Disclaimer - Some of the links in this guide have examples of keyboards found on Amazon. These links are affiliated, meaning I get a small monetary kickback from clicks and purchases. This is the one and only way I choose to monetize the guides I create for the community and keep them ad-free.
First things to consider
There are a few things to consider when buying your first mechanical keyboard. Below you will find a series of links to different articles and websites that will break down the different decisions you’ll need to make. Size, shape, cost, and more.
For first timers, it’s safe to assume that the majority of people will buy a pre-built mechanical keyboard. Meaning you pay once and get a fully built and working keyboard out of the box. 99% of the time, these come with a USB cable but it’s always good to check. If you want to go down the DIY route, where you purchase all of the parts individually and build it yourself, then you have your work cut out for you and this might not be the best guide for you. 😃
If you don’t really care or don’t have time to care about all the nitty gritty details, and you just want to know what brands are good for starters, check out Ajazz, Epomaker, Keychron, Glorious, Akko, Royal Kludge, Das, Logitech, Cooler Master, SteelSeries, and Drop. This is just a starting list.
Buying a Pre-Built Mechanical keyboard
There are already a lot of great guides on this subject, so I’m not going to reinvent the wheel and write one from scratch. But before I send you on your way, let me share a few key points I think are important to consider before buying. Then I’ll link those guides at the end.
Budget
There is a stigma that you have to spend a lot of money to get a mechanical keyboard. You can get a prebuilt keyboard starting at $40 on Amazon. Your standards for build quality may be different from the next person, but I know plenty of people that have spent that amount and been perfectly happy with their first board. I myself used a $35 mechanical keyboard for over a year, and I loved it. Don’t worry, you’ll get addicted and buy another one if you don’t like it XD.
Switches
One of the most defining aspects of your keyboard is the type of mechanical switch you choose. This decides the look, feel, and sound of your board. Most prebuilt keyboards come with switches that are soldered to PCB underneath, making them permanent. Unless of course, you know how to disassemble and de-solder.
However, you’ll often find the phrase “hot-swappable” in the description of keyboards when shopping around. This means that you can remove the switch the keyboard comes with, buy your own switches, and install them yourself. For that, the only two tools you’ll need is a keycap puller and a switch puller.
I personally recommend that everyone starts out with a hot swappable board so they can try out as many switches as possible. But if you’ve found a board you really love and it doesn’t have hot swappable switches, I say take the risk. If you need some help picking out a mechanical switch, please see this awesome video by Switch and Click
Getting started with Pre-Built
Before I conclude this guide, let me provide you will two very in-depth and very dope guides on pre-built keyboards. I would highly recommend giving them both a read before you make your first purchase. Before you go, check the final section of this guide titled ‘Conclusion’. Once you’re done reading through, you’ll have a great base understanding of what to do next.
Lastly, here is a link to a page with a few awesome master lists. One of those master lists is for hot swappable boards only, breaking down all the main features of the boards. An awesome resource if you’re getting into the details of each board.
Conclusion
That just about does it! I know that was a lot of information, so let me summarize for first timers looking to buy their first prebuilt mechanical keyboard.
- You can spend as little as $35 and have a great experience.
- Buy a hot swappable board if you can.
- Do a small bit of research on what switch you think you’ll want. Try not to get stuck on this part!
- Accept that you will never just buy one keyboard.
Thank you for reading this guide. If you have any questions you’d like to ask, join us in Discord and find the #keyboards text channel. We’d be happy to help you out. Lastly, the Naaackers community has built a fantastic resource that has a huge list of websites and links to help you find any board or part you’re looking for. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE NAAACKERS KEYBOARD ONLINE RESOURCE
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