THIS IS POCHI.
ACCESSIBLE 40%
THAT LOOKS GOOD AND FEELS GOOD
We wanted to make a 40% that can be a gateway to the beautiful world of 40s, such a keyboard that non-40-believers can try and start feeling all the great things about 40s.
So we made a 40% that’s affordable, yet has a good typing feeling. We made it base-kit compatible with a wide variety of color options, so everyone can try it out more easily.
40% that lights up your day in your favorite color
Minimal doesn’t have to be all black and white. We believe minimal is the simplest, yet the most effective way of expressing yourself. We wanted to make pochi something exciting to look at, and something that brightens up your desk.
IT'S MELLOW.
WE CALL IT MILLEFEUILLE MOUNT
We wanted something affordable for everyone, but we didn’t want to sacrifice the quality, nice typing feeling, or the sound. By stacking layers of PORON foam* sandwiched between FR4 plates (the PCB material), we accomplished a gasket-mount-like soft typing feeling and a nicely dampened sound while maintaining the affordability.
HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE BRINGS BALANCE.
pochi’s bottom foam, one of the three sheets of PORON foam, has the honeycomb structure.
We were looking for the best material for the foam, something that is soft enough that cushions our fingers comfortably when typing, and at the same time, hard enough that bounces back nicely.
We tried many different materials in different hardnesses, and we found that picking the right material wasn’t enough.
The combination of PORON LE-20 and the honeycomb structure achieves just the right feeling we were searching for.
WE STARTED IT. YOU COMPLETE IT.
pochi isn’t one of those high-end boards that come out in perfect shape. pochi needs your love even before you start typing on it. Snap off the PCB, plates, and the stack from the frame, sand-paper the edges, and screw them together. You might also want to color the edges of the FR4 and the PORON foam*1 with marker pens to make it look nicer.
The more you put love towards your pochi, the more it becomes your minimal.
*1: PORON is only available in black. So you will need to color the edges in white if you pick the white body. We contacted Rogers Inoac (The maker of PORON), but they said they don’t produce white unfortunately.
14 color options available*
You will have to pick two colors. One for the body, one for the stack that come underneath the body.We have two options for the body, black and white, and seven for the stack.
* The actual color might look very different from the renders. Please see the photos for a better reference. Please understand that the colors you see in the photos on your screen might still be different from the actual product you receive.
13U. Base-kit compatible.
We made pochi base-kit compatible to lower the bar for everyone that wants to try a 40%. Finding 1.25U tabs, 1.5U shifts, and some other weird keycaps is something we all struggled with when we first started our 40s journey.
And of course, there are both solder and hotswap options. PCB supports a bit more options like stepped caps lock, short left shift, and ISO enter.
CAREFULLY DESIGNED TO BE MINIMAL
What's Included
POCHI AT A GLANCE
Ultra Minimal Aesthetic
One of our favorite things about 40s is its minimal aesthetics. We decided to take it to the extreme. Pochi has no bezel or no exposed components.
Budget-Friendly
We’re aiming to bring down the price to somewhere around $80 a kit. We want to make pochi something anyone can afford without breaking piggy banks.
Comfy Typing Feeling
Pochi’s three layers of PORON produce a gasket-mount-like soft typing, and a nicely dampened, refined sound. Yes, it’s a cheap budget board, but we didn’t want to give up the typing experience.
Wide Color Options
We have two options for the body, black and white, and seven for the stack. Pick your favorite color from 14 color combinations.
Base-Kit-Compatible
We know many people are interested in 40s. But we also know keycaps for 40s are hard to find. We made pochi base-kit compatible to lower the bar for everyone.
Fun DIY Project
There is a reason for the low price. pochi needs your work and effort to look nice. Snap off the PCB from the frame, sand-paper and color the sides. Trust us. It’ll be a fun weekend project.
CHANGE LOG
Interest Check >> Group Buy
Target Schedule
Concept Making
IC Prep
Prototype R2
Group Buy
Packing & Shipping
Prototype R1
Intrest Check
Prototype R3
Manufacturing
pochi in your hands
Please note that this is just a rough estimate. It is possible to change drastically depending on the number of kits to be produced and the manufacturer’s capability. Please follow us in relevant channels to stay up to date.
VIDEOS AND MORE IMAGES
Here are some videos of the prototypes, images and more renders.
*IMPORTANT: Please note that the actual colors might look different from the colors you see in these photos as the colors of those photos are consisted of many factors like the camera, light, background, your screen, etc.
