In the former blog<What Components are Used to Build a Mechanical Keyboard>, we discussed the components of a mechanical keyboard. As the mech keyboard keycaps, it offers both function and aesthetic looking.
In this blog, let’s dive deeper into the aspects of keycap types. No matter its material, profile, production process, we will introduce them roundly. If you are already a expert in keeb, welcome to share your opinion on how to get the best keycaps set. It is ok if you are just a starter to the world of key board, hope this article can help you make typing experience better and suits yourself better.
In this article, we have known that what is the keyboard keycap and how does it it work. Here are some features of a mechanical keyboard keycap.
1、Removable, can be replaced. Normally with the help of keycap and switch puller.
2、Stand on the top of the key boards.
3、Assembled with switches by the stem on the back of keycaps.
4、When pressing the mechanical keyboards keycaps, the switches move accordingly to trigger the key.
So keycaps mechanical keyboard is also an important factor in typing feeling and typing sound. We need to find out the correct keycaps sets for our personal needs.
Keycap Material
The material directly influences the keycap durability, typing feeling and keyboard looking. There are some common material we can easily find in the market, like abs keycaps and pbt keycap. Of course, there are some other materials like ceramic keycaps, metal keycaps, wooden keycaps, rubber keycaps or silicone keycaps.
What is ABS Keycap
ABS is short for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. The ABS can offer a soft and smooth touching feeling as the material of keycap, kinds of like skin.
Compared to PBT keycaps or other material, ABS keycap is more affordable. Because of the simpler processing procedure and lower cost, ABS keycaps are mostly used in the budget keyboards.
The high transparency makes it an excellent choice for RGB backlight keyboard. While the soft features also bring disadvantage that the surface of keycap is easy to become shiny and greasy after long time using.
What are PBT keycaps
PBT is short for Polybutylene Terephthalate. Unlike ABS, the surface of PBT keycap owns granular sensation feeling. The textured surface provides a comfortable typing experience. It is not easy to attach fingerprint.
The high hardness and its durability makes it uneasy to wear and shiny, even be used for a long time. Which means the PBT keycaps normally gains a longer lifespan compared to ABS keycaps.
abs vs pbt keycaps
1、Lifespan
PBT offers longer using time. While ABS keycaps needs to be replaced with a new set because of wear and shiny surface. But as for some high quality ABS keycaps, the surface might be improved by coating process.
2、Appearance
ABS material features more color and better transparency. It is used in double-shot process keycaps for shine through legend. The PBT keycaps adopts dye sub process to gain longer lasting patterns.
3、Price
High density PBT material is quite hard to be processed, which brings high cost. The PBT has a low shrinkage rate and is less likely to deform after injection molding; ABS may slightly deform due to temperature changes.
4、Typing Sound
PBT material is also heavier than ABS keycaps. The PBT has a higher density, and the typing sound is more deeper; while the typing sound of ABS keycaps is crisp style.
How to choose between PBT keycap and ABS keycap?
1、PBT Keycap:
For those who value durability, resistance to shiny, prefer a matte texture, or need dye-sub personalized keycaps.
2、ABS Keycap:
Focus on the delicate feel and RGB lighting effect, or if your budget is limited.
3、Combined PBT and ABS keycaps:
Some keyboards combine both (such as PBT keycaps + ABS space keys), achieving a balance between feel and cost. In conclusion, both materials have their own advantages and disadvantages. We can choose based on personal preference and the specific usage scenario.
Keycap Print Techniques
No matter it is a solid color keycaps or theme keycaps, the color, pattern, or legends are necessary for most keycaps sets. Unless it is a totally blank keycap set. Here are some common methods on how the text is shown on the keycaps.
Double-shot
The biggest advantage of doubleshot keycaps is that the legends will never fade. The legend is not printed on the surface of keycaps, which means it will not be influenced by typing.
There are 2 layers of materials. The first material is used to form keycap body, while the other layer is in color of legend. The double-shot process is the method that molding the 2 layers together, avoiding assembling 2 parts again.
