@@AustinV Hi and compliment for the video; I would like to buy this keyboard and it seems inevitable to put in the foam, but i'm afraid of breaking something, for example the switches. In your opinion is it very feasible or do I risk breaking something? Sorry for the trouble and for my english (I'm Italian)
@@anishjami9680 It's been a good 8 months and I'm still using it daily. I got the brown switches so I lubed them lightly and did the foam mod for sound dampening. I kind of regret choosing the RGB variant since I rarely use it now after recently changing the caps to non-backlit PBT ones, it still looks beautiful tho when the RGB is on.
This is an EXCELLENT product. I’ve been using mine for work since August 2021 (8-9 hrs/5 days a week) and have had no issues. The RGB effects are simple and entertaining. I can change the theme right on the keyboard. I charge it once a week. Awesome typing experience!!
I've ordered this keyboard for my dad and waiting for it to arrive. He specifically wanted North facing like in the k8, else I probably would've ordered the k8 pro which already comes with foam and silicone layers, screw in stabilizers but has South facing LEDs. So I'm getting him this k8 and I'll modify it similar to what you did but slightly different: - Poron foam for between the plate and PCB (ordered pre-cut foam kit from keyboard kustoms and it's specifically cut/mapped for the k8). - Poron foam layers (2 layers) for below the PCB at bottom of case (these are bundled with the above foam in a foam kit) - Blue Painter masking tape mode (I think two layers) for bottom of PCB. - I also have three different types of foam switch pads for the switch pads between the switch and PCB, but I'm unsure yet which foam type I'll use (poron foam, pe foam, or eva foam -- in order from firmest to softest). - tiny teflon pads for wherever the stabilizers and bars contact the plate and pcb. I have a bunch of these tiny teflon pads leftover and I'll see if they make any difference. - I'm considering ordering a set of Durok plate mount stabilizers, but I'd like to see if the ones that came with the keyboard can be used and sound/feel just as nice. - For switches I'm thinking of trying out the Gateron Pro Brown Tactile that come with the keyboard. Depending how those feel I may change them out for a set of Kailh Brown Box V2 Tactile 45g (because I already have them), or Kailh Clione Limacine Tactile 58g (fully translucent switch, including stem and I already have these too) , or ordering him a set of Boba U4T Tactile 62g (I'd have to order these so going to try those other two first). - YMDK OEM PBT Double-shot shine through (I already have several of these in a variety of colors so I'll just use whichever he likes best. I'm so excited! Thank you so much for the video. It showed me exactly what I was needing to know, such as how to seperate the plate from the PCB etc. Thanks!
Gonna buy the Keyboard because of your review. Very well done and informative - been trying to get into custom keyboards but because of the vast amount of options and very limited stock I felt very overwhelmed. So this feels like the perfect fit for me. I will definitely use foam and lube the switches, the difference is just crazy. Also the hot-swappable option is very nice as it allows me to experiment with other switches in the future. Great Video 👍🏻
Putting the foam inside sold me. That sound is awesome. My current keyboard is just as tall as this so im used to it and have no issue typing with a higher raised keyboard.
@@dylanmartinez925 Unfortunately, I don't. This was some cheap screwdriver set I got at a convenience store many years ago. You could try this set. I recently ordered it and it has a bunch of hex bits in the set. It also has free returns if it doesn't work out for you. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E16J6RQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Just ordered a K8 for my first MKB and am researching what mods I want to do. I'm so glad I found you, I'll be taking your recommendation and padding the inside too! Great vid!
Thanks so much much for this video it is amazing! I did want to let you know it is possible to remove the board without removing the switches first. Just need to remove keycaps and screws. Then run a budgie under the edge to pop the board out. It is a little bit harder to line up the BT and Mac/Win switches this way but cuts the time down drastically!
@@AustinV So here's the lesson - carefully look at the keyboard being used before you buy one. As a total neophyte I didn't notice "hotswappable" being vital to the simple mod. "I'll never swap them" I thought when i checked out - which is true, but also I'll never apply this mod as a result. Still a very decent keyboard for the price, but it is baffling why it's set to high, and it's a bit twitchy when it's switched through a USB KVM, sometimes needing the cable to be popped out and back in before it wakes up.
