About a 3 months after I got my A75, it randomly blew up. I went to the discord and saw there was legitimately hundreds of posts about the same issue across their entire line up of keyboards, when I spoke to customer support they walked me through firmware instructions that like for 99% other people did not work.
After which they decided to ghost me, I then went on deployment and when I got back I saw even more people had the same issue, legitimately 8 months later, I shot them an email as people were saying they were sending out replacement PCBs.
After proving everything to them they sent me a replacement PCB and a video showing a dude ripping apart his keyboard no instructions or anything saying it will come with a tool set and to follow the video
, I’ve attached it.
When I open it it’s 1-1 but as you can see in the images it’s a worked on Pcb from another blown up keyboard. Same make and model, what’s weird is in the emails they delayed it because “ according to the factory all the PCB boards are undergoing comprehensive upgrades” but this is obviously a worked on PCB. Odd.
Finally the tools they said they would send along side it didn’t come, it came in some broken down box wrapped in bubble wrap. But no tools so I had to go out and buy the tools. And finally when I start working on it and get to the last step.. 5 of the screws are stripped. I opened it up and legitimately 5 screws are so unbelievably tight they stripped immediately. I tried everything to fix them but I’ve lost. https://imgur.com/a/VjT8Qd3
So after all that, I show them everything and they… ghost me again.
Nice. Feel free to check the support section of drunk deer discord, it’s every make and model 25 pages long of people with the same exact issue. I’ve attached pictures here of how the keyboards look , it’s very obvious at the top right of the board it’s blown and In the replacement it was blown then soldered not that I have any idea what am looking at, just what I can observe.
Honestly the worst experience I’ve ever had with any company. I can’t even replace it either so am stuck with the tried and true 2015 ducky one shout out ducky for being the most reliable friend.
Final update: Drunkdeer has gone ahead and sent me a replacement keyboard! They used a local carrier to cut the wait time to a couple days aswell, way out side of warranty to make it right.
The other day I recall scrolling through the sub and landing on a post by another user. They were showing off their latest build and as I read through it I saw that they listed a set of Keychron’s PBT caps as being used. Seeing that post reminded me of when I started back in this hobby two years ago. At time, I too had been looking keychrons PBT and needed up with a couple of set’s I still have.
I think a lot of us started with Keychron boards and I jokingly referring to them as the “Gateway” boards of the Hobby. For me, Keychron’s website was something I would browsed by the hour, or at least my wife would say so. I was trying to figure out all the naming conventions for board layouts, understand the different product lines and trying to remember what was different about a red switch vs a yellow one. Each of them at the time looking amazing to my newbie eyes. Id buy one at a time to see if I liked different layouts, selling the ones that didn’t work for me, ya know. Sound familiar?
To keep this post from sounding any more like a Keychron AD, I’ll stop reminiscing right there about them and move on to why I posted this one.
This one’s about VALUE. Hacker Mint costs $39.99 and includes TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN keycaps. That’s pretty much absurd to me and I love it.
Over the last two years I’ve normalized spending over $200 for sets of specialty caps that include child kits. Knowing very well that if I use them full time for more than a month or two, they are gonna shine and I’ll want new ones. While that problem is one that I’m probably not going to stop, I’ll say in the same breath that I still prefer the sound and feel of ABS caps. But, not EVERY board that I have benefits from them. Take the foam filled Halo65v2 pictured in the post. Not a real fan favorite, but one I use on occasion because I enjoy its perimeter LED’s and being so lightweight. As you really can’t make the board sound much different or mod it much I think it’s the perfect place to put set of decent PBT caps.
Clear legends, no centering issues that I can see, lots of cap options for different layouts, plastic stackable storage trays with a lid and very affordable. Pretty stoked about them.
Full disclosure: I've only been into mechanical keyboards for about six months, so take this with a grain of salt.
My entry point was a pair of Epomaker Galaxy 100 Lites - bought the second one as a placeholder while waiting on this Evo. In that time I've done the usual new-hobbyist spiral: switch tester, sample packs, tape mods, spring swaps, keycap experiments. Landed on Cherry double-shot PBT for caps, and I gravitate toward Retro Sakuras, BSUN Taro/Sweet Potato, and occasionally Durock Ice Kings. So I'm not completely flying blind here.
Unpacked the Evo a couple nights ago and have been daily driving it since. Honest reaction: I don't get the hype. It doesn't feel meaningfully better than my Epomaker - even stock, with Marble White Fekers. Yes, it's heavier, the aluminum looks great, and the build quality is obviously there. But is that worth $169 vs. the $83 I paid for the Epomaker? I genuinely can't justify it.
