[Kickstarter] Hexgears X-1 Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard — Kono Store

a_little_shy · July 24, 2018, 5:13pm

I have a few questions. In no particular order:

How do Choc switches compare to their non-low-profile brethren (e.g. choc brown to MX brown, etc)?
Is it possible to mix and match keycaps (e.g. to get a black board with white keycaps and vice versa)?
How much is the case going to retail for?
Where else can I get keycaps that work with this board?

Thanks a bunch.

ohaimark · July 24, 2018, 6:00pm

Choc switches feel pretty darn good in comparison. You can compare the Choc force curves on Kickstarter to graphs from the Comparative Switch Guide.

As things stand, you won’t be able to order a black keyboard with white caps or vice versa. We are looking into making Mac / Novelty / complete sets in other colorways available.

The carrying case is included — it’s already factored into the price.

No one else manufactures keycaps that will fit this keyboard properly.

a_little_shy · July 24, 2018, 6:06pm

Is there a timeline on the new caps? As much as I love mechanical keyboards I love customized mechanical keyboards even more.

With regards to the carrying case: sweet! With regards to no one else making keycaps that fit this keyboard: bummer. Are these switches just not as popular / pervasive as hi-pro switches?

jpf_3 · July 24, 2018, 6:12pm

Does the USB-C cable come bundled with the keyboard? If so, is it a braided cable? Thank you!

ohaimark · July 24, 2018, 6:23pm

No timelines right now. If they happen, they’ll have some cool themed color schemes though.

The PG1350 / Choc switches are just hitting the US market, as they’re a fairly new product. There’s not enough demand for most manufacturers to produce diverse keycaps — at least not yet.

ohaimark · July 24, 2018, 6:24pm

A USB-C to A cable will be included. I’m pretty sure it will be braided (like 95%), but I’ll need to double check with Hexgears to be absolutely sure.

konstantin · July 24, 2018, 6:58pm

It looks like Hexgears got the idea for the layout from Lenovo Y720’s keyboard:

The key sizes (e.g. numpad keys narrower than 1u) and spacing between blocks (numpad, groups of F keys) are pretty much the same as on Y720’s keyboard. Looks like X-1 has a slightly larger spacebar, though, and some of the numpad functions are rearranged.

I’ve got two more questions:

Which version of BT does it use?
What stabilizers does it use?

krio · July 24, 2018, 8:59pm

Was looking forward to this one and was a bit shocked to see that it’s not programmable. I’m going to have to pass as it’s a basic feature at this point that I can’t go without.

montydrei · July 25, 2018, 12:05am

Woo! Already funded. Congrats, Hexgears and Kono!

aergonaut · July 25, 2018, 3:27am

Dang that’s a shame! Maybe in a future revision?

ohaimark · July 25, 2018, 7:50am

Yep, it will ship with a braided cable.

ohaimark · July 25, 2018, 7:53am

Interesting! I wasn’t aware of the similarity.

It uses BT 4.
The stabilizers aren’t standard Cherry or Costar — they’re a different low profile variant.

Runnerfrog13 · July 25, 2018, 5:03pm

I’m fairly new to keyboards, I was wondering if anyone could help me determine which keys to pick (white/brown/red). Right now I primarily use a laptop so am used to those keys, and my docking station uses a Logitech Slim K740 which I have no idea what kind of keys it has. I like them both, and I like getting a response when I press a key, thats how I respond to my typing. So thinking: not red. I do quite a bit of mmorpg gaming but not fps. Thoughts?

montydrei · July 25, 2018, 6:21pm

Sounds like you’d want brown. If you want the keys to make a sharp click sound when you press them as well, then you’d want white.

johu · July 25, 2018, 8:50pm

A board by IC people w/o open firmware support! Would never expect this. Really bad news.

Manofinterests · July 25, 2018, 8:58pm

It’s by Hexgears, and it’s just being hosted through Kono. I:C’s people don’t really have a say on what and how it gets made in this respect.

konstantin · July 25, 2018, 9:35pm

I recommend getting the clicky white ones. They’re the only one I would call good out of the three; the other two are “meh” at best imo.

Gouty · July 25, 2018, 10:24pm

Sounds like a pretty good board at that price point. I look forward to trying one.

johu · July 25, 2018, 10:52pm

Kono is the store front of IC and the mission stated that they believe in open source several tims even on Top Clack. Sorry but this is not an execuse if other people use their store front.

Manofinterests · July 25, 2018, 11:07pm

I:C believes in open source yes. Kono is literally just a store front that I:C exclusively uses, but Kono also opens their store front for other vendors and designers. Kono has never said they only offer fully open source.

I:C exclusively uses Kono, but Kono is not I:C. That’s why Kono also works with others in the community. All I:C products are open source and continue to be.

Not all Kono products have to be open source. That’s like saying if they have a GMK set on their site, the files for the molds GMK uses and should be open source for others to use hehe. I’m not sure GMK would like that.

On Top Clack, Andrew was there and spoke about open source in terms of Input Club and they continue to do so.

There definitely is a relation between Input Club and Kono.store, but I don’t think they share the view of everything being open source. I believe only Input Club has that exclusive view in our community. Kono.store is merely a medium for products to pass through like Massdrop, Novelkeys, or other vendors who run products through their doors.

I’m sure @ohaimark could talk more about this if you had questions.