
The mechanical keyboard rabbit hole. Once in, it’s hard to get back out.
Back when I had my first computer a keyboard was a keyboard. Never would I have thought about a mechanical keyboard or things like different switches. It was just Something that just came with the computer my parents bought in the store. I personally didn’t pay much attention to it. I remember it being this big clunky creamy-white thing with green indication lights on it. All I cared about was playing games on it (Red alert and Magic carpet were the first games I had on the PC)
“After plugging in my old membrane board I immediately knew this was a relationship that wouldn’t last”
About 10 years ago I accidently dropped my laptop and my wife said to me: why don’t you try to build your own computer instead of buying a new laptop? At first I thought to myself: no way I can build a computer. Why not just get one from the store? I decided to go online anyway and put Google and YouTube to work. After diving into the world of computer parts, visiting forums and watching YouTube videos I started the adventure of building my first rig.
I didn’t pay much attention to my mouse and keyboard. I just grabbed a set from the local store and went with it. It was a simple set from Logitech, it got the job done. After a while I started thinking what I could do to “perfect” my build. Well as we all know, that is the first step into an endless loop. After changing my gpu a couple of times, I started reading more and more posts about people using mechanical keyboards and I started to get interested.
I started reading about different switches, of which at the time most mainstream boards had a selection of brown, blue and red. I watched and read reviews and opinions on these types of switches and after a while I bought my first mechanical keyboard. It was a Coolermaster Masterkeys with Cherry brown switches. I was instantly in love! The sound, the weight, the looks, never did a keyboard genuinely got me enthusiastic.
Two years or so went by until disaster struck; My cat decided it was time to puke over my beloved mech! After plugging in my old membrane board I immediately knew this was a relationship that wouldn’t last. I went online, thinking I would just order the current version of my beloved mech. Then I saw already a lot had changed. Mechanical keyboards where getting even more populair and more and more brands were pumping out boards. Brands like Razer, Logitech, Corsair, Cooler master and many others were offering all kinds of cool boards.
My previous board had red lights in it which I thought was really cool but man Unicorns were starting to puke all over these things! Eventually I bought a newer version of my trusted board instead a little less bulky and R&B lights (yes no G!).

A year or two ago I started looking at boards again. And this time the landscape had once again changed drastically in my eyes. People were getting more and more serious about mechs. Apart from the usual suspects brands like Leopold, Hyperx, Akko, Glorious, Ducky and many more were pumping out beautiful and many different keyboards. No longer was it just about looks. Things like size, colors, feeling, Hot-swap, low profile and colored keycaps were a thing now. All this was already happening in the enthousiast scene but now it started to get the attention of the average consumer as well.
After a whiIe bought myself a Glorious TKL board which really launched my enthusiasm for the mechanical keyboard hobby. Then I began experimenting with different switches, keycaps, lubing, modding. At first I started with small stuff like cheap keycaps on sites like Ali Express and Soon I found myself getting deeper and deeper in the rabbit hole…
Andre
Mechanical keyboards can be items to fall into a rabbit hole for sure but that depends on how you pick out your keyboard and if you are prone to addictions.
In my case I just wanted a perfect working fun to type keyboard which also look good to replace my notebook keyboard which deteriorated after 8 years of use.
I love to type stories and columns and looked for a replacement to fit that need.
This lead me to the KBD67lite which I could buy from Marktplaats sealed and brand new for a good price.
Combined with also as new Boba 4UT’s from Marktplaats and new Akko switches, I already got my endgame board since this combo leaves nothing to wish for anymore.
It’s easy to be persuaded for a next new board but I try to withstand that feeling by getting a kind of relationship with this board, becoming good friends.
Unfortunately this means that my keyboard hobby will end here. Nonetheless I like to follow the forums and read at the individual stories and new designs and developments of keyboards.
So my focus will be on using a keyboard and enjoying that every day.