Pok3r

AI of course. like I just stare at the keyboard and it types what I was going to type. /s fwiw about a month into my mq80 after using a pok3r for a decade, love this keyboard!

Pro: Keychron are the only ones with HE+QMK. Con: Keychron seem to be going through some kind of crisis. They have QA problems and people are reporting awful customer support.. Other options: Monsgeek TMR boards. Fun60 Ultra TMR and M1 V5 TMR Pro: Can mix and match magnets and conventional switches.

What are you competing in/against? Just got a used Vortex Pok3r and I'm impressed with this dinosaur. Built like a tank and I'm heavy handed. Identical layout to your 1st pic. Cherry brown switches on mine. Cons: soldered switches so it depends what you find, V1 and V2 didn't have RGB. Pros: heavy,

OK, a straight 60% or TKL will also work. This collection of Pok3r components will let you assemble a lovely little 60% hotswap QMK board in a wooden or aluminum red or coffee case.

Some 60% standouts: CIDOO QK61 is a nice plastic gasket-mounted 60% board with QMK firmware. I programmed mine for mod-tap arrows which makes it doubly sweet. YMDK has a scarily accurate Pok3r-mounted QMK-firmware clone of the Filco Majestouch Minila that's much better than the original. Monsgeek FU

OK, this isn't a $500 build but I put this one together for about $150 and just love it. It's a 60% with a minila layout that gives you arrow keys back, split backspace, zebrawood case, built from parts from different vendors. The wooden case makes it a legit percussion instrument. I started out wi

Monsgeek M1 v5 VIA Akko 5075B VIA If you really want to go through the whole building from scratch-ish (short of writing your own firmware and designing your own board and 3d printing your case) then 60% Pok3r/GH60 boards are the bomb.

I would suggest going with a Pok3r/GH60 tray mount. There's more boards and other stuff available for it, and you don't have to be as precise in the dimensions of the case itself. You can use M2 standoffs or inserts. I haven't built a wood case but I've built a few keyboards into wooden cases and th

I feel that. I think a laptop is obviously the best all around PC device you can buy if you want a swiss army knife kind of thing. Almost as powerful as a desktop, much more portable, better typing experience than a handheld by miles, much more powerful on average, and generally better battery life.

Keychron is only kind of premium, really. Their quality control is kind of ass. But even a Q level board isn't as good a keyboard as my Pok3r mount minila. Mine was over $100 because I forked out for a wooden case, but with a plastic case it would have been more like $70. I really don't think they'r