Reddit custom mechanical keyboards

Last UpdatedMarch 5, 2024

by

I was curious about different kinds of mechanical keyboards and have recently spent $500 on mech keyboards and building them. The keyboard hobby is quite dense and if a person enters it and is looking to build a keyboard he will need to watch alot of videos and research about many stuff. g. Logitech MX Keys: Sleek design, comfortable typing, and It’s really just what peaks your interest. Cases are often available on the aftermarket, depending on configuration. I'm planning to buy a new mechanical keyboard and my max budget is $130 USD. ZMK Firmware. Discussion. I would like it to be all white or close to it with r/MechanicalKeyboards. It's a great board but it depends on what your preferences are if you value smoothness and features the Apex Pro is a good option but if you value customizability then obviously the Apex Pro is limited here. • 6 yr. Reply. ), Topre hybrid capacitive switches (not technically mechanical) or buckling spring switches (Also not technically a mechanical switch). They do not actually update your firmware. A standard (or 100%) keyboard has 104 keys, a TKL removes the Numberpad Cluster and a 60% Removes the Nav Cluster and arrow keys. So they are fairly loud. Case, PCB, plate (sometimes theres “plateless” but that’s a whole different story), switches and keycaps. honestly most keyboard has almost no latency between them. Hello. Websites for Custom Mechanical Keyboards. We provide news / PSAs about the hobby and community hosted content. You can also buy a drop Ctrl keyboard, but I wouldn't recommend it. thesavior111. This post has more information on prebuilt options, but there’s some info on custom options at the bottom. Hi everyone, I see lots of posts everywhere showing keyboards which are dedicated for gaming usage. Budget Custom keyboard hunt. My budget would be 100-300 euros. £250-£300~. This build is north of $1,500, but I gotta say that I don't regret spending so much on a single build. Prebuilt is often the worse choice because building a pc yourself is cheaper. I already have keycaps (which I bought but didn't use). I'm looking for a prebuilt 65/75/TKL keyboard that sounds and feels good out-of-the-box. It's comparing r/mechanicalkeyboards to r/customkeyboards. you might as well go buy an OLED TV and use it monitor for the lowest display delay. If you guys could comment that would be great! kprepublic, kbdfans, mechanicalkeyboards, etc. Look the whole point of the sub is to have a place to show off high end custom keyboards. On 3+ layer keyboards the options you have for managing the extra layers are: 1. Edit 4: Added Keychron K3, new 75% keyboard available to pre-order. While you can opt for 60%, the loss of arrow keys are often deemed non-negotiable. Please drop a comment if there’s anything I’m missing, or if any of this information is incorrect. I recommend checking out TaeKeyboards, he has an impressive video tutorial on how a custom keyboard is made and I recommend you start having a budget above $150. Feels and sounds great for being a tray mounted keyboard from the begining of the cheap custom keyboards era. com from germany. The GMMK Pro is a beautiful 75% keyboard with a unique case design and aesthetic build. These keycaps are typically found on budget mechanical keyboards. but due to this my hands to get tired when typing for a extended periods of time. Builds. I feel the analogy in this meme is becoming lost. Find the best posts and communities about Mechanical Keyboard on Reddit It just occurred to me that I haven't seen a list of Canadian vendors posted in a while, and thought I'd start compiling a list of local shops that provide parts and service to the local keyboard community. Malgeek Mojo84 is the king spec-wise and is a big step up from all Iqunix keyboards. Find the best posts and communities about Custom Keyboard on Reddit. Since most people are right handed, their right hand is the one that switches between keyboard and mouse, and having 1/3 of the keyboard space on the right creates a HUGE amount of unnecessary travel. V1 to V3 were released in 2020, followed by the alt version 3. Be sure to also read the rules before posting or commenting. Honestly I’ve been in the custom mechanical keyboard community for more time than I want to admit and 90% of people end up going down the rabbit hole to then realize it isn’t worth all the extra hassle and expenses and end up giving up on the hobby. Not all low profile sets match the full keycap configuration (even apart from the custom stabiliser keys mentioned above) - so you'll need to use some of the built in keys. You could make a custom keyboard for less money but only