Hi All,
I’m looking for a new mechanical keyboard. Hoping for some advice. I used to have a Corsair K70 Pro, but unfortunately that no longer functions. I’ve been using a crappy dell keyboard from work and have finally been annoyed enough by it to buy a new keyboard.
I’ve considered going with another K70, but corsair doesn’t give a shit about linux and I’m kicking windows outta my house. While I could emulate or build a vm, I’d rather just get a keyboard that doesn’t make linux an afterthought if thought of at all. What I like about the K70 is that the keys aren’t shrouded making it super easy to
Wants are:
- 100% full keyboard
- Ideally no shrouding around the switches, minor shrouding would be okay.
- A passthrough USB port on the keyboard for a mouse, to minimize wires and simpliy cable management.
- Hotswap switches
- Full Linux support
- Backlit (ideally RGB, but I"m not doing any fancy profiles, just a solid color)
- Media keys nice, but I can live without them.
- Ideally not much more than $200
I’d prefer prebuilt, but at most minimal soldering would be acceptable, as long as it’s nothing too small, my soldering skills are an embarrassment.
I’ve looked at the following already.
Ducky All models I saw shrouded the switches. seem shrouded.
System76 Cost seems excessive and I don’t really want a 96% keyboard.
DasKeyboard & Keychron The models pretty much all shroud the switches too much, or they’re low form factor.
The DasKeyboard 5QS comes close, and I might just go with it if I don’t have a better option, but it’s got more shrouding around the switches than I like. It also doesn’t seem to have a secondary USB port.
I just saw this as well. I really like the bigger one on the left, would just need to be a full keyboard, maybe an additional USB port on the back as well. https://lemmy.ml/post/10016605
I love Keychron for the value, and quality they provide.
https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k5-pro-qmk-via-wireless-custom-mechanical-keyboard
https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q6-pro-qmk-via-wireless-custom-mechanical-keyboard
https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-q6-qmk-custom-mechanical-keyboard
https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k10-pro-qmk-via-wireless-mechanical-keyboard
Anything that says QMK/VIA is supported in linux as you can define your own custom keys and develop/flash custom firmware if desired.
I run a K4v2 modified with QMK as my daily and love it for its compact size but still robust keyset since I actually use my function, navigation, and 10keys on a daily basis. My travel board is a K17 Pro because I wanted something a little smaller and low profile for use on airplanes and hotels.
Nearly all the Keychron boards offer hotswap and either white or RGB backlighting as well so you should not need to solder anything.
Maybe I’ll just order a couple KeyChron and DasKeyboard to see if any fit the bill.
I can definitely see myself using a smaller keyboard away from my desk, traveling, etc. Definitely use the hell out of the 10 key for work though, so a must at my desk.
I use it enough when also needing to use my mouse I have a spare num pad on the left.
I like the use of space on the k4v2 and having every key near my finger tips.
Which keyboard is it in the first picture?
Modified Keycron k4v2
I’ll be honest I don’t think I’ve seen a pre-built mech that meets all those specs.
I am sure you could piece together a custom, even though 100%'s are a bit rare, the first that comes to mind is the Boston 120% which is even bigger than you want and the shrouding, you would most likely have to solder every key and possibly the RGB.
It’s a gaming keyboard, but I bought mine for typing as fast as possible in Vim / Linux professionally and it’s fantastic for that too. it offers full Linux support (incl. API if you want to roll your own application), analog switches that are buttery-smooth, and cute RGB animations.
It’s not half-bad for gaming too 🙂
This looks like it ticks most of the boxes. I’ll have to add it to the list. I think the only drawback is I can’t order it on amazon to try with little to no risk. On the other hand, I’d prefer to buy direct anyway.
I don’t see any mention of hot-swappability and I doubt you’d find many HE switches for it anyway …
I don’t see any mention of hot-swappability
Here’s a quote from their website. This indicates to me that at least at the time of writing there would be very limited options, which isn’t probably great for me since I have a couple switches in mind.
"At this time there are no other available brands with magnet switches that are compatible.
Wooting HE keyboards have hall-sensors on the PCBA to detect movement from a magnet inside the Lekker switch. Without the magnet it can’t detect the switch.
It is not possible to use any other technology switch."
I think I’ll skip this one. It looks great, but without the ability to get other switches and a couple other missing features, I don’t think it’ll fit within requirements :/ Specifically the noise requirement that the GF has.