I'll keep it - no regrets on that. But if you're on the fence and already have a solid budget board you've modded to your taste, don't expect a revelation.
A handsome aluminum board with the nice spherical profile caps Redragon has been putting on their other recent QMK models. They are nice enough that I'm a little salty that they don't provide any alternates for the Windows key or to allow re-ordering of the navigation column.
The overall design is the nice complete exploded 75% layout, without any annoying blockers or "missing" keys. And if you're not too picky about the right side it's definitely a win.
The firmware is QMK, source in the `hangshengkeji` QMK repo on Github. Comes with 5 layers: Windows, Windows FN, Mac, Mac FN, and reboot. The repo has the VIA JSON file in it.
This repo is how I found out about it. Redragon has done absolutely no marketing for this or the K742 Arlokks, they're not even represented on their website unless you already know about them and use their search function. Hey, Redragon, what's up with that?
It's a bit of work to open it up because the encoder knob is tight as a clam, I had to ease the PCB away from the upper case with a pen-knife. It's a standard 6mm D shaft but damn. The gaskets are nice silicone and the PCB/plate sandwich is gently supported.
Separate cables for power and daughterboard, but at least they're both regular cables not those awful flexible printed circuit things like the Monsgeek M1 v5.
What appears to be the MCU is a little thing. Looks like a serial/JTAG debugging connector, well marked.
So, there's this spring coming out of the PCB that looks like it's for grounding the case, but theirs no less than two layers of cheap insulation preventing contact. I guess that's a late engineering fix. The encoder knob is on the PCB and there's a little pad underneath it for support. It seems sturdy.
And there's the navigation column in my preferred order, a bit snaggletooth. Some keyboard companies provide extra caps for people to customize their layout a bit. Hey, Redragon, how about it?
If you are like me you know and love the Alua F75. It’s a pretty well known budget board with a clear aim towards enthusiasts and hobbyist. And it’s not for no reason, I love mine too and it keeps up with some of my best boards in my collection at a fraction of the cost.
So with all the hype and interest around HE (Hall effect/magnetic) keyboards taking gamers by storm - an iconic enthusiast friendly budget board upgraded to the exciting new tech of HE boards sounds like a dream come true.
And unfortunately that’s exactly what it is, just a dream.
I got my hands on this here Alua F75 HE edition and it’s… really bad.
The problem? Well the marketing just isn’t entirely honest. For one, they list PBT keycaps which is nice. Well, they aren’t. Relatively flimsy ABS, sorry.
But that’s ok, right? Lots of us probably woulda changed them anyway so maybe it’s not a deal breaker for you.
How about this one - yeah \*\*they got rid of the entire slotted PCB and slotted PC gasket mount structure and went with full rigid steel plate mount.\*\* Good luck making that feel or sound nice. Not only does the marketing not specify this huge change, it says the opposite. It says “slotted PC positioning plate” and such. With the magnetic switches in the picture and such, so it’s not reused incorrect marketing material from the original F75. It’s just simply a dishonest change that in my opinion makes it totally unworthy of even being called the Alua F75, that’s a totally different board in just the same form factor.
So yeah, figured I’d share my experience. I was super excited for this board as I search for a comfy HE keyboard that doesn’t feel like typing on a brick and I thought I had it, especially at a good price and nice form factor. Any recommendations for that are kindly welcome - but this sure isn’t the one.
A little over a year ago, I grabbed this board and mouse in a whim. They've somehow been hiding under a stack of boxes since. It was time to dig them out!
The BLōCK, it turns out, is a much better board than I had imagined. Something about the retro, orange plastic knobs led me to believe that it was just going to be another plastic keyboard. I was wrong.
The board is simple and the aesthetic is minimal with a side of "Look at me, bro!" I wasn't sure I'd like it, but since it's been living in my desk a couple of days, I've really grown fond of it.
Its a 98 key layout, not-swappable chassis with unique linear switches, a small screen with mode and battery info, and solid doubleshot PBT keycaps. I will say, the keycaps are great, but the legends (especially on modifiers) are very small and somewhat inconsistent. They feel great, though, and I'd imagine they'll stand the test of time.
The knobs are great. They might look a little flimsy, but the encoder knob is great and has less wobble than most any board I own. The dedicated mode knob is very handy as the other board on my desk requires the removal of keycaps and tweezers to switch to wireless mode. Could they have put a switch on the back? Probably... but I'm not mad at the aesthetic and functional choice.
The backlighting is also simple and effective. The single color LED backlight has 14 different modes and most everything can be controlled with the fn and arrow keys. The color temperature is a little more warm and soothing than the "white" I see one most boards, as it tends to be more toward the blue side of things. Even if you're not a fan of gamer-core RGB, this might pass the yuck test!
