Review on Redragon K552 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard RGB LED Backlit Wired Keyboard - Windows Gaming PC (87 Keys, Black, Red Switches) by Ronnie Segobiano

My daughter uses this keyboard, we both love it, but it's really loud. We've tested other keyboards including Razer, Logitech, Cosair, and some varieties of Chery Brown and Red, but we ended up loving this Cherry Blue clone anyway. I decided to open it up and experiment (have to remove the keycaps to access the screws holding the top plate). Here's what I found. Noise is caused by: - Clicking on the switch itself. It's something we like over other switches, but the keycap amplifies that clicking quite a bit - ground noise when the keycap hits the switch box. The O-ring might muffle that noise a bit, but the square plastic base amplifies it many times over. Combined with an IKEA worktop, it sounds like a drumbeat. The sound of a switch hitting the switch box on the way up. You can hear this sound when you hold down a key and quickly lift your finger (e.g. while fast typing). This sound is also amplified by the key cap. The good news is that when you take the circuit board out of its square plastic base, all noise is reduced by about 25-35% (my rough estimate), the only perceptible sound. It's the quiet click of the switch itself. If you like a really quiet keyboard you can just make a custom base/base (like a foam block). You just need to cover the exposed circuit board from the bottom, the top metal plate is pretty strong and won't bend. I'm pretty sure it's even quieter than the typical Dell keyboards in my office. However, my daughter prefers a pedestal keyboard so I tried stuffing the inside with styrofoam hoping to cushion it and it seemed to work. But when tightening the screws it makes noise again. So the noise is transmitted through the screw supports to the plastic base, then the base amplifies it. The padding might have helped a little, but not much. To detach the keyboard from the screw rods, I cut out pieces of styrofoam the same height as the screw rods and taped them to the base with double sided tape. Racks of different heights, shorter at the spacebar and higher next to the function keys. When you put the keyboard back in place the circuit board and top plate will sit on top of the foam, I tightened the screws very lightly, basically the screws don't let the top pop out, don't hold it. This greatly reduces the noise. I also filled the base with thinner foam sticks to reduce empty space in case it would function as a speaker enclosure. There were still issues with the keycaps: switch flick, drop, and return noise. Instead of using o-rings, I stuffed a cotton swab into the keycaps, just a little to muffle the sound, and it acts like a thin layer of o-ring. The louder the silencer sounds, the shorter the travel. I didn't want it to detract from the great feel of the switch so I didn't use it much. I was lazy and don't stuff the function keys as they are rarely used, also for comparison. You'll have to experiment a little to find the right amount for your taste. The cotton blocks the backlight a bit, but not much (and don't look directly at the backlight after removing the keycaps, they're blinding). And finally, no matter how small the noise remains, it is transferred to the countertop and reinforced there. So I rolled a thin styrofoam bag into little legs and taped them to the keyboard, no sound from the tabletop. Overall, I would definitely call it a success. It was willing to compromise for a quieter keyboard but is now more than happy to keep it. I used to be able to hear her "break" the keyboard in her room from the living room, now I can barely hear the "slight" click if I'm really paying attention. She wanted an RGB version so I'll buy one to swap with her and probably experiment with the user base instead. See the need, fill the need! I'll experiment with the user base instead. See the need, fill the need! I'll experiment with the user base instead. See the need, fill the need!