Laser 2269 keyboard review (SMK 2nd gen Cherry mount)

[chyros]

In this video we look at something a lot of people have asked me over the years; the Cherry-mount version of SMK clicky switches – in possibly its most well-known chassis. Hope you enjoy the video!

[mode]

Happy to see you cover these, i was curious how they are compared to the alps mount version.

Happily snapped up a few NOS

[fohat.digs]

Excellent keyboard and would be one of my favorites if it had a more standard layout.

[chyros]

Excellent keyboard and would be one of my favorites if it had a more standard layout.

You think the Monterey layout isn't standard enough? Oo

[fohat.digs]

You're right. I have not had mine out in several years and I suppose that it wasn't really the layout that put me off of it.

To be honest, many of my "near-favorite but flawed" keyboards, like this one, have been boxed up tight and stored away for 5+ years, and I tend to forget exactly what is was that I didn't like about them. But I do seem to be able to remember what it was that I DID like about them.

[diymkb]

If I were to find the same keyboard and salvage the switches, would the SMK housings fit in most Cherry compatible plates?

[mode]

If I were to find the same keyboard and salvage the switches, would the SMK housings fit in most Cherry compatible plates?

You can just buy the switches NOS, no need to destroy a vintage board.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32764002294.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.1420d1c6xZOGI9&algo_pvid=727970fd-3279-4035-9aed-71752df025d4&algo_expid=727970fd-3279-4035-9aed-71752df025d4-17&btsid=0b0a187b15860660697131903ef601&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

And yeah, cherry plates work for them, you just need to get a compatible PCB. https://www.lfkeyboards.com offers a couple.

[diymkb]

If I were to find the same keyboard and salvage the switches, would the SMK housings fit in most Cherry compatible plates?

You can just buy the switches NOS, no need to destroy a vintage board.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32764002294.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.1420d1c6xZOGI9&algo_pvid=727970fd-3279-4035-9aed-71752df025d4&algo_expid=727970fd-3279-4035-9aed-71752df025d4-17&btsid=0b0a187b15860660697131903ef601&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

And yeah, cherry plates work for them, you just need to get a compatible PCB. https://www.lfkeyboards.com offers a couple.

Thanks for the link to the switches. I looked at the PCBs available on LFKeyboards, assuming I clip the two round protrusions on the SMK switches, would the metal contacts fit in Kailh hotswap sockets or in Mill Max sockets? I'm just trying to minimize my expenses by using parts that I already have on hand.

[mode]

If I were to find the same keyboard and salvage the switches, would the SMK housings fit in most Cherry compatible plates?

You can just buy the switches NOS, no need to destroy a vintage board.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32764002294.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.1420d1c6xZOGI9&algo_pvid=727970fd-3279-4035-9aed-71752df025d4&algo_expid=727970fd-3279-4035-9aed-71752df025d4-17&btsid=0b0a187b15860660697131903ef601&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

And yeah, cherry plates work for them, you just need to get a compatible PCB. https://www.lfkeyboards.com offers a couple.

Thanks for the link to the switches. I looked at the PCBs available on LFKeyboards, assuming I clip the two round protrusions on the SMK switches, would the metal contacts fit in Kailh hotswap sockets or in Mill Max sockets? I'm just trying to minimize my expenses by using parts that I already have on hand.

For the smaller pcb, yeah, the larger has holes so no clipping required.

The switches do not work with hot swap sockets.

[mode]

My NOS switches turned up, they are indeed really nice. Honestly feel a bit smoother than my blue alps.

I’ll be saving them for a future project one day though, I’ll buy another lfkeyboards pcb to stash with them too.

[mode]

Tried mounting a few keycaps to the loose switch and they're a bit hit/miss, SP SA went on just fine, but MT3 didn't fit, at least not without more force than I was happy to use.

I suspect the issue is the cross tip doesn't have a chamfer, so as long as it gets in, it shouldn't stretch them, but I didn't want to risk it by forcing.