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PH60 Slim Choc V2 Mechanical Keyboard

PH60 Slim Choc V2 preview

Overview​

PH60 Slim Choc V2 is a 60% ANSI wireless low-profile mechanical keyboard kit. The case, PCB, battery, and stabilizers come pre-assembled and pre-lubed from the factory — you only need to install switches and keycaps to finish the build.

What's new vs. V1​

  • Upgraded from PH60 Slim Choc V1
  • MCU switched to Nordic nRF52840
  • Bluetooth 5.3 + ZMK firmware
  • Supports ZMK Studio — remap keys in the browser without reflashing
  • Stabilizers factory-installed and pre-lubed
  • Replaced the magnetic folding kickstand with a built-in negative tilt design; combined with the sculpted keycap heights, it gives a more ergonomic typing posture

Specs​

ItemValue
Layout60% ANSI
MCUNordic nRF52840
ConnectionUSB-C / Bluetooth 5.3
LatencyWired 1 ms / Bluetooth 7.5 ms
FirmwareZMK

Bill of materials​

Included in the kit​

ItemQtyNotes
Case1Pre-assembled
PCB1Pre-mounted inside the case
Battery1Custom battery with 3C certification
Stabilizers54×2u + 1×6.25u, factory-installed and lubed

You need to supply​

In addition to the base kit, the following parts are required to complete the build:

ItemQtyNotes
Kailh low-profile switches61The PCB does not accept standard MX switches — Choc V1/V2 sockets only
Low-profile keycaps61Regular-height keycaps may rub against the switch housing

Assembly​

1. Install the switches​

Switch installation example

Slim Choc only accepts Kailh Choc low-profile switches (V1/V2 sockets). Forcing an MX switch or a different brand of low-profile switch into the socket may cause irreversible damage to the PCB.

warning

Mind the pin orientation. Incorrect orientation can bend the switch pins or damage the hot-swap socket, and may also kill the per-key LED. For the stabilized keys, the switch needs to be rotated 90°.

2. Install the keycaps​

Install keycaps left to right. For the stabilized (large) keys, press the keycap fully onto both the switch stem and the stabilizer stems to avoid a sluggish return on release.

When installing 3D-printed keycaps, some of the large keys may need light sanding to fit the stem. When pulling keycaps off, always pull straight along the switch axis — 3D-printed parts are weakest along the Z axis and the stem can snap off inside the switch.

Firmware flashing & updates​

Everything below assumes the latest firmware. Early-batch users should update first — doing so fixes most issues such as failure to wake from sleep, Bluetooth pairing problems, and stuck keys.

Getting the firmware​

1. Prebuilt (QQ group)​

Join the QQ group 512933670 and grab the latest build from the group files.

2. Build from source​

ZMK is built via GitHub Actions — download the artifact produced by the workflow.

Flashing a new firmware​

1. Enter the bootloader​

The default bootloader shortcut is Fn + B + R. The keyboard disconnects and a new mass-storage device shows up.

If the shortcut doesn't respond (e.g. wrong firmware version), pull off the spacebar keycap, then short the two pads marked BOOT under the spacebar twice within 500 ms using tweezers (or any conductive object). This forces the keyboard into the bootloader.

BOOT pads

2. Copy the firmware​

Once in the bootloader the keyboard becomes a USB mass-storage device. Drop the firmware file onto the drive and wait for it to reconnect.

If you can't connect / update / unlock / a bad firmware was flashed, we provide a setting_reset_V2 firmware. Flashing it wipes settings, clears the existing firmware, and reboots the board.

Recovery flow: enter bootloader with tweezers → flash setting_reset_V2 → board reboots with factory settings → flash the latest firmware.

Keymap​

The source of truth for the keymap and shield definition is the .keymap file under boards/shields/PH60-SC_V2/ in ph_lite-zmk-config. The arrow keys in the bottom-right are mod-tap: tap for the arrow, hold for the original modifier.

