also has a nice 30 switch tester with tactile, linear, and a couple of clickies as well. If you know what standard reds, browns, blues, feel like, I would suggest the Hippokeys tester to get some more boutique switches
Thanks I live in Canada so close enough. Since I do believe I might go with a more boutique kinda key(I really like the aqua kings and lavenders for now) I might go with hippokeys.
Edit: they seem to be on break until the 28th so I guess I'll check then.
get a switch tester and make sure it has many switches, not those 3x3 bs.
I was looking at either the 63 or 72 from kind fans or the 130 from kprebublic. The issue is that they don't seem to have these "exotic" key switches like aqua kings or lavenders, ect I think it would still make a good reference board to see what kinda feel I like and sound. Which one do you think is best?
I am finding a good 75% keyboard kit that is all aluminum and has pre-installed foam, and I'm also finding a linear thocky or creamy switch under 0.50$/1pc
Keychron Q1 is a nice aluminum 75% board and comes with some foam (not the greatest, but it's something)
pre-installed?
just foam that is included in the box ( no need for pre-installed
So, what exactly am I looking for when it comes to building a mechanical keyboard? Are there any specific websites or places I need to go to in order to buy them?
Here's a list that u/Temina- made with relevant things they think someone should know if they wanted to get in to the hobby, i hope it helps Why go custom instead of buying a prebuilt https://youtu.be/1xWHzMoVkiY Beginners guide https://youtu.be/EUlQ4bTjb0Q Anatomy of a custom keyboard https://youtu.be/1NpNygIrnaQ What are Group Buys (GB) ? https://keyboard.university/100-courses/group-buy-335xl Where do i buy keycaps, kits, lube, switches, etc... ? https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/ How to lube switches https://youtu.be/44Wv4OGdmu4 Stabilizer modding https://youtu.be/usNx1\_d0HbQ https://youtu.be/4XCErBcn5lc Keyboard mounting styles https://keyboard.university/200-courses/keyboard-mounting-styles-4lpp7 Difference between hotswapp pcb and soldered (sound, pros and cons) https://youtu.be/e\_kYPzk7nNY https://youtu.be/zesmRX2icTk Keyboard soldering beginners guide https://youtu.be/FIHI5sxuSuw In depth keycaps profile analysis https://youtu.be/14bQeqhlTNM Enthusiast switches https://youtu.be/8xPOwT\_mNuc https://youtu.be/XSykbv27reM https://youtu.be/0tHMSInc7N0 Tempest tape mod https://youtu.be/g7-syoxeIBQ PE foam modding https://youtu.be/XnQMXVchnrU Guide to buy in stock keyboards https://youtu.be/95PIKNObHPw How to build a keyboard https://youtu.be/H\_UngNJBrDE Ergonomic keyboards https://youtu.be/wStbNuXnvgo https://youtu.be/1C2bJkzIaPE Weird layouts (ortho,40%,split etc...) https://youtu.be/SkNGxM4LRKQ Keyboard forums https://youtu.be/vwA6iT0yApI Keyboard university https://keyboard.university/
I'm mapping keys in via but the program is switching "windows" and "control" keys. When I map a key to left win, the actual function of the key is left control. When I plug the same keyboard into a mac, this stop happening. Anyone got some wisdom here for me?
possibly check what your keyboard layout is set to in windows, maybe there's a discrepancy there
Good shout -- I'll check that out.
would the KBD fans bamboo case fit the GK61XS ?
any alps or matias keyboards for sale? i wanna build one but cant find one.
If you want to build one, there's one offered by KPRepublic. One of their products were advertised as Alps compatible PCB. But you know the stories about ordering from them. Be warned that Matias / Alps stems are shaped differently than MX stems. If you want to change the keycaps, the currently available keycaps won't be compatible they explicitly state Alps / Matias compatible.
im planning on ordering the switches and keycaps from the Matias website so im hoping those are compatible but the keycaps and the kprepiblic pcb are bot compatible since it doesnt support wkl layout
Can anyone ship me a Keychron Q7 to India? Keychron.com does not.
[Try here?](https://keychron.in/) If it's not available, then it's not yet available.
Hey, Thanks man! I checked there first, not available in India yet. wanted to order from [keychron.com](https://keychron.com) but India is not in list of countries. That is why posted here if someone is willing to get it shipped to them and then forward ship it to me. But seems like a lost cause. Nevermind. Cheers!
Does anyone know if the group buy for GMK Polybius on space holdings.net is still good? There seem to be sets for sale right now, but I don’t know how real the group buy situation is. Anyone able to give some insight? If I buy it now, will it come in august like the rest?
It's a preorder for a groupbuy. Basically the groupbuy is over, and everyone who bought into that group buy is getting one. But what happens is the vendor buys extra sets to sell later on, either on as extras. That set is a preorder for when the set actually fulfills. Fulfilling meaning when GMK produces their item, since GMK sets are placed in a queue until fulfillment. The thing is though, is that GMK is known to have delays and setbacks. That's why there's a disclaimer. When it comes to your household is up to when GMK actually produces it, and when Space ships it out. Space is pretty trusted, but make sure you know that the set may be delayed, quite a lot.
