The Class D Gigant was my clear favorite at today’s keyboard meetup. More than half the boards on the tables were new to me, which made exploring enjoyable in itself. Even so, I kept returning to the Gigant. That physical impression is something no photo or specification sheet can convey, and the reason meetups are worthwhile.
These are a few that stayed with me. The photos are quick phone shots, so the quality isn’t ideal.
The Fun of Reading Spec Cards
Long tables were pushed together, with keyboards brought by attendees lined up all across them. Each keyboard had a small spec card attached next to it. It was a template where you fill in your nickname, keyboard model, mounting style, foam, plate material, switches, and keycaps.
There were even checkboxes indicating whether you could only type on it or if you were allowed to pick it up. Even for keyboards I had never seen before, reading the card first gave me a good idea of what to expect. The notes section was the real highlight, though. The owner’s personal taste showed through a single line of notes far more than any list of specs. I can’t tell you how many times I caught myself chuckling while reading those notes.
Everyone Came with GMK, I Brought PBT
What I brought was my CanonKeys Gentoo, paired with PBT replica keycaps. I love the signature slightly rough texture and deep sound of PBT keycaps. That understated feel that you never get tired of using is right up my alley.
After walking around, I felt almost everyone else had chosen GMK. That doesn’t make one material better than another. Hearing how caps changed the same kind of board was part of the fun, and helped confirm why I like PBT.
Sho S60: Heavy Key Weight That Keeps Your Fingers Working
The Sho S60 is a 60% keyboard with an HHKB layout—the kind with Ctrl in the Caps Lock position and empty bottom corners. Right from the first stroke, the key weighting hits hard. Every press makes your fingers feel like they’re shouting, “Working hard over here!” It used a top mount with URSA Classic Alpha and Blue Modifier keycaps. It looks neat and orderly, but the typing feel is anything but gentle.
If you tend to type with a light, skimming touch, it might be a bit much. But if you’re the type to press deep and firm, the feedback is undeniably solid. The notes section had a line reading, “Anyone who wants to try EC, talk to me…” The sheer confidence in that single sentence cracked me up. It’s a keyboard that stays in your memory long after, rather than one for daily driving.
gift80: Cute Appearance, Full Aluminum Plot Twist
When I first saw the gift80, it looked like a cute plastic keyboard. With its wine-colored case, keycaps featuring ribbons and cats, and a tiny screen attached, it looked almost like a toy. Honestly, at first glance, you might easily walk past it thinking it’s just a cute gimmick. But it’s actually full aluminum. It features a gasket mount, a PP plate, and a fully filled foam build.
In person, its presence easily rivaled QK boards. What caught me the most were the Neo-Lie switches. Every keystroke produced a bubbly, poppish sound that I absolutely fell in love with. I’m seriously considering picking up a set of those switches on their own. In terms of contrast between looks and actual build quality, this was number one today.
SENA Raw: Even Better on the Second Try
I had already tried the SENA Raw at a previous meetup, so this was a chance to check the first impression against another encounter. Sometimes a keyboard that feels wonderful once becomes less convincing on the second try. Here, the opposite happened: it seemed to fit my hands even better. Meeting a familiar board again is part of the pleasure of these gatherings, not just searching for something entirely new. I still don’t think I could make the raw finish work in my own setup. A black version is what I would want, even though the feel of this example made me linger.
It had a silver case highlighted by a red ESC key, paired with cream alphas, black modifiers, and red legends. With “ROCK” and “ROLL” custom keys plus a plush artisan keycap, the owner’s aesthetic was crystal clear. Even so, the typing feel stood out in my memory far more than the decorations. It made me realize what kind of keyboard makes you come back for more.
Class D Gigant: A Buzzing Tactile Feel That Reaches Your Left Hand
Now for my absolute top pick: the Class D Gigant.
Two attendees (a couple?) brought a matching pair of Class D boards, and as soon as I typed on it, I completely understood why. From its hairline-finished aluminum case topped with Cyrillic keycaps, it looked anything but ordinary. Typing with my right hand sent a resonant buzzing vibration straight into my left hand resting on the case. It made me realize how much I love a keyboard where the physical vibration hits your hands before the sound even reaches your ears.
I kept typing on it far longer than I’d meant to. The feel was difficult to leave behind.
The version I tried was the 3rd Edition, and I heard the barebones kit costs just under 1 million KRW (about $750). Certainly not small change. Adding keycaps and switches makes the math even scarier. But thinking back to that lingering vibration in my left hand, I’ll probably put down a preorder for the 4th Edition. I’ve already made up my mind to get in on the group buy for the black colorway.
I tried a great many boards during the visit, yet on the way home my thoughts kept returning to the same one. The visual details were memorable, but it was the vibration left in my hand that kept replaying in my head. That makes the idea of a favorite quite easy to understand. It isn’t the winner of a carefully scored specification table; it is the keyboard whose sensation stays after the whole room of alternatives has been left behind. For this meetup, the Gigant was unquestionably that board for me.
Two Straight Rock-Paper-Scissors Losses, But Two Tasks Left
At the end, there was a prize raffle. Among several prizes, I targeted just one cute character artisan keycap and tried twice. The first round was a 4-person rock-paper-scissors game to pick 3 winners, and I was the single person eliminated. The second round was 1-on-1, and I lost again. Getting knocked out twice in a row for the exact same keycap just made me laugh out loud. Haha.
On the bright side, I walked away with a TX stabilizer tester. Glad I didn’t leave empty-handed. Now I’m left with two homework assignments: deciding whether to buy a set of Neo-Lie switches, and making sure I jump on the group buy for the Gigant 4th Edition in time. My fingertips are already itching to see what brand-new keyboards will show up at the next meetup.
