Well I fell down the custom keyboard world.

Raymond Lin said:
Lubed the stalisers in my Q1, with the new Lemon switches and OMG, I think i found the sound I have been looking for. It does come at a hefty cost though from all the experimenting with switches lol
Click to expand...
The keyboard rabbit hole can be a bit pricey, I have managed to stop with custom 75%, 80% or tkl and a 98% oh and another keychron tkl I keep in work.

As for switches, I got lucky with finding gateron yellows in my first keyboard, I have different switches in every board but settled on the weight and linear type.

Keycaps have been one of more expensive outlays, down to my poor taste and indecision
 
$anch3z said:
The keyboard rabbit hole can be a bit pricey, I have managed to stop with custom 75%, 80% or tkl and a 98% oh and another keychron tkl I keep in work.

As for switches, I got lucky with finding gateron yellows in my first keyboard, I have different switches in every board but settled on the weight and linear type.

Keycaps have been one of more expensive outlays, down to my poor taste and indecision
Click to expand...

I think the most "waste of money" switches have been the Oil Kings, they come with a good reputation but I don't think they are really all that....for one thing, it blocks the RGB. I mean it is fine if your board don't have RGB or don't like RGB but it blocks it in a way that I can still see a hint of it so a bit in between. Also, the difference between it and the Milky Yellow were small (to me), vs the price difference and the milky yellow allow RGB to come through.

For tactiles, I have tried the Holy Pandas and I even tried a set of silent switches. I think these Lemon Yellows are going to be my go to now, it isn't THAT tactile, the force required isn't much, only a little. It feels almost like linear hence I was a bit surprised when they turned up because when i tried it in the store I didn't think they were tactile. But the weight of them (55g) is perfect and together with my board and keycaps, this home board is DONE.

I now move onto a work one.
 
Just ordered this PBT keycap set, now I need to pick a keyboard. I think I will get 65%, but part of me just want to get ANSI so I can use that SNES Enter key !!!

u9SUl7K.jpeg


IuvAfoW.jpeg


jj45aIN.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Looked around long and hard....ended up ordering a Keychron Q2 Pro in the end. I wanted the following and the options are rather slim.

1 - ISO
2 - 65%
3 - Knob
4 - Aluminium
5 - White (or like SNES Grey) to go with the keycaps
6 - Mac compatible, physical win/mac switch preferable over fn+key, I will forget that in 2mins.

Going to put in the Oil Kings for now, might as well use them since they cost a small fortune.
 
Last edited:
Raymond Lin said:
Looked around long and hard....ended up ordering a Keychron Q2 Pro in the end. I wanted the following and the options are rather slim.

1 - ISO
2 - 65%
3 - Knob
4 - Aluminium
5 - White (or like SNES Grey) to go with the keycaps
6 - Mac compatible, win/mac switch preferable

Going to put in the Oil Kings for now, might as well use them since they cost a small fortune.
Click to expand...
Do you not miss the £ key?
 
Raymond Lin said:
Going to put in the Oil Kings for now, might as well use them since they cost a small fortune.
Click to expand...
Where did you get your oil kings from that they cost so much? I've got them in my current CU75 build and I wouldn't have said they were particularly expensive compared to anything else. I'm pretty sure my inky black v2s cost more when I bought those.
 
t2na said:
Where did you get your oil kings from that they cost so much? I've got them in my current CU75 build and I wouldn't have said they were particularly expensive compared to anything else. I'm pretty sure my inky black v2s cost more when I bought those.
Click to expand...

I got them with the other keycaps back in 2022...It was the shipping I guess lol But the Nuphy Lemon cost me half that at £35 delivered.

AkCSSpk.png
 
Last edited:
Raymond Lin said:
I got them with the other keycaps back in 2022...It was the shipping I guess lol But the Nuphy Lemon cost me half that at £35 delivered.

AkCSSpk.png
Click to expand...
How many switches is that for $70? Assuming that's from KBDFans right so yeah, shipping is a real pain. I still do really like ordering from KBDFans (and it looks like they're giving better pricing now for the UK and EU because of the US tarriff malarky).

Not sure if you're UK based but MechMods sells switches and 10 oil kings will cost you about 6 quid - so for a 75/80% board you're looking at under 45/50 quid.
 
t2na said:
How many switches is that for $70? Assuming that's from KBDFans right so yeah, shipping is a real pain. I still do really like ordering from KBDFans (and it looks like they're giving better pricing now for the UK and EU because of the US tarriff malarky).

Not sure if you're UK based but MechMods sells switches and 10 oil kings will cost you about 6 quid - so for a 75/80% board you're looking at under 45/50 quid.
Click to expand...

That was Novelkeys, I think it is US based?

The SFC caps this time is from KBDfans and I did have to pay $21 in shipping, DHL I think. Taking a $35 keycaps to $56. I found the same set on Aliexpress for like £47 so essentially the same price.

The Oil Kings, it was 3 pieces, I got it for my 75% Q1, so I think it was 90 total, 30 each piece.
 
Raymond Lin said:
That was Novelkeys, I think it is US based?

The SFC caps this time is from KBDfans and I did have to pay $21 in shipping, DHL I think. Taking a $35 keycaps to $56. I found the same set on Aliexpress for like £47 so essentially the same price.

The Oil Kings, it was 3 pieces, I got it for my 75% Q1, so I think it was 90 total, 30 each piece.
Click to expand...
Yeah, US based. They make a few nice things, their Novelkey Cream switches were insanely popular during 2020.
 
CGrieves said:
The functionality of the knobs on Keychrons is great thanks to VIA. I use mine to twist Zoom and click to return to 100%. For productivity I find it a killer feature.
Click to expand...

As much I as didn't want to spend like £200 on a barebone board, and I know there are as good or better boards out there for the same or less money, I do like Keychron boards and have one so I know the quality. Re the knob, I like the tolerance of them, they are good quality, a solid notch when turn. I don't know what the other cheaper ones are like and at least I know what I am getting with the Keychron.

I was going to get the Yunzii but unknown quantity of the knob feel :p and only ANSI layout with no physical Win/Mac switches knocks 2 of the 6 requirements. 3 if you count it only comes in silver or black for the 65%.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom