The one aspect I still have a bit of trouble with since I haven't been able to get to a meetup is switches. It feels like there's SOOO much variety in switch feel and sound. I know a few switches I love but not sure what else I would like... mostly because there's SOOO many new switches these days with different materials, spring variations, not to mention tactiles and their varying degrees of "bump"
Best thing I could recommend is places that sell switch testers, so you can try one switch alone and compare it to a big bunch without wasting money on switches you may not like...I get it's tough to fully gather proper opinions on switches with the varying videos, I've struggled with it too. Once you gather what sort of materials you like and what sort of spring weight you prefer etc, that narrows things down a lot I think.
Definetely love it! I've been into the custom keyboard scene since 2020.But since I'm still studying and doesn't make any income yet,I never have the money to spend on keyboard . This 2 years I have been listening to countless of custom board and watched all the group buy passes by me (since I cant afford it ) . I'm now finally graduated and looking for my first custom board. Thanks for all your videos Lewis
ngl as a person who build multiple keyboards too, i agree with alot of points especially the one where u should focus on a high end quality board than multiple budget kits.
Definitely felt the sentiments for a higher end board. Recently saved up for a Sonnet and it’s literally a whole new playing field from my first budget board.
I would recommend HIGHLY to beginners when buying keycaps to ensure your keycap set is compatible with the layout of your keyboard chosen. Some shift keys and bottom row keys are different sizes so make sure you know the keycap set includes those smaller/bigger keys. You don’t want to find a set you bought not have the keycap you need and now your board looks half baked
OMG!!!! you just read my mind lol I am at the point where I should invest in the more high end spectrum of keyboards. Having over 12 budget boards ranging from Keychron to Therav2 i think its time for a higher end build or a fully custom board not like the DIY kits. This has been truly inspiring. Thanks again for the amazing content.
im watching this vid cause i just joined this hobby on november 2022 with a $160 keychron v2 barebones build built and modded by me and i've been enjoying it a lot but now i wanna get another one i literally can´t choose but your advice is helping me a lot
Try the qk 65 if you want something a little better a qk75 or a zoom 75 or spend a bit more and get a hex4b but you have to solder the switches on the hex4b
This seems like good advice for most people. I'm really in the "I'm poor" category, so $80-$100 is just way more than I can justify spending on a keyboard, but I really wanted to get a mechanical that I could at least mod/upgrade. The good news seems to be that there are a lot of cheap boards that aren't horrible anymore, which was not true when I first started looking at them a couple of years ago. For me, the only real option I had was to get something fully assembled that was, at most, $40 but to make sure it was hot swappable and had some of the features I wanted (backlighting or RGB...didn't really care about full blown RGB, just wanted it backlit for when I'm up late and there isn't a ton of light). Of course, I still sort of messed up because I found a board for $30, that had the few things I was looking for (including a heavier linear switch, which can be hard to come by on prebuilt tbh)...but, my Gateron Black switch is also optical, which hey, a little bit better for gaming and durablity, but there are so few options to swap with. So, yeah, it looks like I might be making some frankenstein opticals at some point lol.
Genuine question: do you clean mechanical keyboards? If so how regularly? Like…there’s so many moving parts, dust, literal lube that could get gummy, etc. That would be a super helpful video because that’s one of the things holding me back from actually getting into the hobby
Simply popping off the keycaps and dusting works most effectively tbh. To really deep clean, it's probably a case of disassemby and reassembly once every 1-2 years, maybe even less, depending on your setup and location. General tidy up would just be wiping down the exterior case if needed. High profile boards are also better to avoid getting full of dust etc as the case encloses the switches more from the sides.
