Trying to build the quietest keyboard under $50 — advice needed

Learning and discussion OEM keyboards
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Hello,

Since I started using a stand for my laptop, I decided to buy an external keyboard for the first time in my life. My expectation was that it would be quieter than my laptop keyboard. I bought an Aula F87 Pro and installed Outemu Silent Lemon V3 switches. When I held it in my hands and typed in the air, it wasn’t completely silent, but the noise level was acceptable (even if it wasn’t perfectly satisfying). However, when I placed it on the desk (I don’t use a mousepad), the sound level increased — I’m not sure if it was because of the desk, but the keyboard started producing a louder, deeper, thocky/muffled sound.

Compared to that, the typical “tick-tick” sound from my laptop keyboard actually felt quieter than the deeper and louder sound coming from the Aula F87 Pro + Lemon V3.

So I returned it and bought a Logitech MX Keys Mini for Business. However, since I bought a cheaper version, it has a Nordic layout, it’s missing keys like Home/End, the battery seems to drain quickly, and the build quality made me a bit unsure. Also, on some foreign forums people mentioned that MX Keys keyboards can break relatively easily and when they do, they basically become e-waste because they’re not repairable.

Right now on AliExpress, the price of the Aula F87 Pro has dropped quite a lot compared to before. I’m wondering if I should return the MX Keys and try the Aula F87 Pro again — but this time with Outemu Silent Peach V3 switches — and also place a 3 mm mousepad underneath it.

Do you think that combination would end up quieter than both the MX Keys and my laptop keyboard (ASUS TUF A16)?

In total, the Aula F87 Pro plus Outemu Silent Peach V3 switches would cost me around 180 złoty (~50 dolar) (Im living in Poland), and I’d prefer not to go much higher than that if possible. Or would you say that after MX Keys, mechanical keyboards probably won’t satisfy me and I shouldn’t go back to them?

If you have any other suggestions, I’d be happy to check them out. As I mentioned, I’m looking for something high-quality, long-lasting, very quiet (as quiet as possible — I wouldn’t want to wake someone up next to me), with long battery life, and comfortable for daily use, coding, and occasionally gaming.

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First, welcome!

Second, I’m not sure if “quieter” is completely possible, as laptop scissor switches are indeed very quiet, but the peaches are supposedly a little bit quieter than the lemons, and I can speak from experience that a deskmat helps a lot. Depending on where you’re shopping, you may also find that you can find other 75% or TKL keyboards of similar quality to the Aula that use the QMK firmware, or at least that hook into the VIA configuration tool, which is generally lighter and more reliable (and, frankly, implies a more modern circuit board) than vendor-specific tools. If you want the board to last, I’d also advise disassembling the board and supporting the back of the circuit board when you insert the new switches, which would also imply that something without clips will be easier to work with. A bottom-case full of foam can help, but nothing beats physically supporting the hotswap socket to avoid damaging it.

1 Like
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Thank you. Could you please provide a little more detail? For example, do you have any keyboard recommendations? Thank you. Could you please provide a little more detail? For example, do you have any keyboard recommendations? What does it mean to support the back of the circuit board? What thickness and material should a mousepad be? Do you have any recommendations for very affordable mousepads?

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Your budget is tight, but I’ve heard decent things about the Royal Kludge RK R75 Pro, Keychon’s LeMokey budget brand (make sure it’s both hot swap and QMK/VIA), and the “GMK87” (that name is begging for a lawsuit, but oh well) on the Chinese sites. If Amazon has an open box section (called “Resale” in the US) that can be another way to get a budget pre-built cheaper than you might expect.

For a Deskmat, don’t overthink it. Neoprene rubber in 3mm or more and big enough to cover the bottom of the keyboard (of course, as you say, most people also like to use it as their mousepad) should do whatever there is to be done, acoustically.