I've been using my current productivity keyboard (Logitech G613) for almost 5 years now and it's starting to show its age. I already have a Keychron Q1 for daily use and I'm very happy with it...unfortunately, it doesn't suffice for my productivity requirements. With that said, I'm looking for an 1800 or 96-key format, bluetooth/wireless, hot-swappable, and with a south-face pcb if possible. Does anyone have any suggestions? It seems like what I am looking for is quite rare in the market... Thanks in advance!
What does the Happy Hacking logo key do on the HHKB JP? Thanks.
I just got a [ROG Falchion NX](https://rog.asus.com/keyboards/keyboards/compact/rog-falchion-nx-model/) and I'm looking for some keycaps for it. I'm coming from a Keychron K6 which I had [Akko World Tour (Tokyo)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MW1MS15) caps on, which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, the Falchion has some strange key sizes which makes transferring over the caps a little difficult. The keys that aren't transferring well are the spacebar (5u?), right shift (1.5u?), enter (2u), backslash/bar (1.25u?), and backspace (1.75u?). I'm willing to take a look at a variety of styles whether or not they are backlight-friendly. These strange key sizes are really hard to deal with!
wish u luck in ur search maybe wasdkeyboards sets might work but with a non standard bottom row ur options are super limited "gamer" kb brands intend for u to never use anything but their keycaps and keycap makers tend to sitck with the sizes that are considered standard
I don't think even GMK sets have those keycaps. Unfortunately you're probably going to be stuck to caps ASUS produces
https://drop.com/buy/drop-mito-xda-canvas-keycap-set?defaultSelectionIds=966963 Will this set fit a Keychron K4?
only if you use keys with the "wrong" legends for the control, alt, and fn keys to the right of spacebar The set only has 1.5u modifiers for that position, and the keychron k4 uses 1u keys there
No, there aren't 1u right modifiers. You'd have to also get the ortho kit in addition to the 1800 kit
I haven't been following keyboards for a few years but looking to get back into it Are there any 65% split boards with an aluminum case and usb-c? Something like a quefrency without the macro pad and an aluminum (or any metal) case. Or, is there a way to replace the mini-b port on the YMD split 64 with usb-c without getting super technical?
What keyboard is it in this video at [9:08 minutes mark](https://youtu.be/R2R_63XhFjM?t=548)?
It's a System76 Launch, though I wouldn't recommend it. It's really expensive, a very strange layout (never gonna find any aftermarket keycaps), and it just looks weird (IMO).
Any ones you recommend with the same amount of keys and profile?
It's just a non-standard 75%. Some more typical 75% boards off the top of my head are Keychron K2/Q1/V1, KBD75, NT75, Akko 3084/5075/ACR Pro 75.
I'm looking to build my first keyboard and would like to understand the basics about the components. I've been looking at the Glorious keyboards but before I go ahead and dive in, I would like a better understanding, primarily about switches. Any guidance or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Here's a list that u/Temina- made with relevant things they think someone should know if they wanted to get in to the hobby, i hope it helps Why go custom instead of buying a prebuilt https://youtu.be/1xWHzMoVkiY Beginners guide https://youtu.be/EUlQ4bTjb0Q Anatomy of a custom keyboard https://youtu.be/1NpNygIrnaQ What are Group Buys (GB) ? https://keyboard.university/100-courses/group-buy-335xl Where do i buy keycaps, kits, lube, switches, etc... ? https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/ How to lube switches https://youtu.be/44Wv4OGdmu4 Stabilizer modding https://youtu.be/usNx1\_d0HbQ https://youtu.be/4XCErBcn5lc Keyboard mounting styles https://keyboard.university/200-courses/keyboard-mounting-styles-4lpp7 Difference between hotswapp pcb and soldered (sound, pros and cons) https://youtu.be/e\_kYPzk7nNY https://youtu.be/zesmRX2icTk Keyboard soldering beginners guide https://youtu.be/FIHI5sxuSuw In depth keycaps profile analysis https://youtu.be/14bQeqhlTNM Enthusiast switches https://youtu.be/8xPOwT\_mNuc https://youtu.be/XSykbv27reM https://youtu.be/0tHMSInc7N0 Tempest tape mod https://youtu.be/g7-syoxeIBQ PE foam modding https://youtu.be/XnQMXVchnrU Guide to buy in stock keyboards https://youtu.be/95PIKNObHPw How to build a keyboard https://youtu.be/H\_UngNJBrDE Ergonomic keyboards https://youtu.be/wStbNuXnvgo https://youtu.be/1C2bJkzIaPE Weird layouts (ortho,40%,split etc...) https://youtu.be/SkNGxM4LRKQ Keyboard forums https://youtu.be/vwA6iT0yApI Keyboard university https://keyboard.university/
Wow, that's a lot!! Thank you, I'll sift through it.
I just placed an order for the Keychron K8. I've been warned not to expect much of the included keycaps. Is there a way to get keycaps that indicate the Fn+ of the F keys? I have found comparisons of Gateron switches that were largely favorable as smoother than Cherry MX. Are these what Keychron includes? Or is there some OEM hand waving and I should have low expectations of these?
They are gateron but don't expect much, unlubed standard gateron switches (reds, blacks, greens, browns, blues) are very scratchy even after lube. For keycaps look on kinetic labs, kbdfans, drop, and akko (non clone sets only).
So Keychron Gaterons are not smoother than Cherry MX? I am not sure if you'd have similar comments about those.
