While everyone was bashing this board for looking the same as QK65 bla bla my man comes up with this brilliant video explaining that much more than just the look ! Loved the video as usual !
The origin of this board came from the voice65, which came out over a year before the qk65, im guessing most people didnt know this which is why they were talking bad about it too
@@givemesubspls6407 i mean at least the voice65 had the side knob with the light which made the front look more interesting, but just let people buy what they want to lol
@@BoatJacker2 its not just that he does it because hes paid for it, theres multiple factors that you arent counting in, 1st there has to be the idea, the the product, and then the marketing, reviews could be made to help share informatin about something you like doing or maybe it is just for money, however most hobbyists here do it for the fun of it and to get their opinions out there, it shows how much people differ from one another and its really a great thing to see
:) Thanks Matthew! It was just really cool seeing manufacturers trying to engineer and innovate. A lot of "the same" kind of keyboards out there right now, and always good to see progress. Thanks for stopping by!
If they can make a LINK series with more layouts, I think Owlabs would make more bangers. Having the choice between a closed-cell and opened-celled build is actually pretty cool, as you can rock either a more dense or more spread-out sound.
i love the unique engineering of this board, always looking for something that has an interesting design! but my question is: is it possible to make it thock instead? im still learning about materials and how it affects the sound, but i assume the metal casing in boards result in a clackier sound.
@@sadmochineko it has no flex cuts, and PC is a deeper sounding material. The different foam would be doing most of the work to make it sound deeper but the PC plate would help a bit. Pom would work too.
The open/closed headphone analogy is actually brilliant. Though I won't be joining on the Link (joined QK65 R2), the meticulous detail as to how all the components are individually designed and then mesh together is pretty incredible to see. I know Alex wasn't a huge fan of the sound without the foam, and generally doesn't love the PE-foam sound signature; but I'm sure many people will be very happy with their PE foam-ed up boards and hearing the QK/Link back to back really does illustrate that even similar boards (from the same company same form-factor, with all that foam) will have nuanced differences!
Definitely! As long as companies start to understand the individual effects of all these foams, etc., they can start to shape the keyboard sound to a certain direction they want to hit. Hope we see more of it in the future!
I totally wrote this board off because it was a 30min group buy on a day I worked in the middle of my shift. Then I had a late break and walking to my car I look at my phone and see it's 6:27pm and it clicks out of no where that this GB had 3 minutes left. With my phone I was able to get to qwerty's site, select the grey case with chroma back and ordered in the last minute of the GB. I'm so excited. I'm either going to go with GMK Rainy Day, GMK Digital Nightmare, or GMK NTD.
I liked the more concise technical segment you included in this video! I admit that some of your recent videos had technical segments that were a bit too long or complex for me to want to wrap my head around, but that's just me! I think you perfectly slipped in a meaningful and digestible amount of "mumbo jumbo" into this video. Great job, Scott!
You mention the benefits of “matching” switches to specific keyboards/configurations to maximize the end product. I feel like this would be a great subject to cover as a follow-up video to your “thock vs clack” video. Maybe the start of a series dedicated to keyboard “sound.” From my experience, This is a process is currently founded on trial-and-error or anecdotal evidence. Basically, you’ve got to try different switches on a board to see which one you like or watch a typing test with your keyboard specific parts to approximate the differences.
Unfortunately, a lot of the matching is that trial and error. I realized that some great switches just sound terrible on certain boards, and some really stand out. For this Link, putting in a more bassy, heavy sounding switch like the oil king kind of fought against the higher pitched, snappy sound of the Link. But putting in a long stem SOTC really helped to emphasize the snappy clack, and really made the board come alive. It's crazy all the different levers you can pull to shape the keyboard sound
Man, the engineering in this board is impressive. Looks overcomplicated but they achieved a simplified assembly, very cool stuff. With this uncommon design I think more experimentation is required to find a likeable result as its behavior is different than most boards out there. Thank you for sharing
Absolutely! I just like the fact that manufacturers are trying new things and trying to innovate. I feel like a lot of new boards have been copies of others and it's good to see some progress!
I'm sure the QK with more open plates, clackier switches can get close to it. But also just the design of the link I think makes this sound the way it does
@@Keybored Thank you. Your review of Link 65 is indeed great. Sound is subjective. If one could modify a cheap board to sound premium, that wld be an art.