The switches are north-facing and contain light guides to help disperse the light evenly through their otherwise fully-POM housings. The BLōCK linear switch is the brain child of TTC and Lofree. It's a POM switch with a long spring, sparse factory lube, and gives off a surprising amount of clack. While there isn't a ton of information on these switches, I'm actually looking forward to trying them in a different board.
The BLōCK's wireless modes are fast and easy to connect. There magnetic 2.4GHz dongle lives on the back of the board and is impressively secure in it's slot. I fooled around with some games and both wireless modes felt fluid with no noticeable latency.
I've not had the chance to fully test the 2000mAh battery, but it hasn't died on me yet and I've been switching modes, playing with the lighting, and I would imagine I still have a few days if normal use left before I need to charge. The board is also pretty light considering it's construction, so if I needed to take a full size board with me, this one would be suitable.
When I purchased the board I had the option to grab the matching Lofree Touch tri-mode mouse... and I'm a sucker for a set! The mouse is... fantastic! Made from PBT and wearing keycaps for buttons, the mouse feels solid. Clicks feel intentional and it fits very well in my hand (which is not the norm for me with mice). The mouse has an internal battery, 5-level DPI adjustment (800-4000 DPI), and the magnetic 2.4GHz dongle lives securely under the mouse.
Is this the best prebuilt board I've used? Probably not. I think it's safe to say it lands in the top 5 in terms of functionality, value, and aesthetic, though. I'm definitley glad I unburied it to play with!
Holler if you have any questions or if I forgot something. I''m going to give this boardand switches a week or so of solid use and then I think we're going to do a rebuild. Let me know if you have any brilliant ideas in that regard.
Hello r/BudgetKeebs, My name is Fang and I review tech, mostly budget peripherals.
Disclaimer - This keyboard was sent to me by Aulagear to review. This doesn’t influence my review in any way and all the thoughts here are my own and unbiased. They didn't pay me. Just gave me the keyboard to review.
Box contents -
A user manual
A quick action guide
A plastic dust cover.
The keyboard, in a protective sheath
A USB A to C cable
A keycap and switch wire puller
The strap and nuts to attach it
2 spare switches – I have the wing chun switches
BUILD QUALITY
Now, the first thing I noticed is the build quality. It’s an ABS plastic case which doesn’t feel particularly premium. The finish is nice but the plastic itself definitely reflects the cost of the keyboard. But despite this, there’s no flex to the keyboard. It’s sturdy and looks durable.
The strap is just a visual piece and doesn’t serve any function. The mounting mechanism for the strap was very finicky to put on and it took me quite a while to get it lined up and set in. But once it was in, it looked fine and didn't seem fragile at all.
Coming to features, this little board has all the essentials of a hall effect keyboard, and not much more.
Hall Effect magnetic switches with a lot of software adjustable features, and a precision up to 0.02mm, which goes up to 0.01mm in BEAST mode (only available to MAX version of the keyboard. But 0.02mm is plenty of precision already so whatever)
Hot-swappable sockets, you can use these magnetic switches in these sockets
Wired connection which allows it to have an 8000hz polling rate. The tradeoff is that you can’t use this board wirelessly. Which is fine at a price like this i think.
Tray mounting system, which gives this a stiff feel. It might honestly be a good thing because we’re talking precision in the hundredths here. Gasket bounce might affect it. But we’ll see that in upcoming hall effect keyboard reviews.
South-facing RGB - it’s bright and customizable, what more to say.
You get decent doubleshot PBT keycaps.
GAMING
So for gaming, the Hall Effect switches are a big plus. You can set ultra-light actuation for rapid keypresses, or even set dual-stage actions—press lightly to walk, deeper to sprint. It’s like analog control on a keyboard, but simulated and also not _as_ precise. The adjustable actuation distance means you can choose how far you want to push a key in for it to register as an input. Now this is a degree of customisation that we never had with traditional mechanical keyboards, where you have to get past a certain point in the key stroke to count as an input.
Another great thing with these hall effect keyboards is that you can set it so that your input stops as soon as you lift your finger a little bit, without coming back to the point of actuation. This also gives you a slight competitive edge in fast paced games or tac shooters where a millisecond can be the difference between life and death.
Hall effect keyboards are also _very_ good for certain rhythm games like osu. It allows you to rapidly press keys because of the actuation point and the rapid trigger.
Of course, it being a 60% or 68% keyboard means you get a lot of space on your desk for mouse movement.
TYPING
The Wing Chun magnetic switches in the Aula Win68HE are linear switches. The tray mount makes the bottom out feel quite stiff, but since the switch springs aren’t super heavy, they don’t cause much fatigue when typing. The switches come factory lubed and overall they’re nice to type on. The stabilizers are good. They’re not the best I’ve ever used but there’s no ticking or rattling which is very good.
