I really enjoy my Keychron a lot.

Keychron is my current preference. Open source firmware (QMK/ZMK), excellent build quality, highly customizable, and their stock QMK/ZMK firmware works with their web-based Keychron Launcher in any Chromium-based browser or you can use any other app that supports the VIA protocol. Keychron also has their own per-key RGB extension to the VIA protocol and I've recently added support for it in OpenRGB, so my Keychron keyboards sync with all my other lights. The only problem is their firmware has a limitation on the lighting configuration where each key has to be the same brightness in per-key RGB mode. I've opened a PR on their GitHub to fix it and flashed custom builds to my Keychron Q2 (QMK) and Keychron Q6 Ultra 8K (ZMK).

Keychron.

I have the Keychron V6 QMK with Red keys and love it. I do a lot of typing, which the Reds are not optimized for, but once I got used to them I'm not going back. The build quality is top notch. The software works well, my only complaint is that it only works on Chromium based browsers.

The nice thing about mechanical keyboards is you can always change out the switches. Or even have different switches on various parts of the keyboard.

aw this isn't about synthesizers :(

I use a 40% keychron with low profile brown switches. I use qmk to set caps to control, left alt + hjkl to arrow keys (vim everywhere!) And right alt to escape. I have two. One for home and one for work. Best hardware purchase I've ever made. Highly recommend!

Been liking keychron. Somewhat expensive but also nowhere near as expensive as it could be, especially given its quality

General use - Keychron. Great build quality, well priced, feels great to use

Ergonomics - Kinesis. The software is underwhelming but the actual keyboards are rock solid, I’ve daily driven the same freestyle pro for 5+ years without issue

Gaming - Wooting. Delightful feel, great build quality, and the configuration software doesn’t totally suck. Premium price but worth it if you care about things like actuation point and trigger speed.

Pretty much no keyboard will collect data on you, they are too often made to cost to afford the extra brain power to do that fortunately.

Keyboards are nice in that a good one will get better with age and use as long as it is kept clean (or you are up to the task of cleaning a dirty one). This means you will benefit from getting a used one. What used ones are easy to get depends on where you live a little bit, but if you are ok with something loud I'd suggest a Unicomp (reliable, durable, high quality mechanical parts, made in USA). If you want something quieter I actually really like Mitsumi KFK keyboards, not always using USB but if you are using a desktop it will have a PS/2 plug for the KFK keyboard, they are quiet cheap but shockingly good, not mechanical but Mitsumi just did everything right when making them. You can also just snag whatever looks fun when you search "used mechanical keyboard" in ebay or craigslist, no need to overthink it, keyboard designs that aren't good died off during the cost cutting of the 90s and 00s.

Here is proof that I know what I'm talking about and also proof that you can ask me more questions without bothering me because I like to talk about keyboards: https://youtube.com/@mandarbmax

I'm a huge fan of Kechron for keyboards. Fantastic quality. They are shit at making mice though. Get those someplace else.

A lot of love in here for Keychron. I bought one and really disliked it. I changed the switches and it got a bit better but I still wouldn't go with them again. I just don't like the feel.

I've also got an Epomaker which is fantastic.

GMMK keyboards allow any colors and pretty much any switches as everything is modular. However, their new keyboards don't appear to be as good as their old ones. If you can find a GMMK or GMMK2, those are the good ones.

With a mechanical keyboard, you can get a set of keycaps to suit your preferred aesthetic- including pudding caps to let RGB lighting do the styling.

Been a big fan of Keychron for quite some time now.

On the cheap end of the spectrum, I have several $30 RedDragon mechanical keyboards that are still going strong after 5+ years of daily use.

I use both Keychron and Durgod and I'm very happy with both (I wouldn't call my Durgod colorful since that's not my taste, but maybe they have options that would be your style)

I like my full size keychron keyboard with hot swap sockets personally (edit: mine is the keychron V6). Haven't tried many other "good" keyboards firsthand. They have all sorts of different sizes of keyboard available if you want something more compact. They sell their keyboards both as pre built and "barebones" (ie no keycaps or switches) with the idea that you can select the ideal switches for you and a set of keycaps that are the profile/aesthetic you are looking for.

Try to get one of their keyboards with QMK/VIA support. It's an open source keyboard firmware that you can compile and modify yourself. And since it's open source firmware, the likelihood that there is a keylogger or something snooping on what you're typing is incredibly slim ;)

I've always heard Ducky is the go to entry keeb. I'm running one and so far pretty happy with it. Nothing fancy, just a full mechanical keyboard

You need to set a budget if you want a good recommendation. Because if you can afford a Svalboard, that is absolutely the peak keyboard experience.

A tier lower than that would be the Bastard Keyboards Charybdis. Here is literally mine.

https://quokk.au/c/ergomechkeyboards/p/676194/blacked-out-charybdis

The Bastard Keyboards Scylla is even cheaper, if you don't want the integrated trackball of the Charybdis.

Regardless, check out the community for more ergonomic keyboard suggestions: !ergomechkeyboards@lemmy.world

If you don't need something that's ergonomic, Keychron is the go-to for cheap-yet-quality mechanical keyboards.

I like low profile keyboards, not Mt Everest leycaps. My go-to is the Keychron K5 SE. Full numpad, low height, quiet optical mechanical keys. I made my office buy me one, and bought myself the same one for home use so I don't have to adapt to a slightly different layout at home.

It can be Bluetooth connected, buy I keep it wired. Lots of backlight colour options, fancy splashy ripple stiff, but I like a plain white backlight.

A couple I have enjoyed are the vortex pok3r 60% with cherry MX switches and pbt key caps or epomaker aula f75 75% 3 way wifi/Bluetooth/wired.

I think I'd get a Keychron or a Unicomp if I didn't have my Model M.

I have a Wobkey Rainy 75 and it’s by far the best keyboard I’ve ever bought/used. That being said, don’t go out of your way to buy one since they have gotten far more expensive than when I bought mine AND support for it has been very difficult. Yeah this was one of the many Kickstarter keyboards that was sent to a bunch of keyboard reviewers and they hyped it up massively, which I got swept up in. I’m just glad my keyboard was actually delivered at the end of the day.

I had a used keychron for a long time and loved it except for the non-swappable clicky switches. Highly recommend them.

I liked my Vortex Race3 so much i bought a second one for work when i used to commute. I'm glad i did, they seem to be discontinued now :( but its easily the best 75% layout i've used.

I use a FalbaTech keyboard and can definitely recommend those. Expecting this one to last forever!

I want a flux keyboard... its crazy and fancy. But im sitting 16 hours a day on my desk lol.

If you can get a prebuilt from NovelKeys or kbdfans it will be the best keyboard you ever owned.

In my unfortunate opinion, Apple makes the best keyboards. Low profile keys, amazing scissor switch feel, strong and light aluminium case. They are just the best. I managed to pick one up second hand for quite cheap.