Building a Keyboard 5: MARVODIY Undefined 61, Charcoal Keycaps & Ajazz Diced Fruit Switches

[VSG]

MarvoDIY is a new brand aiming to break into the custom keyboard market, and Ajazz is introducing its own series of fruit-themed switches. We use the two and build a new 60% keyboard featuring the MarvoDIY Undefined 61, Charcoal PBT keycaps, and Ajazz Diced Fruit Peach switches.

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[Footman]

Great stuff.
My first mechanical keyboard was an old ibm with buckle switches. Last week I just completed my first custom build. Took a Womier 87 keyboard and replaced the Kaihl pro silver keys with Tecsee Purple Panda keys as I like tactile keys, and chose a decent set of pbt double shot pudding keycaps..... The pro silver switches are actually petty smooth for linears, so will be repurposed and put in my son's keyboard that came stock with Outemu browns that don't feel that good.

Keep up with these reviews. Custom keyboards are interesting to the community. I would like to see some switch reviews too.

 

[VSG]

Great stuff.
My first mechanical keyboard was an old ibm with buckle switches. Last week I just completed my first custom build. Took a Womier 87 keyboard and replaced the Kaihl pro silver keys with Tecsee Purple Panda keys as I like tactile keys, and chose a decent set of pbt double shot pudding keycaps..... The pro silver switches are actually petty smooth for linears, so will be repurposed and put in my son's keyboard that came stock with Outemu browns that don't feel that good.

Keep up with these reviews. Custom keyboards are interesting to the community. I would like to see some switch reviews too.

Every single mechanical keyboard review has a couple of sections dedicated to the switch used, and all these "build a keyboard" articles go further down that route if you haven't had the chance to see them all. Depending on if I only get switches, I do a quick look article as with the Kono Midnight switches here: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/quick-look-kono-midnight-switches/

 

[Vya Domus]

I was recently searching for a new keyboard and I was bewilder by the amount of small keyboards with no numpad/directional keys or even function keys. I find it very bizarre, what's the deal with people not wanting full sized keyboards ? Or is this one of those situations where manufacturers push for something because it's cheaper to make and people just slowly get coerced into buying them ?

 

[VSG]

I was recently searching for a new keyboard and I was bewilder by the amount of small keyboards with no numpad/directional keys or even function keys. I find it very bizarre, what's the deal with people not wanting full sized keyboards ? Or is this one of those situations where manufacturers push for something because it's cheaper to make and people just slowly get coerced into buying them ?

Bit of everything really. Smaller form factors can be more ergonomic with lower finger travel, but also these days it's easier to get custom keyboards/kits with high build quality and configurations here because it costs less to experiment around.

 

[TheUn4seen]

I was recently searching for a new keyboard and I was bewilder by the amount of small keyboards with no numpad/directional keys or even function keys. I find it very bizarre, what's the deal with people not wanting full sized keyboards ? Or is this one of those situations where manufacturers push for something because it's cheaper to make and people just slowly get coerced into buying them ?

I can only speak for myself, I always considered full sized keyboards to be a waste of space. Frankly speaking, they are simply too wide which causes the main cluster to be off-centered on the desk. If I want it to be centered, there are clearance issues with the mouse. That being said, I can't live without the numpad, so I experimented for quite a while with trackballs and unusual keyboard layouts until finding my end-game keyboard, a 1800 layout without the upper navigation cluster.
By the way, VSG, I think it was you who reviewed the Akko 3098. Thank you, this keyboard noticeably improved my computering. It almost immediately became my favourite keyboard of the ones I ever used.

 

[VSG]

I can only speak for myself, I always considered full sized keyboards to be a waste of space. Frankly speaking, they are simply too wide which causes the main cluster to be off-centered on the desk. If I want it to be centered, there are clearance issues with the mouse. That being said, I can't live without the numpad, so I experimented for quite a while with trackballs and unusual keyboard layouts until finding my end-game keyboard, a 1800 layout without the upper navigation cluster.
By the way, VSG, I think it was you who reviewed the Akko 3098. Thank you, this keyboard noticeably improved my computering. It almost immediately became my favourite keyboard of the ones I ever used.

Amazing, glad you like that keyboard too!

 

[amarthar]

I was recently searching for a new keyboard and I was bewilder by the amount of small keyboards with no numpad/directional keys or even function keys. I find it very bizarre, what's the deal with people not wanting full sized keyboards ? Or is this one of those situations where manufacturers push for something because it's cheaper to make and people just slowly get coerced into buying them ?

It's not really cheaper, as I've found that those 60-65% keyboards have some features that regular TKL or full size keyboards don't have such as being wireless and having hot-swap sockets. As for why people would want those keyboards it's usually saving space and not needing particular sections of the keyboard. Just ask yourself, do you really, REALLY, need the numpad, function keys or nav keys? For me the numpad and the F-keys aren't essential, but I need the entire nav cluster, so I went with the Redragon Deimos 70-key.

 

[micropage7]

actually looks good but from my experience, removable switch sometimes annoying especially when you want to replace the switches, i have several scratches on pcb coz of pins that not pretty straight