Hot Swapable Key Switches

Z6197 · March 19, 2019

hey guys, I'm looking to replace a broken Razer Black Widow Ultimate 2016. After talking to a guy i met while looking i am on the search for a keyboard with swappable key switches. After asking r/MechanicalKeyboards I was directed to www.pcgamingrace.com and their custom keyboard.

my questions for this forum are:

1) anyone know if this is a good keyboard, i've seen reviews saying keys are not stabilized well. but there are so few bad reviews I don't want to take them too seriously. if i use non pc gaming race keycaps are they better stabalized?

2) i also would appreciate links to any other sellers of similar products.

3) and anything else y'all think i should know about this subject.

p.s. sorry if this is on the forum. did a quick search and didn't see anything. feel free to link me to an existing thread.

thanks,

N00B

Dissitesuxba11s · March 19, 2019

When they say "keys are not stabilized well," do they mean the stabilizers on the backspace, shift, enter and space bar?

4 hours ago, Z6197 said:

if i use non pc gaming race keycaps are they better stabalized?

It would also depend on what switches you have. BOX switches are more stable than regular switches but it honestly isn't too bad as people make it out to be.

4 hours ago, Z6197 said:

i also would appreciate links to any other sellers of similar products.

Massdrop CTRL, but you would have to wait till the end of May to get it, and it's pricey.

KBD6X PCB - This is a PCB only. You would have to get a 60% case, switches and keycaps.

Epathbuy iGK64 kit - Full kit similar to the offerings of KBDFans. There are a lot of options on that site other than the one I linked. I have this kit and I really like it. Took a while to get to me since it came from China.

Kira - If you have a lot of money.

EDIT: Just looked more into the GMMK PCB. It looks like it's similar to my iGK64 in that it uses a hot swap socket that's not the Kailh PCB Sockets. The issue with these sockets is that you can comfortably install only plate mounted switches, but if you decide to swap in PCB mounted ones, and most boutique switches are PCB mounted, you would have to clip the two PCB mounting stems on ALL of the switches because there are no holes to accommodate said stems (See comparison below), and the hot swap sockets make contact with the stems (in the case with the iGK6x series; see example below).

PCB Comparison:

Spoiler

The pic below is the PCB for the iGK64. The arrows point to the holes for the stems of PCB mounted switches.

As you can see in the pic of the PCB of the GMMK, there are no holes for these switches.

The issue with some hot swap PCBs:

Spoiler

Take a look at the red circles in the picture. As you can see on this iGK68 PCB, the hot swap sockets do not completely clear the holes for the left hand switch stem.

If you want to use PCB mounted switches on this PCB, you would either have to clip the left hand stem on all of your switches.

Or you can do what I did and force the switch on the socket which snapped the piece of plastic off the socket. Luckily, all the socket still work and now I can use PCB mounted switches. I don't recommend the latter method because it involves breaking things, and it might damage the socket, but I just want to inform you.

DISCLAIMER: I am not liable if you break your PCB with the method stated above. Use common sense.

Edited March 19, 2019 by Dissitesuxba11s

nox_ · March 19, 2019

54 minutes ago, Z6197 said:

hey guys, I'm looking to replace a broken Razer Black Widow Ultimate 2016. After talking to a guy i met while looking i am on the search for a keyboard with swappable key switches. After asking r/MechanicalKeyboards I was directed to www.pcgamingrace.com and their custom keyboard.

my questions for this forum are:

1) anyone know if this is a good keyboard, i've seen reviews saying keys are not stabilized well. but there are so few bad reviews I don't want to take them too seriously. if i use non pc gaming race keycaps are they better stabalized?

2) i also would appreciate links to any other sellers of similar products.

3) and anything else y'all think i should know about this subject.

p.s. sorry if this is on the forum. did a quick search and didn't see anything. feel free to link me to an existing thread.

thanks,

N00B