Thanks for the information, I got a Keychron K8 with Gateron browns coming in soon and I plan on modding it a ton. Thanks for showing the stuff I need to mod first (like the hollow insides)!
I may be the only one but I really like the hollow sound this board has stock. I bought one and swapped to cream switches for that slightly heavy linear feel.
To each their own. At the end of the day, it's all preference. I prefer the more solid sound because I think it sounds more premium. Oh I've actually been trying to get some creams myself. Did you get them from the last novelkeys restock? The only linears I have atm are the silk yellows.
@@AustinV yeah when I ordered my keyboard they had plenty of stock on the novelkeys website. I would like to eventually lube them when I get some time and the supplies.
you should have like 800k subs, better yet 1 million, you're so underrated. I am definitely getting this keyboard, thank you so much. I subbed and liked
This video is a great help since I’m trying to find a good customizable and professional-looking replacement to my years old, obnoxious-looking gamer themed mechanical keyboard. For such a small channel, the production quality is absolutely stunning too! Your effort deserves so many more subs, and I’m gonna join the club for sure. I do have a question though, are the little indicator lights above the arrow keys on at all times or only when you’re Win/FN-locked? I prefer as much of a refined and no-frills look as possible. Thanks again for the quality content!
Thanks so much! Really appreciate the support and nice comments :) Yeah the indicator lights are only there to let you know if something is active. I only used it in bluetooth mode so not sure if the charging light turns off after some time
I actually got this keyboard for free; it was delivered to me by accident. I'm assuming it was a logistical error from Amazon. I'm new to the MK community, this is the perfect chance for me to learn a new hobby!
Hey there! I really wanted to thank you for your video. It has helped me a lot in doing research for a video I just finished making (about the best keyboards for beginners in the hobby). I put the link for your video in the description. Thanks again!
Thanks so much for the support! I'm glad you liked my video enough to put it in your own video. That video you made was super informative and really well made!
@@AustinV So just to recap with ya Austin,i was searching high and low for a keyboard to replace my corsair k70 which I'm currently in the throws of returning "pain in the ass" ,umm for some reason it just bricked on me bar the volume wheel,I was researching keyboards "wasn't too fazed on the wireless option " I did however want USB pass through and a sound wheel BUT! i dropped that instead of going for a USB 3.0 hub and then relying on the volume key functions from the keyboard, received my keyboard YESTERDAY , had to get the plastic model all aluminium versions with the optical browns were sold out , blue is just too noisy and reds i cant hear the keys being pressed "there is a sweet spot and its the browns" so as soon as i got it back home popped the keys ,i glued my foam and i double layered it ,put it all backed together read the instructions changed the F key functions BOOM DONE!!! , excuse my language but this is a fuckn dope keyboard "you practically sold me this keyboard " the sound typing on it the way it feels the look!!! it clean without any wires that k70 had two USB cords THICK ones , this is a beast!!! ,I'm debating on swapping the key caps I'm not sure yet , Bluetooth was a bitch maybe too much interference i dunno I'm using a Bluetooth 4.0 adapter maybe that's it ,my issue was it was just not recognising the inputs after being connected now it is but it was a nightmare for some reason ,I'm swapping up to a Bluetooth 5.0 this week anyway , i recon keychron owe ya one on that review .
@@AustinV My shift question icon works instantly by the way , take your keys off and see if the left portion of the bard is completely screwed down 'i had a problem with the delete and enter keys not registering properly so i opened it back up unscrewed everything took the board out of the housing aligned everything perfect and the screwed each screw down whilst using my index and thumb to press down on the board hard while screwing the screws back in "it sounds like either your shift or your backslash /question mark key isn't screwed down enough to make proper contact with the board,don't be scared to press down hard either the back splash is firm asf ' i doubt its going to hurt anything
@@AustinV its dope!!! So good man .thanks for the mod and review, i dont rhink i would have been this happy with the logitech g915 tbh ortho its a nice looking board with great functions i think for the price the k8 kills it. Plus its got bluetooth 5.0 and can be multi paired and 4000mha battery ,the anne pro 2 only has 1900 mha bluetooth 4.0 same qs the ducky one , and i didnt like the hyper x looks cheap and the Roccat Vulcan is over priced ridiculous!!! , again the k8 is the best fricken keyboard for the price ,man! Hats off sir.
