Just saw this video, and as someone who started with some cheaper boards and now has a collection of some pretty expensive boards….. yeah, I also hold a guilt of the expense. I kinda justify it by telling myself that people spend a lot more on cars, watches, clothes, etc. but I was never really one to splurge, but there is a certain joy of building and customizing to your liking.
I enjoyed the video, and just wanted to share my experience in the mechanical keyboard hobby. As many others I started with a tofu 65, but my next board was the u80-a. The tofu purchase was already insanely expensive for me at the time but, I felt it was incredible to type on a keyboard that was fully customised by me to suit my preference. From appearance to function, it was uniquely mine. The U80-A was a symbol as I had recently graduated and thought to myself what better object to mark this milestone than something I can use at work that will make my time at work more enjoyable, and remind me of my efforts to get there. I do agree with you that the u80-a has flaws (although my criticisms are more about the hollowness and resulting sound of the board in its stock form). I can totally relate to you though in the sense of reflecting and thinking if you could recommend it to others and trying hard to justify it to yourself. The amount high end custom mechanical keyboards go for is simply absurd to the average person, but I’d argue that the typing experience has also never been felt by the average person or else they maybe happy to spend a bit more on their next keyboard purchase (maybe not as much as keyboard enthusiasts but say a fine balance like a keychron). I’ve been in and out of the mechanical keyboard hobby and bought in to many hypes that either lived up to it or fell flat, and it felt like a bit of a roller coaster ride. In total I own 5 custom keyboards now, though if I could do it again I’d only have bought a maximum of 3, which I feel like could cover the majority of the experience of being in the hobby, and having a cool ultra unique and personalised collection to show for it. Just like any hobby, the consumeristic hype can feel overwhelming and drive you to make a purchase decision you haven’t fully thought out and I realised keyboards aren’t a great medium to follow someone’s review or a community’s hype about simply due to the subjective nature of them. Ultimately, if you can justify the price of the board and are looking for an elevated quality of typing, as well as you find the design appealing, then I see no reason not to go for it. My one piece of advice for anyone getting into they keyboard hobby, is to really question if you really want something or if you’re being persuaded to want something by a community, TH-cam video, or a Reddit thread? As long as you can justify your purchases to yourself, nothing else matters, enjoy it :)
It's hard to logically consider whether I "really" need something. I do so much typing that I thought I'd be more productive with a better keyboard, and so far, that's luckily been true. But as you said, it's easy to get carried away and go down the rabbit hole of buying more and more gear.
Same, the RGB, keymaping, advance lighting control, it all keep resetting whenever I off my PC. I had to turn back VIA and load my preset key map and adjust the lighting every single time it boot. its super irritating
I’ve spent over $2250 already this year alone and I still have 4 boards pending delivery from various group buys. The most expensive one I’ve ever ordered is the Chimera 65 R2 from Cannonkeys, and I am absolutely stoked to receive it. During the pandemic WFH years I spent a lot more time at my desk than I do these days, but I still thoroughly enjoy the whole hobby, from finding some new keycap set and ordering it, seeing how it looks on one of my boards, to trying out a new stabilizer and switch combo, to rotating my various boards in and out of use based on how I’m feeling that day. I love the hobby part of it, not so much the consumeristic part, but the whole disassembly/swapping parts out and reassembly to see how it sounds or feels different with the new config. It’s very therapeutic and I also love the collector aspect of it, knowing that I’ve got quality products that will last a long time and look beautiful while on my desk. Sorry my comment is kind of all over the place but this hobby rocks and while it’s expensive, I do love it, and I’d say you definitely jumped in with both feet buying a RAMA board as your first real custom lol good job
Yeah, I definitely dove into the deep end with a RAMA board! The Chimera65 looks amazing, too. So does rotating keyboards based on how you're feeling... but I'm scared to dive too deep. Keyboard collecting is an insanely complex and nuanced hobby.
@@ajwriting yeah the thing is you have to be careful not to get FOMO and stay within budget because it’s really easy to blow $1k and not realize it, especially $50-$100 at a time. I prly spent the most on keycaps but switches account for a big chunk too. But if you can afford it and you can justify it, then hey, why not. Have fun though, whatever you end up doing.
Does anyone know of a good alternative to the rama keyboards. After researching more about the company I honestly rather not bother with the hassle of buying from them.
