Winner:
This is a big one! Who will take the crown for the best modern keyboard or company 2016? It has been an innovative and busy year for keyboard companies and keyboard designers alike.
The official nominees were:
VE.A
Cooler Master
ZealPC
The XMIT Hall Effect keyboard
The MiniVan
We had a strong list of competitors in the final round, but one of them mobilized the fan base like no other. I present the winner of this year's Best modern keyboard or company award:
Spoiler:
ZealPC
A relatively new face in the world of keyboard companies, ZealPC has quickly gained a very dedicated base of fans for its ever-growing range of unique products. A fine sense for the needs of the enthusiast community and world class marketing have proven to be a recipe for success!
Runners-up:
Spoiler:
2nd place: Cooler Master
One of the big players in the market for gaming oriented mechanical keyboards! They managed to rise above their competitors with awesome innovations like the CM Novatouch and great all-rounder TKLs at competitive price points. Serving the European/ISO market like few other companies and actively involving in the community has earned CoolerMaster a well deserved 2nd place!
3rd place: VE.A by Oddforge
Passionately developed by a two man team, the guys from Oddforge have really shown why Korean Kustom keyboards are legendary. Vermillion from Oddforge originally designed this keyboard because he was unable to afford one of the highly sought after Cherry MX5000 keyboards. After much development and great design work, his product can take on the Cherry MX5000 any day!
Honorable mentions:
Spoiler:
XMIT Hall Effect keyboard
Certainly a surprise to see a keyboard in the final round that hasn't even hit the market yet. Many excited fans of this keyboard are eagerly awaiting delivery in 2017. What we have heard and seen from this keyboard's global beta testers has left enough of an impression to earn a mention in this category.
The MiniVan
A new player in the custom keyboard game had an amazing debut in 2016. Evangs started the first round of his TheVan/MiniVan keyboard in spring 2016 and ran a butter smooth GB honoring his motto "The Van delivers!"
Shortly after that he took it to the next level, offering a refined version of his innovative 40% keyboard on Massdrop. It was a smashing success.
Posted: 10 Dec 2016, 21:44
by Hking0036
Props to Zeal, it must have been the green tea kit-kats that won the award
Posted: 10 Dec 2016, 21:47
by CoffeeHamster
Congrats to Zeal! He deserved it, new switches AND a new way to silence switches?
Posted: 10 Dec 2016, 23:09
by Zeal
Wow, I'm honoured to have won this category!
Thank you everyone that voted, this was a tight matchup. Congrats to all the nominees and finalists as well, this was no easy feat!
Posted: 11 Dec 2016, 00:15
by vivalarevolución
ZealPC, definitely a deserving winner.
Posted: 11 Dec 2016, 00:41
by OutragedPudding
Zeal wrote: ↑Wow, I'm honoured to have won this category!
Thank you everyone that voted, this was a tight matchup. Congrats to all the nominees and finalists as well, this was no easy feat!
Congratulations, dude! You've put a lot of work into making incredibly high-quality and innovative products..the community appreciates that a lot You deserve it!
I'm happy to see CM up there too, they deserve that second place! Hope to see them keeping up the community interactions and hopefully push forward all of the things that the community want from them
Posted: 11 Dec 2016, 06:52
by clacktalk
Zeal wrote: ↑Wow, I'm honoured to have won this category!
Thank you everyone that voted, this was a tight matchup. Congrats to all the nominees and finalists as well, this was no easy feat!
what a guy
Posted: 11 Dec 2016, 12:54
by Wodan
Zeal wrote: ↑Wow, I'm honoured to have won this category!
Thank you everyone that voted, this was a tight matchup. Congrats to all the nominees and finalists as well, this was no easy feat!
Indeed, congratulations Zeal. You really have a sense for what the enthusiasts want and how to excite the community.
Time to work in a nice keyboard now if you want to run for this category again
You deserve it!