I love the sound of these board all you guys do, but most of you use linear switches. And I get it. You're all really advanced typists that don't need any feedback to type really fast. I on the other hand, while I do type at "above average" (according to the simple test when you type is "typing test"), I still need some feedback and I still need to look down from time to time. Not a lot. But sometimes. That's why I use side printed caps. It gives the look of a blank cap while still having the symbol or letter if you really need it.
This is a really good perspective for reviewing a keyboard, not only for one aspect but you try to find what is the creator want to achieve. Thank you so much Scott.
Interesting that you brought up the parallel with open and closed headphones. I would point out that there are many closed back headphones that manage to sound open and wide, but I can definitely see what you mean on the level of basic acoustics. But just like how it's very much possible to get a wide sounding closed headphone and a narrow sounding open headphone, you definitely got the LINK65 to sound on the deeper side. In that sense, maybe the more open air design helps emphasize the sound characteristics of the other components, whereas a more closed design tends to sort of lay over a specific sound over the sound of the other components?
I honestly wouldnt know if the double cost is really worth the difference in sound between qk65 and link65. Maybe what's more important would be the FEEL. If the link65 is way more comfortable to type on in extended periods of time without user getting tired, and does this better than the qk65, then it's gotta be worth it
Thank you for providing these type of insights! I can’t speak for everyone but the way you explain things makes it easier for someone like me that is new to the hobby take a more educated decision when considering keyboard, switches etc. But at the same time explaining these concepts in an easy and funny way! As oppose to just boiling it to preference. By far my favorite kb channel. On a side note have you considered reviewing some of the newer Akko kb like their Alice plus? Thank you
:) Thank you very much! Glad that I could be help to both the OGs and the newcomers! I haven't had a chance to review the Akko boards as of late. However, with enough interest, I can def look into it!
Fr4 plate actually sounds absolutely amazing tbh. I'm so happy it's higher pitch nobody can say it sounds like a normal pe foam board lol. We have all been saying we want that airy sound again! But this is still different then the normal airy sounding boards lol.
Love this video, with your complete explanation of what made this keyboard unique. I originally didn't care much for this board as I saw it as just another version of the QK65, but this video changed my opinion on that. I completely agree with you on this keyboard being one of the most innovative technically designed keyboards as of late, with the incorporation of knowledge from the audiophile scene. I always felt that keyboard design needed to mesh knowledge gained from the audio scene to expand on keyboard sound profiles. I also want to ask, while this keyboard is able to produce the open back type of sound like you described, is it also able to be configured to have a closed back type sound like the QK65?
My only complaint with Owlab products is the pcb PE foam sheet as it doesn’t have all 5 pin locations cut out and I ended up bending 1/3 of the switches I tried to punch thru the PE sheet.
@@Keybored Maybe the pins on Tangerines are more fragile than others but I haven't seen anyone else talk about the cutouts on the sheet as of yet. Every other company that provides the PE sheet for the PCB that ive seen has all the pin cut outs.
I actually wanted the Voice65 but just heard they will not restock it again. I don't know where this aversion for screws comes from, screws are good, they give me security. All this effort to have no screws seems overdone and I am actually afraid of committing to this keyboard because of all those unnecessary things like with the PCB board. Who needs it to wrap like that? Oh well... Thanks for the review tho, it was awesome!
So the real question is, IS IT BETTER THAN THE QK65 imo the sound of the qk65 is better, though it might be more fun for typing on the link65. I think I would still stick to the qk65 because the r2 version already has pcb cuts and it's flexy enough
According to my research on the stiffness vs weight, alu plates and fr4 plates have a similar sound range. Alu will be stiffer and slightly louder. I would go fr4 since it does feel more comfortable and they have similar sound signatures
@@Keybored Thank you! My dilemma is over FR4 or POM 😁 I was intrigued by the "airy" design of the FR4 here, but like the idea of POM's "softness". From what you both said, it seems like either is fine.
What does (L + F) mean? Are there multiple plates involved? I see FR4 plate labeled, but in some videos I see FR4 and a PBT plate. What’s the difference? Sorry, I’m new to this hobby and it’s terminology.
