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When choosing the perfect keycap set, an important customization option to consider is the keycap profile you intend on using. This article aims to answer the question “What is the purpose of sculpted keycap sets?” and “Which keycap profile should I purchase?”. Hopefully it will serve as a good go-to keycap profiles guide for anyone looking to customize their keyboard!
A keycap profile describes the shape of the keycaps on a given row of a keyboard. The main ideas behind “sculpted” keycap profiles are ergonomics and aesthetics. As with all aspects with customizing your mechanical keyboard, the “best” keycap profile for you is subjective and depends on your personal preference. Hopefully with this overview, you will be able to decide on which keycap sets to try out. Personally, I have found that the sculpted keycap sets to be easier to type on since it is easier to feel where your fingers are on the board if the heights vary.
At the same time, non-sculpted uniform keycap profiles such as Signature Plastics’ DSA (here’s the popular keyset DSA Granite currently on sale!) provide a very neat and minimal aesthetic that I also like the look of…
Royal Flush Gaming 10%- off Keycaps with code THEKEEBLOG
Looking for a set of keycaps? Our friends at Royal Flush Gaming have offered 10% off in their store for all our readers with the code THEKEEBLOG or using one of these links. They have a pretty great range of both non-scuplted (XDA) and sculpted (Cherry) keycaps. I particularly recommend checking out their custom Joker graffiti keycaps I had the pleasure of reviewing!
Before we go straight in to the details on specific keycap profiles, I want to go over a couple main points of comparison. Please use this table to skip around if you need to:
Uniform/Flat vs. Sculpted Profiles
Here is a quick comparison of a uniform/flat profile (DSA, grey) vs a sculpted keycap profile (DCS, red):
Difference between Uniform and Sculpted Keycap Profiles
As you can see, the difference between a flat profile and common profile is drastic and does have a noticeable impact on how you type. Besides sculpted and non-sculpted, keycaps profiles are further categorized into “high profile” vs. “medium profile” describing the height of the keycaps. While the above two profiles are examples of sculpted vs. uniform, they are both medium profile.
| Keycap Profile | Description |
|---|---|
| Uniform/Flat | All keys within a row have the same shape and height |
| Sculpted | Keycaps have different heights and shapes to create contoured, slanting rows, where each row has a different height or slant angle |
High vs. Medium Profiles
Here is an example of high vs medium profile keycap sets (both sculpted):
The Difference Between High and Medium Keycap Profiles is… height!
High profile keycaps are simply taller than medium profile. In terms of practicality, a lot of fellow keebnerds agree that SA and other high profiles are difficult to type on and definitely take some getting used to. Even though the profile may be a bit more difficult to type on, the SA profile provides a vintage look and unique sound with each keystroke that are responsible for its die-hard fans.
There are also low profile keycap sets however in the custom mechanical keyboard hobby, they are a lot less common. These would be the “chiclet” type keys similar to what you would see on a laptop.
Spherical vs Cylindrical Profiles
Spherical or Cylindrical describes the actual shape of the top of the keycap where your fingers, claws, toes, whatevers, come in contact with the keycap.
Although they have an impact on how the keycaps feel, they are typically less of a deciding factor as the other aspects of the keyset. The main difference between the two types are the “cutout” on the top of the keycap.
This can be seen in the previous comparison above. Although the photos show the keycaps from a side-view, you can see that there is a curve in all directions in the SA profile while the DCS profile is flat. If you rotated the DCS keycap 90 degrees, you would see the curve going only in one direction.
| Keycap Profile | Description |
|---|---|
| Spherical | Curve in all directions (~3D) |
| Cylindrical | Curve in only one direction/flat in side view (~2D) |
Keycaps.info by /u/gtderEvan
Added 10/08/2020
This is a comprehensive comparison chart created by /u/gtderEvan that is extremely useful for comparing keycap profiles. He has also created an interactive tool for the community that you should definitely check out: http://www.keycaps.info
Wow… So lots of confusing acronyms so far: SA, DCS, DSA, OEM, WHAT IS THIS STOP IT PLS.
Nothing to worry about. For the most part, what the acronyms stand for is actually irrelevant but they are always used to describe the keycap profile. From here, I’ll go over each profile and cover the following:
- Who produces it?
