I don't like the feel of mechanical keyboards. Tall keys, tall keyboards and especially long travel time are a bug for me, not a feature. My style of typing, I don't like to spend a long time on each key, so the less travel time, the better. I actually enjoyed Macbook butterfly keyboard. Yes, I know mech keyboard proponents will tell me I am doing it wrong, that on a mechanical keyboard you don't have to bottom out, but that felt like an extra challenge to find the actuation point on each key.
I have to say however I enjoyed the feel of low profile (Kailh Choc) blue switches. It was a good balance between fun of mechanical keyboards and relatively low profile keys of non-mech keyboards.
But this is nothing compared to what I built last summer.
I also don't like long travel so I added specific mods to have shorter travel, with two small O rings inside the keycap, I also added weights inside the keycaps to improve the feel.
Tall keycaps are not an issue for me as long as the angle of the keyboard is well designed to avoid fatigue.
But there are options for low profile switches and keycaps, and they can be modded and improved just as cherry style switches.
Japanese keyboard like Topre are also known to use a complete different tech for switches that can be very satisfying (but full plastic)
This is my issue. I really want a mechanical keyboard, but the amount of choice is insane, and the price difference between different ones are insane.
Sadly these days it's hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to products.
All of this, and I have very basic requirements too (at least I think so). 70% keyboard layout, needs to be somewhat quiet, and I don't really want to pay an arm and a leg. Is there not a website where I can filter from many different keyboards so I can short-list what suits me best? I've not found any. The only places where I've been able to find quality information are Reddit and other similar communities, but they contain a barage of information and it's hard to find anything useful.
edit: I'd really like to not have to build it myself.
What is your budget? If you can spare a few weekends I think it is worth it, but I usually enjoy building things so I might be somewhat biased...
70% is not a thing AFAIK, there are 60% 65%, 75% and TKL.
Building certainly let's you control all aspects but you just can't compete on price unless you want something exotic like a split ergo or fancy metal chassis.
Maybe this is what has thrown my research in shambles. I thought 70% was basically a laptop like layout (basically normal keyboard + arrow keys cramped under the right shift key and maybe a few extra keys). Maybe I'm mistaken.
In terms of I've been thinking up to £150 or the equivalent. Split keyboard optional, though, I've never really used one, so maybe it's worth it if it falls within the budget for ergonomics.
£150 is a bit short is you want something made of metal. £200-£250 would be easier.
But really, if you can afford it this is something that is likely to outlast your computer by a long shot and be use for hours every day.
There are diminishing returns at some point, but you're going to reach that point before ~ £500.
It's a rabbit hole, and the cost can easily pile up, not even talking about the time spent studying all the possible mods and brands and styles, but at the end the satisfaction is there and I think that my custom keyboard is built to last a decade or more.
Using it for typing code, prose or instant messaging is a delight. The type of experience is similar to what you get when driving a luxury car or wearing tailor made clothes, it feels good.
The base board I used is the GMMK pro, not the best choice if I had to do it again, I had to heavily mod it to achieve the sound profile I wanted and it is still a bit stiff.
I'd recommend buying something a bit pricier, built from small companies in the US or South Korea, those are in my opinion the most advanced design at the moment.
I used lubed Gateron Black Silent for the switches, very happy with the result, smooth, quiet with a bassy sound.
MT3 is in my opinion a very good choice for the keycaps profile, sculpted and retro, I used the Susuwatari from Drop.