@@Keybored that is true, I appreciated the comparison and I'm sure others will too. I don't agree with your comparison to headphones though, it would be the same thing if the case was open. I am guessing there's less resonance from the plate and pcb, so the emphasis is on the sound of the switch resonating throughout the case, like you said. very interesting board, I really like Owlab's innovating
Idk if the keyboard is fingerprint, I emna Andy nguyen got prints all over it and was barely able to get them off. Great video Scott and do you know of the qk65 is going to become an Instocm on sale keyboard anytime soon?
Surprised the fr4 plate is still in one piece. It looks like a small psuh would just shatter it. Also, should i get a link65 or promise87 ? cant really make up my mind
im ashamed after watching so many of ur vid i didn't sub finally did just now ur content is goated and i love ur approach and how u explain stuff its honestly amazing keep it up
Sounds like another PE foam filled board, which I'm not mad at all because people have that preference. Owlabs and QWERTY are pushing price and design which is awesome to see.
The Pom plate would make it seem more "thocky." But the black foam will dampen the sound a bit more, since it's a denser material and sound waves will lose more energy as it travels through it. Also, denser materials have the ability to dampen more lower frequency sound as well.
Amazing video! Just want to recommend perhaps excluding PE foam next time so that we can get a better feel for the character of each of the boards. I know that's an owlabs specialty, but it was hard to compare this board to others (even in the same brand) when PE foam is involved. I wanted to see the character of the link vs. qk65, not the nature of PE foam in different boards. Just a suggestion!
Might have been a request from Owlabs since there are a couple of videos without the PE foam already. Spoiler though, without PE foam, since the pcb has very large flex cuts, there's even less resonance in the board so it sounds more quiet (not muted). I think Owlab really designed the Link around the 2 white foams + pe foam.
Leaf springs are a pretty reliable a proven suspension solution... I would love to see this idea taken to the nth degree... some madlad engineering full dampeners on it. A coilover pushrod suspension system... Not just sprung but also damped for compression and rebound.
0:18 How can the QK65 be "always sold out" if it was an unlimited R2 GB and not an in-stock item? Would've copped if the QK65 didn't have such a good value. Thanks for the informative video.
I just wish the QK65 was actually readily in stock like they said it would be. Hard to tout it as the "best entry level board" when it's never actually available.
I'm sorry but I don't really think it relates with an open-back headphone since the main idea of open-back headphones is to make less bounce possible as you said but that white foam and the plate ... they just absorb less sound and restrict less movement. So this is an amount of absorption situation, not a less reflex situation. But maybe you can kinda example with this relationship? but STILL I don't think it's a direct relation.
This is one very interesting board, but at 400 bucks it does make me pause for a bit. How different of a typing experience between a gasket mounted and spring?
I really wonder how the long term durability of this keyboard generation will be. While all these innovations in gasket mount, foams and flexible PCBs are very cool, I also see a lot of components that will not age as well as the classic mechanical keyboards.
I think it actually sounds different from the Spring/Suit. I have those boards and the link is definitely more "open" sounding and also sharper. It's like a great definition of clack lol
Can you recommend any switches that are similar to the JWK SOTC? I wanted to buy them for this keyboard since they sounded so good, but it looks like they're sold out now. Would love yours (or anyone's) help here! Thanks!
Do you have a recommendation for tactile switches that you would suggest for a similar sound profile as the linears u used in ur link65 with the fr4 plate?
@@Keybored thank you! Your video really helped me decide on getting this keyboard as i was on the fence and unsure of the plate! Appreciate your explanation of the board!
More than deadening it, they're small little segments so that there is less material to "resonate" at each key press. In addition, there are a lot of openings where air and sound can go in and out of, so the board overall has a more airy sound, and can translate to a more "thinner" or "sharper" kind of sound as well.
While everyone was bashing this board for looking the same as QK65 bla bla my man comes up with this brilliant video explaining that much more than just the look ! Loved the video as usual !
:) Thanks! I mean, if people are looking for QK65, should buy a QK65 haha
The origin of this board came from the voice65, which came out over a year before the qk65, im guessing most people didnt know this which is why they were talking bad about it too
@@givemesubspls6407 i mean at least the voice65 had the side knob with the light which made the front look more interesting, but just let people buy what they want to lol
It's what hes paid to do?
