Just a heads up to everyone that Wuque's quality control is abysmal. Their Ikki 68 Aurora R2 has had a lot of complaints from discoloration of boards to lines that appear to be cracks but are "parting lines" due to the molding process. Many of these issues are only revealed to customers once the boards start shipping and Wuque always avoides being honest and forthright with issues beforehand.
Jeez, imagine this much on a keyboard and it having build issues. Inexcusable... At this price point, any abnormal number of complaints is an immediate blacklist for me.
honestly it depends on the project, their ikki68 was bad, but the global Ginkgo65 GB was top notch. On the other hand they also have clearance issues on the zoom65, which is a minor inconvenience. In the end it's "you get what you pay for"
That screw thing is unacceptable. Sure, $900 for a keyboard (or even $500) is ridiculous, but if you've already paid that much, the keyboard should be _perfect._
Wait until people who are shocked at this price find out how much money custom keyboards fetch on the secondary market after group buys close and inventory is gone.
@@Stelerris if mechanical keyboards were reliably good investments, the industry would be hundreds of times larger, and pushed further into the luxury sphere. The hedge funds have nothing to do all day except dream up of new ways for someone else to make their money for them, so if there was any to be made they’d already be involved in a major way
@@TAP7a Hedge funds don't care about an industry that would net them only tens of thousands at best, they pay armies of people with vast economic knowledge. Scalping a few dozen or hundred keyboards is simply below them to the point they don't want to spend any manpower even thinking about a return so small.
Some things just pass the line between "well it's expensive but worth it" and "that's absolutely ridiculous, no matter how good it is" This product does exactly that
"Some things just pass the line between "well it's expensive but worth it" and "that's absolutely ridiculous, no matter how good it is" So basically, it's still too expensive to be worth it, but not absolutely ludicrously idiotic. =)
As someone who's already incredibly deep in the keyboard rabbithole, I kinda feel like we need an LTT (or other channel) video about custom keyboards. Different mounting mechanisms, different switches, the point of lubing and stab modding etc etc
Plouffe has great keyboard knowledge and is a joy to listen to on high end tkls. I do want alex or someone from engineering/ manf to talk about surface finish or the build quality of the case
@@bao1964 An expert is more likely to be an enthusiast, but it's not a given. There are plenty of people with expertise in a field or job that don't necessarily have a passion or interest in it beyond the job itself. And an enthusiast definitely doesn't make one an expert at anything.
Kinda sucks that the video was posted a week after the group buy ended, nice to see more custom keyboard content but considering most products are sold via groupbuys that run for a few weeks to a month at best reviews like this should be posted with that information in mind.
@@thunderarch5951 companies generally send out review units and prototypes before group buy dates. I'm pretty sure short circuit may have gotten it sooner
@@thunderarch5951 bro he had the keyboard before the group buy was open he even mentioned that the group buy was opening soon. So this video was shot ages ago. Did you even watch the video?
It's almost like cost can vary wildly in lower quantities... If they wanted to rip people off they would have, ya know, KEPT the price ~$900 instead of dropping it...
Their $900 version was a custom one that you can get different designs on the weight/blockers they decided against it since no one wanted that so they reduced the options and made it cheaper.
This feels like a custom keyboard for the different kind of enthusiasm. A lot of people in the mk community like tinkering with stuff (eg switches, keycaps, layout, mounting options etc). That’s pretty much the whole point of having a mk for me. This keyboard though is paying for the pretty case to get a boutique feel. I admit it looks nice as an art project, but you don’t really interact with the case that much. And if you want nice sound, cheapo case and some foam should do the trick
That's what I meant though, there's nothing special about it being a GB, and there's nothing really special about this case. And if I really wanted something fancy, I would rather go for ramaworks instead
I’ve no interest in keyboards whatsoever, but these videos are always entertaining. I also feel it’s a waste of money to spend so much on a keyboard, but at the same time I have expensive hobbies not so many people understand sooo….to each their own!
I'm kinda curious about what sort of effect those ceramic keys have on a normal keyboard and what that one sounds like with plastic caps. Still, best keyboard review from this channel so far! Just wish this came out while the Promise 87 was still being sold haha
They dramatically reduce the effective spring rate due to their weight and tend to make all switches sound kind of "thocky", so if you like that kind of bubble fidget toy sound then they'd be of interest to you.
@@mndlessdrwer From what i've seen in a few videos now the alphas don't have too much of a difference but the mods and space are where that really becomes a factor. I just think it would be more in the interest of the viewers if the ceramic caps and board were done separately, that way peeps have a more accurate idea of whats on offer.
The durability would be intersting too. I'd be worried about them scratching/cracking if something hits them, or the keyboard gets knocked around (such as it being in your bag [whether you'd be putting something that expensive in your bag in the first place is another story]), but they seem like they'd be hardier against wear.
For 900$ you can buy a Keychron K8 Pro, actually two of them, buy pretty much any keycap set you want + fancy, matching USB cables and you will still have enough left to order a large pizza and get wasted.
@@G3rain1 Running a 20€ keyboard here (its ... ok for that price) and gaming keyboards come at 100-150€. 500 is already stupidly expensive but 4 digits? Like wtf.
I wasn't going to buy this anyway but having a gap like this on a keyboard that costs as much as a cheap car just a few years ago is nuts. Even as a press sample it should be up to standard
The gap is because he stripped the screws, not because the keyboard, you can't really blame the keyboard, maybe you can blame that they didn't provide bigger screws with bigger threading but then it can't be screwless (bottom) design
@@tombaker2510 I mean I fully blame them for designing it so that it's that easy to strip the screws enough that you can't mount it properly. That is clearly a design fault for something that's supposed to be modded to this extent.
To be fair though, he did say it was his fault. He pushed down too hard without having the screws properly tightened, and probably bent something by a couple mm.
@@jubuttib I do think he tried to lift the baord when there was only two screw in tho, I have the same kind of boards that with these screw design and they don't strip. However I have built like over 20 keyboards
@@tombaker2510 No, he said that the housing itself stripped, meaning they're using a cheap material to screw into. He was even being careful by putting each screw in a little bit before tightening them, which is exactly what you're supposed to do. The fact that this thing is less resilient than any moderately priced keyboard is absolutely ridiculous for a crazy expensive product
Same here. Those old logitech school keyboards do sound exactly like that. And I love them. I bought one years ago but it is ps2 so... yeah cant use it anymore xD And sadly its not backlit. A combination of those would be amazing (dont need rgb either, just white backlit shining through the letter is fine)
As a blind typist, I can tell you. I don't care about key labels or lighting. But I can't use a keyboard without tactile bumps. I had to get rid of a really nice keyboard because I had worn the bumps. I like sharp bumps, almost like blades.