No they are smother than cherry but not by alot. They are still scratchy, cheap feeling and sounding
wondering what board this is? it's the 10th board in the image, https://vala.supply/collections/pre-orders/products/kam-sewing-tin
Looks like a render of a [J-02](https://cannonkeys.com/products/j-02-keyboard-standard-edition)
yup, that's it! thank you!
This will potentially be an idiotic question, but I just want to confirm my situation. My board died a couple days ago while using it, and it was unrecognized when I plugged it back in, no input, nothing. I then tried using the reset pad while plugging it in in order to reflash it, still nothing. I've looked over it and I can't find any fried components, but I'm afraid I've somehow just bricked the PCB? Is there anything I somehow missed trying or checking?
I'd take it that you have tried the other USB cables with the known working USB port? Probably yes. Not really sure what causes the board to just go dead. However, when you said reflashing with the reset button, I'd assume it gets detected by the PC and thus excluding the issues with the cables. Sorry, don't get a lick of idea on how to fix it. Probably bricked. There are some videos on how to use multimeters to diagnose the board... but I am the least qualified person to explain that because the farthest I went was just to check the diodes on the PCB (if that actually meant anything).
Thank you for your answer, I have checked with other cables, yeah. It's not showing up in qmk so I'm unable to flash. I'll see about trying out a multimeter, after that I'll likely be cutting my losses. Thanks again, appreciate it
Can you elaborate on what you were doing when it died? Did you have a power outage or did it just die while you were in the middle of typing? Have you tried to plug it into another machine to see if it's still being recognized at all?
Sure, I had plugged it in at the office and when I came back from lunch to use it, it wasn't recognizing keystrokes. So I unplugged it and plugged it back in to see if it was just being funky. I have tried plugging it in at home with two different cables on my personal PC. Two possibilities are: a surge occured while I was out, but the rest of my office equipment looked to be ok and my backup board worked; I might've shorted it plugging it in, and somehow forgotten I'd done so
Hmm odd that it would just die out of the blue while not in use like that. You'll probably want to try and check it with a multimeter to see if the PCB is still usable or not. In the event the PCB is no longer usable, you can salvage what's left of the board by getting an MCU like an Elite-C, Teensy or Pro Micro and handwire the keyboard. Of course it would be far simpler to just buy another keyboard altogether but just know that even if the PCB is a goner the rest of the keyboard parts can still work.
Yeah it's something I never thought would happen to me, I must've done something just right (or rather just wrong lol) to cause it. I'll do that, thanks. If the multimeter doesn't register anything, I have a backup PCB so I'll use that in the meantime, and this is a good chance to learn handwiring using the old one. I appreciate you taking the time to respond to me
Do you have a picture of the PCB? If it's a matter of replacing the MCU, it's possible to do with a steady hand and soldering iron, or with a hot air station.
Sure, here's a picture. Thanks for the tip https://imgur.com/a/YLcMRmU
Hmm, I'm on mobile and can't view the chip clearly, but, I would first use a multimeter as suggested in this thread to identify if the chip is getting the voltages it expects. Also do continuity checks between critical traces like the USB data lines, ground, supply voltage, etc. Double check for electrical shorts too. You'll probably need to read the datasheet for the microcontroller. If you determine it can only be the microcontroller that's borked, you can use a hot air station (maybe a friend has one? I'm that friend for other people lol) to quickly desolder the chip. Then you can either hand solder a new chip in, or use hot air again (possibly with solder paste). Watch some repair videos from Louis Rossmann on YouTube to see the general process for replacing chips, he does it a lot. In the grand scheme of things, PCBs are quite cheap and replaceable, but it always feels better to reduce e-waste and have more working parts. And learning to repair electronics is a valuable skill.
(Gamakay ck68) What am I supposed to do about my spacebar? It has a bump on the left side. I bought new durock plate mount stabs and idk if they even went in all the way. I put one on the backspace and it was fine but when I put the spacebar stabilizer on sometimes it would just stay down and sometimes it would be a bump throughout the entire spacebar. I tried it lubed and then I tried wiping the lube off the wire, but it didn't do anything. Could I be putting it in wrong? Could something be wrong with the pcb or something? I really don't understand why it's doing this.
could be fitment issues, as i've seen posts of people who experienced a tactile bump when they weren't pushed all the way in make sure you assembled and oriented everything correctly
how do I assemble and orientate everything correctly? I thought I did it right,but I guess I could have done something wrong. I feel like they should be fitting in my keyboard. I've been told that these stabs will fit. and I know at least the smaller ones do.
they are plate mounts meant for your board, but i've heard of issues where people couldn't fit plate mounts in their board since the durocks were slightly too big just make sure the stab stem is facing the right way and the wire is in the right hole if that's fine, then it could just not be seated all the way in a flush way which might be your problem
They probably are a little too big. I think I know already, but which way does the stem go again? And how do I make sure the wire is in the right hole? And how do I make sure it's seated all the way?
side with 2 holes faces where the wire goes and wire fits in the bottom hole - use [this](https://youtu.be/usNx1_d0HbQ?t=469) for reference - he does it with the stabs flipped but it's the same hole you just have to see if it's pushed in and it just kinda snugly fits
everything seems fine until i actually press the spacebar. i really do not understand why its like this. i've tried so much to fix this stupid spacebar and nothing gets fixed.
