Hi fellow keyboard enthusiasts! Long-time dweller around here who has learned alot about keyboards from you guys. Today I would like to share with you all a review of my experience purchasing the ultra compact SSK Model F keyboard from Model F labs. I'm writing this review even though I never make posts here so that vintage style keyboards like this get a little bit more coverage and also because I was very impressed by this keyboard.
A little background about the keyboard: I own a model m from Unicomp which uses the same buckling spring switches but it membrane design- the springs trigger a membrane circuit. Because membranes use matrix designs, they are very limited in key rollover count. The Unicomp Model m is supposed
to have only 2-key rollover but the new edition uses an advanced matrix that gives it up to 6-key rollover. Since the buckling spring is a capacitive switch, it inherently features n-key rollover. I definitely needed more than 6 keys when
playing certain rhythm games and performing certain tasks. Although buckling springs are not ideal for gaming, I wanted the buckling spring as a daily driver, and although my model m can register 6-keys at once, I prefer capacitive engineering over matrix. The model f is a fully functional buckling spring which is why I decided to make this purchase. Also, the buckling spring over membrane design will not produce as nice a tactile signature as the buckling spring over capacitive switches in which the springs are connected
to a capacitive hammer that slams down when the key is registered, as compared to the springs activating over a membrane film. This changes the feel of the switch, making it snappier and more metallic feeling instead of rounded/stiff. I also owned a cherry mx green keyboard prior but found something lacking in it as a clicky switch, which is not a bad switch - it does its job in the tactility and the clicky department, but they seem meek compared to the model
f.
Unpacking: I live in Singapore and had placed my order on 19 august and received it on 12 september, much sooner than I expected. I've read about some people expressing dismay at having to wait for a much longer
time period for their board to arrive but I think it was due to their orders being made in batches. I believe my keyboard was a clearance unit which is why it took me only roughly 3 weeks to get my order. For fresh built to order units, this may take longer. The website regularly posts updates on the production status
of each of its' models on forums linked on its website. You can check your status on the orders which are made in several batches, that can be circumvented if you pay a premium for a lower serial number to jump the queue. The My additional orders(keycaps, repair kit, etc) were packaged in individual
ziplocs in individual bags for each order. No visible signs of damage on the box exteriors. the keyboard in the box, was secured by foam wraps
then fitted into the box, really adding to the protection of the board, a very thoughtful packaging method. I was pleased with this because my particular model is notorious for having issues from being bounced around during shipping so I'm glad that the company took great care to address this problem. Overall, all the springs showed up in perfect condition, apart from 3 springs
on the letter cluster that appeared to be slightly dislodged. However upon further inspection, the springs were in tip top condition and didn't appear to be damaged at all. They were just out of place. From my experience, its' not likely that you will get damaged springs but the website does caution that you will have to
take out a pair of tweezers to pull the strings apart from the hammer nubs then replace them with spare springs in the worst case scenario. No disassembly of the case is required. - not a major defect and the solution is clearly mentioned in the manual, although it is advised that you buy a spare first aid kit
for the worst case scenario. I ordered the gray keyboard case but it's actually a nice metallic silver that under bright lights even starts to look whitish. A pleasant surprise
and a plus for me. There were some glue stains on the case that came off the foam that came off easily after wiping the case.
but the website does tell you that to expect some variation for each individual unit. Not a vital flaw, but something to be noted. one of the screws used for the case was a little underscrewed, affecting the keyboard stability on the desk. I simply tightened the loose screw and the keyboard sat perfectly flat. not exactly waht i'd call a defect but a minor
shortcoming in the shipping process that could be improved on. I was curious what the company policy on damaged goods was so I sent in an e-mail to enquire. The company covers the entire cost of warranty including shipping if the product is damaged.
TLDR: Good shipping timing, standard updates and tracking, good box conditioning, some small issues with the out-of-box condition - need to wipe down glue from the foam inserts with a wet towel. screw needs tightening. Maybe initial orders are managed better but this was slightly lacking.
setup experience *read the manual then just follow along*
Set-up phase: I found the instructions very easy to follow. The manual mentioned needing to unscrew the entire case to push out the modifier key stabilizers if you inserted them improperly, but they were so easy to slot in I feel like warnings were just there as a safety catch.