Best starting boards in my opinion: _65%: +GMK67: tri mode, gasket mount, south facing rgb, knob, very light to cary around and dirt cheap. Cons: muted sound, not so good stock stabiliers and weak rgb. +FinalKey Origin65A: great build quality, very heavy, poron gasket mount, pom plate, knob, sound super nice, brightest RGB you can get, via keymap. Cons: only in 1 mode, stab aren't included, not very suitable for carrying around. +FL Esport CMK68: great build quality, very nice stock stabilizers, already comes with full silicone dampeners. Their FSA profile keycap use the same mold with Akko's ASA but with thicker pbt plastic, sound little bit deeper. Pretty much useable out of the box. Cons: north facing rgb, can be too muted, not as popular out size China and Vietnam. Chosse this instead of Akko 3068B. +FinalKey/Cidoo V65 r2: literally the best 65% aluminum board that its price, even come with dual mode. Cons: feets cover up the screw holes. _75%: +Forget the keychron V1, it's obsoleted +James Donkey A3: tri mode, gasket mount, heavy silicones dampener, knob very cheap, south facing rgb. Cons: muted, earlier version have sweet smelling silicone that can attract ants, have some minor bugs. +FL Esport MK750: like the A3 but with superior build quality and great stock stabiliers. You plug your switches and put on the keycap and go to sleep, no need to worry about your stabs. Cons: muted, not popular out side China and Vietnam. +Fuhlen H75S: 2 years warranty , popular for their durability (seriously, those Fuhlen mouse and keyboards in internet coffee haven't given out since 2014)Tri mode, south facing rgb, gasket mount, average silicone case dampener and ixpe switches foam and eva plate foam. Bright RGB, very cool sideline RGB, not as muted as the two above, have 2 plate option (pc or aluminum). Cons: ealier version's knob is not stable, average build quality, not popular out size China and Vietnam. +GK75: what if NextTime75 but with south facing rgb? Cons: traymount, no daughter board +VGN81: 75% with oled screen and underglow RGB for a reasonableness price. Cons: North facing RGB. +NJ80/NJ81: Old timers board for old timers. Out side of build quality, they are overpriced, only recommended for og. +Monsgeek M1: What can you ask for more of a aluminum at that price? You can also solder RGB led onto the pcb to have side RGB, replace the gold accents with acrylic and you get yourself a game. Cons: muted, not much space for improvement inside the case. +LMK81: You actually can ask for more. Currently running group buy, made in the same workshop as the Cidoo V65, Via compatible, some how have tri mode, expected to have better sound than M1. Cons: Powder coating instead of Anodizing.
"What Keyboard Is next for me?" feels like you're in my head, the boards you mentioned are almost exactly what I have xD. RK84 pro, Keychron Q2 + Akko Mod 008, and Zoom TKL. I was thinking about what to do next, I really want to wait for the QK 65/75 to come out again, but depending on how long that takes, I might take your advice and save up for a premium board instead
I think you should also include feel. Personally, sound is less important to me than feel. The sound to me is not as big a factor compared to your the keyboard feels when I try typing on it. This is why I love rectified tactiles. 😅
This is so fucking true I would rather have a keyboard that feels good to type on with switches that I dont like that much than a keyboard that is stiff and feels trash with my favorite switches
I think is better to discover the "natural" character of the keyboard, I mean: perform all hacks to an existing mechanical keyboard then realize what kind of sound it does (creamy, poppy, tacky, thocky, whatever) and what can be improved (keycaps, switches, suspension, etc)
Excellent video. One thing that people get stuck on, like you mentioned, is that people will stack up on a whole bunch of beginner boards and budget boards. I had like RK61, GK67, KBD67 Lite, Akko, Keychron Q2, and modded those endlessly. Spent way too much time and money on these beginner boards that all sound the same for two whole years. Don't do what I did. It's worth buying 1 budget board like a QK, Jris, Bakeneko, or even a Sequence (which I have). And save up to buy a premium custom ($350+). The acoustics and sound pitch really changes and the hobby gets more fun.
Unpopular opinion..I am not a big fan of premium boards. Got a WindX65, tried Voice65 and the VEGA. I feel like at that price point, unless you really like the aesthetic of the board, the typing and sound profile isn't that much better/different (in my opinion) from a kit that is in the 150-200 range.
