Zoom65 owner here, I came from a compact 1800 keyboard. The first few days are jarring but it really is not as small as you think. Basically it comes down to whether you need the numpad or not.
Well I fell down the custom keyboard world.
- Thread starter davetherave2
- Start date
Zoom65 owner here, I came from a compact 1800 keyboard. The first few days are jarring but it really is not as small as you think. Basically it comes down to whether you need the numpad or not.
- Joined
- 27 Mar 2003
- Posts
- 2,708
I love the look of it and the new colour combo options are just sublime (pink and rose gold weight if I was doing it), it just looks too cramped for me personally. I am moving into more TKL's than anything else as they look more pleasing to me.
It certainly could be an option in the future but I have a few keyboards to pay off first (I went in hard with the Matrix 3.0) before I even think about purchasing another keyboard right now.
Anyone going for the keychron K8 from kickstarter?
I feel it might be a decent first custom keyboard (gf stole the Q2 I bought from the MM)
I feel it might be a decent first custom keyboard (gf stole the Q2 I bought from the MM)
Man of Honour
Isn't the K8 already available to buy? I've seen it for sale in a UK Keyboard shop? Unless I'm missing something?
Associate
I managed to get a blue one which was my second option, I actually wanted green but the it was gone by the time I got to payment.
Also got the fr4 plate.
Green was my first but last minute change of mind so went with a Black Chroma. Wanted to make a Matcha themed board tbh.
Associate
I’m not sure how many greens they had, I was very quick and they still sold out.
Associate
Anyone thinking of the Space65 R3 today. I'll try and get at least one colour, but Id like 2.
Did you end up getting one? I'm got too many 65's so couldn't get it lol.
Associate
Yeah, went for a mecha and forest.
Associate
Also bought some JTK Night Sakura when they restocked on Friday night, almost bought a set on mech market until someone on twitch mentioned they were being restocked, so saved some money.
These ship 6months after GB ends?
Associate
Yeah, I believe so.
Damn, i like them but that is a hell of a wait.
Associate
I guess, but when GMK take up to 2 years to deliver keycaps 6 months doesnt seem so bad.
- Joined
- 27 Mar 2003
- Posts
- 2,708
Well I just ordered my first 65% board. The Zoom65 Essential in Faint Blurple + Pink Anno. (nicePBT Fuji should go nicely on this I think)
For the price I decided it was probably worth a punt really to see if I like it (at the very least it will be a good travelling keyboard I think)
Yeah keycap delivery times is no joke right now. I will have boards waiting for months before I see any of the sets I have ordered over the past 8 months.
For the price I decided it was probably worth a punt really to see if I like it (at the very least it will be a good travelling keyboard I think)
Yeah keycap delivery times is no joke right now. I will have boards waiting for months before I see any of the sets I have ordered over the past 8 months.
Well this thread took me down a rabbit hole whilst stuck in bed with covid-22 a good 8 to 10 hours of reading and watching Vids on YouTube yesterday, cheers Dave
I mean my gf only asked what I wanted for my bday next week. I'll be honest doing this research on a phone (my pc is downstairs in the front room so my phone is my portal to the internet currently whilst quarantining in bed). I'm more confused than when I started.
I thought I'd found the board for me the Zoom65. But then I realised it doesn't come with switches or caps rookie mistake. A mate then threw a curve ball and said look at keychron this morning after talking to him on discord. Which has made me even more confused. There's so many models I thought a K2 would do after hours of looking but then I can only check out with blue switches.
As the board will be my daily I'll need ISO layout has I program for a living and linear switches so I can game on it on an evening also meaning I'd need low latency.
Can anyone help a brother. This rabbit hole is quite deep and I've lost which way the lights coming from
What I don't want to do is spend a fortune still have bits missing and totally the wrong bits for my needs. But like the idea of a hot swap custom instead of some overpriced gaming trash.
I mean my gf only asked what I wanted for my bday next week. I'll be honest doing this research on a phone (my pc is downstairs in the front room so my phone is my portal to the internet currently whilst quarantining in bed). I'm more confused than when I started.
I thought I'd found the board for me the Zoom65. But then I realised it doesn't come with switches or caps rookie mistake. A mate then threw a curve ball and said look at keychron this morning after talking to him on discord. Which has made me even more confused. There's so many models I thought a K2 would do after hours of looking but then I can only check out with blue switches.
As the board will be my daily I'll need ISO layout has I program for a living and linear switches so I can game on it on an evening also meaning I'd need low latency.
Can anyone help a brother. This rabbit hole is quite deep and I've lost which way the lights coming from
What I don't want to do is spend a fortune still have bits missing and totally the wrong bits for my needs. But like the idea of a hot swap custom instead of some overpriced gaming trash.
- Joined
- 27 Mar 2003
- Posts
- 2,708
I totally apologize to anyone that finds themselves down this rabbit hole via this thread.
I guess the question is what would your budget be for a full build?
Are you looking at more just being able to have a nice board with the ability to tinker with it or full on I want it look, sound and feel a specific way?
When I started this journey I had a few criteria:
1) It needs to match the theme of my pc (White, Pink, Purple)
2) ISO and ideally full size (Programmer by trade so needed the numpad and F row) - although that has now changed simply from having the cypher.
3) Must not sound like my Razer keyboards (Although they are all purple optical switches I think they can be considered more on the clicky side of things rather than linear)
4) Budget (Although that went out the window as soon as I saw the KBDFans Odin)
It is so easy to get sucked into the well if I just spend a little extra here on the case or a few pence more on the switches these extras soon add up.
So if you are on a tight budget stick too it.
I think the Keychrons are a good entry way into the more custom space with their hot swap options available and numerous form factors. I'm sure you can get the model you want with ISO and non-clickies from a certain prime site.
You obviously also have the GMMK Pro builder https://www.overclockers.co.uk/peripherals/keyboards/custom-keyboards but again this could get expensive very quickly. (plus it may not have the sound profile you want or need to do the force break mod (I think this applies to this model from memory) on it to stop some of the ping)
Well if you wanted a full Zoom65 build with everything then you could go with the zoom65 Olivia Edition (£189) this comes with everything you need as a starter build. The April Batch is still available to pre-order. (I obviously can't link to where they can be purchased from but google is your friend for the UK Vendor)
This then would give you the scope to change out keycaps and switches in the future if you wanted too try something a bit different.
Honestly I thought I would struggle moving from a full size board but after using my F Rowless 1800 Cypher I find it odd using the F keys now on my normal keyboard without hitting the fn key (right ctrl), there will be a period of adjustment but I have found it relatively painless.
Ultimately it comes down to preference but if you start with the budget then that hopefully will help dictate options available to you.
I still consider myself new in this space even though I am starting to creep up to that first year of being in the hobby and a lot of money invested in various group buys.
Just avoid getting into artisans for the sake of your wallet (money will quickly disappear if you enter all the various raffles)