TRANSITION LITE TKL - Gateron Lanes
Part 1 of 2
Background:
I had wanted a keyboard specifically configured for Gateron Lanes. Testing on a variety of keyboards suggested that a flexy keyboard with some “give” gave the best results. [Lanes felt ‘flat’ on NCR-80 with FR4 plate, and MK870.] Specifically, the Lanes were most interesting on a Transition Lite TKL with a 1.2mm PCB, and certain foam arrangements.
So, I sought to duplicate that build. Using an assembly service, for precise results, the specifications of the testing TKL were duplicated.
But, a number of things had to be done first.
Ordering the Kit:
This is where things got a bit convoluted, so bear with me.
First, I had to get another Transition Lite TKL. The idea was, why not a pseudo-retro TKL? It would have a beige chassis, and probably beige+cream non-Cherry keycaps, for a retro styling.
Here is what I ordered:
As you can see, it is listed as “off-white.” The product photo shows it as being relatively beige. This is in contrast to the “white” keyboard, listed below.
I quickly ordered the “off-white” [beige-looking] keyboard, as it was listed for $90 CAD, including shipping, during a sale.
What I ordered:
Here is what shipped:
Coming from a cardboard package with these characters on it:
was a nearly milk-white keyboard kit.
Note that this “off-white” labelled keyboard that I ordered is sometimes listed as “warm white” on other sellers, while the same bright “white” keyboard, above, is sometimes conversely listed as being “off-white.”
What I probably should have done is purchased a keyboard explicitly labelled as “beige,” in English, with the corresponding photo of a beige kit. If I truly wanted a beige kit.
According to their own line-up, there should exist a slightly-beige keyboard. About the same colour as the PC plate:
Also, I initially ordered 6.25U 1.6mm PCB, because only 1.6mm was available. More on that later.
Keycaps:
The bright-white kit I actually received turned out to be very good at going with a variety of sets: beige/cream SA, Beige Tofu and MA Korean, some kind of drab PBT Shoku, green + white QX SA or AF SA-profile, and probably DCS SMRT.
Testing demonstrated that the SA-profile beige/cream set was the most interesting for me. The high keycaps gave a retro-sense to the typing, dampening the Lanes to a moderate tactility that felt consistent. The SA keycaps also gave a “bass” sound-profile to the Lanes.
(Store Page Photo)
In Part 2, I will detail the assembly specifications, typing-test, and initial impressions of typing on a full keyboard of Gateron Lanes. This exciting conclusion will contain typing audio, and perhaps screen-captures of the keyboard in action.