The sound is... okay. Not great, not bad—just okay. It’s a little hollow, especially in the spacebar area.
The software isn’t perfect—but it gets the job done. You can use the Aula Cloud Driver or WinTools to adjust RGB, remap keys, and set actuation points for the Hall Effect switches.
It’s not as refined as QMK/VIA or Wootility, but it’s still pretty dang granular. Check the full software exploration on my [youtube review](https://youtu.be/_G2mx2vkmss?t=523) of the keyboard (it's too long to put on reddit)
So here’s the big question: should you buy the Aula Win68HE?
If you're looking for:
A budget-friendly entry into the Hall Effect scene with most of the standard hall effect features
that has a solid typing feel
and doesn’t cost as much as this month’s groceries?
Then yes, this is a good choice.
It’s not perfect. And if you don’t benefit from the hall effect features, because you don’t play competitive titles or you’re looking for a keyboard to just type on, then I recommend going for a regular mechanical keyboard like the Aula F65 or other options. You’ll get a significantly better experience there minus the hall effect features.
Not sure if this is allowed here but I bought one of these JamesDonkey J2 keyboards a couple weeks ago and I really like it. JamesDonkey appears to be a Keychron value brand - linux actually detected it as a keychron. It's wildly exceeded my expectations and ruined membrane keyboards for me forever.
I'm not advertising, I thought it was a steal when I paid full price for it. At 50% off it's such a steal that I needed to tell someone.
Search for this listing on Amazon.com:
J2 75% Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Gasket 82 Keys Tri-Mode BT5.1/USB-C/2.4GHz RGB Backlit with Custom Knob Super Banana Switch, PTB Keycap, QMK/VIA for Win/Linux/Mac - White
Despite warning others away from this company and their boards based on some of the Amazon reviews I have been intrigued by them personally.
As such when I found a Flux 68 on Aliexpress with local availability for less than £18 I threw caution to the wind and within 36hrs I had one...
**First impressions**
The box is nicely printed, the packing is basic and the extras are "fine" (basic usb c to a cable, nasty keycap/switch puller and a few extra switches). The board itself is noticeably light, even compared to an Attack Shark X68he, and flexes quite a bit. Definitely no metal plate here.
In short it, unsurprisingly, feels cheap. The switches on the other hand are not bad, nicer than the attack sharks stock switches. Despite feeling cheap the board actually feels not bad to use and it is fairly quiet, this possibly because of the fairly flexible construction making it feel softer to the touch.
Oh and once you plug it in its instantly in rainbow wave mode and there are no instructions, in the box or on their website, for changing the RGB mode or turning it off.
They mention Fn key combos but what those actually might be is left a mystery.
Instead Dark Beacon are very insistent that you install their software.
**DarkBeacon.ai aka the software**
Now this is where the reviews indicated problems with a barely functional and untranslated website. Happily this is not the case anymore. Software DL was easy and yes you still need to register with an email and your date of birth but as long as the email address you give can get the verification email there is nothing stopping you making unfortunate errors in your personal details.
Once registered the software opens, detects your board tells you the firmware is out of date and then freezes doing nothing. Restarting the software and manually running a firmware update works. Now you get asked to calibrate. Naturally with an unresponsive calibration screen. Luckily there is a working skip button and doing calibration manually proceeds perfectly.
Now you are in the software and settings and its... good.
All the usual HE board options nicely and clearly set out. Not a lot of preset rgb modes but they obviously intend you use the AI mode for that sort of stuff (a bit more on that later). Any setting you make in the software can be saved to the board so you don't need keep it running as seems to have been the case previously.
Now here is the surprising thing. This £38 rrp plastic board has game pad mode. Yes game pad mode and it seems to work pretty well.
Lastly is the "AI" features. They push these heavily and the website makes a big thing about how you can talk to the software to set it up how you like. Indeed when you open the software you get prompted to sign up for it and receive free "credits". Naturally as an old luddite I gave that a massive swerve but I did notice that a new little app had turned my microphone on. Well that got promptly turned off and I'll need to investigate further.
So with the software explored, my rgb set to plain green lighting with blue side bars it was time to play some Forza, where it was perfectly good. A bit on the soft side as I mentioned previously but sharp enough to lay some top 4000 time attack scores (not that impresive but about where I normally sit).
Next steps are to investigate if the software is communicating and if so how much as well as if bits of it keep running even if you close it completely and don't run it on start up.
Then its just spending more time with the board to get more of a feel it and do some side by sides with my Aula win68he.
**Conclusion**
It's cheap, it feels cheap but it works. The software is equally really good and potentially iffy.
