Introduction

When I first did the experimental "Building a Keyboard" article earlier this year, I intended it to be a one-off. After all, it happened only because Epomaker had mentioned that getting a better look at switches might be of interest to our readers as well as myself. It also allowed me to water two plants with a single hose since I was also able to cover a standalone 65% keyboard kit as well as a neat set of aftermarket keycaps. What I did not anticipate was that article to do so well that I was quickly asked about doing more of the same. So here we are, and the second entry in the series goes through another Epomaker/Akko/Gateron combination. Thanks again to Epomaker for sending the samples used here!


Anyone who is even remotely familiar with the mechanical keyboard world knows that there are more switches now than ever before, with custom designs coming from lots of companies and vendors alike. Keyboard enthusiasts have also discovered the joy and pain of lubricating switches and stabilizers. Amid all this, hot-swappable keyboard kits have made it very easy to experiment with different switches and make a truly custom offering to suit your specific needs. Today, we take a look at arguably the hottest stock switches out there in the form of the Gateron Ink switches. I am pairing five different switches with the Epomaker GK96S kit and Akko Macaw keycaps in this article, so be sure to go through everything in order as best as possible.