Economical Custom MX Keyboard?

[Thorogrimm]

For a little while I've considered the idea of getting myself into making a custom board with some of the newers switches that the cool kids are typing on nowadays. Now, I'm very aware that to get a full custom build I'd have to dish out a pretty penny, and I don't have that kind of penny at the moment. So I've heard of a couple of options that could get me to where I want to be relatively comfortably but I'm here to ask for experienced members what your best intuition and advice would be?

My preferences:
- MX style switch - Gateron, Kailh, Novelkeys, etc.
- ISO - preferred but can get used to ANSO if recommended
- Full size or TKL - would rather keep my F keys on their own layer
- Decent build quality - is all I can ask for
- Reliable
- Below £70
- Contains most of what I need

What I've considered:
- GMK TKL barebones
- Cherry G80
- bm60rgb

[Wintermute1974]

I can recommend the GMMK keyboards. In addition to your requirements, the switches are hot-swappable, so you can try out all the trendy MX switches that the cool kids use.

[Go-Kart]

If you're looking for a complete board for under £70, I can recommend Durgod Taurus K320 boards. TKL, Cherry switches, a few different colour ways (which all look good IMO), well put together, decent stabilisers, nice caps. Now these Durgods are supposedly £99+ but I often see them included in sales on Amazon and eBay for as little at £59!

[Rayndalf]

Hansung TFG Art (and associated models) costs a little more but it's really nice from what I've seen.

[Wintermute1974]

Durgod Taurus K320

I have been using one of these as my main keyboard for a year and can attest to its quality. I bought the one with Cherry MX Silent Reds. I planned to desolder the delivered switches, replacing them with Zeal Sakurio switches, but I have yet to do so.

My one disappointment with the board is that the bottom of each keycap hovers a few millimeters above the top of the case. From the photos I saw online before purchasing the K320, I thought the bottom of each keycap was recessed below the top of the case.

Incidentally, if anyone knows of a commercial, off-the-shelf TKL or FS keyboard where the bottom of the keycaps are indeed protected from the outside world, then please post your recommendations in this thread too.

[Rayndalf]

Durgod Taurus K320

I have been using one of these as my main keyboard for a year and can attest to its quality. I bought the one with Cherry MX Silent Reds. I planned to desolder the delivered switches, replacing them with Zeal Sakurio switches, but I have yet to do so.

My one disappointment with the board is that the bottom of each keycap hovers a few millimeters above the top of the case. From the photos I saw online before purchasing the K320, I thought the bottom of each keycap was recessed below the top of the case.

Incidentally, if anyone knows of a commercial, off-the-shelf TKL or FS keyboard where the bottom of the keycaps are indeed protected from the outside world, then please post your recommendations in this thread too.

Cherry G80-3000 S TKL
Kind of hard to find but the ones without LEDs are a bargain in the $70 range (nice caps, solid screwless case + PCB mount). Overall pretty nifty.

[Muirium]

Incidentally, if anyone knows of a commercial, off-the-shelf TKL or FS keyboard where the bottom of the keycaps are indeed protected from the outside world, then please post your recommendations in this thread too.

Depends on the caps as well as the keyboard. Some profiles have a longer skirt than others.

I'll take a look at my Filco MJ2 and CM NovaTouch, which are currently loaded with DSA and Cherry vintage caps. Those are both quite high riding caps families at the edge, as I recall.

[Tribal]

A used Drop CTRL high profile might work if you’re patient on eBay. I have the Alt (with MT3 profile dev/tty keycaps) and like it so much that I bought a second one.

[Bjerrk]

A used Drop CTRL high profile might work if you’re patient on eBay. I have the Alt (with MT3 profile dev/tty keycaps) and like it so much that I bought a second one.

Could you maybe explain what it is about e.g. the Drop Ctrl that makes it good? Most keyboards of that general type seem very similar to me. But I must be missing something.
I have a GMMK in a box in the basement and I feel the same way about that one

[Tribal]

I like the heavy, solid feel of it (including the plate), as well as hot-swap, QMK programmability, and the extra USB-C port. I experimented with several switches until I found one I really liked (Glorious Pandas), and being able to quickly and easily pull things apart was very nice. I just don’t have time right now to solder and unsolder switches all the time.

I can’t say that I *like* QMK, but being able to flash changes to the board itself is nice. I sometimes think about getting a Planck or Preonic to use as a macro pad since QMK can handle multiple keyboards at once.

[Muirium]

Have you tried VIA on it? That’s a nice QMK add on that brings live remapping ability.

[Bjerrk]

I like the heavy, solid feel of it (including the plate), as well as hot-swap, QMK programmability, and the extra USB-C port. I experimented with several switches until I found one I really liked (Glorious Pandas), and being able to quickly and easily pull things apart was very nice.

Thanks, man! That makes sense. I gotta give those Pandas a try. When it comes to MX style switches I am personally strangely fond of Kailh Polias, which I almost never see mentioned.

[Tribal]

Have you tried VIA on it? That’s a nice QMK add on that brings live remapping ability.

Not yet - I didn’t see it listed (surprisingly) as being supported. The hassle of QMK was the weakest aspect for me, so an easier method would be great