I love keyboards but my main drawback is, if it’s more than 400 and I have to stuff it with foam then it’s not gonna sound any better than a tofu65 and it’s not worth it. 400+ has to come with some sort of unique feature, led screen, extra columns or keys, scroll.
i mean youre paying for the design of the chassis so you can use it raw and have it sound perfect without hollowness/ping or without it sounding dead. thats very hard to do with aluminum, which means price increases. even with the price increase its almost never right. its not overpriced for the market its aiming at, which isnt the normal enthusiast or obviously the general audeience
@@laffeybunn8557 it is very hard to do? Yes Lots of keyboards do it for half the price? Also yes But you are right, this keyboard is for people who shit money from their ass, not for real enthusiasts, who still know the value of money and performance
@@farlig8666 you can find great alluminum keyboards for half the price that do the same job Y'all would do anything to justify spending money, I'm sorry There's a literal moissanite that adds easy 150-200 bucks to the cost, since I'm sure it's not a 1 carat, that alone would be 600 to 800
@@thunderarch5951 Only the bespoke version is ridiculously expensive, it's supposed to be a very limited fully customized board you get, and not to mention the moissanite (a lab produced diamond) on it is optional. If you just get the base model with no bells and whistles (no moissanite, no e-white, sandblasted bottom instead of polished PVD), it's $360. Which is very reasonable for a custom board.
Dang it sounds really good! I’m too new to mechanical keyboards to attempt a full build experience, a barebones kit is probably the extent of what I could do but it looks good, I love the color and key caps of this board, it’s very pretty 🥹
Few notes , The mod for the stabs you were looking for called "Holee Mod". There are 2 types of gaskets as i know one of them is softer. The plate is FR4 and not Polycarbonate . Great review though, keep em coming ;)
@@jeffreyshih2550 This is correct. Holee mod the stem housing, bandaid mod is under the stab on the pcb. I don't think either are necessary and would just lube the wires lightly with zht bdz and the housing with krytox 205g0. Works great on my durock v2 stabs and owl stabs.
@@jeffreyshih2550 Oh i thought that's what he meant. Well, Bendaid mod usually is for Plate mount stabs. But yea those pads are good for screw in's as well :)
@@iamyotka you're thinking of putting bandaids between plate and housing to make the stabs wobble less. bandaid modding is on screw / clip ins so the wire housing doesnt come to contact with the pcb. though bandaid modding defeats the purpose of clipped stabs anyways since they just become mushy as hell
I have recently purchased the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard, it has been proven great and has one of the best Num Pads of any keyboard. There are now review's on TH-cam an I believe it is a great deal for many! Maybe consider taking it up an do a review, it is more focused on office work.
My first custom keyboard was the KBD75 v3, then I got the KBD67 LITE, then the Odin R2...then I was convinced to join the Promise 87 Bespoke raffle...and won, so I got to buy that as well. Haven't put it together yet, but it's both my first raffle and will be my first winkeyless.
I got the same care package :D. The switches are nice and have a short throw and dont bottom out all the way with the stem so you dont have to worry about Cherry keycap interference in a north facing keyboard!
@@inspectorvoid Typically if youre buying in that price range- youre buying it for the project as well. You got it to customise with any foam, tape or whatever you want to shove in and whatever switches or caps in it you want- you can also typically get prebuilt versions but it saves the target demographic a bit of time tearing it down to rebuild it
Well it’s kind of all about the customisation and the hobby, not the end product alone. You get a full kit with the ability to customise the entire board exactly to your liking. It’s no different to buying components to build your own PC instead of buying a prebuilt.
Wuque entered the custom world as affordable (under 500$) mid-high tier custom board with good sound profile, short lead time(3 months), so what they initially have done is the actually a reverse to your statement.
custom keyboard manufacturers often operate on very narrow margins since they don't have the economies of scale of larger brands like razer and corsair. so these are bound to be more expensive due to the high quality design, materials and feel of the end product. it's also about the enjoyment of the build hence the very nice packaging. sucky take my guy EDIT: however bad fit and QA is unacceptable for a luxury product for enthusiasts of course
But that is the whole point of this, people build this as a hobby, its like buying a $500 deathstar lego set, if it came built that would ruin the experience.
The building process is part of the hobby that keyboard enthusiast likes. If it came prebuilt, there’s no fun to it. Plus they will most likely using their own switches and keycaps
@@keonxd8918 people desperately convincing themselves that throwing money into the toilet is a hobby because they have to put in labor to build their overpriced garbage. It's not a hobby, its overpriced trash. If your hobby is buying overpriced trash, thats not a hobby its just poor judgement.
I hope there comes a day where group buys just kind of die out for things like generic boards that have clearly been proven to sell if they're done even remotely well. Mechs are way past the point where they're "niche" and need the funding...
I bloody hate group buys. I'll find a keycap set or something that I'll go 'hey that looks awesome!' then find out it was in a group buy months ago and is no longer available.
THIS! I think that group buys are most of the time, done out of greed, specially for companies that already have some time in the market. For me it would be understandable for artisan keycaps made by an artist or very niche layouts (a crazy 40% kb for example). But for others, pff is so out of greed
I mean the beauty of the hobby is that everyone can design a keyboard, the issue is that not everyone has the funds for production before selling them.
Groupbuys are a time honored tradition within the hobby and the main way that the hobby functions. There's plenty of in stock options but the special boards will probably always have groupbuys to keep the hobby interactive and special. Besides that I think you are way off on mechs not being niche. While we've seen growth we're miles away from a 500 dollar keyboard having enough interest to risk not doing a groupbuy.
You can tell people in the comment here do not understand the word "CUSTOM." But at the same time most people would've built a custom PC, that would cost upwards of $2-3K and not bad a single eye. Yes its a keyboard, but you can argue the same with a computer. Why not just go to best buy and get one off the shelf? Why do I need a RTX 3080, or a Ryzen cpu etc etc. At the end of the day, if you're happy with your razer, corsair, ducky whatever the fuck prebuilt keyboard thats fine. There are some people (me included) that enjoy customizing switches, plates, cases, keycaps the list goes on.
