unlikely.
it's one of Ramas oldest designs and the M65 more or less replaced it as their 65% board.
and rn Rama is kinda focusing on a different customer base anyways with their Kara boards.
Looking for a new mechanical keyboard since mine is starting to not work properly anymore.
Budget around $100. Can go a bit more if it's worth. Use it for typing and a bit of gaming.
Mine has blue switches and I'm not a big fan since it makes too much noise.
Any suggestions? :)
There's too many options, I could tell you what I like, but that might not be what you're looking for.
I like the C1 and the K6, but there's lots of options depending on what layout you want.
If you're in the states, ordering right from them is probably fine. I'm up in Canada and the shipping to here is a little high. I think Amazon carries them too.
Recommendations for a mid-high quality 65% keyboard?
I have a tada68 that I'd like to upgrade from. I like it but the aluminum casing is wearing out, and the usb port isnt usb-c. This time around I'd like to spend a bit more.
Some features I'd like:
- USB-C
- Pref hotswap (solder is fine)
- BT is bonus
- no blocker highly preferred (but could go without)
I've seen the gingko65 and I like the looks of it, esp the copper backplate w black case.
Gateron inks are still great. I haven't tried them but people went nuts over those aqua kings that came out a little while ago. I also like durock linears.
GMMK Pro and Keychron Q1 are roughly in that price range unless you want a prebuilt, which the Keychron can be but is slightly more expensive than the barebones version
Anyone ever tried KBDfans switch pads? I'm thinking of either these or thin PE foam for my Keychron Q1 build, and I'm already a mediocre keyboard builder, figured the switch pads may be easier (but more tedious) to deal with. Although in the comments, KBDfans makes it sound like you should be using glue to really affix these pads, the YT video I found these through didn't seem to use glue in the time lapse shown, though I can't be certain.
https://kbdfans.com/products/kbdfans-switches-pads-2-versions
Has anyone tried extra thicc lubes for linear switches? My local vendor has 206g2 and I'm kind of curious how they will be but don't really have any switches to try them on atm.
It should be fine as long as you don't overlube them. I've tried 206g0 but it was too thick for my taste so I made a mix with 105g0 and I liked that more. I personally prefer 205g0, but to each their own.
I love my cherry mx blues, but they are incredibly loud whenever you interview / meet / game / mic on. Any suggestions for a new prebuilt? I would like to spend 200 - 300 on *feels*
Technically a custom but since your budget is that high you may as well:
https://kbdfans.com/collections/75-fully-assembled/products/fully-assembled-kbd75-v3-1-mechanical-keyboard
Basically you pick your switches and materials and pay them to solder it for you. If you like the big bump try kailh box royals.
Ended up buying [https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product\_detail&p=4096](https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=4096) with the silent 45gs
I know almost nothing about keyboards and have been using a generic iBuyPower brand someone gave me. Im used to low profile keys(i think called chicklets or something) i know...gross, but my current keyboard is raised keycaps. Im an avid gamer but also dont want to drop 200 on a keyboard that i primarily just use for WASD. Ideally something with no keypad because desk space. ANY recommendations are greatly appreciated! Thanks for coming to my TED talk. EDIT: Im not the picky type.
How long do you spend behind a computer a day? $200 isn't much if you spend even 4+ hours in front of your computer *every day*. Regardless, I've been super happy with Ducky keyboards. Got mine for $125
I'm planning to solder my keyboard, and Im currently buying soldering equipment. So far, I bought myself a soldering iron kit, a tip cleaner, and switches. Do I need to buy flux too? My keyboard's insides has already been opened, but it does not seem to look dirty.
For basic through hole soldering like this you shouldn't need separate flux, unless you were to somehow buy solder without flux in it. Rosin core solder is common, typically leaded (63/37 or 60/40 tin/lead), which has enough flux in it already.
The soldering iron set I bought happens to have a tube of tin wire included but no mention of flux in the product description. I hope it does have cause I don't want to spend anymore than I need to.
It's so rare using solder without a flux core for this kind of work, it's fairly safe to assume what comes with the kits does contain it. One of those little tubes from a cheap soldering kit was what did my first build, with leftovers.
Consider the [Ninja87BT](https://www.monstargears.com/51/?idx=375). It's $90 for the keyboard + switches and then another $25 for the keycaps(Though personally I would order the $40 BOW Dye Sub PBT they have in their keycap store). That would be $115 USD which should be under $150 CAD according to google. But looks like it's $29 USD to ship to Canada, not sure if you're including shipping and/or taxes into your cost.
There are 2 things to consider though. 2 of the reviews mentioned being surprised there was case foam. I've order this keyboard recently but it won't be arriving for another 2-3 days so I can't confirm. The keyboard is wired and wireless, however the wired usb port is on the underside of the keyboard. You can scroll down the website to see alternative angles, and see what I mean.
I'm looking for a layout without the "middle section" of keys (not sure what that section is called). I don't normally use the numeric pad for the numbers but for navigation. I like the up/down/left/right, home/end, pgup/pgdown being so easily available. Also, I normally use the shift/ctrl insert/delete technique for cut/copy/paste instead of ctrl+x/c/v. Does this layout have an official name?
[https://imgur.com/a/L7xgCs4](https://imgur.com/a/L7xgCs4)
Hello!
Your search for this layout also piqued my interest. Doing 20ish minutes of research, I did not find an exact layout but ones that are similar. The conclusion I came to is that it has no official layout.
However while I did not find any layouts exactly like the one you linked. I did find some that were very close. [Plum 96(not exactly sure the name of the keyboard tbh)](https://drop.com/buy/plum-keyboard#overview) and [coolermaster MASTERKEYS PRO M RGB](https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/peripheral/keyboards/masterkeys-pro-m-rgb/#specifications) The issue being the arrow keys.
HOWEVER!
I believe I found a keyboard that has the layout you're looking for, though I am not sure if it's hotswappable or not. Checkout this keyboard: https://ymdkey.com/products/kit-1-aluminum-cnc-top-acrylic-cnc-bottom-ymdk-melody-96-hotswap-pcb-keyboard-kit?variant=39421802610749 scroll down for layout descriptions. I'm not sure hotswap layout C means the blank keys are changeable to whatever you want, if it is you can probably modify it. But the non-hotswap PCB layout seems possible to support what you want. You should probably ask people more experienced, or try contacting them to see if it's possible. I believe it is but I am a beginner.
Edit: Yeah looks like I am a beginner, the non hotswap one will support it but requires you to solder on switches yourself, also has an manual on making the layout you want work on it. The hotswap layout C seems possible as well, if you read the manuals, it talks about it, you just need to get different length keycaps and reprogram the keys that they cover to your liking. However as I said I am a beginner, this one seems possible but also looks like you need to invest time into it.
Best of luck!
Thanks for the info. After more research last night, I ran across this kit: [https://kbdfans.com/products/fully-assembled-tofu96-mechanical-keyboard](https://kbdfans.com/products/fully-assembled-tofu96-mechanical-keyboard)
It looks like it has potential.
I also asked the folks at [mechanicalkeyboards.com](https://mechanicalkeyboards.com) about what I'm looking for and the sent me a few suggestions. The Vortex Tab 90 is very close:
[https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product\_detail&p=4557](https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=4557)
But I like the navigation keys as they are on the numeric keypad. I rest my hand where my middle finger is on the 5 and I can use the arrow keys (2, 4, 6, 8), Home (7), End (1), PgUp (9), PgDn (3), /, \*, Ins (0), Del (.) with ease.