When inserting the keys themselves, the process is almost similar to inserting a set of fresh new keycaps into a cherry mx board, apart from you being required to hang the keyboard spacebar side up while inserting the keys. I think this is because the keyboard in this position
have a more stable fixation on the capacitive hammers, but I could be wrong. There is one extra step you have to do - pressing every individual keycap to look for the clicking sound of the springs buckling. If you insert them the wrong way it's likely the springs won't be depressed
by the keycaps properly and you'll have to start over. Fortunately in my case, all the springs worked perfectly on the first try and I didn't need to re-insert any of the keycaps. I mistook the blank key on my keyboard to be a list key. That key didn't register on any of the keyboard
testing websites that I tried, so I had to e-mail the company about this issue(turns out the solution was actually listed on the manual but nonetheless). The company gives pretty swift responses, the first e-mail I got my reply within 30 minutes. So overall, the set-up phase is pretty straightforward and easy, it's basically as easy as recapping
a cherry mx board with the extra steps on the stabilizer inserts and the checking of the switches. For my particular model,
TLDR: Simple set-up process where a little bit of effort is required.
Appearance and build quality:
This case is a tank. That's the best way to describe it. It feels about a good 3kg to me, and there's something about the bulkiness of the external case that is reminiscient of an original IBM Model F keyboard. However the cleanly cut and dyed silver aluminium case freshens the outdated look - Its design makes a great
transition from the retro look into a modern design. I selected the Industrial blue PBT keycaps in the colour scheme options and they match the case really well. The colour combination of blue keycaps on a silver case isn't too flashy but definitely makes the entire board more attractive than if I had gotten the standard old-school white keycaps.
None of the boards I have can be said to be aesthetically pleasing apart from the Max Blackbird that has been outfitted with pom jelly keycaps and features a blue sidelight. This keyboard to me is still a better looking keyboard than that. For my personal tastes, its as beautiful as boards that boast
aesthetically beautiful designs such as the nuphy gem 80 or the lofree 84 and maybe a notch below the cyberboard glacier. The one complaint I have is that the type-c socket at the back of the case
is not fitted very well and I would have liked it to be more snugly fitted. If this were a portable keyboard where I'm always plugging out my board that would have been an area of concern, but as this keyboard is a 3kg behemoth I wouldn't even want to be doing that, which nullifies the problem of the poorly
fitted socket.
TLDR: Very solid board with one of the best stock cases you can get. Very visually pleasing, good keycap quality. USB socket could be fitted nicer.
Keycaps and switches:
keycaps are very solid. quality is what you would expect from a stock set of brand new pbt keycaps. no issue there. very nice to type on and the solidity + texture is just a nice combination for the fingers. Haven't checked, but the keycaps feel thicker than those that come with my Unicomp. the feel of the buckling springs gives a tactile sensation that no other switch can replicate. Maybe the model m? But even the model m feels stiffer.
The designs are supposed to be nigh identical but there is a huge difference in the typing experience. This is due to the model f being a capacitive model. Instead of a membrane, the springs are attached to a capacitive hammer, which results in a different feedback signature. So, in comparison to the model m, these
switches are lighter and snappier, whereas the model m is stiffer(due to using a different spring I believe, and has a less mechanical feeling on activation due to being a rubber dome design).
when the spring buckles, the switch gives in with a very crisp drop and a mild rattly feeling(not shaky, just that when the buckling spring buckles it produces a certain vibration). all this culminates into a very beautiful tactile feedback signature. Definitely miles above my cherry mx green board in which the tactile point is less pronounced and the click not as lively.
Other tactile switches like a zealios or a fukka white switch feel like a speed bump whereas this feels like a long hump.
The full-bodied aluminium casing produces a loud resonating thwack sound. It's not a bad sound. not as gentle/elegant as the thock that you can get on some high end keyboards but it's still better than the clack you get on most stock keyboard brands with plastic cases(i was using an ikbc with cherry mx clears before this for reference.)
These have to be among my favourite switches so far across all the boards that I've tried. However, if pressed to find fault with this switch. I would say its' not very good for double tapping. Have not fact checked it but there seems to be more latency, at least in feel, as compared to a linear switch like the MX black,
although this didn't bother me when I was test-running the keyboard on Ghost of Tsushima. It actually feels better in games that don't require spamming unlike maybe something like an MMO or starcraft. Just note that even with headphones, these keyboards are LOUD. They are going to affect immersion that you'd get from a quiet linear/tactile board.
