Iris Lab exploded onto the custom mechanical keyboard scene with the excellent and affordable JRIS65. We were blown away in our review, so when we saw the company was returning with a new keyboard, we knew we had to take a look. The JRIS75 is planned to start at only $155 and may just be the best keyboard kit for the money. Whether you’re a new builder or an experienced vet, this is a keyboard that’s absolutely worth a closer look.
Specifications
- Current Price: ~$155 USD
- Key Features:
- Efficient 75% layout
- Quick disassembly
- Adjustable PCB gasket mount
- Information and Purchase Links:
- KeebsForAll - Group Buy
- MyKeyCulb - Group Buy
- Geekhack Interest Check
- Reddit Interest Check
- MyKeyClub Discord
- Typing angle: 7°
- Front height: 21 mm
- Material: Full CNC 6063 aluminum
- Case Options: White/Milky-White/Pink/Lilac/Silver/Black/Orange and Black/Grey and Black/Wine Red and Black/Blue and Black/Purple and Black
- Weight Options:
- Anodized Aluminum: Black/Silver/Gold
- PVD Mirror Stainless Steel: Black/Silver/Gold/Chroma
- PCB Options: Black/Silver/Gold/Chroma
- Plate Options: FR4/PC/ALU/POM
- Accent Options:
- Brass PVD Rotary Knob: Snowflake/ Four-leaf Clover/ Flower
- Brass PVD Badge: Iris/ Leaf / Butterfly
- Brass PVD LED Light Sign
- Dimension: 325*142*39mm
- Structure: Gasket+PCB
- Both PCB and plate adopt flex cut design
- QMK/VIA Supported?wired?
- Support PCB stabilizers
Iris Lab JRIS75 - What Is It?
The Iris Lab JRIS75 is ostensibly an entry-level keyboard kit, but there’s very little entry-level about it. I’ve built dozens of keyboards ranging from $100 to nearly $1000, and what the JRIS brings to the table gives much more expensive kits a run for their money. Iris Lab has paid attention to the community, paid attention to trends, and just like the JRIS65 before, the JRIS75 punches well above its class.
Starting with the basics, the JRIS75 is a DIY custom keyboard kit that uses a 75% layout, which is sometimes called a compact TKL. It features a full function row and arrow key cluster, but instead of breaking navigation and editing buttons into three separate columns, You have a selection of four in a single column along the right-hand side. It’s deeper than a 65% keyboard but no wider, which means it saves space on your desk but also balances gaming, typing, and productivity with aplomb.
Unlike many budget custom keyboard kits, you’re getting a premium, innovative design built from premium components. The case is CNC-milled aluminum and comes in two halves. It’s available in eleven different colors, so you can find a hue that matches your personality and keycap sets. The top half of the case can match the back or contrast. My sample was sent with a deep wine-red top and black back. The case sits at a comfortable 7-degree typing angle and cuts upwards at its upper edge, leaving room for an accent piece that’s visible from the rear.
Around the back are two weights, available in anodized aluminum or PVD mirror-finished stainless steel. One is centered in the back like a traditional weight but a second, smaller weight attaches to that angled edge I mentioned early. Weights come in black, silver, and gold for anodized finishes and black, silver, gold, and multi-color chroma.
The two halves of the case come together with a unique snap-screw structure. Instead of having to actually screw anything together, tabs on the top case snap into compression sockets. It’s strong enough to hold the two halves together perfectly and without any unwanted resonances while typing but allows the case to be opened faster and easier than any keyboard I’ve used before. The compression on these sockets can also be adjusted to make it easier or more difficult to separate the halves. It is innovative and excellent, especially if you open the case often to make adjustments or tweak mods.
Another change with this release comes with the gasket mount structure. Gasket mounting has become very popular in mechanical keyboards over the last two years, using strips of foam or silicone around the PCB to isolate it from the rest of the case, improving typing sound and feel. Instead of using strips, the JRIS75 uses silicone columns that slide into slots around the plate. They’re much easier to install (though are also easier to knock loose) and do a good job of isolating typing sounds and leaving room for flex and bounce while typing.
The keyboard comes with plenty of plate and PCB options too. For plates, you can choose between aluminum (which we were sent), polycarbonate, FR4, and POM plastic. Each of these impacts the amount of flex that will occur beneath your fingers, as well as the final typing sound. The plate and PCB are filled with flex cuts, however, and the gasket column structure allows even the aluminum plate to flex very easily.
There are four different PCBs available: wired solder, wired hotswap, wired hotswaps with RGB backlighting, and Bluetooth. The first three all support QMK and VIA programming. The solder version offers the most variety in layout support, including 7u spacebar, split Shift and Backspace, ISO support, and stepped Caps Lock. The hotswap PCB supports split Backspace and stepped Caps. The Bluetooth PCB does not support VIA and will use alternative programming.