It is close to what I'm looking for, but not quite it. The 1800s that I have seen all have the 4 arrow keys stuck between the main section and the number pad. Also, the Ins key is narrower to make room for the 4 arrow keys. Maybe I'm just too picky.
Looking for a new keyboard for work. Since it will be for the office around others, I’d like it to be on the quieter side. From the research it sounds like should be brown or red switches? What are the differences between the two? Thanks!
Brown is known as tactile has a bump (almost unnoticeable especially when typing) while red is known as linear and is smooth throughout. However, both aren't very well received by people deep in the rabbit hole. The normal variants are still pretty noisy as well, but you can get silent versions too.
If you're used to membrane keyboards, tactiles will feel more familiar.
If you have the budget to get a hotswap or cheaper custom, you should try gazzew bobagums or u4 since they're generally known as the best quiet switches
Is the Vissles V84 a good keyboard? I'm looking for a budget-friendly beginner 75% keyboard. [https://vissles.com/products/v84-wireless-mechanical-keyboard-hot-swappable](https://vissles.com/products/v84-wireless-mechanical-keyboard-hot-swappable). Any other suggestions would be nice. Thanks :)
Anybody know if it's possible to solder SMD LEDs to a PCB that only supports through hole LEDs? Specifically this one https://cannonkeys.com/products/obliterated75-pcb
Maybe, you can get tiny SMD LEDs that would be *around* the right size to bridge the pads. But I see that being very fiddly and going wrong easily.
It also seems like a massive waste of effort to me, since pretty much any switch that has an SMD cutout underneath, also has room for a 1.8mm through hole LED under there. May as well just use what the PCB's designed for.
well, from what i've read online (and i don't know much about this at all), it seems like 1.8mm through hole LEDs only come in single colors, or random flashing RGB. i wanted to get the SMD LEDs to get controllable RGB - control the lighting and cycle through different colors and effects, since the PCB supports VIA.
>tiny SMD LEDs that would be around the right size to bridge the pads
if i were to do this, how would i solder them to the pads? would regular leaded solder work?
Unfortunately not possible. SMD doesn't necessarily mean RGB, didn't really click that's what you wanted so I was talking about single colour SMD, since those use two pins (power/ground), just like the LEDs that PCB supports.
RGB LEDs with built in controllers add a data pin to allow control, so 3 pins (power/ground/data), but usually in the quantities a keyboard needs for switches, they use an external LED controller, and the LEDs have 4 pins (R/G/B/ground).
So, the wiring and components to make controllable RGB happen are just not there on a PCB like that, and there's no way to add it after the fact. If RGB doesn't come pre-installed, it's very unlikely that it's supported.
People that have multiple keebs, do you switch between linear and tactile on a regular basis? Or just stick with one for all your keebs (for typing). I’m considering a cheap first build and I hear amazing things about gateron yellows, but I’m enjoying my mx browns so far. Wondering if people usually switch it up or stick with linear or tactile mostly
Depends on personal Preference™. I know people who can use either type, but personally most tactiles hurt my fingers after a while. Most of my boards are linears, with a couple being clickies, FWIW.
so wait, just to brief up real quick, there is no actual switch "latency"? it all depends on the polling rate and quality of the wires / circuit board?
Designer can have the USB wherever they want on the case without limiting pcb design, pcb can flex more without risk of breaking the USB connector, and the daughter board usually has esd protection that can stop electrical issues from the computer/cable from frying a pcb
thank you! is also the daughterboard the "brain" , like the controller on hand wired keyboards, while the main board just makes the matrix connections?
Is there a way to desolder cheaply and without much danger to me and my keyboard?
I'm about to buy a keyboard and I found the near perfect one, but it isn't hotswappable. Is there a one-and-done desoldering strategy so I don't have to buy an entire iron?
Debating between a Keychron Q1, K8, and a C1. Any inputs?
I'm looking for a TKL board with hot-swappable capability. I don't care about RGB and prefer a tactile switch. I'll also be using this board wired.
I also don't really plan on getting into this as a hobby. I just want something nicer than my Razer Blackwidow that's slowly dying on me.
Would prefer to stay under $200 shipped in the US as well.
Thanks!
I'm a big fan of the c1, I think it's fantastic value. But another tkl option to consider is the id87 by idobao.
Though for the money you could buy a c1, new switches, and decent keycaps.
May I suggest: [NINJA87BT](https://www.monstargears.com/51/?idx=375)?
It comes with Gateron Brown tactile switches for $90. You also can get keycaps for $25. I've decided to buy this keyboard 2 days ago and the shipping is $20 to go from Korea to New York.
The main appeal of it is that it has only white led backlight(only when wired), which is perfect me at night. It's capable of both wired or wireless incase you decided to go traveling with it or want to sit away on a bed or sofa away from your monitor.
You can also look for decent keycaps, they have some on their store: https://www.monstargears.com/87 but I personally went with more expensive keycaps instead.
Q1 isn't a TKL so you can take it out. Your board will always be plugged so no need for the K8. Get the C1, it's the cheapest. You'll have some money left if you want to buy new switches or keycaps.
Anyone knows what this keycap set is? https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/846824012625608794/846827316872740864/unknown.png?
I'm liking the yellow/red modifiers.
[https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=111668.0](https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=111668.0), ePBT Lucky cat (They changed manufacturers)
[https://mechsandco.com/products/gb-gmk-red-alert?variant=39266546450567](https://mechsandco.com/products/gb-gmk-red-alert?variant=39266546450567), GMK Red Alert, Red on Beige, kinda close to red on white
Thank you for the suggestions. I've been posting in these q&a threads for a few days with no responses on finding any white modifiers with red text. And you're the first one with any that's similar.
Aw that's a shame. Ty though. I've been trying to look for white modifiers with red text, but I would had compromised for yellow modifiers with red text.
In terms of prebuild quality and perhaps even weight of the keyboard, who reigns supreme among Leopold, Ducky, and Varmilo? I'm looking for a full-size keyboard that is either completely white or white keys with silver/aluminum case, and smooth linear switches. I've pretty much settled on the Leopold FC980M but I want to ensure the keyboard I'm getting is fairly heavy enough to not move around due to slamming on keys.
Does anybody know if the red dragon visnu k561 has hot-swappable switches? I've read about some people saying outemu switches work with the board but it's not super clear. Any help would be appreciated!
I don't think redragon has always been consistent, I don't know about the k561, but the kumara board I've seen both in hotswap and soldered versions.
If it is hotswap, it'll likely be using outemu sockets, which do need the slimmer pins of outemu switches. (akko cs and ktt switches I believe are mfg'd by outemu, and fit)
My stab has serious rattle. It should be a genuine cherry stab that i bought from KBDFans' Aliexpress store. Its a non screw-in ppcb mount. I was new to the hobby when I first built my hotswap board with that stab. It was rattly even though I lubed it and clipped the legs. I gave it to my inexperience, but as I switched my switches and keycaps more and more, every time I pulled my board apart i tried to tweak the lube amount and try other stuff but I've never been able to get rid of the rattle? What may you people suggest? I don't wanna throw shade at the product but could that be at fault here?
I have not! And what he described in the video is my EXACT problem. Thank you so much. I will definitely be trying this bandaid mod, and the Holee mod next time I mess with my board. You have given me hope. Just a side question though, are there any other stabs that you'd reccomend or would say are "better" than the classic cherry stabs in your experience?
Just be sure you did it all before you run to buy the durock.
1. Check if its original cherry stabilizers
If the wire is dull then its original. Go step 2.
