A weighted weekly score across community chatter, retail availability, and editorial mentions. Row names link to their deep dive when one has been published. Updated July 20, 2026.
2026 · week30of 52
This week at a glance
biggest riser
Work Louder x OpenAI Codex Micro
+96%
biggest faller
Alice layout
-48%
breakout
Prototypist
+20%
sleeper
Cherry (GMK parent)
+18%
Switches
Switch movers
RankNameScore8-wkEditor's note
01
Hall Effect/Rapid TriggerKeychron's V6 Ultra HE opens Kickstarter July 22 with hybrid Nova Socket TMR+mechanical PCB; PC Gamer and others now call HE/rapid trigger baseline for 2026 gaming boards.
+94%Keychron's V6 Ultra HE opens Kickstarter July 22 with hybrid Nova Socket TMR+mechanical PCB; PC Gamer and others now call HE/rapid trigger baseline for 2026 gaming boards.
02
HMX Cloud V2No fresh coverage this week; HMX Cloud V2 discussion holds steady as a budget hot-swap linear pick per KeebFinder listings, momentum essentially plateaued.
flatNo fresh coverage this week; HMX Cloud V2 discussion holds steady as a budget hot-swap linear pick per KeebFinder listings, momentum essentially plateaued.
03
Gateron LanesThereminGoat posted a new Gateron Lanes switch review on Patreon this month, reviving tactile-switch chatter after the initial spring launch buzz cooled.
+50%ThereminGoat posted a new Gateron Lanes switch review on Patreon this month, reviving tactile-switch chatter after the initial spring launch buzz cooled.
04
Gateron Oil KingOil King catalog (linear, silent linear, silent tactile, heavy tactile) stays steady in vendor listings; no new SKUs or reviews surfaced this week per gateron.com.
flatOil King catalog (linear, silent linear, silent tactile, heavy tactile) stays steady in vendor listings; no new SKUs or reviews surfaced this week per gateron.com.
05
Cherry MX2AMKBGuide's 2026 Cherry MX guide notes virtually every new Cherry switch now ships as MX2A, repositioning Cherry against Gateron even as ThereminGoat's dummy-switch review keeps hobbyist skepticism alive.
+46%MKBGuide's 2026 Cherry MX guide notes virtually every new Cherry switch now ships as MX2A, repositioning Cherry against Gateron even as ThereminGoat's dummy-switch review keeps hobbyist skepticism alive.
Keycaps
Keycap movers
RankNameScore8-wkEditor's note
01
GMK CYL TA NeoGMK CYL TA Neo group buy closed July 17, 2026 after a June 19 open per KeebFinder tracking; final-week pledges pushed interest to a close-of-buy peak.
+62%GMK CYL TA Neo group buy closed July 17, 2026 after a June 19 open per KeebFinder tracking; final-week pledges pushed interest to a close-of-buy peak.
02
GMK CYL OG ExtensionsThe Geekhack interest check keeps climbing as its announced July 15-Aug 12 group-buy window opens, still outscoring both closed GMK CYL buys' peak reads with no vendor listing yet.
+58%The Geekhack interest check keeps climbing as its announced July 15-Aug 12 group-buy window opens, still outscoring both closed GMK CYL buys' peak reads with no vendor listing yet.
03
DCS HandarbeitDCS Handarbeit's group buy wrapped July 19, 2026 (opened June 19); community chatter shifted to delivery-estimate discussion for its Q4 2026 ship window.
+45%DCS Handarbeit's group buy wrapped July 19, 2026 (opened June 19); community chatter shifted to delivery-estimate discussion for its Q4 2026 ship window.
Layouts
Layout movers
RankNameScore8-wkEditor's note
01
Split/Ergo layoutMKBGuide and Engadget both flag 2025-2026 as the moment split layouts went mainstream, citing Keychron Q13 Max and Dygma as reference boards for the shift.
+80%MKBGuide and Engadget both flag 2025-2026 as the moment split layouts went mainstream, citing Keychron Q13 Max and Dygma as reference boards for the shift.
02
75% Layout75% remains the default custom form factor in vendor catalogs with no major new releases this week; interest holding at a steady plateau.
flat75% remains the default custom form factor in vendor catalogs with no major new releases this week; interest holding at a steady plateau.
03
Alice layoutErgonomic buyers increasingly skip Alice as a stepping stone and jump straight to full split, per MKBGuide's split-keyboard guide, continuing Alice's slow fade in enthusiast threads.
-48%Ergonomic buyers increasingly skip Alice as a stepping stone and jump straight to full split, per MKBGuide's split-keyboard guide, continuing Alice's slow fade in enthusiast threads.
Vendors
Vendor movers
RankNameScore8-wkEditor's note
01
Work Louder x OpenAI Codex MicroOpenAI's Codex Micro macro pad, built on Work Louder's Creator Micro platform, fully launched July 15, 2026 at $230 per TechCrunch and Engadget coverage of OpenAI's first hardware.
+96%OpenAI's Codex Micro macro pad, built on Work Louder's Creator Micro platform, fully launched July 15, 2026 at $230 per TechCrunch and Engadget coverage of OpenAI's first hardware.
02
Mode DesignsMode Designs posted a Summer 2026 update covering Sonnet/Encore shipping status, Prologue 98% progress, and an Envoy final-stock announcement, per green-keys.info.
+58%Mode Designs posted a Summer 2026 update covering Sonnet/Encore shipping status, Prologue 98% progress, and an Envoy final-stock announcement, per green-keys.info.
03
PrototypistPrototypist's Paper 65 kit group buy (opened March 31) continues toward Q4 2026 delivery while its GMK CYL Midnight Rainbow R2 project and 2026 relaunch push keep the vendor visible.
+20%Prototypist's Paper 65 kit group buy (opened March 31) continues toward Q4 2026 delivery while its GMK CYL Midnight Rainbow R2 project and 2026 relaunch push keep the vendor visible.
Brands
Brand movers
RankNameScore8-wkEditor's note
01
KeychronKeychron opened $5 deposits for the V6 Ultra HE ahead of a July 22 Kickstarter, the first board mixing mechanical and TMR magnetic switches via its new Nova Socket PCB, per Notebookcheck and TechPowerUp.
+90%Keychron opened $5 deposits for the V6 Ultra HE ahead of a July 22 Kickstarter, the first board mixing mechanical and TMR magnetic switches via its new Nova Socket PCB, per Notebookcheck and TechPowerUp.
02
Wuque StudioWuque Studio stays quiet this week; its NAMA group buy (closed December 2025, delivery est. March 2026) has cycled out of active discussion per CannonKeys listings.
flatWuque Studio stays quiet this week; its NAMA group buy (closed December 2025, delivery est. March 2026) has cycled out of active discussion per CannonKeys listings.
03
Cherry (GMK parent)Cherry's MX2A revision is now standard across its whole switch catalog, per MKBGuide's 2026 analysis, marking Cherry's most consequential repositioning against Gateron in years.
+18%Cherry's MX2A revision is now standard across its whole switch catalog, per MKBGuide's 2026 analysis, marking Cherry's most consequential repositioning against Gateron in years.