Building a custom keyboard with a built-in display—often called a “screenboard” or a keyboard with an OLED/LCD screen—is one of the most rewarding hardware projects you can take on. The process blends mechanical keyboard assembly, 3D case modeling, and custom hardware integration.
Depending on your goal, you can either build an integrated display into a keyboard from scratch, or build a wall/desk display stand to showcase your physical keyboard collection.
Method 1: Building a Keyboard with an Integrated Display Screen
If you want to add a functional screen (for PC stats, GIFs, or macros) onto a keyboard, follow these steps: 1. Gather Your Components
The Keyboard Base: A hot-swappable keyboard kit or a budget mechanical keyboard to harvest for its Printed Circuit Board (PCB).
The Display: A small, long bar-style widescreen LCD display (often driven via HDMI or USB) or a small 128×64 I2C OLED screen module.
Microcontroller: A microcontroller like the Raspberry Pi RP2040 or Pro Micro to handle custom screen data if you are routing it through custom firmware.
Custom Enclosure: Filament for a 3D printer to house both the keyboard PCB and the screen securely together. 2. Design the Custom Case
Use 3D modeling software like Fusion360 to measure the dimensions of your keyboard PCB and your chosen screen.
Create a unified case file that stacks the screen right above the function row or integrates it neatly on the side.
3D print the case out of durable materials like PLA or PETG. 3. Assemble and Wire the Hardware
Place acoustic foam and gaskets inside the case to keep the mechanical typing sound deep and satisfying.
Mount the keyboard PCB and secure the screen module right next to it.
Route the display cables out the back of the case alongside your keyboard’s main USB cable. 4. Configure the Software & Firmware
If using an OLED module mapped to the keyboard itself, use open-source QMK Firmware to program what the screen displays (like layer status, caps lock, or WPM).
If using a secondary widescreen LCD, plug it directly into your PC’s GPU and use a software package like AIDA64 or Rainmeter to push custom PC metric layouts, clocks, or live wallpapers to the keyboard display.
Watch this detailed breakdown of how a budget keyboard can be transformed into a custom screenboard:
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