Hello! Im am looking for recommendations for a custom keyboard as a beginner. Problem is my only way of buying them is through AliExpress because of my country, I don’t have access to all the myriad places everyone as. I’ve been told that a lot of Chinese PCBs are bad so I should get a Keychron V3 Max but its costing me $98 which is pushing the budget.
So that aside, what Im looking for is:
Budget - $80-ish (can increase max to $100 )
Size - 100% or TKL
Pre-built, shouldn’t be completely cheap quality, Hot-swappable, Wired or Wireless, RGB, responsive keys.
Keyboard software that’s easy to use.
If barebones are reasonable, I’m open to building my own.
Can only buy from AliExpress due to the country I live in. I have no Amazon or anything fancy.
That is a bit of a tight budget for a keyboard like that, but not impossible. I’ll note that Keychron manufactures its boards in China, so just about anything in that price range is almost certainly going to have a Chinese PCB, Keychron included. That said, it’s my understanding that they have decent quality and customer support - so if in doubt, they are probably the best option at that price range.
My wife has a K4 Pro she likes a lot, and it will likely be her only mech keyboard for as long as its battery holds up, or maybe longer if it’s replaceable. I haven’t cracked it open yet, and won’t unless she wants a softer plate or needs a repair down the line.