Other advantages of double shot keycaps like:
1、diversity of keycap scheme
The 2 materials can be in different color and material(PBT, ABS, or PC), it is easy to get obvious legend. If we uses semi-transparent or transparent material for legend, then we can get shine-though keycaps. For example: kzzi i75v2 abs doubleshot keycaps.
2、High color contrast & clear character edges.
We can combine the dark and light color together, at the same time, this design will not affect the edge of legend.
Dye-sublimation
The pattern is also uneasy to wear, rank only second to double-shot keycap. Dye sub keycaps are usually combined with PBT material. This method achieve the osmosis by heat and pressure, the ink of pattern arrive the penetrate below the surface of the keycap. So that the pattern or legend is also part of the keycaps.
Advantages:
1、multiple pattern
Complex pattern or color can be shown on the keycaps, even the 5 sides of keycaps.
2、Custom keycaps
Even Images or IP character can also be designed on the keycaps.
Disadvantages:
1、Poor shine-through effect
2、High demand for color combination
Laser Engraving
Using laser to burn the surface of mechanical keycaps to form the legend. The laser is used to ablate the color on the surface of the keycap (if the keycap is coated), revealing the underlying color (which is usually black). Or the laser burns out tiny indentations on the dark keycaps (usually made of ABS), which create diffuse reflections. From certain angles, the legends appear light-colored. Alternatively, after burning out the keycaps, a coating will be applied to the surface.
Advantages:
1、Hard to wear
The legends are created by laser, not the printed coating. But the tiny indentations of laser effect might be unobvious because of wearing down of legend edges.
2、High precision and better transparency
Laser can be controlled precisely with machine. And for light color keycaps with dark surface coating, burning out the coating of dark surface, the transparent legend can shine through the RGB.
Disadvantages:
1、Specific lighting requirements
The contrast of the light-colored legends produced by laser is usually not obvious. Especially in low-light conditions or at certain angles, they may not be clearly visible.
2、Single color
Mainly used in ABS material, the color of legend either is deep or light. It is hard to combined with other colors. Otherwise using coating to fill in the tiny indentation parts.
Silk Screening
This is a traditional printing process. Through a screen with a pattern of holes, the ink is scraped onto the silicone pad, and then the silicone pad is used like a stamp to transfer the ink onto the surface of the keycap. The ink only adheres to the outermost layer of the keycap, suiting for massive production. It can be used in various keycaps with kinds of material and colors. However, it is easy to be worn off by nails or fingers, especially for frequently used keys (such as WASD, space bar, etc.). we can also feel the obvious unevenness of legend on the keycaps.
UV printing
Using a printer to spray ink onto the surface of the keycaps, and then immediately exposed to ultraviolet light for curing. The ink forms a coating on the surface. It is kinds of like dye-sub. The complicated pattern, image, or multi-color can be applied on the keycaps. The ink coating is thick and hard, with a distinct raised texture, which affects the keycap's touch feeling. The coating adheres to the surface and has much poorer wear resistance compared to Dye-sub. After long-term use, the patterns are prone to wear and fall off.
How to Choose?
Double shot pbt keycaps:
For those in need of high durability and backlight
Dye sub pbt keycaps:
For those wanna colorful pattern, good durability but no shine-through
Laser ABS:
Limited budget but need shine-through feature, no complicated pattern, long lasting legends
Silk printing:
Tiny budget and do not mind the wear of legend
UV printing:
Do not mind the wear of pattern, but wanna complicated pattern on the keycaps
Apart from knowing how to choose the legend process and keycap material. There is another important factor needs to be considerate. The height and shape of keycaps will also influence the typing feeling, especially the difference of each row. The next article will provide a detailed introduction of keycap size and profile.
How to remove keycaps from keyboard
If we buy a keycap set or an assembled keyboard, there will be accessory include a keycap puller. Using the tool can easily remove the keycaps. Click here to watch YT video guide