I actually think the stock sound test was better than the one with the lubed + foam. It almost sounds like you’re playing a drum and I think it’s due to that foam dampening the sound too much or idk I just keep hearing this weird echo with the foamed sound test. Nevertheless great video
I recently got my K8 (aluminum plate with Gateron browns) and they sound a lot different without any modification compared to your vid. The stabilizers are awesome compared to many other keyboards I own and even the Gateron browns sound and feel lubed. The RGB on my keeb does seem to be less bright than in your vid though, not sure why that is. I did turn up the brightness to max. Overall this is a great keeb for a very affordable price point capable of 3 & 5 pins switch support.
Oh so how does your sound? I agree on the stabs, very nice and smooth for a budget keeb. Hmm maybe my RGB showed up better because I dimmed my lights a lot? Yeah having 5 pin support was a huge plus to me
@@AustinV They almost sound like a Havit low profile keeb. There are only two. Full size and TKL which I happen to both have. Even though the switches in those are low profile gateron blues. The gateron browns reminded me of them. Perhaps because the actuation on the browns felt like it was higher up. Plus the sound and the feel of the browns is quite subtle same as the Havit keebs. As for the lighting, I’ve used a GMMK full sized in the same room before whose RGB seemed stronger. It could be that the drab grey caps (why on not flat earth did they choose that colour???) dims it more at the office? Will be swapping both the keycaps and the switches at some point. But right now I am liking it more and more each day.
@@Soei23 Oh I've never seen a havit board in person before. It's interesting that your brown switches sounded clicky enough to be comparable to the blues in the havit tho. I think the caps are tolerable at the price point, but def would not say they are great looking. Also, it could possibly be related to the power. I am aware that the longer the cable, the dimmer your LEDs would be, even with max brightness because the power just can't travel at full strength that far. So it's possible they lower the max brightness on battery power and the stock cable just isn't good at delivering enough power to the board. Just a theory. Glad you're liking the board though
@@AustinV Hi Austin, just to clarify. The low profile blues from the Havit have a subtle click, the sound of the Gateron Browns are subtle as well. So one IS clicky and one isn't but both are very very subtle. See this link for the Havit full sized: www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Keyboard-Extra-Thin-Switches-HV-KB395L/dp/B074QM6F7X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=KB395L&qid=1603872887&sr=8-1 The TKL has a blue backlight only.
So just a tip for anyone watching this, be careful when placing back the pcb because you might break the switch JUST LIKE ME Now I've bricked my newly bought K8 lol. I should've quit while I was ahead. I didn't notice how thin and flimsy the switches (the BT/OFF/Wired switch) were at the right side of the PCB so yeah just a heads up
I almost bought a low profile keyboard because of all the gamer garbage they try to sell us at double the price, but this thing is amazing and the mods you just did doubles its value.
Nice video Austin! where do you buy the neoprene foam and are you using any glue to add it to the base? you think the foam that keyboard package includes can be enough? Thanks for sharing an amazing video! new sub
Thanks for the sub! I got mine from amazon: amzn.to/3crdD6J You prob wouldn't notice too much of a difference if you didn't use the neoprene but I decided to anyways since I had it on hand. No glue required
I cant believe that your subscribers under 100k tbh.. great video man! Can i use tealios v2 switches to this keyboard? loving ur content! subscribed also
Hehe thanks! Yeah tealios switches will work on this board. Although with the cost of tealios switches, they might cost as much as the board itself 👀 Appreciate the sub!
Wow great video! I was doubtful about getting this K8 due to that hollow sound, but after watching your video I'll definitely get it, seems simple to do. Thanks! Btw, what's the material of the second foam you used, the thicker one?
