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[IC] XDA - PBT blanks in a new uniform profile

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LunarisDream:
A friend of mine in China (one of the ZZ96 designers, Seed) is trying to make DSA-like PBT keycaps and has a production sample out. This isn't really meant to gauge interest, but just to put this out there, sort of a "this thing exists" thread.

The profile is uniform (no separate row profiles),and approx 1mm higher than DSA. Both blank and dyesubbed sets are planned. Price is currently unknown, which is another reason for the "this isn't really an interest check" disclaimer.



There are currently spacebar molds for 1.75 2 2.25 2.75 3 4.5 5.5 6 6.25 6.5 7 keys in this profile. Difference of spacebar keys is the convex shape as opposed to concave for most keys. This would theoretically allow compatibility with any keyboard, especially w/ the recent introduction of more "ergo" boards w/ split spacebars.

Got a production sample in.



11/8/2016



Got my set in (had them for like a week now but just now got around to putting it on). Will do a review soon.

The profile is officially called XDA (no, not the phone forum). Currently only blanks are planned for international sale. Dyesubbed versions exist and are being run in China but those won't be sold just yet. Probably gonna look for a vendor to take care of that - there are a lot of kits. A lot. Like 130+ a lot (because there are 4 font colors and a hell lot of kits).

Expected sale price is 289 RMB plus shipping for the blank set. That's about $45 plus shipping which is probably going to be around $20 for DHL (it's not heavy, but the physical size of the keycap box is bleh). I can look into China Post for slightly cheaper shipping but there will be limited tracking and higher chance of stuff going missing because China Post. Will snap pictures of the entire blank set later, but from a glance, it is very complete with wide compatibility and a crapload of spacebars (see the sizes above), plus a weighty steel keypuller. Why is it seem "very complete" to me, you ask? Because there are two more foam layers underneath the pic I snapped above, holding more caps.

I don't like DSA so, by proxy, I don't like the XDA profile as much as I probably should (hitting keys above ASDF row feels difficult for me due to the uniform profile, but that's an inherent issue with uniform profiles for me. On 67g Zealios lubed with Krytox 105, there is a satisfying thock. The keys are not as thick as "thick" PBT caps. A major selling point of this profile is the increased surface area and I think it's one of those "like it or hate it" things. I think it feels better than DSA in that regard.

Anyways, more in-depth review later.

MandrewDavis:
I like that the caps have a bit more surface area than the current SP DSA, cool stuff.

Findecanor:
Bigger surface area is not necessarily a good thing. It usually leads to more typing errors.

romevi:

--- Quote from: MandrewDavis on Thu, 01 September 2016, 11:28:31 ---I like that the caps have a bit more surface area than the current SP DSA, cool stuff.

--- End quote ---

That's about the only thing going for it. The height isn't as dramatically taller than DSA as is that compared to SA.

MandrewDavis:

--- Quote from: Findecanor on Thu, 01 September 2016, 11:33:31 ---Bigger surface area is not necessarily a good thing. It usually leads to more typing errors.

--- End quote ---
Never really thought about it like that, I won't have a DSA set to play around with  until the end of the month.

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