MYMK 2024 drew a crowd of over 500 attendees, with some even flying in from Japan, China, Singapore and Vietnam. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
How much would you be willing to spend on a keyboard?
For the hardcore enthusiasts who gathered during the 2024 edition of the Malaysia Mechanical Keyboard (MYMK) meetup on Oct 28 in Kuala Lumpur, this could range from the low hundreds to the tens of thousands.
Community member and co-organiser of the meetup, Joshua Zen (also known as ZenTheGeek online), shared that he has collected a total of 12 keyboards, each averaging between RM1,000 to RM1,500 depending on the configuration.
Of course, these aren’t the run-of-the-mill keyboards you can pick up off the shelf at any mall; most are custom-built through limited group buys, making them highly exclusive, as another production run is rarely guaranteed.
At times, enthusiasts even have to wait for months on end to obtain limited-edition parts and rare keycaps.
Despite the increasing affordability of the hobby, Zen said that the more hardcore enthusiasts will still opt for more indie and community-involved manufacturers and designers, be it for aesthetics, typing sound, or typing feel.
But exclusivity isn’t the main reason so many are flocking to the hobby. Zen said that it all comes down to customisation.
“The keyboard is a modern, essential tool for the working adults of today. Every single task that needs data input from emails to assignments to any sort of project, it’s all done on the keyboard.
“So, having a customised option that truly reflects an individual’s personality through a look and feel uniquely their own is something really special,” he said, adding that it also allows people to create a cohesive theme for their entire desktop setup.
Zen says that the hobby is becoming increasingly accessible, with lower prices and more mainstream brands offering customisable pre-builts.
MYMK 2024 drew a crowd of over 500 attendees, with some travelling from Johor, Penang, and Kuantan, Pahang. Others even flew in from countries like Japan, China, Singapore, and Vietnam.
Zen said that the meetup was one by the community and for the community first and foremost, while also stressing that it was very much a team effort to organise.
The turnout of overseas guests was also no surprise, given Malaysia’s strong reputation in the global custom mechanical keyboard community.
The country is home to big names like TGR, SingaKBD, and Axiom Studios, which have been making waves internationally with some of the most sought-after keyboard designs in the scene.
Community first
Among the attendees at the meetup was Adam Row (who goes by Brownie in the community), a professional writer in his 40s based out of Kuala Lumpur. Row has been dabbling in the hobby for over 10 years.
For Row, meetups like MYMK 2024 are largely about reconnecting with friends in the community and getting sneak peeks at the latest projects others are working on. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
When asked what made keyboards a decade-long interest for him, Row credited the robust community that formed around it over that time.
“When I found out about custom keyboards, I was like, ‘Wow, amazing, it’s a way to build a custom tool just for me’. So that started my journey.
“I got into the community aspect after that. I think it’s what’s kept me in the hobby for so long. Not just because of the new designs and things coming out, but more because of the active community in Malaysia.
“Most people don’t realise that some of the top keyboard designers are Malaysian, many (keyboards) that people all over the world are lusting for are made right here in Malaysia,” he said.
When asked why those in the community bother with going through the hassle of building keyboards by themselves instead of going with something ready made off-the-shelf, Row likened the hobby to car enthusiasts.
“At the end of the day, a car takes you from (point) A to (point) B. But if you ask any car enthusiast, it’s not about that. It’s about the community of people.
“They have a genuine love for their tools. It’s the enjoyment of modifying and running and using those tools, having hot rods, that sort of thing. I think it’s pretty similar in keyboards as well.
“Just like hot rod enthusiasts, we love typing on our keyboards. We love the sound they make. Each of us has got different preferences.
“I think that’s probably the biggest draw. Even if you’re someone who doesn’t want to dive deep into the hobby, I invite anyone who uses a keyboard daily to create their own custom keyboard suited to them,” he said.
Row had a selection of keyboards on display, including one made out of actual Lego bricks.
For long-timers on the scene like Row, meetups like MYMK 2024 are largely about reconnecting with friends in the community and getting sneak peeks at the latest projects others are working on. He also took the opportunity to showcase a fully functioning keyboard he crafted from Lego bricks.