In fairness, you did ask that the keyboard have hot-swappable switches: the Wooting does, it’s just that you can only swap the switches with the same switches. I didn’t deceive you 🙂
I know you mentioned Keychron seems low form factor, but that’s not my experience with the K10 Pro. I have been using this keyboard for a few months now and I love it. I got mine with Red switches.
Sorry typo, Low Profile is what I meant.
The K5 for instance, lists low profile keys and switches. Unfortunately, it doesn’t looks like you can hotswap between low profile and standard or I’d go that route :/
I like the K10 for the most part, I just don’t like that the switches are covered by the frame/case or whatever you wanna call it. I’m a bit OCD and brush my keyboard pretty much daily, sometimes multiple times… The frame adds a barrier to cleaning.
Maybe the pictures you were referencing weren’t very good but the switches aren’t covered by anything.
There’s a top plate that covers the PCB, but the switches are fully exposed and fit snugly against the top plate to prevent dust from going down onto the PCB.
I took a couple of pictures of my K8 Pro which is identical in construction to the K10 Pro. One with the keycap removed, and one with the switch pulled.
The K8 Pro and K10 Pro are in fact different designs (not just the layout) and the K10 Pro has the frame as you mention.
The K10 (non-Pro) is closer to the K8 Pro design if you leave out the Aluminum frame: https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k10-wireless-mechanical-keyboard?variant=39426668298329 (the frame obviously doesn’t shroud all keys individually but just creates a single frame around the whole thing which you may or may not want).
I’ve got the K8 Pro (for work) and the Q3 (at home) and I’m quite happy (but the Q3 has the frame as well).
Points 1, 2 and 3 are practically non-existent in the hobbyist mechanical keyboard space. You might get a few 100% boards but open floating design is not favoured, and passthrough is considered unnecessary.
Das Keyboard have a few keyboards that provide 1, 2 and 3 (thought #3 sometimes with a hub instead of passthrough).
But they are not hot-swappable and possibly not considered “custom keyboards”, as they are close to the “main stream” and don’t focus on customizability.
Yea, the moment hotswap and a degree of customisability is called for, a lot of the mainstream “niceties” tend to be dropped.
I’ve used HyperX’s Alloy Elite for a few years now and it’s still going strong: https://hyperx.com/collections/keyboards-mice/products/hyperx-alloy-elite-2-mechanical-gaming-keyboard?variant=41031691468957.
Has most of the features you’re looking for. One thing is Linux - I’m not sure if it has “Linux” support like you’re looking for, but it does work like a normal keyboard on Linux. I’ve never used macros or any customizing features for it on Windows, and thus don’t use anything like that on Linux either. Media controls work perfectly fine on Linux.
The other concern is hot swapping switches - I’ve never done that either, I have stuck with my brown switches since I got it. Only real customizing I’ve done is to change the keycaps to pudding style.One thing is Linux - I’m not sure if it has “Linux”
I took a quick look at their website and from what I can tell, their NGENUITY config tool is Windows only, which makes it a pretty hard no for me.
The other concern is hot swapping switches Their website doesn’t say anything about being able to hot-swap switches, and a quick (like 2 minutes) search of the interwebz seems inconclusive. I would suspect they are NOT swapable, at least not without de-soldering the old ones.
Updates!
I ordered a bunch of keyboards to try out. I’m trying out some formatting here, so sorry if it looks like trash.
##KeyChron: One thing I didn’t realize about these keyboards is that you can switch between bluetooth devices using different keys on the keyboard. This was a big plus for the GF, since she hasn’t been able to find a good keyboard that can do that. She is now probably taking a K5 Pro, even after throwing shade at me for buying a bunch of keyboards to test.
K10 (Gateron Brown switches) This thing is fairly hefty, but reasonable. It’s bulkier than I like, but others may like it plenty fine. It’s keys are hot swappable. I used the brown switches that came with it. While the noise doesn’t bother me that much, the GF, we’ll just say she has feelings about this… This keyboard isn’t SUPER loud, it’s just a little louder than all the others I tried, it also a little higher pitch sound to it compared to the others I used.
K10 Pro (K Pro Brown switches) This keyboard is big, and heavy. It’s 3.5 pounds (1588 grams or something like that.) It’s big, not a fan. I tried to use it, but it just feels to bulky. I could probably get used to it and it would probably really great if I actually was responsible and got a wrist rest, but that’s not the only factor. I really don’t like frames the cover the key switches. They just make cleaning annoying. Aside from bulk I do actually really like this keyboard. They have dampening foam to reduce noise, which the GF loves. The brown switches that come with it are fine, the key caps are also fine. I’d honestly probably get different switches and keys if I went with this keyboard, but that’s an option. They switches are hotswappable and you can get a barebones model for just that. I really don’t like the frame though.
