Once you have decided you want a hot-swappable keyboard, the next question is which one, and that comes down to three things: how much desk space you want the board to take, how you want it connected, and whether you want mechanical or magnetic switches. This comparison works through each of those with the boards currently in the range.
For most people a 75 per cent tri-mode board is the right balance of keys, desk space and flexibility. Choose TKL if you want a familiar layout without a number pad, 98 key if you enter numbers regularly, and full size if you want everything where you expect it. Choose magnetic rather than mechanical if adjustable actuation and rapid trigger matter more to you than switch variety.
| Layout | Keys | Best for | Trade off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 68 key | 68 | Maximum mouse space, portability | Function row on a layer |
| 75 per cent | ~81 | Function row and arrows in a compact body | Tight key spacing on the right |
| TKL | 87 | Familiar layout, no number pad | Wider than 75 per cent |
| 98 key | ~98 | Number entry in a compact footprint | Very tight cluster spacing |
| Full size | 104 | Everything in its traditional place | Least desk space for the mouse |
The most popular size, and where the widest choice sits. The EK75 Pro is the reference point in the range: tri-mode connectivity across Bluetooth 5.1, 2.4 GHz and wired, support for both five-pin and three-pin switches, a 1.2 mm flexible circuit board, layered latex foam, IXPE and PET padding, and south-facing RGB.
That combination is worth unpacking, because the hot-swap part is almost the least interesting of it. The board flex and the foam layers are what make it sound and feel considered rather than hollow, and neither is something a switch change would give you.
The A87L is the wired TKL option, with custom hot-swap, tactile Dream switches and PBT keycaps. TKL suits anyone coming from a full-size board who wants the mouse space back without relearning where the arrow keys are.
The compromise layout, and an underrated one. The EK98 Pro offers tri-mode connectivity with hot-swap mechanical switches in a 98-key body, which keeps number entry available in roughly TKL-sized desk space.
The COOL 98 takes the same layout further, with tri-mode connection, five-layer gasket sound dampening, SOCD handling, a rotary volume knob and an 8000 mAh battery.
Two routes here. The A104X is the wired option, gasket mounted, hot-swap compatible, with an 8K polling rate, a TFT display and knob control. The A104 Master is the wireless equivalent, tri-mode with a 1.9 inch colour display, gasket mount with LATTE switches and an 8000 mAh battery.
| Connection | What you get | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Wired | No battery, no pairing, consistent polling | Cable on the desk |
| Dual mode | Wired plus one wireless mode | Usually 2.4 GHz rather than Bluetooth |
| Tri-mode | Wired, Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz | The most flexible, and the most common now |
Use the 2.4 GHz receiver for gaming and Bluetooth for a laptop or tablet. Most tri-mode boards, including the EK75 Pro, the EK98 Pro, the COOL 98 and the A98, switch between the three without repairing each time.
This is the split that matters most and the one least well explained on product pages.
| Mechanical hot-swap | Magnetic hot-swap | |
|---|---|---|
| How it registers | Physical metal contact closes | Sensor reads a moving magnet |
| Actuation point | Fixed by the switch | Adjustable in software |
| Rapid trigger | Not available | Available |
| Switch choice | Very wide | Limited to magnetic switches |
| Cross compatible | No. The board is built for one or the other | |
On the magnetic side, the EK75 RT is a 75 per cent wired board with Hall effect rapid trigger switches and magnetic hot-swap, so switches change without soldering. The A75 HE takes the same idea into an aluminium body with 0.02 mm actuation, an 8000 Hz report rate and 0.2 ms latency. The EK75RT 8K adds an aluminium alloy build with adjustable actuation point and rapid trigger, and the Thunder 68 uses inductive magnetic switches in a full aluminium dual-mode body with 0.01 mm precision.
Choose magnetic if you play games where the reset point matters and you want to tune it. Choose mechanical if you want to explore the switch market, which is far larger.
Two boards with the same layout and the same switches can feel unrelated, and this is where.
None of these change when you swap a switch, which is exactly why they deserve more attention than the hot-swap feature itself.
Layout and connection are the structural decisions. Within those, what you actually play shifts the priorities.
Desk space and reset behaviour matter most. A 75 per cent or TKL board gives room for low-sensitivity mouse sweeps, and this is the strongest case for going magnetic: an adjustable actuation point lets you set how far a key travels before it registers, and rapid trigger resets it the instant you lift, which matters for counter-strafing and repeated taps.
Polling rate is worth having here too, and the 8K options are aimed squarely at this use.
Key count wins over compactness. A 98 key or full size board keeps the number row, the number pad and the function row available for ability binds without layer shortcuts. Comfort over long sessions matters more than the last millisecond, which pushes towards gasket mounting and good damping.
This is where tri-mode earns its place: one board on the desktop during the evening and paired to a laptop during the day. Number entry frequency decides between 75 per cent and 98 key, and a tactile switch usually suits typing better than a fast linear one, which is a good argument for hot-swap in the first place.
If someone else is in the room, sound is the constraint. A gasket mounted board with multi-layer damping paired with a quiet or low-profile switch is markedly less intrusive than a bare tray-mounted case, and the difference is larger than switching switch type alone would achieve.
Worth setting expectations before spending on a set of switches.
| Changes with a switch swap | Does not change |
|---|---|
| Actuation force and travel | Layout and key count |
| Linear, tactile or clicky feel | Mounting style |
| Pitch and character of the sound | Case material and weight |
| Smoothness, if the new switches are lubed | Internal foam and board flex |
| Whether a failed key works again | Connection modes and polling rate |
The pattern is consistent: switches control feel at the fingertip, and the chassis controls everything underneath it. A board that sounds hollow with its factory switches will still sound hollow with new ones.
| If this describes you | Look at |
|---|---|
| You want one board for a desktop and a laptop | A tri-mode 75 per cent board |
| You want a familiar layout without a number pad | A TKL board |
| You enter numbers but want desk space | A 98 key board |
| You want everything where you expect it | A full size board, wired or tri-mode |
| You want adjustable actuation and rapid trigger | A magnetic hot-swap board |
| You want to explore switch types | A mechanical hot-swap board with five-pin support |
| You want the quietest typing | A gasket mounted board with multi-layer damping |
75 per cent, because it keeps the function row and arrow keys while leaving noticeably more desk space for mouse movement than a TKL board.
Magnetic if adjustable actuation points and rapid trigger matter to you. Mechanical if you want access to the much wider range of switches available. The two are not interchangeable on the same board.
Wired removes battery management and keeps polling consistent. Modern tri-mode boards using a 2.4 GHz receiver are fast enough that connection type is no longer the deciding factor for most players.
It matters at least as much for how a board feels and sounds, and unlike the switch it cannot be changed later. It is worth deciding on before you buy.
On the hot-swap models, yes, within the type the board is built for. Check whether the board takes five-pin switches if you want the widest choice, as the EK75 Pro does.
A gasket mounted board with multiple internal damping layers, paired with a quiet or linear switch. The mounting and foam do more of that work than the switch alone.
Compare the current range in the hot-swappable keyboard collection. If you are still deciding what to look for, our buying guide covers the checks worth making, and how hot-swappable keyboards work explains the sockets themselves.
Availability changes, so the collection page is the reliable guide to what is in stock.
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