Cheap but satisfying keyboard?

[chanmin kang]

Many keyboards exist, and expensive keyboards usually show good feelings.

But sometimes, there are good keyboards out of the cheap ones. (For example, optical switch keyboards)

Do you happen to know any cases?

If you know something, please recommend it! I will give it to my friend as a gift.

[diymkb]

The GM807 TKL from Alibaba. You'll have to order a sample from the manufacturer though. It has a USB-C port, Bluetooth (optional), battery (optional), volume wheel, hotswap board, RGB LEDs.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/c7lgr3/rakk_lamang_ph_designed_enthusiast_keyboard/

[envyy24]

Feel is very subjective. Moreover there are too many variables. Considering switches alone: does your friend prefer tactile, clicky, or linear? Would the common Cherry be ok? Or the basic clones like Outemu be ok? Etc etc.

But I digress. My personal recommendation is Motospeed 60% board with Kailh box white. Kailh box is my favorite switch of all clicky, and this kb is cheap.

[Maledicted]

I recently tried Outemu blues for the first time myself, on one of those cheap bargain bin boards from Amazon. It is an Easterntimes l-600, so basically the same chassis as a bunch of random Chinese brands. The build quality, with an aluminum exposed plate, is surprising for its price. I haven't tried Gaterons, so I can't compare against those, but the Outemus are the best Cherry-like clickies I have tried, much crisper, tactile, smoother, and less rattly than Cherry MX themselves. I doubt you could really go wrong with anything with a large number of decent reviews, with either Gaterons or Outemus.

Stay away from the AK33. The features are nice, but those "Ajazz" switches are literally trash, the worst Cherry clones I have had the displeasure of trying.

[treeleaf64]

Womier66 or YC66 are good for their price. I like YC66 more because it is high profile. It is a hotswappable acrylic sandwich mount that supports QMK.

[ghostPepperWonton]

One of the first boards I bought was the HyperX Alloy FPS, and even though I've started building, it's still a perfect daily driver for gaming and typing. Simple lighting, solid case, low-pro design, detachable cable.

[chanmin kang]

I recently tried Outemu blues for the first time myself, on one of those cheap bargain bin boards from Amazon. It is an Easterntimes l-600, so basically the same chassis as a bunch of random Chinese brands. The build quality, with an aluminum exposed plate, is surprising for its price. I haven't tried Gaterons, so I can't compare against those, but the Outemus are the best Cherry-like clickies I have tried, much crisper, tactile, smoother, and less rattly than Cherry MX themselves. I doubt you could really go wrong with anything with a large number of decent reviews, with either Gaterons or Outemus.

Stay away from the AK33. The features are nice, but those "Ajazz" switches are literally trash, the worst Cherry clones I have had the displeasure of trying.

The outemu switch is frequently defective.
But the feel of the switch is better than cherries.

[Maledicted]

I recently tried Outemu blues for the first time myself, on one of those cheap bargain bin boards from Amazon. It is an Easterntimes l-600, so basically the same chassis as a bunch of random Chinese brands. The build quality, with an aluminum exposed plate, is surprising for its price. I haven't tried Gaterons, so I can't compare against those, but the Outemus are the best Cherry-like clickies I have tried, much crisper, tactile, smoother, and less rattly than Cherry MX themselves. I doubt you could really go wrong with anything with a large number of decent reviews, with either Gaterons or Outemus.

Stay away from the AK33. The features are nice, but those "Ajazz" switches are literally trash, the worst Cherry clones I have had the displeasure of trying.

The outemu switch is frequently defective.
But the feel of the switch is better than cherries.

Really? Why's that? You would think quality control would be fairly good considering how good they feel. I suppose I should test all of the switches. I don't recall whether or not I even plugged the keyboard in. lol