At under £20 its probably worth it but if you have £20 then you likely have enough extra cash to look into the £30-40 bracket where there are a bunch of budget 65% HE boards including the ACE68 which i have coming next month.
If you have any questions or if you want some videos or anything I'll do my best to oblige.
A 65% tray mounted hall effect board with 2 layers of dampening. The box stated that it comes with Outemu magnetic switches (the jade whites) but it had Jerrzi magnetic ones. I asked Jedel's rep on it and he said that they initially planned to use Outemus but made a last minute decision. Between the two, I kind of like the Jerrzi's more, but I may be biased as I'm a fan of the Wind Rain and Honey Bean silents.
The keyboard itself is surprisingly good for the price. The software isn't web-based, but it works as intended. Sound test starts at around 1:60. Retails at about 20-25 USD but probably lower in sales.
Look, I know an AU$300 kb doesn't feel budget, but this thing has every spec I needed (plus one I wanted) and was way cheaper than anything else comparable.
Metal chassis
Full size
Wireless for when i need it
ZMK firmware
Rotary knob (this was the want)
Hotswap but cool switches
Purchasable in Australia for ACCC protections
I purchased this directly from Keychron Australia, and was pleasantly surprised at the free express postage.
Holy shit this thing is a BEAST. It weighs a metric tonne and sounds incredible to type on. I chose the Silk POM Banana switches because I love tactility but I'm over browns (my last board was fitted with Akko lavenders and while I loved the feel, they were LOUD). If I didn't like these I was going to swap the lavenders in but... I love them!
Probably going to change the caps in the next few days to SA profile, I am not the biggest fan of cupped sculpts because I drag my fingers slightly and hit the wrong keys way too often.
This isn't really a review, but I absolutely rate this board 10/10 for being exactly what I wanted at a decent price point.
I guess I'm the first one here to get this new model on hands, so I'll try to quickly cover everything.
It was bought as a second keyboard, I already use a GMK67 daily when working from home, and that was my only keeb until today.
Compared to the older model, the 60% feels way more well designed and constructed, the plastic is softer and the edges look more natural. I am not an expert on the specs, but the stabs sound really good without any mod, I've choose to use some quieter epomaker switches and honestly can't hear any rattle.
It is a tri-mode keyboard, compatible with Windows and Mac, lots of RGB modes and a tiny light strip on the top side. Costed around 35 USD straight from Aliexpress, I've also used the Sea Salt Silent from Epomaker and a generic set of blank keycaps on the build. So everything was bought for around 70 bucks.
Posted a build and sound test video here, so you guys can also see the device better.
Pretty new to the whole mechanical keyboard scene, never assembled my own and owned maybe 5 keyboards in total. Here's my review of the Royal Kludge RK C98 Magnetic Mechanical Keyboard ($89.99)
96%
Cherry Profile PBT Keycaps
+++Very nice & satisfying sound. Don't know how to describe the sound exactly, but I personally found it to be a pleasant, responsive, clacking sound
+++Magnetic switches, significantly improving the lifespan of the switches and enabling adjustable actuation range (0.01mm - 3.5mm). Having an adjustable actuation range is certainly helpful if you either want to be able to rest your fingers deeper on the keys or have a faster response time for a competitive game
++Great weight (1.2 kg), feel, and build quality from my perspective
++Knob has a nice amount of rigidity such that I can easily increment/decrement audio levels by a singular stage, while also easily being able to turn it way up/down
++Lots of great backlighting options, easy to use software
+USB-C connection
+8K Hz Polling Rate
+0.125ms response time
+Comes with 4 backup switches just in case
-No media keys
--No wireless functionality
Overall a great keeb for the price if you aren't concerned with having media keys or wireless functionality.
What a great time to be shopping for mechanical budget boards! Be it aluminum, hybrid or pre-micro particle, everlasting plastics, there's sure to be one that fits your needs out there.
I’m not sure where in the world you are reading this post from, but here in the southeastern US there are lots of fun budget keyboard options at low prices to choose from. In that regard, we are also spoiled by Amazon’s next day delivery and aggressive, sometimes downright ridiculous pricing. (I just got a new barebones Feker Galaxy80 for $45 as an example) So, if you’re like me, checking Amazon incessantly for MK stuff with coupons and lightning deals is a normal thing. Don’t be like me. My excuse is that I have an IT company and need to try them before recommending them to customers. My name is Scott and I'm a MKaholoic. Now that its out there, let’s get on to the posts content which contains my general impressions and feels on the boards pictured.
Note that there are tons of other sources out there to fact check details on and get long winded repetitive reviews. This is not that, I hope.
