Show us your Mechanical Keyboards and Mods.

[_thelaughingman]

As the title states, post pics of your mechanical keyboards, key caps and mods that you've performed.

Just purchased this Keychron K4 v2 with gateron reds. Ordered custom key caps from WASD keyboards, installing O rings this week and sound foam under the PCB.

 

[TheBatsEar]

Cherry Rubber Dome has better fidelity. Sound foam or not.
Prove me wrong, click-man.

 

[digitalfrost]

I'm a sucker for Ducky keyboards.

I have a

One moment, please...

https://www.duckychannel.com.tw/en/One-2-Tuxedo and a

One moment, please...

I use the Tuxedo TKL the most. I bought several keycaps and other accessoires last year, honestly I don't remember everything I ordered. Currently waiting for Chaos Theory keycaps

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geekhack.org

https://imgur.com/lOULMrb

My switch of choice are the MX Silent Red. Very hard to get any keyboards with these, especially if you need ISO layout and german keys...

 

[_thelaughingman]

I've always wanted to get Topre or Ducky keys, but could not find them for Mac.

 

[ZolaIII]

I am on ReDragon Vishnu as I really wanted wireless one. Switches are cheap Outemu red, key caps are PBT. Didn't mod anything and if I do I will switch to Outemu brown switches not that red are bad they are relatively quiet for what they are a bit of tactile fead back without incres in loudness would be nice that's all.

Redragon K596 Vishnu Wireless Keyboard Review

Redragon makes a great comeback after the lows of the K585 Diti, with the K596 Vishnu going back to the roots of offering a fairly novel keyboard with features dedicated to gaming, extensive software and onboard controls, plenty of RGB lighting, and a wallet-friendly price point.

www.techpowerup.com

The included USB C cable is lo quality as expected.

 

[dasdoing]

what is the advantage of those things? I watched some videos on Youtube a while ago but failed to understand the concept

 

[TheBatsEar]

They click, making it sound as if you type hardcore assembler code at all times. Some even click twice per keystroke, which means you have a black hoodie on, even if you are just in your pajamas.

Ordered one from Amazon for 40€ once, chinese blue switches, brand was Aukey, it wasn't as cool as a Model M, but it had some nifty color effects. The keyboard was ok, but loud when you have video conferences all the time.

 

[digitalfrost]

It's just fun. I started out using a mechanical keyboard at home. Every monday when I came into work to use my rubberdome, it was just not good. It was instantly apparent how bad it is. Really it's unnecessary to spend a lot on keyboards, but hey I use my computers a lot and my keyboard is the main interface (at least at work), so why not get something that sparks joy?

I started out with MX browns, and while they are good, the noise started to bother me. I now use silent reds which are about the quietest mechanical switches I know. They are still loud mind you - and it's not just the switches but the contruction of the whole keyboard. I bought a Varmillo once, and it would just ping. Make a metallic sound after each keystroke. Some people don't notice or care but it drove me crazy.

The right mechanical keyboard just feels nice. And it can sound nice. There are a lot of things that get the job done, mechanical switches are a step above that. It's just like expensive knives, cars, or heck...speakers. Nobody needs to own Gelenecs, but if it sparks joy why not.

 

[_thelaughingman]

what is the advantage of those things? I watched some videos on Youtube a while ago but failed to understand the concept

I learned to type on an actual typewriter, thus mechanical keyboards present a bit of nostalgia and feel of the typewriter.

 

[ZolaIII]

what is the advantage of those things? I watched some videos on Youtube a while ago but failed to understand the concept

The advertised advantage is durability in reality they aren't that durable. So it's only a deacent lighting which is handy when you type at night. The mechanical keyboards aren't a new thing and old one's were more durable more like blast from the past. For me it also has a sentimental value reminding me on good old fatty C64. In reality I just wanted a wireless keyboard with deacent lighting that is not offensive loud and this one serves the purpose I keep it on constant orange light that goes of after 45 secs of not using it.

 

[sergeauckland]

Is a mechanical keyboard the new vinyl?

S.

 

[Vict0r]

GMMK Pro with a brass plate, lubed Holy Panda switches (tactile), lubed stabilizers (still stock Gmmk GOATs, but switching to Durock when I can be bothered to file down the brass plate a bit) AKKO Midnight ASA profile keycaps. Custom, color matched, techflex/paracord usb-c cable with a stainless aviator connector, Sharkoon Light2 mouse with a teal/baby blue insert.

And why stop there. Bought the Herman Miller chair because it matched the keycaps...

 

[digitalfrost]

That gets you chicks in the nerd disco. Very nice.

 

[Vict0r]

That gets you chicks in the nerd disco. Very nice.

Nothing but 56k modem beeps blasting over the PA.

 

[ZolaIII]

Is a mechanical keyboard the new vinyl?

S.

I bet you don't have money for this:

Jokes aside mechanical keyboards are mechanical keyboards just like from electronic typewriters - terminals and early PC times.

 

[digitalfrost]

Nothing but 56k modem beeps blasting over the PA.

Maybe some master boot record in between

 

[garbulky]

what is the advantage of those things? I watched some videos on Youtube a while ago but failed to understand the concept

The advantage for me is that you can type faster and more reliably. It all depends on how much typing you have to do and what your typing speed is. The travel, the resistance and the tactile sensation helps me type. I can type at greater than 80 words per minute w/peaks of 100. So the right keyboard can make a difference when you get to those speeds. My mechanical keyboard is cheap (about $40 bucks) and has a bit of a wobble in the keys on the rebound. I put in rubber dampeners O-rings on the inside of the keys which helped stabilize it and it helped my typing speed, though it reduced the travel of the keys. In terms of durability, I guess it depends on what model or brand you go for. I have in the past worn out several standard rubber membrane keyboards. But I have yet to wear out my mechanical keyboards. However, I have encountered a couple times where the plastic mount stick that "mounts" the swappable key to keep it in place snapped off rendering the key and the entire keyboard unusable. But the actual key pressing mechanism has not failed on me.

 

[_thelaughingman]

Nothing but 56k modem beeps blasting over the PA.

You know, them chicks love the sound of 56k.

 

[garbulky]

GMMK Pro with a brass plate, lubed Holy Panda switches (tactile), lubed stabilizers (still stock Gmmk GOATs, but switching to Durock when I can be bothered to file down the brass plate a bit) AKKO Midnight ASA profile keycaps. Custom, color matched, techflex/paracord usb-c cable with a stainless pilot connector, Sharkoon Light2 mouse with a teal/baby blue insert.

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And why stop there. Bought the Herman Miller chair because it matched the keycaps...

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Your cable for the mechanical keyboard what is that round connector in the middle that appears to be joining the two different colors together?

 

[dasdoing]

The advantage for me is that you can type faster and more reliably

I never learned 10 finger writing, but as a layman I imagine that a short travel of the keys would be an advantage for writing faster? I might be wrong. My keys for example trigger after one mm or so. Those mecanical keys seam to require a much deeper typing. Again, I am just asking; I am total layman