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Under $80 you can get a real mechanical keyboard. You will not get a custom gasket masterpiece. Buy something with a known switch, a standard layout, and keycaps you can replace later.
Layout and switches
Full-size if you use the numpad for work. 75% if desk space is the constraint. Linear switches if you share a room; tactile if you type prose all day. Hot-swap is worth it even at this price so you are not stuck with a switch you hate.
Skip the gimmicks
Skip screens, skip wireless if the dongle is proprietary and unreplaceable, skip “AI knobs.” A USB-C cable is the accessory that should not be unique.
Who should wait
Wait if you have never typed on a mechanical board — try a friend’s. Return windows matter more than RGB lighting modes.
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