Groupbuy Dates:

Nov 22th, 2024 20:00 EST - Dec 8th, 2024 23:59 EST

‼️ Before purchase, you must read and accept following Terms and Conditions of Seal100% Groupbuy‼️ 

1. This is a "Groupbuy" sale. Upon purchase, you acknowledge that estimated shipping time is Q2 2025,  and delay may occur due to but limited to conditions like: shipping delay introduced by any unforeseeable production issue.
2. After purchase, you will be charged immediately.
3. Due to the nature of "Groupbuy" sale that we will start to arrange production immediately after sale conclude, we generally do not allow cancellation. If you do need to cancel before GB ends, we review requests on a case-by-case basis at our discretion. If cancellation is accepted, a 3% payment processing fee will be withheld on refund.
4. We reserve the right to cancel orders which deem violating our sale T&C.
5. This is a keyboard kit and does not come with switches and keycaps.

Go to Seal Add-on and Choices

 

篆Seal

Designed by XINGZHI x QIN / Co-produced by VERTEX

Xingzhi is a fresh rookie in keyboard design from China. This full-size newcomer is a collaboration between Xingzhi and his friend Qin, produced by the Vertex team of 'Angle,' a brand that you might be familiar with.

Both Xingzhi and Qin are avid collectors of vintage keyboards, such as those from IBM and Cherry. In the realm of classic keyboards, the full-size format has always been the dominant choice. The Cherry G80-3108, with a key positioned on the top right, is an iconic design that was emulated by Apple and WYSE in their products. This classic design inspiration is what led to the creation of Xingzhi's debut keyboard.

Furthermore, what often haunts Xingzhi is the question of how to incorporate Chinese aesthetics into a keyboard design, something that is traditional and understated. If calligraphy is considered an introduction to ancient art, then the Seal Script from the very first Qin dynasty immediately comes to mind. This is the inspiration behind the first design by Xingzhi and Qin, which features a signature badge called 'Seal'. The 'Seal' badge allows for personal customization with one's name or a favorite Chinese character, much like an artist's engraving in his masterpiece.

Let’s have a look of its details as below.

Overlook

437.35 x 135.72 x 36.49mm；
Full size/100%；

Yes, it's a full-size keyboard, which is what most people are familiar with when they first encounter a keyboard in a workspace. Controversially, in the custom keyboard hobby, not many designers prefer the full-size option.

Structure

Why top mount?

Stability and reliability are paramount in keyboard design. In fact, these qualities have been dominant themes from the very beginning of the history of customized keyboards. The performance of a keyboard is highly sensitive to all variables, including the plate, PCB, switch, and keycap. These components directly affect the keyboard's behavior, response, and even amplify subtle changes, providing a more authentic typing experience.

In terms of quality, the keyboard's performance can also reveal the true craftsmanship of the device. Personally, rather than viewing it as a conservative structure, one might consider it a form of purity.

One of the Vertex team's ongoing projects includes a solution where they've inserted a PC cushion between the screw and the case to absorb the quiver when typing. This might raise questions about its necessity. Interestingly, a friend named Lolo discovered minor differences when switching the PCB and plate of a MAJA keyboard from a PC case to an aluminum one, finding a slightly better feel in the PC environment. To replicate that slight improvement, they installed this small PC experiment to optimize the bounds and sounds

Next, they, like others, split the PCB and plate into main and numeric keypad sections, which is a common design choice nowadays. Additionally, users might want to try with two types of switches, as they can be allocated from separate areas.

Weight:≈3.5-3.7kg (Fully built)

For a full size keyboard, its weight might not be heavy enough especially comparing with Glare. (Guessing Simon might not want to kiss it) But regarding to gym needs, it works indeed.

Front height: 

After three rounds of sampling, the decision was made not to lower the front height maximally. This was because the final profile offered a better consolidation of aesthetics and tactile experience.

Case Material

Aluminium anodized

Silver

Black

Red

Very Peri

Brown

Blue

E-coated

Cold Gray

Pink

Weight Material:

Brass AF

Copper AF

Brass Patina

PVD SS milled

Brass Badge

Plate

Aluminum

FR4

PC

Support:

ANSI / ISO, Soldering / Hotswap, PCB based on QMK, supporting VIA3.0 only.

Set including:

Aluminium case up & bottom x 1
Brass badge x 2
Aluminum badge(inner) x 1
Carry pack x 1
Plate x 1
PCB & cable x 1
PC cushion x 10
Daughter board and JST x 1
Rubber feet x 1
Adaptive pcb-mount stabilizers 100% x 1

Note

Seal and its PCB supports ALPS, but it was not possible to provide a compatible plate during the group buy period. The team plans to open-source the ALPS plate file at a later time.