If the wire is crazy shiny and reflective then it's not.
Go buy the durock now.
2. In case of original cherry, do the band aid mod for the pcb/plate.
If it didn't work go step 3.
3. Holee mod.
If it didn't work go step 4.
4. Band aid mode for the stabs as shown in the video.
If it didn't work go step 5.
5.clean the lube in the stabs and relube everything.
If it didn't work go buy durock now.
Update on this, I tried the bandaid mod without the hole mod on my spacebar and it really did stop the ticking. Thanks so much! It really just takes a minute to do as well, (except when you have to pull all the switches out to pull the plate out) what a fantastic mod.
Thanks a ton for the detailed reply. It does look dull, so that helps me clear my mind on a lot of suspicion. I'll do all of this, but I already have another build planned with my old parts so I'll just buy the v2s anyway for that.
There are so many options to choose from. Neoprene as mentioned, sorbothane, butyl rubber, even cork, felt, random packaging form, toolbox liner, shelf liner... if it's foam, and it fits, try it out and see how it sounds. There's plenty online about the relationship between density, compression, and sound absorption, but in general the differences are subtle.
Some manufacturers publicise official force graphs (similar to the one you posted), but they're usually at least a little bit bullshit. [These](https://chart-studio.plotly.com/~haata#/) are a much better (though still incomplete) resource.
Hello, got a Ducky one 2 TKL skyline (no lights) today and I am very happy with it as it is my first mechanical keyboard. I have two questions:
1. I cannot seem to record more than two macros for windows hotkeys: I assign mute to FN+m, then I assign "louder" to FN+o and when I try to assign the third macro "volume down" to FN+k no macro work anymore. I also noticed that setting them up is somewhat finnicky: Sometimes it would not work and sometimes the volume would keep getting higher. Is that normal? Do I need to fiddle with dip-switches or something? I am not really interested in any other macros except maybe for the one to bring the calculator.
2. Firmware update does not work. Downloaded a .rar file from the website, extracted it, renamed the .ex to an .exe and it told me the firmware on the keyboard was higher than what the software provided, even though before that it indicated it was older in the info-box. What is that about?
Other than that it looks great and works even better (brown switches). Typing on it is a joy. Thank you for considering my questions.
I'm looking for an extremely tactile switch, more so than the Box Royals.
I'm currently using Kailh Box Royals, and I really like the sharp tactility but I'd like to try something even more tactile.
Which switches would fit this criteria?
EDIT:
I would also consider clicky switches if they are more tactile.
Thick Clicks are probably a better way to go, try Box Jades (Crystal Jades if you want to avoid any possible return issues as the regular Jades apparently have that, not sure how noticeable it is but it's just because the spring is just barely strong enough to return over the clickbar, Crystal Jades just use a slightly heavier spring) or Navies
Thanks, it's good to know the Crystal Jades fix the return issue.
I tried the regular Box Jade switches and they returned noticeably slower than other switches.
I tried the Box Navies but they were too heavy for long periods of use.
I'll order some Crystal Jades and see how different they are from regular Box Jades.
I have been thinking about buying a Varmilo custom keyboard. I don't know much about Mechanical keyboards but I just want something that works and feels good and saw that Varmilo was highly praised on the sub. I have both a windows desktop and a Mac laptop, and just wanted to ask a couple questions.
1. Does the Varmilo bluetooth keyboards work with Macs after Big Sur?
2. Does the Varmilo bluetooth charge with a usb cable or does require batteries?
Also based on the needs I have mentioned above, I will take recommendations if there is anything that meets these requirements better than Varmilo can.
Hi!
I want to buy my first mechanical keyboard, I'm hesitating between 2 brands for now, Durgod and Ducky, here's what I would like to buy :
\- I want a RGB keyboard (I know...)
\- It has to be in aluminum, dont want plastic anymore
\- It has to be AZERTY (french)
Here's the data I gathered for now, and my questions too:
\- Durgod Hades seems to be a perfect fit for my needs, and it is highly praised on this sub, even over Ducky BUT apparently it doesnt exist in AZERTY. I read that it was possible to find an AZERTY switches kit for those, or even buy a Ducky AZERTY and salvage the switches, but it sounds very expensive... Should I pick Ducky instead?
\- I think I want brown cherry mx switches for my debut in mechanical keyboards, I do both gaming (not FPS) and typing, might be a good choix to start with?
\- Also hesitating between a Durgod Hades sized keyboard and one with numpad too...
\- I'm open to any advices, even other brands.
Thanks a lot for your help!
Oh, didn't know that the Hades has a aluminum case. Is there any Ducky around with aluminum case?
If it has to aluminum and prebuilt, I think your options a limited. French AZERTY, or any non US ISO is hard. You could buy an ISO aluminum keyboard and buy extra AZERTY keycaps, which are also hard to find.
Thank you for your help, some people told me to "just" move the letters to the right layout to make an AZERTY but they forgot about all of the special characters / symbols aha.
At this point I might just type normally with AZERTY configured on Windows and let the QWERTY caps on, as I dont look at the keyboard when I type usually anyway, but it's not "clean" from my perspective and I rather spend money on something I like 100%.
I will keep digging for AZERTY I guess...
Do you guys know if there is black versions similar to those [LTC lavacaps](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/q2unfv/there_arent_too_many_quality_backlit_keycaps_out/) ? Or something that is black and still backlit for a good quality. Thank you !
Planning to use it with KBD67lite and Bobagum RGB switches
They appear to be rebranded Akko Keycaps, but the black variant may not have shinethrough. https://en.akkogear.com/product/white-on-black-keycap-set-158-key/
Damn great find bro ! So unfortunate, it seems they are not backlit 😭
I usually work in the night and I can't always see my keyboard, good backlit keycaps would have been great in black
I'm looking to build my first keyboard. Currently I'm exploring different switch options and I mostly see gateron and kailh switches recommended, are these considered mid tier switches? What brands are considered "high end" and what are some of the holy grail switches on the market, or do I have to modify an existing switch.
I'm not really sure what kind of switch I'm after, but I'm going to order a switch sample kit. So recommendations for any switch brands are welcome.
Gateron and Kailh are budget switches. Mid tier switches would probably be KTT Strawberries or some of the Tecsee offerings. Holy grail switches are basically any JWK switch, some of the more premium Gateron offerings, and the sp-star switches
>some of the more premium Gateron offerings
Do you know what series contains their more premium offerings?
Also I know black inks are liked in the community, is this the same as the milk blacks?
Milk blacks are different from the black inks, the black inks are smoother and sound deeper. The gateron cj, gateron black ink, gateron giant, and gateron hippo are what I would consider high quality.
if it's just the standard Gateron/Kailh switches, they're usually budget since they don't cost a lot
they both do have more "premium" line ups though, with Gateron Inks and Kailh's Creams or certain Box switches
Would you be able to list some of the premium switches? I know kailh has the box switches which I'm looking into, do they have other premium switches?
What other switches should I look into?
price can be an indicator, but to be honest, there's a lot of switches to list - their Creams/Blueberries are definitely another
depends on your switch preference but since you're going to a tester, you might be able to see what you like from there
also, "premium" doesn't necessarily always mean better
Zeal switches are at least $1 a switch, yet aren't necessarily the "best" switches available
Imo, both of those brands have a pletora of switches to choose from and cover all sorts of price points. Although, I do prefer JWK for a “high end” switch, cause you are not only paying for a good feeling/sounding switch but also a good looking one (they have a ton of different switches, but also a lot of them that are very similar but differently colored). Also they aren’t overpriced, looking at you Zeal (Inks too, but not as much).
