Terms G–Z

Gasket mount — A mounting style where the plate is suspended between rubber gaskets. Softer, flexier typing feel. The current enthusiast favorite.

Group buy (GB) — A pre-order system. You pay upfront, the manufacturer produces, and you wait months for delivery. Standard in the custom keyboard world.

Hot-swap — Sockets on the PCB that let you push switches in and pull them out without soldering.

ISO — The European keyboard layout standard. L-shaped Enter key, extra key next to left shift.

Keycap — The plastic cover on top of a switch. What you actually touch.

Layer — A virtual keyboard layout activated by holding a key. Like Shift but for any key.

Legend — The text or symbols printed on a keycap.

Low-profile — Switches and keycaps that are physically shorter than standard. Used in slim keyboards.

Macro — A recorded sequence of keypresses triggered by a single key.

Mounting style — How the plate connects to the case. Affects sound and feel. Options: top mount, bottom mount, gasket mount, tray mount, sandwich mount.

NKRO (N-Key Rollover) — The ability to press any number of keys simultaneously and have them all register. Standard in mechanical keyboards.

Ortholinear — Keys arranged in a straight grid instead of staggered rows.

Plate — A rigid sheet (aluminum, FR4, PC, steel) that holds switches in place.

Pre-travel — Distance before actuation. Same as actuation point.

Rattle — Unwanted wobble and noise from stabilizers.

Row stagger — The traditional keyboard layout where each row is offset horizontally.

Sandwich mount — The plate is sandwiched between the top and bottom case parts.

Thock — A deep, satisfying bottom-out sound. The holy grail of keyboard acoustics.

Top mount — The plate screws into the top part of the case.

Tray mount — The plate sits on standoffs in the case bottom. Simple but can feel uneven.

WKL (Winkeyless) — A keyboard without Windows keys. Aesthetic choice from the vintage keyboard era.