What layout and switch do you use and why?

[Systyntono]

Hi everyone, I'm a Toronto-based designer looking to create something for this community that I love. I'm trying to do some research into the community to better understand it before making my debut.

Currently, I use a Hope75x with Aqua King switches because I don't require a Numpad for my workload. Also, I'm lubing a set of HG Yellow Silent Tactile switches because I'll be living with a roommate in the coming months and don't want to be a disturbance.

Have a great day or night!

[grids]

I'm using an ortholinear keyboard with Kailh Choc linears. I like it a lot!

[flowoven]

I'm using an ortholinear keyboard with Kailh Choc linears. I like it a lot!

I am also planning to buy an orthogonal keyboard with Kailh Choc linears.

[yuppie]

Linears are life. Layouts vary, but I started on 65%, went to TKL, then ergo/Alice, getting a TGR Lena soon because I miss the arrow cluster and delete key.

Bisoromi's Kikuichimonji https://www.lightningkeyboards.com/work-pt4/kikuichimonji is a great board, the FRL WKL TKL is pretty close to perfect for me, hoping the Lena is even more comfy.

Matrix Navi is a very cool board too.

Thats the what, now the why: Linears just seem smooth, silent linears seem to have come a long way too so they're soft but smooth and not too loud to be distracting. Perfect for work and gaming. Layout is more about how my hands rest on the board naturally and the keys I use most.

[bigmaxnonions]

I swap out my boards once or twice a month, as I have a bunch of different layouts and switches, and I enjoy changing things up every now and then. I am currently using my Neo Ergo (tented alice) with MX Blacks (lubed 205g0, F+SS TX XL 70g w/ 105). I quite like the split layout and heavy switches as I type hard. Before that I was using my Sneakbox AVA (standard alice) with a tactile frankenswitch (Panda Stem and spring, cherry housing, lubed 3203, filmed). Before that was my Liberi (65XT) with Nixies (Lubed 205g0, Filmed). I came into the hobby wanting to try a bit of everything, and have pretty much achieved that with my builds, as I pretty much have a board in most common (and a few uncommon) layouts, with a mix of different linears and tactiles. No clickies tho. And I havent delved into Topre because I can't get used to the hhkb layout.

[Sup]

I'm currently using a Wooting 60. It's modded with DCS Wob keycaps, KS20 Gateron white prelubed and an old Tofu case. I don't really like the layout, but I've gotten used to it. I just love linear switches a lot, and Hall effect switches are especially nice because you can change the activation points. It's actually a very good keyboard for both typing and gaming.

[Rob27shred]

While I have a decent mix of everything from 40% to full sized, clicky to linear, modern to vintage, high end to budget in my collection. If I was pressed to choose a single layout & switch type to use from now it would be a WKL TKL (F12) with a good top mount & a good gasket mount implementation on it with light linear switches. Even though people like to meme that everything comes back to WKL TKL & MX blacks modded to your preferences once you've tried a good bit of what is out there in the custom KB scene, it proved to be very true for me. A good WKL TKL with really nice deeper sounding light linears is for sure my preferred setup after trying most everything there is to try as far as layouts & switches goes.

[wjrii]

For this year, I’ve been almost exclusively using my own hand-wire builds with custom layouts, either a tweak to TKL that I think calls back older boards, or 1800 variations that don’t use stabilizers. Most have heavy clickies in them, but one I like has knockoff heavy holy pandas.  I just got some JWICK yellow to see if it’s linears I dislike, or just light switches in general.

[zslane]

For my desktop PC I use either a full-size keyboard or a TKL + Numpad. I prefer either silenced Topre or Silent Brown switches. For my iPad I prefer a 60% or 65% keyboard with Baby Kangeroo switches.