Quick switch review: Akko Rosewoods vs Keygeek Y2s vs HMX Dirty Pinks

I’ve now installed the Keygeek Y2 switches in the Weikav Lucky65 V3.

That makes it the third properly thocky switch I’ve tried in this board, after the Akko Rosewood and HMX Dirty Pink. Since all three have now been tested on the same keyboard, this has turned into a useful little comparison.

Same board. Same basic build. Different switches.

And the Keygeek Y2 has surprised me.

The Keygeek Y2 is deeper than the Rosewood and Dirty Pink

The first thing I noticed with the Y2 was the depth.

Compared with the Akko Rosewood and HMX Dirty Pink, the Keygeek Y2 sounds deeper. It has a fuller, lower-pitched sound that leans more into the classic “thock” people tend to chase in this hobby.

The Akko Rosewood is already a very muted and thocky switch, but the Y2 takes that sound and adds a slightly more refined character to it.

It feels less like a blunt thock and more like a rounded one.

That probably sounds a bit silly, but once you’ve tried a few of these switches side-by-side, those small differences start to become easier to hear.

Y2 versus Akko Rosewood

The Akko Rosewood is still a very nice switch.

In the Lucky65v3, it gives the board a soft, muted, carpeted sound. It is one of those switches that makes the keyboard feel more controlled and less sharp. It is not loud or aggressive. It just sits there doing the thocky thing very comfortably.

The Keygeek Y2 is similar in that sense, but I prefer the sound.

The Y2 has a nicer, more refined thock compared with the Rosewood. It is deeper, slightly louder, and has a bit more presence without becoming harsh.

The best way I can describe both switches is that they sound like typing on a nice, thocky carpet.

The Rosewood is the softer and more muted of the two. The Y2 gives you a little more depth and character.

Y2 versus HMX Dirty Pink

The HMX Dirty Pink is a different flavour.

It is louder than both the Rosewood and the Y2, but it also sounds slightly higher-pitched. I would describe it as more creamy than deep.

That is not a bad thing at all.

The Dirty Pink has a very satisfying sound, and it brings more energy to the keyboard. But if I am specifically looking for a deeper thock, I think the Keygeek Y2 gets closer to what I personally want.

The Dirty Pink is louder and more lively.

The Y2 is deeper and more controlled.

The Rosewood is softer and more muted.

Loudness comparison

In terms of volume, this is how I would rank them:

1. HMX Dirty Pink: loudest

2. Keygeek Y2: slightly louder than Rosewood

3. Akko Rosewood: quieter and more muted

The Keygeek Y2 sits nicely in the middle.

It gives more sound than the Rosewood, but it does not become as loud as the Dirty Pink. That makes it quite a nice middle-ground switch if you want thock without turning your keyboard into a desk-sized percussion instrument.

Switch	Sound Profile	Volume	Pitch	Feel / Weight	Best For	Office Use
Keygeek Y2	Deep, refined thock	Medium	Lowest/deepest of the three	Heavier actuation and bottom-out, substantial feel	The best overall thock in this board	Yes, especially in a foamy build
Akko Rosewood	Soft, muted, carpet-like thock	Quietest of the three	Deep, but less full than Y2	Lighter and more relaxed than Y2	Muted thock and quieter builds	Yes, probably the safest office choice
HMX Dirty Pink	Creamy, lively, satisfying	Loudest of the three	Slightly higher-pitched	Feels heavier for some reason, despite not sounding as deep	A louder creamy/thocky sound with more energy	Maybe, but less ideal in a quiet office

Office use

The Rosewood and Y2 are both switches I could imagine using in an office, especially in a foamy build.

The Lucky65v3 already has that softer, more cushioned sound profile, so pairing it with a muted switch makes sense if you want something that feels satisfying without being too distracting.

The Rosewood is probably the safer office option because it is quieter and more muted.

The Keygeek Y2 is still usable, but it has a touch more volume and presence.

