TheRetroArcade
Veteran
Posts: 1,989
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
It sounds and looks nice. I'm just afraid of the potential price point.
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Mode, a high-end keyboard maker that allows you to customise caps, add a stabiliser, swap switches, plate material, PCB type, and more at checkout, has just announced a refresh to its Encore keyboard. Made in collaboration with YouTuber and creator Matthew Encina, the 2026 Encore has a neat new crown mounting system and some lovely design features.
The mounting system is a series of screws you place on the plating before the switches go on. They look lush in gold, and though we've only got a few seconds of footage so far, Mode says it "delivers our most satisfying typing experience to date."
The Encore is a gorgeous looking 65% keyboard with a split wood top plate. The 2026 refresh will be available in five colours (Black Sesame, Matcha Cream, Studio Light, Mocha Mushroom, and Monterey Dune).
We don't yet have the pricing of the 2026 Encore, but the Encore 3 isn't cheap. Removing switches, caps, PCB, and top plate, you're still looking at a fee of $269. With the cheapest version of every component above (minus a stabiliser), the Encore 3 will run you $431 right now, not including shipping.
That price does seem to reflect the quality, though. They look great, and from the short snippet of the 2026 Encore in Mode's latest video, sound great too. Mode says its PCB, mounting system, and keycaps work "in sequence to reduce and isolate vibration transfer for clean typing sounds."
This is all to say it should sound lovely.
The new mounting gasket system will not be present in the Mode Sonnet refresh that is also coming this year, but it will be in the Prologue, which is a 98% layout keyboard that the company has been teasing.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Prologue and the broader range of keyboards this year are pretty big for Mode. Encina says the company was quiet last year as it was "deeply focused on research and development" and it has been "reshaping Mode, the brand, the product, and how we operate."
Here's hoping the price of the new Encore is a good enough value to get on my Christmas wishlist next year, or the Prologue is impressive enough to justify the cost anyway.
1. Best overall: Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
2. Best budget: Gamakay x Naughshark NS68
3. Best mid-range: Ducky Zero 610...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
You are now subscribed
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Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
Mode, a high-end keyboard maker that allows you to customise caps, add a stabiliser, swap switches, plate material, PCB type, and more at checkout, has just announced a refresh to its Encore keyboard. Made in collaboration with YouTuber and creator Matthew Encina, the 2026 Encore has a neat new crown mounting system and some lovely design features.
The mounting system is a series of screws you place on the plating before the switches go on. They look lush in gold, and though we've only got a few seconds of footage so far, Mode says it "delivers our most satisfying typing experience to date."
The Encore is a gorgeous looking 65% keyboard with a split wood top plate. The 2026 refresh will be available in five colours (Black Sesame, Matcha Cream, Studio Light, Mocha Mushroom, and Monterey Dune).
We don't yet have the pricing of the 2026 Encore, but the Encore 3 isn't cheap. Removing switches, caps, PCB, and top plate, you're still looking at a fee of $269. With the cheapest version of every component above (minus a stabiliser), the Encore 3 will run you $431 right now, not including shipping.
That price does seem to reflect the quality, though. They look great, and from the short snippet of the 2026 Encore in Mode's latest video, sound great too. Mode says its PCB, mounting system, and keycaps work "in sequence to reduce and isolate vibration transfer for clean typing sounds."
This is all to say it should sound lovely.
The new mounting gasket system will not be present in the Mode Sonnet refresh that is also coming this year, but it will be in the Prologue, which is a 98% layout keyboard that the company has been teasing.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Prologue and the broader range of keyboards this year are pretty big for Mode. Encina says the company was quiet last year as it was "deeply focused on research and development" and it has been "reshaping Mode, the brand, the product, and how we operate."
Here's hoping the price of the new Encore is a good enough value to get on my Christmas wishlist next year, or the Prologue is impressive enough to justify the cost anyway.
1. Best overall: Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
2. Best budget: Gamakay x Naughshark NS68
3. Best mid-range: Ducky Zero 610...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?