Author Topic: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard  (Read 34148 times)

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Offline ai03

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[IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 10:52:05 »

Equinox XL
Equinox is back - The compact size and PCB-mount structure remain, but this time with more keys and a screwless exterior.

To stay up-to-date, it is highly recommended to join either ai03's or ION Keyboard's Discord server.



Visible Evolution

The proven tabbed-gasket PCB mount structure from the original Equinox remains, offering an unusual yet comfortable typing feel designed primarily for plateless use.
Equinox XL has been updated from the original with a seamless design and internal screws, making the exterior clean and sleek from any angle.



From the Desk to the World

The compact yet functional 50% key layout of the Equinox XL allows for easy migration from larger layouts while also ensuring compatibility with many keysets.
An internal brass weight balances the board’s mass - just light enough for portability, and just heavy enough for stability during use.



Tailored to the Occasion

Choose between winkey and winkeyless variants to choose between maximum functionality and a classic aesthetic.
The PCB allows for 3U-1U-3U split spacebar to extend productivity further without sacrificing the symmetrical aesthetic.



Specifications

- Aluminum case, internal brass weight, manufactured by Salvun CNC
- Weight: ~670g for the case incl. internal weight
- PCB: Soldered (Non-hotswap)
- Case colors: TBA
- Case variants: Regular, winkeyless
- Cost: TBD
- GB Date: TBD
- Vendors: TBA

- Media coverage/streamer review: In the future
- Note: PCB-mounted structure. It is recommended to use PCB-mount switches without a plate.
If absolutely necessary, please use the bundled FR-4 plate, or cut a plate based on the provided plate files.

Layouts:



Images
Yes, this board has already been prototyped.
Images are of the regular (non-winkeyless) variant prototype unit.











Offline Pwner

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 10:52:20 »
Reserved
Ion | Keycult | Instagram

Offline ZongZiWang

  • Posts: 112
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 10:55:57 »
Maybe first under 60 to buy? Plateless is da way!

Offline whirlwind

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 10:56:22 »
Fine, sign me up

Offline Finite

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:00:22 »
What a banger, sign me up.

Offline Ella

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:00:53 »
how do you type numbers?

Offline spikedsynapse

  • Posts: 166
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:01:55 »
This is really cool.  :thumb:

Offline taco

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:05:38 »
alright take my money

Offline JoltFX

  • Posts: 112
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:06:09 »
I like the compatibility with normal Keysets… I have 3x40% but finding the right keys is always the issue.

Offline Okonomiyaki#2832

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:07:45 »
Very cute board.

Offline Tuba_Joe

  • Posts: 4
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:08:33 »
Any 10u support? :))

Really dig this

Offline Neely_12

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #11 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:10:48 »
I just want equinox r2  :( This still looks nice tho

Offline PeppyToad

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #12 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:11:30 »
Yes please!

Offline gwillad

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #13 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:15:08 »
man this looks stellar - love the inclusion of the Detroit layout

 :thumb:

Offline 7empest

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #14 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:17:27 »
very cool! i always liked the equinox. that pcb mount looks like fun

Offline darthcapn

  • Posts: 263
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #15 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:17:56 »
Looks pretty pretty sweet. Plateless is the way!!

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Offline AstralYT

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #16 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:18:23 »
I wish this board would come under 300$

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Offline heyimpanda

  • Posts: 83
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #17 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:24:11 »
excited to see more plateless boards!

Offline herfalerf

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #18 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:26:11 »
Yeah this might be my first sub 60.


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Offline terrad

  • Posts: 48
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #19 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:33:02 »
Yes

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Offline Fe

  • Posts: 36
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #20 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:34:34 »
niiiice

Offline Kokaloo

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #21 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:39:31 »
how do you type numbers

Offline Fraaaan

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #22 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:46:19 »
how do you type numbers

Offline JoltFX

  • Posts: 112
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #23 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:48:03 »
how do you type numbers
Layers that work through holding or toggling a key. Like Fn

Offline Kokaloo

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #24 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:49:29 »
how do you type numbers
Layers that work through holding or toggling a key. Like Fn
Woah that sounds way too intense for me! You have to be an absolute weirdo to not have all of your keys.