Think of high end custom keyboards kind of like a really nice watch, yeah the $20 Timex is going to do the same thing as the $500 Seiko or $5000 Rolex, you're not buying it for the practicality of it, you're buying it for the craftsmanship, attention to detail, etc. It's almost like a collector item that you just happen to be able to type on and interface with your PC. It's definitely not for everyone, but if you're into it, it may be worth it for you.
@@vickdizang I would agree except that the "craftsmanship" on this board is garbage. An enthusiast who has constructed a ton of these boards managed to irreparably strip two of the screw housings by doing something totally normal. That's like if you bought a $5000 Rolex and then it broke as soon as you tried to put it on your wrist
They already lasted more than a year and this hobby, people want ot build their keyboard, its a hobby. its not meant to be built, if you built it, people would not even touch this. AGAIN its a hobby keyboard. like hobby model making, if its built that defeat the purpose
I just don't get the hype. I've tried a multitude of mechanical keyboards but whenever I actually want to write I'll end up using my $120 chromebook. It's simply more comfortable and convenient. I'll take shallow travel scissors and rubber domes over something "better" every day of the week.
honestly the whole mech keyboard community is just chasing their dream feel and sound. It really comes down to preference, so if you find that your chromebook keyboard is what you like, then most people would respect you for it!
A custom keyboard will never be as convenient as your laptop keyboard because you’re using a laptop. Portability is not the focus of high end keyboards
I got permission from my typing teacher at school (mid 90s) to put dots of superglue on the F and J keys of the old typewriters to help with the home keys since I liked that on the computer keyboards. So there is a DIY solution to home key nipples.
@@kiyotaka2026 1650 is so old, does it really count as gaming now? I just think this is a stupid comparison, if you are spending this much on a keyboard you will have like a system that is 2k+
@@tombaker2510 to be completely fair 1650 still kind of games, just at low fps and settings, except for esport titles where it is a very efficient card. And yeah I'd probably have at least a 2k gaming pc with such a high end keyboard.
I don't get it, but I can respect it. Same thing as a car entheusists spending thousands to make their car lower, and add some special wheels, whatever makes you happy.
They just did a stream about the standardized build they are going to go with and it was the keychron q series or k series depending on what the employee wanted
“They’re not super expensive, the $200 to $400 range.” _glances at my $12 Amazon Basics keyboard that’s worked perfectly for the past four years or so._ I think they might have a different definition of expensive than I do.
Expensive for a keyboard, average for a custom mechanical keyboard (and decently cheap compared to others) its subjective. Like a spaceX rocket is cheap for space travel but 30 million is not cheap lol
Can someone please explain to me why the actual hell you would spend several hundred dollars to buy a keyboard that requires FULL assembly, isn’t wireless and doesn’t have features like a volume rocker? I’m legitimately curious. It’s definitely not for me, but I am curious what gets people so excited about this stuff.
@@G3rain1 Its weird dont get me wrong, the price should budget in the assembly, but i am one of those people who grew up making model kits for a hobby so assembling something and understanding how it works is half the fun, not justifying it bc the price is absurd, but something like a keyboard i would enjoy putting together, i get it its not for everyone, but some like the idea of they themselves building it. Thats why pre built computers exist and are thriving off the idea that its already built out of the box. Its weird man, hope you understand
"This almost cost $900" - it costs $900 and I almost paid that, or it would have cost that much but for circumstance I avoided, or they changed their mind on the price "This cost almost $900" - the price is just under $900
not having a bump for the homerow is a big dealbreaker for some and I hope syrahkey also includes f and j keys that have bumps otherwise people will buy copycat keycaps
@@G3rain1 that is why I feel the sets should either provide bumped f/j keycaps and bumpless f/j keycaps or they should clearly state whether the keycap set has bumps or is bumpless
For $900 you have to assemble the thing yourself with screws that are bad enough that even a keyboard enthusiast stripped them. Plus it entirely lacks a windows key (which is an instant deal breaker for me as someone who uses it all the time), the key caps that come with it aren't apparently as good as the ceramic ones they already had, the LED under the capslock key only lights up half of the key, it doesn't come with a cable (which Linus rightly points out should come with it to match it), and the light behind the moissanite barely illuminates it. Every time a ridiculously expensive keyboard comes out Plouffe gushes about it and justifies away all of the flaws. I honestly can't take him seriously about anything anymore because he seems to think that more $$$ = better.
And before someone comments that building it is half the fun I do understand that, but if that's the case then it shouldn't break when you screw it together
@@kevinwells9751 it's a wuque board, they are known for their entry level boards, not high end boards. Also, this one was a prototype, not a production board. Also, good boards don't come with keycaps or switches or cables, because that's the point, you make it according to what you want, rather than paying more for something you don't want and then replacing it yourself.
$570 and you don't even get a super key? That's an incredibly handy key to deprive yourself of. In Windows it's the base combo for a lot of stuff and in Linux you can customize it to do just about anything.
As much as I like that the custom keyboard scene gets spotlight in media, it really drives me nuts how people who have no idea about the hobby, talk as if they do (I mean the comments). The Promise87 was a very cool concept until I saw the price. They still asked quite a bit and it doesn't do enough for me to want it for anyway (I do have many, many customs). Is the hobby expensive? Yes. Is it unnecesary? Technically, yes. So are many more hobbies tho. I've had the chance to talk with a lot of people who have designed custom boards and keycaps sets. The ROI (return on investment) for these products is not high. It really isn't. It takes more time and effort than the money you get from it. The only reason why people still do it is out of passion for the damn thing. I've even tried to manufacture my own keyboard design and still got quoted $300+ for a basic design without a plate or PCB. Unless you own millions or have a massive company to help you produce, you can't just make a super premium board that envelopes your great ideas into some low cost product. The only companies that provide good budget products are companies that have been in the hobby for a few years at least. If you don't, then it will just feel like any other cheap ass GK61. Small hobbies and small companies need support from people that have a passion for it. It's not stupid, idiotic, meaningless, or any other adjective you could use. It all depends on how much it matters to those who care. We are all trying to find ways to get lower prices and inflation, Covid supply chain issues, heatwaves, etc, aren't doing us any favors. If you find yourself happy with your Logi's, Razer, Corsair then awesome my guy. I for one invest in my tool but you don't have to. We aren't dumb, we are just passionate. If you bankrupt youself with keyboards, that is on you. You won't see me running out of food so I buy the next board from the likes of Keycult or Signa.
r/MechanicalKeyboards: My PC is worth $900, and my main keyboard is worth $650, but I just bought $300 worth of new key caps and switches. You should hear the thunk!