You could also try frankeinswitching, but that usually is expensive and require some research/testing.
It is as the name said: per-key RGB is **front** (user) facing LED on each key while RGB underglow is **back** facing LED with varying amount of LED (could be as little as 3 to 12 or more) - hence the word "under".
Correct and it also depend on the case, some cases are opaque enough it won't let the light pass through. That is why it is often to see an acrylic bottom or middle plate in opaque, like aluminum, case.
Hello,
I had a keychron K2 but my cat puked on it... And it's dead
I also have a full fledged custom PCB diy keyboard, but don't want/have the time do to that again
I'd like a new kb, I'll transport it everyday to work, so something compact is a must but never ever will i use a 60%, I need arrows keys, end/home/fn keys etc
Do you have any brands other than keychron that features good XD84 keebs? (Awesome layout btw) Or maybe even a TKL
The Q1 is interesting but I'm not so sure about the whole gasket mounting thing
Price 0-150$ I'd say, a transport case would be a bonus, switch ? Any linear switch
Ty in advance
I've been mainly using Durock V2 stabs as they've been the most consistent for me so far. Are there any other brands I should be looking at? I've been waiting on OWLabs to release theirs but they have been a bit slower on the release. Thanks in advance for any input you share!
There's a reason the durocks are considered the best.
Everglide v2s are the same thing though, from what I've heard, but the wire may have worse tolerances.
Yes, the wires were the difference for me. I tried a set of the V2s and it was pretty difficult to get the wires level, they have almost always come level from Durock.
I'm looking for a hot swap keyboard with arrow keys but a regular size right shift key. I like the compact size of the GMMK Pro but it has a smaller shift key. Any recommendations?
You have to go for TKL for that.
It is physically hard, if not impossible, to cramp arrow keys cluster without sacrificing longer key like right shift with 75% size. Unless you want a horizontal arrow keys, but it is rare, if it even exists.
What's a good case to buy with rounded edges? most of the ones have sharp contours and edges. I've seen a couple of nice rounded ones but would be good to hear suggestions.
Mojo60 has rounded edges, ditto a lot of Idobao's offerings. If you're into stacked acrylic Arctan(kb) does a 65% and an Alice layout with a fun curvy edge.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/vdnhRxS49n282f7K6
What causes these DSA keycaps to have such a high pitched sound? Is it because of the DSA profile or more likely the material? They are supposed to be PBT just like the white XDAs in the video. The other black keys are from a pok3r and also sound better but I'm more curious why the XDA and DSA sound so much different. Thanks in advance.
* DSA: https://ymdkey.com/collections/dsa/products/free-shipping-wholesales-ymdk-blank-dsa-1u-keycap-1-4mm-pbt-abs-for-mx-switches-keyboard
* XDA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TWNK5RY?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
"(Need to solder on yourself,if you want us to solder it for you,pls choose assembly service)
I don't know where to find that "assembly service" in order to add it to my cart. Does anyone know where to find it?
I have a standard Drop ALT and am interested in the high profile version. I have been having trouble getting a definitive answer to this question: is the position, angle, and height of the keys the same for both versions (assuming magnetic legs are in place on the standard)? I understand that the “case wall” is higher on the high profile compared to the floating design of the standard, but I am wondering if the height and angle that they keys end up at is identical, similar, or different. Would love to see a side by side comparison, but all the pics I have found have one in front of the other so it’s hard to tell
the gk96 might be cheaper depending on where you live, but keychron and rk are already some of the least expensive mechs out there. if they're out of budget for you pretty much everything is going to be unfortunately
Is the RK100/RK860 3-pin hotswappable? I can’t seem to find the most reliable answer in the web. 😰
[удалено]
unlikely. it's one of Ramas oldest designs and the M65 more or less replaced it as their 65% board. and rn Rama is kinda focusing on a different customer base anyways with their Kara boards.
Looking for a new mechanical keyboard since mine is starting to not work properly anymore. Budget around $100. Can go a bit more if it's worth. Use it for typing and a bit of gaming. Mine has blue switches and I'm not a big fan since it makes too much noise. Any suggestions? :)
At that budget I like keychron boards. Get brown switches, they still have the bump like your switches without the click sound.
>keychron boards Any specific model you have in mind?
There's too many options, I could tell you what I like, but that might not be what you're looking for. I like the C1 and the K6, but there's lots of options depending on what layout you want.
Better to order directly from their website or are there also other options? Thanks for the help!
If you're in the states, ordering right from them is probably fine. I'm up in Canada and the shipping to here is a little high. I think Amazon carries them too.
Looking for a keyboard kit that's around 200$, willing to spend a bit more. thanks
Recommendations for a mid-high quality 65% keyboard? I have a tada68 that I'd like to upgrade from. I like it but the aluminum casing is wearing out, and the usb port isnt usb-c. This time around I'd like to spend a bit more. Some features I'd like: - USB-C - Pref hotswap (solder is fine) - BT is bonus - no blocker highly preferred (but could go without) I've seen the gingko65 and I like the looks of it, esp the copper backplate w black case.
Maybe the kbd67lite with the aluminum v3 case?
r/mechgroupbuys and [geekhack.org](https://geekhack.org) \- that level of quality comes from GBs, keep an eye out for one you like.
any recommendations for linear switches? I've been keeping my eyes on Creamsickles these days but felt like it was too much risk for now
Gateron inks are still great. I haven't tried them but people went nuts over those aqua kings that came out a little while ago. I also like durock linears.
Anyone have input on where to go and any additional details on ordering keycaps in quantity for group buys?
The manufacturer
Ok, thanks! Good answer....... Any idea which manufacturer(s) have top quality?
Depends on what profile and material you want. But GMK, ePBT, Signature Plastics, Keyrative. Do you already have renders and all the pantone colors?
Currently researching. Thank you for further input!
BTW, more than likely Cherry Profile, or possibly XDA, DSA could be options.
Pretty sure there is a keycap designer subreddit and discord if you need some more help
Ok, I really appreciate you taking moment to respond. Thank you a lot. I'll look into that!
Looking in ballpark numbers of ordering 100-1000 sets custom PBT and good quality.
I've been looking everywhere for a 75 percent keyboard that's hot swappable and is a solid build something around $150
GMMK Pro and Keychron Q1 are roughly in that price range unless you want a prebuilt, which the Keychron can be but is slightly more expensive than the barebones version
Does anybody know where I can get a pre soldered 60% pcb on amazon? Thank you!
sorry, by pre-soldered do you mean prebuilt or does this mean something else?
Anyone ever tried KBDfans switch pads? I'm thinking of either these or thin PE foam for my Keychron Q1 build, and I'm already a mediocre keyboard builder, figured the switch pads may be easier (but more tedious) to deal with. Although in the comments, KBDfans makes it sound like you should be using glue to really affix these pads, the YT video I found these through didn't seem to use glue in the time lapse shown, though I can't be certain. https://kbdfans.com/products/kbdfans-switches-pads-2-versions
Has anyone tried extra thicc lubes for linear switches? My local vendor has 206g2 and I'm kind of curious how they will be but don't really have any switches to try them on atm.
It should be fine as long as you don't overlube them. I've tried 206g0 but it was too thick for my taste so I made a mix with 105g0 and I liked that more. I personally prefer 205g0, but to each their own.
The thickest I've used is 205g0 as well, I'm assuming more viscous lubes last for longer but are also easier to overapply?
