Fleet of Mechanical Keyboards

I have a few mechanical keyboards now, and they all fill a different role. Some are daily drivers, some are projects, and some are retired because they either broke or needed too much annoying software to keep using. I tend to care more about how a keyboard feels than how it looks, but bad keycaps, bad software, or a hollow sound can still ruin the experience fast.

Lemokey L5 HE

The Lemokey L5 HE is my main keyboard right now. I backed it on Kickstarter because I wanted to try magnetic switches, and sometimes I make questionable financial decisions for no good reason.

When it showed up, I was not fully happy with it. The keyboard itself is good, but the keycaps were a problem. Lemokey used shine-through caps for the RGB, but then added clear caps for keys like space, enter, and shift. Those clear caps feel bad and look worse. They also do not match the nicer black shine-through letter keys. Once I replace the caps, the keyboard becomes much better.

The magnetic switches are the main reason I keep using it. I like being able to change the actuation point for each key, even though I have learned not to get carried away and make every key different. A few keys feel better with custom actuation, but too much tweaking just makes the keyboard weird.

Every key has a magnetic analog sensor, but USB only supports 10 analog signals to the PC, so I never really use that feature. For FPS games, though, this keyboard feels great. The smooth linear travel feels different from normal red switches because there is almost no contact feel at all. I set the actuation close to the top, and it works well for fast movement and quick inputs.

For long typing sessions, I still prefer the Drop ALT V2, but for everyday use and gaming, the Lemokey L5 HE is my daily driver.

Redragon K686 Pro

The Redragon K686 Pro starts as a cheap wireless keyboard I grab while the Drop ALT V2 is my main board. At the time, I still think I might need a tenkey once in a while. Over time, I get used to not having one, so this keyboard ends up finding a better job.

Now it lives with my mini sim-pit for racing and flying games. Since it is wireless and full size, it works well there. I do not have to move my main keyboard over every time I want to play a sim, and that alone makes it useful.

It is not a keyboard I want to type on all day. The sound is hollow, and it does not feel very satisfying for longer writing. But for sim controls, menus, and quick keyboard input, it does exactly what I need.

Sofle RGB V3

The Sofle RGB V3 is less of a finished keyboard and more of a project that refuses to end.

One of my favorite gaming accessories was the Logitech G13. It was not mechanical, but it was great to use. Then Logitech discontinued it, and the software eventually stopped being useful. I bought the Sofle kit from 42keebs because I wanted to build my own replacement.

As a split keyboard, the Sofle is great. The layout is simple, the project is open, and it gives me room to design and 3D print my own parts. That part of it is exactly what I wanted.

The problem is that I still have not gotten the joysticks working the way I want. I keep hacking away at my custom QMK fork, trying to turn it into the G13 replacement I have in my head. I might never actually finish it, but I still like the project.

Nuphy Air75 V2

The Nuphy Air75 V2 is my travel keyboard. I need something simple, wireless, and nice to type on for work, and this one fits that role well.

I bought it on release day because I wanted a low-profile board I could take with me. It has a few odd choices. It has per-key RGB, but the base is black and it ships with normal keycaps, so the lighting is basically impossible to see. I swap the stock caps for cheap low-profile shine-through caps from Amazon, and that makes it a much better keyboard.

The tactile low-profile switches feel good for work typing. I use it every weekday, and I have used it that way for about two years. The RGB is not super bright, but I leave it on while using the keyboard and still only charge it about once every two weeks.

It is not flashy, but it is reliable, easy to carry, and comfortable enough to use every day.

Drop ALT V2

The Drop ALT V2 is my first QMK keyboard, and I still really like it.

I love typing on its tactile switches. I use linear switches more often now because of gaming, but when I need to write something longer, I come back to the ALT V2. It feels better for typing than most of my other boards.

It is sad that Corsair killed off the better Drop keyboard products. This was a great keyboard, and now it basically does not exist in the same way anymore. The good part is that it runs real QMK without needing some translator software in the background. That means I can keep it running, keep my strange layouts, and not worry about some app breaking later.

It is not my daily keyboard anymore, but it is still the one I reach for when I want to type.

Corsair K70

The Corsair K70 is retired because it is broken and not worth fighting anymore.

A lot of the gaming world loves Cherry MX Reds, but I do not like typing on linear switches for long stretches. They can be fine for gaming, but for real typing, I do not want to use them for very long.

The bigger issue is the software. Like my old Logitech gear, the Corsair depends too much on software running in the background. I have grown to hate that. I do not want software translating my key presses. It adds another layer that can cause lag or problems, and I want my keyboard to just be a keyboard.

Once this one starts ghosting and double typing W, I stop using it.

Logitech G910 Orion Spark

The Logitech G910 Orion Spark is also retired, but I still have good memories of it.

This was my favorite Logitech keyboard. The switches felt very different from most keyboards I have used. The actuation was high, with very little movement needed. The key had a firm resistance at first, then softened after the actuation point. It made for a strange but enjoyable typing feel.

The problem is Logitech. I do not like their software anymore, and they seem to have moved away from the kind of switches that made this keyboard interesting. I do not plan to buy another Logitech keyboard or mouse, but I did enjoy using the G910 while it lasted.

What I Use

The Lemokey L5 HE is my daily driver because it feels fast and works well for FPS games. The Nuphy Air75 V2 is my work travel keyboard because it is easy to carry and dependable. The Drop ALT V2 is still my favorite for long typing.