Over the course of the day, many people type thousands of words onto a keyboard, whether it’s one physically built into a laptop or a standalone model. Alongside the mouse, they’re the most important peripherals for modern computers and have attracted a huge following of enthusiasts looking for the best typing experience. The Verge covers them all, from Apple’s latest wireless peripherals to clacky mechanical models with custom keycaps and switches designed by enthusiasts and sold through forums.
Corsair buying Drop is big news for keyboard nerds. But what happens to Geekhack, the venerable forum which Drop acquired in 2018?
Along with Deskthority, Geekhack is one of the longest-running communities for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts, and its archives are a historical treasure trove of the mech revival. It’s not clear whether today’s acquisition includes Geekhack; we’ve reached out for clarification.
Way back at its OnePlus 11 launch event in February, OnePlus revealed the Keyboard 81 Pro, its first ever mechanical keyboard. Today, the company is announcing that it’ll finally go on open sale on July 26th. Prices start at $219 for the tactile variant, rising to $239 for the linear version, which represents a small premium over the Keychron Q1 Pro it’s based on.
The Keychron V1 mechanical keyboard is currently on sale for $79.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, pre-built with red linear switches or brown tactile switches. It’s a Prime Day Lightning Deal, so it may not last long.
If you’re a little mech-curious, we cannot recommend the V1 enough. It’s an approachable layout, it’s affordable, and it both sounds and feels good. Go ahead and let the keeb bug bite ya.
[Amazon]
It turns out quite a bit. If you weren’t aware, keycaps for mechanical keyboard can come in a wide variety of sizes and various materials. The height of the keycaps can change the sound of your keyboard dramatically, from higher pitched clacks to deeper tones.
If you’re going for that trendy deep thocky sound, you’re going to want tall, preferably PBT keycaps.
Say hello to the BLOMFU keyboard.
You can game on any keyboard. Or you could pick one with an 8000Hz polling rate. Or analog switches. Or modular macro pads. And, of course, they all have RGB. We’re not barbarians.
Keycaps.info lets you compare a bunch of different mechanical keycap profiles, from SA to MT3 to Cherry all the way to MBK, MG, and KAM. They even have the Apple Magic Keyboard, by way of comparison. Similar photos and illustrations have existed for ages, but this is the most comprehensive and easy-to-use version I’ve seen so far.
The Q1 Pro keeps everything that made the wired Q1 great and makes it wireless. It even does a great job with battery life, so long as you’re prepared to sacrifice some RGB.
Ever found yourself tripped up by keyboard shortcuts when switching between your MacBook keyboard and an external one, or when going from Windows to Mac? Well, that keyboard’s not the boss of you. You can use free tools to put the keys where you want them, not where The Man says they should go.
When this OnePlus keyboard was first teased, I groaned and thought “just buy the Keychron it’s based on”. But now that it’s official, I can’t say I’m mad at it and there are some legitimately cool tweaks, like the height adjustable stand that looks like a guitar’s whammy bar to me.
I reserve the right to groan again whenever OnePlus releases pricing, though.
Marcin Wichary’s Shift Happens launched on Kickstarter four hours ago and is already 150 percent funded. I was going to put a joke here but heck, I’m just excited that it’s happening. I can’t wait to read it.
A wide-ranging interview with Marcin Wichary, author of Shift Happens, which launches today on Kickstarter.
This video has everything. Mild peril, Covid, a man attempting to lube over a hundred novelty oversized switches, and a giant mechanical keyboard.
Total cost? £12,000. Beating Razer at their own game? Priceless.
Sanding down those rough edges doesn’t come cheap.
A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed the Keychron Q10, a five-pound, $200 Alice-layout mechanical keyboard.
And today, Keychron launched the V10: same neat layout, most of the same features, but with a plastic case instead of aluminum. It starts at $84 barebones, or $104 with caps and switches. I’m into it.
That’s how many are in this upcoming book on the history of keyboards called Shift Happens (a truly excellent title, I must say).
I don’t know about you, but that’s enough to sell me. If not, check out the author’s site with a bunch of interactive games, such as a test to see if you can arrange a keyboard from memory.
The book will launch via a Kickstarter campaign in February and should ship later this year.
[mwichary]