Base layer

Esc
!1
@2
#3
$4
%5
^6
&7
*8
(9
)0
_-
+=
BKSP
Tab
Q
W
E
R
T
Y
U
I
O
P
{[
}]
|\
Caps
A
S
D
F
G
H
J
K
L
:;
"'
Enter
Shift
Z
X
C
V
B
N
M
<,
>.
?/
Shift↑
Ctrl
Win
Alt
Space
Alt
Fn←
Win↓
Ctrl→

Fn layer

`
F1
F2
F3
F4
F5
F6
F7
F8
F9
F10
F11
F12
Del
↑
Reset
PrtSc
Home
End
Studio
←
↓
→
PgUp
PgDn
RGB
RGBLyr
BTLyr

Bluetooth layer

BT1
BT2
BT3
BT4
BT5
BT CLR
OUT
BOOT
SOFTOFF

RGB layer

HUE-
HUE+
SAT-
SAT+
EFF-
EFF+
BRI-
BRI+
SPD-
SPD+

Remapping keys​

We host a customized build of ZMKS Studio on our CDN: it's based on the upstream ZMK Studio with added localization, UI tweaks for our firmware, and better performance in China. We recommend using this one.

How to use it​

  1. Connect the keyboard to your computer
  2. Open zmks.phdesign.cc in your browser
  3. Grant HID permission
  4. Pick PH60 Slim Choc V2 in the device picker
  5. Once connected, press Fn + \ to unlock — you can now remap keys and tweak RGB in real time
tip

ZMK Studio does not require reflashing. Changes are saved to the keyboard and take effect immediately.

Default shortcuts​

  • Fn + \: unlock ZMK Studio
  • Fn + B + R (USB only): reboot into the bootloader
  • Fn + B + Tab (USB only): toggle output between USB and Bluetooth
  • Fn + R: soft-reset the keyboard
  • Fn + B + 1~5: switch between 5 Bluetooth profiles
  • Fn + B + Backspace: tap to clear the current profile, hold to clear all profiles
  • Fn + B + Enter: trigger soft off (deep sleep); press any key to wake
  • Fn + Z: toggle RGB on/off
  • Fn + X: hold to enter the RGB layer — adjust hue / saturation / brightness / speed / effect

RGB and battery life​

Slim Choc V2 moves the LEDs to a top-facing position, pairing well with shine-through keycaps. RGB has a large impact on runtime, so by default RGB is on over USB and off over Bluetooth.

  • RGB off: two to three months of battery life
  • RGB on: two to three hours before the battery runs out

If you want RGB on wireless, you can change this in ZMK Studio. Note that due to the MCU + LED power scheme, the reported battery percentage is currently not very accurate.

Bluetooth layer reference​

  • BT1~BT5: switch between the 5 pre-configured Bluetooth profiles
  • BT CLR: tap to clear the current profile, hold to clear all profiles
  • OUT: while wired, toggle between USB and Bluetooth output
  • BOOT: enter the bootloader
  • SOFT OFF: soft shutdown — the keyboard disconnects and sleeps; press the same key to wake

RGB layer reference​

Hold Fn + X to enter the RGB layer. While held, these keys adjust the lighting:

  • U / I: hue −/+
  • O / P: saturation −/+
  • [ / ]: previous / next effect
  • J / K: brightness −/+
  • L / ;: speed −/+

FAQ​

Wireless​

Q: How do I quickly switch between paired devices?

A: Use Fn + B + 1~5 to cycle through the 5 Bluetooth profiles.

Q: Can't connect after switching profiles?

A: Re-pair the target device. Tap Fn + B + Backspace to clear the current profile, or hold it to clear all profiles and start fresh.

Q: The battery percentage over Bluetooth looks wrong.

A: That's a known limitation of the current hardware. A future version may drop the percentage readout in favor of a simple indicator LED.

Q: 2.4 GHz?

A: The mainline firmware does not support 2.4 GHz yet. An experimental implementation lives in the 2.4g_impl branch of the firmware repo, and a matching dongle is planned.

Firmware​

Q: The keyboard won't enter the bootloader.

A: Pull off the spacebar keycap. You'll see two pads labelled BOOT. Short them twice with a conductive object (tweezers, paperclip) within 500 ms to force the bootloader.

Q: Will a firmware update wipe my keymap?

A: No — the keymap is preserved. If you need a full reset, flash setting_reset_V2 first.

Other​

Q: Can I use 3D-printed keycaps?

A: Yes. We recommend the Low-Profile Keycaps on MakerWorld (PETG). Some large keys may need light sanding to fit the stem.

Q: Can I customize the case colors?

A: Yes — use custom.phdesign.cc for live color preview and pricing. Send the final parameters to the store and we'll build it to order.

Getting help​

If the FAQ doesn't solve your problem:

References​

Last updated: April 2026