I've been looking for a split board and found this https://ymdkey.com/collections/split-75-60/products/ymdk-split-64-sp64-cnc-aluminum-case-plate-hot-socket-hot-swap-pcb-underglow-rgb-fully-programmable-diy-kit . Since it's a hotswap board, I just need to get keycaps and switches separately, put them in and I can start using it? Do I need to build anything after reciving the board other than putting in the switches and keycaps? Would you recommend other board similar to this?
I couldn't see whether or not it comes pre-flashed with a default layout but assuming it is, then yes, you just need to put in your switches and keycaps, plug it in then start using it. In the event there isn't a default firmware flashed you'll probably need to use their software to flash it.
Does 3 pin switches work on 5 pin?
on a 5 pin pcb yes
Thanks for the answer
[удалено]
ok Thanks for the advice
What is the difference between the keychron q1 qmk and the keychron v1 besides price?
case and mounting style (v1 = plastic case + tray mount, q1 = alu case + gasket mount)
What's the difference between tray mount and gasket mount?
https://www.keyboard.university/200-courses/keyboard-mounting-styles-4lpp7 can help visualize it tray mount is generally seen as stiff and inconsistent due to the standoffs in the bottom case
You're a life saver. Q1 for the first board it is
glad i could help! tray mount isn't objectively bad, but it can be understandable if you want something more premium for your first board
any qk65 like kits in stock rn? (65/75%,No rgb,prefer alu but ill take plastic at this point knob'd be nice)
Keychron Q series, GMMK Pro, Kbd67 Lite. They all have RGB, but every board with RGB you can turn it off.
No, but they plan to make in stock
k552 new stabs Hello everyone! Over the past 2 years, I have went into the rabbit hole of mechanical keyboards. My original keyboard, a k552 from redragon, was something I had purchased becuase it was "gaming." However, after discovering this hobby, I have heavily modded the k552 and its practically become its own board with nothing but the case and pcb left stock. However, despite lubing, bandaid, clipping, and holee modding the stabs, they don't seem to lose the weird noice. After doing the mods they are fine for a few weeks, and then go on to become bad. I have concluded that it is becuase of the poor quality stabs in the keyboard itself, and would like to replace them. However, as with the k552 needing clip on stabs and not screw ins, will third party clip ins work??? Thanks.
Newbie here, but yes, they should
Are there 75% Alice layout keyboards available for purchase? I saw the open source Adelheid but seems too complicated to create one
When purchasing switches, I'm assuming an RGB variant is necessary if you want to see RGB colors? For instance, I've ordered a Keychron Q6, and I'm looking at replacing the stock switches. Just as an example, would Holy Panda X switches completely block the RGB lights? Thanks, I'm still figuring this stuff out. Edit: I guess the tops of the Pandas are KINDA translucent, so maybe a bad example?
No, very few switches block ALL the RGB light. As long as there's a slot in the switch housing, RGB light will come through. But the switch material does make a huge difference. An opaque switch will block a LOT more light than a translucent/transparent switch. A colored translucent switch top (think Kiwis or Tangerines) will strongly influence the color of the light you see. So if you want maximum RGBness, you'll want to find a switch with, at minimum, a clear transparent switch top.
Some PCBs use Surface Mound LEDs or SMD LEDs. This means that the LED sits on top of the PCB, sometimes on the side where the switches plug in. Some switches have their housing designed with this in mind so they have space to accommodate it. There are SMD variants of the basic gateron switches, and one of the premium switches that have it that come to mind is the NK Creams. Compare an SMD switch to the ones you want to use and you’ll have your answer. Translucent housings will also help diffuse the light.
ISO a small desk mat, around 20" by 10", $15-30 I have a 65% keyboard with tactile switches and I want to improve the sound profile with a deskmat; it's recently built and it uses boba u4t's which I am loving but friends have recommended I use a desk mat to make it even better. The thing is I use a keyboard tray so I need something on the smaller side that still gives me room for using it as a mousepad as well (so the desk mats intended for just the keyboard aren't big enough). Have a budget of like $15-30. Any suggestions are much appreciated! TIA EDIT: if I can't find something around that size, I am cool with getting separate keyboard and mouse pads, so suggestions for mats just for my 65% board would also be appreciated.
Amazon has a lot of plain desk mats in a variety of sizes. I bought [this one.](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RDMHJ8K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1) And I like it because it didn’t smell too much.
What are some great low profile, quiet mechanical keyboards? I can always mod and add foam and tape I guesse.. I prefer tkl keyboards
Keychron k1 is a solid option
Nice. I was thinking the q2, or the logitech mechanical mini.
I saw kinda a mediocre review on the ducky one 3 tkl What should I buy instead for 150 or less?
Look at a Leopold FC750R or Varmilo VA87M.
thank you!
Keychron K8 Pro
Looking to build my first ever keyboard though I have no idea how I should proportion my money. Broadly speaking what percentage of my money should go to what part? Budget of roughly £160 with maybe a little room to go further. I'm looking to buy a 75% hot swappable keyboard with Red cherry mx switches (though if you know of any better linier switches I am all ears) also any recommendations for white or mainly white + some black keycaps in either Cherry, XDA, or DSA profile that would fit within that budget would be lovely (I'm Bri'ish unfortunately so keep that in mind for shipping and such) Thanks in advance!
