In September 2020, maker Omnisai unveiled a split, ortholinear mechanical keyboard with 450 switches, described as 433% scale. It was not a conventional product launch: Omnisai said the giant board was a playful response to another Reddit user’s oversized MONSTAsplit. Early coverage called it partially functional, while Omnisai later reported using it as a daily driver for a few days.
Why make a 450-key keyboard?
Omnisai said the project began as keyboard-size one-upmanship. After another Reddit user wrote, “I still have more on my MONSTAsplit…lol,” Omnisai said that user’s 165%-scale keyboard had surpassed the maker’s earlier 128-key mikuyboard. The response, in Omnisai’s words, was: “I am now retaliating with a 450 key split.” That motivation comes from the maker’s September 2020 Reddit post; it is a playful build story, not evidence that more keys improve typing.
What the oversized board was like
The keyboard had 450 keys in a split, ortholinear layout, with the maker describing it as 433% scale. Hackster.io’s Cameron Coward also reported those figures. For comparison, Coward’s article gives 104 keys for a US ANSI full-size layout, 105 for European ISO, and 108 for Japanese JIS; those are the article’s comparison figures, not a separate standards-body tally. The scale label is the project’s framing, not a standardized keyboard-size category.
Ortholinear keyboards arrange keys in straight rows and columns rather than the staggered rows common on many conventional keyboards. “Split” means the key layout is divided into sections. The reports describe the overall board this way, but do not provide a complete wiring diagram or establish that the entire 450-key build was one single matrix.
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Parts and keycaps Omnisai listed
The maker named Gateron Yellow switches, ScrabblePad PCBs, and two Teensy 2.0++ microcontrollers as the core electronics. Coward’s Hackster.io account says all 450 switches were Gateron Yellows, soldered onto ScrabblePad PCBs, with the two controllers monitoring the matrix.
| Component | What was reported |
|---|---|
| Switches | 450 Gateron Yellow switches, according to Hackster.io; the maker also lists Gateron Yellows. |
| PCB | ScrabblePad PCBs. QMK documents a 15×15 ortholinear ScrabblePad PCB and lists Teensy++ 2.0 as supported hardware, but this does not establish how many boards or what exact matrix arrangement the full build used. |
| Controllers | Two Teensy 2.0++ boards, as listed by the maker. |
| Keycaps | A mixed assortment listed by the maker, itemized below. |
Omnisai’s post lists these keycap groups and quantities, which add up to 450: XDA 9009 (98); DSA dark-gray blanks (90); XDA light-gray blanks (12); Cherry “relegenadble”/Tipro rebrand (120); DSA “retro beige” (26); Cherry beige (52); DSA black blanks (38); and Stroke and Structure set (14). The unusual “relegenadble” spelling is reproduced as written in the maker’s list.
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Could it actually be used?
There are two time-specific accounts of its usability. Coward’s report described the keyboard as partially functional at the time of publication, with QMK firmware unfinished and 3D-printed feet still to be made. In Omnisai’s September 2020 Reddit post, the maker said it had been a daily driver for the previous few days and joked about missing desk space. That later personal report does not establish independent testing or the board’s current operating condition.
The project’s later firmware status, subsequent modifications, and present condition are not established. Hackster’s link to the project page at relivesight.com/projects/433/ now redirects to unrelated content, so it does not provide a reliable update on the build.
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What to consider before building something similar
The available accounts are not a reproducible build guide: they do not document the complete matrix wiring, firmware configuration, or a full bill of materials. QMK’s hand-wiring guide explains general components and tools used in hand-wired keyboard projects, but it should not be treated as a record of what Omnisai used.
- Layout and PCB: QMK describes ScrabblePad as a 15×15 ortholinear PCB. Confirm whether the chosen boards and layout can accommodate the intended number of keys; the sources do not spell out the 450-key build’s complete PCB arrangement.
- Controller and firmware: The maker listed two Teensy 2.0++ controllers, and QMK lists Teensy++ 2.0 as supported for ScrabblePad. For a new project, check current firmware documentation and controller availability rather than assuming the historical setup is easy to source or reproduce.
- Switches and keycaps: The build used Gateron Yellows and a varied set of labeled and blank keycaps. Plan for the number and types of switches and compatible keycaps the chosen layout requires.
- Assembly and space: The contemporary article noted unfinished firmware and feet, while Omnisai joked about missing desk space. These are practical reminders, not measured estimates of build time or footprint.
No cited account supplies measured typing-speed, productivity, or injury outcomes for this keyboard. Its significance is the scale and the maker’s playful reason for building it, not demonstrated ergonomic or performance benefits.
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