ABKO K965P V2 Full Size Keyboard

TLDR I replaced the keycaps with the "DSA "COMBAT" KEYSET" from pimpmykeyboard and bought EXTREME BKE Redux domes for the keyboard to "act like a scissor switch keyboard". Basically, "binary" so to speak. Below is the more detailed review. If you can call it that. The stock keycaps were fine and so were the 55g stock rubber-domes. If you do replace the stock rubber-domes with BKE ones, just note that they're harder to aline than it would in a Topre board! The two other reasons I got this over the Topre is, its cheaper (because those BKE EXTREME domes and the DSA "COMBAT" keycaps add up very quickly!), and the spill resistance. It seems almost reckless to have a keyboard this expensive and NOT have it be spill resistant. As for the switches. They're electro-capacitive. The way that the entire complicated switch works is like this. There's rubber domes with conical springs (kind of like a Christmas tree shape) underneath them. Those two parts are then over a PCB. The conical springs conduct an electric charge the closer it is to the PCB. This switch design has the potential for analog use but hasn't been pursued for the consumer market yet. There's analog switches on the market, but these ones, for now, are digital. The main PC game I play is osu! - Standard so for me, I don't need it. Anyway, as for the durability/life-time of the switches. LITERALLY NO ONE KNOWS LOL! However, being as they're technically "non-contact switches" they should be in the 100 millions. That is a conservative estimate. Realistically they should last a life time. Now the keyboard controller on the other hand, cheap keyboards screw that up, but for now I've seen/experiences no such issues from Topre clones or Topre in general. As for the stock key feel. Yep thats 55g! They sound scratchy but the actual feel is very smooth! Not optical-keyboard-switch smooth! No not even close!, but they're smoother than Cherry MX even if the Cherry MX switches are lubbed. Then again that's not saying much. Cherry MX is the budget "mechanical" keyboard switch. The better ones aren't majorly mass produced anymore because they were too expensive to make! These electro-capacitive ones on the other hand, they will serve you very well! One thing to keep in mind, the conical spring IS NOT where the return force comes from. The tactility and return force comes from the rubber domes! As for how they feel with the DSA "COMBAT" KEYSET keycaps, and EXTREME BKE rubber domes? Yep! They feel like a very tactile scissor switch keyboard! Which I love that type of feel! The prior keyboard I used basically daily and fairly hard was the "Perixx PX-1900" which is a stellar scissor switch keyboard! It was great, but I love high tactility. Which most modern "mechanical" keyboards simply lack. The Perixx PX-1900 served me very well and I still have it on stand by as a back up keyboard should some unforeseen issue arise! Back to the feel post BKE implementation, they're basically binary. Either you're actuating the switch, or you're not. Much like a scissor switch keyboard. Tactility is sharp and pretty much unbeatable by most other modern keyboard switches. At least when compared to EXTREME BKE domes. The BKE domes were an absolute pain to line up, but once I jerry-rigged a way to hold the keyboard side's up while I line everything up, once I finally did it right, oh man! This is it! All that aside, time for some of the other things of this keyboard! It has DEDICATED VOLUME KEYS! So you don't need to hold the FN keys to use them. You literally just press them and they do as they're indicated. NICE! The cable is non-removable. But it is a decent quality braided one. I don't travel with keyboards and leave them for home use. Except laptop keyboards. So for me, it is kind of a non-issue to have it be non-removable, but for some other people, that might be a deal breaker! Next up, dust resistance. Time to pick on Cherry MX again! For a switch and it's fans that say how it is "unbeatable in every way", one major issue (of many) I have with Cherry MX switches and traditional "mechanical" switches in general, is how they're generally NOT DUST RESISTANT. You know what is? Those cheapo rubber-dome over membrane sub-$5 (USD) keyboards. If a keyboard can't even handle dust, it isn't a option to me. Next up, spill resistance. It works. Again, for such expensive keyboards we're dealing with here, my requirements for a daily driver keyboard is for them to have both dust and spill resistance! Please note that the right Windows key is replaced with a FN (AKA a Function) key. YES THE KEYS ARE STANDARD ANSI. So your keycap sets won't have some uneven looking rows unlike those major gaming brands (a certain C, and a certain R company comes to mind)! Yes it had NKRO! Used it to play 9k(ey) osu!-Mania. No failures to actuate/phantom inputs. No chattering either! (Note that chattering is when you DIDN'T press a key, but it registers/actuates anyway) Please note, that while this type of keyboard switch is quieter than even linear, traditional, "mechanical" switches, they're still louder than a scissor-switch keyboard. The Perixx PX-1900 is almost silent in comparison! Now because I outfitted my ABKO with EXTREME BKE domes, the THOCC is absolutely thunderous! So if you intend to use these near other people, make sure you check with them if it is "okay". If not, that Perixx PX-1900 is a VERY reliable gaming scissor switch keyboard that beats out most other gaming keyboards in both built quality and how silent they're! What else. Oh yes, the large keys are very well stabilized! No binding whatsoever! So off center-key presses shouldn't be that big of an issue! Weight wise, it isn't the heaviest, nor is it the lightest. Its great enough