Thoughts?

Swapped out the original case and keycaps for a new look. Cost around ~$60 for the keyboard, case, and keycaps. Lubed the stock switches and they sound amazing.

Hey all,

Desperately need help deciding on a HE keyboard - tested one out recently and fell in love with it, thought doing some light research would yield results quickly but ended up throwing me into the rabbit hole of hell.

The more I feel confident in a keyboard the more end up getting recommended! Right now I’m between a few:

- Akko MOD007 V5 HE
- Chilkey Slice75 HE
- IQUNIX EV63 HE
- Wooting 60HE V2
- Lofree Hyzen (although I don’t love the bulkiness of the frame)

If anyone has experience with any number of these please let me know (especially how they compare to each other), if anyone has recommendations based on the keyboards listed please also let me know. Here are a few important things I’m looking for:

- At least one predominantly black colorway
- Aluminum frame
- HE/TMR
- Software quality is not that important
- Volume knob is a non-factor
- 75% size
- Budget is (up to) $350

Many thanks for your input.

spent the last year trying different boards, switches and settings, and the funny part is I stop noticing most of it once im actually in a match.

the nicer build and sound still matter when im typing, but for gaming I mostly care that the keys feel consistent and dont miss inputs.

I still like expensive keyboards. I just stopped pretending they were going to make me play better.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a 75% mechanical keyboard with a budget of around $85 USD.

I use my PC for both gaming and productivity, so I'm trying to find something that offers a good typing experience while still being responsive for games.

What I'm looking for:

75% layout

Mechanical switches

Good build quality for the price

Wired or wireless

A knob is a must-have feature

Preferably hot-swappable

Mainly interested in dark colorways (black, dark gray, etc.)

Available internationally if possible

I've done some research and these are the options I'm currently considering:

Options I'm considering:

EPOMAKER X Aula F75 MAX

YUNZII B75 PRO MAX

EPOMAKER X Aula EA75 MAX

EPOMAKER EA75

Things I care about the most are typing feel, build quality, and overall value for the price. I don't need anything extremely competitive for esports, but I would like a keyboard that performs well for both everyday work and gaming.

If you've used any of these keyboards, I'd love to hear your experience. I'm also open to other recommendations within my budget.

Thanks!

Sound Test

Board: Womier SK75 Black with all stock foams
Switches: Keygeeks Y2 48g
Keycaps: Keychron OSA Black double-shot PBT side printed with shine through
Artisan: Resin koi from Hirosart

Sound test recorded with Hyper X Quadcast ~20cm away.

Finished this build today, I absolutely love the deep and muted sound profile of the Y2's. They are incredibly well factory lubed. I also adore the OSA profile from Keychron, it is a nice blend of SA and OEM that just works with my hands.

Hi! I used to have a predator helios neo 16, but the Nvidia chip died after 2 years and I was able to get a good refund (thanks to UK consumer protection laws). I've gone for a desktop which is great, but I'm hoping I can get a good keyboard with a similar layout to that of a predator helios neo 16, so I don't have to relearn muscle memory for various games etc. I've got a £100 budget, so any recs are welcome!

Basically the title, i need a low profile 75% keyboard that is light enough to be portable, theres no budget but i want something value for the price. Also would be nice if they used the 2.0 sockets so i could insert some kailh switches in them.

As the title says I’m looking for a good keyboard that is 75% (qwerty). I was looking into something that will last me awhile with good response times. I would rather the keyboard be around $150 or less. I prefer wired keyboards however if a wireless one exists that can give the same or better response times then I would definitely take it. Thank you all in advance.

seeing a lot of newer people worrying that they need a $300–400 board to enjoy the hobby.

I spent an hour tape modding and lubing a cheap plastic board today and it ended up sounding way better than expected.

expensive boards are nice, but you really dont need one to have fun with the boards. sometimes messing around with a cheap board is the best part.

It's acting like I am pressing ctrl, but I'm not. The onscreen keyboard doesn't sow ctrl as being pressed, but it also behaves as if ctrl is being pressed, even if my keyboard is disconnected. I can't even type some letters if they aren't capital (c, v, and h).

It starts to work randomly if I restart, but ends up breaking again.

So, IQUNIX sent me the EV63 HE keyboard for review, and, after using it for a few weeks, I'm actually quite impressed. This is coming from someone without any particular preference for sound profiles but a definite aversion to negative sounds (rattly stabs, scratchy switches, and that typical top-out clatter that's plagued HE boards since forever): You don't need to spend $200+ on an aluminium Hall effect keyboard. IQUNIX has effectively solved the HE top-out clatter, and it's somehow in the brand's "affordable" HE board.

The version I have here is $189, but there is a $169 version with carbon fibre accents and an opaque keycap set. I'd honestly go for the cheaper one if you have an issue with glare bright south-facing LEDs. The backlighting on this board is bright enough that it drowns out the white side-printed lettering when it's enabled.

