Mechanical keyboards aren’t cheap (you can find affordable mechanical keyboards if you look around). Also, custom mechanical keyboard kits are a money pit. There is no other way.
No matter how “worthy” a keyboard kit feels, it’s hard to spend $500 or $863 on a custom keyboard kit. But there are some custom keyboard kits that really stand out and show why keyboard enthusiasts spend more money on custom kits than off-the-shelf boards.
IRISLabs JRIS65 is one such standout. A 65% gasket mounted barebone mechanical keyboard kit with gorgeous looks in a variety of colors, stunning build quality and great value.
spec
| switch | none |
| lighting | none |
| Onboard storage | 4 profiles |
| media key | FN or configurable |
| connectivity | USB Type C to Type A |
| cable | coiled five feet |
| additional port | none |
| key cap | none |
| software | Via QMK/ |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 317.5×114.3×25.4mm |
| weight | 2.8 pounds |
Design of IRISLabs JRIS65
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The JRIS65 is a gasket mounted barebone mechanical keyboard kit that comes with almost everything you need to get started with your first board, except switches, keycaps and stabilizers. The JRIS65’s $165 starting price is pretty generous to begin with, but it would have been nice to have a set of clip-in Cherry stabilizers included in other similarly priced custom kits such as the CannonKeys Bakeneko.
JRIS65 may not come with stabilizer, but it comes with almost everything: carrying case, IXPE foam, PCB tape, gasket jacket/sock, shims, rubber feet, PCB, POM plate, screws, poron plate, case doing. Foam, coiled Type-C to Type-A cable, cleaning cloth, clear sheet to protect the chrome finish of the weights, silicone battery compartment cover for wired version (battery only for wireless version) comes with) ).
Gasket-mounted mechanical keyboards have grown in popularity over the last year, but many barely hit their mark. Most gasket mounted boards use poron foam pads and slam them into the switch plate he calls a day. This works to some extent, but can be a little disappointing. However, JRIS65 does something different by adding flex cuts to the PCB and two different build methods.
The JRIS65 can use either a gasket sock or jacket. After trying both, I prefer the latter. Gasket socks, as the name suggests, wrap around the tabs of the PCB, but only have a jacket on the edges. Although the socks were made of the same material, they had a firm resilience. IRISLabs only included 9 gasket socks (we needed 10), so when we tested them, we had to use a set of jackets on one of the tabs.
Now that we’ve sorted out the internals, we need to describe what JRIS65 looks like. splendidThe JRIS65’s lower case features steel Chroma PVD weights that blend beautifully with the anodized pink chassis. For those who don’t like pink, the JRIS65 is also available in E-White, Yellow, Black, Milky White, Maroon, Titanium Grey, Navy Blue, and several multicolor options. Rainbow Chroma PVD weights aren’t the only option here as IRISLabs also offers this board with anodized aluminum featuring black, silver and gold. More options and plate materials geek hack thread.
Like most custom boards, the JRIS65 supports QMK and VIA, allowing you to realize your wildest dreams in key configurations.
Assembly of JRIS65
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Assembling the JRIS65 was very easy. I only hit two bumps on the road. I decided to use the following configuration: case foam, PCB, case foam, switch plate, and gasket jacket instead of sock. JRIS65 included two other forms, but I didn’t find them necessary.My review model was pink so I decided to use mine C3 Equalz Banana Split Switchmatched the case perfectly.
My review sample was shipped with the wrong amount of gasket sock, so I used a jacket for the remaining gasket tab (same material, so close enough). I found the Jacket too tame for my liking. The Jacket, on the other hand, felt more responsive and satisfying to type on. I took off my socks, but the jacket was still on.
Mounting the switch was easy, but the flexing of the POM switch plate made mounting the switch a bit cumbersome. It’s a good idea to keep a pair of fine-tipped tweezers nearby in case the switch pin bends.
JRIS65 uses a daughterboard, so a JST cable is required. I didn’t want to take the board apart again, as the JST cable was weirdly short and the installation was very awkward. But once the board was assembled all my frustrations were blown away as it was worth the trouble.
Typing and gaming experience with IRISLabs JRIS65
Despite being a gasket mounted board, the JRIS65 bounced less than other boards I’ve tried, such as the CannonKeys Bakeneko, which is fine. It’s hard to explain, but the typing experience felt very controlled and the flex wasn’t overwhelming. is.
After taking the JRIS65 apart, I installed a new Drop (Gateron) Holy Panda X with new DCX profile keycaps. Typing on the JRIS65 was already a lot of fun with the linear switches attached, but the tactile bumps of the Holy Panda switches added some oomph to the typing experience.
Again, the overall typing experience on the JRIS65 felt in control, and it perfectly bridged the gap between springiness and stiffness.
JRIS65’s polling rate isn’t overwhelmingly high, and it doesn’t have RGB. Valorant tournament. However, this is a mechanical keyboard kit. You can even play ball with the right switch. Since it’s a barebones kit, you can use the MX style switches you want, whether it’s fast like Kailh Speed Silvers or heavy like Gateron Oil Kings.
the game i chose Call of Duty: Vanguard, because a new zombie map was recently released. The JRIS65 worked fine in-game, but I wouldn’t choose it over a gamer-oriented 65% keyboard such as the Asus ROG Falchion NX.
Software for IRISLabs JRIS65
Like most custom mechanical keyboards (both kit and non-kit), JRIS65 is supported by open source firmware/software QMK/VIA. QMK is a bit old and requires fairly extensive coding, but VIA is more accessible and is one of the best keyboard configuration software for remapping keys, customizing layouts and recording macros (lighting configuration alone and JRIS65 has no RGB). .
My full-time job involves a lot of data entry in Excel, so it’s a bit difficult to understand boards while working. However, VIA is so quick and easy that I put the number pad on the second layer. Was it practical? Not really, but it was better than the standard number sequence. JRIS65 has onboard memory and can store up to 4 profiles in QMK/VIA.
Conclusion
The IRISLabs JRIS65 has a starting price of $165, so I’m left with enough bread to buy more expensive switches and caps, but aside from the C3 Equalz Banana Splits, I’ve been using relatively affordable parts. I built mine. My keycaps are GMK peach blossom (opens in new tab) A clone I bought on Amazon for $45 (I missed the group purchase, OK), and the stabilizer is cherry clip in (opens in new tab) — it’s killer once modified. This is a great custom keyboard for under $300.
The custom mechanical keyboard hobby isn’t for everyone because of the long wait times and modest prices for group purchases. But if you’re just getting started, the JRIS65 is a beautiful, well-made, and relatively affordable custom barebones kit. However, if you want to stick with the pre-built ones, Keychron’s Q-series, which includes 65% of the Keychron Q2 and 75% of the Keychron Q1, are packed with enthusiast features and are relatively affordable. is.