It may be a good idea to pair up this board with noise-cancelling closed-back headphones. I was using open-back headphones for this review(lent my closed backs to someone) and the sound really bleeds inside.
The polling rate of this keyboard is listed at 625 hz I believe, which falls short of the "gaming standard" 1000 hz. So if you value double tapping and play
alot of games such as Valorant, CS:go and PUBG, this will be a big factor. Also, while this switch may have established a legendary status for itself, it is still a switch made for a previous era. The standard for gaming is shifting even further away from the old school switches,
from mechanical to analog hall-effect switches. if you don't want to miss out
on everything a gaming switch has to offer, you may want to consider something else.
TLDR: Effective for gaming but not optimal. They feel like a modern typewriter - much snappier and less controlled - it wants you to snap the switch and let it do some work. Not the greatest for double-tapping and in technical specifications(key rollover, polling rate etc.) Outshines any other modern board in office work and typing. Sound signature is among the best, not refined like a thocky board but very lively for non-interactive tasks.
QMK Firmware:
may add a segment in the future on the QMK firmware in the future when I have gotten around to tinkering around with it. Some of the highlights of the firmware are macro function and n-key rollover programmability. So far without configuring the qnmk firmware, I don't have n-key rollover
nor macro function/media keys.
Advisory:
I would advise someone shipping from a further location to really read the terms and conditions page of the website. The product is under limited warranty, so anything that can be manually repaired, you have to be prepared to fix yourself. The company will not do it for you. The downside to this is that
warranty problems with other companies are easier to claim. However, there also is an upside which is that when the warranty runs out, you will generally have a provided solution for most issues that pop up. Also, while shipping may be expensive, Model F labs has let me know that
its warranty covers shipment costs in the case of damaged goods. This is a good assurance that you will get what you ordered in pristine condition without having to worry about extra charges. However, you should double-check the TOS to ensure you know what you're getting yourself into.
Conclusion: It is a great step-up from my unicomp model m. This has to be one of the best pre-built tenkeyless keyboard in the market currently - from the very high quality anodized aluminium frame to the thick PBT keycaps, with a beautiful colour and most importantly , fantastic switches. I also appreciate having these legendary switches
in a modern layout. Old model f keyboards have pretty bad layouts such as a side row for function keys as opposed to an upper row, or missing window keys. I'd say this right here could be said to be THE ideal modern representation of a capacitive buckling spring switch keyboard. For the sale price of 250 usd that I paid for the model itself without add-ons, I would say it has been an extremely worthwhile investment, not to mention that given the repute of how durable model f keyboards are I can foresee myself continuing to use this keyboard for many more years to come. (I think the estimated
lifespan of this keyboard exceeds 30 years?). I think this board is priced fairly because of the long lifespan and the build quality. it can be said that this product matches other custom keyboards in design and materials. I have tried a friends' zoom 65 keyboard and can say that if you were happy with
the build quality on the zoom you would be happy with the quality on this board. The product is fantastic, but its' not guaranteed that the fresh out-of-the-box condition will be on the same level as a major company like corsair, ducky,filco, leopold etc. that have perfect assembly standards. I'm talking about the glue stains, loose screw and the poorly fitting usb-c port.
Nonetheless, I was willing to overlook these issues as it is still an excellent product. None of the issues impeded my experience of the keyboard drastically, if at all. You will have to
spend more time setting up this keyboard. The reason it doesn't come with keycaps installed is because there are too many variations of the board and too many different orders for this to be integrated easily into the assembly line.
If shipping is very expensive for you, you should bear this in mind because warranty does cover shipping, but only for damaged goods. In other scenarios you would either have to do a manual assisted self-repair or cover the shipping fees. In my case, the shipping cost me around 50 USD which is a relatively large sum. I proceeded knowing this because I was prepared to take the risk. and didn't intend to mail the product back unless there were drastic defects in it, which is probably an overprecaution on my end.
The customer service is fantastic, they respond promptly, they know their product very well and are serious about fixing your issues with their product. After adjustment for inflation, the old model F supposedly is priced in the ballpark of $600-800 in todays' currency. I actually paid 250 USD for my keyboard, not mentioning
the extra add-ons and shipping, which took up the bulk of the added costs. Total cost: keyboard:250 + unique industrial SSK keycaps 18 + first aid kit: 50 + shipping:75 + keycap puller 6 + serial number 29 = $425 USD. I guess I would recommend this keyboard to anybody who is serious about obtaining the keyboard as a collector, wants a modern take on the model f keyboard or just really appreciates the buckling spring technology.
