looking for a new keyboard( i dont want to build my own )

[Zeeders]

im looking for a new keyboard to buy i have one thats already been built but i want to get a new one cuz  i personally dont like the one i built any recommendations would be helpful i like full size or 75 percent keyboards thank y ou

 

[Fasauceome]

building a keyboard is pretty niche so you probably won't be encouraged to do so unless you really want to.

What is your budget and what currency?

[Zeeders]

im willing to go around 150 

 

[Rubixxxx]

i really like the razer black widow series, but i don't really know much about keyboards so...

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

It depends a bit on what you want in a keyboard (apart from it being already build). Wired or wireless? Latency a critical factor, or media controls? Preferences in terms of switches (sound and feel) or is RGB/backlight a factor?

 

A  lot of brands offer more or less custom level boards already fully build, which can have some nice advantages even if you don't care about the hobby (understandable). The biggest upside would be the use of hotswap sockets for the switches, meaning you can simply remove the switches and replace them should one fail down the line. No soldering needed.

Another common advantage is the use of a QMK/VIA compatible firmware on the board, which allows you to rebind everything on it using simple open source software. No proprietary bloatware needed; stuff even runs in just a browser window.

 

Good examples of these would be Keychron or Nuphy, there you should be able to find something in the range of 100-150:

https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-v6-max-qmk-via-wireless-custom-mechanical-keyboard

https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k10-pro-qmk-via-wireless-mechanical-keyboard

https://nuphy.com/collections/keyboards/products/halo75-v2-qmk-via-wireless-custom-mechanical-keyboard

 

Others that might interest you are GMMK and Ducky, decent quality though some say overpriced. Just make sure to get a hotswap version.

 

 

[Doobeedoo]

I got Ducky One 3 TKL for good price. Wanted one that comes with Cherry MX Speed Silver switches and it's hot-swap and sturdy.

They have different sizes too.

[atarione]

Lots of good options for a nice prebuilt out there..

 

In fairness these are probably over priced these days, but my keyboard for the last decade~ has been a Filco MT2 mx-red's .. the new Majestouch 3 has pbt keycaps stock now which is an improvement..   I bought a set of pbt double shot vortex key caps when I bought my Filco..     This thing is build very well and still looks /feels / works like new basically after heavy usage for about 10yrs.

 

Other options to check out for prebuilts Ducky / WASD / Leopold / keychron / Vortex /Ikbc / AKKO... probably other stuff I am forgetting.

 

Here is my 10~yr old Filco.

[saintlouisbagels]

12 hours ago, atarione said:

Lots of good options for a nice prebuilt out there..

 

In fairness these are probably over priced these days, but my keyboard for the last decade~ has been a Filco MT2 mx-red's .. the new Majestouch 3 has pbt keycaps stock now which is an improvement..   I bought a set of pbt double shot vortex key caps when I bought my Filco..     This thing is build very well and still looks /feels / works like new basically after heavy use age for about 10yrs.

 

Other options to check out for prebuilts Ducky / WASD / Leopold / keychron / Vortex /Ikbc / AKKO... probably other stuff I am forgetting.

Yeah, I would consider Filco, Ducky, Leopold, WASD to be overpriced in today's market because they are sorely missing new features that have become far more popular in the last few years;

 

Gasket mounting - along with including different types e.g. screws, plugs, socks
Plate mounting material - polycarb, brass, etc.

Internal dampening - layers of foam

Tri-Mode - wired, Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz dongle

QMK/VIA - per-key customizing

 

However, I can't argue that those classic brands have a very timeless look to their clean black plastic finishes and font choice. I just think it's difficult to pick them when new guys like Keychron and NuPhy offer so much more. Although I guess Keychron has a reputation for bad keycaps, so the classic guys easily win in that department.

 

I had a Leopold and Vortex keyboard for nearly all of the 2010's and I switched to NuPhy in 2022.

[atarione]

1 hour ago, saintlouisbagels said:

Yeah, I would consider Filco, Ducky, Leopold, WASD to be overpriced in today's market because they are sorely missing new features that have become far more popular in the last few years;

 

Gasket mounting - along with including different types e.g. screws, plugs, socks
Plate mounting material - polycarb, brass, etc.

Internal dampening - layers of foam

Tri-Mode - wired, Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz dongle

QMK/VIA - per-key customizing

 

However, I can't argue that those classic brands have a very timeless look to their clean black plastic finishes and font choice. I just think it's difficult to pick them when new guys like Keychron and NuPhy offer so much more. Although I guess Keychron has a reputation for bad keycaps, so the classic guys easily win in that department.

 

I had a Leopold and Vortex keyboard for nearly all of the 2010's and I switched to NuPhy in 2021.

I am apparently a keyboard boomer... as I really like the classic looks of keyboards like my Filco, and I tried some gasket mounted / damped keyboards (I built a GMK67, and tried out some others) and quickly learned that I didn't like them all that much really.   Tri mode -meh for myself using it at my desk only and I did make a modified cable (pig tail) in order to be able to move my keyboard off my desk easier if needed, in fairness the stock attached cable was a bit of a drag if I needed to move the keyboard as I had to crawl under my desk and uplug the keyboard and then fish the cable out from behind my desk and all that.

 

I don't like the looks of most of the keychron keyboards and I hate their keycaps... I'm (no offense intended) not a fan of the Nuphy keycaps / looks either myself..   I really dislike RGB and don't need or care about QMK/VIA....  

