I spent 2 years designing a mechanical Magic Keyboard
Hi HN, today I’m revealing Altar II, an ultra-low profile (4.75mm) mechanical keyboard designed to replace your Magic Keyboard. It’s the keyboard I wish Apple made.Altar II has fully mechanical switches, plus a magnetically detachable dial, haptic feedback, a red backlight, and a native macOS companion app.I’m a heavy Mac user and I feel that Apple hasn’t given its keyboards the attention they deserve, in terms of hardware, software, and features, so I set out to try and change that.It was a massive undertaking and it has taken almost 2 years to get to this stage. One of the main obstacles was fitting a reasonably sized battery into the chassis, and aggressive power profiling without messing with the user experience. Another issue was we couldn’t fit any components on the underside of the PCB because there was literally no space to do so (and there are a lot of components).Around 4 years ago I posted my first keyboard to HN (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32507172). Its response blew me away and ultimately led to me quitting my job and making and selling keyboards full time. I’ve taken some of the feedback from that original post and incorporated it into Altar II (e.g. the detachable dial).I’ll be around to answer any questions. Please let me know what you think, I’d love to get some feedback.
FL score
out of 100
Verdict
high confidence
Competition
No competitor data yet
Trend
No signal yet
A mechanical keyboard built specifically for Mac users who want better hardware than Apple offers, with 2 years of design work and an existing customer base from a previous product.
The pain
The gap
Build angle
Strengths
- Founder has 2+ years of design iteration and real manufacturing experience
- Existing audience from previous keyboard launch on HN
- Solved genuine technical constraints (ultra-thin profile, battery, haptics)
- Clear target market with high purchasing power (Mac users)
- Native macOS app differentiates from generic mechanical keyboards
- Founder already committed full-time to the business
Risks
- Mechanical keyboard market is crowded; differentiation relies on Mac-specific positioning which limits TAM
- High manufacturing complexity and tight tolerances mean quality control issues could damage reputation
- Pricing will be premium ($200+) in a market where alternatives exist; conversion depends on brand trust
- Supply chain risk: any component shortage kills production for months
- Switching costs are low, users can return to Magic Keyboard if disappointed
- Apple could release an improved Magic Keyboard and eliminate the market overnight
- Requires ongoing software support and macOS compatibility maintenance
Fly Labs Method
Is the pain real, is there a gap, is it the right time, can one person build it.
Value Equation
Dream outcome and how likely it feels, against the time and effort it costs.
One-Person Business
Curiosity pull, identity fit, and a path from free value to paid for a solo creator.
Viral Frameworks
Hook strength, shareability, and how cheaply it can be tested.
Builder Lens
Evidence the problem exists, timing, defensibility, and a model that fits on a napkin.
Five lenses, one composite. How scoring works
The angle
No market research recorded for this idea yet.
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