The Dirty Pink would be a bit more questionable in a quiet office. It is not obnoxious, but it is clearly louder and more noticeable.

Feel and weight

The Keygeek Y2 feels heavier in actuation and bottom-out compared with the Rosewood.

That said, the Dirty Pink somehow feels heavier to me, even though the Y2 gives the stronger impression of having more weight on paper or during a bottom-out.

This is one of those strange keyboard things where sound, spring feel, smoothness, and the way the switch rebounds all combine into one overall feeling.

The Y2 feels substantial.

The Dirty Pink feels a bit more forceful.

The Rosewood feels more relaxed.

A quick mention for Huano Sakuras

The Huano Sakuras are also worth mentioning if you are looking for thocky switches.

They are the quietest and lightest thocky switch I have tried so far. They do not have the same depth or weight as the Keygeek Y2, but they are very easy to type on and still give you that softer, deeper sound profile.

If the Y2 is the deeper, more serious thock and the Rosewood is the muted carpet thock, the Huano Sakura is the lighter and quieter option.

RGB and the red theme

One pleasant surprise with the Keygeek Y2 is the RGB.

If you like red, this switch works really well.

I have the red version of the Lucky65 V3, and the accent lighting looks great with the Y2 installed. The colour pairing makes the board feel more intentional, almost like the switches belong in this build.

It is a small thing, but with keyboards, small things are often the whole point.

Final thoughts

After trying the Akko Rosewood, HMX Dirty Pink, and Keygeek Y2 in the Weikav Lucky65 V3, I think the Y2 might be my new favourite deep thock switch. But overall, I still think that the Dirty Pink still takes the cake, and because of this, HMX has become my favourite switch manufacturer.

The Rosewood is still excellent if you want something softer, quieter, and more muted.

The Dirty Pink is great if you want something louder, creamier, and a bit more lively.

But the Keygeek Y2 gives me the best balance so far.

It is deep, refined, slightly louder than the Rosewood, quieter than the Dirty Pink, and it pairs beautifully with the red Lucky65v3.

For this board, the Y2 feels like a very strong match.

Keyboard Review: Weikav Lucky65 V3 - A less RGB 65%

Preface: I'm having to attach these introductory statements to give context. This series of blog posts is written from the perspective of me trying to recall what I was thinking back then, a reflection of sorts. Would I buy the same keyboards today? Most likely not. But I didn't get to where I am without experiencing these keyboards. With that said, I hope you enjoy the read. Thank you. 

Disclaimer: The HMX Dirty Pink switches were provided to me by Milktooth. They had no say in the creation of the content included in this blog. Should you be interested in getting some Dirty Pinks, head on over to their website (non-affiliated link).

Keyboard Review: Weikav NUT65 - I wanted more from my last build

Preface: I'm trying a different format to this blog post. In the last few posts, it was more about me just flowing, and it's not necessarily word vomit, but reading back to the posts, they were a bit of an exhaustive read! Well, at least I was exhausted, and I wrote them!

So with this post, I've made a conscious effort to outline my thoughts about the keyboard, sort them out, and write them in that process. I like it and will endeavour to use this format moving forward. I hope you like it.

Also, this is quite important – these series are written from the perspective of me trying to recall what I was thinking back then, a reflection of sorts. Would I buy the same keyboards today? Most likely not. But I didn't get to where I am without experiencing these keyboards. With that said, I hope you enjoy the read. Thank you. 

Wabi-sabi and the keyboard aftermarket

NEO60 Cu WKL ISO and EVO80 ISO – Both purchased secondhand, and both sporting KKB Ohm

I'm going to try something different tonight. I want to talk about another part of the mechanical keyboard hobby, one that has reinforced something I've been trying to practise more often: wabi-sabi.

The journey is the endgame.

That is something I have come to believe after my various interactions within the keyboard community. I think it really clicked after getting my third NEO board. You could argue that this is just me justifying retail therapy, and you may be partly correct there, but two things can be true at the same time.