Oh. It is wired-only, so get out of here if you're a wireless freak.

The EV63, for the most part, is a pretty standard HE board, with all the 8 kHz polling, 0.01 mm RT, and adjustable actuation point at 0.1 mm increments.

Getting this out of the way for sound fanatics, since it does sound pretty dang good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSbTGi_Aqec

Aesthetics and build quality

The aesthetics are neither here nor there. If you like the blasted aluminium texture and frosted transparent PC caps, this will work out well. I personally like that the RGB is visible — sue me, I like the pretty colours — but I also appreciate that the frosted keycaps sort of tamps down the harshness of bright backlighting. The finish on the case is well executed, and the branding on the top is minimal. There's some intricate CNC work on the bottom, which is cool to see, as someone who's done some CNC and design work. It is a tray mount design with an aluminium plate, so the keyboard has no flex while you're typing or gaming.

Keycaps

The EV63's keycaps feel pretty good for Cherry profile keycaps, but there are two issues I personally have with them. For starters, the texture on the tops of the keycaps is a little too rough for my taste. This is subjective, but coming from a my split ergo daily driver, the EV63's caps take some time to get used to. The other gripe I have about the keycaps is that the legend is just not very visible, since it's white text on a frosted surface, the text tends to get blown out by the backlighting. Of course, the easy solution is to just learn to touch type, but that proved a little more challenging than expected, for reasons I'll get into later.

Switches and typing sound

The IQUNIX Magnetic X Pro switches are by far some of the best HE switches I've tried when it comes to sound and feel. They're incredibly clacky — this is about the only board that I've come across that's as loud and clacky as the Rainy 75 and its HMX Violet switches. That said, the Magnetic X Pro switch is the only HE switch I've tested that has almost literally none of that top-out clatter that's ever-present on just about every HE switch around. They feature dust-proof stems, but that doesn't come with the usual scratchiness of a dust-proof stem. Instead, they're quite wobble-free, and they have a satisfying bottom-out sound, so they actually work quite well for typing, too. Typing test later...

Software customisation and gaming

The customisation software for the EV63 is a web driver that can be accessed in a Chromium browser, which is both a blessing and a curse, since if IQUNIX ever goes out of business, it'll be a challenge to ever set up or back up your keyboard's layout or firmware. I'd like to see the option for a local version. The UI is decently intuitive, although it doesn't have all the advanced remapping stuff I have access to on a lot of Keychron boards, for example. For gaming, though, the IQUNIX driver is well thought out. There are no major translation bungles, and everything was where I thought it would be.

The web driver gives you access to configure HE features like adjustable actuation, SOCD, RT, ModTap, DKS, and Toggle Key, but it also gives you access to macro recording, a host of RGB controls, and the ability to share your layouts and HE feature profiles with friends. The keyboard supports three onboard profiles, but you can also create up to 10 custom temporary profiles, which are stored in your browser cache and can be loaded into the keyboard's onboard profile slots with the click of a button. The driver has a useful key calibration feature, that allows for manual switch calibration — always do this with new HE boards, by the way — and it has a list of switches to choose from in the "Performance" tab, or you can use the Smart Switch Adaptation feature, which seems to detect different switch specs well enough.

I'm not a fast-paced FPS gamer. I'm just too old for that sort of stress on my heart. However, I did some due diligence and tested the lowest actuation distance to see if the keyboard registered any false positives, and I was surprised that it did not, although there were some double inputs on top-out at 0.1 mm with 0.01 mm RT enabled. I still don't recommend gaming at 0.1 mm actuation point, because that's silly, and you will get false positives when your hands are anywhere near the board. I was also able to verify that disabling NKRO was effective, and only 6 keys can be entered simultaneously if NKRO is disabled. This means it should play well with consoles.

Stabilisers

I've been pretty positive about the EV63 so far, but it's time to address the elephant in the room — the stabilisers. Man, are these some of the rattliest stabs I've ever used. Every single one rattles, and there's no reason it had to be this way. This was the same issue I had with the stabs on the EZ63 I reviewed for Notebookcheck last year sometime, and it took all of 15 minutes to fix with a plumber's tape mod. About the only redeeming quality of the stabilisers on the EV63 is that they're clip-in, so they're easy to remove and replace or mod. Fortunately, the EV63 is also compatible with screw-in stabs, which is a potential upgrade path if you're into modding.

Actually, the whole board is pretty mod-friendly, as the case even follows the standard 60% layout as the Wooting 60HE, meaning you could buy something like a Tofu case for the EV63 if you didn't like the raw aluminium or carbon fibre look.

Listen to the typing test linked above for a demo. The space bar is as abominable as it was on the EZ63 and as bad as the worst Keychron space bar stab I've used.

