Ryan McDonough

Founder, Sometime Artist

CFO and co-founder @Accompany, acquired by @Cisco. Turnaround CFO @Ning, sold to Glam Media. Former seed VC. McKinsey trained. @Wharton School and @Haas School of Business.

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PRODUCT REVIEW

KBDcraft Adam X: LEGO Adam60 ANSI keyboard

Rating: 4.5/5 (I’d buy again)

Category: Retro Aesthetic Tech
Price: $79.99

Order on KBDcraft

KBDcraft Adam X: LEGO Adam60 ANSI keyboard

PRODUCT REVIEW

First impressions?

The KBDcraft Adam X 60 turned out to be a near-perfect “first custom keyboard” experience—and a surprisingly good match for my LEGO Mac setup.

I picked it up mostly out of curiosity. I finished the build understanding why people go deep down this rabbit hole.

  • Build Experience: 4.5
  • Design & Aesthetic: 4.5
  • Typing Feel: 5.0
  • Overall Value: 4.5

 

🛠️ The Build Experience

This was my first time building a mechanical keyboard, and overall—it was refreshingly straightforward.

Everything comes together logically, and you get that satisfying “progress loop” as components start to click into place. It’s not quite the precision snap of LEGO (nothing is), but it’s close enough to scratch the same itch.

  • I had one key with slightly bent pins—easy to fix, but worth taking your time during install
  • The gasket mounting benefits from tweezers unless you have very tiny fingers
 

Net: approachable, forgiving, and genuinely fun.

🧩 Fit & Finish

This is where you feel the difference from something like LEGO.

  • The base plate has a very slight cup—not something you notice in use, but it’s there if you’re looking for perfection
  • Assembly is solid, but not “perfectly flush” across every surface

That said, once fully built and sitting on a desk, it looks fantastic—especially in a clean, minimal setup.

⌨️ Typing Experience

This is where the Adam X 60 really shines.

  • Keys are wonderfully clicky without feeling harsh
  • There’s a satisfying tactile response that makes you want to keep typing
  • It immediately elevates the feel of any setup (especially something like a retro build)

For a first keyboard, this set a pretty high bar.

🎯 Who This Is For

  • First-time custom keyboard builders
  • Anyone curious about the hobby without wanting to overcommit
  • People who care about feel + aesthetic, not just specs

⚖️ What I Loved

  • Easy, approachable build
  • Genuinely satisfying typing feel
  • Clean final aesthetic
  • A great “gateway” into custom keyboards

🤏 What I’d Improve

  • Slight base plate flex/cupping
  • Occasional bent pins (minor, but worth noting)
  • Not quite the “precision snap” you get from LEGO-style builds

🧠 Final Thoughts

This started as a curiosity project and ended as a genuine upgrade.

The KBDcraft Adam X 60 hits a sweet spot: simple enough for a first build, but polished enough to feel like a real step up once it’s done.

And yes—I now understand why people get obsessed with custom keyboards.

Order on KBDcraft

Adam X 60 ANSI looks amazing paired with the Kit Shamshel mouse.