CIY X77 Hot-Swappable Mechanical Keyboard/RGB Gaming Keyboard/USB C/Anti Ghosting/N-Key Rollover/Compact Layout 87 Key/Magnetic Upper Cover/for Mac Windows (White and Brown Switch)

I’m an old school mechanical keyboard user. Like, I was around back in the day when IBM Model M and Leading Edge keyboards were the norm, not the exception. Also, they cost a few hundred dollars, adjusted for inflation.The CIY isn’t a tank you can use to beat off home intruders. However, it’s surprisingly solid for the money. Heavier than a full size membrane. It doesn’t look tacky or gaudy. I like the removable frame feature. I found replacement frames in different colors on a prominent “buy cheap stuff from across the Pacific” site. Stabilizer keys (space, return, shift) have zero rattle. Like, none. The best of any Cherry MX-based keyboard I own.I got the version with blue switches. I like clicky switches, and the stock blues are perfectly fine; no worse than plain Cherry blues. Unmodded, the board can sound a bit hollow when typing, and the blues could be a nuisance in an office setting.Probably like most people who bought this keyboard, I made some mods. Tactile switches (cheap Ajazz blue something), Akko PBT keycaps (the ABS keycaps that come with the keyboard are about what you’d expect for a US$40 keyboard), and a thin layer (1/4” or 6 mm) of foam liner inside. No switch or stabilizer lubing, no tape, nothing else. Post-mod, the result is a really pleasant medium-pitch thocky sound when typing, with no hollowness. It’s quiet enough to use in an open office or cubicle without bothering anybody, too.I turned off the KeWL xTREeM GaMeR lighting. For what it’s worth, lighting is full RGB; not a fixed rainbow pattern. (I think the Ajazz version of this keyboard has the fixed rainbow LEDs.) I don’t use the driver software.At work, I use the keyboard with a Windows-based PC. It works fine with my MacBook Pro M1, too.I bought this keyboard to make use of some spare parts I had lying around, but I actually use it full time at work now; it’s that good. My work endgame is a Keychron Q-something, but for now, the modded CIY more than meets my needs.

The media could not be loaded. ( In the video, the only thing I've done to it is a tape mod, because apparently that's a good idea according to the internet, it doesn't make the biggest difference but its still noticeable) Now I'm just going to say this is the first mechanical keyboard I've ever owned, so I don't really have a reference point. But it is immensely satisfying to type with, and it sounds very nice for such a cheap price. I have not done too much gaming with it yet but from what I have done, it is also quite nice. The LEDs are incredible, they have quite a few settings and most of them look really nice, there's even a few that react with the keys you press. The LEDs are also very customizable, you can change setting, color, and speed, and there's also custom settings if you want to use those.If you were worried about using this with a laptop, or getting used to a keyboard that isn't from a laptop, I was also worried about that, but you can absolutely use this with a laptop, and its fairly easy to get used to.In conclusion I highly recommend this keyboard if your not looking to spend too much.

The media could not be loaded. Wow, Just WOW! This keyboard was excellent. I bought this on a whim, and I was confused. At an already low price, I wondered how good it could be. I mean, it promised hot-swap and a removable USB. So I decided to buy one and test it out. The initial sound of the board was not bad, much of what I would typically expect. The stabs were very GOOD stock. I mean, they didn't feel bad at all and had no rattle. That was an excellent surprise. The looks were all right as well, nothing to write home about, however. After hearing and feeling it, I decided to take it apart, which is when the fun started.The first thing I noticed when taking the board apart was how it offered a real hot swap. Usually, budget boards offer a hot-swap limited with the switch type. This board did not. I could switch in a more excellent pair of switches to see this board's real potential. Along the way, I noticed a daughterboard, which to me was another great surprise. This would mean I could potentially change up the mounting style and have more fun with modding it. After switching some things out, I was pretty excited about how it turned out. In the review, I added a good test of the after, and after listening to it, I can say I am pretty excited about the outcome.