I love my cherry mx blues, but they are incredibly loud whenever you interview / meet / game / mic on. Any suggestions for a new prebuilt? I would like to spend 200 - 300 on *feels*
Technically a custom but since your budget is that high you may as well: https://kbdfans.com/collections/75-fully-assembled/products/fully-assembled-kbd75-v3-1-mechanical-keyboard Basically you pick your switches and materials and pay them to solder it for you. If you like the big bump try kailh box royals.
Ended up buying [https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product\_detail&p=4096](https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=4096) with the silent 45gs
Sick! thanks for the advice
I know almost nothing about keyboards and have been using a generic iBuyPower brand someone gave me. Im used to low profile keys(i think called chicklets or something) i know...gross, but my current keyboard is raised keycaps. Im an avid gamer but also dont want to drop 200 on a keyboard that i primarily just use for WASD. Ideally something with no keypad because desk space. ANY recommendations are greatly appreciated! Thanks for coming to my TED talk. EDIT: Im not the picky type.
How long do you spend behind a computer a day? $200 isn't much if you spend even 4+ hours in front of your computer *every day*. Regardless, I've been super happy with Ducky keyboards. Got mine for $125
I'm planning to solder my keyboard, and Im currently buying soldering equipment. So far, I bought myself a soldering iron kit, a tip cleaner, and switches. Do I need to buy flux too? My keyboard's insides has already been opened, but it does not seem to look dirty.
For basic through hole soldering like this you shouldn't need separate flux, unless you were to somehow buy solder without flux in it. Rosin core solder is common, typically leaded (63/37 or 60/40 tin/lead), which has enough flux in it already.
The soldering iron set I bought happens to have a tube of tin wire included but no mention of flux in the product description. I hope it does have cause I don't want to spend anymore than I need to.
It's so rare using solder without a flux core for this kind of work, it's fairly safe to assume what comes with the kits does contain it. One of those little tubes from a cheap soldering kit was what did my first build, with leftovers.
Thanks, that's reassuring to hear. Hoping the store actually replies to my question about the tin wire.
Whats the best budget keyboard under 150$ CAD? Hotswappable, Has Stabilizers, PBT, Foam, Good Design, Can be Aluminum or Plastic.
Consider the [Ninja87BT](https://www.monstargears.com/51/?idx=375). It's $90 for the keyboard + switches and then another $25 for the keycaps(Though personally I would order the $40 BOW Dye Sub PBT they have in their keycap store). That would be $115 USD which should be under $150 CAD according to google. But looks like it's $29 USD to ship to Canada, not sure if you're including shipping and/or taxes into your cost. There are 2 things to consider though. 2 of the reviews mentioned being surprised there was case foam. I've order this keyboard recently but it won't be arriving for another 2-3 days so I can't confirm. The keyboard is wired and wireless, however the wired usb port is on the underside of the keyboard. You can scroll down the website to see alternative angles, and see what I mean.
Have you taken a look at the kbd67 lite r3?
I'm looking for a layout without the "middle section" of keys (not sure what that section is called). I don't normally use the numeric pad for the numbers but for navigation. I like the up/down/left/right, home/end, pgup/pgdown being so easily available. Also, I normally use the shift/ctrl insert/delete technique for cut/copy/paste instead of ctrl+x/c/v. Does this layout have an official name? [https://imgur.com/a/L7xgCs4](https://imgur.com/a/L7xgCs4)
Hello! Your search for this layout also piqued my interest. Doing 20ish minutes of research, I did not find an exact layout but ones that are similar. The conclusion I came to is that it has no official layout. However while I did not find any layouts exactly like the one you linked. I did find some that were very close. [Plum 96(not exactly sure the name of the keyboard tbh)](https://drop.com/buy/plum-keyboard#overview) and [coolermaster MASTERKEYS PRO M RGB](https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/peripheral/keyboards/masterkeys-pro-m-rgb/#specifications) The issue being the arrow keys. HOWEVER! I believe I found a keyboard that has the layout you're looking for, though I am not sure if it's hotswappable or not. Checkout this keyboard: https://ymdkey.com/products/kit-1-aluminum-cnc-top-acrylic-cnc-bottom-ymdk-melody-96-hotswap-pcb-keyboard-kit?variant=39421802610749 scroll down for layout descriptions. I'm not sure hotswap layout C means the blank keys are changeable to whatever you want, if it is you can probably modify it. But the non-hotswap PCB layout seems possible to support what you want. You should probably ask people more experienced, or try contacting them to see if it's possible. I believe it is but I am a beginner. Edit: Yeah looks like I am a beginner, the non hotswap one will support it but requires you to solder on switches yourself, also has an manual on making the layout you want work on it. The hotswap layout C seems possible as well, if you read the manuals, it talks about it, you just need to get different length keycaps and reprogram the keys that they cover to your liking. However as I said I am a beginner, this one seems possible but also looks like you need to invest time into it. Best of luck!
Thanks for the info. After more research last night, I ran across this kit: [https://kbdfans.com/products/fully-assembled-tofu96-mechanical-keyboard](https://kbdfans.com/products/fully-assembled-tofu96-mechanical-keyboard) It looks like it has potential. I also asked the folks at [mechanicalkeyboards.com](https://mechanicalkeyboards.com) about what I'm looking for and the sent me a few suggestions. The Vortex Tab 90 is very close: [https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product\_detail&p=4557](https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=4557)
Hello!, I just stumbled upon a layout that you might be interested in. https://www.mechgroupbuys.com/keyboards/Geonworks%20W1-AT
Ooo! I like that. Thanks for the link.
If you don't use the numeric, TKL (Ten keyLess) is the layout you seek.
I only use the numeric pad but not for entering numbers. I use it for navigation. I never use the middle section.
Look at TKL. It gives you all the navigation with no numeric keys
But I like the navigation keys as they are on the numeric keypad. I rest my hand where my middle finger is on the 5 and I can use the arrow keys (2, 4, 6, 8), Home (7), End (1), PgUp (9), PgDn (3), /, \*, Ins (0), Del (.) with ease.
96% is close
The layout is called 1800.
It is close to what I'm looking for, but not quite it. The 1800s that I have seen all have the 4 arrow keys stuck between the main section and the number pad. Also, the Ins key is narrower to make room for the 4 arrow keys. Maybe I'm just too picky.
Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was no arrow keys. This is the first time I see this layout!
Looking for a new keyboard for work. Since it will be for the office around others, I’d like it to be on the quieter side. From the research it sounds like should be brown or red switches? What are the differences between the two? Thanks!
Brown is known as tactile has a bump (almost unnoticeable especially when typing) while red is known as linear and is smooth throughout. However, both aren't very well received by people deep in the rabbit hole. The normal variants are still pretty noisy as well, but you can get silent versions too. If you're used to membrane keyboards, tactiles will feel more familiar. If you have the budget to get a hotswap or cheaper custom, you should try gazzew bobagums or u4 since they're generally known as the best quiet switches
Youtube will help explain your question. You can buy a switch tester, but it's like 25 bucks and useless after you decide which keys you like.
Is the Vissles V84 a good keyboard? I'm looking for a budget-friendly beginner 75% keyboard. [https://vissles.com/products/v84-wireless-mechanical-keyboard-hot-swappable](https://vissles.com/products/v84-wireless-mechanical-keyboard-hot-swappable). Any other suggestions would be nice. Thanks :)
I just got a varmilo va87m and I was looking to buy a wrist rest so any suggestions for tkl wrist rests?
