Ah thank you very much for all the nice suggestions! ![Thumbs up! :thumb:](https://cdn.geekhack.org/Smileys/solosmileys/thumbsup.gif)
I think I'll take a look at switchsource first! Unfortunately, I'm from the eastern part of the country so no local pickup for me ![Smiley :)](https://cdn.geekhack.org/Smileys/solosmileys/smiley.gif)
On "hot swappable" keyboards, is it better to go with plate mounted or PCB mounted switches?
And I'll probably try a TKL. I wish they made an hybrid like Coolermaster and their Masterkeys Pro M model. I already have a full size board at home so I'll swap between them for gaming/work (I'm scared I'll get used to the Glorious one and wish I had gone for a full size which will become my main
).
I personally find that the more firmly the switches are held in place, the better a typing experience I have. If the plate is precisely-made, there is little or no switch movement possible, and the PCB mount legs don't really make a difference. If the plate is less precise, or has cutouts for switch opening, it becomes necessary to have additional contact with the PCB to hold everything steady. This contact may be accomplished using the PCB mount legs, but I also find that once soldered, the switches are held nicely in place. If I'm putting in plate mount only switches though, it takes a bit of extra effort to get everything aligned properly before soldering holds everything together.
I don't personally have the board you're considering, so I don't know how precise the plate is. However, I also don't know whether the board even has PCB mounting holes -- many mass-market boards which include a plate do not include these holes. If you're unsure, and there's not a substantial difference in price, I generally recommend getting the PCB mount switches. The only difference is the addition of the PCB mount plastic pins on the bottom-left and bottom-right of the switch housing, which can be easily removed with some flush cutters if you want to use the switch on a board without PCB mounting holes. I've converted several boards' worth of MX Clears this way, both new and used. If the board does support PCB mounting, you just get a little bit of extra stability in the mounting of the switch, which may be desirable if you don't have the switch itself physically soldered to the board.
Just a note: All of the above is true in my experience for Cherry switches. I've never used the Gateron or other MX-compatible switches. While I believe everything still holds true, I'm not speaking from experience there.