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These kinds of boards interest me, and I find your reviews to be valuable.
Not everyone needs a chamfered aluminium limited-run GB-only custom-PCB exotic layout board that weighs 6 kg.
Most people just need something with reasonable sound and dampening options. PCB-mount stabilizers would be nice.
This M87Pro is cheaper than almost any hotswap board in Canada, even if ordering from the United States. It seems to have competition in the form of the A.JAZZ AK873:
https://www.amazon.ca/JAZZ-Mechanical-Keyboard-Hot-swap-Magnetic/dp/B0BLV7R89G/
$56 CAD for the gray one, vs. $47 CAD for importing an M87 Pro during the 20% sale.
I wonder how they fare compared with each other. The M87 is cheaper during sales, but there is already a bad review on Amazon. [too flexy, gummy stabilizers, misaligned foam, crinkly foam noise]. The AK873 has choice of colours, a steel plate, custom-styled cable, detacheable top-cover. But some reviews say there isn’t enough foam in the stock board, and it’s hard to get the switches out. Also, zone-only RGB.
From specs alone, I’d guess that M87 Pro is better for light-tactiles, and AK873 is better for silent switches. [This is once-tamed, of course.] AK873 seems to need significant foam modding, but the M87 might be okay loud.
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Hey @badmark, take a look at the bottom of some of the larger keycaps. I think you’ll find “VSA” molded into the darker gray, and that they’re just a touch larger at the top than DSA. I think these are using old and/or knockoff molds from Vortex. Nice keycaps, though, especially for the price. Just some thickness inconsistency on the mod legends.
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Nice catch, thanks!
I’m not usually fond of Ajazz boards, quirky key mappings and just not the best of construction, I’ve also reviewed the AK873 and sent it back, partially due to the steel plate. I’ve seen some negative reviews of keyboards that include PET plastic as if it does bunch up can cause some noise, but all it really needs is to be straightened out. I really like the M87 Pro and plan to fully mod and build it out, but I think it could be loud or quiet depending on switches and mods.
Thanks for watching my reviews, cheers!
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