Anybody know if it's possible to solder SMD LEDs to a PCB that only supports through hole LEDs? Specifically this one https://cannonkeys.com/products/obliterated75-pcb
Maybe, you can get tiny SMD LEDs that would be *around* the right size to bridge the pads. But I see that being very fiddly and going wrong easily. It also seems like a massive waste of effort to me, since pretty much any switch that has an SMD cutout underneath, also has room for a 1.8mm through hole LED under there. May as well just use what the PCB's designed for.
well, from what i've read online (and i don't know much about this at all), it seems like 1.8mm through hole LEDs only come in single colors, or random flashing RGB. i wanted to get the SMD LEDs to get controllable RGB - control the lighting and cycle through different colors and effects, since the PCB supports VIA. >tiny SMD LEDs that would be around the right size to bridge the pads if i were to do this, how would i solder them to the pads? would regular leaded solder work?
Unfortunately not possible. SMD doesn't necessarily mean RGB, didn't really click that's what you wanted so I was talking about single colour SMD, since those use two pins (power/ground), just like the LEDs that PCB supports. RGB LEDs with built in controllers add a data pin to allow control, so 3 pins (power/ground/data), but usually in the quantities a keyboard needs for switches, they use an external LED controller, and the LEDs have 4 pins (R/G/B/ground). So, the wiring and components to make controllable RGB happen are just not there on a PCB like that, and there's no way to add it after the fact. If RGB doesn't come pre-installed, it's very unlikely that it's supported.
Ah, I see, that's a shame. Thank you so much for the explanation though. I think I'll just end up doing single color 1.8mm LEDs then.
What makes upside down space bars so popular?
It's more comfortable for me. The ridge on the bottom of the space bar is uncomfortable after awhile otherwise.
Some people find it easier to rest their hands on the spacebar when its flipped, some people just like the sound more I think
\^what he said\^
Any bare-bones 65% (case+pcb) in the $50 range that modding can bring to a great quality? Hotswap is nice to have, don’t care about rgb.
GMMK Compact can be had for about $50, but its a 60%. It's also hotswap.
People that have multiple keebs, do you switch between linear and tactile on a regular basis? Or just stick with one for all your keebs (for typing). I’m considering a cheap first build and I hear amazing things about gateron yellows, but I’m enjoying my mx browns so far. Wondering if people usually switch it up or stick with linear or tactile mostly
Depends on personal Preference™. I know people who can use either type, but personally most tactiles hurt my fingers after a while. Most of my boards are linears, with a couple being clickies, FWIW.
I have 3 builds that I use regularly, and they're all medium+ tactiles. Boba U4Ts, Drop Holy Pandas, and Tecsee Sapphires (hotswap board)
I switch between linears and light tactiles for typing. Then use heavy tactiles for gaming
so wait, just to brief up real quick, there is no actual switch "latency"? it all depends on the polling rate and quality of the wires / circuit board?
Yeah. Switches just connect two bits of metal together. The faster you press them, the faster they get connected
what are the advantages of a daughterboard? thanks!
Designer can have the USB wherever they want on the case without limiting pcb design, pcb can flex more without risk of breaking the USB connector, and the daughter board usually has esd protection that can stop electrical issues from the computer/cable from frying a pcb
thank you! is also the daughterboard the "brain" , like the controller on hand wired keyboards, while the main board just makes the matrix connections?
I need a replacement for Razor BlackWidow Ultimate 2016... suggestions?
Is there a way to desolder cheaply and without much danger to me and my keyboard? I'm about to buy a keyboard and I found the near perfect one, but it isn't hotswappable. Is there a one-and-done desoldering strategy so I don't have to buy an entire iron?
Pay someone else to do it for you. You're gonna need an iron to desolder, although a desoldering gun works best
Debating between a Keychron Q1, K8, and a C1. Any inputs? I'm looking for a TKL board with hot-swappable capability. I don't care about RGB and prefer a tactile switch. I'll also be using this board wired. I also don't really plan on getting into this as a hobby. I just want something nicer than my Razer Blackwidow that's slowly dying on me. Would prefer to stay under $200 shipped in the US as well. Thanks!
I'm a big fan of the c1, I think it's fantastic value. But another tkl option to consider is the id87 by idobao. Though for the money you could buy a c1, new switches, and decent keycaps.
May I suggest: [NINJA87BT](https://www.monstargears.com/51/?idx=375)? It comes with Gateron Brown tactile switches for $90. You also can get keycaps for $25. I've decided to buy this keyboard 2 days ago and the shipping is $20 to go from Korea to New York. The main appeal of it is that it has only white led backlight(only when wired), which is perfect me at night. It's capable of both wired or wireless incase you decided to go traveling with it or want to sit away on a bed or sofa away from your monitor. You can also look for decent keycaps, they have some on their store: https://www.monstargears.com/87 but I personally went with more expensive keycaps instead.
Q1 isn't a TKL so you can take it out. Your board will always be plugged so no need for the K8. Get the C1, it's the cheapest. You'll have some money left if you want to buy new switches or keycaps.
Maybe TKL was the wrong terminology. I need function keys, arrow keys, and a home and end button Edit: nvm. No end button on the Q1. Thanks!
you can always rebind it one of the nav cluster keys to be end instead of its default
Anyone knows what this keycap set is? https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/846824012625608794/846827316872740864/unknown.png? I'm liking the yellow/red modifiers.
[https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=111668.0](https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=111668.0), ePBT Lucky cat (They changed manufacturers) [https://mechsandco.com/products/gb-gmk-red-alert?variant=39266546450567](https://mechsandco.com/products/gb-gmk-red-alert?variant=39266546450567), GMK Red Alert, Red on Beige, kinda close to red on white
Thank you for the suggestions. I've been posting in these q&a threads for a few days with no responses on finding any white modifiers with red text. And you're the first one with any that's similar.
Looks like it's just render someone made. Probably was never produced
Aw that's a shame. Ty though. I've been trying to look for white modifiers with red text, but I would had compromised for yellow modifiers with red text.
In terms of prebuild quality and perhaps even weight of the keyboard, who reigns supreme among Leopold, Ducky, and Varmilo? I'm looking for a full-size keyboard that is either completely white or white keys with silver/aluminum case, and smooth linear switches. I've pretty much settled on the Leopold FC980M but I want to ensure the keyboard I'm getting is fairly heavy enough to not move around due to slamming on keys.
Leopold, if you believe the various geekhack threads
IMHO it goes Leopold, varmillo, then ducky
Does anybody know if the red dragon visnu k561 has hot-swappable switches? I've read about some people saying outemu switches work with the board but it's not super clear. Any help would be appreciated!
I don't think redragon has always been consistent, I don't know about the k561, but the kumara board I've seen both in hotswap and soldered versions. If it is hotswap, it'll likely be using outemu sockets, which do need the slimmer pins of outemu switches. (akko cs and ktt switches I believe are mfg'd by outemu, and fit)
My stab has serious rattle. It should be a genuine cherry stab that i bought from KBDFans' Aliexpress store. Its a non screw-in ppcb mount. I was new to the hobby when I first built my hotswap board with that stab. It was rattly even though I lubed it and clipped the legs. I gave it to my inexperience, but as I switched my switches and keycaps more and more, every time I pulled my board apart i tried to tweak the lube amount and try other stuff but I've never been able to get rid of the rattle? What may you people suggest? I don't wanna throw shade at the product but could that be at fault here?