to get the job done. Flip out feet are rubberized. The keyboard does have rubber pads though, so even if you don't use the flip out feet, it will still have a firm purchase on the desk. What else can I say about it? Its smooth, no binding, durable in both lifetime and from the elements, ability to utilize customization options, etc.! I forgot to mention this, but it comes with a small CD for its software (and the settings are then stored on the keyboard apparently, but I cannot test this at the moment!). It also comes with a plastic handle brush for dusting purposes. Apparently other buyers got funky looking wooden handled ones instead. Mines a relatively well done plastic one. I bought this relatively late, so maybe they ironed out that issue before I got to here! Next, it comes with regular springs. They seem to fit on top of the slider, underneath the keycap. I'm not really sure what it is supposed to accomplish to be honest. The springs are particularly stiff so I really don't know. The key switch design is already super stable so the external springs don't really make a difference in that regard either. So really, you tell me! Whatever they're used for, they're there. It also comes with a plastic cover for the keyboard which I put over it when I'm not using it and intend to leave it at my desk for an extended period of time of not in use. Yes you can use compressed air to blow out the dust. I cover when I'm not using it so I have less maintenance to deal with. IE cleaning/dusting. Finally, as you can tell from the photos, it is a "floating key switch design". Basically its keyboard chassis doesn't "cover" the outer rim of the keys. This makes keyboards that have this, slightly louder than normal, but slightly thinner all around without gimping the size of the keys themselves like some ungodly "space-saving" keyboards I know of. My honest suggestion is to just buy a CST trackball. "I need more space for my mouse" becomes irrelevant with a CST trackball. Pro tip for the CST, replace the ball with a good pool ball and it will be God like levels of smooth! Smoother than a mouse even! Anyways. just like this keyboard, the CST trackball is super durable, reliable, and they make a killer combination! Be it a bit of an expensive one! Granted I have huge ambitions in osu! and I just needed one look at how bad of shape player's equipment are in on the pro level to realize, ya no, I can't cheap out on my equipment. If you or me are gonna go in hard gaming or in general, our equipment better be able to keep up! Cherry MX being the budget mechanical switch really starts to show when you use it for a game as abusive as osu!. This keyboard and it's type of switch however, they will keep up with you! No they aren't optical-keyboard-switches level of quick! But they are reliable enough to get the job DONE! Optical keyboards still have the issue of the LEDs eventually going dead and they aren't easily replaceable. These electro-capacitive switches realistically should last a lifetime. So if you just want to buy a keyboard, and use it to your grave, this is it! Oh right, I forgot to mention this. You might have noticed in the pictures of the product page that the dedicated volume and other key(s) are where the lock-lights usually are. So how does that work? Well, the LEDs glow BENEATH their respective keys. So if you press the caps-lock key, it will glow blue underneath the key. Keep this in mind if you aren't sure what lock keys are on and which ones aren't. Also forgot to mention, it has a three way cable gutter. I do not understand why a lot of keyboards like to omit this. Its useful and isn't all too expensive to implement. Then again, most modern keyboards use budget mechanical switches with sliders probably made up of gravel and sand, so expecting anything major from all that, I'm barking up the wrong forest! Pretty much all of the cons I can find of this keyboard are subjective/personal-preference. My keyboard came undamaged. No cracks or damage from use so far! I've been using it relentlessly since I first got it! Haven't switched/juggled between other keyboards since! If I had the option to use one keyboard for the rest of my life, this is it! It will probably last my entire life too and then some! Granted so long no ungodly event like a meteor striking me and the keyboard down happens! Because with both normal and borderline excessive use, it should hold up just fine! Please note that taking apart the keyboard is a bit of a undertaking. So I don't recommend lubbing this keyboard's switches in particular. With how smooth the switches are, this is probably a non-issue however. Lubbing them are in the diminishing returns category so I reckon it wouldn't even do a whole lot besides creating a lot of unnecessary work. Work smarter, not harder! All in all, great keyboard for what it is! Its too well-rounded for me to nit pick anything OBJECTIVE! So if any of this sounds attractive, go for it! If you want that extra bit of tactility, BKE sells rubber domes that in the 35g or so bottom out range and even those are still almost as tactile as 55g rubber-domes! So if you want stronger tactility than the norm, but don't like the "heavy feeling" of higher g domes, BKE lights are a good bet! The keyboard is stellar as is though! So even if you aren't interested in all the customization shenanigans, it is still great! Having Dye-Subbed(?) PBT right out of the box is a nice touch! So no you won't have to replace those common ABS keycaps that are common on other "gaming keyboards". This particular keyboard version is PBT. So already you have a better out of the box experience than most other common keyboard brands out there! Shame that this keyboard isn't as well known as straight up Topre keyboards!