@@BoatJacker2 its not just that he does it because hes paid for it, theres multiple factors that you arent counting in, 1st there has to be the idea, the the product, and then the marketing, reviews could be made to help share informatin about something you like doing or maybe it is just for money, however most hobbyists here do it for the fun of it and to get their opinions out there, it shows how much people differ from one another and its really a great thing to see
Loved the headphone analogy at the end. Very helpful. Interesting to see this type of porus foam enter the space.
:) Thanks Matthew! It was just really cool seeing manufacturers trying to engineer and innovate. A lot of "the same" kind of keyboards out there right now, and always good to see progress. Thanks for stopping by!
If they can make a LINK series with more layouts, I think Owlabs would make more bangers. Having the choice between a closed-cell and opened-celled build is actually pretty cool, as you can rock either a more dense or more spread-out sound.
i love the unique engineering of this board, always looking for something that has an interesting design! but my question is: is it possible to make it thock instead? im still learning about materials and how it affects the sound, but i assume the metal casing in boards result in a clackier sound.
I feel like given its design, this keyboard will be mainly a clack board
poron and pe foam + pc plate will get you there
@@pogcat3773 would the pc plate really make so much of a difference?
@@sadmochineko it has no flex cuts, and PC is a deeper sounding material. The different foam would be doing most of the work to make it sound deeper but the PC plate would help a bit. Pom would work too.
If you want thick just wait for qk65, don't waste money on this link65.
The open/closed headphone analogy is actually brilliant. Though I won't be joining on the Link (joined QK65 R2), the meticulous detail as to how all the components are individually designed and then mesh together is pretty incredible to see.
I know Alex wasn't a huge fan of the sound without the foam, and generally doesn't love the PE-foam sound signature; but I'm sure many people will be very happy with their PE foam-ed up boards and hearing the QK/Link back to back really does illustrate that even similar boards (from the same company same form-factor, with all that foam) will have nuanced differences!
Definitely! As long as companies start to understand the individual effects of all these foams, etc., they can start to shape the keyboard sound to a certain direction they want to hit. Hope we see more of it in the future!
I like the comparison between the QK being closed back and LINK being open back. That's a pretty accurate analysis.
I totally wrote this board off because it was a 30min group buy on a day I worked in the middle of my shift.
Then I had a late break and walking to my car I look at my phone and see it's 6:27pm and it clicks out of no where that this GB had 3 minutes left.
With my phone I was able to get to qwerty's site, select the grey case with chroma back and ordered in the last minute of the GB. I'm so excited. I'm either going to go with GMK Rainy Day, GMK Digital Nightmare, or GMK NTD.
I liked the more concise technical segment you included in this video! I admit that some of your recent videos had technical segments that were a bit too long or complex for me to want to wrap my head around, but that's just me! I think you perfectly slipped in a meaningful and digestible amount of "mumbo jumbo" into this video. Great job, Scott!
You mention the benefits of “matching” switches to specific keyboards/configurations to maximize the end product.
I feel like this would be a great subject to cover as a follow-up video to your “thock vs clack” video. Maybe the start of a series dedicated to keyboard “sound.”
From my experience, This is a process is currently founded on trial-and-error or anecdotal evidence. Basically, you’ve got to try different switches on a board to see which one you like or watch a typing test with your keyboard specific parts to approximate the differences.
Unfortunately, a lot of the matching is that trial and error. I realized that some great switches just sound terrible on certain boards, and some really stand out. For this Link, putting in a more bassy, heavy sounding switch like the oil king kind of fought against the higher pitched, snappy sound of the Link. But putting in a long stem SOTC really helped to emphasize the snappy clack, and really made the board come alive. It's crazy all the different levers you can pull to shape the keyboard sound
It would make for an interesting video indeed. I second that request.
Man, the engineering in this board is impressive. Looks overcomplicated but they achieved a simplified assembly, very cool stuff. With this uncommon design I think more experimentation is required to find a likeable result as its behavior is different than most boards out there. Thank you for sharing
Absolutely! I just like the fact that manufacturers are trying new things and trying to innovate. I feel like a lot of new boards have been copies of others and it's good to see some progress!