- What are the key features?
- What are some that I can buy now?
- History, comments, et cetera.
- Variations
Cherry/ OEM / GMK / DCS keycap profiles
Cherry Keycap Profile, OEM Profile, GMK Profile and DCS profile are all Cherry variants that have a slight spin put on them by their respective producers.
| Keycap Profile | Variant Height | Manufacturer | Shape | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry | Shorter | Cherry, GMK, JTK, Goblintechkeys, and various other manufacturers | Slightly curved, cylindrical shape | Smooth and comfortable typing experience |
| OEM | Taller | Manufacturers such as Tai Hao, GMK, and ePBT | Cylindrical shape with a taller height compared to Cherry profile | Reasonable curvature on the keycap’s surface |
| GMK | Shorter | GMK | Slightly curved, cylindrical shape | Smooth and comfortable typing experience |
| DCS | Shorter | Signature Plastics | Flat profile with identical shapes across rows | Smooth and comfortable typing experience |
Made by: Signature Plastics, GMK, JTK, Goblintechkeys and various other manufacturers.
Key features: Most common keycap profile. Considered the standard. Comes with most retail mechanical keyboards you can buy.
Sets that you can buy now:
DCS ($75+):You can get these from Signature Plastics directly.
DCS Midnight. Base set with Alphas Only at $45.00 and Modifiers at $30.00. Nice mint-chocolate looking colorway the lauded quality of Signature Plastics.
*Note that the DCS profile is Signature Plastics’ version of Cherry profile keycaps and are slightly shorter in height as depicted here:
Our friends at Royal Flush Gaming also have a great selection of Cherry keycaps that have been tried and tested.
GMK ($100+): Original Cherry keycap tooling. GMK Keysets are considered boutique (super duper premium) and are of the utmost quality in the mechanical keyboard hobby. They are manufactured in Germany and are known for their texture, thickness, and durability. I will go much deeper into GMK in future articles. The best place to purchase GMK keysets without waiting for a group buy is Originative. Just know that with GMK keycaps, you are buying quality and as such, the price will be steep. You can expect to spend between $100 up to $300 for a GMK Keycap set.
- FIERCE KEYCAPS WITH AN EDGE — Strap on some armor, unsheath your katana, and prepare to defend your desktop: GMK Red Samurai, the first keycap set from designer RedSuns, features a striking colorway...
- THICK & COMPATIBLE DOUBLESHOT ABS — Made in Germany using custom Cherry tooling, this GMK Red Samurai kit's keycaps are made from 1. 5-millimeter-thick doubleshot ABS for longevity and strength
- SWITCH COMPATIBILITY — Sculpted in Cherry profile, GMK Red Samurai is compatible with Cherry MX switches and clones including but not limited to Kaihua, Halo, and Gateron
Fun Fact: “GMK” stands for “Güntner, Meinhardt, and Kredler.” which are the names of the founders of the manufacturer.
JTK ($65+): China based manufacturer. Among the other “OEM” keycap manufacturers, JTK keycaps are generally higher quality and use thicker plastic molds to mimic the sound and feel of GMK. The only place JTK is really lacking is in the consistency of the legends on each keycaps. Although it isn’t immediately noticeable, some letters may come out thinner or thicker than others and there is a possibility that the alignment is slightly off on these sets. Still, if you won’t be putting your mechanical keyboard under a magnifying glass to compare each key’s legends, it might not make a huge difference. You can also purchase JTK keycaps ready-to-ship at Originative.
Custom printed cherry keycap sets
Goblintechkeys custom keycap sets ($69-90)
Goblintechkeys produce custom Cherry keycaps, and also have a kickstarter on the way preparing to launch OEM as well. As a boutique custom keycap producer they have developed a reputation for quality. As far as custom keycaps go, they are strong in most areas- reviews are very positive and attest to the quality of the lettering, color and feel. Goblintechkeys offer 5 sided dye sub printing, have a Built-in Design studio on their website and ship with no minimum order quantity. Goblintechkeys utilise thick PBT keycap material in their keycaps which is highly resistant to wear. Use this code: r8439jr! to get 5% off.