I understand your opinion and respect it, but you are not an enthusiast, just a regular consumer who happened to know a thing or 2 about keyboards. For starters, you don't need to justify your purchase to anybody but yourself, and if you enjoy the experience it brings you and did not harm you financially, then why have second thoughts? Next, 7u spacebars are widely available, and moreover, from Rama's CAPS Heavy Industry Dark I see the set does come with a 7u spacebar, so Rama only screwed with you and I recommend pushing them to cover their mistakes. Third, you went for a tank of a keyboard, a little research would have told you about it's height, which is by design and not a flaw at all. Finally, and I cannot stress this enough even though I do not like the current Rama, do not compare the U-80 to any Keychron. Yes, you sure can get 10 Miatas for the price of a 911, but the comparison just does not make any sense. An enthusiast is somebody that can appreciate the subtleties of the item he is excited about, and I can go on how this hobby relates back to the first keyboards, how our main interface with our computer is our keyboard, how much progress and development cycles have gone through many community heroes such as the GH60, and so on and so on, because I am passionate about this. You might have your thing which you will gladly dump 1k for it, and that does not make you or I any better. Criticism aside, I enjoyed the video, you pointed some fair warnings about Rama and how it came to be.
Thanks for the perspective and car analogy, which makes a lot of sense. When it comes to technology (and cars), I'm usually much more focused on practicality than appearance, but perhaps a good keyboard is a mix of both! I didn't mean to demean anyone who chooses to spend a lot on a keyboard or anything else because you're absolutely right; everyone's allowed to spend their money on whatever they'd like.
Friend, you went off the deep end. As somebody else here said, you don't need to justify your purchase. Are you happy with the keyboard? That is all that matters at the end of the day. The keycap issue - yeah, we all buy too many keycaps whereas you only need one set on the board itself - but the appeal is to rotate through the sets. If you find yourself happy with one keycap set you can leisurely sell the others and recoup some of the monies you spent!
what if someone has $50 million in the bank - is it still too expensive ??? - you cannot base price on what you personally earn !! - give an opinion on a product and don't assume everyone earns the same money ! - some people can afford to buy whatever they like - a review should be based on the product quality and features - people are capable of making up their own mind about whether they can afford it or not - Not everyone needs a financial advisor
I didn't watch this video yet but fwiw rama is vapor ware at this point - hasn't delivered anything in years - at this point I wouldn't buy anything from Rama even if it was a dollar.
Just saw this video, and as someone who started with some cheaper boards and now has a collection of some pretty expensive boards….. yeah, I also hold a guilt of the expense. I kinda justify it by telling myself that people spend a lot more on cars, watches, clothes, etc. but I was never really one to splurge, but there is a certain joy of building and customizing to your liking.
And 84 years later, I am still waiting on my U80-B. Seriously considering getting a MODE instead.
I enjoyed the video, and just wanted to share my experience in the mechanical keyboard hobby.
As many others I started with a tofu 65, but my next board was the u80-a. The tofu purchase was already insanely expensive for me at the time but, I felt it was incredible to type on a keyboard that was fully customised by me to suit my preference. From appearance to function, it was uniquely mine. The U80-A was a symbol as I had recently graduated and thought to myself what better object to mark this milestone than something I can use at work that will make my time at work more enjoyable, and remind me of my efforts to get there. I do agree with you that the u80-a has flaws (although my criticisms are more about the hollowness and resulting sound of the board in its stock form).
I can totally relate to you though in the sense of reflecting and thinking if you could recommend it to others and trying hard to justify it to yourself. The amount high end custom mechanical keyboards go for is simply absurd to the average person, but I’d argue that the typing experience has also never been felt by the average person or else they maybe happy to spend a bit more on their next keyboard purchase (maybe not as much as keyboard enthusiasts but say a fine balance like a keychron).
I’ve been in and out of the mechanical keyboard hobby and bought in to many hypes that either lived up to it or fell flat, and it felt like a bit of a roller coaster ride. In total I own 5 custom keyboards now, though if I could do it again I’d only have bought a maximum of 3, which I feel like could cover the majority of the experience of being in the hobby, and having a cool ultra unique and personalised collection to show for it.
Just like any hobby, the consumeristic hype can feel overwhelming and drive you to make a purchase decision you haven’t fully thought out and I realised keyboards aren’t a great medium to follow someone’s review or a community’s hype about simply due to the subjective nature of them. Ultimately, if you can justify the price of the board and are looking for an elevated quality of typing, as well as you find the design appealing, then I see no reason not to go for it.
My one piece of advice for anyone getting into they keyboard hobby, is to really question if you really want something or if you’re being persuaded to want something by a community, TH-cam video, or a Reddit thread? As long as you can justify your purchases to yourself, nothing else matters, enjoy it :)
It's hard to logically consider whether I "really" need something. I do so much typing that I thought I'd be more productive with a better keyboard, and so far, that's luckily been true. But as you said, it's easy to get carried away and go down the rabbit hole of buying more and more gear.