I love your videos, I wish I could have access to these keyboards that you’ve mentioned, but unfortunately I live in Brazil and these high ends keyboards are “impossible” to get. Not only for the high prices but more because the bureaucracy involved 😢
I'm planning to build my second custom board, I'm going for a max clack full alu board (gonna be my first alu board). I'm planning for an envoy or jris. However, those 2 boards are not still available in stock specially the envoy. So, I was planning to just settle for QK65 because it is easier to get now. And for my switches my options are Durock pom linear and Zaku switches.
0:35 Definitely build it, but i can't find anything better than the Q1 max. Maybe besides qk75n, which is ~45eur more than alr hella expensive keychron :(
you normally can tell from the weight, design, mounting and etc. but the best way is probably to watch reviews from the creators who get their hands on it first! that is actually a really good question, im going to start telling you guys about the sound profile of the boards i review
where should i get keycaps from? my first custom keyboard is going to be (if it goes well) a monsgeek m1 with akko cs piano switches. i havent decided about the keycaps because they are either very expensive or out of stock (and both most of the time lol), so yeah could u help me with this
i think i did something wrong here because my first keyboard was a cheap fantech maxfit 108 and i wansnt satisfied at all with it, my second board is pressplay rover 84 v3 (a rebrand of a feker 84) and the switches i used on that board are tecsee carrots and changed it out with aquakings i loved the sound of this keyboard the deep thock and that keyboard is the one that started my obsession with keyboards, and my third keyboard is a monsgeek m1 which i bought this january, this is the best keyboard for its price hands down, i used everglide aquakings, pe foam mod and tape mod that keyboard, i heard that keyboard was a clacky board but for me it was very thocky it was amazing. and now i am using the owlabs mr suit with BCP switches which is a HUGE step up in price compared to the monsgeek m1 that i used before this, i also have the cidoo 65 which is also an amazing board for its price (probably better than the monsgeek because it comes with really great switches and really good keycaps) i dont know why probably with the huge step up i didnt try out the upper range of budget keyboard like the qk 65 qk75 or like the zoom 75, i thought why not just buy the best, the one thats on top, i said to myself why would you spend on the budget keyboards which will make you spend more money buying keyboards just buy the best and get over it. but now i am still thinking of buying the qk 65 or the zoom 75 even though i already have the mr suit. i know the mr suit will be better than those keyboards but i dont know why i still want them THIS HOBBY IS DRAINING MY BANK ACCOUNT ( any recommendations on what switches to use on the qk65 to make it as thocky and as creamy as possible). for me if you just want a keyboard that sounds nice just get a QK my friend has one and it feels so premium i dont know why you would go for something else in that price
While I don’t use foam in my keyboards, I don’t think it ruins it, it might take away some characteristic of the board but at the end of the day everyone has a different taste in sound.
I dont think so, but i bought a mr suit and it sounds great with or without foam i still prefer using foam but probably because owlabs in general is a foam board
expensive does not equal good!! take the cyberboard for $600+ and it wouldnt even come close to the quality and feel as a geon glare for $400+ or something similar
I want to buy a keyboard which is like 65 percent or 60 percent with a knob and banana split switches can you recommend a case, stabs, foam, PCB? Im also gonna buy the tai hao sakura something keycaps. And please do a tutorial on how to lube stabs and switches
Does it really have to have a knob, if it does try the zoom 65 ee v2 if it doesnt get a qk65 for stabs ill probably say tx stabs because durock v2 needs a lot of love before it sounds good (its a pain in the ass to make it not tick and for foam you are going to get all the foam you want with those keyboards, just use all of them it will sound great
@@RandomPhonker oh yea if you really want a cheap and good one, consider the cidoo 65 v2 from epomaker, i own one its really good even compared to my other keyboards that cost 8x as much, all you have to do is lube the switches
I think you just missed the Wind X R2 group buy, but there should be extras after! Or if you're interested in something even smaller, theres a candybar
Hi can you advise me on if I should get the if98 pro as I’m looking to have this as a entry level model and am planning to mod it btw it comes with gateron ink black for me but I want to add akko black switches and Akko black keycaps