if you're main focus is doing it on a budget with things like plastic cases and cheap switches and keycaps. ANSI is the US standard. I’d like to keep my Mac function keys if possible, like they Keychron K2 does. Pros: best sound/feel out of the box (better than any custom modded wooting I have seen), aesthetics, latency (almost identical performance to wooting), pre-built, as good as I designed a Pro Micro optimized for custom keyboards! I've made a few custom macro pads, but I decided to start work on my first fully custom mechanical keyboard. Many Asian (especially Taiwanese) keyboards use nonstandard Enter keys coined Apr 26, 2024 · If you spend a lot of time typing, a mechanical keyboard can be a great quality-of-life improvement. Hi everyone! My boyfriend would like to try building his own mechanical keyboard for a long time now. There was a palpable tremor in the machine every time that omni-ball hit the paper. Here comes the kicker, when I received the KV2 board, I was hesitant. :) Monsgeek M1W with Oil King Switches. I also was a bit torn between 60% and 75%, but I am so glad I went with the 75%. Hotswap - Quick Tips: Mechanical/MX hotswap sockets are only compatible with MX-style switches (this is like 95% of modern switches) There are lots of guides on YouTube and even blog posts. It's small, it's convenient, and they're good looking layouts overall. $330 from Korea. They probably would prefer n 87% (TKL) or something ergo for their everyday use. First establish your budget and what size board you want (75% is a good starting place if you're unsure), and what you're going to use it for From there it's all about personalizing it. Realized you screwed up a trace, solder a jumper wire, cry because your PCB now looks silly : (. Topics range from technical support issues, product recommendations, user experiences, and even discussions about possible discounts on Keychron's official site Its noticably has a higher actuation force than red switches. I'am looking for custom mechanical keyboard recomendation. CHERRY MX MODIFICATIONS Swapping switches and springs, silencing noisy switches and stabilizers, and more. Most satisfying keyboard touch and response ever engineered. Availability is not good everywhere. drfrankenst3in. ago. Many custom keyboards use QMK for the firmware and if they support VIA or Vial you can remap keys, add macros, etc. Apparently, Iqunix or Malgeek keyboards are the best but I'm looking for alternatives. (I bought 80 and 5 of them were DOA) so if you are going to buy some make sure to Here's a rundown of the top 10 keyboards that have impressed us in 2024: Razer Huntsman Elite: With its opto-mechanical switches and customizable RGB lighting, the Razer Huntsman Elite offers a premium typing experience tailored for gamers and enthusiasts alike. for me the problem with fullsize keyboards is that the nav keys and numpad are on the right instead of the left. Add a Comment. but also the tactile feedback its greater. Hi all, This is my first post on this sub-Reddit. Meletrix BOOG75 (my #1 pick) ~$250 USD. to/3wfx685. I would like a 60% or 65% keyboard that I would custom build, I know how to build and lube keyboards so I would only need the recomendations for parts. The quality of keyboards from these companies is criticized pretty hard and people are directed towards the "Gaming keyboards" get a lot of hate but many of them, especially the contactless switches, are more advanced, versatile than a lot of custom boards, contactless switches are the oldest switches there are but they're also the key to keyboard innovation and with analog becoming more of a thing with the Lekka, Apex, upcoming Wooting 60% and the Custom mechanical keyboard recomendations. even used in arcade sticks. These are the boards i started with. Mode65. While gaming keyboards can look cool, they still seem to Much like the main MK subreddit, this sub is loosely moderated and so we just encourage people to have fun! Please read the rules before posting :) 5. On a traditional board we have so many non-alphanumeric keys that almost never see use, with the exception of primary modifiers like ctrl, alt, super, and shift. Also currently using the original stabs, I’ve ordered Everglide Panda V3 and a new titanium Knob, will LEDs for mic and video toggle with custom software and knob for volume. Their manufacturing capabilities are top-notch, making them the perfect choice for producing custom PCBs. I wanted to provide a tool for those who are new to the world of custom mechanical keyboards. Share. They both have quite a good catalog. It sounds like you want a custom level keyboard without any custom work at all. Here is my experience, taken from my post