You can get low profile switches with that pin config on aliexpress. I did it once for a Redragon board with browns.

EDIT: Looks like Amazon has them too.

I’m intrigued. But yeah, the keycaps are odd. Why are they like that? Also, who not go full ergo, with an angled height and curvature, etc., like a Kinesis or a Charybdis?

You “snapped the numpad off” and the rest of the board kept working?! I wish to subscribe to your blog.

This is sexy. I need details.

It’s a good thing it has dual spacebars, or else this board would be seriously flawed.

How did you even type those characters?!

I would love to honestly

Is that bad?

Where do you get it actually manufactured?

I upvoted because I also want to see someone answer accurately. Because I have no clue, and wish I did.

This was about all I could find new that was 75% or larger. I can’t speak to the quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanical-Adjustable-Backlight-MageGee-Anti-ghosting/dp/B0CW2XV3T3?xpid=wqChTqJG_kHqz

I don’t care for how this article assumes I know nothing about stabilizers; something I know a great deal about. And there was only one brand it mentioned that I haven’t heard of, but it was worth reading the article just for that, since they look promising.

At that price point I have had good luck with Redragon boards before now. Stick with their newer stuff, which is going to be have your Hotswappable sockets on the PCB. I think Redragon gives you a lot of bang for your buck. And especially with the gasket mounted ones like the one I’m throwing a link in here for, you get a lot of acoustic padding, just a lot of features for very short money. And they’ve actually been reliable for me even when I’ve beaten the crap out of them or ripped them apart multiple times. That said, I have mainly worked with their older style boards that are tray mounted. I’ve been meaning to try out one of their gasket mounted mount models, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. Anyway, for this money, I don’t think you can really go wrong here. This one is 65%, but there’s plenty of other stuff to look at there. Just remember, if it doesn’t specifically say Hotswappable, then it isn’t. Full stop.

https://redragonshop.com/products/nova-k709?_pos=4&_fid=4b8f22c16&_ss=c

If your budget is $10, and you like that board, stick with it. If you can get to the $40-$60 range, I can recommend some stuff.

That is not sounding hot swappable. Did you disassemble the board and look at the underside of the PCB? EDIT: I did a quick search. This is not a hot swappable board.

1. HK Gaming Pudding Keycaps

2. • Double-shot ABS with high shine-through
   • Black or white options
   • Fits 75% layouts with extras included
   • ~$25–35 USD
   • [Search “HK Gaming Pudding Keycaps” on Amazon or eBay]

3. YMDK Shine-Through Keycaps

4. • ABS, available in various fonts/styles
   • Comes with full-size and compact layout support
   • ~$20–30
   • [Search “YMDK shine through keycaps”]

5. SteelSeries PrismCaps

6. • High-end shine-through PBT
   • Designed for RGB clarity
   • Compatible with all Cherry MX boards, including 75%
   • ~$30–40
   • [Search “SteelSeries PrismCaps”]

MechanicalKeyboards.com (More enthusiast brands)

4. Tai-Hao Double Shot ABS Shine-Through
5. • Reputable brand, decent quality
   • Usually supports 75% boards
   • ~$35–50
   • https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/

Aliexpress (Cheaper but slower shipping)

5. XVX / Gliging / Geekark Shine-Through Sets
6. • Just make sure they list “75% compatible” and include a layout image
   • ~$15–30
   • Check seller reviews before purchasing

Tariff prices blow up your shipping charges last time I check on Ali a couple weeks ago.

Notes:

• Avoid keycap sets that say “OEM Non-Backlit” or “Dye-Sub PBT” — they usually don’t shine through.

Hey, I totally get feeling overwhelmed — there’s a lot of little details with mechanical keyboards, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. Here’s a clear breakdown to help make things easier:

Backlit Keycaps

• You’re right to care — if you need shine-through keycaps for a bright room, the black RK R75 may be the only default option.
• But you’re not stuck forever with just that. You can always:
• • Buy a backlit-compatible keycap set later (just make sure it supports Cherry profile (which virtually all of them do), shine-through legends (the letters and numbers etc.), and a 75% layout).

Swapping Switches & Keycaps

• The R75 is hot-swappable, so you don’t need to take the whole thing apart just to change switches or keycaps.
• • If you ever want to do deeper mods like sound dampening, then you’d need to open it up and be careful with the internal cables. But that’s optional.

Firmware & Software

• RK’s software is basic but functional — not as polished as Razer Synapse, but it lets you do the essentials: lighting, remapping, and macros.
• You don’t need to worry about installing weird software just to make it usable. It works out of the box.

Should You Pull the Trigger?

• If it checks your must-haves (tactile switches, backlight, 75% layout, decent price), and you’re not looking to do advanced mods or ultra-specific remapping, it’s a great value.
• It’s better-built than most other keyboards at this price, and you’ll get a solid typing experience right out of the box.
• For me personally, if I am unsure on a purchase, I always like to get a good night’s sleep before deciding. It may sound cliché, but I am much closer to my best when I wake up in the mornings, and have had copious amounts of caffeine.

Let me know if you want a list of compatible shine-through keycap sets for that board, and I’ll see what I can find.

Those key caps will work fine, but you’re correct. They’re not shine through key caps. I didn’t know that that was a dealbreaker for you but yes, the black one probably does have the shine through key caps. No, you don’t have to pull it apart to swap switches or keycaps. All I was referring to was if you wanted to add an extra layer of acoustic padding or something along those lines inside the case, then you would need open it up. No Hotswappable keyboard would make you open it up in order to swap keycaps or switches. That’s always easy. And 99% of keycaps out there now are for cherry stem switches, which is what 99% of switches are these days. This includes the switches and keycaps on your Razer. Sorry if I wasn’t clear, or if I added an unnecessary layer of confusion.

There’s definitely other color options.

https://rkgamingstore.com/collections/75-keyboards

I have only had one RKGaming keyboard so far, but right out of the box. It was honestly just delightful. The stabilizers are good. The keys sound good, even the switches are terrific. The build quality is astonishing for what they cost. I know plenty of people will knock them, but I think they are just absolutely dynamite for the money. My one caution would be, if you decide you wanna know, put an extra layer of acoustic padding in there or something, and you want to disassemble it?; They are not quite as disassembly-friendly as something like a Keychron. There’s a little bit of, you know, pry open plastic tabs, and there’s some cables in there that are a little more delicate than I would like; that kind of thing. It’s still totally doable. You just have to be a little bit more careful than you would with something that’s designed to be really disassembled and customized on that level. But like I said right out of the box I thoroughly enjoyed it and if you get one with one of those little screens, those are just a lot of fun.

Oh and here’s some keycaps so you can really spice up the colors. I bought this set myself. These are the nicest keycaps I have purchased yet, other than my Signature Plastics ones, which cost literally 5 times as much.

https://a.co/d/5RzzlhM

Ok, with nothing to go on, here’s a few ideas:

Redragon K681 - https://a.co/d/idxD49Y

RK Gaming/Royal Kludge R76 - https://a.co/d/3ZEqlef

Ducky Tinker 75 ProjectD - https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/products/ducky-tinker-75