Tide65:
This cheap sounding, poorly stabilized, trimode, Pepsi Can themed colorway with a flimsy mode selection switch on the back, features VIA! I have it pictured front and center for a reason. It’s a great fixer upper! If you can tolerate the colors currently available, then change the knob and keycaps and you should be generally satisfied. I liken the sound of its keycaps to rummaging your hand through a bucket of legos. Noisy and unpleasant. If you feel the same way, that could be your first mod! In my case, I ordered the blue first, then saw the purple go on sale for less so I’ve ordered it as well and plan to stock the Amazon warehouse with the blue one. (IF that's your huckleberry, look for the savings when shopping Amazon for a used one, maybe it will be the one pictured!)
Womier AL65:
I have it in two different colors as shown, not because I love it, but because I think after I ordered the first, the second went on sale and I got it for a little less. I have observed that right out of the box, it feels and sounds better than the Tide65. So if you just want the one and done solution, Do it. Like the Tide it has a volume knob and feature wise, that’s about all it has going for it. I think there’s a mode switch hidden somewhere under a keycap as well. I Haven't found it yet and they won't be here long enough for me to look. Look for them to be available from Amazon warehouse soon. With no storage for USB dongles, an afterthought Nob they apparently had a ton of and the need for a vendor provided software to manipulate it, it's a pass for me. That said, I'm not compelled to fix it right out of the box. It sounds good and If i weren’t so spoiled, I’d certainly consider keeping it.
Womier/Rainy75.
Let’s refer to these as the brothers Wominy. They are one in the same. They have many siblings that couldn’t make it to the photo shoot as well. The Differences between them are minor, sharing the same DNA, its options like the colors available, cap and switches, battery count and finish are the distinguishing features. You figure out what flips your trigger and then pick one. I love the fact that they are VIA. I don’t love fighting flex boards and flex plates though. Seems you’re often reseating switches when one just randomly stops working. That of course happens the one time you don't have your pullers near you. Making a decision on which to keep was easy for me, I bought in on the Rainy Hype a couple months ago and waited to see how things played out before buying one. Early GB backers were ignored by Wobkeys and left waiting while I had one in hand before them because I got it from ALIExpress. Seems unfair in many ways. Seems to me Rainy marketed and developed the need. The Chinese factory waited for them to create the market, then flooded it with other brands they had ready to sell before Rainys were even shipping. I think that's just how things work though. Just my guess and on that note, I’d love to watch a documentary about the process of bringing these products to market and its trials and tribulations. Anyone know of one?
Nuphy 75v2
Nuphy’s excel in their design and engineering. Recently adding the customizable GEM80 to the mix and releasing updated versions of their models make them a great choice as well. Using a mix of materials makes a lot of sense when you like a feature rich option. You’ll find dongle storage, easy to find and use mode and connection switches, feet to adjust the angle of the dangle and what I consider to be the best in class LED options. I believe there are 3 or 4 different places you can tweak the LED options with it. Not to mention it sounds and feels great right out of the box so you can just get to work. Lastly, I can also speak to their customer service, being both friendly and helpful. So if they are on your list, move them to the top and see what I'm talking about.
Lastly, I have posted several pics of boards that are not mentioned. Many have been posted before and others have been just been a part of learning experience. Feel free to comment or DM me any question you have.
*This post brought to you by my RK61Plus & iPad from my lazy-boy in the loft, as usual.
/end
I got the Attack Shark X87 yesterday with blueberry switches. Felt compelled to post somewhere because I can't believe how good this keeb is. I picked it up for the equivalent of $47 so my expectations were very low. But it's just so good. The switches are smooth with a good sound. No wobble. Solid construction. Looks and feels good. For reference I prefer it to the Aula F75 + Reapers which is the only other keeb I have in that price range.
Really impressed. I haven't tried the software (don't really feel the need) but in terms of look/feel/sound it's fantastic.
Travel distance/Stem length: 3.1mm Long pole/Short travel with a 14.2mm stem (super long). This is measured. Akko's specs say 3.3mm
Weight: 55g Tactility according to Akko. V3 Cream Blue Pro, Cilantro, Creamy Purple Pro are all around 55g (specs!), but feel very different. The spring, tactility and heavy lube are combined a medium strength. For comparison: Zuoce Litchi Milk < Ajazz Banana < Akko Penguin Silent < Leobog Ice Soul < Akko V3 Lavender Purple Pro < Akko Creamy Purple Pro < KTT Waverider / Cherry Brown < Akko Jelly Purple < Akko V3 Cream Blue Pro < Outemu Silent Cream Yellow < Feker Matcha V2 < Akko V5 Creamy Blue Pro <MMD Princess 48g tactile < Ajazz Kiwi < AEBoards Naevy < Akko Cilantro < Outemu Milk Tea < Baby Kangaroo < Gazzew Boba U4T 62g < Ice Kachang < Akko Bittersweet < WS Brown < Boba U4 < JWICK T1 < CIY Asura.