@@Keybored yes gotta appreciate innovative ideas indeed
Thanks!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! :)
This is the exact review I was looking for to help me decide whether or not I wanted to get the LINK65! Such great details, thanks!
You're very welcome!
Could you modified QK with the airy foam and improve the sound like the link 65?
I'm sure the QK with more open plates, clackier switches can get close to it. But also just the design of the link I think makes this sound the way it does
@@Keybored Thank you. Your review of Link 65 is indeed great. Sound is subjective. If one could modify a cheap board to sound premium, that wld be an art.
best review of the link vs any other content creator so far imo. thanks for this!
Thank you very much for the kind words!
I love the sound of these board all you guys do, but most of you use linear switches. And I get it. You're all really advanced typists that don't need any feedback to type really fast. I on the other hand, while I do type at "above average" (according to the simple test when you type is "typing test"), I still need some feedback and I still need to look down from time to time. Not a lot. But sometimes. That's why I use side printed caps. It gives the look of a blank cap while still having the symbol or letter if you really need it.
The link65 is a very.good keeb but qk65 has a special place in my heart
Thank God for clack, I love it. Sounds clean and lively.
It's a very open, clacky kind of board :)
This is a really good perspective for reviewing a keyboard, not only for one aspect but you try to find what is the creator want to achieve. Thank you so much Scott.
Absolutely! Thank you for watching!
Interesting that you brought up the parallel with open and closed headphones. I would point out that there are many closed back headphones that manage to sound open and wide, but I can definitely see what you mean on the level of basic acoustics. But just like how it's very much possible to get a wide sounding closed headphone and a narrow sounding open headphone, you definitely got the LINK65 to sound on the deeper side. In that sense, maybe the more open air design helps emphasize the sound characteristics of the other components, whereas a more closed design tends to sort of lay over a specific sound over the sound of the other components?
That idea for adjustable springs... true innovator... Owlabs should be really proud you've got this keyboard.
That would be awesome I think. Imagine changing up the feel by swapping out the springs... kind of like car modding haha
I honestly wouldnt know if the double cost is really worth the difference in sound between qk65 and link65. Maybe what's more important would be the FEEL. If the link65 is way more comfortable to type on in extended periods of time without user getting tired, and does this better than the qk65, then it's gotta be worth it
i love the sound, its so thin and muted sounding.
:) I like that it sounds different
@@Keybored it's like air, idk if it makes sense
@@xanira6367 :)
Thank you for providing these type of insights! I can’t speak for everyone but the way you explain things makes it easier for someone like me that is new to the hobby take a more educated decision when considering keyboard, switches etc. But at the same time explaining these concepts in an easy and funny way! As oppose to just boiling it to preference. By far my favorite kb channel. On a side note have you considered reviewing some of the newer Akko kb like their Alice plus? Thank you
:) Thank you very much! Glad that I could be help to both the OGs and the newcomers! I haven't had a chance to review the Akko boards as of late. However, with enough interest, I can def look into it!
I love that its a more premiuoom option
Really great stuff! Love the explanation of the sound profiles and the clean and simple build - great work!
Thank you so much Nathan!
"The g-string of plates," really had me going lol
rocking brand new PBT Fans keycaps too. I'd love to see a comparison between PBTfans, Drop DCX and GMK caps.
They are all top notch!
Take a shot of water every time Scott says "actually" to stay hydrated
Hahaha hydrate at my expense
can i ask whats the background music ur using its phenomenal man
Wow could be one of the most unique keyboard assemblies!
Hey, are you going to make a video for cheap but versatile keyboards like the feker ik75?
I am going to look at a few lower priced options in the near future as well! There are so many keyboards now and not enough time :(
I'm super excited to get mine! Thank you for your videos! Always so interesting and knowledgable! Learn something new everyday! 😄
Fr4 plate actually sounds absolutely amazing tbh. I'm so happy it's higher pitch nobody can say it sounds like a normal pe foam board lol. We have all been saying we want that airy sound again! But this is still different then the normal airy sounding boards lol.
Love this video, with your complete explanation of what made this keyboard unique. I originally didn't care much for this board as I saw it as just another version of the QK65, but this video changed my opinion on that.
I completely agree with you on this keyboard being one of the most innovative technically designed keyboards as of late, with the incorporation of knowledge from the audiophile scene. I always felt that keyboard design needed to mesh knowledge gained from the audio scene to expand on keyboard sound profiles.
