2026 Mode Encore
keyboard by: Mode
Photos taken in House by alex
The Mode Encore (2026) Review
Mode just dropped a massive redesign of their website and with it and along with the new site comes a brand-new iteration of a board that has had a chokehold on the community for a minute now, the Mode Encore.
I’ve already liked the Encore since it first came out. If you want some previous thoughts on it, check out my older review. It’s a gorgeous board that really took advantage of Mode’s lattice system and beautifully designed by Matthew Encina. No one can convince me otherwise.
So, when Mode told me they were completely changing the internals, I was incredibly curious. At the same time, I was also a bit bummed that the lattice system is being retired! Now, let’s look at the specs, and see if this thing is worth your hard-earned cash.
Full Disclosure and Affiliations
These boards were sent to me to look at by one of my sponsors of my stream, this article was written and published without the brand or any affiliated persons reviewing it. There are some affiliate links. These links give me kickbacks and allow me to continue making content! All thoughts are my own, transparency matters.
Details & New Colorways
Let’s get pricing out of the way first. These configurations are going to start at $299. The price seems to stay flat for basically everything, which is awesome. The only way it really jumps up is if you choose different plates, picking up the aluminum plate raises it by 10 bucks to $309. I was kind of hoping the alu plate would just be standardized at the base price.
Just like the previous Encores, this board is not customizable with an al-a-cart system, but that seems to be standard with what mode is offering now. What you see is what you get. However, Mode’s new color schemes are just too good. They even have this very thoughtful material viewer on the site now so you can see them all up close.
Quick FYI on the Unboxing: I actually had to put the package together on my own and there probably will be refinement on Mode’s end, so I can’t wait to see it.
When you get your retail unit, it’s not going to come with a hard-shell case. I know that matters a lot for some people, and maybe no one really cares about it anymore, but Mode is going in a direction that’s way more focused on reusable, sustainable packaging. Personally, I am torn on it. I have no need for hardshells myself, but for first time buyers it was always so nice to have. A bit bummed here for that reason.
What I do love is how they pack the plates now. They’re sandwiched between two really thick pieces of cardboard. It’s super thoughtful because there’s way less chance for the plate to warp or bend in transit compared to just slapping it on top of a case and hoping for the best. Overall, the new unboxing experience is lovely, it feels premium and minimal.
Internals & The "Crown" System
Looking at the chassis, you still get that gorgeous, oversized “cherry Lip” front chamfer, the classic hardwood accent blend, and the stepped internal cavity that does a massive amount of heavy lifting for the sound profile. I want to comment on how happy I am that Mode went back to the wood accents for the Encore. It’s seriously never looked better.
On the weight scale, the fully built board comes in at 1.22 kg (2 lbs, 13 oz). It’s not a spine-crushing heavy board; it definitely leans slightly on the lighter, more agile side for a desk piece. For the PCB, the hot-swap version has a ton of great layout compatibility, but it does not support ISO. If you absolutely need an ISO layout, the solder PCB has you covered with literally everything you want. Also, shoutout to Mode for using Gateron sockets on this instead of Kailh sockets. Oh and we get a fresh screen print on the PCB that I think adds to its class.
The absolute biggest change to the 2026 Encore is the new Crown Mounting System.
If you remember the old Encores, or any of Mode’s more recent projects, they used those 3D-printed lattice blocks. The issue was that after some time, depending on how hard you typed, they could eventually lose their shape. I actually brought this exact point up to Matthew, and the team is super confident these new ones won’t do that because they aren’t 3D-printed. Which is great to hear now.
It’s essentially a little suspension system. It uses these gorgeous, bulky thumb screws with knurling around the edges and “Mode Design” stamped right on them. You just hand-tighten them in, you don’t want to go too crazy with a tool here.
Part of how it works is that Mode pre-installs a silicone piece from the factory on the top rim, along with these little micro-suede force-break pads on all the mounting points to completely kill case ping. Then, you have the actual Crown mechanism which uses a wave spring (a little metal lattice coil) inside a silicone housing. You get all the bounce and compression from the metal wave spring without the PCB or plate ever making harsh, direct contact with the case.
Sound & Typing Feel
I built this Encore up with the aluminum plate, the Crown system, and I’m trying out these new Peacock linear switches for the first time.
First experience feeling-wise? It is incredibly consistent. It leans a bit on the stiffer side, but it doesn’t feel overly harsh to type on. It’s kind of this weird, unique cross where it gives you a distinct top-mount feeling but not at the same time. Essentially it feels like a very well isolated top mount.
Sound-wise, it is very different from the older Encores. The lattice blocks on the previous versions definitely had a bit more of an airier and sported a brighter sound to them. This new system sounds super clean, but it leans into some amplification to the switches themselves and I would say sounds a bit closer to top mount.
In my stream for the board I used Peacock switches. They are definitely on the deeper side compared to a regular Cherry switch, which keeps the alphas sounding really nice and full. But when I first hit the spacebar, it felt way too light and sensitive for me. I ended up swapping just the spacebar switch out for a classic Gateron Milky Yellow, and holy, that is the move. It brings back a bit of that poppy, signature sound that we all love.
Top Mount & A Verdict
The Encore also supports a traditional top-mount configuration, but just an FYI the top-mount hardware is an extra purchase, it doesn’t come included in the base box. (I actually suggested to Matthew that they should add a reminder for that on the buy page, because it’s very easy to skip over and I guarantee someone is gonna think it’s included, miss it, and be disappointed!)
Swapping between the two systems is flawless and takes two seconds because of those thumb screws. The top mount removes the wave spring entirely and burger-mounts the board using a silicone ring under a plastic bushing.
I tried it out, and it is definitely way stiffer. Personally, I’m so used to this board being soft and squishy that the pure top mount threw me off a bit. But look, if you are someone who loves a loud, rigid, classic top-mount sound, this setup with a plastic plate would absolutely slap. For me, though? The feeling difference between the two is crazy, and I prefer the cushion of the Crown system all day long
The Verdict
Overall, I am very happy with this. The new crown mounting system is seriously impressive. It’s incredibly easy to install, it looks beautiful, and it gives the Encore a completely fresh, unique sound and feel. I did prefer the softer feel of the lattice blocks, but I am equally in love with this new system. At the end of the day, it’s very different.
Does it deserve your consideration? I think so. Matthew and the team did a fantastic job with this one.
Until next time. 👋