Offline Ella

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #25 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:52:12 »
how do you type numbers
Layers that work through holding or toggling a key. Like Fn
no way, impossible  :eek:

Offline hzsh

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #26 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 11:55:19 »
Layout is clean, the royal and almost samurai-esque red is nice, you've done a very good job in that regard. The engraving on the back is also very clean and adds a unique element to the board, I especially like the font choice there. The option for WK versus WKL is also good to see. Overall, interested to see where this goes, GLWIC.

Offline chriszhu

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #27 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 12:02:55 »
Nice, prototype looks good! 😍

Offline sirieous

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #28 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 12:04:59 »
****in sign me up. I've heard too many nice things about the original

Offline Bub

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #29 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 12:09:54 »
how do you type numbers
Layers that work through holding or toggling a key. Like Fn
Woah that sounds way too intense for me! You have to be an absolute weirdo to not have all of your keys.

lmao, never change, Kokaloo.

Personally this layout is a bit long for me, but not requiring a 40s kit is an obvious win to many. All-in-all if the price is right, this is a neat little package.

Offline joshuarubin

  • Posts: 117
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #30 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 12:26:49 »
Dammit. I swore off 40s. But this… “notafourty”… I can’t find a single fault. I keep thinking of something only to realize it’s already been considered. Nice work!

When’s the next round for Vega tho???
« Last Edit: Fri, 18 June 2021, 12:28:31 by joshuarubin »

Offline martensson

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #31 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 12:31:25 »
As a TMO owner I am happy to see more 50% keyboards. It is basically a 40% but with a few extra keys that makes all the difference for people who type other languages than English and who like to their ;"[] keys easily available without layers for programming. Numbers are actually easier to type with split space and using home row for numbers.

Offline _ODIN_

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #32 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 12:48:18 »
The layout is too small for me but the board looks stunning. Good luck with IC / GB

Offline mvkb

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #33 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 13:38:07 »
**** like this is why I'll never be rich.

Offline ogp3

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #34 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 13:43:06 »
plateless!!!!!!!  :thumb:

Offline Gavzers

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #35 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 14:03:31 »
I'm in love

Offline Visionaire

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #36 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 14:17:16 »
Love it. Sign me up.

Offline haystack

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #37 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 15:02:44 »
I just checked my interest, and it is at a high level. No "streamer review" necessary.

Offline hottrout

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #38 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 15:23:54 »
Just for the hell of it I would buy one.
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Offline alwaysbless

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #39 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 20:05:56 »
Whew da red is looking nice. Looking like this or a PC TMOV2

Offline Rubbermilitia

  • Posts: 261
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #40 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 21:10:14 »
Plateless, gasket mounted pcb 40%? Having missed the Equinox, I'm really curious about this.

Offline Zurg Eon

  • Posts: 148
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #41 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 21:27:49 »
Must be the first sub 60% I'm interested in. Great balance between portability and usability for my language needs. TMOv has that too, but this has better keycap compatibility. Plus TMOv is 0.75u wider excluding side bezels.

Offline rpiguy9907

  • Posts: 160
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #42 on: Fri, 18 June 2021, 22:21:31 »
Can you add Alps support to the PCB? Because this uses full sized mods it would be perfect. Usually Alps is not practical for sub-60%

Offline dantambok

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #43 on: Sat, 19 June 2021, 02:01:16 »
that's a nice looking smol keyborb
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100+ GMK sets


Offline shutuphamish

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #44 on: Sat, 19 June 2021, 04:26:26 »
wkl under 60% consider me in. especially with a nice range of colours!

Offline WhitePlate

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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #45 on: Sat, 19 June 2021, 12:49:54 »
Very cool! Dark forest green anodization would be really cool.

Offline jpg2401

  • Posts: 81
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Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #46 on: Sun, 20 June 2021, 19:13:43 »
I'm in
Savage 65 | GSKT-00 || Valhalla | X60 V2

Offline kimchijody

  • Posts: 93
  • Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #47 on: Mon, 21 June 2021, 15:54:36 »
This checks so many boxes for me.

Offline kohalified

  • Posts: 62
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #48 on: Thu, 24 June 2021, 01:15:58 »
damn after typing on the jubi I was inspired to make a plateless frl in the same vein. But this might tick too many boxes not to get.

Offline Minahctrl

  • Posts: 31
Re: [IC] ION x ai03: Equinox XL | 50% Plateless Keyboard
« Reply #49 on: Thu, 24 June 2021, 02:37:34 »
this is nice nice nice