{"product_id":"keyboy-advanced-50-custom-mechanical-keyboard-kit","title":"Keyboy Advanced - 50% Custom Mechanical Keyboard Kit","description":"\u003ch2\u003eKeyBoy Advance — Childhood Has Returned\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are keyboards, and there are keyboards that tell a story. The \u003cstrong\u003eKeyBoy Advance\u003c\/strong\u003e belongs to the latter category. \u003cstrong\u003eDesigned by PromoType (Galo)\u003c\/strong\u003e, it's the first project of a new designer — and at the same time a love letter to one of history's most iconic handhelds: the \u003cstrong\u003eNintendo Game Boy Advance\u003c\/strong\u003e. Anyone who grew up with the GBA in the early 2000s will feel something at first sight of the KeyBoy Advance — and the project's tagline says it directly: \u003cstrong\u003e\"Childhood Has Returned.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-1.png?v=1780003556\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eInspiration: the shape of play\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Game Boy Advance was one of Nintendo's best-selling handhelds — and its wide, landscape-format silhouette with number row made it the very essence of mobile gaming. Exactly this \u003cstrong\u003ecompact, portable spirit\u003c\/strong\u003e is the starting point for the KeyBoy Advance: \u003cstrong\u003e50% layout, compact, landscape-format\u003c\/strong\u003e, with a built-in number row that makes small keyboards much more approachable for enthusiasts. The result is a 50% build that feels familiar — even for users socialized with classic 60% keyboards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDesign concept: spirit, not shape\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe GBA original is bold, asymmetric, and deliberately angular — copying it 1:1 onto a keyboard wouldn't be good design. \u003cstrong\u003eInstead, the focus is on the spirit, not the silhouette\u003c\/strong\u003e: characteristic elements are deconstructed, reinterpreted, and translated into the \u003cstrong\u003ebasic form of a keyboard\u003c\/strong\u003e. This creates a form that unmistakably carries GBA DNA but functions as an independent keyboard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTop view — the tribute is in the details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe front carries GBA character in multiple places:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeconstructed front elements\u003c\/strong\u003e evoke a handheld console, with an incised line extending to the back that mimics a \u003cstrong\u003ebattery cover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTop right: the iconic power indicator LED\u003c\/strong\u003e — the first clue that the keyboard is \"on,\" just like the console back then\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTop left: an asymmetric light strip\u003c\/strong\u003e that balances the visual composition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBottom right: the speaker module\u003c\/strong\u003e — the basic form of the classic GBA speaker is preserved as a \u003cstrong\u003erecessed split design\u003c\/strong\u003e, with color separation and layered texture\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-2.png?v=1780003556\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-3.png?v=1780003556\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBack \u0026amp; side view — the floating silhouette\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bottom area deconstructs the complex GBA form and reshapes it — with characteristically \u003cstrong\u003eupward-curving sides\u003c\/strong\u003e. Together with the \u003cstrong\u003eupward micro-curve of the front bottom edge\u003c\/strong\u003e, this creates a \u003cstrong\u003efloating impression\u003c\/strong\u003e: the keyboard appears to slightly hover above the desk — a subtle trick that makes the entire design come alive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-4.png?v=1780003556\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-5.png?v=1780003556\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-6.png?v=1780003556\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eShoulder buttons — the ultimate GBA detail\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerhaps the most charming detail: on the sides of the KeyBoy Advance you'll find \u003cstrong\u003ephysical shoulder buttons\u003c\/strong\u003e — just like the \u003cstrong\u003eL and R keys on the original GBA\u003c\/strong\u003e. Implemented via \u003cstrong\u003emicro-switches\u003c\/strong\u003e that authentically replicate the feel and function. Via \u003cstrong\u003eVial configuration\u003c\/strong\u003e, you can freely map these shoulder buttons — as macro triggers, layer switchers, volume control, or game hotkeys. What started as a pure design tribute becomes a \u003cstrong\u003ereal additional functional layer\u003c\/strong\u003e that elevates the keyboard beyond what classic 50% builds offer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-8.png?v=1780003556\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTop mount with O-ring and thoughtful acoustics\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInside works a \u003cstrong\u003etop-mount system with small O-rings\u003c\/strong\u003e — compactly built, tuned to the limited internal volume of the 50% keyboard. To make a 50% build with a \u003cstrong\u003estepped spacebar\u003c\/strong\u003e sound acoustically clean, PromoType built in a special detail: a \u003cstrong\u003epillar with Poron\u003c\/strong\u003e rising from the bottom case, specifically designed to eliminate the resonance of the stepped spacebar. This makes the spacebar sound consistent and controlled, without the hollow, rattly effect typical of stepped designs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-7.png?v=1780003556\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFour PCB options — from pure solder to tri-mode wireless\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe KeyBoy Advance comes with a modern \u003cstrong\u003e1.6 mm black-core PCB\u003c\/strong\u003e supporting up to tri-mode connectivity. We offer all four PCB variants, so you can choose the right version for your workflow:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMX Wired Soldered\u003c\/strong\u003e — the classic soldered variant for custom builders who want to assemble their build from scratch and prefer a permanent configuration\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMX Wired Hot-Swap\u003c\/strong\u003e — wired via USB-C, with hot-swap sockets for solder-free switch swaps\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMX Dual-Mode Hot-Swap\u003c\/strong\u003e — wired or wireless via Bluetooth, perfect for mobile setups\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMX Tri-Mode Hot-Swap\u003c\/strong\u003e — the premium variant with USB-C, Bluetooth, AND 2.4 GHz wireless, maximum connectivity flexibility\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll PCBs are \u003cstrong\u003eVial-compatible\u003c\/strong\u003e — you can remap every single key, record macros, and set up layers, including the shoulder buttons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-9.png?v=1780003556\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eNine color and material variants\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe KeyBoy Advance comes in an impressive selection of \u003cstrong\u003enine color and material variants\u003c\/strong\u003e — from classic anodized to opaque coated to transparent polycarbonate that makes the internal structure visible (perfect for completing the console aesthetic with visible internals):\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnodized Silver\u003c\/strong\u003e — the cool, neutral classic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnodized Pale Gold\u003c\/strong\u003e — warm, restrained gold with a vintage touch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnodized Teal\u003c\/strong\u003e — bold turquoise with a nostalgic accent\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCoated Classic\u003c\/strong\u003e — muted tone, perfect as a daily driver\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCoated Purple\u003c\/strong\u003e — rich purple that evokes the iconic Atomic Purple memory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCoated Orange\u003c\/strong\u003e — lively orange for statement setups\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePC Pure\u003c\/strong\u003e — transparent polycarbonate, internals become visible\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePC Purple\u003c\/strong\u003e — transparent purple polycarbonate, the direct Atomic Purple tribute\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePC Cyan\u003c\/strong\u003e — transparent cyan polycarbonate, fresh and nostalgic at once\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications at a glance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLayout:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50% HHKB\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTyping angle:\u003c\/strong\u003e 7°\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFront height:\u003c\/strong\u003e 19 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEKH (effective key height):\u003c\/strong\u003e 22.9 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMounting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Top mount with O-ring\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho is the KeyBoy Advance for?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGBA fans \u0026amp; retro-gaming lovers\u003c\/strong\u003e who want to integrate a piece of childhood into their modern setup\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e50% enthusiasts\u003c\/strong\u003e looking for a characterful, independent designer board\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSetup designers\u003c\/strong\u003e who want an extraordinary statement piece with a unique story on their desk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eModding lovers\u003c\/strong\u003e who appreciate the rare combination of top mount, stepped spacebar with Poron pillar, and shoulder buttons\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWireless setup designers\u003c\/strong\u003e looking for a tri-mode-capable compact keyboard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMacro power users\u003c\/strong\u003e who want to use the additional physical shoulder buttons as programmable triggers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCustom build enthusiasts\u003c\/strong\u003e who want to assemble the perfect combination from four PCB variants and nine color\/material options\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eNote on the 40\/50% community\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're new to the compact 50% world, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/40s.wiki\/Guides\/Introduction\"\u003e40% Keyboard Community\u003c\/a\u003e is a great starting point — with wiki pages on layouts, configuration, and modding as well as an active Discord community. The content applies to 50% builds in most respects as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote:\u003c\/strong\u003e The KeyBoy Advance is a \u003cstrong\u003ebarebone kit\u003c\/strong\u003e. Switches and keycaps are not included and must be purchased separately.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"PromoType","offers":[{"title":"Silver (Anodized)","offer_id":53996722028877,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Pale Gold (Anodized)","offer_id":53996722061645,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Teal (Anodized)","offer_id":53996722094413,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Classic (E-Coated)","offer_id":53996722127181,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Purple (E-Coated)","offer_id":53996722159949,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Orange (E-Coated)","offer_id":53996722192717,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"PC Pure (Polycarbonate)","offer_id":53996722225485,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"PC Purple (Polycarbonate)","offer_id":53996722258253,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"PC Cyan (Polycarbonate)","offer_id":53996722291021,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0755\/7103\/6493\/files\/keyboy-advanced-classic.png?v=1780003525","url":"https:\/\/monacokeys.de\/en\/products\/keyboy-advanced-50-custom-mechanical-keyboard-kit","provider":"MonacoKeys","version":"1.0","type":"link"}