Supernova
SENSY
This GB will be launched simultaneously worldwide.
Hello world, this is SENSY.
Here we go. Seal TKL Chinese GB and Smoke65 international GB have all be shipped out, and now is the perfect time for us to unveil our new design.
Since its Chinese release, the Smoke65 has won recognition from many friends. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported us.
Many friends have been asking about leftover stock or a Round 2 re-run. From our brand perspective, our Lab line is built to continuously launch fresh designs—we have no plans for any R2 reruns.
Even though Smoke was well-received, its unique asymmetrical 65% layout means simply porting its design language and proportions to other sizes wouldn’t deliver the optimal experience. We needed a tailored design built for symmetrical layouts instead.
For this reason, we spent a long time designing a brand-new keyboard from scratch, while incorporating the well-received internal structure first featured on the Smoke65.
We finally showcased the engineering prototype of this new keyboard at the recently concluded Chengdu Meetup, and many attendees got the chance to try out the first-version prototype.
Later, at the Shanghai Rs.Meetup we co-hosted this month, we refined the full design using feedback gathered in Chengdu, finalizing our second-round engineering sample.
Therefore, today we will introduce this new keyboard to friends who were unable to attend the meetup, and also talk about the points where the engineering samples could not be presented.
Name
We have named this keyboard Supernova.
The term Nova derives from Latin, meaning "new". The name Supernova not only aligns perfectly with our design philosophy, but also embodies our commitment to keeping innovative designs and refined structures as the core foundation of this product line going forward.
Years ago, when Qin and Lengjing first started designing keyboards, they created another space/stellar-themed board that earned great acclaim for its looks. As Qin put it, Supernova is envisioned as a fully upgraded, Pro Max iteration of that stellar concept.
The exterior design centers around gravitational waves. A supernova collapse generates powerful gravitational ripples; we translated collapse and wave mechanics into the chassis form factor, blending sharp straight planes with dramatic, abrupt curved surfaces to visualize the shift from rigid order to dynamic distortion.
We tweaked countless design details based on show feedback. Several new structural elements are still undergoing validation testing, which we will fully disclose once group buy launches.
Positioning
Just as we stated with Sentry’s release, we will publish an updated product line chart with every new launch. Like Smoke65, Supernova falls under our Legacy series.
Legacy remains our most technically complex, hardest-to-manufacture lineup. This collection prioritizes crafting the peak typing sound and feel our team strives for, with constant structural experimentation and refinement built into each release.
Information
Size
60%(296.3x119.3x34.94mm)
Thanks to the inward-contracted weight design and the stepped front profile concept, the overall width and thickness of this keyboard are noticeably reduced compared to the Smoke, resulting in an even slimmer silhouette.
Typing Angle
9°
Front Height
FH=17.5mm/EKH=22.5mm(bumper excluded)
Front side profile
7.90mm(with chamfer)
Previously, due to its three-layer structure, the front height of the Smoke stood at 18.5mm. While this was already kept under 20mm, players’ demand for an ever lower front height has continued to grow. We therefore spent a great deal of time researching how to achieve a lower front height while retaining the three-layer structure.
Our research has proven effective. While keeping our preferred typing angle of 9°, we have successfully reduced the front height compared to the Smoke. We finally achieved a front height of 17.5mm within the three-layer structure, bringing about a further optimization of the EKH.
Weight
≈1.85-2kg
Raw material prices have been volatile lately, yet we’re still offering brass and stainless steel weight blocks to cater to different weight preferences and acoustic profiles. Its base weight already matches many larger-layout boards; extra accessories will further adjust total mass per configuration.
Structure
Smoke has earned widespread praise from most buyers, which has strengthened our resolve to further refine this architecture and adapt it to more layout sizes.
After summarizing relevant experience, we have officially named this construction SonoShell — an independent acoustic chamber composed of a PEI middle frame, top case, and plate, specifically tuned for optimized sound and typing feel.
Following the Smoke GB, we have emphasized multiple times that the core advantages of this structure stem primarily from the feedback characteristics of the PEI middle frame, rather than the 4mm-thick plate. The 4mm plate works in tandem with the middle frame and provides partial structural filling, yet the middle frame remains the true heart of the architecture.
Similar to previous attempts such as brass middle frames, two key factors — the surface area of the middle frame and its spacing from the internal assembly — greatly influence the keyboard’s sound and typing feedback. In particular, mounting the middle frame to the top case instead of the bottom case creates a standalone enclosed space formed by middle frame–top case–internal assembly. The bottom case and rear weight essentially become attachments to this independent chamber.
This means we can conduct far more experimental iterations on the middle frame in the future. By swapping different middle frame materials, we will be able to offer users a wider variety of distinct sound and typing experiences.
For this new design, we prioritized preserving the full integrity of the middle frame in the overall layout. This avoids the compromise seen on Smoke, where part of the middle frame had to be cut away to accommodate exterior styling. As a result, we now achieve a fully complete, uninterrupted acoustic chamber.
As for the 4mm plate, we will only offer the 7u spacebar layout this time. This avoids uneven sound balance caused by asymmetrical plate cutouts in the spacebar area under a multi-cut 4mm plate design.