I also want to ask, while this keyboard is able to produce the open back type of sound like you described, is it also able to be configured to have a closed back type sound like the QK65?
My only complaint with Owlab products is the pcb PE foam sheet as it doesn’t have all 5 pin locations cut out and I ended up bending 1/3 of the switches I tried to punch thru the PE sheet.
I'll have to check the sheet :)
@@Keybored Maybe the pins on Tangerines are more fragile than others but I haven't seen anyone else talk about the cutouts on the sheet as of yet. Every other company that provides the PE sheet for the PCB that ive seen has all the pin cut outs.
Another great video! I love how detailed you get with your explanations.
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome review as always Scott! The white foams look very interesting; can’t wait to try it. Which configuration was your favorite?
I actually wanted the Voice65 but just heard they will not restock it again. I don't know where this aversion for screws comes from, screws are good, they give me security. All this effort to have no screws seems overdone and I am actually afraid of committing to this keyboard because of all those unnecessary things like with the PCB board. Who needs it to wrap like that? Oh well...
Thanks for the review tho, it was awesome!
Have you ever used any switches with click jackets? I haven't seen any videos of yours featuring those.
I must have missed it but what was the foam set up you use? White PCB foam/pe foam and that’s it?
Owlabs LINK 65 review by the brilliant Keybored - checked! Good luck with the GB for this very innovative design!
Thanks for watching! It was a fun build for sure
So the real question is, IS IT BETTER THAN THE QK65
imo the sound of the qk65 is better, though it might be more fun for typing on the link65. I think I would still stick to the qk65 because the r2 version already has pcb cuts and it's flexy enough
QUESTION: Is the FR4 plate the only one designed in such an "airy" way? Thank you for your informative videos. I've learned lots.
Both FR4 and Alu plates are like that. POM and PC plates are soft enough, they don't have cuts like that.
@@LeonZhangCD I can't decide between POM and FR4... Thoughts?
According to my research on the stiffness vs weight, alu plates and fr4 plates have a similar sound range. Alu will be stiffer and slightly louder. I would go fr4 since it does feel more comfortable and they have similar sound signatures
@@Keybored Thank you! My dilemma is over FR4 or POM 😁 I was intrigued by the "airy" design of the FR4 here, but like the idea of POM's "softness". From what you both said, it seems like either is fine.
What does (L + F) mean? Are there multiple plates involved? I see FR4 plate labeled, but in some videos I see FR4 and a PBT plate. What’s the difference? Sorry, I’m new to this hobby and it’s terminology.
L is lubed and f is filmed. These are for switches. There is 1 plate for each build and pbt is the material of the key caps. Hope that helps
6:50 is that a reference to the andy v nguyen video: recreating my end game keyboard
Haha, did he say that during his video? Maybe it stuck with me subconsciously :)
damn, if I didn't have a QK65 already I would've definitely got a Link.
I really like that you compared them though.
:) They sound very different. When I go back and forth, it makes me do a double take
@@Keybored that is true, I appreciated the comparison and I'm sure others will too.
I don't agree with your comparison to headphones though, it would be the same thing if the case was open. I am guessing there's less resonance from the plate and pcb, so the emphasis is on the sound of the switch resonating throughout the case, like you said.
very interesting board, I really like Owlab's innovating
@@Keybored how different is it from the spring? I didn't like the spring that much
Idk if the keyboard is fingerprint, I emna Andy nguyen got prints all over it and was barely able to get them off. Great video Scott and do you know of the qk65 is going to become an Instocm on sale keyboard anytime soon?
"you start by pulling off the feet"
Best torture method confirmed??
Hahaha definitely
Great Video as always! The built is stunning and your explanations are awesome. Keep up the good work!
:) Thank you!
will u be looking at the Promise87?
:( Unfortunately not
Oh yes those SOTC switches sounded amazing in there
It sounds so snappy clean!
Surprised the fr4 plate is still in one piece. It looks like a small psuh would just shatter it. Also, should i get a link65 or promise87 ? cant really make up my mind
Hmm... I haven't had a chance to check out the Promise87, so I couldn't speak to that. But yes, the FR4 plate is indeed crazy "thin!"
im ashamed after watching so many of ur vid i didn't sub finally did just now ur content is goated and i love ur approach and how u explain stuff its honestly amazing keep it up
Thank you so much for the sub and support! I really appreciate it!