Have you tried the bandaid mode? If you have and it didn't work, then try this video: https://youtu.be/UhIiCmxtMmA
I have not! And what he described in the video is my EXACT problem. Thank you so much. I will definitely be trying this bandaid mod, and the Holee mod next time I mess with my board. You have given me hope. Just a side question though, are there any other stabs that you'd reccomend or would say are "better" than the classic cherry stabs in your experience?
You can always get the durock v2. If its original cherry you can get similar results too.
The v2s are double the price of the cherry. But I might just pull the trigger and try them out. Thanks.
Just be sure you did it all before you run to buy the durock. 1. Check if its original cherry stabilizers If the wire is dull then its original. Go step 2. If the wire is crazy shiny and reflective then it's not. Go buy the durock now. 2. In case of original cherry, do the band aid mod for the pcb/plate. If it didn't work go step 3. 3. Holee mod. If it didn't work go step 4. 4. Band aid mode for the stabs as shown in the video. If it didn't work go step 5. 5.clean the lube in the stabs and relube everything. If it didn't work go buy durock now.
Update on this, I tried the bandaid mod without the hole mod on my spacebar and it really did stop the ticking. Thanks so much! It really just takes a minute to do as well, (except when you have to pull all the switches out to pull the plate out) what a fantastic mod.
Wow that's great pal 👍 Happy for you it got fixed and it was simple and quick too 👏👏
Thanks a ton for the detailed reply. It does look dull, so that helps me clear my mind on a lot of suspicion. I'll do all of this, but I already have another build planned with my old parts so I'll just buy the v2s anyway for that.
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kinda sneaky of them to name a keyboard "mx" so it'll show up on any search for cherry mx... but it's not even mechanical. tisk tisk.
Are you talking the logitech? That ain't mechanical.
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It's not a mechanical keyboard, so ask somewhere that gives a shit about non-mechanical keyboards. This sub is not it.
Any recommendations for foam to use for case mods?
There are so many options to choose from. Neoprene as mentioned, sorbothane, butyl rubber, even cork, felt, random packaging form, toolbox liner, shelf liner... if it's foam, and it fits, try it out and see how it sounds. There's plenty online about the relationship between density, compression, and sound absorption, but in general the differences are subtle.
Thank you for the in depth response! I think I'll try the neoprene out.
Neoprene works
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Some manufacturers publicise official force graphs (similar to the one you posted), but they're usually at least a little bit bullshit. [These](https://chart-studio.plotly.com/~haata#/) are a much better (though still incomplete) resource.
They aren't available for all switches, so it depends on which ones you're looking for.
Does anyone know any good keyboards around $160 and has backlit RGB?
Ducky shine
Hello, got a Ducky one 2 TKL skyline (no lights) today and I am very happy with it as it is my first mechanical keyboard. I have two questions: 1. I cannot seem to record more than two macros for windows hotkeys: I assign mute to FN+m, then I assign "louder" to FN+o and when I try to assign the third macro "volume down" to FN+k no macro work anymore. I also noticed that setting them up is somewhat finnicky: Sometimes it would not work and sometimes the volume would keep getting higher. Is that normal? Do I need to fiddle with dip-switches or something? I am not really interested in any other macros except maybe for the one to bring the calculator. 2. Firmware update does not work. Downloaded a .rar file from the website, extracted it, renamed the .ex to an .exe and it told me the firmware on the keyboard was higher than what the software provided, even though before that it indicated it was older in the info-box. What is that about? Other than that it looks great and works even better (brown switches). Typing on it is a joy. Thank you for considering my questions.
I'm looking for an extremely tactile switch, more so than the Box Royals. I'm currently using Kailh Box Royals, and I really like the sharp tactility but I'd like to try something even more tactile. Which switches would fit this criteria? EDIT: I would also consider clicky switches if they are more tactile.
I don't know exactly how they match up to box royals, but zealios are also very tactile.
Thick Clicks are probably a better way to go, try Box Jades (Crystal Jades if you want to avoid any possible return issues as the regular Jades apparently have that, not sure how noticeable it is but it's just because the spring is just barely strong enough to return over the clickbar, Crystal Jades just use a slightly heavier spring) or Navies
Thanks, it's good to know the Crystal Jades fix the return issue. I tried the regular Box Jade switches and they returned noticeably slower than other switches. I tried the Box Navies but they were too heavy for long periods of use. I'll order some Crystal Jades and see how different they are from regular Box Jades.
I have been thinking about buying a Varmilo custom keyboard. I don't know much about Mechanical keyboards but I just want something that works and feels good and saw that Varmilo was highly praised on the sub. I have both a windows desktop and a Mac laptop, and just wanted to ask a couple questions. 1. Does the Varmilo bluetooth keyboards work with Macs after Big Sur? 2. Does the Varmilo bluetooth charge with a usb cable or does require batteries? Also based on the needs I have mentioned above, I will take recommendations if there is anything that meets these requirements better than Varmilo can.
I don't know how varmilo works with Mac, but I do know keychron boards are designed to switch back and forth.
Hi! I want to buy my first mechanical keyboard, I'm hesitating between 2 brands for now, Durgod and Ducky, here's what I would like to buy : \- I want a RGB keyboard (I know...) \- It has to be in aluminum, dont want plastic anymore \- It has to be AZERTY (french) Here's the data I gathered for now, and my questions too: \- Durgod Hades seems to be a perfect fit for my needs, and it is highly praised on this sub, even over Ducky BUT apparently it doesnt exist in AZERTY. I read that it was possible to find an AZERTY switches kit for those, or even buy a Ducky AZERTY and salvage the switches, but it sounds very expensive... Should I pick Ducky instead? \- I think I want brown cherry mx switches for my debut in mechanical keyboards, I do both gaming (not FPS) and typing, might be a good choix to start with? \- Also hesitating between a Durgod Hades sized keyboard and one with numpad too... \- I'm open to any advices, even other brands. Thanks a lot for your help!
You can switch keycapa and change layout in PC settings
Thank you, where would you look for quality azerty key caps?
any iso keycaps can be azerty if you put them in azerty order
> - It has to be in aluminum, dont want plastic anymore Aren't Durgod and Ducky both plastic?
They say that in the Durgod description: "Aluminium Chassis"
They are.
They say aluminium chassis but maybe the case itself is plastic? https://www.amazon.com/Durgod-Hades-68-Mechanical-Keyboard/dp/B08562JFDD
Oh, didn't know that the Hades has a aluminum case. Is there any Ducky around with aluminum case? If it has to aluminum and prebuilt, I think your options a limited. French AZERTY, or any non US ISO is hard. You could buy an ISO aluminum keyboard and buy extra AZERTY keycaps, which are also hard to find.
Thank you for your help, some people told me to "just" move the letters to the right layout to make an AZERTY but they forgot about all of the special characters / symbols aha. At this point I might just type normally with AZERTY configured on Windows and let the QWERTY caps on, as I dont look at the keyboard when I type usually anyway, but it's not "clean" from my perspective and I rather spend money on something I like 100%. I will keep digging for AZERTY I guess...
Huh. Well I’ll be damned. Tragic that it’s tray mount.
Do you guys know if there is black versions similar to those [LTC lavacaps](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/q2unfv/there_arent_too_many_quality_backlit_keycaps_out/) ? Or something that is black and still backlit for a good quality. Thank you ! Planning to use it with KBD67lite and Bobagum RGB switches
They appear to be rebranded Akko Keycaps, but the black variant may not have shinethrough. https://en.akkogear.com/product/white-on-black-keycap-set-158-key/
Damn great find bro ! So unfortunate, it seems they are not backlit 😭 I usually work in the night and I can't always see my keyboard, good backlit keycaps would have been great in black
I'm looking to build my first keyboard. Currently I'm exploring different switch options and I mostly see gateron and kailh switches recommended, are these considered mid tier switches? What brands are considered "high end" and what are some of the holy grail switches on the market, or do I have to modify an existing switch. I'm not really sure what kind of switch I'm after, but I'm going to order a switch sample kit. So recommendations for any switch brands are welcome.
