lcd screen keyboard price

For the last fifteen years or so, custom mechanical keyboards have been getting more and more wild. From artisan keycaps to super-specific switches to 3D-printed cases, we’ve seen it all. Well, we thought we had, until we saw this. The Finalmouse Centerpiece Keyboard features completely transparent mechanical keycaps and switches, resting on top of a fully-functional LCD screen. Why? Why the hell not?

The keyboard’s pre-loaded video skins react to the user’s typing, very much like a gaming keyboard, but the CG videos underneath can dynamically shift in real-time as they’re built in the Unreal game engine. New skins (free and paid) will be made available via a Steam app. The screen and video run on a CPU and GPU internal to the keyboard itself, with no resources taken from the attached PC. Up to three videos can be loaded and selected on the hardware.

How does it work? Finalmouse says that the screen uses a “Laminated DisplayCircuit Glass Stack.” What it looks like is a super-thin, transparent membrane beneath the switches that house hair-like electrical wiring, establishing the matrix circuit required for the keypresses to register. It’s a remarkable redesign of some fairly basic keyboard components, all sitting on top of the LCD screen.

The 65-percent board is housed in a customized CNC-milled case, with controls for the screen embedded in the side. The keys and screen itself are gasket-mounted, with linear switches based on the BlackInk design. Finalmouse says the board is “completely gamer-proof and able to withstand intense abuse,” though exactly what that means isn’t mentioned.

Shockingly, Finalmouse’s video says the keyboard will cost $349 when it goes on sale early next year. That’s a lot for a standard mechanical keyboard, but it’s less than the price of a lot of custom, boutique builds — a GMMK Pro with all the trimmings comes in at the same price, for example. Note that in order to get that mesmerizing screen, you’ll have to give up a few of the premiums associated with high-end boards, like a dedicated knob, wireless options, and swappable switches.

But who cares? If you want to get those upvotes on /r/battlestations, you’ll need the coolest, most ridiculous keyboard around. And as of 2023, that’ll be the Centerpiece. Until someone finds a way to let you literally type on water, I suppose.

Boutique gaming mouse manufacturer Finalmouse has big plans for its first foray into the mechanical keyboard market. Its Finalmouse Centerpiece is an eye-catching $349 keyboard that has a screen embedded underneath its transparent keycaps and switches. The effect is that it looks like you’re typing on the screen directly, while (hopefully) maintaining the feel and tactility of traditional mechanical switches.

There’s been at least one similar attempt at this idea made in the past: the Optimus Popularis. But while the Popularis used its screen (which was only visible through its individual transparent keys) to display useful information like keyboard shortcuts, Finalmouse’s seems to be far more cosmetic.

In the trailer, we see the keyboard showing a number of different visualizations, including Matrix-style green scrolling text and nature videos. Sometimes they’re interactive — like a pool of water that dynamically splashes when you touch a corresponding key — and in one case, the keyboard is even shown running a simple interactive game. The company is calling the technology behind this combination display and mechanical switch its “DisplayCircuit Glass Stack.”

Finalmouse says the keyboard is capable of storing three skins at a time, which can be switched on the keyboard itself. Additional skins will be downloadable from an app it’s calling “The Freethinker Portal” (seriously), and it says creators will be able to upload and charge for skins they’ve created. Each skin runs on the keyboard’s built-in CPU and GPU, and Finalmouse says they’re powered by Unreal Engine 5.

My big question is what this keyboard actually feels like to type on because the Optimus Popularis was basically unusable as a regular keyboard. Reassuringly, the Finalmouse Centerpiece uses standard Cherry MX-style switches, which should guarantee a certain level of quality. It’s collaborated with switch manufacturer Gateron to develop what it’s calling a “custom autolubed linear mechanical switch” based on Gateron’s existing and generally well-liked Black Ink linear switch.

The overall layout is compact and roughly 65 percent, which means you get an arrow key cluster but no function row. It’s a little hard to get a good view of the Centerpiece’s keycaps from Finalmouse’s trailer, but they appear to be low in profile and relatively flat in contrast to the scooped keycaps found on most mechanical keyboards.

In a move that’s presumably meant to allow as much screen as possible to shine through each keycap, their legends are printed on the front (rather than the top) of each key, which I can’t imagine is going to make them easy to read — especially not when the screen is in action.

There’s also no mention of more typical enthusiast mechanical keyboard features like support for remappable keys or hot-swappable switches — which let you replace a keyboard’s switches without desoldering. The trailer is also light on other technical specs, like the resolution of its built-in display or the specifics of its switches. Finalmouse does say it connects to a computer using a single USB-C cable.

LCD1U17-37 is a compact solution that combines a keyboard, touch pad, 17" LCD monitor and a pair of amplified stereo speakers in 1U rack mount drawer. With the slide rails included, the unit can be fit into any standard rack chassis ranging from 16.25" � 30" deep.

Peripherals maker Finalmouse has been teasing its entry to the keyboard market since the start of 2022. It boldly describes the upcoming keyboard as "unlike anything you’ve seen before," but now we have had a brief glimpse of it in action thanks to eSports fan and media personality Jake Lucky.

A keyboard never before seen has officially been leaked. The supposed Alpha Prototype from @Finalmouse is set with groundbreaking technology. A keyboard with completely interactive skins built on Unreal Engine 5… wtf pic.twitter.com/p9HhuN4DZrNovember 2, 2022

As well as the video upon which to feast your eyes, this leak also provides a list of specs. Finalmouse has not explicitly confirmed these specs, but it hasn"t indicated anything is off target. With that in mind, please check out the astonishing specs (for a keyboard) below but add a pinch of salt here and there.

Finalmouse keyboardSwitchesPre-lubed linear gaming switches, with analog hall-effect option, mounted on "glass stack". Keyboard features 8,000 Hz polling rate

Display contentThe full coverage keyboard display facilitates interactive skins powered by Unreal Engine 5, or traditional animated backdrops (video files). Source files will be curated in a Steam App.

If you are impressed so far, please note that Finalmouse is keen to highlight that the video shows what they call an "alpha prototype," from nearly a year ago. In another Tweet reply, the device maker pointed out to doubters that what they are seeing is a video where the keycap are on and ready to take input. Moreover it asserts that "the final product is on a different league." So, keyboard aficionados, set your alarm clocks for Saturday, Dec 17, and the official reveal.

Using keyboards as screens may seem a little wacky, but we only have to look back to October 2022 for a PC enthusiast attempting to make a massive usable display wall from chaining together 40 aRGB backlit keyboards. This new Finalmouse device is visually much more impressive. One of the big questions that remains for the Finalmouse animated keyboard regards its price. We know it isn"t going to be cheap, but the firm"s social media account admin seems to skim past any comments and queries regarding pricing.