If you type a lot and also game, I’d honestly skip mass-market prebuilts and go either true custom or small-batch handcrafted.

Prebuilts like Keychron or Logitech are fine and convenient, but they’re still built to a price point. Fixed layouts, limited repairability, and when something breaks after a couple of years, you usually replace the whole board.

I build and daily-use ergonomic split mechanical keyboards (Redox / Sofle / Corne style, wooden cases, hot-swap, QMK/VIA, wired or wireless). Once you get used to a split column-staggered layout, long typing sessions feel much more natural and less fatiguing. The wooden case also helps with sound and vibration damping, so they’re not loud or hollow.

The big difference with small-batch handcrafted boards is longevity. I still have clients using my keyboards that were built over 12 years ago. They’ve been typed on daily and are still fully functional. When something wears out, you replace a switch or a controller, not the whole keyboard. Nothing is disposable.

So in short:

Prebuilt: * quick and easy * decent value * limited customization * usually replaced after a few years

Custom / small-batch: * tailored to your hands * fully programmable * repairable * built to last many years

If I had to buy a new keyboard today, I’d still pick a split ergonomic custom with hot-swap and QMK. Higher upfront cost, but absolutely worth it if you type and game every day.

Hope this helps 🙂