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Monoprice Workstream Mechanical Backlit Keyboard w/ Kailh Box Brown Switches Expired

$20.25
$50.00
+ Free S/H
+45 Deal Score
27,164 Views
Monoprice has Monoprice Workstream Mechanical Backlit Keyboard w/ Kailh Box Brown Switches + Filler Item on sale for $50.28 - Extra $10.04 Off w/ promo code YES20 & Extra $19.99 Off w/ promo code GET40 (apply in cart) = $20.25. Shipping is free.

Thanks to SD Staff aepro for finding this deal

Note, ensure that you add a qualifying filler item that is marked w/ free shipping and apply the listed promo code to receive discount in cart.

About the Product
  • Linear Kailh Box Brown Mechanical Switches
  • Full Size 108 Key Layout
  • 10-Key Number Pad
  • Aluminum top plate/added durability
  • 80 Million Keystrokes Rated
Warranty
  • Includes a 1-year replacement warranty + 30-day Money Back Guarantee w/ purchase

Original Post

Written by
Edited April 17, 2023 at 02:50 PM by
Must also add ANY filler item [monoprice.com] to cart. Item needs to say "Free Shipping".

Monoprice [monoprice.com] has Workstream by Monoprice Mechanical Keyboard with Kailh Box Brown Switches - Backlit, Aluminum Top Plate, 80 Million Keystrokes w/ Filler on sale for $20.25 w/ codes YES20 and GET40. Shipping is free.
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Deal
Score
+45
27,164 Views
$20.25
$50.00

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Featured Comments

Thanks OP.

For anyone who just wants to quickly buy it and not search hard for a filler item, I added this usb-c cable for $1.74 as I can never really have enough of these laying around.
Choose the 3ft version: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=38801
The reviews of this (and others from the same line, with different switches) don't give me the warm fuzzies about the longevity of this keyboard. Multiple reviews about LEDs dying prematurely, and one about a whole switch dying.
Reading is hard

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Joined Aug 2014
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> bubble2 144 Posts
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d0s2511
04-18-2023 at 11:54 AM.
04-18-2023 at 11:54 AM.
This isn't gaming/linear keyboard, is it? I hate those for typing coz of double typing.
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Joined Nov 2015
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> bubble2 380 Posts
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Riddle.Me.This
04-18-2023 at 11:59 AM.
04-18-2023 at 11:59 AM.
Quote from MerryScene206 :
I have had three of these over the last year... From a single purchase (2 replacements under warranty and original). Expect 3 months of ok typing, led backlights fail, and then columns of keys fail. Warranty is expired now, so I'm stuck with this $hitpile.

I'll rip it apart and see if the problem is failing diodes or leds or what... Super annoying.

Not worth it at any price.
If you are ripping them apart, can you let us know if the switches are soldered on or hot-swappable? I doubt that they are, but if hot-swappable, it might be worth it to harvest this for the switches when the keyboard breaks.
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Joined Nov 2022
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> bubble2 160 Posts
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TenseReward8527
04-18-2023 at 12:23 PM.
04-18-2023 at 12:23 PM.
sad to hear some of their newer keyboards are having issues. Recently there was a tkl cherry mx red they were offering that apparently only worked with the single odd proprietary usb c cable they shipped it with. It was $20 on discount, wish I bought it before it sold out nonetheless.

I have 2 somewhat older monoprice keyboards (2 years or so), one with mx speed silvers and one with mx blues, and they've held up very well.
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Joined Nov 2015
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> bubble2 380 Posts
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Riddle.Me.This
04-18-2023 at 01:50 PM.
04-18-2023 at 01:50 PM.
Quote from Vice_Monkey :
Why would you buy 3? There's no way guy. Either totally made up or special.
Read the post again. They clearly said they bought one keyboard and the other two were warranty replacements.
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Joined Jul 2007
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> bubble2 2,109 Posts
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Fragster
04-18-2023 at 02:00 PM.
04-18-2023 at 02:00 PM.
Reviews seem like these are those disposable cheap keyboards ya have to replace every year. In for one for my remote workstation.
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Joined Aug 2009
L3: Novice
> bubble2 103 Posts
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mogoreanu
04-19-2023 at 10:06 PM.
04-19-2023 at 10:06 PM.
Can confirm, still works, with the "Monoprice Releasable Cable Tie 8in 50 lbs, 100 pcs/pack, Black" and of course the kazoo both YES20 and GET40 applied. Thank you.
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Joined Sep 2022
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> bubble2 551 Posts
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TealIdea227
04-20-2023 at 12:33 PM.
04-20-2023 at 12:33 PM.
Quote from Fragster :
Reviews seem like these are those disposable cheap keyboards ya have to replace every year. In for one for my remote workstation.
Somehow, I don't remember, I wound up with a Dell OEM keyboard in the mid-2000s as a spare for wireless Logitechs. Eventually it became non-spare, and I decided I liked it enough to buy a box of 4 for $20 off ebay in 2010 or so. Our household is still using those keyboards today. I grew up with clicky keyboards, but I'm not picky, I've even managed to learn to put up with laptop keyboards. Every time I think about "upgrading", I read a review of a cheap disposable $20 keyboard that has to be replaced every year, and decide I like to keep my money in my pocket where it belongs a little while longer - and I can't just have one for me, I have to shop for multiples.

