A Guide to Keyboard Keycaps: Materials, Profiles, Layouts, and More

Keycaps are the soul of a keyboard—they shape how it feels, sounds, and looks. Whether you’re building your first custom board or just upgrading your current setup, understanding keycap materials, profiles, and layouts can help you make the perfect choice. Let’s dive into the world of keycaps and explore everything that makes them special.

Keycap Materials

The material of a keycap greatly impacts the texture, sound, and long-term durability

✔ ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

• Texture: Smooth, becomes shiny with wear.
• Sound: Higher-pitched, crisp.
• Durability: Less resistant to wear and shine.

ABS Keycaps on Fun60

✔ PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate)

• Texture: Matte, slightly rough.
• Sound: Deeper, more muted than ABS.
• Durability: Excellent—resists shine and fading.

PBT Keycaps on M1 V5 VIA Recycling

✔ POM (Polyoxymethylene)

• Texture: Silky smooth, non-gritty.
• Sound: Softer, deeper “thock.”
• Durability: High wear resistance.

✔ PC (Polycarbonate)

• Texture: Transparent or semi-transparent, smooth.
• Sound: Softer acoustics with a slightly hollow tone.
• Durability: Strong and flexible—often used in translucent or RGB-focused designs.

PC Keycaps on ICE75

✔ Other Material

      We’re also seeing keycaps made from materials like metal (Titanium Alloy, aluminum, brass), wood, and even resin, offering unique aesthetics and feels.

Akko 8th Anniversary Titanium Keycap

Keycap Profiles

Keycap profiles refer to the shape and height of the keycaps across the keyboard. Each profile offers a different typing experience.

✔ Cherry Profile:

• A popular and widely used profile, known for its sculpted design.
• Offers a comfortable and familiar typing experience.
• Often considered a good balance between height and comfort.

Cherry Profile

✔ OEM Profile:

• Similar to Cherry, but slightly taller.
• Commonly found on pre-built keyboards.

✔ OSA Profile:

A sculpted profile that blends characteristics of OEM and SA, offering a comfortable and familiar feel with a touch of retro styling.

✔ JDA Profile:

A sculpted profile with a unique, slightly rounded top, designed for a comfortable and tactile typing experience.

✔ ASA Profile:

• A tall, sculpted profile with a spherical top, similar to SA but with slightly different sculpting.
• It is designed to be ergonomic.

✔ ASA-Low Profile:

• A lower height variation of the ASA profile, offering a balance between SA and Cherry profiles.

✔ SAL Profile:

 A sculpted and relatively tall profile.

✔ MDA Profile:
• A medium-height, sculpted profile designed for comfortable and efficient typing.

✔ MOA Profile & MOG Profile & MAO Profile

Sculpted profiles from Akko, with its own distinct shape, and feel.

MAO Profile Keycaps

Beyond these profiles, numerous other variations exist, including DAS and XDA, from various brands. The keyboard community’s constant innovation ensures a steady stream of unique profiles tailored to niche preferences.

Legends and Printing Methods

The way legends (letters/numbers/symbols) are applied to keycaps affects both aesthetics and longevity.

• Pad Printing – Inexpensive but wears off easily.
• Laser Etching – Precise but can fade with heavy use.
• Dye-Sublimation – Ink is heat-transferred into the plastic; very durable. Works best on PBT.
• Double-Shot – Two plastics molded together; ultra-durable and clean legends. Common in higher-end ABS sets.
• UV Printing – Allows colorful, custom designs; less durable than dye-sub or double-shot.
• Titanium anodizing – Expensive, a vivid, corrosion-resistant, and scratch-resistant surface.

Titanium Anodizing

Other Keycap Considerations

• Thickness

  Thicker keycaps generally provide a deeper, more satisfying sound. Keycaps can range from thin (~1mm) to thick (~1.5mm+).

• Colorways & Themes

  From retro beige to neon gradients and artisan collabs, keycaps come in endless designs to match your build’s vibe.

• Compatibility

  Pay attention to layout (ANSI vs ISO), key size (1.25u vs 1u mods), and mounting style (MX-compatible stems are most common).

• Sound

  The material and thickness of the keycaps, combined with the keyboard itself, contribute to the overall sound profile.

• Aesthetics

  Keycaps are a fantastic way to personalize your keyboard.

  A wide range of colors, designs, and themes are available.

World Tour Tokyo Keycaps

Choosing the right keycaps is a personal preference. Consider your typing style, comfort, and aesthetic preferences. Experiment with different materials and profiles to find what works best for you. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer, a prolific writer, or just someone who appreciates a good keyboard, exploring the world of keycaps can significantly enhance your typing experience. Happy clacking!