Review: WASD Custom Mechanical Keyboard

Recently, I spilled almost an entire beer all over my keyboard. Well, not just over; inside my keyboard. After a half-assed cleaning, it was still having problems. Doing a deep cleaning would certainly have saved it from the grave. Unfortunately, while doing just that, I accidentally tore the thin circuit board that makes it work. Rest in peace, old friend. Your many years of service will not be forgotten.

I've been wanting to snag a mechanical keyboard for a long time now, and this was the perfect excuse to get one. I ended up deciding on a WASD Custom Mechanical Keyboard to fit my needs. Before I get into the review proper, let's take a moment to talk about mechanical keyboards, and why anyone would want one.

Today's typical keyboards use rubber domes for each key. If you've ever taken a keyboard apart, or even a TV remote, or anything similar, you'll know the general idea. The rubber dome sits underneath the keys and is pressed down into the circuit to register the key stroke. Proponents of mechanical keyboards will describe these rubber domes as "mushy," myself included. The only thing returning the key to its resting position is a flimsy piece of rubber. This is not the case with mechanical switches.

Mechanical switches feel significantly different from the normal rubber domes. In this writer's humble opinion, they feel superior. Typing is a pleasure on a mechanical keyboard. Additionally, the solid construction of mechanical switches (and the keyboards they are integrated into,) results in a longer-lived product that is much more likely to stand the test of time.

I had read about them on the Internet quite a bit, but I never had the chance to use one until I was visiting my cousin who happens to be a fellow gamer. He had a mechanical keyboard and after playing a bit of Borderlands 2 on it, I was sold.

There are various types of mechanical switches that can be used on these keyboards. I won't get super into detail here. There is an excellent post that does a far better and more comprehensive explanation of the different types of switches over on overclock.net. The most common types of switches you'll find on mechanical keyboards seem to be Cherry MX switches, which themselves come in many varieties. There are other types, like the buckling spring, (which many people swear by) that I won't cover as I have no experience with them and only did cursory research on them.

I will, on the other hand, speak a bit about the different colors of Cherry MX switches you can readily find since they are so common, and I am now a proud owner. The differences between the different colors of Cherry MX switches lie in the feedback you receive when reaching the point of actuation (when the key press is actually registered,) and how much force is required to press down on the key. The force required to depress a rubber dome switch is about 55-60g. With all of the options, the point of actuation is not all the way down, when the key actually physically "bottoms out," but somewhere between where the key naturally rests at the top, and where it is when you exert enough pressure to make it go all the way down.

Cherry MX Blues can be described as having both audible and tactile feedback. When you reach the point of actuation, you'll not only be able to feel a subtle "bump" but you'll also hear a "click." They require 50g of force to actuate. These are often preferred by people who type a lot. The hepatic feedback and clicky sound are satisfying and they make the sound of productivity! However, this same sound could be a nuisance to others around you, so be wary. A potential problem for gaming is that the point of actuation and the point of release are not exactly the same like the are with the other Cherrys. What this means is, while quickly double tapping a key (which some games require) you may accidentally not release the key enough to get the second actuation. We are talking about a matter of a couple of millimeters here, so it may not be an issue for most people.

Cherry MX Browns can be described as having tactile feedback only. While you won't get the same click sounds as you do with blues, you will still get the feel on your finger tips when you reach the point of actuation. They require 45g of force to actuate, making them slightly lighter than the blues. These are preferred by people who like typing like they do with blues, but without being loud enough to annoy their neighbors.

Cherry MX Reds are linear switches. This means that when you reach the point of actuation and the key stroke is registered, you'll not receive any feedback at all other than seeing the letter appear on your screen. Linear switches are often touted as better for gaming since while playing games you'll be bottoming out your keys anyway, and without the little notch that causes the tactile feedback, the "upstroke" of the key is unhindered completely. These require 45g of force; identical to the browns. Some people may dislike linear switches for typing regularly.