One part of the hobby I was not prepared for was the concept of group buys, or GBs.

As someone used to shopping on Amazon, group buys were a bit of a shock. Even now, six months into the hobby, I am still apprehensive about them. There is also the possibility that I simply have not seen anything yet that would make me go out of my way to spend money on something I might receive half a year later, at the earliest.

But group buys are a topic for another post.

The reason I mention them here is because I think they are one of the main reasons why the keyboard aftermarket exists in the way that it does. Many keyboards and keycap sets are produced in limited runs. Once that run is over, that is often it. You can hope for another round in the future, but most of the time, if you missed it, your only real option is the aftermarket.

And this is where wabi-sabi comes in.

To set things up, I want to define what wabi-sabi means, or at least my understanding of it. At its core, wabi-sabi is a Japanese concept about finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. It is about appreciating things that are not flawless, not permanent, and not frozen in some perfect showroom state. You appreciate something for existing in the way that it currently is, warts and all.

That is where I think it intersects beautifully with the keyboard aftermarket.

A secondhand keyboard tells a story. It quietly says, “I lived a little before reaching you, my new owner.”

That idea has stayed with me.

Let's be clear, though; I am not dismissing pristine or excellent-condition keyboards at all. Those items stand on their own merit, and there is not much heavy lifting needed for them to sell.

A flawless board is easy to understand. It is clean. It is desirable. It photographs well.

But the keyboards with imperfections, especially minor marks, scratches, and small signs of use, often receive an extra level of scrutiny. Sometimes unfairly, I think.

Another thing I noticed in the hobby is something all gadget lovers and collectors experience – you want to use something, but at the same time you also love it when it stays new!

We buy keyboards to use them, then we panic a little when they start showing signs of use. Shout out to the owners of shiny GMK keycaps out there! I'm also dedicating this post to you all!

I digress, but this is where the concept of wabi-sabi really starts to make sense to me with regard to the hobby.

A keyboard with a few marks can be freeing. There is freedom to use it properly. Freedom to build it, rebuild it, type on it, move it around, and make it part of your actual desk setup rather than treating it like a museum piece.

When something is flawless, there is this strange instinct to baby it. You become careful with it in a way that sometimes gets in the way of enjoying it.

But when something already has a few marks, the pressure changes.

A pristine keyboard asks to be protected. A keyboard with imperfections asks to be used.

I want to be clear, though. Wabi-sabi is not an excuse to ignore the condition of an item or pretend there is no damage when something is clearly wrong. There is a difference between honest wear and hidden damage.

A small scuff that has been clearly photographed and priced fairly is one thing. A damaged PCB, stripped screw, or undisclosed dent is something else entirely.

What I am suggesting is that when you are looking at a keyboard for sale on the aftermarket, the age and imperfections can tell a story. They can become part of the object rather than something that automatically ruins it.

This really clicked for me with my TKD Cycle 7. (in case you missed my post on it, check it out here.)

It is not a brand-new keyboard. It has scuff marks. Not terrible damage. Not anything that stops it from being used or enjoyed. Just enough to remind me that this keyboard existed before it reached me. Someone else owned it. Someone else handled it. Someone else built it, typed on it, and from what I can tell, decided to let it go after careful consideration.

And now it is part of my own keyboard journey.

Being mindful of a keyboard's history is something I have started to appreciate more.

Not every keyboard needs to arrive in perfect condition to be meaningful. Sometimes the imperfections make it easier to connect with the object because it already feels real. It has lived a little.

Many folks in the hobby (myself included, just to be clear) often chase perfection, flawlessness, perfect sound tests, and the mythical idea of endgame...but there is something quietly comforting about owning a keyboard that is not perfect.

Because maybe sometimes, that is the point.

Maybe the best keyboards are not always the ones we preserve forever in perfect condition.