One last complaint

I mentioned before that I found it difficult to learn how to touch type on the EV63, and that's because of the compact 63-key layout that squishes the right shift and delete keys into the spaces next to the arrows. This hasn't been my biggest complaint about the layout, though. What throws me off is that the bottom row is slightly shifted to the left by around 0.25u. You'd think this wouldn't be a problem, given that I switch between row-staggered, ortholinear, and columnar-stagger boards all the time, but unfortunately, it seems as though it still trips me up, even after weeks on the EV63.

Hello I'm looking for a high quality wireless 75 keyboard. I would prefer it to have RGB and I prefer tactile switches. I would prefer it to be mostly black to match my workstation. My budget is 300 usd.

I have ROG Azoth and its been double typing randomly and tried something to fix it and still same problem, used it for coding and some gaming and double type been bugging me. So I'm looking to replace it but still struggling to find similar form keyboard.
I'm looking for 75% keyboard that has 4 key on the right, and 2.4ghz wireless, also if possible web app config.

Whats I'm been considering and available on my area:
- Keychron K2 HE (idk about HE keyboard, and only can use the gateron he switch, worried it will be hard to find replacement switches)
- Akko MOD007 V5 HE (again HE switches)
- Aula F75
- AJAZZ AK820 MAX or V2

Any more ideas? Thanks!

I am looking to purchase a nice custom mechanical keyboard to use for PC gaming and then just everyday typical use. I’ve been eyeing the Keychron Q6 Max because I prefer a full size keyboard, but I am also open to any recommendations since I am a noob when it comes to custom mechanical keyboards. I have been using the Logitech G915 full size with red switches and I honestly don’t like the feel of the reds, but when I purchased it I had no knowledge about the different keyboard switches. I would prefer for it to have the option of being completely wireless or wired, RGB is not a must have, it’s a nice to have. Something that is very important is that the software to control the keyboard is stable, reliable, and easy to use. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Hi guys! I just got a 2nd hand Aula F99. Just wanted to seek help/guidance on how to fix this. I've tried replacing the old switch and replace it with an extra switch.

Can anyone help me with this?

I’m looking for some ideas for keycaps to give the WASD keys some contrast to the rest of the board. They are XDA profile. I was thinking about black with red or white lettering or even wood and maybe a wood spacebar to match.

My biggest problem is being able find XDA profile and matching font. I feel like it would look weird if they were in a different font. I have also considered blank keycaps.

Any ideas on what would make a good contrast?

looking for a 75% compact mainly for games on the more budget side with the fancy things that keyboards have now

I thought it was just a old keyboard so i bought a new one so i got a new one its still happening i have deleted the keyboard devices and restarted the PC and its still doing it it did work for a bit though

some of the things is the W,A,S,D keys get stuck but not stuck physical,

Keyboard is a cheap Logitech K120
Bought a different brand of keyboard a cheap steel series and still does it

Edit- Tried tried diffrent usb ports aswell

Looking to buy my first mechanical keyboard, price would have to be under 60€ as im quite broke (bummer).

Must-have: a QWERTZ Layout, 75%-85% (preferably 75%), clean look.

Nice to have: A volume knob, Creamy sound, Backlighting

I looked around and found this AJAZZ AK820 which i really like the look of but i looked it up on this subreddit and there were a lot of people who were having issues with the software or the booard itself.

So i would appreciate if some you have any suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Yeh, basically what the title says.

I currently have Lofree flow lite, its fine, nothing to writhe home about. I love the sound, but the reliabilty is not there.

So i am looing for a new one. I had the Logitech mx keyboard, non mechanical. I love that keyboard, still use it at work, but at home i love the mechanical keyboard.

Low profile is a must, also the thocky sound is a must. But i feel that the shinethrrough caps only make sense when there is a light and proximity sensor so I do not have to turn it on and off every day. I have the ligth colorway and during the day you can not see anything if the light is on and at night vice versa since the lettering is not exactly black.

Also, I would prefer ISO layout.

I would like to be able to fit to about 150 dollar/eur budget.

I’m leaving spending hours on research and bulding my own for future me.

Still need some RGB to feel like a proper gaming setup. Finally got the Melgeek real81 on my desk. Starting to realize I like this kind of layout way more than 60/65%.

Feels like professional esports players don't use this layout anymore. Also, I think I still prefer this kind of layout. 60/65% boards are super clean and yeah, they leave you a lot of mouse space, but I always end up missing the function row or a few nav keys.

This 81-key layout feels like a better balance for me. Still compact, still good for gaming, but not too stripped down. Basically compact, but not annoying.

Seller is selling for $30, is it worth picking it up?

i just got this keyboard but i cant seem to change the LED lights because its greyed out and i just cant seem to make it work. the LCD screen software doesnt change as well.

edit: when i go to qmk.top it says no HID device found

I was hoping someone could find a 1800 compact

quiet,

3-mode connection,

2 angles of tilt,

Volume/media knob,

But really anything close to this that won't break the bank would be great