Mech keyboards

[Handruin]

Any of you get into mechanical keyboards at all? I've had a few over the years like a Duckyshine 3 and a DAS keyboard 4 pro, both with Cherry-MX brown switches. They've been good keyboards over the years but I recently decided to try a Keychron Q3 custom TKL to see what all the noise was about with higher end custom keyboards. Well, I'm really sold on the quality difference so far. The feel of the keys when typing and sound of the keypress are so much nicer than the other two keyboards I own. I'm pysched to try customizing this down the road with other switches and keycaps along with other damper boards and insulation to change the sound. I never thought I'd enjoy a custom keyboard like this but it's been a real joy to use so far.

 

[sedrosken]

I've been into this hobby for, oh, the last 5-6 years or so. I'm pretty much at the endgame where I know what I like and how to get it.

I daily-drive a custom Melody96 build with Kailh BOX Navy switches, some DSA profile keycaps, and Durock stabilizers. I tapemodded the PCB and finished the project roughly this time last year. Total cost of ownership so far has been around 300 bucks, and learning a little bit of C to customize the QMK firmware to control the backlighting LEDs to show lock states on each end for Caps and Numlock. I used the QMK configurator online tool to make the base firmware with the keymap I wanted, though. I did all the soldering myself and you can tell because some of the keys are slightly crooked!!



Pardon the dirt. I didn't bother to clean it specifically for this thread and I'm past due to give everything an alcohol bath. As you might be able to tell, the source file was bigger but I cropped out the elements of my workspace I'm ashamed at the current condition of. And the more I look at this the more keys I notice are off-kilter! Augh! If only a company mass-produced 1800-layout keyboards in a switch variety I liked. I consider genuine Cherry switches to be cheap garbage -- clickjackets vs clickbars IS a holy war I'd fight in. On the superior clickbars' side of course.

I like this layout because it offers the desk-space savings of the TKL layout while still including a numpad. My retro setup's keyboard is of a similar layout, being a Cherry 1800-layout board with an integrated touchpad rescued and cleaned from a stint in a hospital. It uses (vintage!) Cherry MX Black switches, so it's definitely no Model M, but it also didn't cost nearly as much or take up nearly as much room.

 

[Handruin]

I'll definitely be exploring various lubed switches to try out and some new stabilizer bars down the road. This keyboard is really heavy and solid and I'm getting used to the tkl size versus a full size I've used for years. I have my eyes on some GMK key caps and maybe a few other sets to try out.

This Q3 keyboard offers QMK/Via also and I plan to play around with it to customize a few macros. I am also considering playing around with a Megalodon Triple Knob Macro Pad. I picked up a Keychron K7 ultraslim before this Q3 to use for travel and also with my Steam Deck but I found the cramped layout a bit to difficult to use during work.

 

[Chewy509]

I'm still using my Das Keyboard 4 Pro (MX Brown) that I bought 7.5 years ago... Haven't felt the need to change.

 

[Handruin]

I decided to do a couple mods to my keychron. I swapped out the included Gateron red pro switches with Gazzew U4 Boba Silent Tactile switches. I also did the tape mod on the back and also added in some neoprene foam to the back of the case. I need a few days to get used to the changes in the switches but so far they are dramatically different in sound, tactile, and force required to press. They are considerably quieter than the Gateron Red Pros.

 

[Newtun]

At the other end of the spectrum, decades ago, I got an IBM KB-3923.

I liked it so much, I bought a second one as backup. It's still up in the attic.

The old one continues going strong, after a few (±) spills, and a lot of fur and dust to vacuum up occasionally.

​

 

[sedrosken]

I was quite partial to my Dell AT101W before in an ill-advised attempt to linearize the switches I lost a ton of bits to it. I'm still kicking myself for that one. I'd like to track down another one but prices have gotten completely insane. I had a model M for a time, but it was rubber-dome and while it was quite nice for a rubber-dome, it still was just kinda meh. I'm eyeing up a spacesaver M from Unicomp for my retro stuff one day, but for right now my Cherry 1800 board does fine albeit its Black switches are a little scratchy. Ironically a new Model M is a more reasonable buy than the AT101W because Unicomp still manufactures them, although clearly quality is down from the 90s since they're using the same old equipment since then. I've seen pictures suggesting the lettering is a lot fuzzier than it used to be.

 

[fb]

I bought a Varmilo with their EC Sakura switches a while ago. They click and requires mute during Teams meetings, but I like the feeling of both the keyboard (heavy+dampened) and the switches. My only other experience with mechanical switches is with MX Red + the IBM in 1987 or so.

 

[Santilli]

Been having a lot of fun with this one.
Have 4 keyboards. 3 are Cherry red silents, the other is a Unicomp.

Unicomp, Inc.: New Model M

I've been tempted to buy a Drop, hot swap keys, 200-250 keyboard.

https://drop.com/buy/drop-shift-v2-mechanical-keyboard?defaultSelectionIds=984932%2C984935#signupv2

Wondering if the above board is worth the money? Never heard of Holy Panda Switches?
I do wonder if I would try different switches if I could swap them.
Cherry offers really good keyboards.