Other OEM / Chinese Manufactured sets (sub-$50): Since Cherry profile keycaps are considered the standard not only in the hobby but also in the tech industry for mechanical keyboards, you will be able to find a lot of affordable/cheaper alternatives on Amazon. YMDK being a prominent name on Amazon for lower end keycap sets, is a popular choice for those new to the custom mechanical keyboard hobby. They have plenty of sets available on Amazon under or around $50 for you to try out. Here are some OEM Profile keycaps available NOW:
SA Profile
Made by: Signature Plastics (Original), Maxkey, ONECAP
Key features: High profile, Sculpted, Spherical (Thank you u/japanitrat for pointing that out!). They may also be sold as all Row 3 meaning it is a uniform profile such as the SA Ice Cap set sold by Signature Plastics.
SA Profile Keycap Sets that you can buy now
Directly from Signature Plastics:
- SA Ice Cap (Uniform R3, High-Profile) starting @ $95.00 for TKL w/ Text Modifiers
- SA Lime (Sculpted, High-Profile) starting @ $100.00 for TKL w/ Text Modifiers
MAXKEY ($99+):
Maxkey, although not the original manufacturer of SA still produces decent quality SA profile keycaps. What Maxkey has over Signature Plastics however, is that they have more colorways available sold through various resellers. I personally would still purchase direct from the original manufacturers since you can ensure you get quality and the pricing is about the same anyway.
I would highly recommend that you purchase the sets produced by the original manufactures such as Signature Plastics because they provide quality that simply can not be replicated.
Update 04/16/20:
I have found that DROP (formerly Massdrop) is now listing some of their collaboration SA Keysets on Amazon! These are produced by the original manufacturer Signature Plastics.
Update 06/01/22:
The SA profile DROP sets are sold out, so the best way to find SA Profile keycaps would be through the signature plastics pimp my keyboard website.
Also available on Amazon are keycaps that are not manufactured by Signature Plastics. You’ll see brands like YMDK and OneCap on Amazon. and while these will not have the quality you would see in the original manufacturer’s keycap sets, they will still last you a very long time. You may find that these keycap sets are typically cheaper and have a wider availability of colorways (Article: Colorways) that were previously only available through group buys in limited quantities.
Here are some bestselling SA Profile Keycaps you can currently buy on Amazon:
SA-P Profile
Made by: Signature Plastics!
Key features: A variation of Signature Plastics’ original SA profile keycaps, the new SA-P profile keysets are made with new PBT, which is a different type of plastic than the ones used in SA. These keycaps are slightly thicker and have a nice textured finish to them.
Sets that you can buy now: The SA-P Profile’s debut with their “Industrial” colorway was overwhelmingly successful and is currently out of stock. Signature Plastics recently came out with another colorway however called the SA-P Snow Cap Keyset currently available at $95.00. Beautiful and clean plain white colorway with the awesome feel of the new SA-P profile!
Here is a recent spotlight article about Pimp My Keyboard along with an in-depth review of the SA-P Keycap Set “Snow Cap”:
The Keeblog Spotlight: Pimp My Keyboard
KAT Profile
There is also a new variant based on the SA profile known as the KAT profile. KAT keycaps are basically a shorter, smoother version of SA profile keycaps recently sold out by our friends at Kono Store (KAT Specimin Product Page). Here is a quick comparison of the profile:
*UPDATE 04/27/2020: Special thanks to dvorcal (Geekhack) for sharing these updated pictures including Row Numbers! (Discord: dvorcol#5071)
KSA Profile
Made by: Keychron,Epomaker
Key Features: KSA Profile is described by Keychron as a custom, redesigned version of SA. It’s a less aggressive, flattened top version of SA. From the top view the keycap tops have rounded edges and relatively small faces. I think that the smaller face could be beneficial for typing accuracy compared the the standard SA design. It would help prevent unwanted keystrokes.
Find KSA Profile here on the Keychron site
ESA Profile
Made by: Epomaker (short for ‘Epoch of Makers’)
Key features:
ESA profile like SA has a spherical top. Its concave curvature is similar in terms of sculpting but the profile differs in that it’s medium height (or at least a little shorter than super tall!). It’s a less aggressive cousin to SA that is designed to be friendly to typists.