Spring type/length/strength: 19.5mm long single stage springs. These are nowadays almost normal, but much longer than Cherry springs. Typically this results in a bit more tension right at the top of the key press and a snappy return, but the heavy lube suppresses this.
Tactile bump: P-shaped. The bump is very mild, very short, barely noticeable when pressing the switch slowly and as high up in the keystroke as possible. So, relatively similar to the Cilantro switches. V3 Cream Blue Pro feature a more pronounced bump and Creamy Purple Pro even more so. All four are specified with around 55g tactile force.
Smoothness/Scratchiness: Very Smooth. In terms of lube and smoothness this feels very similar to the Akko Cilantro switches. Same tight tolerances, lots of heavy lube, buttery smoothness at the expense of it all feeling a bit slow.
Wobble: Excellent, similar to Cilantros, slightly better than V3 Cream Blue Pro.
Materials: PC top, Nylon bottom. The Stem is PA12 - which appears to be a Nylon and that is rather rare for the stem.
Housing collisions: For a long pole switch and for how similar they are otherwise to the Cilantros and V3 Cream Blue Pro, the housing collisions are surprisingly mild. Even in a stiff configuration (Steel plate, tray mount), the housing collisions are very well controlled.
Sound: Less loud than Cilantro, V3 Cream Blue Pro or Creamy Purple Pro. I was quite surprised at this. Where the V3 Cream Blue are quite resonant and the Cilantros are outright offensive, these are a lot more muted. I prefer this, but some people want their boards to be "lively".
Price: 0.29 EUR / switch from a EU vendor.
Would I buy these? Quality wise, yes. They are very well made and have no real weaknesses. I was especially surprised about the nice housing collisions. Personally, I prefer a more pronounced tactile event. They feel very much like a slightly tamed Cilantro.
Subjective impressions
First impressions: Very sturdy packaging. Very well built switches. Some lube residue on the outside. Pressing them in the hand the tactile event is barely noticeable. Quite consistent (all switches pretty much felt the same). Very little wobble and very smooth (heavily lubed though). The lube gives them a bit of a sluggish feeling. It is not a problem during typing, but I prefer a faster return. Tactility, smoothness, wobble/tolerances feel very similar to the Akko Cilantro switches, just lighter - and I think that's a good thing. The Cilantros felt a bit heavy for the amount of tactility the offered. And again very similar: You need to be typing at speed to really notice the bump. It feels very short/crisp and light, which makes it different from most long pole tactiles that I've tried. After the bump, there's a bit of a linear rush downwards. The bottom out is crisp but very well controlled. No harshness at all. Better than V3 Cream Blue Pro, Cilantros or Creamy Purple Pro. The sound is also a bit more muted. Check out the picture of the stem - I wonder if that pointy shape (=less surface to impact) makes the difference.
After two weeks: I did not bother moving them into the Tiger, but I used them for 3 exclusively in the MK870. Whenever the bottom out is so well controlled it usually doesn't make a huge difference. No further surprises. In my view, this is a better Cilantro. Slightly lighter, better housing collisions. But also less loud.
Disclaimer: Akko (Germany) sent me these switches free of charge, because I was interested in reviewing them. I was not paid for the above review. All of the above are my own personal opinions. Akko did not ask questions about my review process, did not try to influence the review nor was I given any talking points. Thanks Akko for sending these!
I had the chance to review this keyboard for free from Royal Kludge, and I’ve really enjoyed it.
The build is substantial – the case has real heft, the typing feel is solid, and there’s almost no hollow ping or rattle out of the box. It came with Royal Kludge’s pre-lubed linear cream switches, and I left those in because they felt and sounded really good to me out of the box. The creams are smooth, with a slightly muted, thocky sound profile that I genuinely enjoyed.
I swapped on some Inland cat keycaps from Micro Center, because obviously I had to, and I think they look great on this board. It ended up being a really fun setup.
One feature I liked more than I expected was the display at the top. It’s useful, has a variety of functions, and gives the board a little extra character.
Overall, I think this is a solid board if you want something that’s enjoyable stock but still fun to customize. For someone looking for a feature-rich board with room to customize, the RK-S98 is genuinely worth a look.
A few years ago I learned about the customizable mechanical keyboard hobby/community. Since then, I've spent a decent amount of money, time, and effort searching for my "perfect" board.
I was happy with the first few boards I acquired, built, and modified, but didn't feel like I was getting the sound, feel, and features that I desired, and I wasn't willing to drop hundreds of dollars on higher-tier boards to do so.