Sounds like another PE foam filled board, which I'm not mad at all because people have that preference. Owlabs and QWERTY are pushing price and design which is awesome to see.
those keycaps are pretty sweet. tripleshot pbt
Can you do a sound test without the weird white foams?
If you used the black foam with pom plate, would it be more thocky?
The Pom plate would make it seem more "thocky." But the black foam will dampen the sound a bit more, since it's a denser material and sound waves will lose more energy as it travels through it. Also, denser materials have the ability to dampen more lower frequency sound as well.
Amazing video! Just want to recommend perhaps excluding PE foam next time so that we can get a better feel for the character of each of the boards. I know that's an owlabs specialty, but it was hard to compare this board to others (even in the same brand) when PE foam is involved. I wanted to see the character of the link vs. qk65, not the nature of PE foam in different boards. Just a suggestion!
Thank you for the suggestion!
Might have been a request from Owlabs since there are a couple of videos without the PE foam already. Spoiler though, without PE foam, since the pcb has very large flex cuts, there's even less resonance in the board so it sounds more quiet (not muted). I think Owlab really designed the Link around the 2 white foams + pe foam.
Good suggestion. I am a Ownlab/foam fan but this is a good point. Foam does even the playing field and make the nuances hard to hear.
Lol, everyone else built it without the pe foam tho
I was just waiting for your review to decide if I'd get this board or not.
And I've decided I will definitely get it.
It's a nice board if you like a more open, airy and clackier build
@@Keybored I'll try the Drop DCX keycaps with this build. Their "fuller" sound makes me think they'll match well.
@@Keybored just got mine last friday and it's such a great board.
Great video scott!
Thank you!
Is SOTC a color change for Durock POM? Altough SOTC is cheaper and better sound, but should I wait for SOTC or just get the Durock POM
sweet comparison, thanks a lot
No problem!
Leaf springs are a pretty reliable a proven suspension solution... I would love to see this idea taken to the nth degree... some madlad engineering full dampeners on it. A coilover pushrod suspension system... Not just sprung but also damped for compression and rebound.
Would you ever consider making a discord / topre board review
10:50 DAMN THATS A THOCKY KEYBOARD
You convinced me to pick the FR-4 plate. It looks and sounds great! I might have to use my SOTC switches with this board too.
I feel like the owlab boards sound really nice with the long stem JWKs :) My spring has the Quartz R2 in them and it sounds great.
0:18 How can the QK65 be "always sold out" if it was an unlimited R2 GB and not an in-stock item? Would've copped if the QK65 didn't have such a good value. Thanks for the informative video.
Well, you know what I mean. It's pretty hard to get as of late :)
I guess it was unlimited GB but "within a period of time"
I just wish the QK65 was actually readily in stock like they said it would be. Hard to tout it as the "best entry level board" when it's never actually available.
I really hope so too... that was the intention at start, but taking a while now it seems
I'm sorry but I don't really think it relates with an open-back headphone since the main idea of open-back headphones is to make less bounce possible as you said but that white foam and the plate ... they just absorb less sound and restrict less movement. So this is an amount of absorption situation, not a less reflex situation. But maybe you can kinda example with this relationship? but STILL I don't think it's a direct relation.
Probably hard to make a direct 1 to 1 correlation, but figured it'll help people think a certain way :)
The combining of keebs and pokemon was the perfect intersection of my youtube searches and recommends 🙏🙏
Hahaha, awesome!
dang, owl labs and qwarty keys, are always putting out crazy boards. I just got my qk65, and it blew my mind.
:) it's good to see manufacturers trying things!
Does the clip design essentially give it a build in force break mod?
I'm sure it's doing all sorts of things. The case itself didn't have much ping at all!
What about removing the silicon bottom from qk65? I think it will sound the same
My QK65 has it removed :)
Tbh I think we were spoiled when the QK65 was launched. Now people couldn’t justify or understand why are there a 65% costing more
:) You are not wrong about that
I'm so excited for this board!
