Full size keyboards

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Hello all,
Just wanted to say and start this new rabbit hole of keyboards. My wife seen Taeha Types videos and fell in love with the sound of keyboard. She’s old school and like the whole click keys. She love the different colors and themes. The only thing she ask is that it’s a full size keyboard since she uses the number key a lot.

Now on doing research for switch and themes it’s hard to find a full size keyboard. I know must users like the whole 60 / 70 /80 % keyboards. Is there a certain site that deals with full size keyboards that are done?

If not then building a full size kit for her. Any help would be great for a newbie to this hobby.

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Ahoy and welcome!

Full size is probably one of the hardest sizes to find customs in, despite otherwise being the most popular layout on Earth. That said, it has been getting more love lately. The first brand that comes to mind here is Keychron - they actually have a selection of full size mechanical keyboards with varying levels of plug-and-play customization options. Here are their normal-profile / MX-compatible ones from least to most expensive:

  • C2 - $55, wired, pretty basic but a totally decent prebuilt - hotswap & rgb available

  • V6 - $90 fully assembled, QMK/VIA compatible, different cap profile (also available barebones for less), hotswap

  • K10 - $114 for hotswap rgb version, wired & wireless, comes with nice G Pro switches

  • Q6 - $205 for fully assembled no-knob version, QMK/VIA compatible, different cap profile, all-metal enclosure

They also have some low-profile options that include a full-size version in the K5.

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Full size isn’t the only way to have a numberpad. The 1800 layout has a full numpad but it’s a lot more compact. Take a look at the Keychron K4 Pro for example.

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thank you guys for the info. I was looking at the Keychron’s after I posted my message. She likes the layout but the sound she doesn’t like. Now she wants me to find her the panda switches. Guess she like the sound of those.

I think I am going to build my own just need to figure out which switches to get. Guess I will be going to youtube and listening to the different kind.

Is there a certain youtube that tried different switches sounds? I see drop . com has a lot of things I want… I guess I just need to find a kit I like. I notice some smaller keyboards have a number pad next to them but connected a different way. Is that a USB connection as well?

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I’m looking for that perfect 100% myself.

I recently went with K4 Pro, a 98% keyboard. Still getting used to the unusual placement for del/home/end. It’s not real easy finding keycap sets that match it either (1u ALT/Fn/CTRL/Numpad 0). I must say I am not a fan of the south facing LED either (no shine through).

I am still looking for that hard to find 100% that is moddable.
So far I have tried Anker (Ouetmu Blues and hardwired cable), probably my most favorite but I don’t think Anker sells keyboards anymore. Acrylic and Aluminium base so sounds and feels nice.

I also tried Onn gamer (Ouetmu Blues and hardwired but nice wire managment trough), it’s all plastic so it is real pingey.

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The QK100 might be what you are looking for:

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I guess “100” is the number of keys? Since this doesn’t look like a 100% keeb.

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YMDKey has a 108-key kit

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Idk what your budget is but you could keep an eye out for a secondhand Carolina Mech Fossil if you want something really premium. I would go as far as to say it’s the best fullsize ever made.

Regarding plastic cases being pingy, this should only happen if they have a steel plate and bad stabilizers. Plastic cases with a plastic plate and some proper dampening material should sound pretty good most of the time. Unfortunately most do come with a steel plate, but if you desolder/disassemble a pingy plastic board and scan the plate you should be able to order a plate cut from acrylic or fr4 pretty easily. Simple things like the tape mod and putting polyfill under the pcb can also significantly reduce ping. Don’t get too hung up on trying to find something that sounds perfect out of the box.

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It looks like the 98% layout from Keychron. I have seena a similar layout called 1800. I love all the options though, Aluminum case in different colors (other than black or white), multiple connection types, pcb and plates.

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If the 1800 layout is an option and it’s within your budget, I recommend the Brutal v2 1800 from CannonKeys. They’re very reputable, and it’s in-stock with several options available. The 65% version is my go-to board. Just get the hotswap version and she can change the switches to her liking easily.

There’s also this cool acrylic f-rowless 1800 from Australian vendor/designer Cafege, the Brownbird. Shipping from Australia may be exorbitant, but it will still probably cost less than the Brutal v2 and looks really cool. I haven’t purchased from them, but they seem like good people.

You can find a build vid and sound test on YouTube from xinxinwong (Patti). She really liked it.

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