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Instant buy. Glad keyreative is a direct vendor too.

The question is actually easy to answer, only a small minority has the necessary will and enthusiasm to take the leap into the IT industry. This applies above all to people who are specifically motivated by computer games. For me personally, the latter does not apply at all, for me it was always much more impressive to automate things or to develop problem solutions. Gathering information and combining it to find solutions to problems that are often quite complex has remained an ongoing challenge to this day. And no, I can't call myself a "keeb enthusiast" because of that, for me the interface between man and machine is extremely important, but only for anthropotechnical reasons, less because of aesthetics. I therefore see the creative design of a keyboard more as a gadget than as an extension of its functionality. You don't really have to participate in the fetishism and mostly senseless competition between consumers in order to impress people you don't even know.

In fact, there are a lot of such people. They play computer games and then they want to connect their lives with computers. Many are even starting to create games.

WRT switches, it's a little challenging to get both "snappy" and "quiet-ish / natural / not annoying."

This is because there have been a lot of "long-pole" switches recently that have an extended stem pole. It 'bottoms out' into the lower housing by crashing into it with the long-pole.

This can create a 'crisp' and 'snappy' feel but it is also very loud.


On the other hand, there are a lot of quiet and 'quiet-ish' switches these days. Some of them are snappy.

You seem to be looking for a light or medium-weight tactile that is snappy and not too loud.


Some "silent" switches are relatively "snappy." So your choices there are:

-U4 Boba [good tactility, somewhat like EC keyboards, can run them at 55 L - 68 G bottom-out normally, which is about 40 - 53 G actuation, depending on spring.] They are the quietest, but also mushy at bottom.

-OUTEMU Silent Cream Yellow Pro V3 / Butter Yellow [a budget version of the U4 Boba. They come somewhat pre-lubed, which is nice. They are mid-weight / mid-tactile, a little under the U4 Boba. Also mushy.]

-OUTEMU Silent Lemon V3 [a low to mid-weight light/medium-tactile, like an Ergo Clear. Silenced similar to the above 2 switches. So it's quiet, but mushy. Really benefits from hand-lubing.]


The above 3 switches are typically of the 'max-silent, max-mushy' category. They are the quietest, but least crisp/snappy. Next, there are 'office-quiet' switches that are less dampened, but more crisp at bottom:

-Kailh Midnight Pro [these are just above MX Brown in tactility, and are a low-weight spring, probably actuating around 45 G. Kind of similar to Silent Lemon, crisper at bottom but not as quiet stock.]

-Kailh Deep Sea Tactile Whale Pro [these are a medium-tactile, probably actuating around 50 G or so, and with greater tactility than Whale or Silent Lemon. Fairly crisp bottom-out.]

-TTC Silent Brown V2 [these are a light-tactile, just above MX Brown in tactility and weight. Comes with a minimal factory lube that works pretty well, springs could use more lube. Actuates around 48-50 G, I would say.]

-TTC Silent Peanut Latte [these are said to be a luxury version of Silent Brown V2. May come with improved spring-lube. May be slightly heavier.]

-AKKO Silent Penguin [these are a popular silent tactile that is probably in this category.]

-TTC Silent Bluish White [a snappy and authoritative mid-weight medium-tactile, it's crisp and decent in stock form.]


Next up are the regular tactiles. These doesn't have any dampening or sound reduction measures. There are honestly too many to choose from. I recommend a sample pack:


https://cannonkeys.com/products/switch-sample-packs

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004917452789.html


Some recent crisp, long-pole switches that are 'ready-to-go' from factory are:

-WS Light Tactile
-Gateron Mini i
-Durock White Lotus
-KTT Macaron Orange

I have listed them in declining order of tactility. The above two are like light Ergo Clears [used to be about 48 - 52 G actuation on the old scale], and KTT Macaron Orange is like a snappy MX Brown.

There is also the TTC Gold Brown Pro, a light Ergo Clear, but it needs a little coat of lube to truly shine. [There are other long-poles, but these are relatively recent and good.]


Then there are the regular-pole, 'classic-style' MX tactiles. Again, too many to choose from, and some can be found in the switch sample packs.

Some switches that can be snappy and good, while not obnoxiously-loud are:

-MX Brown and Ergo Clear. Build the latter with 55 - 68 G [bottom-out] springs of your choice.

-KTT Mallo [these are actually pretty reasonable once the leaves and springs are quieted with lube. Probably needs at 58 - 60 G bottom-out spring for the light actuation you are looking for.]

-Durock Medium Tactile [you would use weights similar to Ergo Clears here, make sure to lube heavily to reduce noise.]

-Zealio V1 Redux [the OG custom tactile. Like an Ergo Clear. Tactile leaf is stronger than Brown-like switches. So they are snappy. Won't be loud if lubed right, and in the right build. Use 60-65 G 14mm springs.]

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So those are some switch choices.

For keyboards, I found that the new M87 Pro can be found for about $24 USD [with the 20% discount applied].

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXHWYRSV


That is extraordinarily cheap for what it is, but it doesn't have many 'custom' features. It's great for light-tactiles, though.

You can go up in the 'budget' category to the various Keychron V and other series, some of which are wireless and such. I like their V-series as a reliable budget entry keyboard.

So one way to fulfill your requirement would be:


-M87 Pro [$45 CAD delivered]

-KTT Macaron Orange [or Baby Blue] tactiles for $36-42 CAD delivered

You can buy some lube for ~$10 USD to lube the stabilizers with.

Some cheap keycaps from AliExpress can be found for about $22 USD during sales.

So that's about $125 USD to fully-outfit a snappy, poppy light-tactile keyboard.


Alternately, you could order a Keychron V-series during sales, 'fully-built' with Gateron / Keychron Pro Browns or Jupiter Banana. Shouldn't be much over $100 USD.


If you want to go the quiet route, get a chassis [M87, V-series, or one of many cheap 75% out there], and put OUTEMU Silent Cream Yellow Pro V3 / Silent Jade Yellow / Butter Yellow in them.

So you have a lot of options.

Numpad removed from base after receiving new quotes. Current round of samples is looking promising. Waiting on approval from the vendors and izeri.

GB potentially in july or august.

Looking for collabs now!