Really appreciate the honesty in this review. A lot of other people have said only good things about this board and I was struggling to find a more balanced review.
Tip for color choice: i got the navy qk75, and it's very dark, noticeably blue, but not vibrant by any means. It makes it maybe easier to use other keycaps (white looks clean, but i use 21kb classic blue japanese keycaps): if you're looking for a very vibrant board, my guess is that this isn't it. So keep in mind that the renders aren't always accurate.
Don't know if you would, but would you consider posting another short/vid with the forcebreak mod, just curious if that would help eliminate that weird hollowness/resonance.
i've yet to hear a keyboard w/ flex cuts in the pcb that didnt sound weak without pe foam. wish theyd start giving us the option to purchase a normal pcb
Great video. I'm still up in the air about buying one of these boards. but this is the first review to actually give negative feedback about the board. Glad I saw this
Chose the QK75 over the Sonnet. Love it. Only regret is the sand blasted weight. You CANNOT get that thing wet… like, at all. It stains insanely easy. Not sure if that’s true of all sandblasted products or not. I’m nitpicking though… it’s a great board. The 80 design kicks it up a notch but it’d be tough to dethrone my Mode 80. Great content!!
@@zsuha I think polished is fine with water. The sand blasted weight is still gorgeous… You just need to be super careful with it. And it might only be the chroma and dusk, not sure about the solid colors.
funny, i dont have my QK yet, i precisly went for the sandblasted option because i thought it would be easiert to keep nice, the polished ones instantly get fingerprints on it.
I get why they try to get weights in boards. But when they’re so thin like the ones in the QK lineup. I can’t imagine it helping the sound tooo much as shown in this TKL. I appreciate them trying to get boards into hands of lighter budgets. But I feel more thought could have been implemented to help the sound at that point
@@ygosoccer it's also that the expectations for a QK TKL are far higher than that of a 75% since people have expected QK to match higher end boards and high end TKLs set the bar extremely high
I think TH-camrs are contributing to the excessive flex cuts by stressing flex and bounce so much. Designers see them doing handstands on the boards to get it to flex and they feel they need to not look stiff. Please stop emphasizing flex soooo much. Flex cuts are ruining keyboards.
I have a quick question. Why do people who customize their own keyboards typically choose 60% or 75% designs? Is it to reduce the amount of switches that need to be lubed or is it for some other odd reason I dont know about.
Its just personal prefrence, some people like how fn row looks, some hate it, and some people feel arrows are nessceary. I don't think that most people think of switches as the difference would be around $6 difference between 75 and 60 percent for switces.
I find it to be such a shame that the QK boards really can't just sound good on their own. I love their design and price but sound mean so much to me and using foam or tape just ruins the sound for me. For those looking for a marbly, foamy sound this is a perfect keyboard. Just not for the foamless or maybe even clacky enjoyers.
I have an nk87 that i just built and i tested it on a switch hitter and all the keys come up green but for some reason when i try to remap one (prnt key) the switch doesnt come up on the software i use sharp keys for remapping if u have any idea i’d appreciate it
@@Alethi i assume thats another type of software ill look into it, but what could be the reason for the switch itself to not work cause i wanted to use that switch spot for something else i checked pins and switch hitter both are good
@@anthonybeneventano1402 yeah, it's the one that novelkeys recommends, they have a web based configurator too so you don't have to download anything. And in regards to it not registering, have you taken the switch out and used tweezers to check that the pcb itself is registering the signal?
@@Alethi yea thats great my main goal was to just switch some for apple music volume up/down and mute rn the software i have controls the whole master volume of the pc so hopfully that works appreciate it
And no i havent checked the pcb that way but switch hitter shows that the signal is there bcs its giving me a green light wit a response to when its pressed and released
Another amazing video and showcase. It's one of the more beautiful keyboards out there but one of the worst sounding TKLs I've ever heard in my life (without foam). QK really needs to get rid of that flex cut. With all that foam, it doesn't even flex anyways.
Design wise, the QK80 for me is the best looking "budget" keeb on the market right now. But that hollow sound man, that is a disappointment. Great video and commentary as always!
