Every industry is increasingly competitive. And even a common keyboard has launched various versions and brands. The initial mechanical keyboard focused on its switch body at first and then paid attention to its keycaps, details, functions and then to their appearance. Beyond my imagination completely, in this age, the mechanical keyboard has been walking into the trend of beauty as well. A mechanical keyboard can be customized and support DIY. I as an old man in the new era am not willing to be left behind. And I also bought the AKKO Mod 003 Gasket Kit following the trend.
A Sudden Decision
Buying the AKKO Mod 003 Gasket Kit is not a long-term plan but a sudden thought. On that day, I was typing at home and wanted to buy the kit. So I immediately put down the matter at hand and searched and selected online.
I have searched for a number of mechanical keyboard DIY kits, combining the price and personal habits, and finally chose the AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit, using the 98 series, which is also the most suitable for me at present. Although it is not one I am eager to get for a long time, it gives me a feeling like a long acquaintance.
After assembling the keyboard, I was so not only had a huge sense of accomplishment, and the whole is very much to my liking, it is simply cool to use, and handsome.
Who is the AKKO MOD 003 Gasket Kit?
The AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit has consisted of 7 layers, an aluminum top case, a plate with Gasket plus stabilizer, EVA foam, PCB plate, bottom dampening sheet, aluminum bottom case and decorative plate.
The axis body I assembled is TTC fast silver switch. In terms of the keycap, I have hesitated for a long time. But when seeing the AKKO world Tour-Shanghai occasionally, I have decided to buy it immediately.
At that time, AKKO Mod 003/004 kit was launched together. The difference is that the 003 kit is the Gasket version, and the 004 is the Top version. I finally chose the AKKO Mod 003 Gasket Kit. For me, an old green hand, I do not know the actual difference between the two versions. “GasKet” itself refers to the gasket. Therefore, I personally guess it means the kit is softer than MOD.
As far as the naked eye can see, the process of the AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit is elaborate without obvious flaws about its feedback. The AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit’s surface is also a fine-frosted process and brings a more comfortable hand feel. The overall color is also very even and did not find any color difference.
The AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit is a 98-key layout. It includes Numpad, function row and arrow keys, which is a full-sized keyboard in terms of its keys. It is really heavy but placed on the table very stable. Its case of it consist of two pieces of aluminum plate.
The AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit’s overall design is relatively rigid. But the lines can clearly show two styles, the outside line is a straight angle design, while the internal line parts are very rounded.
From here you can see the black foam absorbing noise.
What does the AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit Have?
Layout: 98-key
Case Material: Premium CNC Case
Case Colors (Anodization): Jade Green, Ocean Blue, Dark Night, Sakura Pink, Peacock Blue
Material: Aluminium case
Product dimensions: 400mm(L)*140mm(W)
Connectivity: Type-C Cable
Structure: Gasket Mount (Mod 003)
Stabilizers: Plate Mount, Pre-lubed
Included Foams: Case, Plate
Hotswap Sockets: Compatible with 3/5-pin mechanical switches, supports Cherry Switch/ Gateron Switch/ Kailh BOX Switch
Cable: Detachable Type-C
Backlight: RGB SMD light
Weight: (approximately 4.7 pounds)
Application: Desktop, Laptop, Tablet
Compared with a perfect keyboard, the keyboard kit is not so beautiful. After all, it is a half-finished product. The kit is equipped with a type-c cable and wrapped in a oam box. Keyboard Customized Kit (PCB, Mounting Plate, Stabilizers) were in the box.
The AKKO MOD 003 Gasket Kit and I
The AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit’s back design is relatively simple. The middle area is a concave design and installed a gold-colored nameplate. And on the lower right corner is the model of the kit. You can see the four long anti-slip strips, as well as a total of eight fixed screws, looking quite sturdy. There is without any sticker or label, making for a clean look with minimal branding.
Although it is unnecessary to disassemble the AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit if you plan to assemble it, out of curiosity, I still disassembled it for a closer look. The eight screws of the kit are well made, and look and feel quite sturdy. After disassembling the kit, I saw the black foam fixed on the plate and through the case, which also separates the main board from the metal plate. The PCB plate is also fixed by screws on the positioning plate, which will be more stable.
