I think the end game board is a relative thing, you know? If you're in the hobby for the long term, then end game relates to current interests and the ultimate examples of said interests.
I thought the Octagon would be endgame (and now there's a v2 over the horizon
), then I found Alps and figured my Infinity would be it, but now I have a special backlit green alps 60% in mind.
See where this is going?
Excuse the proceeding gush:
I also have an obscure super low serial# vintage Fame keyboard that has blue alps (not that Aruz switch) in it and looks like a Chicony 5161
http://puu.sh/ksjDc/3fb5587f5c.jpg, which is my endgame in the vintage world because it combines a lot of my favorite things: obscurity/rarity, switch type, and build quality (most Fame boards have a distinctly different body style than mine. see:
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Fame_GOG3YLTH-5539). I also grinded out part of the plate to add another switch so that it would be able to take an ANSI-like layout since the Enter key did not have stabilizers on the top half. I was lucky that there was a switch position right where I ground out the plate, but it's only a redundant spot for an Enter key, likely the ISO layout. I've been retrobriting it, I sanded down the plate and back metal panel to eliminate some surface rust and repaint it as I see fit. So there's a lot of work going into that. Ultimately if I could get a Leeku Alps/MX 3000 PCB to put in it, that would be it. Done for that. My favorite vintage.
Anyway, yeah. Endgame is a mixture of current interests and investment in the hobby and if and when you are willing to stop. I have been good at not buying every cool thing in sight and truly sticking to what I find to be ideal for me. Gotta admit I won't be able to pass another Octagon release, especially if it has Alps compatibility this time.
For me 75% is the ultimate practical keyboard, which is why I love my Octagon. TKL is a little superfluous in comparison though I do think they look nice. 60% are really nice to play with but not ideal for me. I like the form factor a lot though. Full-size only works in the vintage spectrum when there is no alternative.
My main desk setup uses a Duck Lightpad/Butterfly Pad and the Octagon, and I don't see that ever changing. I like using the Fame board, but my daily drivers will always be those Ducks.