I would like to start by saying that GON's customer support during this entire experience was incredible! When my PCB had issues after soldering (which was later isolated to a problem in controller), he offered me a discount on a new PCB, which he had absolutely no obligation to do! furthermore, his shipping was incredibly fast, getting from South Korea to Connecticut USA in just two days!
This all began when I decided to invest in a new Korean keyboard. After browsing the vast information stored within geekhack I was eventually convinced to try out GON's services. After pilling together a full shopping cart, I took the leep.
This board has become my daily carry board for a couple of reasons. For one it is extremely light, weighing in at a bit over .6 pounds! Moreover I chose the hard anodization feature for the "case" which is more durable against scratches, and I can say has done a great job so far doing just that. Lastly, with a quieter switch like MX browns I can just lay this board across my laptop and use it in public settings without getting too many looks
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When I first thought about buying this I had doubts about the value of minimalism and if it was really worth the $250 odd dollars it cost me to build the keyboard from parts GON provided.The design of the Skinny is obviously minimal, utilizing a single bent piece of aluminum it shouts "I'm the kind of person who pays more for less." But seriously, it looks good, and in reality really separates itself from the rest of the designs on the keyboard market. When I first saw it I immediately compared it to the wireless apple keyboard which is similarly small and stylish.However, after installing the black nerd 60 PCB that I bought as part of the recent group buy it really gained a new beauty that made it very different from anything else I have encountered. One downside of this design however is that because of how light it is and how little contact it makes with the surface it is sitting on, it tends to slide. To fix this I applied some foam tape to the bottom of the PCB and that was effective enough to solve the issue.
photos of the board:
http://imgur.com/a/RQ7ZC(note these are only temporary caps. Also, my soldering station was in repair and my backup has less than optimal heat conductivity, rendering some of the less than beautiful marks on the PCB
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The construction quality on all the parts was great. I could not notice any flaws in the anodization on the case or on the PCB. I did have that issue I described with the controller on my original PCB however GON was redeemed with his friendly and responsive customer service.
The usability is obviously good, assuming you like the 60% style. The NerD software for reprogramming the board worked very well and was very little hassle. Im not going to linger too much on this point because im sure you all have your own opinions on this subject.
Overall the Skinny is a great little keyboard for anyone looking for an easy entry into Korean keyboards. I have had plenty of experience assembling other keyboards and I can say that this project was one that I can recommend to anyone looking to get an entry into the hobby. The value proposition for this board is more complicated. Although the design is obviously custom, it doesn't not have the flashyness, weight, or features that many other boards in this price point do. That said I am happy with the purchase. From the satisfying clunk of the keycaps on the metal to the open bottom that lets me admire my handywork, it provides a truly unique typing experience that strays away from the standard designs that we have all become accustom to. Of course I have written this review typing on my GON Skinny and I can say it is a fun experience as well, that I cant see myself trading or selling any time soon.
Let me know if you have enjoyed this review, I have some other boards that I could review if anyone is interested!