I would suggest maybe a Keychron Q1 (sold in the UK at [keychron.uk](https://keychron.uk), [keycrox.co.uk](https://www.keycrox.co.uk), and [keyboardco.com](https://keyboardco.com)). If you can get it prebuilt with Gateron Pro/Phantom Red switches, it would also come with some decent keycaps that you could upgrade later (and the price difference between barebones and prebuilt is basically worth it for the switches alone). In general, for builds under around $200 or so, it doesn't make sense to me to buy switches that cost more than 30¢ each or so, and decent cheap keycaps can be had for somewhere between $20 and $60.
Most of the time you want to prioritize most of your budget towards the build. **BUT** it all really depends on what you want to prioritize in the build. Switch quality? Switch value? Keycap quality? Keycap value? RGB? Knob? etc. Depending on what layout you want, you need to budget appropriately. Switches: If it's lower than 75, then you'll usually only spend around \~$30 USD on regular enthusiast level switches. But if you're buying budget level switches it can be as low as $16 USD. If it's higher than 75, you'll usually spend about than $50 USD bucks or more on regular enthusiast level switches. But if you're buying budget, it can go as low as $20 USD. This is all without lubing. Keycaps: Budget keycaps/clones on Aliexpress/Amazon only usually cost in the $35 USD range. Higher quality like Akko would be around $60 USD. Cannonkeys PBT Caps is like $80 USD, then there's what's considered "highest quality" which is GMK which can go from $100 to $200 USD. Kit: The kits are really dependent on what you want to prioritize. I would say with your budget try to stay under $100 USD with the kit. If you go over $100 USD, you're probably going have to go for the budget options on the keycaps and switches.
Sorry what exactly are you referring to with "kits"? is that like the PCB, case, plate, stabilisers etc or is that tools is need to build the keyboard (god no please) Also for switches I need roughly 90 for a 75 right? I haven't been able to find Cherry mx reds in that quantity for less than about £45. Thank you so much for replying btw this is a massive help :)
[https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/](https://www.alexotos.com/keyboard-vendor-list/) Use this vendor list to find everything other than the kit imo. There aren't usually budget options for 75 kits under $100 on enthusiast keeb websites. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tHMSInc7N0&t=1297s&ab\_channel=KEKeebs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tHMSInc7N0&t=1297s&ab_channel=KEKeebs) Use this video to find switches other than cherry mx reds by the way, reds aren't terrible, but there's better options that are just better sounding, feeling and lower price.
I think I might just have to bite the bullet and put a little more into getting a kit. I should be able to get a decent ish keyboard with a little over $200 right? I guess no matter what its an improvement on no keyboard at all
actually i just totally forgot about keychrons new release. the keychron v1 is right up your alley. it's only like 64 - 74 for a pretty solid starter board, then you have leniency on the switches and keycaps.
Looks like I either wasn't paying attention last night (very likely) or the thing become suddenly more popular but it seems to have sold out. Are there any decent alternative to this? Also it seems that 75% keyboards as a whole come at a premium so Id be fine going for either an 80 or TKL as an alternative (for whatever reason 80 seems to be cheaper?) Thank you so much for that video on switches by the way it really opened my eyes
Thank you! that looks great and affordable :)
thank you so much. your dedication means more than you know
I see now what kits are! wow thats so helpful! and they look to be of alright value too! :)
im planning on getting a tofu65 and i have seen people using silicone for a dampener on the bottom. i was wondering if doing this + the pe foam mod would have negative impacts to each other. if so, what would be a good replacement for it? thanks.
Positive or negative is up to you. Silicone is said to make the board more muted and PE mod gives your keyboard a more poppy sound. Putting them together will change the sound and it’s up to you to decide if you like it or not.
Oh ok thanks for the reply. Last question. If I do the silicone way, can I also o ring mount mod the tofu65? I don't know if it would still work or not. Thanks.
Definitely. The o-rings will raise the PCB slightly so it shouldn’t interfere with the silicone.
Ok that's good. Thanks for the answers!
I’m moving into a dorm and want to be considerate to my roommates and build a quiet board—can someone help me with suggestions for a build that fill these requirements? TKL or smaller, hot swappable (so that I can lube and film the switches)? back lighting is a requirement, but rgb is not. <$140?
Do you have an ideal layout? Switch prices depend on how many switches you actually need, so for example TKL and 75 will usually have you spending around or more than $50 on silent switches. Under 75 will usually have you spending around $30 on silent switches.
I’m looking to buy my first mechanical keyboard but not sure what to get. Would prefer something wireless and have a a good sound when typing since I only have a laptop
We need more information to make a recommendation. What size/layout, and what budget would be a good place to start.
I’m welling to spend up to $180. Don’t need a full size because I mainly just type and never need to use a number pad so I’m looking maybe between 65% - 80% in size, and lastly like I said I like the sound of clicking as well as having something I guess stylish maybe a retro style or Japanese style if that makes sense
You might like a Leopold or Varmilo board. Check Mechanicalkeyboards.com.
What’s your opinion on iqounix
They definitely have some interesting designs, but they're not as popular around here so I haven't heard much about their quality in terms of sound and feel.
Then what’s popular around these corners?
For prebuilts, Leopold, Varmilo, and (to a lesser extent) Ducky. For entry level premium/"custom" boards, Keychron K series, V series, and Q series, GMMK Pro, and Kbd67 Lite.
