Comment by gregsadetsky
8 hours ago
Sort of tangent - but I've always thought there would be physical stores in big cities (like NYC, where I am) where I could try a number of different keyboards and keys since it's such a tactile experience.
But there seems to be no stores like this? So... is everyone ordering keys and keyboards, returning them, trying others, etc.? I know there are key switch samplers... is that it?
Thanks
Yeah, this is a US issue. If you go to Tokyo or Taipei, you will find physical stores in cities with many different kind of mechanical keyboards.
Not a US issue. A store near me has mechanical keyboards.
Definitely a some-areas-issue.
i would love to know more about this.
i live in the largest city on the west coast of the USA and the only stores i've found where i can press keyboards is Office Depot and the like, and at least in the stores that i have visited, they have not had mechanicals.
even when Frys was around, i don't remember them having keyboards out and about.
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I would love to visit a Tokyo store with mechanical keyboards!
My solution is to buy a mech keyboard from some well respected vendor and try it out. I return the vast majority.
If in Sydney: https://maps.app.goo.gl/q9symY7GrNh8GRNe8
ok wow - https://maps.app.goo.gl/6mxrDe8H9e4u1ru38 (in Tokyo)
yeah, that's what'd I want!
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Where in Taipei? I have been there a few times, so you can be specific.
It is such a niche market that even in a big city it doesn't make much sense to have physical shop dedicated to it. Most people into it are into custom dwsign and color, it would be impossible to stock everything and people would just go to the shop trying the keys and layout then order cheaper online to have the exact combo they want.
I don't even need to touch every configuration of all the things. I just want a place I can press a row of each switch type from all the vendors.
If you live in NYC take a trip to your nearest Microcenter, they often have tons of keyboards out that you can play with and get a feel for
for sure, that's probably the best option here in NYC/Brooklyn
but it definitely feels limited when compared with all of the options available online (that probably applies to most things)
there's a specialized store in Brooklyn for modular synths [0] - obviously they don't stock every module but still... I'd assume that a keyboard store would be... popular? maybe? haha
(((((((((should I start a keyboard store ahaha - I swear this was not market research)))))))
[0] https://maps.app.goo.gl/rvsPscrphv1iKU8D8
Rebalancing: ))
There’s the NYC Mechanical Keyboard Meetup if you would like to see and try different builds. Most people will let you try their builds.
https://nyckeyboardmeetup.com/
> So... is everyone ordering keys and keyboards, returning them, trying others, etc.? I know there are key switch samplers... is that it?
It's pretty wild the degree to which our lives and economy depend on cheap shipping/trucking. Why have a store when a truck can deliver a 100g trinket for someone three States over.
I mean, you still need a truck to get the item to the store...
Delivery is actually more resource-efficient if the store isn't within walking distance of its customers. If instead of making 10 people get in their car and make a round trip to the store/warehouse, you put 10 packages in one vehicle and deliver to everyone in the same neighborhood with one trip, you're looking at an order of 90% less wasted emissions.
> instead of making 10 people get in their car and make a round trip to the store
Tell me you’re in the US without telling me you’re in the US :)
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Stores, no, but there are meetups of keyboard nerds where people bring a bunch of them. There’s one in NYC run by a former coworker of mine: https://nyckeyboardmeetup.com/. Schedule is somewhat sporadic, and unfortunately you just missed the most recent one, but you might enjoy checking out their next event.
I want one for HiFi headphones / IEMs! I feel really bad to order two or three models that I want and have to return all but one, because I can't really tell the difference just by looking at the specs sheet. My ears should be the ultimate judgement.
A combination of key samplers and going with the first acceptable switch rather than trying all of them and going with the best.
Sounds like you need to attend the next NYC Mechanical Keyboard Meetup
wow! I'm sad I missed it last month! https://nyckeyboardmeetup.com/events/20260314/
any idea when the next one will be?
Pc hardware stores often have some keyboards available to try (mostly cheap cherry mx stuff).
If you live in the bay area, Microcenter Santa Clara has lots to try.
Central Computer too
Best Buy has keychron
They have lots of keychron keyboards to try, even weird custom ones, at Central Computers in silicon valley.
If there isn't a keyboard selection at somewhere like B&H's location on Manhattan's west side, it's unlikely for there to be retail display space for similar anywhere else. Setting aside even 50 square feet of standing height display tables with sample keyboards, as a product, is not cheap in terms of retail display space that could be better used for other high-volume, higher profit margin products.
In an ideal world we could have something along the lines of a ca. 2002 era Fry's Electronics in size and concept of broad selection of products. But you'd need something the size of the largest Costco to have a really full array of every type of electronic gadget/product that's available online, and as we know, Fry's went famously bankrupt...
I've thought about this. why not a boutique Keyboard Store in Grand Central? Every make, model, and design of keyboard and accessory.