The keyboard comes with multiple foams to customize your build. By default, you’ll receive plate foam, PCB foam, and two case foams. There is no set configuration you have to use, however, I think it sounds best with at least plate foam.
It also comes with an excellent carry case, nice coiled cable, and the opportunity for several gifts. These include an artisan keycap, a custom metal screwdriver, a plate support fork for flexible plates like POM, masking paper for the tape mod, and a keycap and switch puller. Iris Lab does consider the carry case, as well as the battery for the Bluetooth version to be “gifts” which is a bit strange, though not unheard of on small run group buys like this one.
The keyboard also comes with multiple options for accents in the upper right. You can choose between a blank or engraved badge, knob, or RGB light guide. Our unit shipped with the engraved badge and looks fantastic, but if I was configuring it myself, I would opt for a matching knob instead. Dedicated volume controls for the win. Like anything in this hobby, it’s subjective so you can choose what you think looks best for your own build.
What the kit doesn’t come with is switches, stabilizers, and keycaps. This is entirely normal for DIY kits since most users like to choose these for themselves anyway, but should absolutely be factored in to your total build cost. Depending on what you choose, these three required components could more than double the cost of your build but doesn’t have to.
Iris Lab JRIS75 - Assembly
The JRIS75 is one of the fastest, easiest keyboards I’ve ever built. Apart from the stabilizers, there are only two screws required for assembly. Everything else just snaps together.
For my build, I used Moondrop Lunalight switches, Durock V2 stabilizers, and Drop DCX White on Black keycaps. I started by laying the PCB foam on the circuit board and installing the stabilizers. Then, the plate foam and plate can be added. My built utilized the hotswap, non-RGB PCB, so switches could simply be present into place. The switches hold the plate, so there’s no need to fasten it down with a screwdriver. I then added a pair of gasket columns around the PCB using the built-in tabs.
With that done, I pulled off the top case, laid down a single layer of case foam, and plugged in the USB daughterboard (which comes installed) to the back of the PCB.
Before adding the top case, you have to insert your accent, whether it’s a badge or a knob. Since mine was a badge, the only two screws used in the assembly were used here to fasten it down.
With that done, you can press the top case back into place, add keycaps and you’re done.
The design here is so smart. The only issue I ran into was that the cable between the USB daughterboard and PCB was a little short and didn’t want to stay down. I used tweezers to push it off the edge of the case and back into place. It was a very small, easily solved challenge.
Iris Lab JRIS75 - Typing Experience, Sound Test, and Impressions
The JRIS75 provides a great typing experience. I was a little concerned when I opened the travel case and realized that I had received aluminum, the stiffest material, but the amount of flex cuts and the softness of the gasket columns really made it a non-issue. The typing experience was still very soft and well isolated, even under individual keys. The harder materials also added a bit of liveliness to the sound that might otherwise be muted by PC or POM plastic, so it was actually quite a pleasant surprise. I would highly recommend PC and POM lovers give Alu a try to go ‘round!
I tried the keyboard in multiple configurations — more than I usually would thanks to how easy it is to get inside the case. With only plate foam, I found the sound to be a bit more flat than I like. I attribute this to the amount of flex cuts, which is the one area where Iris Lab didn’t follow the current meta of the community away from these slits. But, using thin strips of painter’s tape, I was able to cover these and the board just came to life.
You don’t need PCB foam to achieve the poppy, foamy sound signature with this board. I did use it, however, and found that the difference 1) between taped flex cuts and no PCB foam, and 2) open flex cuts and PCB foam, honestly wasn’t huge. You can still hear the impact of the foam, but it goes to show how meaningful these cuts in the plate and PCB are to the acoustics of the keyboard.
I prefer a foamier sound to my keyboards, so left the PCB foam and used a single layer of case foam beneath it (two layers provide a noticeably firmer typing experience).
Have a listen and hear it for yourself:
Even compared to its biggest competitor, the QwertyKeys QK75, I prefer the final sound of the JRIS75. I can’t do a 1:1 comparison since my QK has a POM plate, but the JRIS75 is livelier and feels easier to tailor to my taste (though both keyboards are undeniably excellent). And you the QK75 lacks that easy open case which makes changing the internals much easier and quicker.
Final Thoughts
The final product is one of my favorite keyboards to date. That it still comes in on the budget to mid-range end of the spectrum is really impressive to me. It’s kits like this that really challenge the expensive keyboard kits the mechanical keyboard community has grown so used to over the years. Iris Lab did an excellent job with this keyboard. It’s one of the best options out there for the money. If you’re looking for a custom keyboard that looks, sounds, and feels more expensive than it is, and don’t mind taping off the flex cuts, it’s a fantastic option.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
