Their tops are both angled and concave (the “S” in the name stands for “Spherical”), leaving a significant indent within each key for fingers to rest on. That additional height on top of the body of the board allows for substantial sculpting, with each row making up part of a semi-cylindrical shape which could be easily observed even without turning the board to the side. SA keycaps are some of the tallest keycaps on the market, towering over Cherries and OEMs alike. The influential Cherry G80 keyboard, which was first manufactured in 1988 and remains in production today, is one of the best known Cherry keycap boards in existence. ![]() The largest difference between the two is Cherry’s less aggressive sculpting, leading to what some enthusiasts consider to be a more visually pleasing, uniform look with minimal ergonomic sacrifices. They are also of medium height (albeit slightly lower all around), their tops are similarly angled, and they too are sculpted to subtly guide the typing experience from row to row. Cherry keycapsĬherry keycaps have a similar construction to OEM keycaps. For OEM, the sculpting effect is subtle enough that you may never notice it if you don’t look at your keyboard from the side.Ĭonsidering their popularity, if you’ve used a mass-market mechanical keyboard without knowing what keycap profile it sported, it was probably OEM. OEM keycaps also have mildly sculpted rows the top row of keys is taller in the back and shorter in the front, and vice versa on the other side of the board, to make them easier to press with minimal finger travel from the home row. OEM profile keycaps are of medium height with an angled top. In the context of keycap profiles, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) denotes a size and shape common to many keyboard makers rather than a particular provenance. As you learn more about each category, presents a handy way to visualize each profile side-by-side (or overlaid atop each other), or you can refer to the chart above to see how the profiles compare to each other. In either case, here are five of the most common types of keycap profiles you may see when shopping for a new keyboard or standalone caps. The most common types of keycap profilesĬertain types of keycap profiles have been available for years, while others emerged more recently thanks to the booming popularity of mechanical keyboards. The chart below illustrates some of the most common keycap profiles in circulation.ĭid you know? The HHKB Professional HYBRID combines three decades of refined design with modern connectivity, making for the ideal use-anywhere board. Note that keycap profiles do not denote any other considerations such as the color of the cap or whether it has transparent or translucent parts for showing off RGB lighting effects, nor do they indicate the cap’s material makeup. Some especially round keycaps have a deeply convex shape at the top meant to cradle your fingertips, while others are flat. Other distinctions include the height of the keycap, as well as the shape of its top. This is one of the primary distinctions between keycap profiles: whether their rows are uniform or are individually “sculpted” to meet the natural flexion and extension of your fingers. Hold up any mechanical keyboard and look at it from the side, and you’ll see that the keycaps either have an identical height and shape or take different forms depending on their rows. Each keycap profile encompasses a certain set of shapes. Keycap profiles are categorical classifications that specify the physical shape and size of a keycap - that is, the part of the keyboard your fingers come into direct contact with as you type. It will also reveal some of their common uses on keyboards that you may already be familiar with, as well as less common keycaps that enthusiasts hold near and dear.įind the perfect keycaps for every board in your collection with our Essential Guide to Keycaps. ![]() This article will introduce you to the most common types of keycap profiles on the market, both for mechanical keyboards and beyond. Thankfully, you often don’t have to leave your choice of keycap profiles up to whatever comes with your board by default. ![]() After all, your fingers can be in constant contact with them for hours at a time, and finding just the right shape can make a difference in your typing comfort and efficiency. The different types of key switches that define their movement and sound get a lot of attention, but just as important as what rests under your keys is the keycaps themselves. Mechanical keyboards are almost infinitely customizable. Find out what the different profiles mean and how to find the best one for your unique typing setup.
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