Why don't keyboard come with switch top removable plates?

[Encabulator]

I just learned about these plates that are popular where you can pop off switch tops for impatience and spring/stem changes.  I know the starting price for one is quite low but then there is there is the soldering you have to do and extra parts to buy if you break anything. So my point is, why don't companies just have stock plates that support switch top removal? Its not going to cost them anything more to produce, it would be another selling point for the keyboard and people would probably even be willing to spend more on a keyboard with one of those plates stock. Currently the only reasons I can think of is it might look ugly and sell less (unlikely) or it might get bad reviews when someone attempts to open a switch the wrong way and breaks it. Let me know what you guys think.

[xondat]

No idea. It is from 4 to 20 faces per switch hole, and it would require straying from Cherry spec (which might be exactly why they aren't, they aren't allowed?).

Some kustom creators argue stability, but I don't think it makes a different, and it's completely placebo in my opinion.

[davkol]

What companies? Mainstream? Those have absolutely no interest in advertising any such feature, because then they'd have to deal with RMA requests on keyboards ruined by idiots.

Note that some keyboards don't even need such cutouts: Alps/Matias or PCB-mount MX-like switches _can_ be opened without any soldering involved. Matias or Cherry don't advertise modifiability—for a reason—though.

[Encabulator]

What companies? Mainstream? Those have absolutely no interest in advertising any such feature, because then they'd have to deal with RMA requests on keyboards ruined by idiots.

Note that some keyboards don't even need such cutouts: Alps/Matias or PCB-mount MX-like switches _can_ be opened without any soldering involved. Matias or Cherry don't advertise modifiability—for a reason—though.

Just put warranty void stickers on every single hole for switch top removal

In all seriousness, I'd assume anyone spending upwards of $100 on a keyboard will have some sort of knowledge on removing plastic friction-fit tabs and replacing springs.

[davkol]

Just read Reddit (mk, pcmr,…) for a while, you'll see plenty of idiots with way too much money and little common sense, including some that attempt fraud after ruining their gear.

[drewafx]

.

[tp4tissue]

because it's dumb..



Originally this was done to cater to the Lubing fad..

But cherry mx is not designed to be lubed, the lube simply just rolls off, it will not stay on there for long. and because the switch has such large openings any lube greatly increases the odds of dust causing build up on the inside.


Then people were like, oh well, now we're gonna swap the stems..


Yea ok, have fun spending 2 hours doing that..    I'd rather go to work for 2 hours and buy a new board in another switch variation..



Swappable switch plate IS versatile,   but it's just not practical in usage... 

[Targa-TV]

I thought it was to avoid people modding the hell out of them and ending up not buying another board for decades. I bet manufacturers were like "these little s* switches go for 50 million keystrokes, let's make it impossible for the ordinary customker to mod them without buying a soldering iron or desoldering pump, learning how to desolder, and desolder every single gd pin first." Bast*s.

[reconsiderit]

I imagine that switch top removable plates are more expensive to manufacture too, right? The little cutouts means more time spent on the CNC machine and means tighter tolerances.

Besides, I don't see to many people with corsair k60s or razer boards needing switch top removal.

[Targa-TV]

Besides, I don't see to many people with corsair k60s or razer boards needing switch top removal.

Is there a reference to something in there? If yes I missed it. Why wouldn't they?

[Joey Quinn]

Besides, I don't see to many people with corsair k60s or razer boards needing switch top removal.

Is there a reference to something in there? If yes I missed it. Why wouldn't they?

He's saying that anyone that wants switch top removal slits is probably at the point where they're already building a custom board. Basically someone buying your average stock keyboard probably isn't interested enough in modding to use them.

I think the slits aren't included due to the added cost, both from machining and idiots accidentally destroying the boards.

[klennkellon]

A hot swappable keyboard is even better. You can just pop the switches out and tinker with them and put them back. And you still get a metal mounting plate.

[Puddsy]

Keyboard manufacturers don't want people who don't know what they're doing breaking anything.

[TerryMathews]

No idea. It is from 4 to 20 faces per switch hole, and it would require straying from Cherry spec (which might be exactly why they aren't, they aren't allowed?).

I think you're off-base on this. "Cherry spec" is no switch plate at all.

[atarione]

because if they did noobs would break them trying to take them apart then try to rma

[Puddsy]

because if they did noobs would break them trying to take them apart then try to rma

^

[_rubik]

If you could swap the switches out, why would you every buy another keeb again!? Maybe it's just for repeat business...