Plouffe is slowly becoming my favourite LTT host. Riley and James are hilarious, and Alex will always be Jankmaster Flex, but Plouffe seems much more down to earth than them IMO. They’re like the Power Rangers though. They all have their advantages, and they’re best when they’re working as a team.
Really? He only seems to care about how much a thing costs rather than how good it actually is. He found multiple problems but just brushed them aside because it's pretty and he wants the bragging rights of having a stupidly expensive keyboard
i feel like im in some kind of bizarro land LMAO. down to earth???? this dude drops hundreds to thousands of dollars on the most frivolous shit and then makes excuses for the subpar quality despite the exorbitantly high prices. He's literally making excuses on this very video about how it's ok the $900 keyboard didn't come with a cable, and how it's fine the keyboard screws into a cheap housing. That's down to earth?
Everytime I hear keystrokes from these units, something snaps and I really want a custom keyboard. But then I remember how damn dirty I am, and supress all urges.
Just a heads up to everyone that Wuque's quality control is abysmal. Their Ikki 68 Aurora R2 has had a lot of complaints from discoloration of boards to lines that appear to be cracks but are "parting lines" due to the molding process. Many of these issues are only revealed to customers once the boards start shipping and Wuque always avoides being honest and forthright with issues beforehand.
Jeez, imagine this much on a keyboard and it having build issues. Inexcusable... At this price point, any abnormal number of complaints is an immediate blacklist for me.
honestly it depends on the project, their ikki68 was bad, but the global Ginkgo65 GB was top notch. On the other hand they also have clearance issues on the zoom65, which is a minor inconvenience. In the end it's "you get what you pay for"
@@notlekrut I got the Ikki68 and mine is great, that board wasn't as expensive as this as well.
I'm waiting for my Mammoth 75/25 so this is worrying me :(
Wow
That screw thing is unacceptable. Sure, $900 for a keyboard (or even $500) is ridiculous, but if you've already paid that much, the keyboard should be _perfect._
I think he said he broke it, not that it came stripped
@@tombaker2510 The fact that he stripped it so easily by accident is telling enough.
Anything above 350 should be absolutely perfect in my book, south facing LEDs qmk silicon premium materials etc. etc.
@@tombaker2510 So on a 900$ keyboard, they couldn't include screws that didn't cost them .50¢ for 10000?
Surprised to see you here, I enjoy your content.
loving ShortCircuit. its more casual and with all the different hosts and topics. also love keyboards lol
I completely agree with you!
Facts
different host with different expertise as well
@GH0STST4RSCR34M well you kinda right, for linus i agreed since he once said not really impressed with phone update every year
my favorite thing about most videos from shortcircuit is that a Wild Linus can appear randomly going to or from another video they are doing
Wait until people who are shocked at this price find out how much money custom keyboards fetch on the secondary market after group buys close and inventory is gone.
Almost 3 times the original price!
Investments
@@Stelerris if mechanical keyboards were reliably good investments, the industry would be hundreds of times larger, and pushed further into the luxury sphere. The hedge funds have nothing to do all day except dream up of new ways for someone else to make their money for them, so if there was any to be made they’d already be involved in a major way
@@TAP7a Hedge funds don't care about an industry that would net them only tens of thousands at best, they pay armies of people with vast economic knowledge. Scalping a few dozen or hundred keyboards is simply below them to the point they don't want to spend any manpower even thinking about a return so small.
@@zurnar1000 because who in common wealth has said money for dozen or HUNDRED of expensive keyboards....? Super confused what reality this is.
I love how you guys released this at a time where the gb is already sold out
you dodged a bullet anyway
Some things just pass the line between "well it's expensive but worth it" and "that's absolutely ridiculous, no matter how good it is"
This product does exactly that
If I had that kind of money, I'd buy it. Keyboards
@@Tjuri10 that's not loving keyboards, that's being dumb, lol
Correct. Any keyboard more than 2-300 dollars is a giant scam
@@xxstealerxx-I mean, I'd still consider this not absolutely ridiculous if it was in the 800-1000 range but almost 9000 dollars? Yeah not a chance-
"Some things just pass the line between "well it's expensive but worth it" and "that's absolutely ridiculous, no matter how good it is"
So basically, it's still too expensive to be worth it, but not absolutely ludicrously idiotic. =)
As someone who's already incredibly deep in the keyboard rabbithole, I kinda feel like we need an LTT (or other channel) video about custom keyboards.
Different mounting mechanisms, different switches, the point of lubing and stab modding etc etc
But is there enough content that the channel doesn't die if they covered everything already
A 900 dollars keyboard better be helping me correcting my grammar and spelling
🤣
Shit it better be giving me a blowie and doing my laundry for nearly a grand.
Plouffe has great keyboard knowledge and is a joy to listen to on high end tkls. I do want alex or someone from engineering/ manf to talk about surface finish or the build quality of the case
I appreciate Nick’s insight into keyboards, especially after seeing all the keyboard-related stuff he has at his place during his Intel Upgrade.
Problem is he's not a keyboard expert, he's a keyboard enthusiast, which is VERY different
@@thunderarch5951 I don't see how that is an issue, this is an unboxing channel not a professional review one
There is still a lot he needs to learn tbf
@@thunderarch5951 you realise essentially every keyboard "expert" is an "enthusiast" ?
@@bao1964 An expert is more likely to be an enthusiast, but it's not a given. There are plenty of people with expertise in a field or job that don't necessarily have a passion or interest in it beyond the job itself.
And an enthusiast definitely doesn't make one an expert at anything.
Kinda sucks that the video was posted a week after the group buy ended, nice to see more custom keyboard content but considering most products are sold via groupbuys that run for a few weeks to a month at best reviews like this should be posted with that information in mind.
Hard to post them if you don't have the keyboard to try, don't you think?
@@thunderarch5951 companies generally send out review units and prototypes before group buy dates. I'm pretty sure short circuit may have gotten it sooner
@@thunderarch5951 bro he had the keyboard before the group buy was open he even mentioned that the group buy was opening soon. So this video was shot ages ago. Did you even watch the video?
