Mechanical keyboards have become more popular than ever in recent years, largely thanks to the growing eSports community and high-level gaming tournaments that use them. They are high performance, they look great and they are very customizable. If you want to build your own hot-swap mechanical keyboard, here are some tips on what to look out for and what you need to know before starting your build.

What is a hot-swap keyboard?
Hot-swap keyboards are a popular modification for gamers who play first-person shooters or other games that require swift, continuous action. What do they do? They allow you to quickly change out keycaps without removing your keyboard from your PC and without interrupting gameplay. Hot swapping is not hard to do and can save you a lot of time when taking your gaming sessions on the road. You don't have to take apart your entire setup you can put it back together before you leave and take it with you if necessary. The question is, how do you create a hot-swap system?

Choosing Your Switches
There are several types of switches in today's market, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. If you want your gaming experience to feel as smooth as possible, you need a keyboard that can take a beating; The Cherry MX Red switch offers just that. With an actuation force of 45 grams and a travel distance of 3.2mm, these switches are considered one of the best for gaming because they are quiet (no clicking), low-maintenance, durable, and responsive. They also require very little force for quick presses during intensive gaming sessions.

Choosing Your Plate
When you buy a PC board, make sure that it is compatible with your switches. To do so, check out our switch compatibility chart: Make sure that you read down each column to check for compatibility. The first column indicates whether a PCB supports a specific size and style of the switch (for example, whether it supports Alps-style switches or Costar-style). The remaining columns indicate which switch type(s) are supported. If you have Alps-style switches but you buy a PCB that supports Costar-style switches, then it's not going to fit on your board don't say we didn't warn you!

Choosing Keycaps
If you're building a custom mechanical keyboard from scratch, choosing keycaps can be pretty overwhelming. There are plenty of factors to consider: comfort, style, color, and durability are just a few. We've put together a guide that walks you through everything you need to know when buying keycaps for your next DIY project. It covers topics like how much weight a certain key should have and includes resources on how exactly each type of keycap is made. Check it out if you're looking for help on your next customized board!

Choosing A PCB
There are plenty of PCBs out there and it is difficult to know where to start. I was in a similar position before I began building, but luckily I had some help. The most important thing is finding a reputable site that has been around for a while. If you aren't sure where to start, geekhack is a great place to ask about different manufacturers.

Final assembly
After all of your parts have arrived, you will be ready to put your board together. Most boards are fully assembled and come with a cable so now you just need to connect all of your peripherals (such as switches, keycaps, and LEDs) and then attach a case. If you don't have a case handy, it is easy enough for DIYers like us; just take some measurements and cut out holes for each component until everything fits snuggly in place. From there on out, it is just fine-tuning performance via software or firmware updates.

Conclusion
Once you have a good idea of what you want and need, it is time to start shopping around. A lot of users just buy whatever is available at their local electronics store (Best Buy, etc.), but that is not always going to get you what you need. If your primary concern is performance speed, accuracy, or durability it is best to shop online. There are plenty of great sites out there that can hook you up with all kinds of options, even if they are not necessarily in stock at your local retailer. That said, if you really like something in person or if it has features you can't find anywhere else, go for it! It never hurts to ask questions or try out different options before making a final decision. After all, building a custom mechanical keyboard is supposed to be fun! For more information visit here