Cherry MX Blacks are also linear switches. The difference between blacks and reds is the force required. These ones need 60g of force to depress, making them the "stiffest" of the Cherry MX type switches. This is something appreciated by many gamers. Again, there is no audible or tactical feedback at the point of actuation.

There are also Cherry MX Clears, which are similar to browns, but with a little bit higher of actuation force at 55g. These don't seem to be very common these days.

In the end, I believe any of the above options are better than rubber domes, and it really comes down to personal preference. It should be noted that all mechanical keyboards are going to be significantly louder than what you're used to. You can opt to use rubber O rings to dampen the sound. More on that later. After doing a lot of reading, and stumbling upon a good review by a favorite site of mine, techreport, I decided on Cherry MX Browns.

Now, certainly there are many different options when it comes to buying a mechanical keyboard. Some are more crazy than others. However, I wanted something a little more... me. So I decided to customize my own from WASD.

Using their online tool, you are able to individually customize each key. You can choose the color of the key itself from a rainbow of choices. You're also able to choose what is printed (or etched) onto each key. Want your backspace to say "fuck off?" Go ahead! There are also pictures that can be used on the keys instead of text. You can even upload your own custom pics to have printed on the keys for some crazy dramatic keyboards. Their site has a gallery you can view to see what other people have done. They claim it represents the last 100 custom keyboards, but at the time of this writing, mine has yet to show up. What gives? You can also choose which Cherry MX Switches you prefer on your keyboard (although they seemed to be out of Cherry MX Reds when I made my order.)

They also offer semi-custom keyboards at a lower price point. With these, you cannot customize each key, but you do get plenty of options to make it your own. No matter what you choose, you'll be able to decide between 104 or 105 ISO keyboard layouts.

Take note: WASD will be offering a second version of their customizable keyboard in the coming months. These will offer new features that may make it worth the wait if you can hold off on ordering. For example, they will have dip-switches that you can use to alter the function of you keyboard. The most notable one for me would be the option to disable my windows keys. I have been known to physically remove them from my old keyboards in the past. One negative that I notice right away on the V2 is that they don't use a permanently attached cable on the back of the unit itself. Instead the USB cable has a mini-USB side that attaches to the back of the keyboard. I'm sure these will be robust but I've read reports of similar keyboards having problems with this exact setup. Just one more thing to go wrong, in my opinion. I also wanted to have blue LED lights. These will be changed to red in V2. Mostly, I could not go another few months (as there have already been delays) without a keyboard.

When I initially tried to order my keyboard from WASD's website, it was having problems. I tried again the next day and still wasn't able to place my order, so I sent them an email. It was responded to very quickly, within the hour, and I was told they were having issues and to try again later. True to their word the site was functioning properly later that afternoon. They are based here in California and I received my package in only a couple of business days.

Obligatory unboxing photos:

Included with the keyboard comes a keycap pulling tool, and a USB to PS2 converter.

The wire keycap pullers are preferable to the plastic ones because they easily work on any sized key.

Unfortunately, mine somehow had crud all inside the grooves. It was easily cleaned out with a little bit of soap and warm water, but it's not something you want to see, especially after paying good sum of money for a high end keyboard. C'mon WASD, what gives?

The USB to PS2 converter is standard fare, but important. With any USB keyboard there will be something called #KRO. This represents key roll over. For example, a 4KRO keyboard can accept simultaneous input from up to 4 keys. The WASD custom keyboard boasts 6KRO while connected via USB. However, using the PS2 adapter, you achieve NKRO which means the keyboard will recognize every single key press regardless of how many are pressed at once. Now, most people will never need more than 6KRO. Some games, however, will benefit from NKRO. This is especially true for games where more than one person has their hands on the keyboard. I've lost many a Marshmallow Duel because of the lack of NKRO, (but also probably have won a few.)