The best part of the video is when linus just walks in and talks shit about this keyboard lol
So the company had the room to just decide to knock $400 off of a keyboard, and still turn a profit? It's almost like were ripping people off
It's almost like cost can vary wildly in lower quantities...
If they wanted to rip people off they would have, ya know, KEPT the price ~$900 instead of dropping it...
Their $900 version was a custom one that you can get different designs on the weight/blockers they decided against it since no one wanted that so they reduced the options and made it cheaper.
I love the ASMR style typing bits. Something about listening to a nice keyboard typing is quite soothing.
This feels like a custom keyboard for the different kind of enthusiasm. A lot of people in the mk community like tinkering with stuff (eg switches, keycaps, layout, mounting options etc). That’s pretty much the whole point of having a mk for me. This keyboard though is paying for the pretty case to get a boutique feel. I admit it looks nice as an art project, but you don’t really interact with the case that much. And if you want nice sound, cheapo case and some foam should do the trick
This is very much custom mk, I don’t know what hobby you are in but this is the most generic GB board you can get. Like every other TKL GB
That's what I meant though, there's nothing special about it being a GB, and there's nothing really special about this case. And if I really wanted something fancy, I would rather go for ramaworks instead
@@nulladdict But Rama has no special mountint or design either, their shit top mount board are so old and ugly
This video on the same day as a $69 pc build is gold 🥇
I’ve no interest in keyboards whatsoever, but these videos are always entertaining.
I also feel it’s a waste of money to spend so much on a keyboard, but at the same time I have expensive hobbies not so many people understand sooo….to each their own!
it sounds like a POP IT fidget toy when pressing, its so relaxing hearing it press
I'm kinda curious about what sort of effect those ceramic keys have on a normal keyboard and what that one sounds like with plastic caps. Still, best keyboard review from this channel so far! Just wish this came out while the Promise 87 was still being sold haha
They dramatically reduce the effective spring rate due to their weight and tend to make all switches sound kind of "thocky", so if you like that kind of bubble fidget toy sound then they'd be of interest to you.
@@mndlessdrwer From what i've seen in a few videos now the alphas don't have too much of a difference but the mods and space are where that really becomes a factor. I just think it would be more in the interest of the viewers if the ceramic caps and board were done separately, that way peeps have a more accurate idea of whats on offer.
The durability would be intersting too. I'd be worried about them scratching/cracking if something hits them, or the keyboard gets knocked around (such as it being in your bag [whether you'd be putting something that expensive in your bag in the first place is another story]), but they seem like they'd be hardier against wear.
I love that they ship a nice keyboard in a homemade duck taped frankenbox that the interns cobbled together in the break room.
For 900$ you can buy a Keychron K8 Pro, actually two of them, buy pretty much any keycap set you want + fancy, matching USB cables and you will still have enough left to order a large pizza and get wasted.
It’s not 900 it’s 500 they outright lied in the title. In the video they say it’s 400-540. I guess you didn’t even watch before commenting
@@hansr370 yep I didn't watch it yet at the time. My comment was based on the original title before they changed it ;)
not a fan of this board, but the keychron looks so ugly even for 500 bucks I'd rather buy a mode sonnet.
Just noticed the banana for scale tree in the background of this set and I'm very happy to see it.
The natural energy and good vibes in this video are perfect. This video should be an example of do what your passionate about. 🤙
The cerakeys are the first part i've bought for a custom keyboard, having huge trouble choosing the rest. Nice to hear how it sounds, but that's exxy!
Heeey me too lol. I did buy the keyboard from their campaign. But I wasn’t going to build it. Just seemed like a good price
"not the most expensive" "around $400-$500" Like I love a nice keyboard but holy heck
High end keebs can reach $2k. So yeah 4 to 5 hundo is pretty average for a quality custom.
@@G3rain1 but its not even that quality, it easily broke and they dont give you a cable
@@G3rain1 Running a 20€ keyboard here (its ... ok for that price) and gaming keyboards come at 100-150€. 500 is already stupidly expensive but 4 digits? Like wtf.
@@VernichtungsFussel otd boards have been sold for 12000-15000 dollars, 500 is entry level for decent boards.
I have an Aurora and the building experience was NICE while not being super expensive. Also, now I'm addicted to having a split spacebar.
The bottom goes really well with the LTT deskpad.
The Promise logo is the "hearts and arrows" pattern that you'll see in a top down view of an ideal brilliant cut diamond or gem stone. Cool detail.
I wasn't going to buy this anyway but having a gap like this on a keyboard that costs as much as a cheap car just a few years ago is nuts. Even as a press sample it should be up to standard
The gap is because he stripped the screws, not because the keyboard, you can't really blame the keyboard, maybe you can blame that they didn't provide bigger screws with bigger threading but then it can't be screwless (bottom) design
@@tombaker2510 I mean I fully blame them for designing it so that it's that easy to strip the screws enough that you can't mount it properly. That is clearly a design fault for something that's supposed to be modded to this extent.
To be fair though, he did say it was his fault. He pushed down too hard without having the screws properly tightened, and probably bent something by a couple mm.
@@jubuttib I do think he tried to lift the baord when there was only two screw in tho, I have the same kind of boards that with these screw design and they don't strip. However I have built like over 20 keyboards
@@tombaker2510 No, he said that the housing itself stripped, meaning they're using a cheap material to screw into. He was even being careful by putting each screw in a little bit before tightening them, which is exactly what you're supposed to do. The fact that this thing is less resilient than any moderately priced keyboard is absolutely ridiculous for a crazy expensive product
7:00 finally keyboard(s) that sounds like this. i did not get the mechanical kb hype and its noise for all these years.
Same here. Those old logitech school keyboards do sound exactly like that. And I love them. I bought one years ago but it is ps2 so... yeah cant use it anymore xD And sadly its not backlit. A combination of those would be amazing (dont need rgb either, just white backlit shining through the letter is fine)
@@VernichtungsFussel You can get an adapter to use PS2 keyboards with USB....
$900 for a wrist destroyer you gotta build yourself that doesn't even come with a cable. James is crying rn
As a blind typist, I can tell you. I don't care about key labels or lighting. But I can't use a keyboard without tactile bumps. I had to get rid of a really nice keyboard because I had worn the bumps. I like sharp bumps, almost like blades.
I would love to see something that sounds like this but for a budget!
Those keystrokes sound so very satisfying, I bet it feels amazing to type on.
