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Keycap Profiles
When considering which aftermarket keycap set to get, there can be many different factors to consider. We’ve already discussed the different materials that keycaps can be made from, and of course there is the obvious colorway consideration, but what about the shape of the individual keycaps themselves?
In the early days of the enthusiast keyboard hobby, there were extremely limited options available for aftermarket keycap sets. Unicomp was making replacement keycap sets for buckling spring keyboards and Signature Plastics was making keycap sets compatible with MX switches (GMK had not yet become an option to the enthusiast market - that would come a couple years later).
Now, though? You’d be easily forgiven for being overwhelmed by the number of options available on the market at this point.
Let’s walk through the characteristics that define the various profiles, and cover some of the major profiles you’ll come across.
▪️ Keycap Shape (Spherical, Cylindrical, Flat)
▪️ Sculpted or Uniform
▪️ Keycap Height
▪️ Common Profiles
Keycap Shape
There are three main types of keycap shapes to consider - spherical, cylindrical, and flat.
Spherical keycaps are shaped as if you set a sphere slightly into the top of a flat surface and remove the portion where the sphere and keycap intersect. In other words, the keycaps have a spherical-shaped divot cut out of the top. This can have a nice “keycap hugging your fingertip” feeling to it, and also has a nice vintage aesthetic to it (many early keycaps were spherical).
(Edited)
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keyboard_arrow_downdvorcol
5404
Keyboard Club Member
May 4, 2024
Matt3o's PBS profile is [Cylindrical + Uniform]. He posted an introduction last February. The first set will be Maxvoltar's PBS Classic, dye sub PBT, manufactured by Keyreative.
Syndrifix
3
Sep 19, 2023
Can i get a link to the caps shown that are that aquateal color... I need them in my life!
HoffmanMyster
3278
Community
Sep 19, 2023
SyndrifixIf it's the first pic, that would be MT3 Dancer + Dasher (alphas from one, mods from the other) :)
DoomSauce
2
Jan 11, 2023
SA is my favorite so far. I've tried XDA and Cherry and OEM and they're all fine I guess. But SA feels and sounds SO good. I love the sculpted and tall feel and look of SA. I think I would really enjoy MT3, but I just haven't been able to get my hands on any so far. One of these days. I'm sure I'll love em.
thrillhouser
3
Jan 10, 2023
I love MT3 profile, but they keycaps are way too high for me to use everyday. For me, spherical keycaps are the way to go. Love the feel of the "scoop" of those keycaps as I type.
I also like the height of ASA or OEM profiles, but I don't really like their shape.
Maybe combine the height of ASA/OEM profiles with spherical shapes. That would be a dream to try.
Also interested in trying MDA profile keycaps.
Vandenhul
247
Jan 10, 2023
thrillhouserYou should try KAT. They are spherical with a height similar to OEM. Last time I checked, https://Kono.store had a few KAT sets for sale, otherwise it is a very long group buy process.
MamaNet
13
Jan 10, 2023
I love MT3 and SA profiles. But I tend to go for the MT3 as they are more "cupped" for lack of a better word. The SA profiles I have tried tend to be "flatter" and I find my fingers tend to slip sometimes and this makes the chatter worse. I also have cherry and MDA profiles but I use them very infrequently and only on my alternate keyboard. My daily driver really is the MT3 specifically the cyber set. I really like to try the lighter colors so I have gone also for the MT3 Godspeed but the material is different and the keycaps tend to get dirty easily and difficult to remove the smudges. So I just kept them in the box after 3 weeks, maybe to use in the future. But for now, I stay with the MT3 cyber, no matter the shine. I have actually embraced the shine and looking to make the shine uniform in all keys LOL.
Vandenhul
247
Jan 10, 2023
Tesoro Gram Spectrum has a uniform profile with cylindrical caps. Only that one keyboard have I seen with a uniform profile for cylindrical caps.
Xenogear
8
Jan 9, 2023
Am I the only person that really enjoys XDA profile? It really brings out the personality of tactile switches imo.
Definitely need to try some mt3 as it seems so many of you enjoy it!
Very well written article. I learned ACTUAL typist style on buckling spring IBM terminal boards before most people were born!(it makes me laugh every time I see people using their fingers for the space bar and none of them can actually type correctly except for a very few YouTubers!) Seems like no one knows actual typing techniques. But wtvr works for you!
I bottom out 70+g springs so I can't use linear switches unless they are s spring swapped.
I bottom out Durock t1's and I don't like this long pole nonsense. It feels like the keyboard is smacking my fingers back if that makes sense LOL!
Really want to try dcx out.
Again, great article!
HoffmanMyster
3278
Community
Jan 9, 2023
andromachePhysically, it's very similar, but does have some slight differences in height/angles. Here's a comparison side view. For all intents and purposes, you wouldn't notice a difference while typing.
The legends on DCX are more significantly different from Cherry/GMK - alphas are more consistently weighted, multi-line legends are "better" horizontally aligned, and many of the mod legends are differently sized/spaced (for better or worse depending on your preferences)
Aristarco
209
Jan 9, 2023
Nice article. I prefer MT3 but since I'm in Latin America, DCS and XDA is way better to move the keycaps around to adequate the layout (e.g. the [{ ]} keycaps are a row below the one in US ANSI) without distorting the profile angle. I ordered some LatAm keycaps in Cherry profile from an obscure source but haven't arrived so I can't say if this works for me. Big thanks to Matt3o for making an international subset with LatAm keys in the /dev/tty Custom keycap set!! Bought 2 and have them on my favorite keybs.
erickong
7434
Mech Keys Moderator
Jan 8, 2023
https://www.keycaps.info/
My favorite keycap profile resource
HoffmanMyster
3278
Community
Jan 9, 2023
erickongThat's my fave too (linked in the article including the very useful stack view for comparisons)!
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