Summary
You really only need one good keyboard—at least, that’s what I thought. After all, you only have one pair of hands. Then I discovered just how different mechanical keyboards can feel and how each one offers a completely unique experience. That’s when the collecting began.
It Starts With One
My first mechanical keyboard was the QPAD MK-50, a budget mechanical keyboard that was still way too expensive. It had originalCherry MX Redswitches, and that’s the only thing I really cared about. It was a heavy, well-built keyboard that felt miles ahead of themembrane keyboardsI’d been using until then. Simply put, it was love at first sight.
I used the keyboard for about a year, until my cousin offered to gift me his oldCorsair K70with Cherry MX Brown switches. It was one of the best keyboards of its time, featuring a gorgeous brushed aluminum backplate, see-through switch housings, and 16.8 million RGB backlighing. I accepted his offer immediately, gave the QPAD away, and proceeded to use the keyboard for six full years.
In those six years, I’ve done a lot to this keyboard. I’ve replaced the keycaps, taken it apart a dozen times, broken several switches and traces (which I had tofix by solderingwires between the switches), and evenmodded it with lube, tape, and polyfill.
The Cult Around Keyboards
I’ve gotten more into mechanical keyboards in the past couple of years, and while I was aware of the huge enthusiast community surrounding these gorgeous pieces of technology, the hobby seemed too expensive for me at first. I’d read horror stories on the r/MechanicalKeyboards subreddit of people spending $500 on custom boards and still not being satisfied, which made me hesitant to dive in.
When you’re on the outside looking in, mechanical keyboards can feel incredibly overwhelming. From switches and keycap profiles to the keyboard itself and its mounting style, there’s so much to choose from. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It gives you a chance to dial in the look and feel of your keyboard to perfection.
When Temu finally became available in my country, I decided it was time to get ahot-swappable keyboardand start experimenting. I wanted something cheap that I could take apart and modify, so even if I broke something, it wouldn’t be a big deal. I found the gasket-mountedAjazz AK820and theAjazz AK820 Pro. I also ordered two sets of switches, three keycap sets, and other tech goodies. Temu threw in a couple of free keyboards as well, so the deal was too good to pass up.
So, that’s how I ended up with five vastly different keyboards. The Corsair K70 has anumber pad, so it’ll always be my workhorse for numbers. The AK820 Pro is my best keyboard, so it’s my daily driver and the one I take on the go with my laptop, since it supports both2.4GHz and Bluetooth. I swapped the tactile switches for silentOutemu Peach V3son the AK820 non-pro, making it perfect for when I need to be dead quiet late at night.
One of the two free keyboards came with knock-off clicky blue switches, so it was a great opportunity to try them out. It turns out that I’m not a fan, but I’m glad I gave it a shot. They’re the most distinct and unique switch styles, so I like to take this keyboard out occasionally just for fun. The other is a tiny 60% with red switches, perfect for when I need more mouse space for serious FPS gaming.
How Many Keyboards Are Too Many?
Like any other potentially collectible piece of tech (such as headphones), it’s important to keep your spending in check. Collecting can easily spiral into an obsession in the search for the perfect keyboard, and before you know it, you’ll have a closet full of keyboards you don’t even use. Try to limit yourself to just a few, and as soon as you stop using a particular keyboard, sell it to fund the next one.
Personally, I think that I’ll get two more before I start selling. I’m looking for a 60% keyboard with a low actuation point, like theGateron G Speed Silver Pro 3.0 switchorHall Effect switches, specifically for gaming. As much as I love the cushioned feel of my AK820 Pro with lubed linears, I’d also like a high-end aluminum keyboard with lubed tactile switches to try to beat my 140 WPM typing speed record.
The important thing is that all the keyboards I get are hot-swappable so that I can easily replace the switches. Collecting different types of switches makes just as much sense as collecting multiple keyboards. There are so many different factors that affect how a switch feels, such as actuation force, housing material, and spring styles, which is exactly what I want to experiment with. I type for a living, so I like to switch things up (pun intended).
Collecting mechanical keyboards is fun, but it’s important to keep your spending in check. It can easily turn into an expensive hobby, especially if you’re always tempted to try the latest switch on the market. Once you find what you like, stick with it!
