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Keycap Kevin: The Sound of Mechanical Keyboards – Episode 2

25.11.2023

Translation: Veronica Bielawski

Do you like mechanical keyboards and how they sound? Then let me flatter your ears today in Episode 2 of this miniseries.

In the Episode 1 of The Sound of Mechanical Keyboards, I introduced you to four of my keyboards. Mind you, just because I like their sound doesn’t mean you will too. User Anonymous, for example, writes in the comments that my keyboards are too loud and not «thocky» enough. I can work with that; Episode 2 is full of «thock»!

Freja65

The Freja65 is an O-ring gasket mount keyboard with a 65 per cent form factor that’s made of glass. For this type of mount, a rubber ring, the O-ring, is tightened around the circuit board and cover plate. This unit is then placed into the glass housing from above. As a result, the typing feel is softer than with a classic tray-mount keyboard, but still harder than with a gasket-mount keyboard. Here are the specs of my Freja65:

Switches: Everglide Aqua King V3 (linear)
Keycaps: Cerakey White (ceramic)
Cover plate material: aluminium
Sound dampening material: none

Here’s what the keyboard sounds like:

I absolutely had to have the Freja65. A keyboard made of glass?! I’d never had anything like it. And it even has the finest of RGB lighting. Mind you, I’m not a fan of flashing lights, which is why I usually deactivate it. But every now and then I feel like experiencing it – at which point things get bright enough to rival airport runway lighting.

Meletrix Zoom65

The Zoom65 is a classic gasket-mount keyboard with a 65 per cent form factor. The cover plate and PCB are clamped between the upper and lower housing sections and held in place with gaskets made of Poron foam. In this case, they’re adhered to the cover plate. Here are the specs of my Zoom65:

Switches: JWK Switch (linear)
Keycaps: PBT Cherry Taro (PBT plastic)
Cover plate material: polycarbonate
Sound dampening material: PE and plate foam

Here’s what the keyboard sounds like:

I originally bought the Zoom65 because I wanted to build a keyboard in the style of Neon Genesis Evangelion. No sooner said than done. In the meantime, the Mammoth75, which I showed you last time, has taken its spot. I recently rebuilt the Zoom65 into its current state. Despite being one of my cheaper keyboards, I really do enjoy writing on it.

Quarkeys Z60

The Z60 is also a classic gasket-mount keyboard made of aluminium, consisting of one single housing part. The cover plate and circuit board are held in place from above by so-called press bars. What’s also unusual is that the cover plate is a half plate, meaning it only covers the outer part of the circuit board. It’s been omitted from the alphas, i.e. the letters. The Z60 comes in a 60 per cent form factor and is therefore slightly smaller than the two keyboards above. Here are the specs:

Switches: Gateron Ink Black V2 (linear)
Keycaps: GMK Red Samurai (ABS plastic)
Cover plate material: Half-Plate FR4
Sound dampening material: none

Here’s what the keyboard sounds like:

If you follow Keycap Kevin regularly, you’ll likely be familiar with the Z60 – it served as my inspiration for the keyboard I built from wood. And I do really like the Z60 in general. I find the idea of holding the top plate and circuit board in place with brass press bars particularly interesting.

Qwertykeys QK80

The Qwertykeys QK80 is a TKL keyboard made from CNC-milled aluminium. It uses a special PCB gasket mount, where silicone seals are attached to the circuit board itself instead of the cover plate. The circuit board is clamped between the upper and lower housing sections, creating an even softer typing feel than the conventional gasket mount. This is further reinforced by the fact that I use the keyboard without a cover plate. Here are the specs of my QK80:

Switches: MM Switches (linear)
Keycaps: GMK Laser (ABS plastic)
Cover plate material: none
Sound dampening material: PE and case foam

Here’s what the keyboard sounds like:

The QK80 is one of my newest keyboards. Despite its very good workmanship and features, it’s on the cheaper side. I had previously bought its predecessor in a smaller form factor, the QK65. I really wanted the QK80 because I didn’t yet own a brown keyboard – and because the manufacturer Qwertykeys had made various improvements compared to the QK65.

Which keyboard do you like best? Do you own one you’re particularly proud of? Then share it in the comments. I’ll show you four more of my keyboards very soon.

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Kevin Hofer

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kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.ch

From big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.

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Keycap Kevin: The Sound of Mechanical Keyboards – Episode 2

Freja65

Meletrix Zoom65

Quarkeys Z60

Qwertykeys QK80

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