Author Topic: Which of these 96 keyboard configs will I find keycaps easily for?  (Read 3838 times)

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Offline 5949

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Which of these 96 keyboard configs will I find keycaps easily for?
« on: Tue, 18 February 2020, 20:20:21 »
Some time in the future, I plan to make a YMDK 96 keyboard. The keyboard's PCB allows a large variety of configurations, especially to the bottom-most row...
Most notably, the buttons between the spacebar and arrowkeys.
There are two configurations I am thinking of getting, which are either:

1u,1u,1u



Or

1.5u, 1.5u



The problem here is that most keyboards fit 1.25u keys between the arrow keys and spacebar iirc which means that there exist few mainstream options for keycaps of this layout.
But still... I have seen keycap sets not designed for 96 keyboards but with extra keys that fit that space. But I can't really tell if 1.5u*2 are more common than the 1u*3 or vice versa.

Of these two configurations, which one might I find the most compatible keycap sets for?

Offline pixelpusher

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Re: Which of these 96 keyboard configs will I find keycaps easily for?
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 18 February 2020, 22:38:42 »
It depends on what price range of keycaps you are looking at.  Every GMK set will come with options to do either the 1u x3 or 1.5u x2 setup you mention.  Cheaper sets often only include 1.25u modifiers.  I just built out my budget96 keyboard today and I chose the 1.5u x2 option to the right of the space bar.  I think it looks better/cleaner.

TLDR: cheap sets won't cover either option.  If a set covers 1 option, it will most likely cover the other. 

Hope this helps.  Might just want to look for keycaps and decide on the caps before you build.

Offline 5949

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Re: Which of these 96 keyboard configs will I find keycaps easily for?
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 18 February 2020, 22:59:51 »
It depends on what price range of keycaps you are looking at.  Every GMK set will come with options to do either the 1u x3 or 1.5u x2 setup you mention.  Cheaper sets often only include 1.25u modifiers.  I just built out my budget96 keyboard today and I chose the 1.5u x2 option to the right of the space bar.  I think it looks better/cleaner.

TLDR: cheap sets won't cover either option.  If a set covers 1 option, it will most likely cover the other. 

Hope this helps.  Might just want to look for keycaps and decide on the caps before you build.

Ah I see. This very much answers my question.
Unfortunately, my budget is not too high at the moment, especially considering how much I'm spending on the keyboard alone.
I guess I'm stuck with YMDK's default 96 options. Thankfully it's cheap at around 25-ish dollars. I suppose I'll get a better set once this cheap set wears down.
Since "a set covers 1 option, it will most likely cover the other" is the case, I'll just pick out the 3*1u. I personally use Win often, so it's gonna have to stay.
Thank you very much for the insight!
« Last Edit: Tue, 18 February 2020, 23:05:17 by 5949 »