Disassembly

The keyboard may not have hot-swappable switches, but that does not stop us from taking a closer look inside one since we have the trial kit from before. Given this keyboard has the EC Ivy V2, it is the one I chose to take apart. The switch design is not all that different from the larger scheme, with a see-through top housing, the stem itself, a spring with 50 gf actuation, as per Hook's constant, and the body. It is in the body that things get more interesting, which the other photos above show. Do you see how the metal piece does not touch the other end? These metal contacts are how the switch-actuation circuit is completed in a typical mechanical switch. The answer to how actuation happens lies in the name of the switch itself, which we will discuss further on the next page. We also see the integrated clicky feedback mechanism here, which is again different from the way Cherry and clones of the same do it, or others that use a click bar, like the Kailh BOX clicky switches. Lastly, and this is something I missed with the previous review, the switches are also pre-lubricated during assembly with the stem and slider getting a goop for a smoother travel path.


Disassembly of the actual keyboard is interestingly involved. It is not frustrating, but I almost gave up before noticing two tiny screws that changed everything. As with the average two-piece plastic case keyboard, you need to use a thin, flat object to pry apart interlocking plastic tabs along the mating surfaces. The aforementioned screws are next, and you need to remove some keycaps to access these. One of these screws has a telltale sticker on top, so there will be signs of disassembly. At this point, you can separate the bottom case panel from the rest of the keyboard. Yes, you read that right—it is the bottom case panel that comes off, not the top panel as is usually the case.


As expected, the bottom panel is made out of ABS plastic, and we see a thick piece of foam between the PCB and the plastic that helps dampen the typing sound, making for a quieter keyboard and deeper clicky feedback, which may appeal more to the average user. The PCB is a darker green and screwed onto the top plastic panel via four screws that are directly accessible here. These screws are much larger than the two tiny ones seen alongside in the photo above for comparison.


At this point, the top panel should come off, and it definitely did at three corners. The fourth one was stubborn, however, owing to the mini-USB connector being quite snug in the plastic panel cutout to where I wasn't sure if I would break something. This did not stop me from taking a closer look at the internals on the PCB, however, so I did not tempt fate. The only thing I missed out on was seeing the thick steel plate better, which adds structural integrity to the keyboard and makes this a hefty and strong unit with no flex when fully assembled. Solder quality of the port connector is quite good, which can be extrapolated to the rest of the PCB as well. There is one instance of excess flux next to a capacitor, which in itself isn't anything to be concerned about.


I was not able to find anything useful on the hardware drivers, although I will note that there is not a whole lot of extra pre-programmed functionality, so it's not like the keyboard needs something powerful, either. Presumably, one is the USB microcontroller and the other potentially a hardware LED driver to help power the 108 white LEDs aboard here. As is the norm these days, the PCB has multiple layers.

Before we move on, be advised that disassembly may void the warranty and that TechPowerUp is not liable for any damages incurred if you decide to go ahead and do so anyway.