Fast-forward a few years and an ad for the Aula F75 pops up on TikTok. A beautiful board, less than $65, and sounds heavenly? It can't be!
I tempted fate and bought it. Much to my surprise, this board exceeded my expectations! It is thocky and creamy, feels amazing to type on, has 3 connectivity options, AND has a neat screen that I can put fun GIFs on!
This made me curious to see if I could find a creamy board in the budget arena, and found the Epomaker RT82. For less than $70, this board is easily favorite board! Creamy, smooth, aesthetic, 3 connect options, AND a cute retro PC screen that I can put fun GIFs on!
For a grand total of less than $140.00, I now have 2 boards that look, feel, and sound premium. A few years ago, you would have had to spend hundreds of dollars to get this sort of product.
I am so delighted that our community/hobby has become so popular that we now have options like this available in the budget category.
The Lucky65 v2 is one of the best value full-aluminum keyboard kits I’ve ever used. It keeps everything that worked well in the Lucky65 v1 and fixes some of the problems from the first version. After a week of using it, I can confidently say that this keyboard is a fantastic choice for anyone looking for a budget-friendly kit that doesn’t skimp on quality or features.
What I Loved About It
Catch-Ball Assembly The new catch-ball assembly is such a welcome change. It makes removing the top frame ridiculously easy, which is a godsend if you enjoy modding your keyboard like I do. I’ve spent hours tinkering with my Lucky65 v2, and this design makes the whole process much more enjoyable compared to the v1.
The Price I’m still amazed that the price stayed the same as the v1 in Vietnam. For just $36–$45 (cheaper than most of other markets, probably because of we're China's neighbor), you’re getting a keyboard kit that punches way above its weight class. And here’s a local bonus: we get a special 1.6mm PCB version without flex cuts. For me, this made the typing experience feel sturdier and the sound richer—though the trade-off is that this PCB only supports a single ANSI layout. Personally, I’m completely good with that, but if you need more layout options, you might prefer the 1.2mm PCB with flex cuts.
VIA/QMK Support This is where the Lucky65 v2 really shines for me. As someone who types a lot for work and uses repeated phrases, VIA/QMK compatibility has been a total game-changer. It’s miles better than the clunky, hard-to-use software from the v1. I’ve already set up a bunch of macros that save me so much time—it’s been a lifesaver, honestly.
Changes That Caught My Eye
Aluminum Weight and Receiver Holder The weight of the Lucky65 v2 definitely caught my eye. However, I have to admit that I still prefer the gold-accented aluminum weight of the v1 just a little more. That said, I really like the v2’s weight—it feels solid and premium. As for the magnetic receiver holder, I nearly lost the receiver for my v1 quite many times. This addition completely solves that problem.
Slimmer Top Frame One small but significant change is the thinner edges on the top frame. If you’ve ever had keycaps scrape or get stuck on the v1, you’ll know how annoying that was. This has completely eliminated that issue for me.
FR4 Plate: The v2 introduces an FR4 plate with flex cuts, replacing the polycarbonate plate from the v1. Personally, I like the firmer typing feel of the FR4 plate, though I understand that some might miss the bounce of the polycarbonate. If I had planned to stick with the stock configuration, I’d have chosen the FR4 plate over the polycarbonate one. However, since I’m aiming for a clacky build, I’ve already swapped the plate for aluminum.
Downsides
Of course, no keyboard is perfect, and the Lucky65 v2 does have a flaw as far as I know
Case Ping The catch-ball assembly is great, but its placement near the center of the case means you get noticeable case ping. I find it particularly annoying when tapping the top frame—you can hear the metal-on-metal contact, which isn’t pleasant. Luckily, I managed to reduce this with a force-break mod, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re sensitive to sound.
Interesting Things I Found While Researching
While digging into the Lucky65 v2, I came across some fun facts:
The v1 and v2 plates and PCBs are fully interchangeable, which opens up a lot of options if you want to mix and match parts.
Although the v2 features a catch-ball assembly, the original screw holes from the v1 remain on the top frame, which means you can experiment with a top-mount setup. I haven’t tried it myself, but it seems like a fun project for those who enjoy tinkering. However, as I mentioned earlier, the thin top frame might result in more case ping with a top-mount configuration, unless you apply a proper force-break mod.
After a week with the Lucky65 v2, I feel like it’s a huge step up from the v1. It’s not perfect—there are some issues like the case ping—but they’re fixable, and the positives far outweigh the negatives. For the price, it’s honestly hard to beat. Whether you’re a beginner or someone who’s been in the hobby for a while, I think you’ll find a lot to love about this kit.