It was a very fun board to build, and love how it turned out
can anyone tell me what keycap set that is? it looks stunning!
It's the PBTfans TWIST! I have the links to the products in the description below!
My Link65 Just arrived!!!!
It was one of the most interesting and fun keyboards I have built in a while!
@@Keybored 1 thing I dont like is, it dont come with Stab anymore, 😢 and even more expensive!
@@Keybored and turning back due to some scratch on the surface🥲
As always - a great video. Top Notch.
Thank you so much David!
This is one very interesting board, but at 400 bucks it does make me pause for a bit. How different of a typing experience between a gasket mounted and spring?
Can you please put Jwk queens on it?
JWK Queens? Hmm, I haven't had a chance to check those out!
But is it still nice and bouncy with all that foam? Or does it just turn into mush?
Still very nice and bouncy lol. It feels like a spring mounted keyboard with a snappy response
I really wonder how the long term durability of this keyboard generation will be. While all these innovations in gasket mount, foams and flexible PCBs are very cool, I also see a lot of components that will not age as well as the classic mechanical keyboards.
That kmac I rebuilt for dang Wang still works lol. I think it's a decade old now. Hes got 2 of them that he uses daily lol
@@Keybored yes, but that Kmac has a metal plate, no flex cuts, no foldable PCB, no foam nor rubber. It feels more "heavy duty"
It sounds great but I personally would prefer broken in stock hyperglides for the build
I feel that would also be a good match as well for this board
Now I'm wondering what a case with holes would sound like, so literally being an open back keyboard.
Hahaha, it would definitely be a "open back headphone" then
Best review i’ve ever seen fo far👍
Thank you so much! I appreciate it
should i get this if i already have mr suit? will it be too similar on sound and feel?
I think it actually sounds different from the Spring/Suit. I have those boards and the link is definitely more "open" sounding and also sharper. It's like a great definition of clack lol
So, if the Qk 65 evolves the Link 65 comes right? And after the Link 65 the Keycult no.2 65
Haha, the Charizard of keyboards
Can you recommend any switches that are similar to the JWK SOTC? I wanted to buy them for this keyboard since they sounded so good, but it looks like they're sold out now. Would love yours (or anyone's) help here! Thanks!
Big brained and 65 never belong in the same sentence when talking about keyboards.
Do you have a recommendation for tactile switches that you would suggest for a similar sound profile as the linears u used in ur link65 with the fr4 plate?
I would say a long stem pole tactile will produce similar results. Like the Gateron Blizzards and Azure dragons will sound like that I assume
@@Keybored thank you! Your video really helped me decide on getting this keyboard as i was on the fence and unsure of the plate! Appreciate your explanation of the board!
Man can’t wait to get my qk65 pro!
True
lol read this comment on Alex’s vid too
LOL I guess you can put it that way too!
legit no similarities whatsoever besides both of them being 65%
its basically like saying "can't wait to get my keycult 2/65 lite"
@@kaibeh I definitely wants that
Both keyboards sounds really good
Thanks! The Link definitely sounds "Sharper" than the QK
Always trust your reviews 🙏🙏. Also when I saw that PCB I was like :0
I hope I didn't disappoint! I'll try my best to keep this factual and objective as possible!
Scott, what color did you get for your sample?
I believe mine is the "Grey Black"
hey scott great video! just had a quick question. do you think the PCB limits/deadens the sound of the keyboard, especially without foam?
More than deadening it, they're small little segments so that there is less material to "resonate" at each key press. In addition, there are a lot of openings where air and sound can go in and out of, so the board overall has a more airy sound, and can translate to a more "thinner" or "sharper" kind of sound as well.
@@Keybored ah i see. thanks
I like the qk65 more but I'm also getting sotc with qk65 r2
Can't go wrong with the QK!
Well, this video helps settle my preferences. QK65 is definitely my go to, prefer the thocky and lower bassy sounds.
Hey, glad to be of help!
Man I wish they'd make an exploded 75% layout with this design.
Interesting that they haven't touched a 75% since the epoch
oh I see so its basically a levitating pcb
ive always wanted an owllabs board but never had enough money but curently my keychron q3 is good enough
Q3 is a great board!
another g string plate, andy v nguyen will love this! especially for his e yellow tofu
Hahaha didn't realize he already said that.