Linus is so unimpressed by the keyboard lmao
I love keyboards but my main drawback is, if it’s more than 400 and I have to stuff it with foam then it’s not gonna sound any better than a tofu65 and it’s not worth it. 400+ has to come with some sort of unique feature, led screen, extra columns or keys, scroll.
That is severely overpriced compared to most custom keyboards in terms of what you get.
i mean youre paying for the design of the chassis so you can use it raw and have it sound perfect without hollowness/ping or without it sounding dead. thats very hard to do with aluminum, which means price increases. even with the price increase its almost never right. its not overpriced for the market its aiming at, which isnt the normal enthusiast or obviously the general audeience
@@laffeybunn8557 it is very hard to do? Yes
Lots of keyboards do it for half the price? Also yes
But you are right, this keyboard is for people who shit money from their ass, not for real enthusiasts, who still know the value of money and performance
@@thunderarch5951 No they don't. All the 'good' keyboards for $200-$300 only sound good because of one thing: PE Foam.
@@farlig8666 you can find great alluminum keyboards for half the price that do the same job
Y'all would do anything to justify spending money, I'm sorry
There's a literal moissanite that adds easy 150-200 bucks to the cost, since I'm sure it's not a 1 carat, that alone would be 600 to 800
@@thunderarch5951 Only the bespoke version is ridiculously expensive, it's supposed to be a very limited fully customized board you get, and not to mention the moissanite (a lab produced diamond) on it is optional. If you just get the base model with no bells and whistles (no moissanite, no e-white, sandblasted bottom instead of polished PVD), it's $360. Which is very reasonable for a custom board.
Dang it sounds really good! I’m too new to mechanical keyboards to attempt a full build experience, a barebones kit is probably the extent of what I could do but it looks good, I love the color and key caps of this board, it’s very pretty 🥹
For that price you would expect it to come with a free computer.
Few notes ,
The mod for the stabs you were looking for called "Holee Mod".
There are 2 types of gaskets as i know one of them is softer.
The plate is FR4 and not Polycarbonate .
Great review though, keep em coming ;)
Holee mod is different, that goes in the stem. The old bandaid mod the H-shape is referring to goes between bottom housing and pcb.
@@jeffreyshih2550 This is correct. Holee mod the stem housing, bandaid mod is under the stab on the pcb. I don't think either are necessary and would just lube the wires lightly with zht bdz and the housing with krytox 205g0. Works great on my durock v2 stabs and owl stabs.
@@jeffreyshih2550 Oh i thought that's what he meant.
Well, Bendaid mod usually is for Plate mount stabs.
But yea those pads are good for screw in's as well :)
@@iamyotka you're thinking of putting bandaids between plate and housing to make the stabs wobble less. bandaid modding is on screw / clip ins so the wire housing doesnt come to contact with the pcb. though bandaid modding defeats the purpose of clipped stabs anyways since they just become mushy as hell
@@jubakusha Yeah i know , that's why you usually get with the keyboard pads for this.
I have recently purchased the Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard, it has been proven great and has one of the best Num Pads of any keyboard. There are now review's on TH-cam an I believe it is a great deal for many! Maybe consider taking it up an do a review, it is more focused on office work.
Some real custom keyboards lets go!
Some real scams lets go!
My first custom keyboard was the KBD75 v3, then I got the KBD67 LITE, then the Odin R2...then I was convinced to join the Promise 87 Bespoke raffle...and won, so I got to buy that as well. Haven't put it together yet, but it's both my first raffle and will be my first winkeyless.
I think Plouffe orders the keyboards for himself and excuses it as business expense. 😆
I got the same care package :D. The switches are nice and have a short throw and dont bottom out all the way with the stem so you dont have to worry about Cherry keycap interference in a north facing keyboard!
Its fun how manufacturers tricked so many customers that its a luxery to manufacture their products. Next step, pay more to get a drawing only?
Yeah i can’t imagine paying this type of money and then having to put the thing together.
@@inspectorvoid Typically if youre buying in that price range- youre buying it for the project as well. You got it to customise with any foam, tape or whatever you want to shove in and whatever switches or caps in it you want- you can also typically get prebuilt versions but it saves the target demographic a bit of time tearing it down to rebuild it
Well it’s kind of all about the customisation and the hobby, not the end product alone. You get a full kit with the ability to customise the entire board exactly to your liking. It’s no different to buying components to build your own PC instead of buying a prebuilt.
Wuque entered the custom world as affordable (under 500$) mid-high tier custom board with good sound profile, short lead time(3 months), so what they initially have done is the actually a reverse to your statement.
custom keyboard manufacturers often operate on very narrow margins since they don't have the economies of scale of larger brands like razer and corsair. so these are bound to be more expensive due to the high quality design, materials and feel of the end product.
it's also about the enjoyment of the build hence the very nice packaging. sucky take my guy
EDIT: however bad fit and QA is unacceptable for a luxury product for enthusiasts of course
I think Plouffe probably wakes up at 3AM just to see how fast he can field strip a keyboard.
If I am paying 900 for a keyboard I expect it to be built!
But that is the whole point of this, people build this as a hobby, its like buying a $500 deathstar lego set, if it came built that would ruin the experience.
Then you wouldn't be paying 900 bucks for a keyboard.
The building process is part of the hobby that keyboard enthusiast likes. If it came prebuilt, there’s no fun to it. Plus they will most likely using their own switches and keycaps
@@keonxd8918 people desperately convincing themselves that throwing money into the toilet is a hobby because they have to put in labor to build their overpriced garbage. It's not a hobby, its overpriced trash. If your hobby is buying overpriced trash, thats not a hobby its just poor judgement.
@@keonxd8918 If you are going to use your own switches and keycaps then why should they include them?
I LOVE the sound the keys made when it was built. Can I get keys like this, but with a cheaper keyboard in general?
The promise is nice besides for the lines on the wkl blockers, they kinda turn me off. But I'm LOVING the keyboard content!!
Linus touching that keyboard for the first time reminded me of Morty experiencing 'True Level".
I hope there comes a day where group buys just kind of die out for things like generic boards that have clearly been proven to sell if they're done even remotely well. Mechs are way past the point where they're "niche" and need the funding...
I bloody hate group buys. I'll find a keycap set or something that I'll go 'hey that looks awesome!' then find out it was in a group buy months ago and is no longer available.