Ideally yeah. And the JRIS75 is offering both. But will that make it to being the norm? Probably not. QK has made it clear their stance on flex cuts and as it's in the current zeitgeist it'll continue to be the thing that's offered. I personally don't buy the "just tape over it lul" argument, and a lot of users I hear are in the same camp, but whether we're the majority or not is to be seen.
@@ygosoccer no dude, if an alu board without foam sounds hollow, then it is bad alu build, there's a flaw in their design, good alu board should be sounds good without any foam needed, I think to make a keyboard sounds good with foam is a cheap cheating way...even a cheap-ass board will sounds good, fuller, deeper, marbly blah blah with foams which is not what good alu board should aiming for
@@ygosoccer check out the mode envoy, I think the board is crazy good without any foam in it, no foam at all and it sounds amazing, for the price it's tempting
Currently, there are roughly 140 billion pennies in circulation within the United States. That equates to around 1.4 billion us dollars. Is this keyboard truly worth such a high sticker price?
Nice review. I still hate it when people say these keyboards are 'budget friendly' when the cost will total around $300-$350 CA dollars. To me, thats a lot of money compared to keyboards on amazon or even at bestbuy thats a couple hundred dollars cheaper.
Really appreciate the honesty in this review. A lot of other people have said only good things about this board and I was struggling to find a more balanced review.
I read and listen to a lot of reviews, probably going through 10-20 videos daily and your review was written so well, awesome video.
Tip for color choice: i got the navy qk75, and it's very dark, noticeably blue, but not vibrant by any means. It makes it maybe easier to use other keycaps (white looks clean, but i use 21kb classic blue japanese keycaps): if you're looking for a very vibrant board, my guess is that this isn't it. So keep in mind that the renders aren't always accurate.
how do you even buy these things I can't find em anywhere
@@_frixx_746 It is only available for specific time only for group buyers.
Thx for the great analysis and amazing production as usual. I bought the QK75 after watching your vid and I'm still waiting on it. I'm very hyped
From Turkey ?
@@okanakgonul4473 nope from Belgium
Your impressions on sound felt 100% accurate. Thank you for trying out the options and for the honest review!
nearLucid back again being the most cinematic keyboard channel on yt
The production quality is insane bro !
Don't know if you would, but would you consider posting another short/vid with the forcebreak mod, just curious if that would help eliminate that weird hollowness/resonance.
Yes! New config sound test soon
i've yet to hear a keyboard w/ flex cuts in the pcb that didnt sound weak without pe foam. wish theyd start giving us the option to purchase a normal pcb
Flexible tape on flex cuts, I used micropore tapes that is being used on medical dressing
i recommend HMW-PE tapes
you have it
This b-roll is ridiculously good.
Great video. I'm still up in the air about buying one of these boards. but this is the first review to actually give negative feedback about the board. Glad I saw this
Chose the QK75 over the Sonnet. Love it. Only regret is the sand blasted weight. You CANNOT get that thing wet… like, at all. It stains insanely easy. Not sure if that’s true of all sandblasted products or not. I’m nitpicking though… it’s a great board. The 80 design kicks it up a notch but it’d be tough to dethrone my Mode 80. Great content!!
Hey DMC! Is this also valid for the mirror polished weight? So it cannot get also wet? Thanks!
@@zsuha I think polished is fine with water. The sand blasted weight is still gorgeous… You just need to be super careful with it. And it might only be the chroma and dusk, not sure about the solid colors.
funny, i dont have my QK yet, i precisly went for the sandblasted option because i thought it would be easiert to keep nice, the polished ones instantly get fingerprints on it.
@@prokopf-9332 Same. Just be careful with it. It looks amazing though.
@@DMCnME So what does water do to it? Does it look stained and not come off or what? And fingerprints?
My QK75 just arrived in the mail today and I’m already trying to find an excuse to justify buying the QK80. 😅
Your desk setup is really nice!
Good news! Qk is now offering a wired only no flex cut pcb.
Excellent video. Any consideration to re-do the sound test with the non-flex cut version of the PCB?