Epomaker have used their ESA profile for their flagship keycap sets. They often ship boards such as their popular EPOMAKER EP84 Pro with more standard profiles however (such as cherry).
Sets that you can buy now:
This is an Epomaker ESA keycap set- EPOMAKER Airy 143 keys. It looks like most of their ESA keycap sets are sold out at this time as of 26/12/2022… Hopefully they will be back in stock soon for those who want to try out ESA!
Update 17/09/23: I suspect Epomaker has stopped selling their ESA Keycap Profile sets on Amazon, but I found this airy set on their website.
Epomaker EP75 featuring ESA profile keycaps.
Check out this great review of the Epomaker EP75 I found by Christopher Coke
MT3 Profile by Matt3o
How could The Keeblog write a guide on keycap profiles and not mention MT3? I’ve said it once before and I will stand by it always: MT3 profile is my all time favorite keycap profile to type on.
Previously featured on What’s On My Desk? Ep. 2, the /dev/tty keycap set with triumph mods are the only constant in my ever changing home setup. When I get a new board, the first thing I do is tear off these keycaps and transfer them. Ok. Enough fanboy-ing.
Made by: Matt3o
Key Features: As Matt3o notes on his MT3 About Page, this keycap profile is “NOT a Signature Plastic SA Clone”. It is a different beast entirely. The surface is matte and textured, dye-sublimated legends are stark in contrast with the keycap color, and the premium look of the high profile is nothing short of elegant. The surface shape does not exactly feel spherical like the SA profile but more of an oblique feeling shape that is satisfying to the touch.
Sets that you can buy now: Matt3o mentions on the about page that the set is exclusively sold through Drop (formerly Massdrop). Surprisingly, this is currently in stock and ready-to-ship on Amazon. You can find itstarting at $90.00 for the original /dev/tty set for 65% keyboards. Given that the MT3 is considered a premium set in the hobby, $90.00 is a great price for the quality you get and the work put into this design.
Click on the following images for more pricing and more options (affiliate links):
Matt3o is also currently in the works of completing some awesome colorways for the profile and recently had a successful groupbuy through Drop.com for the Godspeed colorway. I actually snagged the novelty kit for myself and use it on my macropad:
- FROM THE IBM TERMINAL TO THE DESKTOP — Based on the profile from the iconic IBM beamspring terminals of the 1970s this custom keycap set is fully sculpted from dye-sublimated PBT plastic in...
- A GROUNDBREAKING PROFILE, BACK FOR MORE: Sculpted in Hi-Profile, Matt3o’s groundbreaking MT3 /dev/tty custom keycap set changed the way we type.
December ’22 Update: Another Matt3o profile design is in the works- this time a medium height profile design with a spherical round top to be released in 2023.
September ’23 Update: The MTNU Keycaps by Matt3o are on the market. The next drop is available to preorder to be shipped in Q4 at novelkeys.com. This MTNU ‘SUSU’ base kit is retailing as for $115.
MG High-profile by Melgeek
Made by: Melgeek.com
Key features: Look at it! It’s beautiful. The MG High-profile is Melgeek’s own rendition of a high-keycap profile. It features a beautifully sculpted profile with ABS doubleshot legends meaning you don’t need to worry about your legends wearing off over time. This profile also comes in two exclusive colorways. You can get more details at Melgeek’s MG Ember Product Page.
Sets you can buy now: Melgeek’s product page is currently purely informational and there is no stock that is ready to ship by a retailer. As always, you may be able to find it aftermarket on r/mechmarket or the Mechmarket Discord group but take into account that with a retail price of $159.99 which means that aftermarket prices are expected to be much higher. There was recently a successful groupbuy on Drop.com (formerly Massdrop) which means that Melgeek will most likely launch future groupbuys through Drop
I actually spoke to Melgeek and found that they will soon be putting more of their Mojo60 keyboard (super unique Polycarbonate case + bluetooth)for sale which includes this beautiful keycap set. I will post an updated link but you will be able to purchase the full set, keycaps and board together here.