But yeah, these stories sound like some kind of a design flaw with the PCB.
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Joined Sep 2012
Calling for instock check
> bubble2 54 Posts
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TheBSK
04-20-2023 at 12:46 PM.
04-20-2023 at 12:46 PM.
my last monoprice keyboard started acting up and randomly will take a single keyboard press and turn it into 4 or 5 of them. so its useless.
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Joined May 2019
L3: Novice
> bubble2 148 Posts
container
04-20-2023 at 02:24 PM.
04-20-2023 at 02:24 PM.
Quote from MerryScene206 :
I have had three of these over the last year... From a single purchase (2 replacements under warranty and original). Expect 3 months of ok typing, led backlights fail, and then columns of keys fail. Warranty is expired now, so I'm stuck with this $hitpile.

I'll rip it apart and see if the problem is failing diodes or leds or what... Super annoying.

Not worth it at any price.
Thanks for the honest feedback - I purchased some monoprice Bluetooth headphones a few years back which immediately broke upon attempting to (delicately) plug in the micro USB connector for the first time. I immediately submitted a support ticket with them, and it permanently stayed in a pending state with no way to escalate it or do much of anything. I eventually gave up and tossed them in the scrap bin for parting out. I was on the fence about giving this keyboard a shot, but your experience (along with others) has convinced me to avoid getting burned a second time by this company.
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Joined Sep 2022
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> bubble2 8 Posts
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MerryScene206
04-21-2023 at 06:16 PM.
04-21-2023 at 06:16 PM.
Quote from container :
Thanks for the honest feedback - I purchased some monoprice Bluetooth headphones a few years back which immediately broke upon attempting to (delicately) plug in the micro USB connector for the first time. I immediately submitted a support ticket with them, and it permanently stayed in a pending state with no way to escalate it or do much of anything. I eventually gave up and tossed them in the scrap bin for parting out. I was on the fence about giving this keyboard a shot, but your experience (along with others) has convinced me to avoid getting burned a second time by this company.
I loved monoprice "back in the day". Have a ton of cables of all types. However...

I also bought some noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones from them a few years earlier. Had to rma them due to popping sounds. Replacements lasted a year and then broke at the hinge. I fixed with epoxy+carbon fiber plate but it looks like trash now and doesn't fold. Super comfy and good sound, though.

Keyboard failures were also around this time.

The first monoprice failure was a few years ago when a USB cable melted in my wife's phone, which miraculous still worked except for some scorch marks.

I'm sad... It was a very well regarded company, and probably has some good stuff but it seems to have followed the race to the bottom with crap Amazon sellers.

On the plus side, they have at least been communicative with customer service. Much better than random Amazon sellers in that regard.
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> bubble2 8 Posts
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MerryScene206
04-21-2023 at 06:19 PM.
04-21-2023 at 06:19 PM.
Quote from Vice_Monkey :
Why would you buy 3? There's no way guy. Either totally made up or special.
Settle down, monkey. I bought it once. First failure I got a replacement. That one failed and I got another replacement since they wouldn't give me store credit or anything due to systemic problem.. third one failed just past a year and won't be RMAd.
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MerryScene206
04-21-2023 at 06:23 PM.
04-21-2023 at 06:23 PM.
Quote from Riddle.Me.This :
If you are ripping them apart, can you let us know if the switches are soldered on or hot-swappable? I doubt that they are, but if hot-swappable, it might be worth it to harvest this for the switches when the keyboard breaks.
Switches are soldered. Three pin style. Seem decent... I'm considering using them with a new barebones pcb. I'll try a hot-air solder station to ease desoldering 200 pins)

Fwiw, the manufacturer is SinoWealth. The controller IC is marked BYK901-00997. There is no documentation on this controller and it's used in many cheapo keyboards.
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Last edited by MerryScene206 April 21, 2023 at 06:30 PM.
Joined Sep 2022
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> bubble2 8 Posts
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MerryScene206
04-21-2023 at 06:29 PM.
04-21-2023 at 06:29 PM.
Quote from d0s2511 :
This isn't gaming/linear keyboard, is it? I hate those for typing coz of double typing.
No. The op is wrong in that these are not linear (the browns). Small bit of resistance part-way through travel. Pretty decent. They have a noise but not super clacky
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Joined Jun 2008
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> bubble2 933 Posts
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gtprojectx
04-24-2023 at 10:35 AM.
04-24-2023 at 10:35 AM.
Bought. Used it one day so far. Initial impressions are that this is more than adequate for $20 and hope it lasts. Good mechanical feel. Not as good as Logitech G610 I'm comparing against, but after just looking now, that model is discontinued and I have no idea what the current available comparative product would be.
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