THIS! I think that group buys are most of the time, done out of greed, specially for companies that already have some time in the market. For me it would be understandable for artisan keycaps made by an artist or very niche layouts (a crazy 40% kb for example). But for others, pff is so out of greed
I mean the beauty of the hobby is that everyone can design a keyboard, the issue is that not everyone has the funds for production before selling them.
Groupbuys are a time honored tradition within the hobby and the main way that the hobby functions. There's plenty of in stock options but the special boards will probably always have groupbuys to keep the hobby interactive and special. Besides that I think you are way off on mechs not being niche. While we've seen growth we're miles away from a 500 dollar keyboard having enough interest to risk not doing a groupbuy.
nah they're fine. just be in the hobby and stay informed.
You can tell people in the comment here do not understand the word "CUSTOM." But at the same time most people would've built a custom PC, that would cost upwards of $2-3K and not bad a single eye.
Yes its a keyboard, but you can argue the same with a computer. Why not just go to best buy and get one off the shelf? Why do I need a RTX 3080, or a Ryzen cpu etc etc.
At the end of the day, if you're happy with your razer, corsair, ducky whatever the fuck prebuilt keyboard thats fine. There are some people (me included) that enjoy customizing switches, plates, cases, keycaps the list goes on.
Man, the packaging is reaaaally nice. But idk if any keyboard would be worth that much money to me, even though I'm into mechanical keyboards 😅
Think of high end custom keyboards kind of like a really nice watch, yeah the $20 Timex is going to do the same thing as the $500 Seiko or $5000 Rolex, you're not buying it for the practicality of it, you're buying it for the craftsmanship, attention to detail, etc. It's almost like a collector item that you just happen to be able to type on and interface with your PC. It's definitely not for everyone, but if you're into it, it may be worth it for you.
@@vickdizang Yeah, there's definitely a market and a demographic for it. It's just not for me. ^^
@@vickdizang I would agree except that the "craftsmanship" on this board is garbage. An enthusiast who has constructed a ton of these boards managed to irreparably strip two of the screw housings by doing something totally normal. That's like if you bought a $5000 Rolex and then it broke as soon as you tried to put it on your wrist
I usually don't like ASMR and stuff, but the kind of sound this keyboard makes, just clicks it for me.
In the world of custom keyboards it is a sin to use the switches/keycaps they provided. The ceramic keycaps are cool though!
Unboxing this keyboard reminds me of that episode in Futurama where Fry is making his own Oreo cookies
$500USD and you have to assemble it, no way this company lasts longer than a year.
They already lasted more than a year and this hobby, people want ot build their keyboard, its a hobby. its not meant to be built, if you built it, people would not even touch this.
AGAIN its a hobby keyboard. like hobby model making, if its built that defeat the purpose
Go to r/mechanicalkeyboards and your gonna have a laugh
Yea get a preassembled board for 500 that you don't end up liking the sound of so you have to disassemble and rebuild it with new switches
Shows up, says the keyboard is stupid, refuses to elaborate further, leaves. Gigachad
how fun, finally a keyboard for all the muti-millionaires out there...
lol no they get the 6000 dollar keyboards at minium and im not joking they exist
Should I tell you about $10k keyboards out there?
Could you ask a keyboard enthusiast to marry you, with a moissanite included keyboard?
I just don't get the hype. I've tried a multitude of mechanical keyboards but whenever I actually want to write I'll end up using my $120 chromebook. It's simply more comfortable and convenient.
I'll take shallow travel scissors and rubber domes over something "better" every day of the week.
honestly the whole mech keyboard community is just chasing their dream feel and sound. It really comes down to preference, so if you find that your chromebook keyboard is what you like, then most people would respect you for it!
cause preference
A custom keyboard will never be as convenient as your laptop keyboard because you’re using a laptop. Portability is not the focus of high end keyboards
I dont even have a laptop.... so a chromebook keyboard is pointless
The mod you are looking for is Holy mod.
Gold plating the bottom of a keyboard ranks highly in the list of absolutely stupidest wastes of money ever.
“There’s no bumps on the home row. That’s stupid”
The encapsulation of why I hate most mech keyboards, and their “fancy pants” let configs.
That would be perfect to fit my 69$ PC!
You mean that would be nice ;)
I got permission from my typing teacher at school (mid 90s) to put dots of superglue on the F and J keys of the old typewriters to help with the home keys since I liked that on the computer keyboards. So there is a DIY solution to home key nipples.
The seal refers to a "Promise under seal," which makes a promise contractable.
omg the sound of the keys
Yeah good keyboard, just the price of my last gen gaming laptop
He did say the keyboard is $540 max ($900 was just a pre production test).
@@tombaker2510 I know but you could still get a "gaming" laptop for 540 bucks (though with a 1650 or something, at least in my country)
@@kiyotaka2026 1650 is so old, does it really count as gaming now? I just think this is a stupid comparison, if you are spending this much on a keyboard you will have like a system that is 2k+
@@tombaker2510 to be completely fair 1650 still kind of games, just at low fps and settings, except for esport titles where it is a very efficient card. And yeah I'd probably have at least a 2k gaming pc with such a high end keyboard.
Linus: *proceeds to walk away with a fork and a tub of ice cream*
I don't get it, but I can respect it. Same thing as a car entheusists spending thousands to make their car lower, and add some special wheels, whatever makes you happy.
The world would be a better place if more people like you existed. It's always good to see people who can keep an open mind.
It would be a pretty good video about what Daily driver keyboards does the linus techtips group use, or a bring your fave keyboard to work day video
They just did a stream about the standardized build they are going to go with and it was the keychron q series or k series depending on what the employee wanted
These companies must be so glad that enough suckers exist in the world that they can take for a ride to keep business booming.
Especially since they are run on limited time preorders so that there can be no reviews and manufacture fomo.
@@duckthecow if you’ve done your research, there are already reviews for this keyboard in the keyboard community.
Some old information, the Group Buy is already completed for the Promise87, finished a week ago.
I think the best customisation you can do on a TKL is having a ten-key
nah best TKL is a F row less, so a 60% or 70%
hell no
Would love to see a build end to end on the channel. Lubing etc. I am new to hobby and would love to see it
As cool as these are, it would be even better if there were wireless options
I always spill drinks on my keyboards so I go through them often
“They’re not super expensive, the $200 to $400 range.”
_glances at my $12 Amazon Basics keyboard that’s worked perfectly for the past four years or so._
I think they might have a different definition of expensive than I do.
probably will last longer than this fake premium shit.