DSS Profile
Manufactured by: Signature Plastics
Key features: Yet another awesome Signature Plastics! This a newer keycap profile re-introduced just this year (originally from the 80’s) that takes everything people love about their DSA profile and delivering it an awesome sculpted profile optimized for touch typing. One of those features that were carried over is the textured feel of DSA keycaps which is clearly visible in the photo above. This is sculpted profile gives a sleek look to your keyboard and is slightly shorter than SA profile and closer to OEM / Cherry profile keycap in terms of height.
Sets that you can buy now: There are currently only two options available that you can purchase directly from Signature Plastics
- DSS Dolch (pictured above) starting at $110 for a full set. Buy here!
- NEW DSS Tecla starting at $100 for a full set. Buy here!
MDA Profile by Melgeek
Made by: Melgeek
Key features: MDA profile keycap sets are easily identifiable by the sculptured profile. From a side profile, you can see a very clear and uniform concaveness as the design is meant to look sleek. Individual keycaps for this profile have a very wide and flat surface. MDA profile keycaps typically have dye-sublimated legends and are made of PBT plastic and have a smooth feel to them.
Just like the MG profile, this thoughtfully designed keycap profile is produced and owned by Melgeek. That being said, please visit their store first if you are interested in trying one of these sets out! Plenty of options available and a lot of alternatives for modifiers come with the kit so you can be sure that it will be compatible with most layouts.
Sets that you can buy now:
You can get the MDA Big Bone Base Kit from Melgeek starting at $60.00 along with some other neat colorways available through Melgeek,
UPDATE 12/05: I recently visited their site and found another awesome set. Very sleek white colorway with Japanese legends.
- Universal Compatibility: The keyboard keycaps contain 104 Keys + 19 keys modifiers, suitable for most ASIN US layout 61 64 66 68 84 87 96 98 100 104 108 mechanical keyboards.
- Oil-Resistant PBT Keycaps: Made of textured, high-grade PBT for a more durable finish less prone to long-term, shiny grime buildup.
- XVX Profile Ergonomic Keycaps: The XVX Profile follows the height of the Cherry Profile while increasing the touch area of the finger, engineered for the ultimate typing and gaming experience.
- PBT Keycaps-These keycaps are made of high-hardness PBT material, which is more durable than ABS material. In addition, we also use dye sublimation technology to print exquisite patterns on the...
- WIDE COMPATIBLE-This set of Heavy Industry includes a total of 139 keys, suitable for most mechanical keyboards, such as 61/64/87/100/104/108 mechanical keyboards and keyboard switches with...
- MDA Profile Keycaps-Different profiles of keycaps can bring you different typing feel. MDA profile keycaps are ergonomically designed to bring you a comfortable typing experience.
XDA Profile
Made by: Various manufacturers (generic)
Key features: Uniform across different rows. Flat, medium height keycap profile that are typically produced with PBT and dye-sublimated legends. XDA profile keysets usually feature unique legend fonts and have a special surface shape that is more like a rounded square than the usual spherical vs cylindrical concavity. It has a textured feel and a slightly flatter surface.
Sets that you can buy now: There are occasionally groupbuys on Drop.com and other websites for special colorways of XDA profile keycaps however since they are a more generic profile, meaning they are more likely to me mass produced, you can find these readily available at a reasonable price. You can expect to find full sets ready-to-ship between $40 and $90.
For some high quality curated XDA keycaps or if you aren’t sure where to start, I’d recommend checking out this XDA collection by our trusted friends at Royal Flush Gaming.
Please visit KBDFans.com and consider their selection of XDA keycaps if you are interested! They were kind enough to allow me to use their images here. NPKC XDA PBT Keycaps, currently $50.00
Here are some XDA Profile Keycap sets available NOW on Amazon
The first one is a community favorite and yet another Drop + MiTo masterpiece!
ZDA Profile
Made by: Primarily YMDK
ZDA Profile is a variant that shares XDA’s beveled, squarish surface shape. The primary difference is that they are taller, but not as tall as SA. It’s also a relatively flatter profile on the top, which is an unusual quirk. I’ve noticed reading through amazon reviews that a lot of people seem to agree that ZDA helps your sound to become extra “thocky”.
Best ZDA Profile keycap sets
Here are some of the highest rated ZDA profiles. Even though information on this profile is scarce and these keycaps aren’t exactly new at the time of writing, a lot of the ZDA profile keycap sets made by YMDK have very good reviews. Another positive feature is mentioned is that the PBT keycaps retain their texture very well, indicating it’s higher quality. So the ZDA keycaps from YMDK could well be worth a try.
