Need some help navigating our order system while buying an assembled keyboard? Here's some info about the different options and what they mean.

General Notes

None of the assembled keyboards include a cable to connect the board to your computer. Many people have a spare USB-C to USB-A cable lying around and some devices will need a second USB-C to USB-C cable to connect, so source whatever works best for your setup separately.

PCB Revision

Some of the assembled keyboards allow you to select a PCB revision, such as the FoldKB. The difference between revisions is noted in the dropdowns, and if you want more in-depth information, you can scroll to the "Full Specifications" section near the bottom of the page.

Switches

You will need to select switches for your board. All switch options that will work for a given board will be described in the dropdown. If you want more information on each switch type, you can find their product page in the Switches collection. 

• Self-Install (available for MX hotswap boards only)
  • This is a great if you already have switches but don't want to deal with installing stabilizers or soldering in rotary encoders.
  • You can find more information here: Switch Installation for Pre-Built Hotswap Keyboards
• Customer Supplied 
  • If you want specific switches that we don't stock but still want a keyboard that works out of the box, this may be for you.
  • For this option, email us in advance so we can give you the mailing address to send switches to

If you need more information about these switches and why we selected them, see this post: Keebio Switch Options for Keyboards

We don't provide lubing service for the switches, so they will be stock. The Durock switches do have some factory lube already applied. For lubing services, we can recommend Kirball's Keys.

Rotary Encoders

Some boards allow for rotary encoders to be added in place of a switch (typically at the top corners of the board). These will be soldered in and will need to be de-soldered if you want to place a switch in this spot later on.

Case Parts

Keebio keyboards come in two main types, tray builds and plate builds. Plate builds are seen on boards like the MX Quefrency, Sinc, Nyquist, and FoldKB, while tray builds represent our entire LM and Iris lines.

Plate builds have 2 main case components: plates and a middle layer. Some boards will have different plates to choose from and some also have middle layers that can be added.

Plates

A set of plates includes a switch plate and a bottom plate. The switch plate is what all the switches are placed into before the switches are soldered onto the PCB. Standoffs are connected to the switch plate using screws, and then a bottom plate is connected to the bottom part of the standoff to complete the "sandwich case" for the keyboard.

Possible materials for the plates:

• FR4 (1.6mm thick) - Same material as used in circuit boards (PCBs), has very good strength and has some flex
• Aluminum (1.5 or 1.2mm thick) - Sturdy, stiffer than FR4 but with some flex
• Acrylic (3mm thick) - Various colors available, flex is similar to that of FR4
• Stainless Steel (1.5mm thick) - Much stiffer than FR4 or acrylic, and it is much heavier

If an assembled board does not have an option to select plates, then it will use FR4 plates.

Middle Layer

An optional middle layer can be added that will go between the switch plate and the bottom plate, giving the board a more enclosed and complete look. Currently, middle layers made of acrylic are available.

Layout Options

For some boards, various layout options can be selected.

Each board with layout options will typically have an image of the different layout options you can choose from on its product page. For example the one below is for the Quefrency.

The numbers referenced in these layouts are keycap sizes, a standard measurement tool in the mechanical keyboard community. If you are unfamiliar with keycap sizes, here's a quick explanation of it:

• The standard width of a keycap is considered to be 1u. Examples of 1u sized keycaps are alphas (i.e A through Z), numbers, and arrow keys.
• Modifier keys such as Ctrl, Alt, and Win are typically 1.25u.
• Left Shift keys are usually 2.25u, and Right Shift keys are usually 2.75u. Some people prefer to replace a 2.75u Right Shift with a 1.75u Right Shift and a 1u Function key.

In the Quefrency layout options example above, for the Right Half Bottom Row, you can choose between "2.75u + 6x1u" or "2.75u/1.25u/1.25u__3x1u".

The way to interpret the "2.75u + 6x1u" option is that there's a 2.75u key, followed by six 1u keys. For the "2.75u/1.25u/1.25u__3x1u" option, there's a 2.75u key, then a 1.25u key, then another 1.25u key. Next the "__" (underscores) in the option indicate a blocker (meaning a gap between keycaps). After that blocker/gap, there's three 1u keys.