Any opinions on this vs the zoom TKL?
I get why they try to get weights in boards. But when they’re so thin like the ones in the QK lineup. I can’t imagine it helping the sound tooo much as shown in this TKL. I appreciate them trying to get boards into hands of lighter budgets. But I feel more thought could have been implemented to help the sound at that point
two layers, one bronze and one ss - enough for the sound
Would be nice if they would offered multiple pcb options for with or without the flex cuts
they've added a single non-flex cut pcb option by now
The sound issues people are having with the qk80 makes me regret missing the qk75 so much now.
I genuinely don’t think the QK80 is as bad as reviewers are making it, just feels like more of the same from qwertykeys which isn’t bad.
@@ygosoccer it's also that the expectations for a QK TKL are far higher than that of a 75% since people have expected QK to match higher end boards and high end TKLs set the bar extremely high
it's really just the same with qk75... without the foam all of our keyboards sounds inferior because we design with all foams in it 😅
Hey, will you be doing a video on the JRIS75? Thanks
W creator, so much effort my god
I've always hated flex cuts. Why were they even a thing in the first place?
Is this a grey or a silver case?
Hey lucid, whats your favorite split keyboard? Or alice layout maybe?
are these on sale because id like to buy and build one
I think TH-camrs are contributing to the excessive flex cuts by stressing flex and bounce so much. Designers see them doing handstands on the boards to get it to flex and they feel they need to not look stiff. Please stop emphasizing flex soooo much. Flex cuts are ruining keyboards.
Hence why I spent time to reiterate that there's a sweet spot for flex, like I have in other videos.
The flex cuts are the only reason why i went with a mode envoy instead of the qk80 even though it costs 40 bucks to ship to vietnam
Same with gadget impressions and reviews, especially when it comes to laptop keyboards. Who the hell ever presses that hard on keyboards?
@minh2809people who seek better sound usually dont like tape sound lmao
I’m hearing directly from the developers that China loves flex cuts.
Amazing video! Really good production. Keep it up!
Where dis you get the cutting board in your video? I have struggled to find something nice at a decent size
For anyone worried about hallowed sound, just use the foam/PE sheet
Hey lucid any chance you could put gmk modo on this board. Super interested to see how it would look with the grey unit
it definitely deserved better switches
How do you like this keyboard vs the Zoom TKL?
I don’t know if you mentioned but is this the silver or gray color?
where can i buy this!
meme cuts are falling out of style and I'm here for it
Does the keyboard on 6:24 come with Russian language keycaps? Or are they aftermarket?
After market
What keycaps is the black keyboard using at 7:13?
the keycap set is literally the cost of the board.😂
I want this one so bad 😮💨
Is this their silver or grey board? :D
it sounds hollow without foams. After all, still a foamboard and it depends on its foams.
is this the silver or gray variant?
What's the problem with flexing in boards?
Is this a group buy only board or an in stock board like the keychron boards?
should be group buy
qwertykeys and meletrix are on top of their game right now but man i wish they would start stocking their boards
eventually! we plan to get that done once we finish all layouts
@@qwertykeys2119 awesome to hear! you guys have almost a cult like fanbase at this point so i know you'll kill it!
is the QK80 only using stepped caps lock? That's all i see in all the photos.
regular caps lock is supported on all of our pcbs !
I have a quick question. Why do people who customize their own keyboards typically choose 60% or 75% designs? Is it to reduce the amount of switches that need to be lubed or is it for some other odd reason I dont know about.
Its just personal prefrence, some people like how fn row looks, some hate it, and some people feel arrows are nessceary. I don't think that most people think of switches as the difference would be around $6 difference between 75 and 60 percent for switces.
mouse space for me
Mouse space for me as well. If I want 10key, I'd use a macro pad I'd keep off to the side
What’s the difference between 7 u space bar and 6.25 spacebar
Size
around 0.75 u
is silver or grey case ?
I find it to be such a shame that the QK boards really can't just sound good on their own. I love their design and price but sound mean so much to me and using foam or tape just ruins the sound for me.
