NK87 Aluminum Edition Keyboard Build: GMK Hammerhead Dark, lubed Glorious Pandas
Channel: ireakhavok
Date: 2022-07-14

This is the review and build of the Novelkeys NK87 Aluminum edition, and it is one of the more striking keyboards I own. It features a south-facing PCB, RGB, an aluminum case, a Silicone plate dampener, and a silicone case dampener. 

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Intro: (0:00)
Features: (0:32)
Build and Cost: (1:03)
Cheap Build and Cost: (1:28)
Comparing Entry Edition to Aluminum: (1:47)
Things to keep in mind: (2:10)
 Color Combination: (2:26)
 Build Timelapse and more thoughts: (2:57)
Invitation: (3:46) 
Sound Test, before and after: (4:20)
What is coming next: (5:28)

It doesn’t come with keycaps or switches, but does come with a fantastic carry case. Overall, the quality of this keyboard is fantastic. Let’s quickly talk about how this build came to be, some things to consider, how it sounds and feels, and then talk about what’s coming next.

I am not a fan of the Tsangen bottom row, and am also not a fan of the tray mount design, but I feel that I can look past these opinions to say that this is a premium keyboard that I am proud to own. The coating on this board is bright, and very hard to showcase. It is a very striking color and this video may not do it justice. Natural light gives a better spectrum to work with, so at times I’ll be trying to reflect natural light on it to capture what it really looks like. 

I bought the Hammerhead dark set, an NK87, a copper plate from Novelkeys, and some Glorious Pandas from microcenter. With this build I wanted a bright and colorful keyboard that caught my eye and had some compelling contrast. This build cost me 656 with shipping. 

One option that I thought was rather unique was the copper plate add on.

I did take a chance with the color combination on this keyboard, and was very happy to see that the light green and blue of the keyboard versus the keycaps didn’t clash at all and complimented each other. The copper plate and the orange stems of the switch housings also looked very great contrast to the bright, yet pastel, color of the case and keycaps. 
Of course the Tsangen layout did limit which keycaps I could put on this keyboard, and I would have liked to see how some of my other sets looked.

Because I didn’t want to re-open the keyboard, I went ahead and lubed the stabilizers before the original sound test. After I recorded some sounds, I lubed all of the Glorious panda switches, and was very happy with how smooth the keys felt. I do have to say the tray mount of this board doesn’t allow for any flex whatsoever so if you want a soft feel to your keyboard, this is most definitely not the board for you. If you are going to be typing tens of thousands of words, constantly, I would suggest going with the Entry edition or something that had a true gasket mount. It sounds really clacky and crisp. Lubing the switches did remove the small amount of ping, made it sound just a tad creamy, and also made the already smooth Pandas even more smooth. 

Custom keyboards are a hobby of mine, and I am always searching for unique builds that allow me to change my typing experience drastically. From soft and subtle, to functional or beautiful, I swap these boards out daily to enjoy the unique characteristics each board has to offer. For me typing isn’t just something that gets the job done. Just like an instrument, it is an artistic outlet that lets me enjoy every key-press. 

I invite you to join my community, experience and share something new, and help me to make more content. 

Next I’ll be building the DZ65 with a walnut case and matching wrist rest, and after that I’ll probably be building the Flesports MK870. The MK870 that has many features similar to the NK87 Entry edition, except that it was only $60. Hit that subscribe button to stay tuned and Let me know down below what else you’d like to see. 

Novelkeys NK87 ALUMINUM:
https://novelkeys.com/products/nk87-aluminum-edition

Novelkeys NK87 Entry edition:
https://novelkeys.com/products/nk87-entry-edition

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Krytox 205g0:

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