 

I bought this Filco in earlier times when most of the newer options were not out there, but I am still very happy with it and it meets my own needs and matches my own preferences very well...  I really hate the flex in gasket mounts.. personally.     I expect this filco to possibly out live me, but if I spilled my beer in it tomorrow I'd go out and buy a new Filco most likely.

 

 I don't really like the feel of aluminum keyboards cases either.. so yeah.. I am just a full on keyboard boomer I guess.. oh well, bound to happen eventually.

 

This modded cable I built has improved dealing with my Filco a fair bit I would say, as did putting the Vortex PBT doubleshots (although newer filco now come with PBT keycaps as standard) when I bought the filco making it the better part of $180~ when I bought it in 2014.

[saintlouisbagels]

8 hours ago, atarione said:

I am apparently a keyboard boomer... as I really like the classic looks of keyboards like my Filco, and I tried some gasket mounted / damped keyboards (I built a GMK67, and tried out some others) and quickly learned that I didn't like them all that much really.   Tri mode -meh for myself using it at my desk only and I did make a modified cable (pig tail) in order to be able to move my keyboard off my desk easier if needed, in fairness the stock attached cable was a bit of a drag if I needed to move the keyboard as I had to crawl under my desk and uplug the keyboard and then fish the cable out from behind my desk and all that.

 

I don't like the looks of most of the keychron keyboards and I hate their keycaps... I'm (no offense intended) not a fan of the Nuphy keycaps / looks either myself..   I really dislike RGB and don't need or care about QMK/VIA....  

 

I bought this Filco in earlier times when most of the newer options were not out there, but I am still very happy with it and it meets my own needs and matches my own preferences very well...  I really hate the flex in gasket mounts.. personally.     I expect this filco to possibly out live me, but if I spilled my beer in it tomorrow I'd go out and buy a new Filco most likely.

 

 I don't really like the feel of aluminum keyboards cases either.. so yeah.. I am just a full on keyboard boomer I guess.. oh well, bound to happen eventually.

 

This modded cable I built has improved dealing with my Filco a fair bit I would say, as did putting the Vortex PBT doubleshots (although newer filco now come with PBT keycaps as standard) when I bought the filco making it the better part of $180~ when I bought it in 2014.

Haha, I'm a keyboard boomer too. I was VERY into keyboards in the 2010's. Nowadays everyone has a ton of new features at a fraction of the price.

 

2012 - Das Keyboard Ultimate. Brown Switches. No legends. Terrible mistake - I never learned to touch-type lol.

2013 - Topre Realforce TKL. Electro-capacitive. I still don't touch type, so the variable actuation force was lost on me.

2014 - Kuhl TKL. Brown switches. Felt SO solid.

2015-2017 - Leopold 96%. Red switches. Realized I actually prefer red switches. Never used the NumPad. Bought so many GMK keycaps at this time.

2018-2021 - Vortex Race 3 75%. Red switches. Favorite form-factor. Bought a ton of PimpMyKeyboard keycaps for ultimate aesthetics.

2022-present - NuPhy Air75 and then Halo75. Hot-swappable switches. RGB. Satisfying sounds. Tri-mode. omg so good.

[Zeeders]

the one i have now is a gloruius gmmk 1 60%   with the panda switches i like it but  looking for a better option if anyone has built there own im still new to the keyboard customization whats beginner friendly one to build 

[saintlouisbagels]

On 4/14/2024 at 11:23 AM, Zeeders said:

im willing to go around 150 

4 hours ago, Zeeders said:

but  looking for a better option if anyone has built there own im still new to the keyboard customization whats beginner friendly one to build

$150 is too small of a budget to build a "good" keyboard.

Good switches can be $50-$100.

https://www.keychron.com/collections/keychron-mechanical-keyboard-switches?sort_by=price-descending

Good keycaps can be $50-$250

https://gmkkeycap.com/shop/

https://spkeyboards.com/pages/themed-keycap-sets

Lubing kit is ~$12-$30

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=keyboard+lubing+kit&crid=1M3M25SE3QST0&sprefix=keyboard+lubing+k%2Caps%2C83&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

DIY 75% board is $50-$150

https://epomaker.com/collections/75-diy-kit

https://www.keeb.gg/kits/75%

https://meletrix.com/collections/zoom75-collection

 

Go on Keychron and pick a board that looks interesting.

 

Keychron's keycaps and keyswitchs are "okay" - solid choice for with the intention of trying new keycaps and switches while not giving up any premium features.

 

Cheap boards like Redragon's stuff are good for modding since they're cheap and hot-swappable, so they can be high quality and great-sounding with the right switches and sound mods.

[Zeeders]

how hard is it to do the sound mods ? also thanks for the help guys

[saintlouisbagels]

13 minutes ago, Zeeders said:

how hard is it to do the sound mods ? also thanks for the help guys

like most things, it can range from easy to very tedious.

Lubricating switches and springs can affect the sound, but you need to dedicate a couple hours to do it since it's for every key.

But there are people like Hipyo Tech who use various masking tapes and various types of foam

[GarlicDeliverySystem]

2 hours ago, Zeeders said:

how hard is it to do the sound mods ? also thanks for the help guys

It depends on a few things, like how easy/hard the keyboard is to disassemble and what you want to do.

 

Putting a few layers of masking tape on the back of a PCB can take five minutes or an hour, depending on how much you need to take apart and how much the board is designed around that. Same with stuffing the case with foam etc.

[Lurx0720]

On 4/14/2024 at 5:27 PM, Rubixxxx said:

i really like the razer black widow series, but i don't really know much about keyboards so...

they aren't really reliable, mine broke after six months and the razer support said warranty was over (i had 2 years)