The Laboratory Is The Ultimate Keeb Playground Where Mechanical Keyboards Come To Life

CONTENT: Michelle Ng

We spend so much time on our computers nowadays that having your own personal keyboard can make typing so much more enjoyable. There’s something just so satisfying about the soothing sounds of the switches and watching the keyboard light up as you type away.

Reformd Group has just opened The Laboratory at Cathay Cineleisure, bringing together a keyboard haven where you can find everything you need from keyboard bases, switches, and keycaps from popular brands like Akko, Keychron, Nuphy, and Wooting, just to name a few.

While The Laboratory has pre-built keyboards to choose from, the fun lies in crafting a keyboard. They do however carry some limited-edition keyboards crafted by tech collectors and can only be seen on display, so you can always take a browse around before deciding on your next purchase!

As an interested keeb newbie who loved mechanical keyboards but didn’t know where to start, I found The Laboratory very interactive as there were stations set up to explore all the different switches and bases. Most of the brands are only available online, but for something so customizable, being able to touch and see the various options ensured I was definitely getting a keyboard that I truly loved.

The lab experts are all on hand to guide you through the three stations; pick your base keyboard at Barebones to start – choose from smaller, compact boards to larger boards with mini programmable screens or RGB lights. Over at the Switches station, try out the sound of all the different switches, and you can find out if you like the thock-y, click-y or a silent sounds as you play around with the samples. Finally choose your own keycaps as the final touch.

The experience continues at the final station, where you can assemble the switches, and then the keycaps. The lab experts will also test your completed masterpiece to ensure everything is working in tip-top condition before bringing it home, and they will also guide you on how to remove the switches so that you can customize it further whenever you want. And you don’t need to worry about getting hit with an astronomic bill because you can start off with a lower-end keyboard just to dip your toes before upgrading to a bigger keyboard with all the fancy bells and whistles like lights and customizable knobs.

Whether you’re thinking of customizing your first keyboard and want a more hands-on first experience or you’re looking to add another creation to your collection, The Laboratory is worth a visit because you might just discover your next keyboard.

The Laboratory by Reformd Group is located at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Road, Singapore 239695, #02-18/23A