Sound first, spec sheet second

Why 65% is the compact layout that keeps arrows, and the spec-backed picks per tier: Keychron V2 at the budget floor, Q2 in aluminum, Epomaker TH80 V2 Pro for wireless feature-hunters — all official spec data.

September 21, 2026 · updated Sep 21 · 65%, buying guide, keychron, epomaker

The mechanical and practical differences between hot-swap sockets and soldered boards: how sockets work, what they add (weight, cost, a failure mode), when soldered still wins, and which current boards ship which way — all from official specs.

September 20, 2026 · updated Sep 20 · hot-swap, pcb, guide, buying

The cost-of-ownership answer to 'how much is a custom keyboard': each part's real price band with official anchors, where budgets actually blow up, assembled-vs-barebone math, and the hidden costs nobody lists.

September 19, 2026 · updated Sep 19 · budget, cost, guide, buying

What stabilizers do, why wide keys rattle, the tuning ladder from free to full mod (lube, band-aid mod, screw-in upgrades), and which recommended boards already ship decent stabs — spec-based, no fake before/after claims.

September 17, 2026 · updated Sep 17 · stabilizers, modding, guide, beginner

A material and manufacturing guide to keycaps: why ABS shines and PBT doesn't, what double-shot and dye-sub legends mean, how profiles differ, and which official price anchors make the premium checkable.

September 16, 2026 · updated Sep 16 · keycaps, pbt, materials, guide

A spec-based review of the Epomaker TH80 V2 Pro: tri-mode wireless with a 10,000 mAh battery, gasket mount and hot-swap at $77.99 — what the official page supports, the keycap-material variant trap, and what we can't judge until we record one.

September 15, 2026 · updated Sep 15 · epomaker, review, 75%, wireless

A switch comparison table built only from manufacturer-published specs — Cherry MX2A, Keychron Super, Gateron G Pro — with tolerances, pre-travel, and the honest notes on what the numbers can't settle. Updated as lineups change.

September 13, 2026 · updated Sep 13 · switches, comparison, specs, 2026

Every board under $100 that earns its price on official specs: full QMK programmability, hot-swap, gasket mounts at the price floor — with variant traps flagged and community impressions kept attributed, never invented.

September 12, 2026 · updated Sep 12 · buying guide, budget, keychron, under $100

A beginner's lube guide: which parts get lubed (and which never do), the tool list, a realistic time budget, and why factory pre-lube changes the decision — spec-based, with our own sound comparisons left as placeholders until recorded.

September 11, 2026 · updated Sep 11 · lube, modding, guide, switches

A spec-first guide to FPS keyboard picks: polling rates compared (1K vs 8K vs 90 Hz wireless), what switch force tolerances mean for aim, and which Keychron boards match each setup — with the marketing stripped out.

September 10, 2026 · updated Sep 10 · gaming, fps, buying guide, keychron

The complete first-build walkthrough: what each part actually does, the order that prevents expensive mistakes, three budget tiers, and the honest mistakes list — what to skip on build one and why the assembled board is a legitimate shortcut.

September 9, 2026 · updated Sep 9 · custom build, guide, budget, beginner

A spec-level comparison of the Keychron K2 Pro and Q1 (V2): same 75% layout, same QMK/VIA ecosystem, same MCU — the real differences are chassis material, mount, wireless, and polling rate. What the official pages support, and what only a sound test can settle.

September 8, 2026 · updated Sep 8 · keychron, comparison, 75%, qmk

What actuation force, operating force, and bottom-out force actually mean, how gf and cN relate, and how the real force curve differs from the two numbers on a spec sheet — using official Cherry MX2A and Keychron Super switch specs.

September 5, 2026 · updated Sep 5 · switches, force curve, specs, guides

A spec-based review of the Keychron V1: QMK/VIA, hot-swap, screw-in stabilizers at an entry price — what the official specs and community consensus actually support, and what we can't judge until we record one.

September 4, 2026 · updated Sep 4 · keychron, review, 75%, qmk

The three mechanical switch families explained honestly: what the bump actually is, what each is good for, and how to pick without buying nine sample packs.

September 3, 2026 · updated Sep 3 · switches, beginner, buying guide

What $50 actually buys in 2026: which budget boards the community rates, what gets cut at this price, and the two cheap upgrades that matter more than a pricier board.

September 2, 2026 · updated Sep 2 · budget, buying guide, aliexpress

Where the value actually is on AliExpress in 2026: which budget boards the community recommends, what goes wrong with cheap boards, and how to buy smart.

September 1, 2026 · updated Sep 1 · aliexpress, budget, buying guide

Switches, sizes, hot-swap, and budget: a straight-line guide to buying your first mechanical keyboard without wasting money.

September 1, 2026 · updated Sep 1 · beginner, buying guide, switches