If you do office work in a solo setting, and you don't play competitive games, get this keyboard. If you primariliy want to game and play fast-paced games, you might want to consider something else.
Buckling springs are a good all-around switch that can handle any task. They truly shine when it comes to doing any work/project related activity. While being able to pull their own weight in gaming, they still lag behind modern switches in gaming capability in response time and gaming programmability . The compact ssk model f
can also transform a dul computer terminal into something more charming with its signature authentic click and retrofuturist aesthetic appeal which can brighten up time spent at the desk during long work hours.
Design: 9/10 I actually wanted to give a higher score because this is the keyboard with the best stock case that I've ever bought. I had a KUL-ES 87 that was well known for being a very sturdy plastic case keyboard with good heft(similar to a leopold board), but the aluminium metal case on this board
is still unprecedented, and makes the KUL ES-87 look cheap despite being made of high quality thick plastic. There are also brands with very intricate concepts in their case designs such as gasket mounts and elaborate shock absorbing technology that model f keyboards can't boast about(In fact I think
the intense noise of the model F is why keyboards like that were designed in the first place lol). 9/10 after considering that other companies that have better designs in areas of innovation.
product quality: 10/10 The only manufacturer of capacitive buckling springs in the market. There aren't many manufacturers in the market out there that can claim that their product is one-of-a-kind. Since there is no other keyboard that I can compare this to and I can't think of a way to improve this board, I give it a 10/10. Some people have complained about the case being too thick,
conflicting with the height of the keycaps, but that's a selling point for me. This keyboard wouldn't be the Model F without that extra bulkiness and it did not affect my experience using it.
quality control: 7.95/10: Glue marks coming off the foam, having a screw that required tightening and the usb port finishing is not polished enough for me. This is in my opinion the only area that the company falls short in. I've spoken with model f about this problem and given that the glue stains can be wiped off and the screw coming loose was easily rectified, I'll try not to be to critical.
However, it does signal the clear difference in standardization between a top-tier manufacturer such as ducky, filco, etc, vs model f which is still in its early stages and can't provide the same consistency. Hopefully in the future model f labs can improve on this area. For now, they get a 7.9, but if the issues I encountered can be amended, there won't be much else to complain about.
price: 10/10 I bought this at the sale price of 250, a 50% discount off the original price of 500. No complaints there. Very worth it. That's in the ballpark of an HHKB or a Realforce which among stock keyboards are top-of-the-line(Among the priciest) and moreover the keyboard build is the sturdiest amongst those 3.
Itt's definitely going to be one of the more expensive
stock boards out there, but you get your bang for your buck , especially if you buy it on sale.
buck. It's also worth noting again that if you account for the adjusted for inflation
price of a model f, 500 is still a reasonable price.
Customer service: 8.9/10 prompt e-mails that will respond to your concerns on a day-to-day basis, within a reasonable time-frame. In my experience, within 2-3 hours during working hours. Did not get a perfect score because there is some manual work that you are expected to do yourself like tinkering with the firmware and
self repairs. It also has the longest most tedious set-up manual I've seen for any keyboard. You could say that this is the nature of the product, so maybe this complaint I have can be taken with a pinch of salt. Also, they should automate their website to mail you the receipt I think that feature is basic enough to expect.
included in the checkout procedure. If i had to rate on my own experience I'd give a higher score, but I've read posts about extended waiting periods for people with low serial numbers, and decided to deduct some points for that.
Closing statements:
I really appreciate what Joe at Model F labs has turned into a reality - reviving a heritage keyboard design that is coveted by the keyboard enthusiast community. The only other 2 companies that come to my mind who have achieved a similar feat on a large scale are matias keyboards and Unicomp, so shout out to them as well.
These switches that I consider heritage pieces that while they do not have the edge in technical specifications or cost efficiency in production, have an organic charm that I would hope to see remain in the keyboard market. It is cool to see that while space invader NMBs met a tragic
end going out of production and SKCM ALPS switches had their equipment overhauled, with the overhauled parts being used to manufacture Datacomp switches, leaving only a spiritual successor in Matias that uses original equipment of their own, buckling springs have taken a step in the reverse direction, with Unicomp preserving the original buckling spring and model f labs taking this a step further to produce the finest buckling spring set-up conceivable.
