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Pudding Keycaps for Mechanical Keyboards
I bought these Pudding Keycaps mainly to refresh the look of my aging mechanical keyboard. The translucent design and OEM profile looked great in the product photos, and I was curious to see how they’d pair with RGB backlighting.
Delivery & First Impressions: Shipping to the US took about 13 days, which was decent. The keycaps came securely packed in a plastic tray with bubble wrap. No caps were scratched or deformed.
Pros:
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Beautifully diffuses RGB lighting thanks to the “pudding” translucent sides.
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Made of PBT, so they’re more durable and resistant to shine than cheap ABS caps.
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Standard OEM profile fits comfortably and naturally.
Cons:
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The legends aren’t the sharpest, especially on the symbols.
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No extra novelty caps included.
Price Comparison: These cost me around $18 on AliExpress vs $35+ for similar HyperX pudding keycaps on Amazon. A steal.
Did they meet expectations? Absolutely. I was skeptical, but they look amazing and feel even better under the fingers. Highly recommended if you’re into customizing your keyboard.
$4.33
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Netac NV3000 M.2 NVMe SSD 1TB
I needed a budget-friendly M.2 NVMe SSD to revive an older laptop, and this Netac 1TB NVMe had thousands of orders and great reviews.
Why I bought it: Netac’s name popped up often on PC hardware forums as a solid budget brand. Claimed speeds of 3500MB/s were very tempting for the price.
Installation & Use: Installed it in my Dell Inspiron in under 5 minutes. Booted instantly and cloned my OS without issues. I ran CrystalDiskMark, and while I didn’t hit 3500MB/s, I got around 2900MB/s read — still impressive.
Pros:
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Superfast boot and load times.
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Excellent value for money.
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Works with both laptops and desktops.
Cons:
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Gets a little warm under heavy load (recommend adding a heatsink).
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No DRAM cache, so not ideal for extremely heavy workflows.
Price Comparison: $45 on AliExpress vs $65+ for a similar 1TB Crucial or WD SN570 in the US. Hard to beat.
Met expectations? Exceeded them. Wasn’t expecting this level of performance from a lesser-known brand.
$16.75
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Samsung 2242 NVMe SSD (PM991a 128GB)
This Samsung 2242 SSD was a niche purchase for a mini-PC project. I needed a small M.2 2242 form factor, and this was one of the few name-brand options.
Why I chose it: Samsung reliability, fast speeds, and the compact size — perfect for mini builds or Steam Deck mods.
Experience: Plugged it into my Beelink mini-PC. It was instantly recognized, and speeds hovered around 1300MB/s read — exactly as expected for PCIe 3.0×4 in this size.
Pros:
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Genuine Samsung chip.
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Rare size (2242) at this capacity.
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Good thermal behavior.
Cons:
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Packaging was just a padded envelope.
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No heatsink, but it didn’t need one.
Price Comparison: I paid $18, whereas eBay or Amazon list this model at $25–$30 used.
Expectations met? Yep. A compact beast. Would rebuy for niche builds.
$0.99
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Logitech MX Master 3/3s Grip Tape
As someone who works long hours on the computer, my MX Master 3 mouse would get slippery — especially in summer. This grip tape set was a cheap experiment.
Why I bought it: Pre-cut, anti-sweat, and supposedly easy to apply — sounded like a win.
Application & Usage: Installation took 2 minutes. The adhesive stuck well and the texture improved grip noticeably. Feels like a pro upgrade.
Pros:
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Great grip improvement.
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Fits MX Master 3/3s perfectly.
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Doesn’t interfere with mouse movement.
Cons:
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Slight chemical smell at first.
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May peel slightly after months of heavy use.
Price Comparison: $4 on AliExpress vs $12–15 on Amazon for similar lizard-skin tapes.
Met expectations? Surpassed. It’s such a small upgrade, but it made a real difference in comfort.
$0.99
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Romer-G Mechanical Switches (5-Pack)
I have an old Logitech G810 keyboard with a couple of sticky keys. Buying a Romer-G switch replacement pack was cheaper than replacing the whole keyboard.
Why I bought it: Needed to replace faulty switches, and this was the most affordable and reviewed option I could find.
Experience: Desoldered the broken switches, popped in the new ones, and they worked flawlessly. Same tactile feel as the original.