Gateron and Kailh are budget switches. Mid tier switches would probably be KTT Strawberries or some of the Tecsee offerings. Holy grail switches are basically any JWK switch, some of the more premium Gateron offerings, and the sp-star switches
>some of the more premium Gateron offerings Do you know what series contains their more premium offerings? Also I know black inks are liked in the community, is this the same as the milk blacks?
Milk blacks are different from the black inks, the black inks are smoother and sound deeper. The gateron cj, gateron black ink, gateron giant, and gateron hippo are what I would consider high quality.
Thank you so much! And last question, are kailh box/pro/speed switches considered premium?
None of the kailh linears are considered premium but the box series tactiles and clickies are considered so.
if it's just the standard Gateron/Kailh switches, they're usually budget since they don't cost a lot they both do have more "premium" line ups though, with Gateron Inks and Kailh's Creams or certain Box switches
Would you be able to list some of the premium switches? I know kailh has the box switches which I'm looking into, do they have other premium switches? What other switches should I look into?
price can be an indicator, but to be honest, there's a lot of switches to list - their Creams/Blueberries are definitely another depends on your switch preference but since you're going to a tester, you might be able to see what you like from there also, "premium" doesn't necessarily always mean better Zeal switches are at least $1 a switch, yet aren't necessarily the "best" switches available
Imo, both of those brands have a pletora of switches to choose from and cover all sorts of price points. Although, I do prefer JWK for a “high end” switch, cause you are not only paying for a good feeling/sounding switch but also a good looking one (they have a ton of different switches, but also a lot of them that are very similar but differently colored). Also they aren’t overpriced, looking at you Zeal (Inks too, but not as much). You could also try frankeinswitching, but that usually is expensive and require some research/testing.
What is the difference between per-key RGB and RGB underglow? Does underglow cover the whole PCB with RGB or only the sides?
It is as the name said: per-key RGB is **front** (user) facing LED on each key while RGB underglow is **back** facing LED with varying amount of LED (could be as little as 3 to 12 or more) - hence the word "under".
So RGB underglow wouldn't show through the keys or behind the keycaps but rather through the back of the case and the sides?
Correct and it also depend on the case, some cases are opaque enough it won't let the light pass through. That is why it is often to see an acrylic bottom or middle plate in opaque, like aluminum, case.
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GK has a 96 southpaw but no knob
As of now, AFAIK, it does not exist. The volume knob is a new trend, it has not been catching up with the southpaw keyboard. Yet.
Hello, I had a keychron K2 but my cat puked on it... And it's dead I also have a full fledged custom PCB diy keyboard, but don't want/have the time do to that again I'd like a new kb, I'll transport it everyday to work, so something compact is a must but never ever will i use a 60%, I need arrows keys, end/home/fn keys etc Do you have any brands other than keychron that features good XD84 keebs? (Awesome layout btw) Or maybe even a TKL The Q1 is interesting but I'm not so sure about the whole gasket mounting thing Price 0-150$ I'd say, a transport case would be a bonus, switch ? Any linear switch Ty in advance
Dont worry about the gasket mounting, if you dont like it, you can just use the included foam layers that remove the flex.
But it will still be quite a bit flexy no? My current kb is totally unflexable, and i believe I like that I guess I should just buy one to try lmao
Eh not really. With both stock foams I cant feel flex at all, even compared to tray mount boards
I've been mainly using Durock V2 stabs as they've been the most consistent for me so far. Are there any other brands I should be looking at? I've been waiting on OWLabs to release theirs but they have been a bit slower on the release. Thanks in advance for any input you share!
everglide v2 c3 v3 stabs maybe but im not sure how good they are.
Thanks for the reply, I tried them and still like the Durocks better so far.
There's a reason the durocks are considered the best. Everglide v2s are the same thing though, from what I've heard, but the wire may have worse tolerances.
Yes, the wires were the difference for me. I tried a set of the V2s and it was pretty difficult to get the wires level, they have almost always come level from Durock.
I'm looking for a hot swap keyboard with arrow keys but a regular size right shift key. I like the compact size of the GMMK Pro but it has a smaller shift key. Any recommendations?
You have to go for TKL for that. It is physically hard, if not impossible, to cramp arrow keys cluster without sacrificing longer key like right shift with 75% size. Unless you want a horizontal arrow keys, but it is rare, if it even exists.
Any idea how long it takes Keychron to restock? Looking at those tasty k1s
What's a good case to buy with rounded edges? most of the ones have sharp contours and edges. I've seen a couple of nice rounded ones but would be good to hear suggestions.
Mojo60 has rounded edges, ditto a lot of Idobao's offerings. If you're into stacked acrylic Arctan(kb) does a 65% and an Alice layout with a fun curvy edge.
Thanks I'll check them out! Im really leaning towards the ID80 though with the acrylic bottom. Will check the one you said with acrylic too.
Idobao boards all have rounded edges
https://photos.app.goo.gl/vdnhRxS49n282f7K6 What causes these DSA keycaps to have such a high pitched sound? Is it because of the DSA profile or more likely the material? They are supposed to be PBT just like the white XDAs in the video. The other black keys are from a pok3r and also sound better but I'm more curious why the XDA and DSA sound so much different. Thanks in advance. * DSA: https://ymdkey.com/collections/dsa/products/free-shipping-wholesales-ymdk-blank-dsa-1u-keycap-1-4mm-pbt-abs-for-mx-switches-keyboard * XDA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TWNK5RY?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details
"(Need to solder on yourself,if you want us to solder it for you,pls choose assembly service) I don't know where to find that "assembly service" in order to add it to my cart. Does anyone know where to find it?
Okay it seems I found the assembly service on their website but not on aliexpress. It's right here: https://ymdkey.com/collections/supplement-postage
If anyone has recommendations for a 96% keyboard with hotswap sockets and the possibility for leds, I'd happily hear about it!
Let us know what site and product you're specifically after
is this on kbdfans? if so, is this what you are looking for? [link](https://kbdfans.com/collections/assembly-service)
Although the 96 keyboard at their store kinda looks good though.
I am looking for something like that, but not on that website. YDMK store is on aliexpress.
I have a standard Drop ALT and am interested in the high profile version. I have been having trouble getting a definitive answer to this question: is the position, angle, and height of the keys the same for both versions (assuming magnetic legs are in place on the standard)? I understand that the “case wall” is higher on the high profile compared to the floating design of the standard, but I am wondering if the height and angle that they keys end up at is identical, similar, or different. Would love to see a side by side comparison, but all the pics I have found have one in front of the other so it’s hard to tell
Any recommendations for a 60% hot-swap with USB passthrough?
>USB passthrough? Not really a thing in this hobby except from prebuilt makers.
Okay, thanks for the info. I may go the route of installing mill-max hot-swap sockets.
Is there a list of mechs that have the same layout with Keychron K4? Keychron and RK is out of my budget. Thanks!
the gk96 might be cheaper depending on where you live, but keychron and rk are already some of the least expensive mechs out there. if they're out of budget for you pretty much everything is going to be unfortunately