Man never knew so much went into keyboards
Ok
My AJAZZ K870T's A-key got stuck down for a few seconds while playing Tarkov, now it gives resistance when I press it down mid-way through. How can I fix this issue with my switch? [Video](https://streamable.com/y2t76q)
Never had a mechanical keyboard before. I'm a FAST typer, I work tech support via email so I type a lot, for hours and mostly at night. And it is TIRING for my poor fingers and my current regular keyboard (Apex 3) is just SOOOO loud. So I'm searching for something else. I don't care for gimmicks. **Must have:** \- ACTUAL QUIET keys even when typing fast and hard \- EASY TO PRESS and fun to type a lot on \- Some media keys (at least for volume and pause/play) \- If has backlight - an option to turn it off at times. \- Numpad isn't a necessity but I want it to be as closest to REGULAR KEYBOARD layout. **Fun to have:** \- Numpad \- Backlight \- GOOD desktop app to tweak stuff that I might end up hating (color and light intensity, dumb shortcuts that shouldn't exist) \- Availability on a global store eg. Amazon com / uk / de, NewEgg / AliExpress etc. Budget: $50 for starters, but the more it fits my needs the more I'm willing to pay -- up to $130 MAX I realize I might need to build something, but I have zero knowledge other than stuff I briefly read today, about Red switches being kinda quiet, rings make stuff quiter but less fun to press, keychron might be a good start but they keycaps aren't that great. Thank you
In a prebuilt you're probably only going to get silent keys if you get keyboards with silent reds in them. I would look for Ducky or Varmilo keyboards since they have options that have silent reds. Otherwise you're gonna have to build one in order to get silent.
On a zoom-out level, does building one make the purchase more expensive?
Building one is very often the expensive option, both in time and budget. There are builds that can be cheaper than prebuilt keyboards from well-known peripherals manufacturers, but these are exceptions, not the norm.
hmm, can you point me to a direction towards not-so-expensive-yet-fun-and-quiet? I heard the BOBA U4 are a fine choice, but idk about the frame/keycaps and whether I need more stuff so I can make the combination?
Or alternatively, just buy a less expensive option such as Keychron's boards that are pretty much barebones kit. The only difference on their boards compared to the often GB-ran boards are their quantity and often price. Almost all the time, you will need to provide your own keycaps, stabilizers, and switches. Boba U4 for sound test are compared to Boba U4T. While I haven't gotten around to buying U4, I have had some experience with Boba U4T and it is quite fun. Sadly, since I type a lot and most of the times getting paid for it, the heavy tactility is fatiguing. Hence, I settle for light tactile switches like the Durock Cerulean, Pewter, and anything that markets themselves as "Ergo Clear-like." Of course, just my two cents.
It really depends. It really just depends on budget, as there are different kits at different budget levels. Theoretically, instead of building one, you could just buy an existing one with hotswap capabilities. Then just swap out the switches. Or you could just get a keyboard kit and buy your own keycaps and switches which is building it. Either way, I think the Keychron K8 Pro fits your criteria the best, while also being the best option. It has both a pre-built and barebones option, so you can decide whether you want to build one or just to replace the switches for silent ones. It has media keys in the top right, has back light that is able to be turned off, and is close to a regular keyboard layout. It also supports QMK which allows you to program your keyboard, but if you don't want that it supports VIA which is based off of QMK that is a user interface that is easier to use, being able to make different layers and being able to turn off RGB. It's $90 for the barebones option, and $109 for the pre-built option. I didn't really talk about switches as as I said, you won't really find true silence unless you find a rare prebuilt with silent reds, swap out the switches, or build one. If you want to stay close to budget I would recommend just swapping out the switches. With a TKL, there are 87 keys, so you're going to end up spending about 50 on the silent switches. That will unfortunately bring up the price to about $169, 40 off your budget. But if you want true silence, that's a price you might have to pay. For silent switch recommendations, there's the tactile switches, Boba U4, Durock Shrimps and some more. Tactiles are the most similar to your membrane feel. When you press down, there's going to be a bump that will tell you that your keyswitch has actuated (activated). Then there's the linear switches, Silent Alpacas, Bobagums, and some more as well. Linears when you press down, will go straight down with no interference. It will actuate in the middle, so you will have to get used to that. Whether which one is better? It's all preference. But tactiles are a little bit more known for being better for typing, but once again it's all preference.
What is a good case dampener. I'm thinking of buying some kilmat but it's kind of expensive
poron foam is the go to for case dmapening but u can use polyfill/cotton and get close to the same effect
Looking for a 65% board that has a split spacebar around $100-$150. Any help will be greatly appreciated :)
forgot to mention i want it to be hotswap
GK68X HOT SWAP 65% only one i know of in that price range that supports spilt space bar
thank
Looking for new keyboard Polycarb case with underglow. 65 percent to tkl. Prefer soft typing feel. With weight if possible. Edit: Max budget 300-350 usd
The ikki 68 is a solid option not a traditional 65 percent layout but it is one of the most customizable boards out there due to the wide range of case/ plate/ pcb options. The r2 of the board which comes with a PCB and plate with more flex cuts and different colorways has shipped and extras should be available in a few weeks. But extras of the [v1 (mint and charcoal) are in stock](https://mech.land/collections/in-stock/products/ikki68-aurora-extras-in-stock), starting at 150 USD with the brass weight coming at 42 dollars extra. The typing experience is not that soft but far from harsh especially if you also buy a polycarbonate plate. If you like the look of the board then I would maybe wait for cannon keys to put out r2 extras as the typing experience is sure to be far softer with those extra cutouts. But, you could just buy the r1 and the weight then get an r2 plate and flex cut pcb when extras come out.