Pros:
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Exact fit for Logitech boards.
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Smooth keystroke.
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Came in anti-static packaging.
Cons:
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Requires soldering.
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No switch puller included.
Price Comparison: $3.50 for 5 vs $10+ for singles in the US.
Expectations? Totally met. Feels like a factory-fresh keyboard again.
$0.99
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Keycap for Corsair (Single Key)
Lost the ESC key on my Corsair K70 and found this replacement cap. Surprised how specific the listing was — even offered EU layouts.
Why I chose it: Compatible with my exact model and had a few layout options. Also, the only one offering just a single key.
Experience: Fit perfectly. Looks almost identical to the original.
Pros:
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Accurate color and profile match.
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Supports different layouts (DE, ES, FR).
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Good plastic quality.
Cons:
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Slightly glossier than the original.
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Only sells individual keys, not kits.
Price Comparison: $2 on AliExpress vs $8+ from Corsair resellers.
Met expectations? Yes. Saved me from buying a whole new keyboard.
$3.86
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Samsung USB 3.1 Flash Drive (BAR Plus)
I needed a durable USB flash drive with decent speeds and a metal build. The Samsung BAR Plus was a familiar name, and the price was too good to pass up.
Why I chose it: Metal build, Type-C option, and great reviews. Also, Samsung storage has always been reliable for me.
Experience: Transferred a 15GB folder in under 2 minutes. Consistent read speeds over 250MB/s.
Pros:
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Sleek metal body.
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True USB 3.1 speeds.
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Compact and portable.
Cons:
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Can get warm during large file transfers.
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Capless design means more exposure to dust.
Price Comparison: $13 for 128GB vs $20–25 in local stores.
Expectations met? More than. Looks and works like a premium drive.
$1.91
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163-Key British Racing Green Keycap Set
My second keycap buy. The British Racing Green color scheme caught my eye — a classy blend of green, white, and yellow.
Why I chose it: Wanted something unique but not flashy. Also, 163 keys meant support for all layouts.
Experience: Installed on my TKL board. Loved the retro vibe and matte texture. The legends are crisp.
Pros:
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Large set with ISO/ANSI keys.
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Beautiful two-tone color.
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Cherry profile is comfy.
Cons:
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ABS plastic, not PBT.
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Lighter weight than premium sets.
Price Comparison: $24 vs $40–60 for similar custom sets.
Expectations? Met. Great mid-tier keycap set for budget builds.
$9.67
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K11 Retro Spacebar Keycap
This K11 3D Spacebar was an impulse buy — I’ve always loved nostalgic Nintendo vibes, and this one looked like a Game Boy scene.
Why I bought it: Needed a statement piece for my keyboard. The design looked incredibly detailed in the photos.
Experience: It really stands out. Fits perfectly and feels solid. Adds some personality without being too flashy.
Pros:
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Highly detailed 3D design.
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Standard 6.25U Cherry stem.
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Doesn’t affect typing feel.
Cons:
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Not backlight-friendly.
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Slightly heavier than standard caps.
Price Comparison: $6 vs $20+ for artisan caps elsewhere.
Expectations? Surpassed. Got lots of compliments on it.
$0.99
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5pcs Romer-G Replacement Switches (Again)
Yes, I bought another 5-pack of Romer-G switches — this time for my G613 wireless. These are the same as the previous ones but worth mentioning again.
Why I reordered: The first batch worked great. Had more keys going bad, so I grabbed another set.
Experience: Smooth install, great tactile bump, revived my G613.
Pros:
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Inexpensive way to fix an expensive keyboard.
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Feels identical to Logitech’s original switches.
Cons:
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Again, no tools included.
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Slight learning curve if you’ve never desoldered before.
Expectations? Still met. These switches saved me $100+.
$8.34
Overall Thoughts
Honestly, I didn’t expect every single product to be this good. From storage drives and artisan keycaps to keyboard repairs and grip tape, everything delivered solid value. AliExpress shipping was faster than expected in most cases, and the quality surpassed my initial doubts. For anyone willing to do a little research and wait a bit longer than Prime delivery, the savings and variety are absolutely worth it.
Would I recommend these? Absolutely. And yes — I already have more in my cart.