Cherry KW X ULP Ultra Slim Wireless Mechanical Keyboard. Multi Device Function MX Ultra Low Profile Switches.​

200 bucks. Wonder what these new switches are like?
Alien is using these switches on their laptops.
I'd love to try one, but seems a bit much.

This board is still in it's box:

Cherry MX RGB Mechanical Keyboard with MX Red Silent Gold-Crosspoint Key switches for typists, Programmers, Creator, Coder, Work in The Office or at Home G80-3000N RGB (Full Size) 85.00​

Typing on the Corsair right now:

CORSAIR STRAFE RGB MK.2 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - USB Passthrough - Linear and Quiet - Cherry MX Red Switch - RGB LED Backlit-17.6 x 6.61 x 1.57 inches​

It's just fine. I put rings on some keys to quiet it down, and a rubber desk matt, along with a rubber glue on matt on the bottom of the board. Quiet, but not silent.
I bought these, since I need something to work on when I spill something on my Unicomp/IBM/copy, and it needs to dry out.

The only board I have with swapable switches is this one:

Redragon Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Wired Mechanical Keyboard with 11 Programmable Backlit Modes, Hot-Swappable Red Switch, Anti-Ghosting, Double-Shot PBT Keycaps, Light Up Keyboard for PC Mac​

Under 40, and still in box.

 

[Santilli]

Does anyone have a way to compare switches, without buying a whole set?

 

[Santilli]

The only problem with the Strafe is it doesn't work to get into the bios. Have to use Unicomp for that...

 

[Santilli]

Just got diagnosed with carpal tunnel, in both arms. I use an ice pad in the morning, since my fingers are usually numb after sleeping.
Funny, since it hurts enough to keep me up.
Anyone else have it?

 

[jtr1962]

Just got diagnosed with carpal tunnel, in both arms. I use an ice pad in the morning, since my fingers are usually numb after sleeping.
Funny, since it hurts enough to keep me up.
Anyone else have it?

I've had it badly since my late 20s, to the point I was no longer able to work full-time from that point on. It runs in the family. My mother had it, my sister has it. I think my maternal grandmother may have had it also.

 

[sedrosken]

I haven't been diagnosed, but I certainly feel wrist strain day in and out.

Holy Panda switches, from my friends that have them, are good but overhyped and typically overpriced. Cherry is bottom of the barrel these days, typically you'll want GMK or Kailh BOX switches if you're not going with good old buckling spring. Modern Cherry switches are scratchy and very plasticky feeling especially on the clicky switches since they use a clickjacket design rather than the clickbar Kailh switches do. Even lubed Gaterons, long considered a mere Cherry clone, feel better to me now -- I have a 20 year old MX Black board from Cherry that still feels worse than the modern Gateron Reds I have in my K4 Pro, though I've been considering moving to Ink Blacks there as I require a heavier switch. I actuate the Reds far too early -- I bottom out every key.

I have a BOX Navy board that is the best sounding and feeling clicky board I will likely ever see in my entire existence. It rivals the Model M in my opinion, and you even get full NKRO.

I'm partial to the 96%/1800 layout. It offers most of the desk space savings of the TKL layout but retains the number pad, which I use heavily.

You can get little swatches of switches to try out and see how you like them. Failing that a hotswap board would be great as I think the return policy on switches is typically pretty okay if you don't like them.

As far as keyboard firmware, keep an eye on QMK. They're the leader in the field at least for right now. I think Keychron uses modified QMK firmware that you can configure through a webapp using Chrome's USB support? I love mine.

 

[Handruin]

I just built out a new keyboard with the Nuphy Gem80 and paired it with KTT Sea Salt Lemon Linear Switches and this has been my favorite keyboard so far. It's also a VIA/QMK as Sed mentioned. I was very impressed with the quality of this keyboard and everything it included in the package. Highly recommend checking this one out if you like the TKL size. The board has an awesome sound to it and it has all the features I would want in a quality keeb. You can also customize the plate type to change the sound if you prefer something different.

As for testing switches, I just buy a bunch of different ones after reading reviews and finding what may fit my style and weight preference. I have a bunch of different switches but most are linear as that's my preference. I do have a set of Gazzew U4 Boba Silent Tactile Switches that work really well but I missed the sound after a while so I swapped them out for Gateron Ink Switches V2 in my Keychron Q3 keyboard.

 

[Handruin]

I forgot to mention I also bought an Epomaker Galaxy80 and I also think it's an excellent quality keyboard for the money and it's a hot swappable board with the preferred south-facing LEDs, comes with tri-mode wireless options, aluminum chassis. I think it's a really good budget custom keyboard and offers a lot for the money.

Even the bone stock fully assembled kit sounds thocky/marbly right out of the box and I enjoy using it. I use my Nuphy gem80 mainly for work and the Epomaker when gaming on my other system. I will often swap them between my work/gaming systems just to change things up and they both work great at either use case.