Maybe they are the ones we actually use.

That's about it from me. It's getting late, but these thoughts were something I had to write. I wanted to put these thoughts out there because the aftermarket has made me think differently about condition, ownership, and what it means to enjoy this hobby.

How do you feel about wabi-sabi in the keyboard aftermarket? Do you own any keyboards with marks, scuffs, or stories attached to them? I'd love to hear about it.

My first-ever barebones kit keyboard: the Leobog Hi75C Pro

The next keyboard on my journey list is the Leobog Hi75C Pro. It was my first ever barebones kit, and I wanted something that would not cost too much while giving me a proper taste of what building a keyboard could feel like, which was essentially unexplored territory for me!

I remember that this was around the middle of January and very early into my journey, but I was already neck-deep in thock. I was watching YouTube videos, listening to sound tests, reading Reddit posts, and slowly convincing myself that I understood what I was doing. Yes, that sounds about right.

The interesting thing with the journey is how you end up challenging yourself by learning new things. At this point, the new thing that I needed to challenge myself with was something that became a constant reminder of what I would end up wanting to do next.

Barebones kit.

A barebones kit is essentially a partially assembled mechanical keyboard. You usually get the case, PCB, plate, stabilisers, mounting structure, and sometimes a cable or accessories. What you do not usually get are the switches and keycaps, which you need to source yourself.

That can be intimidating, but it is also the whole point. Especially now that I’ve been in the hobby for about half a year, it is simply rare for a pre-built keyboard to include high-quality keycap sets from GMK, as an example.

I did my research and ended up choosing the Leobog Hi75C Pro. I managed to get it for just over £40 during an AliExpress sale, which felt slightly ridiculous considering it had an aluminium case, a compact 75% layout, RGB, tri-mode wireless connectivity, and hot-swap support.

For some reason, I chose the yellow version. This was not the usual Alan. When I get something, I'd go for black or something that looks professional.

At the time, that felt like an odd choice for me. I am a metalhead, both figuratively and in the literal sense, so choosing a bright and cheerful yellow keyboard felt strangely out of character. My feelings for wanting a yellow keyboard overpowered what was my comfort zone! But looking back, that choice foreshadowed one of the biggest reasons I fell in love with this hobby: the openness, variety, and freedom to make something feel like yours.

The keyboard hobby, and especially the community around it, encourages you to enjoy the various combinations that tickle your fancy. This individualistic diversity is baked in to the core of the hobby. Dark desks with bright keyboards. Serious setups with playful keycaps. Deep thock from something that looks like a slab of sunshine.

That is part of the appeal of the hobby. I love it.

The Hi75C Pro made a good first impression, but it wasn't all positive, with the software being quite a letdown. It worked well enough for what I needed, but it was not particularly intuitive. Thankfully, I only needed to use it for initial setup and configuration.

So what were my first impressions?

Honestly, I was a bit lost.

I had the kit, but I did not yet have the parts I needed to finish it. I had some keycaps, but they did not match the look I wanted, or rather, it didn't feel right to pair it with the yellow keyboard. I also did not have spare switches or the right-coloured ones. So I paused, took out a notebook, and wrote down a simple game plan.

That moment was more important than I expected.

I had spent so much time consuming keyboard content that I had almost forgotten to slow down and think about what I actually wanted. Writing things down helped me turn the noise into a plan.

My game plan was simple:

• work out what I could realistically do with the board
• choose keycaps that matched the yellow case
• pick switches that would give me the deep, thocky sound I wanted

I eventually chose TTC Venus switches, which looked and sounded far more premium than I expected.

For keycaps, I saw some really cute MOA-profile "Honey"-themed black-on-white with yellow accents keycaps. It was perfect!

Because I am a parent to two neurodivergent children, my free time is limited. Even after the switches and keycaps arrived, it took another week before I could actually build the keyboard. But when I finally had the time, I slowed down and properly enjoyed the process.