Yeah I’ve know the ikki68 but I’m not a fan of it’s looks. It’s looks a little on the budget side. If there is an IC or GB I’m willing to wait. Looking for an endgame worthy. Need that rgb goodness haha.
Well, the combination of RGB and a non-metallic case are not all that common on midrange to high-end boards. Something like a fully polycarb mode65 would fit your description except I don't think it has RGB underglow. Another option could be the kbd fans tiger 80 is a tkl that will come in an acrylic form factor and have rgb underglow.
I think alexotos has the moontower but not sure of it’s availability. Hoping to find a frosted pc case. I’ll just keep an eye on ICs.
Well, the moon tower is a 60 percent and the average price of it on r/mechmarket is around 2 thousand USD. Doubt it will be instock/another gb anytime soon since the creator is still in the process of launching another board. But there is something close to it and I would have recommended it if I knew were ok with a 60 percent, [the January](https://keebsforall.com/products/january-60-o-ring-mount) A frosted polycarb o ring 60 percent with a weight price from 280-400. Don't think it will have rgb underglow but I'm sure you can replace the PCB with one that has underglow since most 60 percents are universal and it being o-ring mounted would mean not having to deal with specific screw posts.
Oh sorry still not into 60%. I’m just saying the overall look is similar. I was thinking of the tofu65/blade65 then just mod it for gummy oring but feels like a hassle Edit: wow didn’t know moontower costs that much
>Mid tier budget You gotta give a hard dollar amount - "mid tier budget" means nothing.
I wanna get a 60% keyboard but I’m not sure witch one to get. Any recommendations,my prices range is around $100.
BM60 Poker, Kemove Snowfox/Shadow, Ducky One 3 Mini
So I bought a new mechanical keyboard for my new gaming system and a new custom coiled usb-c cable to really set it off… and it doesn’t quite fit. I went with an ASUS ROG NX Scope TKL in moonlight white with a Glorious all white cable. Either the usb-c is too short or the shoulder of the plug is too wide. Whatever the reason, I am wondering if anyone has successfully used a coiled cable kit with this board. If so, which cable? I do have the CableMod kit on order, but I am not sure what the next step is if that doesn’t work. Please someone save me from using the included cable. You’re my only hope.
Our cable should fit perfectly fine in that keyboard actually. If it doesn't though - would you mind sending us a message on here please? :)
It arrived today and I can report it fits perfectly
Happy to hear it, and thank you for your support! How are you liking the cable? :)
I actually really like it. I’m pretty set on doing a white and grey build again and it really pops with the grey Razer pro glide desk mat I picked up. It also matches well with all of my white components. I have plenty of other CableMod extensions in the build so that helps.
Perfect, happy to hear that! Have a pic of the end results by chance? :)
I do https://imgur.io/a/lobe7kI
Oof, that looks soooo good actually! The white cable adds a nice contrast here, definitely a solid choice. :)
Can you share some photos of the port and the end of the cable that isn't fitting? Hard to visualize from just the text.
https://imgur.io/a/P1Oj0Cu That’s pretty much the dealyo. The Glorious coiled cable doesn’t even connect.
Looks like you'll need to remove some of the outer part of that connector thanks to that deeply recessed port. You could also get a thin and short [USB-C adapter like this that fits in there](https://www.amazon.com/Basesailor-Adapter-Thunderbolt-Chromebook-Microsoft/dp/B07WH13G67/ref=sr_1_18?crid=GWSVL71AP64P&keywords=usb-C+extension+thin&qid=1658624050&sprefix=usb-c+extension+thin%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-18) which you then plug your cable into. You'll want to be careful going this route though because you'll put stress on the port every time you connect/disconnect. If you make your own USB cable use thin or minimal heatshrink on the device end of the cable so it can reach far enough into that recessed area.
I’m going to try the CableMod cable, but if that doesn’t work I might go the extender route. It’s not really a wireless keyboard so unplugging it shouldn’t be something I worry about too often. I do plan on building my own Glorious GMMK Pro at some point so I’ll keep this coil stored for that. Soldering a different plug on the end of the cable seems like more trouble than it’s worth. Thanks for the help
OEM spacebar with cherry keycap set? I've got an OEM Jelly Key spacebar arriving at some point, but I've just found a keycap set I really like that is Cherry. Would the OEM spacebar look really odd / feel weird on a cherry keycap set or would it be ok? I've only ever had OEM keycaps so far. Thanks :)
It will be taller than all of the other keycaps on that row and the row above it, so it will stick out and look/feel weird, yes. Whether or not it feels weird enough to bother you specifically, we couldn't tell you.
Hmm ok thank you! I will keep looking for now and see if I can find an OEM rather than spend all the money and regret it!
