My Tech Stories
Custom keyboards: Awesome Hobby or Waste of Time?
Because Writing Is Important
Computer keyboards are like fountain pens. The “one” that feels just right is hard to find, so either you keep looking or use a different pen for a specific occasion.
Well, almost.
The general concept is the same as it is all based on personal preference and feel. Choosing a mechanical keyboard can be both a rational choice or a sentimental one. There are hundreds of options for every part that makes a keyboard. Your limiting factor will always be your budget.
How Do You Get Into Custom Keyboards?
I don’t even know how I got so interested in them. I guess it’s because I was using a squishy membrane keyboard before. I initially bought it because it had RGB lit keycaps, and I wanted to see it at night. Oh yeah, and it was cheap.
It was comfortable but crappy. The key presses were inconsistent, it was mushy, and caused me to make numerous typing errors.
My work laptop keyboard was much better, and I liked to type on that one. Even if the travel was less than I would have wanted, it gave me a specific satisfaction. But, because it was a laptop keyboard, it had an inherent problem, the layout.
No matter what laptop I had over the years, there is always a key or two placed in the wrong place. Why would you position the FN key in the bottom left corner, as that’s where the CTRL key needs to be.
Small things like these can have a considerable impact on something you use all day long. It becomes frustrating as time goes by.
Most of my colleagues had mechanical keyboards, so I had to get one for work.
My First Attempt
I roughly knew what I wanted for work. A US full-size layout that was backlit and didn’t have very noisy switches. I did not want to break the bank either, so I was looking for value.
After I dismissed the big-name brands (Logitech, Razer, etc.) because they were out of my budget, I eventually settled on a black Redragon keyboard with Gateron Brown switches. I was pleased.
The experience was much better than my laptop keyboard. The feedback, the feel, the sound, the layout were all on a different level.
The “Other” Keyboard
My typing experience was now much better at work. The keyboard from home was still the same mushy one, but as I only spent a couple of hours on it to browse the web or play a game, I could live with it.
Not very long had passed until I started to work from home. That meant my use case for the keyboard would change. I was not excited that I would have to spend the whole day with my home keyboard.
I went along with it for a couple of weeks. It was more than enough. I gave it a chance, and it missed it. I decided to bring home my office keyboard, as I was mainly working from home. As expected, things were much better.
What Should I Choose?
Over the next few months, I noticed some things that weren’t obvious in the office.
- It was noisier than I thought, especially at night, when I would sometimes have to work.
- I didn’t need to Numpad. It used space on my desk and caused me to keep moving it around during typing or gaming sessions.
- I kind of hated the keycap font on it.
- When I would occasionally go back into the office, I would still want a keyboard.
That settled it. I needed a new mechanical keyboard for home, something that would fulfill all my requests but still didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
The research began.
Building and modding your personalized keyboard is a bit like “Alice In Wonderland.” To get into the adventure, you will have to go down the rabbit hole.
There were so many choices for custom keyboard enthusiasts that don’t want to buy off-the-shelf name brand keyboards. So many keyboard types, sizes, switches, keysets, materials, plates, and keyboard mods, that I didn’t know where to begin.
Okay, let’s take it logically.
Size: Full-size, TKL, Compact, 95%, 80%, 75%, 65%, 40%.
I didn’t need the Numpad, but I still wanted the Function keys so, it was either a TKL or 75%.
Case: Plastic, metal, polycarbonate, wood, or a mix between various materials.
I had plastic in the past so, I wanted something made out of metal, solid, and with a bit of weight on it. Good luck finding something that’s in stock or not in a group buy. There are options, but you have to wait for them.
I wanted a TKL case but couldn’t find anything that suited my pleasure or budget.
In the end, I got what I believe to be some of the best valued customizable boards. A hot-swappable Keychron K2 v2 and a Glorious GMMK Pro — so I am in the 75% district.
Switches: You have Clicky, Tactile, and Linear. Each style with tens of possible choices. Hard choices await you.
Clicky switches are very loud, and for me, they might be pleasant to type for about 5 minutes, then it gets annoying.
Tactile switches are in the middle. Not that loud, but not that soft either. It is the go-to switch type for most, as they have more pronounced feedback. They also don’t make your ears bleed.
Linear switches are the quietest of the bunch. They also tend to offer the least resistance to pressure.
These are the big categories, but there are all sorts of switches in between. They can have different weights, springs, stems, construction materials, etc.
It will be a hard decision to make. I tried different keyboards with different switches in various computer stores to get a rough idea.
I eventually went linear, as I didn’t want clicky ones, and I was somewhat familiar with tactile ones.
I got the Everglide Aqua King V3s based on various recommendations and reviews. I love them. They are so smooth.
I also got some Gateron Yellows, but I am still waiting for those. Patience is key.
Keycaps: PBT, ABS, Wood, Metal, Membrane, and all sort of different combinations. Quality matters, but this is down to personal preference, for the most part.
I got multiple sets, both PBT and ABS. Some of them have arrived, and they feel nice. I am still waiting for some, and I will probably get more in the future if I feel like I need a change.
Mods: Changes that you can make to modify the sound profile and feel of your keyboard.
You can lube them, improve the stabilizers, sound-proof the case, apply switch films, put O-rings, get custom USB cables, and so on. Some can be more complex than others.
My switches came factory lubed, and they sound pretty good, but some might need an extra layer of lubrification, same for the stabilizers. I have now put this on the to-do list. Special tools are required.
So, passion or waste of time?
I guess it depends on who you ask. Hardcore users can spend large amounts of money and time making their keyboard look and feel great.
Most might not care and keep on buying the cheapest thing they can find.
I am neither. I believe it is a rewarding hobby, but you have to be careful not to go overboard. Some things don’t matter that much. I wouldn’t pay a 1000$ on a board that offers me no additional benefit to the 100% one. I’m a practical man that doesn’t like to waste money.
I also believe that, when you work in front of a computer, what you use to perform work, play or relax is valuable.
Nobody said that keyboards have to be boring. Visuals matter. It is enjoyable to look at a beautifully crafted piece of hardware. More than that, the typing experience is one of the most significant aspects of having a pleasant time in front of the computer.
So, if it is worth it to you, it never is a waste.