Thanks! I have a video about how I lube switches here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-e3BVSMTW4sI.html But yeah I use a switch opener to open up teh switch. Then I lube the rails on the bottom housing and also lube the stem. I don't lube the legs of the stem if they're a tactile switch and the lube you use is up to you.
you definitely deserve more subs! and i just subbed today. I'm seriously thinking of buying this or GMMK. I want to try the hot swappable market. But im kinda cautious about the 3 pin ports that gmmk have. they said clipped 5 pins have bad stability. any advise you can give? you can also suggest better ones if im missing some. drop shift is kinda expensive tho. Thank you so much!
Thanks! Appreciate the love! If you're only concerned about the hot swap part, I would definitely say that 5 pin support is very valuable. Switches that have had their pins clipped only have stability concerns if you go plateless or have a plate with large cutouts that accommodate multiple switch layouts. Basically, it will only be a problem for switches that don't clip in to something, which is actually a problem I have faced when putting my clipped switches in another board. Lmk what kind of layout you're looking for and I can try to recommend some boards
Great vid, thanks! Would you say the foam that came with the kb enough, or is the neoprene foam mandatory? Does that just make it more snug inside the case?
Hey thanks for the great vid. Quick question - the 1/2” of empty space is from the bottom of the screw posts to the wings or from the bottom of the screw post to the top of the screw post?
Here is what I did with it: I got a very dense foam to do the foam mod, only 1 layer, but it was very thick as its used to transport good quality furniture. Tape mod, I used a painters tape to put under the PCB, this changes the pitch of the sound a little bit, a slight bit of rounded and marble sounding I guess? BIGGEST keyboard cheat. get a Thicc desk mat, or cut a towel or wash cloth, improves the quality of sound by a ton. Maybe cut it small enough so it's not visible, or get a black one. BE CAREFUL: One thing to keep in mind, be VERY careful of the side switches when opening, they are extremely fragile little plastic quarter the thickness of a match stick. I broke my switch for the mac to windows, luckily I will never purchase a mac.
I just ordered the same exact keyboard (recommended by a friend) and I kind of want to add the foam but I’m also skeptical cause I’ve never done that before and I might end up breaking it or messing something up.
It's a super simple process and pretty low risk in terms of breaking things. Just gotta be careful about the cable when you remove the PCB. You got this! I believe in you!
@@AustinV thanks! I’m definitely going to try and do it cause even on the video I can tell the sound difference so I’m sure in real life it’s even noticeable. 👍🏼
hey man i've got 1 coming tomorrow from keyboardco.com (never heard of em till now but they seem to have been around for awhile) they dont have every option but I wanted k8, with hotswappable+aly plate+ brown switches and they had it, i paid 99 quid, GL!
Yeah if you add the foam, you will still get that deeper, more solid sound from the board. If you don't lube the switches, they'll just sound a little more scratchy and won't feel as smooth
Yeah the 3rd button from right on the top row should be the print screen button. I'm on Mac so I can't really verify but that's what I've seen on forums
Bought this keyboard earlier today, seems like the keyboard being too tall, and there being a half inch of space free at the bottom are two problems that could cancel themselves out with a custom base, might try making one when it arrives
Hi there... I've been thinking of getting a Keychron Keyboard for sometime now, but there's just one thing bugging me, the default keycaps by Keychron don't allow backlight to shine through...can you tell where did you get the keycaps from?? And keep up the good job... great video
Thanks! If it is not hotswappable, you won’t be able to lube the switches without desoldering them from the PCB. You should still be able to add the foam to the back though. It will just take some more care to take apart the board
I was thinking of getting the K8 too. But I wasn't too sure if I'm gonna be able to add foam and lube the switches. Just asking, is the foam that comes in the box enough or do I need more to do a double layer like you did. Also, is lubing necessary? If so any tips on how I can do that and what do I use? Thanks!
Yeah there should be a minimal difference if you don't add that 1/8" foam like I did. Lubing is not necessary but with a hot swap board, I'd definitely recommend it. It will get rid of the scratchy sounds of the switch and remove any pinging from the springs. I have a video on how to lube tactile switches here (I've switched to using Krytox 105 oil for lubing the springs though): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-e3BVSMTW4sI.html