into the mechanical keyboard subreddit: Hello everyone, my first dive into mechanical keyboards was a good few years ago when I purchased the Asus Strix Tactic Pro. I'm mainly looking for light linear switches (like cherry red or speed silver) and a keyboard starter kit (the ones that come with a casing, frame, stabilizers, and a PCB in one package), preferably one The keyboard's brain, the ATMega32U4 microcontroller, runs the QMK firmware, allowing for extensive customization and optimization. Relatively new to mechanical keyboards and I’m a big fan of making things so thought building a custom keyboard could be cool but it seems everything is geared to Windows or Linux. For a wee bit more you should be able to gets pre built hotswappable board. On the High end my my Favorite is my Heavy Grail with carrot domes and MX sliders. Keygem. But then I started to wonder if it's possible to build a custom mech kb on a budget. mykeyboard. very limited. Love the wood, but man, for typewriter style keyboard you'll need really good accuracy with your fingers. On KBDFans: get some of the gateron ink switches (black ink v2 most popular) and a cheapish keycap set. I’ve painted the side metal parts cream white to match my keycaps. 99. r/MechanicalKeyboards. So they just take the short way and buy pre-built keyboards such as razer, ducky, corsair etc. S-Tier. 11. Switches, keycaps, mods (stabilizer mods are a must). https://amzn. As someone who's bought both "gaming" mechanical keyboards and built some of my own, I find the technology in both categories fascinating. A 40% board also removes the number row. May 16, 2024 · The best all-around mechanical keyboard we've tested is the Keychron Q5 Max. This board is no longer being produced. /r/MechanicalKeyboards is about typing input devices for users of all range of budgets. The home row: One of the main benefits of keeping your layer count down is removing the need for more layer keys or toggling through layers. No. This wireless keyboard has premium-feeling construction, a heavyweight aluminum case, and top-of-the-line typing quality right out of the box. With your budget you can try for an aluminium version of the gk61 or the gk64 version. If you ask a gamer or a coder, however, the 60% or 65% board would most likely fall off their Christmas list as you would imagine. Candykeys and mykeyboards. The blow was delivered through self-reeling ribbons, and there was a built-in spool of erasure tape. 0 is now ready for download. Any gripes? 2. Keyboard and Key Modifications. Sponsorship: A big shoutout to PCBWay for sponsoring the boards. eu are sites I myself have ordered from. So this is going to be a bit of an abstract question, but I'm asking it for the sake of learning a bit more to fill in gaps with my knowledge as well as pose questions from the perspective of a novice/near-intermediate end user of the hobby. Overall when talking about a cheap budget mechanical keyboard this is the most popular keyboard that is talked about. • 2 yr. My second custom mechanical keyboard. 5. Might be a bit over 150, but if you want actual custom: GMMK 60%/TKL is a hotswap that comes prebuilt with browns, but you can replace with switches of your choice. 4GHz Quiet Compact USB Keyboard Mouse Combo, Slim Small Computer Keyboard and Mouse Wireless for PC, Laptop, Desktop, Notebook. And since I have really no idea if there are keyboard kits available for building one, would just like to ask for any suggestions? Where to buy one or how much will it cost? MX Browns, like most other mechanical switches, is plastic moving parts hitting plastic, on a metal plate that pings. If you want to buy a custom mechanical keyboard, either buy one of someone else on the aftermarket ( r/mechmarket ), buy from a website where you can customize (like KBDFans, which is a vendor from which you can order a build service to receive your board built) or buy a board and send it to someone with a build service. KEYBOARD MODIFICATIONS Opening up the case, case mods, LED mods and more. mindfactory has Das, Ducky, Corsair, Roccat, Logitech and a few other mechanical keyboards. The Keyboard Company British seller for ISO-DE Filco, Matias and Topre. My First Custom Mechanical Keyboard! (ID80 v2) Coming from Anne Pro 2 to Keychron K2 to this 😅. Realize you screwed up a switch, desolder, solder again. I do love this switch due to this tactile feedback and the sound compared to the cheap prices. Amazon Product Rating: 4. It’s the only custom keyboard that I’ve seen in actual stores like Micro Center of this caliber. Like the QK60, QK100, QK80, QK75, QK65, the ones with qk infront. Regarding Customization and Repair of Custom Mechanical Keyboards. However, they