For those looking for a marbly, foamy sound this is a perfect keyboard. Just not for the foamless or maybe even clacky enjoyers.
we have non-flex cut pcb now :)
The first line he said I my life description
I have an nk87 that i just built and i tested it on a switch hitter and all the keys come up green but for some reason when i try to remap one (prnt key) the switch doesnt come up on the software i use sharp keys for remapping if u have any idea i’d appreciate it
You could just use VIA to remap it
@@Alethi i assume thats another type of software ill look into it, but what could be the reason for the switch itself to not work cause i wanted to use that switch spot for something else i checked pins and switch hitter both are good
@@anthonybeneventano1402 yeah, it's the one that novelkeys recommends, they have a web based configurator too so you don't have to download anything.
And in regards to it not registering, have you taken the switch out and used tweezers to check that the pcb itself is registering the signal?
@@Alethi yea thats great my main goal was to just switch some for apple music volume up/down and mute rn the software i have controls the whole master volume of the pc so hopfully that works appreciate it
And no i havent checked the pcb that way but switch hitter shows that the signal is there bcs its giving me a green light wit a response to when its pressed and released
Another amazing video and showcase. It's one of the more beautiful keyboards out there but one of the worst sounding TKLs I've ever heard in my life (without foam). QK really needs to get rid of that flex cut. With all that foam, it doesn't even flex anyways.
for me, this sounds sooo bad, but looks quite good
what color is the board in this video? Is it white, grey or silver?
Silver with pvd silver weight and the circuit badge
@@g3rtgr94 thanks
another great video by nearlucid
Design wise, the QK80 for me is the best looking "budget" keeb on the market right now. But that hollow sound man, that is a disappointment. Great video and commentary as always!
this is not budget
@@ideal.leader wdym, this is pretty much budget custom board
where is a option key ? You try to be fancy or what ?
Let's please leave flex cuts in 2022
why not both?
Ideally yeah. And the JRIS75 is offering both. But will that make it to being the norm? Probably not. QK has made it clear their stance on flex cuts and as it's in the current zeitgeist it'll continue to be the thing that's offered. I personally don't buy the "just tape over it lul" argument, and a lot of users I hear are in the same camp, but whether we're the majority or not is to be seen.
@@chickenbeforeegg we aren’t, China loves flex cuts and that’s the largest part of the market.
How much is it?
160-225usd
Why this board is making hollowness sound, all youtuber have same issues
No foam, it sounds hollow because it is hollow ! Wow
@@ygosoccer no dude, if an alu board without foam sounds hollow, then it is bad alu build, there's a flaw in their design, good alu board should be sounds good without any foam needed, I think to make a keyboard sounds good with foam is a cheap cheating way...even a cheap-ass board will sounds good, fuller, deeper, marbly blah blah with foams which is not what good alu board should aiming for
@@ygosoccer check out the mode envoy, I think the board is crazy good without any foam in it, no foam at all and it sounds amazing, for the price it's tempting
Brown color is fjre
Such a shame they chose candykeys for the eu vendor. Wont buy it because of that
may I ask for the reason? we can help make it straight
I would be interested in that aswell :D
Currently, there are roughly 140 billion pennies in circulation within the United States. That equates to around 1.4 billion us dollars. Is this keyboard truly worth such a high sticker price?
WHAT IS BRO TALKING ABOUT 🗣️ 🗣️🔥🔥🔥
sad that good quality "custom" keyboards aren't viable for the average person. group buys just aren't a good way to go about things
Nice review. I still hate it when people say these keyboards are 'budget friendly' when the cost will total around $300-$350 CA dollars. To me, thats a lot of money compared to keyboards on amazon or even at bestbuy thats a couple hundred dollars cheaper.
Uff GMK Shoko, not a fan
first :3
I’m out the loop. People are buying keyboards for the sound now…?
Yes? Sound has always been one of the biggest draws of custom mechanical keyboards.
@@AD-nq2nz I never knew. 🤣
Flex cuts are so bad. QK is so behind on pcb. They don’t know how to create a good pcb