I went with a relatively simple design. I wanted something that was unique, but not completely outlandish. Some people get pretty crazy with their custom designs, and I think exercising a little restraint would have helped many of these people. In the end if you design it yourself, you're bound to be happy, as I am.

I changed the colors to blue and grey on my standard arrow keys and numpad. I use the numpad only on occasion, such as typing in credit card info or playing some UnReal World. I added arrows to the cardinal directions as well.

I changed my WASD keys to arrows and blued them as well.

I changed my escape key to grey, and am also using it to represent my clan. BMK for life!

My spacebar is blue and emblazoned with the name of a hero...

The keys feel great, though that has more to do with the Cherry MX Browns than the plastic. Most every key is flawless, but I did notice some imperfections. It's only a nitpick. This next picture demonstrates what I mean with my "D" key and also shows the little notches that are present on the "F" and "J" keys to help you find your home row.

Now let's pop one of these keys off with the included wire keycap puller!

Behold the glory of the Cherry MX Brown!

They are so cool I like pushing them straight up with just my finger.

The cord on the keyboard is thick, braided, and has a robust rubber connection. This thing is durable and will last a long, long time.

The keyboard is thicker than what I'm used to. It is quite heavy. The keys have a gentle slope, which is quite ergonomic.

In addition to the heft, the large pads on the bottom will keep this thing from slipping around. On my desk, it doesn't move around unless I want it to. It also has two feet which can be folded out to prop up the back of it. I never use these things. You'll also notice two slots on the bottom of the unit. These are used if you prefer to use the optional wrist rest attachment.

The WASD logo is subtle and less glaring than those that come on some of their competitors.

What is glaring, however, are the LEDs. These things light up bright. It's enough to be a con. I suppose you could always cover them up with electrical tape if it really bothers you.

Luckily for me, the blue goes with the aesthetic of my tower, speakers, and mouse.

Another customization feature is the option to include O ring sound dampeners on your keys. They come in three size/hardness varieties. I chose to go with the 0.4mm version that are harder rather than soft. They do indeed make the keys significantly quieter. They reduce the travel distance by a small amount, but only when you bottom out.

Turns out the keycap remover is also a great tool for taking off the O rings.

There are plenty of great videos on the Internet that demonstrate the difference in sound between the various mechanical switches. There's even one on the WASD site that allows you hear the difference in switches with and without O rings. My video did not turn out so great. It's hard to tell the difference, but I assure you in real life, it's very discernible when you bottom out the keys. What I did was remove the O rings on my numpad and left them on everything else. I pressed hard enough to bottom out and also lightly enough to actuate without bottoming out.

I gave the keyboard whirl on a free typing test online. My usual speed is a modest 70-80 WPM with zero errors. Although it did not increase my speed, I am still getting used to this new keyboard and the typing itself is no doubt a more enjoyable experience.

Then I loaded up some games. One game I've played for years and years is Counter Strike. The most recent iteration, CS:GO, was played for this test. I didn't get any more kills than usual, but the tactile feel of the browns was great when moving around and switching weapons.

I also gave some Guild Wars 2 a try. Mechanical keyboards, I think, are great for MMOs. GW2 in particular is good for testing the keyboard since you can use a double tap of a directional key to dodge. The game features jumping puzzles and these double tap dodges can get you into trouble by sending you flying off a cliff or small platform. With the Cherry Browns this proved to not be a problem. Twinsun Dualstar, Level 80 Asura Engineer, fears no jumping puzzles.

I've also been playing a lot of Farcry 3 lately. Feels pretty good on the WASD.

A little Star Wars: The Old Republic was good to try. My habit of changing my controls as I learn new skills sometimes leads to some outlandish combinations of shift/control plus a button. Again, the mechanical keyboard doesn't offer me any major advantage except for comfort as I smash robots and pown Sith.

Overall, the keyboard is great for not only typing, but for gaming as well. This post was written using it, and I gotta say, now that I've used a mechanical keyboard, I don't think I'll ever go back.