Why is the default configuration of budget keyboards like the Keychron and Royal Kludge setup for Mac?

apastuszak

17 Aug 2022, 15:05

I'm curious about this. I own a Keychron and a Royal Kludge keyboard. Both came set up for the Mac out of the box. Switching to PC was very easy: flick a switch and change 4 keycaps. And I am a Mac user, so this worked to my benefit. But I'm curious why this is so? Are Mac users more likely to buy a mechanical keyboard than a Windows user?

I also have to wonder how companies like Keychron and Royal Kludge can offer a Mac/Windows switch and wireless options, when much higher end (defined by price tag) keyboards can't offer that.

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Muirium
µ

17 Aug 2022, 15:46

Try writing to them for yourself. (I own neither keyboard.) If they are in a good mood, they may be able to provide a more informative answer than our mere speculation here at DT. For sure, there are a lot of new Macintosh users out there these days. And maybe like iPhone versus Android they are the ones buying more accessories.

As for the complacency of “high end“ manufacturers, may I suggest they are from Japan! :lol:

apastuszak

17 Aug 2022, 15:54

Having just received a Keychron K8 Pro, I am really trying to figure out where all the extra money is going on these higher priced keyboards.

This thing is pretty sweet for the price tag.

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Muirium
µ

17 Aug 2022, 16:13

Keychron etc. just weren’t in the game, back when I was getting involved and in major acquisition mode. In 2013 or so, Ducky was the low end, along with Cherry themselves! It’s a renaissance for MX compatibles now. I won’t complain though: those were the days for sensibly priced vintage IBMs and Alps boards. I done good on those.

The only “high end” I recognise is Topre and, if you roll a natural 20, Ellipse’s Model F Labs. That’s because I don’t dig MX, or the modern much superior clones, and have a costly taste for silky capsense. But if I was first getting into the hobby now, I’d very likely share your opinion until someone ruined me by letting me touch a Topre all over again.

kshopper2084

17 Aug 2022, 16:51

My feeling is that Mac users are less likely to find the requirement to reconfigure their new keyboard before they can use it enjoyable. We are the "it just works" crowd. :)

Windows users love changing a zillion settings to get their graphics card running properly, or whatever, so a few keycaps and a toggle switch is just gravy for them. :)

Just a theory...

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Muirium
µ

17 Aug 2022, 17:14

Maybe. But some of us have been Mac users and mech keyboard buyers for many years, and it certainly never used to be like this. Besides my vintage Apple boards, I’ve never bought a keyboard with Command keys even in the box, let alone pre-installed! You always had to go aftermarket or just live with PC legends. And the key caps group buys always made you pay extra for “your little Mac” add on sets, which had to reach MOQ all by themselves. I was picky enough to always go for them, but all these years later most the boards I use still have strictly PC legends on the mods. Though certainly never Windows keys. :ugeek:

So yeah, definitely better now. Not every mech winds up on a Windows gamer’s desk. Who knew?

apastuszak

17 Aug 2022, 20:18

I see more and more posts from people that TYPE on their keyboard instead of game on them. That's encouraging. 10 years ago, everyone just wanted a linear switch of some kind and RGB LEDs. Now I'm seeing more and more reviews focusing on things that matter to typists and not just gamers.

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Muirium
µ

17 Aug 2022, 21:43

apastuszak wrote:
17 Aug 2022, 20:18
everyone
Waiting for Kbdfr to tell us what he was doing at his, ten years ago. ;)

I only joined DT nine years ago. But FWIW, I was not here for what you describe, either.

Findecanor

17 Aug 2022, 22:34

kshopper2084 wrote:
17 Aug 2022, 16:51
My feeling is that Mac users are less likely to find the requirement to reconfigure their new keyboard before they can use it enjoyable. We are the "it just works" crowd. :)

Windows users love changing a zillion settings to get their graphics card running properly, or whatever, so a few keycaps and a toggle switch is just gravy for them. :)
That was my first thought as well... although I am somewhat inclined to think and say it in a more crass way. :P

I think that Keychron thinks that they will be getting more sales out of Mac users if the keyboards were configured for Mac out of the box than the other way around.
It would also show a dedication towards producing products for the platform, so that Mac users would be more likely to consider their brand in the future.

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kbdfr
The Tiproman

18 Aug 2022, 07:45

apastuszak wrote:
17 Aug 2022, 20:18
I see more and more posts from people that TYPE on their keyboard instead of game on them. That's encouraging. 10 years ago, everyone just wanted a linear switch of some kind and RGB LEDs. Now I'm seeing more and more reviews focusing on things that matter to typists and not just gamers.
Muirium wrote:
17 Aug 2022, 21:43
apastuszak wrote:
17 Aug 2022, 20:18
everyone
Waiting for Kbdfr to tell us what he was doing at his, ten years ago. ;) [...]
My first online experiences were at a time when you had to use a telephone handpiece and an acoustic coupler. You could watch the letters slowly forming individually on your green-on-black screen, graphics were of course not available and online time was expensive intercontinental telephone time.

That was of course more than ten years ago, but it feels like yesterday
I did not miss games at that time, I found them silly when they appeared, I found them idiotic ten years ago, and I find them worse by the day.

apastuszak

19 Aug 2022, 21:41

One thing I find interesting about this trend is how Matias fits into all this.

It looks like Matias has discontinued almost all their PC keyboards to focus on the Mac. I have a Tactile Pro and I love it. But my work PC is a Windows machine and I really need an insert key. And I can't install AutoHotkey. So, I'm kind of unable to use it, sadly.

But now Keychron and Royal Kludge are making budget friendly offerings that are Mac configured right out of the box. You're not going to get that Alps switch feel out of the box with these other keyboards. But you're going to get a better typing experience than Apple's keyboards.

As much as I love my Tactile Pro, if i had to do it over again, I would buy a Keychron K8 Pro instead, because it's a bit more versatile. Even though the K8 Pro is Mac configured out of the box, you can easily switch it for PC AND it's fully programmable, because it runs QMK and has VIA support.

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hellothere

20 Aug 2022, 18:01

apastuszak wrote:
19 Aug 2022, 21:41
It looks like Matias has discontinued almost all their PC keyboards to focus on the Mac.
I think they have quite a few Windows-only and Windows/Mac offerings. Also note that if it has USB, it'll connect to either a PC or a Mac. I'm not 100% sure about Bluetooth.

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Muirium
µ

20 Aug 2022, 23:35

Bluetooth should also work on both platforms. But the order of the modifier keys is how they get ya.

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