When you said the price tag at the beginning I literally went: 😮
I'm having problems with mine. It keeps resetting RGB settings.
Same, the RGB, keymaping, advance lighting control, it all keep resetting whenever I off my PC. I had to turn back VIA and load my preset key map and adjust the lighting every single time it boot. its super irritating
I’ve spent over $2250 already this year alone and I still have 4 boards pending delivery from various group buys. The most expensive one I’ve ever ordered is the Chimera 65 R2 from Cannonkeys, and I am absolutely stoked to receive it. During the pandemic WFH years I spent a lot more time at my desk than I do these days, but I still thoroughly enjoy the whole hobby, from finding some new keycap set and ordering it, seeing how it looks on one of my boards, to trying out a new stabilizer and switch combo, to rotating my various boards in and out of use based on how I’m feeling that day. I love the hobby part of it, not so much the consumeristic part, but the whole disassembly/swapping parts out and reassembly to see how it sounds or feels different with the new config. It’s very therapeutic and I also love the collector aspect of it, knowing that I’ve got quality products that will last a long time and look beautiful while on my desk. Sorry my comment is kind of all over the place but this hobby rocks and while it’s expensive, I do love it, and I’d say you definitely jumped in with both feet buying a RAMA board as your first real custom lol good job
Yeah, I definitely dove into the deep end with a RAMA board! The Chimera65 looks amazing, too. So does rotating keyboards based on how you're feeling... but I'm scared to dive too deep. Keyboard collecting is an insanely complex and nuanced hobby.
@@ajwriting yeah the thing is you have to be careful not to get FOMO and stay within budget because it’s really easy to blow $1k and not realize it, especially $50-$100 at a time. I prly spent the most on keycaps but switches account for a big chunk too. But if you can afford it and you can justify it, then hey, why not. Have fun though, whatever you end up doing.
Does anyone know of a good alternative to the rama keyboards. After researching more about the company I honestly rather not bother with the hassle of buying from them.
Hibi
I understand your opinion and respect it, but you are not an enthusiast, just a regular consumer who happened to know a thing or 2 about keyboards. For starters, you don't need to justify your purchase to anybody but yourself, and if you enjoy the experience it brings you and did not harm you financially, then why have second thoughts? Next, 7u spacebars are widely available, and moreover, from Rama's CAPS Heavy Industry Dark I see the set does come with a 7u spacebar, so Rama only screwed with you and I recommend pushing them to cover their mistakes. Third, you went for a tank of a keyboard, a little research would have told you about it's height, which is by design and not a flaw at all. Finally, and I cannot stress this enough even though I do not like the current Rama, do not compare the U-80 to any Keychron. Yes, you sure can get 10 Miatas for the price of a 911, but the comparison just does not make any sense. An enthusiast is somebody that can appreciate the subtleties of the item he is excited about, and I can go on how this hobby relates back to the first keyboards, how our main interface with our computer is our keyboard, how much progress and development cycles have gone through many community heroes such as the GH60, and so on and so on, because I am passionate about this. You might have your thing which you will gladly dump 1k for it, and that does not make you or I any better.
Criticism aside, I enjoyed the video, you pointed some fair warnings about Rama and how it came to be.
Thanks for the perspective and car analogy, which makes a lot of sense. When it comes to technology (and cars), I'm usually much more focused on practicality than appearance, but perhaps a good keyboard is a mix of both! I didn't mean to demean anyone who chooses to spend a lot on a keyboard or anything else because you're absolutely right; everyone's allowed to spend their money on whatever they'd like.
What kind of keycaps are those?
Friend, you went off the deep end. As somebody else here said, you don't need to justify your purchase. Are you happy with the keyboard? That is all that matters at the end of the day. The keycap issue - yeah, we all buy too many keycaps whereas you only need one set on the board itself - but the appeal is to rotate through the sets. If you find yourself happy with one keycap set you can leisurely sell the others and recoup some of the monies you spent!
Decadent input devices are beautiful things!
recently saw one for 197 usd on australian aftermarket tempted on picking it up
what if someone has $50 million in the bank - is it still too expensive ??? - you cannot base price on what you personally earn !! - give an opinion on a product and don't assume everyone earns the same money ! - some people can afford to buy whatever they like - a review should be based on the product quality and features - people are capable of making up their own mind about whether they can afford it or not - Not everyone needs a financial advisor
I didn't watch this video yet but fwiw rama is vapor ware at this point - hasn't delivered anything in years - at this point I wouldn't buy anything from Rama even if it was a dollar.
Throw any logic lol
You missed the point and this comment reeks of insecurity.
Try Keycult
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