Author Topic: Looking for a 65%/TKL prebuilt keyboard with a few features  (Read 1988 times)

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Offline takk

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Looking for a 65%/TKL prebuilt keyboard with a few features
« on: Sun, 15 March 2020, 18:49:40 »
Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows a keyboard with the following specs:

- 65%/TKL
- RGB (I type a lot during night with no lights)
- PBT keycaps (backlit if possible)
- All black, case and keycaps (I'm surprised its so hard to find a prebuilt all black while 95% of consumer boards are like this)
- Hotswappable switches (even tho I wonder if its really worth it, I'm mainly thinking about making it more future-proof, as its easier to replace a switch in case it goes faulty, I'm already set with blue switches and I don't want to try anything else so I won't be switching it that often) (removed as other users recommended not going for it as it is not a feature I might need  :))

I would appreciate combinations as well that could fill all or most of those requirements, but I imagine it would get a lot more expensive.

The closest I could find was this: https://www.epathbuy.com/product/60-rgb-mechanical-keyboard-hotswap-switch-pbt-keycaps-programmable-61-key-poker-layout-smartmonkey-igk61-set2b
The price is really good, but the only problem is that its not 65% or TKL. I would really miss the arrow keys/del buttons, I'm not really sure if I would get used to it.

Any additional thoughts?
« Last Edit: Sun, 15 March 2020, 21:40:25 by takk »

Offline rxc92

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Re: Looking for a 65%/TKL prebuilt keyboard with a few features
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 15 March 2020, 19:02:05 »
You probably don't want a hotswap, especially since you already are set on clicky switches. They feel worse and are much less reliable (while being expensive). 
And there aren't many PBT backlit keycaps available, though I see that KPRepublic has them (here: https://kprepublic.com/collections/pbt-back-lit-keycaps). 
 
I got my premade, which is 60% and RGB, in choice of color (including black) from KBDfans. All of their prebuilt models are full aluminum with a brass or steel plate and have a wide choice in switches, but some of their popular models aren't on sale. You'd still have to buy your own keycaps of course. 
 
Honestly though, everything you want is available in consumer boards. You could just get a Ducky, which are known for their great RGB and backlit PBT keycaps, and get it with clicky switches. No need to get a custom if you don't need anything specific to it.

Offline takk

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Re: Looking for a 65%/TKL prebuilt keyboard with a few features
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 15 March 2020, 19:13:55 »
Thank you. What do you mean by less reliable, tho? In terms of durability?

As said, I'm just worried about durability. I don't want to lose a board over a single switch going faulty.

Is it something hard to fix by a proper technician?

But yeah, not being hotswappable gives me way more variety.

Thank you again!

You probably don't want a hotswap, especially since you already are set on clicky switches. They feel worse and are much less reliable (while being expensive). 
And there aren't many PBT backlit keycaps available, though I see that KPRepublic has them (here: https://kprepublic.com/collections/pbt-back-lit-keycaps). 
 
I got my premade, which is 60% and RGB, in choice of color (including black) from KBDfans. All of their prebuilt models are full aluminum with a brass or steel plate and have a wide choice in switches, but some of their popular models aren't on sale. You'd still have to buy your own keycaps of course. 
 
Honestly though, everything you want is available in consumer boards. You could just get a Ducky, which are known for their great RGB and backlit PBT keycaps, and get it with clicky switches. No need to get a custom if you don't need anything specific to it.

Offline typo

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Re: Looking for a 65%/TKL prebuilt keyboard with a few features
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 15 March 2020, 21:09:50 »
I completely agree with rxc92. Don't get hot swap. A Ducky is good. If you want nicer go to KBDFAN. Hot Swap is less reliable because it is friction contact instead of solid solder. You could very well have keys stop working in a couple of years.  I would suggest KBDFN for you. Get a very nice board and be done. Just know the switch you want. To be a broken record I feel Tai Hao are the best backlit PBT Doubleshot keycaps.  KBDFAN has them too. I seriously have nothing to do with them. I just like them. YMMV. Vortex is also very good. If you must have hot swap and can do without a black board the Drop Alt high on Amazon is probably the most solid hot swap board IMO. Neither of these are cheap. You did not say an actual budget. Although way less than Korean and honestly just as good. I vastly prefer the KBDFAN. Or wait for something special like a TX87.

Offline takk

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Re: Looking for a 65%/TKL prebuilt keyboard with a few features
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 15 March 2020, 21:34:44 »
Hot Swap is less reliable because it is friction contact instead of solid solder. You could very well have keys stop working in a couple of years.

Thank you! That makes me a little bit less worried.

But just to clarify, you mean stop working like, not even changing switch would fix it, right?

If that is the case, then hotswappable probably isn't the best for me.

Thank you again!

Offline rxc92

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Re: Looking for a 65%/TKL prebuilt keyboard with a few features
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 15 March 2020, 22:04:45 »
Thank you. What do you mean by less reliable, tho? In terms of durability?

As said, I'm just worried about durability. I don't want to lose a board over a single switch going faulty.

Is it something hard to fix by a proper technician?
 
 
That's not what would mess it up. Remember, it'd be a hotswap board, so if a switch were bad you could just pull it out and replace it with another. 
The issue is that the PCB design is completely different, and has a socket for each switch. Each of these sockets contain individual components (those little black pieces from Kailh), and if they fail, need to be completely replaced. A thread from a couple months ago was talking about peoples' experience with it, and most found that five or six swaps was about the maximum before things started breaking. 
 
It's much easier to fix a regular keyboard's switch issues. Desoldering/resoldering a switch takes from seconds to a couple minutes depending on experience, but reinstalling an SMD socket is a taller order.   
Lastly, 'technicians' don't exist; unless you're buying from a large company, a keyboard purchase is just that. If you want to fix something, you'd have to either do it yourself or independently contact someone offering repair service, mail your stuff to them, and pay whatever their prices are.