Mods to improve the G80-3000 (backplate)

[Karura]

Hello, I'm wondering what are some mods out there for the G80-3000 that will improve it?

I know the G80 doesn't have a backplate. Does anyone make backplates for it?

[dorkvader]

Hello, I'm wondering what are some mods out there for the G80-3000 that will improve it?

I know the G80 doesn't have a backplate. Does anyone make backplates for it?

I think you can take a plate out of a G81 and put it behind the PCB for the G80.

There aren't many fullsize plates that have been made: and most of them are aluminium (not very good plate material in my opinion) You could get a fullsize plate from (say) a cheap rosewill KB and modify it for the capslock and spacebar. (and widen the stabilizer holes or switch to costar)

[IvanIvanovich]

There were some plates for 3000 made in Korea in groupbuy... but I think you will have a hard time to get one. As far as using an underplate from G81, it really depends on the revision you have. It doesn't work well in the modern winkey type case. There is not enough clearance room to get the case closed back up. But, there is other ways to make it more rigid like adding strips of firm foam rubber under the PCB. Other thing that can be nice to do depending on which revision we are talking about is doing in switch lock led mod which can be really simple on some.

[Karura]

I just want to say that I've been using the G80 without backplate and it's feeling pretty clonk-y, which isn't bad.

[Findecanor]

I think you can take a plate out of a G81 and put it behind the PCB for the G80.

I don't think that you would be able to close it if you did.
I think that what is referred to here is "switch-mounting plate", not backplate. Cherry MX switch keyboards don't have backplates.

There is some flex in modern G80-3000:s with Windows keys, but that is because the case is a bit flimsy. The vintage winkeyless case is sturdier but unfortunately not compatible with the modern keyboard.
If you would stiff up the bottom of the case, or make the bottom connect more to the hard desk surface then I think that would reduce the flex a bit.

[IvanIvanovich]

Yes. On modern G80-3000 adding some rubber strips like on the corners feet around the center label on the bottom helps a decent amount. Also as I said before adding some dense foam rubber under the pcb is also great as it stops the feeling of the pcb banging into the case bottom. More often than not it seems the pcb has a tendency to bow which is less than ideal. Either way I still prefer this over plate mounted as I feel it gives a more natural 'warm' typing feeling. Plate mount feel too dead and rigid to me, at least the steel ones. Plastic 1mm 'plate' could be a good compromise. I've come across some older 80's era Chinese made keyboards with plastic plate, and while they were overall fairly poor quality it could have been a good approach if it was done better.