Recommend Custom Mech. Keyboard for Gaming

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Nirad9er

2[H]4U
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Feb 18, 2004
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Hello,
I'm interested in building a wired custom mechanical keyboard for gaming from a barebones kit (add switches, caps, and maybe swap stabs) however, I'm also interested in the Asus ROG Azoth as it is hotswappable and designed for gaming.

I'm looking for recommendations for a custom build with similar pricing as the Azoth if it'll be nearly as good for gaming but a better typing experience or if the Azoth checks all the boxes then go with that.

I'm been researching the barebones such as GMMK pro, Drop, etc but I just can't decide since I'm new to custom builds. I'm confused on North vs South facing LEDs and what's best for most key caps for RGB shine through. Some have screw in Stabs which seem to be best what can't find a good list of keyboard options with those. I'd like some volume control so I don't think Ducky is a good option.

Appreciate help and any recommendations.
I primarily game 90% of the time but would still like a great typing experience.

Thank you!
 
If you're primarily gaming and enjoy FPS games, the Wooting 60HE is heavily sought-after and has a massive community (including the company themselves) dedicated to further customizing the base board. In a nutshell, everything the keyboard comes with is top-notch except for the chassis, but as a 60% board you have a lot of options and flexibility. There's a list of compatible cases curated by Wooting themselves, and their YouTube channel showcases some breakdowns of potential board mods you can dive into.

That being said, they are planning to release more board variants and their own line of aftermarket cases later this year or early next year. So if 60% or 100% isn't your thing, you'll have to wait a bit to get something better suited for your typing needs. I had a weird break-in period with the 60% board but the function key usage and amazing software capabilities have made the muscle memory transition pretty smooth. My TKL board has remained outside my office as a supportive board to my streaming PC setup. I do miss having dedicated arrow keys and the extra nine buttons but honestly find myself using them less and less these days. Just kinda sucks having to rebind when games/apps use those (home/pagedn/pageup/etc.) But again... the software does allow for some insane customizability. Color-coordinated function layers that help you decipher and recall where your extra keys are laid out on the board.

Alternatively, if you don't care about top-of-the-line gaming technology (Lekker magnetic switches), Keychron is one of the best starter boards on the market currently. The equivalent to the Asus board you mentioned would be the Keychron Q1 Pro, which comes with an insane package from the get-go (amazing stabilizers, switches, dampening, etc.) but still allows for customization down the road. The keycaps are fairly generic but get the job done. I personally prefer alternative keycap profiles (non-Cherry) these days, but OEM are close enough and work well despite a minor break-in period to the sizing differences. IIRC, the height is similar to Cherry but they're just overall more roomy and with a concaved surface that is extremely comfy to type on. Pair that with K Pro Reds (gaming priority) or Bananas (nice hybrid for typing goodness), and you might find yourself on an endgame board from the beginning. Only thing it's missing is the LCD screen on the Asus board, but honestly that's a fairly gimmicky feature that I think most people don't care for aside from the initial honeymoon phase that comes from buying a new board.

Hopes this helps. Keycaps.info is a good site to compare different keycap profiles if you haven't researched that already. Everything else has a nice content/enthusiasts/psychopath spiral on r/mechanicalkeyboard or varied Discord servers. Just be mindful that most everyone comes with a bias and you'll want to figure out what suits your needs best. Some people gawk at heavy clicky-key users while others endless chase a never-ending lust for the "thock" sound profile. Personally, linear switches and OEM/ASA profile keycaps are my favorite combo. The Wooting board just provides amazing flexibility when it comes to not having to deal with bloated software and whatnot. Everything is stored on the board and accessible on the web through Wootility.io. You can even import popular profiles online through shared codes. But that's an entirely different discussion and might not be something you care about.
 
I ended up picking up the Asus Azoth so far it's amazing. Very heavy and quality made. The typing is very nice and I'm looking forward to modding in the future and trying different switches.
 
What's everyone's thoughts on GMMK Pro vs Asus Azoth? I'm not fully convinced on the Asus yet. It's really solid and great quality but the OLED screen burns in easy forcing me to not use it so I lose some indicators for caps lock, etc. PLUS the software is kinda not so intuitive.

I could build a GMMK Pro for under $200 vs the Asus being $250.
 
Nirad9er said:
What's everyone's thoughts on GMMK Pro vs Asus Azoth? I'm not fully convinced on the Asus yet. It's really solid and great quality but the OLED screen burns in easy forcing me to not use it so I lose some indicators for caps lock, etc. PLUS the software is kinda not so intuitive.

I could build a GMMK Pro for under $200 vs the Asus being $250.
Click to expand...
I haven't used one but I'd probably just get a keychron instead, the gmmk pro is pretty meh I don't see how it's worth the price after using it for a while it's just another generic keyboard. I guess if you want the scrolling wheel?
 
I have a Corsair strafe and the GMMK full-size both nice boards. Corsair iCue software is the deal breaker for it being my daily driver. Runs fans, memory and KB.

GMMK software needs work I bought a white pudding cap set and it works with the Corsair KB too.

If you are particular to fully modding the KB, go Glorious.
 

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I bought a new Corsair K70 Pro after having my last one for ~8 years. This one has optical switches. Picked it up on Prime Day for $120. Really liking it. Also has Type C connector on the keyboard so I can detach it easily for cleaning it.
 
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