- Pre-built mechanical keyboards from renowned gaming brands cost a lot without leaving you much room for customization.
- Custom mechanical keyboards are cheaper to assemble and provide endless room for customization.
- Assembling your keyboard is a relatively simple process that requires little research.
Just a year ago, I switched to a custom-built keyboard and couldn’t have been happier. This is the level of upgrade every gamer across the globe deserves.
Custom mechanical keyboards have taken the world by storm. They are cheaper to assemble, they give you room for customization, and lastly, you have control over everything.
Custom Mechanical Keyboards: Who Are These For?
There is a myth surrounding the internet that custom-built keyboards are only for tech enthusiasts with vast hardware knowledge. This is the farthest thing from the truth.
Anyone with a basic understanding of how a mechanical keyboard operates can design their custom one. The procedure is hassle-free and all parts are available across all major stores.
Custom mechanical keyboards are for the people who want freedom for customization and a tailored, personalized touch from their keyboards without breaking the bank.
People have the choice to slap in whatever colored keycaps they like on what switches sound appealing to them in a chassis that compliments the overall aesthetic of their gaming setup.
Pros Of A Custom Mechanical Keyboard
Below are some of the unique selling points of building your mechanical keyboard.
Price
A flagship keyboard from a reputable gaming brand like Corsair or Asus Rog will cost $250 to $300. However, if you opt to assemble your mechanical keyboard, you can probably assemble one with the same or better quality at half this price.
Similarly, you have the freedom to budget all your components, and if you want to cut the corners from somewhere, you get the room to do that when building your keyboard.
Huge Variety Of Components
With custom keyboards, you get access to a plethora of parts online. Hundreds of switch types are available in the market that cover the needs of pretty much everyone. To pair with that, you can add any keycaps that those switches support.
Whether you want a silent keyboard with linear switches because you work in a shared space, or a loud keyboard because you want everyone to acknowledge your purchase, you have yourself covered with endless options.
Aesthetics
One of the major reasons people opt for assembling their mechanical keyboard is so they can match it to the current aesthetics of their setup. You have endless choices at your disposal here compared to a pre-built keyboard.
It lets you select whatever size you are comfortable with, then lets you slap whatever colored frame that goes best with the vibe of your setup. Furthermore, you can select from a plethora of keycaps that are available in the market.
Sounds
A custom keyboard designed by an enthusiast will almost always sound better than a pre-built one by any major brand. This is because the effort put into assembling a good-sounding keyboard can only be done by an enthusiast.
This includes mods like installing several sheets of foam in your keyboard frame to dampen the hollow sounds, placing the electric tape on the back of the PCB so the components are held together well, and lastly, lubing all the switches and stabilizers.
Upgradability Prospects
Lastly, the upgradability prospects of pre-built keyboards are almost non-existent. If, in the future, you get bored of your keyboard or ever feel the need to upgrade it with a pre-built keyboard, you will have to swap out the whole thing.
However, with a custom keyboard, the prospects for upgradability are high. Instead of replacing the entire unit, you can always swap out the switches or even keycaps if you want to change the look of it while retaining other parts.
My Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, whether you have a custom mechanical keyboard or a pre-built one, what matters is whether you have a great time with it or not. With a custom keyboard, the chances of you achieving that are a little higher.
Not to mention, the pros of a custom keyboard will almost always outweigh the negligible cons. So, if you possess even a little knowledge of computer hardware, I recommend you do some research and assemble your board.
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[Hardware Reviewer & Editor]
After many years of exploiting various pieces of hardware, Abdul Hannan now serves as an editor at Tech4Gamers. He’s been in the PC hardware reviewing industry for almost a decade, and his staff of passionate geeks and reviewers is second to none.
Abdul Hannan is constantly seeking new methods, you will always see him running into New Computer Courses to improve the performance of his computer components since he is an ardent overclocker. He is well-known for providing the most extensive and unbiased analysis of the newest and greatest hardware for PC gaming, including everything from GPUs to PSUs.
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