If you have a closer look at the PCB plate, you will find that every detail of it is in place, which is the normal process for AKKO such a famous brand. The bottom case has six screws holding the nameplate at the bottom, but I didn’t dissemble it and it seems that it doesn’t have a functional structure.
The PCB has a total of seven screws, which can be easily taken off. In order to ensure the stability of the PCB, these screws are pretty nice.
Aluminum is known for its structural integrity and weight. For MOD003/004, every part of the aluminum case is made to fit together perfectly. In the meanwhile, we are dedicated to reducing the hollow sound of the keyboard. To reach this goal, this kit is also equipped with muffled foams at the bottom, as well as between the PCB and the mounting plate. In this way, the keyboard presents a great silent atmosphere for typing experience.
The satellite axis is fixed on the aluminum positioning plate and I didn’t see the signs of being greasy from the outside.
The positioning plate is a gasket structure, which is to provide a softer and more elastic hand feel. And the surrounding black foam spacer is to fix the positioning plate and provides a certain elasticity.
I made a comparison between the slots fixing the upper and lower cover and the foam gasket fixed on the positioning plate, and I found the foam is shorter and I was ready to replace the appropriate length later and try the effect.
Let’s look at the backlight effect.
The switch I used is the fast silver switch. The official said that the switch is a fast-triggering, fast-rebounding, reliable and stable “superpower” gaming device, which is just like its name: fast.
The axis body is designed with a silver gray switch, transparent top cover and blue base. The silver gray switch is corresponding to the word “silver” in the name.
The fast silver switch uses the patented TTC double dust-proof wall technology. The design makes the switch more stable when operating, and at the same time can effectively avoid dust into the axis body, reducing internal friction and increasing the life of the switch with an official theoretical life of 100 million times.
A ring of dotted glue can be seen around the metal switch and how tight the position is that the bottom of the axis is wrapped.
The main body of the Fast Silver switch is divided into four parts: the switch core, the upper cover, the spring, and the base containing the trigger mechanism. Before selling in the market, the switch core has experienced the lubrication process, and the transparent convex lens cover can be compatible with a variety of SMD LED beads.
The spring I used is a gold-plated, two-segment long spring, which greatly improves the spring’s accuracy and reduces pressure tolerance, making the TTC fast silver switch pressure tolerance only keep±4 grams.
The next step is to start the installation of the switch. The installation process is very fast without any problems. And the following is the finished product.
If you look carefully, you will find that the four directional keys are fitted with different axes.
The Keycap I selected is the AKKO World Tour Series–Shanghai. When the first glance to see it, I feel it was very appropriate. Its design contains a variety of elements of the old and new Shanghai, and the color also fits the AKKO MOD 003 Gasket Kit.
The keys for letters and numbers are beige while other function keys are dark red and dark green with each other.
There are many keycaps with special elements, such as the cheongsam lady on the “Enter” key, the tramcar on the right “Shift” key, and the rickshaw on the “Tab” key, the Oriental Pearl Tower and the skyscraper on the “space bar” key s, etc.
In addition, in order to adapt to a variety of keyboard layouts, there are also a variety of sizes of additional keycaps, such as the right FN, ALT, CTRL keys, as well as the “Shift” keys on the left and right areas, which is the old-fashioned car on the left side and the tram on the right side.
The keycaps are all made of PBT material, dye sublimation process, clear textures and patterns on the surface, and uniform standard colors.
This set of keycaps is JDA height, which has a clear concave curvature you can see from one side to the middle.
I Want to Tell You…
My first simple customized keyboard about the AKKO MOD 003 Gasket Kit is simple. It is the first to write such an article and have such an experience. The kit leaves me with a nice impression and the process gives me an unforgettable experience. The whole cost is lower than a keyboard and the thing I favorite is the freedom. I have been like DIY everything, which is the only thing I can do according to my real thoughts.
Therefore, if you are a fan of DIY, if you want to finish a keyboard, or if you want a highly effective but cheap kit, the AKKO MOD 003 Gasket kit is your best choice.
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