Expensive for a keyboard, average for a custom mechanical keyboard (and decently cheap compared to others) its subjective. Like a spaceX rocket is cheap for space travel but 30 million is not cheap lol
Sounds cool when you type
Love that you guys are doing custom keyboard content.
I would watch plouffe do a beginner's introduction to keyboards.
Plouffe after every typing test, " It's not my best."
Can someone please explain to me why the actual hell you would spend several hundred dollars to buy a keyboard that requires FULL assembly, isn’t wireless and doesn’t have features like a volume rocker?
I’m legitimately curious. It’s definitely not for me, but I am curious what gets people so excited about this stuff.
its simple, if you build it someone will buy it. Just depends on the marketing budget. Still dumb as rocks but you cant deny the strat
First, I couldn't give 2 shits about any of those features you mentioned. 2nd I GET to assemble it. And it looks and sounds nice.
@@G3rain1 Its weird dont get me wrong, the price should budget in the assembly, but i am one of those people who grew up making model kits for a hobby so assembling something and understanding how it works is half the fun, not justifying it bc the price is absurd, but something like a keyboard i would enjoy putting together, i get it its not for everyone, but some like the idea of they themselves building it. Thats why pre built computers exist and are thriving off the idea that its already built out of the box. Its weird man, hope you understand
In the GB for the Mammoth 75. Super excited to get my hands on it!
"This almost cost $900" - it costs $900 and I almost paid that, or it would have cost that much but for circumstance I avoided, or they changed their mind on the price
"This cost almost $900" - the price is just under $900
Thank you grammar nazi
I think it's funny how he talks about keyboard enthusiasts things like they are normal
not having a bump for the homerow is a big dealbreaker for some and I hope syrahkey also includes f and j keys that have bumps otherwise people will buy copycat keycaps
yeah def get your own keycaps. I had a keyboard without those bumps and I will never do that agian.
I hate cap sets with bumps.
@@G3rain1 that is why I feel the sets should either provide bumped f/j keycaps and bumpless f/j keycaps or they should clearly state whether the keycap set has bumps or is bumpless
Those aren't even the caps that came with the board, which makes it all the more puzzling that he was talking about them so much
Cerakey will come out with bumps eventually. On their discord i read it was a vote and no one voted them in. But they can easily do it.
the fancy finish on the bottom has a similar vibe as that dumb keyboard with the screen that faces away from you.
For $900 you have to assemble the thing yourself with screws that are bad enough that even a keyboard enthusiast stripped them. Plus it entirely lacks a windows key (which is an instant deal breaker for me as someone who uses it all the time), the key caps that come with it aren't apparently as good as the ceramic ones they already had, the LED under the capslock key only lights up half of the key, it doesn't come with a cable (which Linus rightly points out should come with it to match it), and the light behind the moissanite barely illuminates it.
Every time a ridiculously expensive keyboard comes out Plouffe gushes about it and justifies away all of the flaws. I honestly can't take him seriously about anything anymore because he seems to think that more $$$ = better.
And before someone comments that building it is half the fun I do understand that, but if that's the case then it shouldn't break when you screw it together
@@kevinwells9751 it's a wuque board, they are known for their entry level boards, not high end boards. Also, this one was a prototype, not a production board. Also, good boards don't come with keycaps or switches or cables, because that's the point, you make it according to what you want, rather than paying more for something you don't want and then replacing it yourself.
$570 and you don't even get a super key? That's an incredibly handy key to deprive yourself of. In Windows it's the base combo for a lot of stuff and in Linux you can customize it to do just about anything.
More custom keyboard content please. I ordered a Promise87!
I love Linus' random roast
As much as I like that the custom keyboard scene gets spotlight in media, it really drives me nuts how people who have no idea about the hobby, talk as if they do (I mean the comments). The Promise87 was a very cool concept until I saw the price. They still asked quite a bit and it doesn't do enough for me to want it for anyway (I do have many, many customs).
Is the hobby expensive? Yes. Is it unnecesary? Technically, yes. So are many more hobbies tho. I've had the chance to talk with a lot of people who have designed custom boards and keycaps sets. The ROI (return on investment) for these products is not high. It really isn't. It takes more time and effort than the money you get from it. The only reason why people still do it is out of passion for the damn thing. I've even tried to manufacture my own keyboard design and still got quoted $300+ for a basic design without a plate or PCB. Unless you own millions or have a massive company to help you produce, you can't just make a super premium board that envelopes your great ideas into some low cost product. The only companies that provide good budget products are companies that have been in the hobby for a few years at least. If you don't, then it will just feel like any other cheap ass GK61.
Small hobbies and small companies need support from people that have a passion for it. It's not stupid, idiotic, meaningless, or any other adjective you could use. It all depends on how much it matters to those who care. We are all trying to find ways to get lower prices and inflation, Covid supply chain issues, heatwaves, etc, aren't doing us any favors.
If you find yourself happy with your Logi's, Razer, Corsair then awesome my guy. I for one invest in my tool but you don't have to. We aren't dumb, we are just passionate. If you bankrupt youself with keyboards, that is on you. You won't see me running out of food so I buy the next board from the likes of Keycult or Signa.
YES KEYBOARD VIDEOS i was just asking for this.a few weeks ago!
r/MechanicalKeyboards: My PC is worth $900, and my main keyboard is worth $650, but I just bought $300 worth of new key caps and switches. You should hear the thunk!
I could watch Plouffe unbox anything
Plouffe is slowly becoming my favourite LTT host. Riley and James are hilarious, and Alex will always be Jankmaster Flex, but Plouffe seems much more down to earth than them IMO. They’re like the Power Rangers though. They all have their advantages, and they’re best when they’re working as a team.
Really? He only seems to care about how much a thing costs rather than how good it actually is. He found multiple problems but just brushed them aside because it's pretty and he wants the bragging rights of having a stupidly expensive keyboard
i feel like im in some kind of bizarro land LMAO. down to earth???? this dude drops hundreds to thousands of dollars on the most frivolous shit and then makes excuses for the subpar quality despite the exorbitantly high prices. He's literally making excuses on this very video about how it's ok the $900 keyboard didn't come with a cable, and how it's fine the keyboard screws into a cheap housing. That's down to earth?
Everytime I hear keystrokes from these units, something snaps and I really want a custom keyboard. But then I remember how damn dirty I am, and supress all urges.