There was no rush. No deadline. No need to optimise every second.

Just a keyboard, a desk, and the small satisfaction of putting something together one switch at a time.

The build was completed.

It's been a few months since then, and before I finish writing this blog, I will be changing both keycaps and switches. For each keyboard in this journey, I will also be rebuilding it in some way. That means swapping out the switches, changing the keycaps, and seeing how much the personality of the board changes.

For the Hi75C Pro, here is what I ended up doing:

The new configuration of the keyboard uses the Wingtree BM11 switches. They're a tactile switch that offers a P-bump experience. It's decently weighted at 50gf with a 56gf bottom-out, and they have this nice colourway reminiscent of Cherry MX2A Petal switches. I was able to source them through Milktooth.com (do check them out). These are my very first Wingtree switches, and I've been made a believer.

Now for the keycaps. This is a topic that I'll be exploring sometime down the line, but in this blog, I'll be using a set of keycaps I purchased alongside the keyboard.

Please take note – I do not support purchasing clone keycaps when the availability of the original is present. When I say availability, this can be through retail or in aftermarket circles.

With that said, these keycaps were purchased during a time before I knew all the intricacies involved with the keycap side of the hobby. There's a lot to it and deserves its own blog post. But for now, this will be one of the last clone keycap sets that I will be using, and only because I bought it alongside the keyboard at the time. 

So what did I learn?

• I fell deeper into the hobby with my first barebones kit.
• I learned that building a keyboard is as much about patience as it is about parts.
• I learned that you can get a surprising amount of keyboard for around £40.
• I learned that bright yellow keyboards are apparently part of my life now. And many other colours (foreshadowing!) in the future.
• I learned that slowing down should be part of my thought process. Sometimes it is the whole point. Especially with the amount of information that we are exposed to on a daily basis.

I still like the Leobog Hi75C Pro. It has a solid build, it is easy to make it sound good, and it remains one of the best bargains I have found since getting into the hobby. Would I buy it again today? No. I have moved on, and the baseline of what I expect in a keyboard has drastically changed. Will I keep it? Yes. Definitely.

This yellow keyboard wasn't just my first barebones kit but also a huge part of the reason why I am enjoying my journey in this hobby at this moment. It was a key step during the early stages, and I appreciate that.

Keyboard Review - AULA F75 aka The Keyboard Hobby "Gateway Drug"

Today I am going to be talking about one of the most popular mechanical keyboards in recent years. A keyboard that many people consider the gateway drug into the mechanical keyboard hobby.

The AULA F75.

If you spent any amount of time watching keyboard videos on YouTube in 2025 or 2026, chances are you've seen this keyboard. Maybe several times. It became almost impossible to avoid.

The AULA F75 was the fourth mechanical keyboard that I purchased. This was back in late January of 2026. I've only been in the keyboard hobby for barely a month. In case you missed it, you can check out the previous keyboards and my respective write-ups for them (aka "the journey so far"):

• Keyboard 001 - Epomaker RT85
• Keyboard 002 - Womier WD75
• Keyboard 003 - Epomaker Galaxy68

At this point in time in the hobby, I already couldn't count the number of keyboard videos I've already watched on YouTube. There was this weird ongoing sensation where I felt like I was catching up on a hobby that I'd always wanted to be a part of...yet I did not know what it was.

There's also this one thing that I noticed about the hobby. You can say it's a negative, but there's some nuance to take into consideration. What am I talking about? It's an overwhelming feeling of FOMO (fear of missing out).

The FOMO in this hobby is very real, and it affects you in various ways and in varying degrees, and it hits you from multiple directions at once! But they all essentially have the same effect, and here's a humorous take on it:

• Level 1 - You see something. You want it.
• Level 2 - You see people talking about it. You want it more.
• Level 3 - You see people already buying it or joining the group buy. Now you REALLY want it.
• Level 4 - You start researching it. At this point, mentally, it already belongs to you.
• Level 5 - You discover a different colourway or variant.
• Level 6 - You go from level 1 to 5 and then realise the item is no longer being sold. It was a limited run, and now you can never have it. (thanks to INFILTRATION for this one!)

