After more than five years, I’ve moved my 28 mm Xiaomi Wiha screwdriver into the drawer and made a 45 mm Nanch my main tool. The trigger was a short bit scratching an aluminum keyboard case during assembly. Comparing Swagkeys and Geonworks sets, I chose Geonworks for the included H1.3 hex bit. The extra 6,000 KRW bought the sizes I needed and removed much of the worry about scraping a case.
Why I Initially Chose the Xiaomi Wiha Set as a Beginner Precision Screwdriver
When maintaining PCs and small electronics at home, I needed a reliable precision screwdriver set that was easy to grab and use. In 2021, I selected Xiaomi’s offering for its exceptional build quality and value. It’s a compact screwdriver and bit set created in collaboration with Wiha, an 80-year-old German hand tool specialist. I fell in love with Wiha’s signature high-quality bit materials and the sliding aluminum case design. Thanks to its solid finish, it served as a dependable main tool for everyday DIY tasks.
Comprehensive Guide to Precision Screwdriver Bit Sizes and Uses
The unfamiliar Y and pentalobe bits in the Xiaomi kit used to make me wonder what I was missing. It turned out they were mostly for opening iPhones, MacBooks, and Nintendo Switches. Since I rarely worked on those, they spent most of their time unused.
Phillips (PH) & Slotted (SL): The Basics of Everyday DIY
Ranging densely from PH000 to PH2 and SL1.5 to SL4.0, these are the most frequently used general-purpose sizes, handling everything from tightening eyeglasses screws to assembling PCs and taking apart common home appliances.
Hex: The Core of Custom Keyboard Building
Supporting sizes from H1.3 to H3.0, hex bits are essential for securing custom keyboard housings and adjusting set screws on knobs for devices like the DOIO controller. Notably, the presence of the H1.3 bit serves as the benchmark for determining a screwdriver’s practicality in keyboard work.
Torx: PC Components and Precision Electronics
Spanning widely from T2 to T15, Torx bits are frequently used for disassembling hard drives, laptop bottom panels, and securing various PC parts or small electronics.
Pentalobe & Tri-point (Y-type): Mobile Devices and Consoles
P2 (0.8) and P5 (1.2) are Apple-exclusive bits used for the bottom of iPhones and MacBook bottom cases, respectively. Y-type bits, ranging from Y0.6 to Y2.5, are mainly active when taking apart Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons or internal smartphone motherboard shields. You rarely need them for custom keyboards.
Other Special Specs: W-type, U-type, Triangle
W1.5 is used to remove internal standoff screws in iPhones. U2.6 occasionally shows up on tamper-resistant screws in multi-tap power strips or hair dryers. The 2.3 triangle bit comes in handy primarily for opening battery covers on children’s toys.
The Aluminum Housing Scratch Disaster and the Need for Long-Neck Bits
My peaceful tool life hit a crisis once I got into custom keyboard building. The Xiaomi bits are only 28mm long, which inevitably caused problems when assembling aluminum barebones with deeply recessed screw holes. Driving the screws in deep caused the screwdriver’s chuck area to scrape against the housing finish.
Seeing scratches on an expensive barebone made me decide to replace my tools immediately. The lack of bit sizes tailored to specific parts also kept breaking my workflow. Later, after seeing others at a keyboard meetup using Nanch screwdrivers with a 45 mm long-neck structure, I decided to purchase one myself.
Comparing Bit Configurations: Swagkeys vs. Geonworks Nanch Screwdrivers
Even with the same case and body, Nanch screwdriver bit configurations vary wildly depending on the vendor. Both Geonworks and Swagkeys—two of the biggest names in Korea’s custom keyboard market—sell their own Nanch sets. Both options adopt 45 mm long-neck bits, perfectly fulfilling the goal of preventing housing scratches. However, their bit configurations presented a crucial difference. I compared the two lineups based on my specific needs: keyboard building and light electronic teardowns.