MA Profile
Made by: Idobao, YMDK
Key Features:
MA Profile is a tall profile at 12.38mm and is spherical and flat at the top. The keys are uniform in profile throughout the board. The outline of MA is also relatively large which makes the “hit box’ for your fingers quite large. It’s not the most well known or common profile but is designed for those who like higher, flatter keycaps. MA profile definitely gives the keyboard a very 3d look as the high spherical top popping out from the square base creates strong visuals.
MA Profile keycaps you can buy now on Amazon
Idobao are the original designers of the MA keycap profile. They are a smaller Chinese company that are a little bit more high end and niche- see exhibit A: creating their own profile. They are generally considered to have good workmanship and use quality PBTs.
Here are some of Idobao’s best works in terms of keycap kits.
XVX Profile
Made by: Various manufacturers (generic)
Key Features:
XVX profile is a keycap profile that begun to appear around July 2022. The typical form factor of the profile is considered to be a hybrid of Cherry and XDA- it takes on the height of XDA but with a sculpted profile. Like Cherry, the keycap surfaces are cylindrical. They are designed with a relatively large top surface area.
This is what a manufacturer called ‘Dagaladoo’ say about their XVX keycaps on Amazon:
What is XVX profile?
The ergonomic height design similar than Cherry profile, but increasing the contact surface between the finger and keycaps, to bring you a comfortable typing experience.
Cons
While they have increased the surface area of the top of the keys- some of the reviewers noticed that they had a lot of accidental key presses.
As XVX profile keycap sets tend to be generic unbranded budget options, it’s possible they may have quality issues from some vendors- especially warping where PBT keycaps are used- or be marked up.
There are also a few variants to keep an eye out for. This set of low profile XVX Keycaps is produced according to a profile called XVX horizon- lower profile than some of the other versions of XVX available.
Sets you can buy now: These Dagaladoo Keycaps are the most commonly purchased XVX profile keycaps by our readers- they have a decent number of good reviews and are standard XVX height. Interestingly they are PBT, whereas most generic profiles usually utilize the cheaper ABS. They are available for a range of different % sizes. XVX profile keycaps seem to be quite popular as a low budget alternative.
DSA Profile
Made by: Signature Plastics, YMDK
Key features: Yet another classic by Signature Plastics! DSA is the go-to uniform profile in the hobby. It may also be produced by some Chinese manufacturers and brands like YMDK on Amazon for cheap but if you are looking for guaranteed quality I would recommend buying direct from Signature Plastics since they are the original creator and manufacturer of DSA profile keycaps. With DSA profile, you can expect pleasantly textured surfaces, slightly shorter profile for a flatter look, and either double shot OR dye-sublimated keycaps.
Sets that you can buy now:
- Signature Plastics carries ready-to-ship sets in several different color options as well as themed sets. You customize your own DSA keycap set by choosing your own kits by color. The DSA Standard Sublimated Keysets start at $50.00 for a Ten-keyless layout (TKL) with over 25 color options!
Signature Plastics DSA 2049 at $108.00 for a full set.
Signature Plastics DSA Quartz at $97.00 for the base set.
Here are some DSA options available NOW for purchase on Amazon!
MSA Profile
Made by: Mintcaps/Generic
Key Features:
MSA Profile appears to be a concave medium height profile offered by “MintCaps”on Amazon. They explain the profile has been designed to maximize ergonomics- with a to avoid fatigue from prolonged use. The top of the keycaps appear to have spherical curved corners- similar to DSA- which gives MSA a rounded and discreet feel. Due to the low prices the profile does appear to be a bit generic, but the reviews aren’t too bad so it may be worth a go.
Sets for sale on Amazon:
- 🎉【Double Shot Keycaps】Each mechanical keyboard keycap is made of good quality materials,the…
As always, big thanks to all you fellow keebros and keebnerds for tuning in! You can leave a comment below, reach out to me directly, or just say hi on the form below!
Also huge thanks to Matt3o and Melgeek for allowing me to use their images in this post <3
Last update on 2024-02-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API