Additionally, we are developing an all-new 4mm plate architecture, which is currently still in progress. Once testing is completed, we will release it in the upcoming GB — unless the test results prove unsatisfactory, in which case we will cancel the plan.
Accessories
As a Legacy-series board built for peak MX switch tuning, the PCB only supports MX soldered/hotswap and EC electrostatic capacitive assemblies (EC internals require zero structural modification, plug-and-play). Plate-mount design rules out magnetic switch internals, noted upfront.
Its layered silhouette lends itself perfectly to two-tone top/bottom case schemes across all colorways.
During Seal80’s GB we faced two major pain points: an overwhelming number of SKUs confused buyers, and excess variants slowed fulfillment and led to occasional misconfigured shipments. For Supernova we’re rolling out a semi-fixed pairing system to simplify choices for customers and streamline shipping logistics later:
Top + bottom shell color combinations are pre-matched
Each shell colorway has only two weight block variants
2–3 badge styles per colorway for personalization, locked to matching shell tones
Fully customizable functional parts remain open for free selection: layout, plate, PCB, midframe, etc.
We’ve locked Tier 1 and Tier 2 badge options, with Tier 3 pending sample validation:
Tier 1: Polished + bead blast two-tone stainless steel badges (the fan-favorite finish from Seal80)
Tier 2: Luminous carbon quartz / Micarta badges
We’ll launch an interactive color preview tool during the group buy phase to help visualize all combinations easily.
Colors
All renders shown are pre-production; finishes will be fine-tuned based on factory anodizing, coating, and accessory sampling before mass production.
We’re evaluating standalone clear PC top case upgrades—if offered, the default AER top will switch to brushed silver aluminum instead of PC.
Feel free to submit custom color ideas; we’ll reward any adopted palette with a full production Supernova kit.
AER
Top: Raw bead-blast PC
Bottom: Orange anodized aluminum
Weights: Raw bead-blast red brass stepped / Grey PVD stainless steel brushed pattern
Badges: Grey PVD stainless / White fireball luminous carbon quartz (off-white base, glows orange in dark)
AEVUM
Top: Pink anodized aluminum
Bottom: Silver anodized aluminum
Weights: Raw bead-blast red brass stepped / Silver PVD stainless steel brushed pattern
Badges: Silver PVD stainless / Pink luminous carbon quartz
AQUA
Top: Ice blue anodized aluminum
Bottom: Navy blue anodized aluminum
Weights: Blue heat patina brass stepped / Silver PVD stainless steel brushed pattern
Badges: Silver PVD stainless / Ice blue luminous carbon quartz
COMĒTA
Top: Turquoise anodized aluminum
Bottom: Grey anodized aluminum
Weights: Blue heat patina brass stepped / Grey PVD stainless steel brushed pattern
Badges: Grey PVD stainless / Ocean blue luminous carbon quartz
ETHER
Top: Magenta anodized aluminum
Bottom: Black anodized aluminum
Weights: Black heat patina brass stepped / Black PVD stainless steel brushed pattern
Badges: Black PVD stainless / Purple luminous carbon quartz
IGNIS
Top: Black anodized aluminum
Bottom: Red anodized aluminum
Weights: Black heat patina brass stepped / Black PVD stainless steel brushed pattern
Badges: Black PVD stainless / Fiery red luminous carbon quartz
NATURA
Top: Teal green anodized aluminum
Bottom: Dark forest green anodized aluminum
Weights: Raw bead-blast brass stepped / Gold PVD stainless steel brushed pattern
Badges: Gold PVD stainless / Pale green luminous carbon quartz
TERRA
Top: Champagne gold anodized aluminum
Bottom: Coffee brown anodized aluminum
Weights: Brown heat patina brass stepped / Gold PVD stainless steel brushed pattern
Badges: Gold PVD stainless / Westinghouse Micarta
ORBIS
Top: L9 coated
Bottom: U9 coated
Weights: Marble heat patina brass stepped / Grey PVD stainless steel brushed pattern
Badges: Grey PVD stainless / Plain white luminous carbon quartz
PCB
This round of PCB still exclusively supports Vial, with options available for MX soldered, MX hot‑swap, and EC.
With no cutouts weakening the midframe, structural rigidity now supports ISO layout. Aluminum plates will offer universal ANSI/ISO compatibility; 4mm plates will be split into separate ANSI and ISO variants for selection.
Price
Due to frequent price fluctuations of various raw materials at present, we have not yet finalized the official pricing for this keyboard. What we can confirm for now is that the starting price will fall within the range of $350–$400. The exact price will be confirmed before the GB officially opens.
Others
We will continue to adopt the model of producing a batch of units first, conducting mass sample testing, then opening the GB, to shorten the pre-order waiting time. Feel free to share your thoughts on colorways and configuration options ahead of the GB.
Once the next round of prototyping is finished, we will host a livestream showcase for this keyboard prototype. Advance notification will be posted in our Discord in due course.
Lastly, we would like to thank you all once again for your support and patience over this period. We will keep updating you on all further progress and share the latest updates in our community groups. Thank you!
How to follow news of the Supernova
Vendors
TBD
You can Follow our Website, Instagram and Discord for updates.We will also update further information in this post in a timely manner.
Recent Posts
