WASD keyboard design fun
Hardware
To round off my exploration of Cherry MX switch based keyboards, today we’ll be taking a look at WASD Keyboards. I first heard of them as the hardware guys behind Jeff Atwood’s CODE keyboard, though they’ve been in the business for a while.
Compared to most other keyboard manufacturers, WASD custom builds their hardware specifically to your design. After you’ve chosen a US 104/86 key or ISO 104/77 layout, you’re given the choice to customise the type of switches, keycap colours, typeface and function key labels.
I’ll admit, I’ve spent many a happy afternoon creating all manner of fanciful designs. In predictable Ruben fashion though, I eventually standardised on the classic typeface and beigetastic colours I remember from my 1990s childhood: pretty much the boring design in the photo above. Given the price and ability to customose everything else, it’s a shame the bezel has to be black, but é assim que a vida é….
For someone looking specifically for a quieter alternative to his Unicomp IBM Model M clone, the Cherry MX Brown switches seem to be the best choice. The Cherry MX Clears offered on the CODE keyboard are unfortunately absent here, though given their steeper price it’s probably for the best, lest I be tempted.
There are a few more keyboards I want to look into, but for now this seems to be the one I’ll be going with. Maybe. Good thing I’m not indecisive, pedantic or detail obsessed.