K5 Pro (Red and Brown switch variants) I’m going to start saying that I went into trying these keyboards expecting to hate them because they were low profile. I was wrong. I don’t love them, but they aren’t nearly as bad as I thought they would be.
These keyboards are fairly light, they’re thin, and they feel pretty decent to type on, I don’t like how short the stroke is, but I can live with it. I honestly don’t hear much of a difference between the red and brown switches, which was surprising, but they do feel very different. The reds have more of a springy feel that you feel a pronounced difference in tension as you press them down, which wasn’t nearly as pronounced in standard red switches in my opinion. I suspect that will become less pronounced as they wear in. The brown switches have a little actuation point to go over as one would expect, but doesn’t have that pronounced spring tension. Personally I prefer the brown switches. I like that actuation feeling.
DasKeyboard
DasKeyboard 6 Pro (MX Brown Switches) Honestly, I didn’t really do much with this keyboard. I typed a bit and didn’t like the sound or feel, the switches aren’t hot swappable, and it has that frame covering the switches so I put it away. Others might like the switches and keys just fine, just wasn’t for me. I also don’t like the built in media buttons, built in media keys aren’t a make or break, but them being tiny built in ones like that aren’t a plus to me. I do however like the big ole knob. That could theoretically be programmed to something other than volume, which would be a positive if I’m doing something in like CAD or video editing or something that I don’t do ALL that often. It does appear to have a USB-C hub, which I think is great. Still the frame, sound, and feel of the keyboard just wasn’t for me, and it doesn’t have hot-swappable keys and another big negative.
Notes about all keyboards:
Every one of the keyboards felt very well made and all seemed to have a decent attention to detail from the short period of time I spent with each of them. The packaging for each keyboard was what I would expect for a keyboard. There is foam around the keyboard separating it from the accessories and protecting the sides of the keyboard. All the Keychron keyboards were wrapped in a protective film dust cove, I’m guessing anti-static as well but maybe not? All the KeyChron keyboards had plastic cover over the keys is on all the keyboards to protect them, except the K10 Pro? Maybe I wasn’t the first person to get the keyboard? The DasKeyboard also didn’t have a plastic keycover. Honestly, I don’t think the plastic key covers are all that necessary, but I’m not shipping expert. In any case, I don’t really have anything negative to say about any of these keyboards, they’re all really great quality. You just need to try them to see where your preferences are in the feel department.
Final thoughts.
If the K10 and K10 Pro weren’t so bulky and didn’t have that annoying frame, I’d probably just go with them, but they are BEASTS of keyboards. In the end, of the keyboards I tried out,
I’ll likely just go with the K5 Pro with Brown switches for the time being. The primary reason being that there is no frame covering the switches making it easy for me to deal with my OCD of cleaning the damn keyboard way too damn much, The fact that I can use USB-C or Bluetooth to multiple devices, and it’s very linux friendly/easily programmable. I’m again not in love with the low profile, but it’s certainly not as off putting as I had originally thought. The brown switches are also acceptable as far as that goes.
In the end, I may just do exactly what I was hoping not I wouldn’t have to do, build my own keyboard. I felt like I was going to go down that rabbit hole anyway, but I have a million hobbies, so I was hoping to save my wallet from another one.
Thanks everyone for your input. I do really appreciate everyone’s input it was really helpful. Sounds like I have a rabbit hole to start going down with DIY keyboards, at least for a short while anyway.
Do you really need the numpad?
I thought I did before I bought the hyperx alloy, but boy was I wrong.
I don’t miss it at all and I saved money and space.
I use the numpad pretty regularly. Could I survive without it, sure, but its a hell of a lot easier typing IP addresses and other strings of numbers in using a numpad.
Yeah, it depends on the person and how often they need it.
I am definitely considering a travel keyboard without a numpad, but for my standard desk keyboard, numpad is a must for me.
Though the GMMK doesn’t tick all your boxes, it’s ease of maintenance (modular/hotswap, but no soldering), minimal software, and overall quality may make it something to look at. Only problem I have with it is that my scroll lock LED was DOA. But I never use scroll lock, so eh. Not terribly expensive either, and you get to choose your switches and keycaps. I went box jades and navies.