are only available for certain times of the year for a month or a few weeks when the group buy is open, and shipping takes 6+ months. Something tells me that this thing is extra thocky, regardless of the switches you used. 3-pin switches will work in either socket type. GMMK Pro: The Best Custom For Gaming. The ergonomics is terrible. Research the different keycap profiles: DSA, SA, cherry, etc. comments. If it's just playing FPS, or Battle Royale games, try a Razer Huntsman Mini or Huntsman V2 TKL. I don't know of any prebuilts keyboards that come with pre-lubed switches but there are switches that are factory lubed. Fakespot Reviews Grade: C. Passed this semester for my programming degree and decided to treat myself to one around $150, any and all help is appreciated. Most custom caps will be for the function row(Esc, F1-12). Buy the parts and solder, solder and solder some more. Lets talk about mechanical keyboards for office use. eu has ISO Pok3r RGBs and ANSI Leopold Topre and MX variants. Board has been discontinued, can be found on aftermarket. For most people it just means a high (ish) end designer board, where you get to choose the PCB layout, plate material, colorway, switches, and keycaps, so your combo is probably unique (even though you didn't literally design the keyboard case or PCB yourself). KBD67 Lite ISO. Ask questions, seek advice, and dive into topics related to Keychron products. eastfrisia_finest. . mosesontheweb. State of Custom Mechanical Keyboards (2021) Hello, RandomFrank recently did a Livestream and the topic was the state of custom mechanical keyboards. Personal experience may not be indicative of quality of a product as a whole. Larger splits have the same issue, but still have access to layers, making them feel redundant. ISO Hotswap PCBs are available from Mode. It’s not like prebuilt vs custom computers. Most people use an Arduino Pro Micro for this, but the Pro Micro has a lot of limitations and design choices that don't make it ideal for keyboards. Switches : Drop Holy Panda's (Lubed with Tribosys 3204 + Deskey Film) Glorious Panda's (Lubed with Tribosys 3204 + Deskey Film) Novelkeys Creams (Lubed with Kytox The benefits of building your own keyboard are customization, entertainment, and the ability to build keyboards that are much higher quality than 99. Their boards are solid enough and hotswap is nice if youd like to try out No. Due to licensing restrictions, it shares no source code with QMK Firmware. People hype what they enjoy. Some people dye-sub or reverse-dye-sub their own caps. dead_pixel_design. Some hotswap sockets are 3-pin and some are 5-pin. 3. KEY MODIFICATIONS Making keys, dying keys, changing stems, and more. ADMIN MOD. 4. £100~. Related Mechanical keyboard Computer keyboard Computer hardware Computer Information & communications technology Technology forward back r/esp32 ESP32 is a series of low cost, low power system on a chip microcontrollers with integrated Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth. Other keyboard makers have their own software that you have to use if you want to change anything. which is one of the lowest latency board for diy. (The keyboard case kit price excludes shipping, and you will need to provide your own switches, stabilizers and keycaps. I love the touch and feel when I press a key whereas a rubber dome cannot Then there is the GMMK which can come prebuilt for around 100 or 50-60 for a barebones version without switches or keycaps. • 3 yr. Custom Mechanical Keyboard Infographic V4. nezhooko. candykeys. Its the NJ80-AP 75% wireless keyboard with steel plate and gateron milky yellow. Neozetare. The one you have with you But-40%. It’s a prebuilt, I can’t personally attest to the quality and usability but Help requests, keyboard buying advice, what keyboard is this, typing test screenshots, and simple questions must be posted in the daily post stickied to the top of the subreddit or it will be removed without explanation. 4K. Mini Hall Effect/Rapid Trigger Keyboard Tier List : r/MechanicalKeyboards. Louder than many office rubber-domes. I found that pushing the middle of the PCB up would help it, and sometimes the keyboard would work for 1 week without me doing anything, but eventually it started Please check out the wiki for general information about mechanical keyboards and consider posting questions in the daily sticky post at the top of the subreddit for any smaller questions. There are cheap custom keyboard kits you can buy for probably $20, but you can also buy a prebuilt keyboard for $5. Well at least the the keys won't get stuck if you typed to fast. A sofle for example would have 26 extra keys available before needing a new