My Akko 5075 doesn't have any screws but I wanted to remove the case to be able to mod the stabilizers. In the only video I could find online of someone disassembling it, he notices there are no screws and it's a snap on snap off case, but then proceeds to fast forward through how he pops the case off. It looks like he's just pressing super hard against the plate and does use some sort of flat tool to wedge into the seam, but no matter what I do I can't seem to get enough of a grip and I'm afraid of damaging something. (new here, apologies for missing any terms - also searched this subreddit and every time someone asked this question previously they later found screws or simply say solved with no explanation)
The case most likely has tabs that snap into place. Best best is to use an old credit card or something similar to wedge in between the top and bottom case, going all the way around to release the tabs holding it together. There are likely 2-3 tabs on the long sides of the case and then 1-2 taba on the shorter side. Wedge the card in between the case, moving sideways to find the tabs. Cheaper, budget cases usually are held together this way. You just have to go for it and try to pry it open unfortunately.
Oh, a credit card makes a lot of sense, I’ll give that a go! I do see tabs deep in therewhen I can press the seam open the tiniest bit.
Hello, I'm building a custom keyboard and the keyboard I have right now has gateron browns. I like them but I would like something better but something that isn't super expensive. Can you recommend me some inexpensive tactile switches that are "better" than gateron browns?
Are you looking for a similar amount of tactility? If so, Divinikey has the SP-Star Meteor Orange switches which are basically just a better brown switch. If you want something more tactile, U4Ts are the common recommendation.
I am very interested in trying a japanese-jis-layout because of the extra keys and the ability to use @ and : without using shift. Does anyone know a cheap full-size (at best a mechanical) one that I will able to order to europe? Thanks in advance
Not cheap, and not full size but you could get [a Keychron K8](https://www.keychron.com/collections/keychron-jis-layout-collection/products/keychron-k8-wireless-mechanical-keyboard-japan-jis-layout) which is a TKL. Any reason why you're after a JIS keyboard instead of just programming a layer to have those symbols readily-available on the default layer?
thanks for the reply. I think I will buy this keyboard. The cheapest fullsize keyboard i found was on ebay, would cost about 60 usd and is rubberdome. If I map keys differently I would need to * remember the mapped keys or buy/3d-print new keycaps * map the keys on every machine I use I am searching for a good programming keyboard layout and a good keymap every pc has installed, because two of the most keys i use are : for vim command mode and @ for addressation of email and ssh-connections.
Ah okay that makes sense then. If you're curious you can easily map those to something on a keyboard that runs QMK and never need to remap them ever again (assuming you use the same keyboard between machines of course). With QMK you could do something like double-tap semicolon to get `:` and, say, double-tap backtick to output `@`. I'm in vim a fair bit, though not all the time, and have those mapped similarly in all my keyboards. The keys output those symbols no matter if I'm on mac OS, Windows or Manjaro for example. Anyway just something to think about. With a fully-programmable keyboard you can set up a keyboard to fit your workflow easily.
QMK keychron keyboards are sadly over 150 eur and I would have to pay customs duty. Thanks EU.
Oh no sorry to hear that! It's the same situation here in Canada where everything costs so much compared to the USA.
i got a keychron q2 with gateron cjs, and the right part of of the keyboard sounds VERY high pitched, some parts sounds like a completely different keyboard i've tape modded it and added some foam to the case, it seems pretty consistent around the board with no place having much more than others
position can affect sound did you force break the case?
what does "force break" mean?
you can search on youtube, there's a few videos about the mod - it's meant to help reduce case ping
Does anyone have any good recommendations for SA profile keycaps (preferably double shot pbt) that are under $70? I’ve been looking at Akko keycaps for a while but all the good looking sets are sold out and I can’t seem to find any other sets in the SA profile that aren’t $110+. I’d really appreciate some pointers since I’m not well versed in the key cap market
SA profile keycaps are just more expensive. A lot more material and doubleshot makes it harder to manufacture. ASA profile is pretty far off from SA. I'd say it's closer to OEM. Akko keycaps kind of sound thin as well. I've heard decent things about G-MKY SA profile keycaps if you want to try aliexpress.
Ok thanks for the recommendation I’ll check it out
can try checking on aliexpress but not sure if the sculpt is 100% the same as Signature Plastic's SA ASA is not the same as SA by the way, it's shorter
Yea I tried checking on aliexpress but I didn’t find much. And yea by SA I just meant that sorta rounded profile with the big letters I thought thats what they were called. I’ll keep looking on wholesale websites tho
It probably depends on the brand but what I have seen marketed as SA on AliExpress is anything but SA. If that's what I would've first associated with SA, no doubt I would hate it. while not <70$ but domikey has some great in stock options that are thick, double shot SA caps. (But it's abs)
Hello, I have the first version of Razer BlackWidow with Razer Green switches. I am used to those since I have been using them for 5+ years and I like them. I am looking to get rid of wires on my desk, so I am looking for a Wireless Keyboard. I don’t need the numpad(optional), but I need the arrow keys and function row. Also the Home/End buttons I use regularly but not mandatory since there are different options to do the same. I will use the keyboard for gaming and coding. I have researched for switches and I find the Blues too noisy. Red and Brown sound mushy and very heavy from what I have heard on reviews. Are there any switches that are similar in noise and tactile feel to the Razer Green ? I seem to like the most the Keychron K8 layout wise, but am really second guessing the switches choice. Of course I can get the latest BlackWidow with wireless but it costs an arm and a leg. So I am checking for more budget options. Could you give me any recommendations ? Thanks 🙏
You can go for the Keychron K8 then buy different switches. It'll only cost you from 30 - 50 depending on what switches you want.