Remember the distant days of the past where computer monitors were mega clunky and tech accessories only came in black or white? We’ve come a long way since then, and even non-gamers now have fancy PC setups at home with ergonomic smart desks, pimped-out mechanical keyboards, and colourful neon light strips just for the vibes.
If you’re someone who wants to jazz up your computer station with a cool new keyboard, pay a visit to The Laboratory by Reformd (aka The Laboratory by RF) – Singapore’s newest and largest keyboard customisation store that just opened at Cineleisure. Whether you’re a game enthusiast, a tech geek, or someone who simply likes adding a personal touch to your items, this spacious outlet has everything you need to make your dream keyboard come to life. Here's a review on our experience there.
Think of The Laboratory’s ‘build a board’ experience as the tech equivalent of Build-A-Bear Workshop; You basically get full reign in selecting the various components of your keyboard, starting from the base followed by the switches and keycaps. These parts are from a wide range of established brands including Akko, Gateron, Keychron, Monsgeek, and plenty more – mix and match for a unique creation that’s a reflection of your personality.
Fret not if you’re a noob, because the knowledgeable staff will walk you through the whole process and provide detailed explanations along the way, while making helpful recommendations based on your personal preferences and lifestyle needs.
There are all sorts of bases in different dimensions – from 65 percent to full-sized – made of both plastic and metal. If you tend to carry your keyboard around, the compact plastic bases would be most suitable for you. The metal ones have a nice shimmery sheen to them and are weightier – great for heavy gamers who don’t want their keyboards shifting during critical moments. There are even bases with cat ears as part of their design, and those with little LCD screens where you can even upload your preferred photo or GIF!
As for switches, pick from a whole double-sided wall of clicky, linear, and tactile types. These start from as low as $0.30 or so, and can go up to over $1 depending on brand and variant. The best part is that there’s a sample of each switch, so you can have fun tapping on everything in real life to see which ones you like the sound and feel of the best. We were told that this is usually the station that customers spend the most time at, just because they’re so spoilt for choice.
And then it’s on to the keycaps, which you’ll be purchasing as a full set (from $39). This means that even if your selected base is smaller, you’ll get to keep the excess keys – useful for making little swaps from time to time, or if you upgrade your base in the future.
We love how extensive the collection of keycaps here is, with designs ranging from food-centric to retro-inspired and cutesy cat- and hamster-themed ones. There’s even a set of mahjong-themed keycaps for fanatics of the Chinese tile game.
TIME OUT TIP If you’re someone who prioritises aesthetics over specs, start by choosing the keycaps first, before selecting a base that best complements it visually. That’s what we did as opposed to picking the base first and keycaps last.
Once you’re happy with the parts you’ve chosen, head on over to your allocated customisation station to put your new toy together by hand, which comes with the same sort of therapeutic fun as building Lego masterpieces. You can also purchase add-ons like desk mats and wrist rests (from $39) to complete your set.
We recommend setting aside at least an hour for the entire ‘build a keyboard’ experience so that you’ll be able to make decisions and get hands-on at a comfortable, leisurely pace. It can even serve as a great bonding activity between friends and couples – much like art jamming and pottery workshops.
Keyboard customisation at The Laboratory typically starts from over $100, and it’s entirely possible to work within a budget of $150. Ours (pictured above) with adorable pink feline-themed keycaps, Gateron linear switches, and a Zuoya keyboard base with mini LED screen racked up a reasonable bill of around $160 in total.
The Laboratory also carries a couple of pre-built keyboards, as well as rare one-of-a-kind pieces which you’ll find displayed in individual glass showcases around the store. These start from $130 and are all available for purchase.
The Laboratory by RF is located on the second floor of Cathay Cineleisure Orchard – you’re sure to spot its large neon signage once you set foot into the mall. Find out more via The Laboratory’s website and Instagram.
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