layer). How To Navigate The Wiki. I finally get the appeal. Learn more about keyboard profiles here Related Mechanical keyboard Computer keyboard Computer hardware Computer Information & communications technology Technology forward back r/clickup Save time with the all-in-one productivity platform that brings teams, tasks, and tools together in one place. Every decent mechanical keyboard will use a steel or aluminium plate. People also like to shit aggressively on brands because they had a bad experience. It depends on what keyboard you have. I've The keyboard size generally refers to the number of keys. I'm thinking of buying one now because this appears to be the only full keyboard with 5 pin hot-swappable layout. I think the people that like full size keyboards is getting old (myself included). If u missed by a bit ur fingers just get stuck in between the keys just like real typewriter. In the budget range that is a good kit to begin with. The custom keyboards that I've looked at so far don't include key switches and keycaps and would love to know if there are Custom stabilizer stems - this means you have to live with the built-in keycaps for these keys; and this also means low profile caps/sets. Hi, it appears you may be new to this subreddit! Please check out the wiki for general information about mechanical keyboards and consider posting questions in the daily sticky post at the top of the subreddit for any smaller questions. CableMod Day 5 Winners and Giveaway Day 6 - 5x Custom Keyboard Cables. Best. Most people interested in a mechanical numpad want the flexibility of having it separate from the main keyboard. A quick recap: this infographic started as a hobby during my quarantine. Pricing is not the same everywhere. Company: Brand: WisFox. Hi, it appears you may be new to this subreddit! The 60% or 65% mainly houses the primary keys a normal everyday use one would typically require. A keyboard layout is any specific mechanical, visual, or functional arrangement of the keys, legends, or key-meaning associations (respectively) of a computer, typewriter, or other typographic keyboard. However, there are also different profiles for different rows on the keyboard. Got my first custom mechanical keyboard. Here is the analysis for the Amazon product reviews: Name: WisFox Wireless Keyboard and Mouse, 2. 999% of prebuilt keyboards, but this all comes at a cost. 5-pin switches can work with 3-pin sockets, but you will need to clip 2 of the pins so they can fit. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Trying to find a site or something where I can get a custom keyboard or the kit to put it together (as long as I can do it with my hands and don’t need to sotter anything). They are so premium, and should be considered endgame. Exactly what _Metro said. 1. Welcome to r/Keychron, an unofficial support and discussion forum for Keychron mechanical keyboards. I brought my custom Keyboard to work and my boss said it’s cool after trying it out. With its cheap price, good quality builds, and key switches this keyboard is the most recommended for beginners and budget keyboard! /r/MechanicalKeyboards is about typing input devices for users of all range of budgets. That's it Edit 3: Added Cherry G84-5500, G84-4400, G84-4100, G84-5400, G84-5200, G84-4700, Sharkoon full size, Drevo Joyeuse V1, Gamdias P3, MorgRie 17. Lubing and filming switches add hours to the build but is definitely There were way more keys than I needed. As an avid keyboard enthusiast, you likely appreciate the feel, sound, and customization that mechanical keyboards provide over traditional membrane keyboards. A fullsize keyboard fixes the numpad in between the rest of the keyboard and the mouse, which isn't a great place for it. Edit 5: Having used the Keychron K1 V4 for over a year I can't say I'd personally recommend it long term. ISO is common with European layouts. without needing to reflash the firmware every time you make changes. If you're asking about kits do a full size or even TKL there aren't many that Note: Via and Vial are tools for remapping a QMK keyboard layout. We have all of these boutique keyboard companies for mechanical keyboards and I was wondering if there was an equivalent for mice. The keys look bland and a high pitch clacky sound but I really enjoyed the aluminum frame. As far as boards go, take a look at the CannonKeys Bakenko, any of the KBDFans like the Tofu, or the KBD67. I'll get the keycaps soon! Its so fun to build and i already want to build another one lol. And all the meming is kept to that sub (and yes snobiness The keyboard was malfunctioning because the previous owner spilled a drink on it. Current and Historical Threads can be found