Swagkeys (28,000 KRW)
Focused heavily on Apple-centric pentalobe and security Torx bits. Features duplicate H1.5 bit listings while omitting the H1.3 bit.
Geonworks (34,000 KRW)
Comes standard with the H1.3 hex bit required for knob fastening. Features finely segmented Slotted (SL) sizes ranging from 1.5 to 4.0.
I also put together a comparison of the standard Nanch, Geonworks, Swagkeys, and my old Xiaomi Wiha bit selections. It should be a useful reference for anyone choosing between them.
The Practical Value of the Geonworks Set Beyond the 6,000 KRW Price Gap
Looking at price alone, Swagkeys is cheaper, but my final choice was the Geonworks Nanch screwdriver. Since I don’t use Apple devices, pentalobe bits are useless to me. On the other hand, the H1.3 bit is an absolute requirement for assembling custom keyboard knob set screws. Lacking the right bit means wasting shipping fees and time hunting down a separate wrench. Even if it costs 6,000 KRW more, choosing the Geonworks set packed with the exact configuration needed for immediate keyboard builds is the right move.
The handle hides what I find the Nanch’s most useful feature: an extending shaft. Press and slide the chuck section at the front, and the slim metal shaft comes out from inside the handle. Fix it in that position and the working end becomes much longer. That extra reach is valuable at a recessed screw because the broader part of the driver can stay away from the surrounding surface. After scraping an expensive keyboard case, I had become wary of exactly that contact. The extended arrangement removes much of the anxiety and lets me attend to the screw instead of constantly watching the chuck against the finish.
Tool Setup Suited for Hobby Depth and a Two-Track Storage Strategy
The Geonworks Nanch has taken over as my main tool and now sits somewhere visible and easy to reach on the workbench. That placement reflects how often I expect to use it for builds, rather than simply storing another attractive tool set. More importantly, I can concentrate on assembling the keyboard without the same fear of marking its housing. Choosing the reach and bit selection around the actual work has made the process feel more comfortable. The improvement isn’t just in owning a longer driver; it is in removing an avoidable distraction from the task.
The Xiaomi kit remains in a drawer as backup. Both use the 4mm/C4 standard, so its special bits can go into the Nanch handle if I need them for a console or appliance later. A tool that suits the work feels worth more than the price difference alone.
| Bit Type | Nanch Standard | Geonworks | Swagkeys | Xiaomi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slotted | SL1.5 | O | O | O | O |
| SL2.0 | O | O | O | ||
| SL2.5 | O | ||||
| SL3.0 | O | O | |||
| SL4.0 | O | O | O | ||
| Tri-point | Y0.6 | O | O | ||
| Y1.0 | O | ||||
| Y2.5 | O | ||||
| Hex | H1.3 | O | |||
| H1.5 | O | O | O (x2) | O | |
| H2.0 | O | O | O | O | |
| H2.5 | O | O | O | ||
| H3.0 | O | O | O | ||
| Phillips | PH000 | O | O | O | O |
| PH00 | O | O | O | O | |
| PH0 | O | O | O | O | |
| PH1 | O | O | O | O | |
| PH2 | O | O | O | ||
| Pentalobe | P2(0.8) | O | O | O | |
| P5(1.2) | O | O | O | ||
| Torx | T2 | O | O | O | O |
| T3 | O | O | O | O | |
| T4 | O | O | O | O | |
| T5 | O | O | O (H) | O | |
| T6 | O (H) | O | O (H) | ||
| T8 | O (H) | O | O (H) | ||
| T9 | O (H) | ||||
| T10 | O (H) | O | O (H) | O (H) | |
| T15 | O | O (H) | |||
| W-type | W1.5 | O | |||
| U-type | U2.6 | O | |||
| Triangle | 2.3 | O | |||
| Total | 23 Pcs | 23 Pcs | 23 Pcs | 24 Pcs |
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