On the other end of the spectrum is 20-year-old student Aylwin Chin (known as Achj03 online), who joined the community right before the onset of Covid-19 in 2020.
Chin was responsible for the design of the attendee access pass at the meetup, which was a printed circuit board (PCB) that could be turned into a fully functional macro pad (a customisable keypad) with a few extra parts.
Chin says the community is tight-knit and attended the event mainly to meet up with friends in the scene.
When asked what kickstarted his journey into mechanical keyboards, he said that it snowballed from a video he watched during secondary school.
“From there, I really delved deep into the hobby and started learning how to make my board and design my own stuff, which is something not a lot of people do.
“And I think that’s what makes the hobby what it is. Making the things yourself and designing them to really personalise it.
“I think keyboards are a very standard product that everyone uses but sometimes with stuff like this people want something that stands out to them, something they feel that is personal to them like cars or watches.
“It serves one function but there’s a variety of choices just because people want something that fits them,” he said.
Like Row, Chin said the community is tight-knit and attended the event mainly to meet up with friends in the scene.
Another attendee, Nicole Lian, said she got into the hobby during the Movement Control Order (MCO) early on in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lian says she got into keyboards as a hobby during the Movement Control Order (MCO) early on in the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I only got into knowing the community aspect after I started working because I had a couple of colleagues who are really into keyboards as well.
“Once I joined the community and I started going to the meetups, it’s been really fun to see their passion and how excited they are about this stuff,” she said.
Price of participation
While at first glance it might seem like this is a hobby with a steep price tag attached, especially for something that generally requires self-assembly, it can actually be quite accessible, according to Zen.
“I would say it’s a hobby that has a variable cost of entry. It can be as low as RM200 to RM400. Whereas enthusiasts could really go up to tens of thousands of ringgit for just one keyboard.
“People don’t buy keyboards worth thousands of ringgit from the get-go. It’s influenced from years and years of trying out different and owning several boards.
“Members here on average own at least three keyboards, which is very unusual to the outside person. But they don’t just do it just for collection. They do it because it’s purpose-driven.
The committee responsible for organising the meetup is comprised of (top row, 1st to 5th from left) Windy En, Chun Loong Ho, Elvn Fong, Keith Wang, Jeremy Bek, and (far right) Zen; (bottom row, 1st to 4th from left) Tom See, Nelson Woo, Nguyen Chi Hien, William Sin. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
“Some have keyboards just for gaming. Some have keyboards just for writing. Some people have keyboards just for more technical work like video editing or coding. So I would say you don’t really need a thick wallet.
“You can buy the more affordable options. Just because it’s priced (relatively) low does not mean it’s bad,” he said.
He further noted a shift toward customisability among more mainstream and recognisable brands in the mechanical keyboard space, which are increasingly allowing users greater flexibility in changing the look and feel of their keyboards.
Mainstream brands are now offering hot-swappable switches – the ability to easily swap out switches without soldering – along with a variety of aftermarket parts and keycaps, enabling a greater degree of personalisation.
These brands now offer hot-swappable switches – the ability to easily swap out switches without soldering – along with a variety of aftermarket parts and keycaps, enabling a greater degree of personalisation.
Row similarly said that the hobby has come a long way since the early days, becoming more affordable than ever.
“When I started in the hobby, it was almost impossible to get what you would consider a budget board.
“But now, for anything as cheap as RM200, right up to the RM300 to RM400 range, you can get an extremely good board that would be considered mid-range already. This was something that was unattainable years ago.
“As more and more products come out, more of the budget market is going to be served, you’ll see these prices come down even more,” he said.
Despite the increasing affordability of the hobby, Zen said that the more hardcore enthusiasts will still opt for more indie and community-involved manufacturers and designers, be it for aesthetics, typing sound, or typing feel.
And as Lian put it, “Sometimes if you get a pre-built, it’s not your own and it’s not anything unique because anyone can get a pre-built. But if you build it yourself, that’s something that no one else in the world can have.”