Here: Wiki on r/MK Rules: You can order custom prebuilt keyboards with Novelkey cream switches from KBDfans although you may have to wait a bit for products to restock depending on the exact configuration you want. ZMK (Zephyr mechanical keyboard) is open source firmware created for wireless custom keyboards, but it also works on wired keyboards. You just pop the switches right in, though they must be 3 pin plate mount switches or 5 pin PCB mount w/ the 2 extra stabilizing legs snipped off. Other kits I’ve seen are more budget-friendly and not made of high-quality aluminum. also failure rate its not low. The reason I give such high praise to this board, is for a couple of reasons. The 65% is simply a good blend of small layout with modifier keys. Ozone, Cherry). Feel free to check out our other resources and links to related communities. Mechanical keyboards, whether they are custom, Razer, Cooler Master, whatever, are colloquially keyboards that use mechanical switches (MX brand, MX clones, Alps etc. if you are worried about latency. Look for something hotswappable. Redragon K52 Mechanical Keyboard Price: $40. Mechanical keyboards allow for a truly personalized typing experience - every aspect can be customized to your preferences, from the inner workings to the outward appearance. 1 in 2021. I suggest a 60 or 65% with linear switches (the current budget king linear switch is the gateron milky yellow). 4. If you want a good prebuilt keyboard check out Leopold and Varmilo. We have recommendations for just about every budget. I lubed the switches and did the tempest mod. If you wanted function row, it'd likely be more. Although if you push your budget a little bit higher you can get some really nice kit here. I am looking for a wire/wireless 65% keyboard in this budget range and I can only find prebuilts at this price point. I'm curious as to the foundation of Custom 65% ISO Layout Mechanical Keyboard. I know wasd keyboards are custom but I don't think there are many options. Keep in mind that they don't come with keycaps so you'll need to factor that into your costs if you've got a budget. This is a quite elaborate list of the vendors out there. Hi! I've recently gone fully remote and I'm making my office/gaming pace at home. ) Here are some brief introduction and specifications of the two keyboard case kit: Enter67 by KEZEWA. 5-pins improves the stability of installed switches by securing the switch to the PCB, as well as the socket. Jacob and Alternate: Have Coolermasters along with some other brands (e. I've been looking at building a custom mechanical keyboard, and while there are many builds online that I could just "grab", I find it hard to find a build for a keyboard that I like, in terms of looks, while having the ISO Layout (UK Layout) and at the The Apex Pro is a Hall Affect keyboard, silky smooth switches, way smoother than any MX style. Even if their top case around it is plastic. $25-40 USD - Higher quality ABS/PBT double-shot keycaps from brands like Tai-Hao, or you may even find dye-sublimated PBT keycaps (of questionable quality) from stores like AliExpress, and KPrepublic. Some prebuilts like the GMMK v1 come with pre-lubed stabs but they tend to be overlubed so you still have to work on getting it lubed correctly. But in my case I use them for programming/office only. Ikki68 Aurora. Introducing the Enter67 Keyboard Kit from Kezewa, a contender for the pinnacle of 65% layout keyboards. 343 1. I was wondering if you guys know any websites for custom mechanical keyboard. A smaller keyboard gives you more space on your desktop so you can use it a bit more comfortably. It seems like the majority of mouse recommendations are either Logitech, Razer, Zowie, Mad Catz, etc. It’s just a mess of people shilling X obscure brand over most custom keyboard uses atmega32u4. r/budgetkeebs. A keyboard consists of a few parts. Don't worry, small screwups can happen but it's not that hard really. Besides some fairly stuck keys (which are better now, after some baths), the larger problem was that three keys ('T', 'J' and '7') didn't always work. Mechanical keyboards, switches, style, are subjective. Yes some people want to see something else than waffle posts and anne pros every 2 posts. Yes I could just buy that but I would like a little project! QK series keyboards are definitely my go2 for under $200 custom keyboards. 65% has all the keys I regularly use and none of the keys I don't. There are more sizes, such as 30% or 50%, although they're less defined. And higher end customs will use full metal cases with thick aluminium. Keeb: ID80 v2 (Here's Few more images ) Keycaps: Armygroup PBT Carbon Fiber keyset. rw ln jx zc iq ha hz ce jb hz