You've already bought three keyboards this month anyway.

And the cycle goes on! I am thankful that early on in the hobby, one of the things that I've realised is that there really is no "endgame" for the hobby. At least, in my case, I do love to collect, and I'm still in the process of experiencing a lot of things about the hobby.

Like most things in life that you end up spending a lot of time on, it's best to be mindful of things and savour the moments and experiences you have with it. With this thought in mind, I have realised something important about the hobby, and it's that THE JOURNEY IS THE ENDGAME.

I digress. Let's go back to a few months ago, and I saw a deal on AliExpress for an AULA F75 with the Ice Vein switches. It was a steal for £30, delivered. So, I took a punt.

After about ten days, I received the keyboard.

The packaging was simple and borderline frugal, as to be expected of something at this price point, but it did not feel cheap. It was a bit of a surprise, and my main takeaway after carefully inspecting the whole package was that this was the result of countless revisions on various parts of the package. It almost felt like a quiet flex of modern Chinese manufacturing. I was impressed.

So what's in the package? The box is simple, but thicker than the usual cardboard you get from China. There's some padding inside. The keyboard has a clear plastic dust cover, some spare switches, and a braided USB cable. There's also a quick-start guide that rounds out the package.

The box and padding are designed in such a way that they can take some serious hits during transport. Again, like I said before, the folks who designed this package knew what they were doing.

I take out the keyboard from all the packaging and hold it in my hands. The keyboard feels unapologetically plastic. Again, considering the price, this is okay. I am reminded of all the plastic membrane keyboards that I've typed on at work.

I took out the 2.4G dongle, plugged it into my computer, switched the keyboard on to 2.4G, and was greeted with the RGB lights. It's brighter than my Epomaker RT85.

Then I started typing...and I finally understood the hype.

The keys had this soft, cushioned bounce to them that felt strangely addictive. The sound was deep without being overwhelming. Every keypress felt smooth, controlled, and comfortable.

It was one of those moments where a hobby suddenly clicks into place in your brain.

I remember sitting there thinking:

"Wait...this costs HOW much?"

I used the keyboard for the rest of the day, and at the end of it, I was happy with my purchase. Quite happy.

Fast forward 24 hours later, I bought another AULA F75, but this time I opted for the 'Reaper' switches.

Leobog Ice Vein (left) and the Leobog Reaper (right) switches

When I received it, I immediately proceeded to do a sound test to compare the two. There's minimal difference, but what I can say is that back then I preferred the thocky sound of the Ice Vein, but today, I am loving the marble sound of the Reaper more, but only marginally (and probably only at the time of this writing). The feel of both switches is almost the same.

Would I buy an AULA F75 again today? Probably not, considering I've moved on (gone deeper into the rabbit hole) and my tastes in what I want in a keyboard have significantly changed.

Is the AULA F75 still a great keyboard? Hell yeah! It's still a joy to use, and I love the sound. Especially for the price, it just makes perfect sense as a recommendation for someone who's getting into the hobby.

The current configuration of my AULA F75 (Ice Vein)

Maybe you're looking to give someone a gift, and they're still using a membrane keyboard - the AULA F75 is a great affordable (Trojan Horse) gift for that loved one!

Looking back now, the AULA F75 feels like one of the keyboards that truly pulled me deeper into the hobby.

I close this off with a sound test video:

Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings, and I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please leave a comment if you can. See you on the next update.

You were supposed to be a gift...the TKD Cycle 7

This post is going to be different from the usual keyboard review. The review is still ongoing, and the next keyboard on the list is the notorious AULA F75, aka "The Gateway to the Mechanical Keyboard Hobby"! Stay tuned for that one!