List the key cap sets you have tried and which one do you prefer the most.

[ideus]

Different profiles, materials, legends, manufacturers and so on.

[azhdar]

From best to worst:

• Cherry dyesubs (used): fabulous, they aren't hyper for no reason.
• Cherry Doubleshot Doubleshot(NIB): fantastic  (my used ones are slightly worst)
  
• Gateron blanks PBT : fantastic
  
• Any OEM(QFR, Poker, ...) => **** profile
  
• Granite DSA: felt good at first, but DSA is really not for me
  

Cherry profile > all

[jerue]

I could list the odd keys here and there I've tried but this probably won't be accurate for a full board.

• Modern Selectric SA - SP
• Granite DSA - SP also
• BTC 5xxxx (Cherry profile)
• Vortex OEM keycaps
• Razer/CM Storm OEM thin ABS 

I'm really into the more spherical profiles, I could fluctuate between SA and DSA - DSA doesn't feel that great on heavier boards, and SA doesn't feel nice on lighter boards IMO. Cherry would be the nicest non-spherical profile, and the most well-rounded, works on all switch types.

[ideus]

What about metallic key caps? Do you really like them for their feel, or for their look?

[trees]

Any GMK or OG Cherry is by far the best.

Also, not a fan of most PBT. Feels chalky under my fingers and weirds me out.

[SL89]

OEM - WASD Code - Polycarb
DSA - Skull Squadron - ABS
DSA - Granite R2 - PBT dyesub
SA (R2, R2, R3) - Filco Doubleshot - ABS
SA (Sculpted) - Hack'd By Geeks - ABS
OEM - Aurebesh - PBT dyesub
SA - Round 5 - ABS

Of these, I have found I really prefer the thick ABS and full sculpt of the Signature Plastics SA profile. DSA is a close second and the 'flat' profile feels esp good on my clear board.

I'd like to get GMK at some point (RIP Classic Beige) and a POM set or two at some point. What profile are the DESKO replica sets these days btw?

[ideus]

OEM - WASD Code - Polycarb
DSA - Skull Squadron - ABS
DSA - Granite R2 - PBT dyesub
SA (R2, R2, R3) - Filco Doubleshot - ABS
SA (Sculpted) - Hack'd By Geeks - ABS
OEM - Aurebesh - PBT dyesub
SA - Round 5 - ABS

Of these, I have found I really prefer the thick ABS and full sculpt of the Signature Plastics SA profile. DSA is a close second and the 'flat' profile feels esp good on my clear board.

I'd like to get GMK at some point (RIP Classic Beige) and a POM set or two at some point. What profile are the DESKO replica sets these days btw?

DESKO GB ran by Ivan were Cherry profile, with die sub legends, I think.

[SL89]

Thanks for that ideus, are the Round 3 PBT sets (like my Aurebesh) Cherry as well? I was under the impression they were OEM, but i don't have anything to compare them to.

[ideus]

Thanks for that ideus, are the Round 3 PBT sets (like my Aurebesh) Cherry as well? I was under the impression they were OEM, but i don't have anything to compare them to.

I am not sure about that, again, Ivan is well known to prefer Cherry profile, as IMSTO, but I do not know about Round 3.

[SpAmRaY]

Thanks for that ideus, are the Round 3 PBT sets (like my Aurebesh) Cherry as well? I was under the impression they were OEM, but i don't have anything to compare them to.

It might as well be a guarantee if Ivan ran it, it is cherry profile.

But those specifically are definitely cherry profile.

Also it's the first words in the OP -> https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=50935.0

[ideus]

Thanks for that ideus, are the Round 3 PBT sets (like my Aurebesh) Cherry as well? I was under the impression they were OEM, but i don't have anything to compare them to.

It might as well be a guarantee if Ivan ran it, it is cherry profile.

But those specifically are definitely cherry profile.

Also it's the first words in the OP -> https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=50935.0

Thanks Ray 

[Oobly]

Hmmm.... here are the ones I can remember off the top of my head:

OEM: Ducky G2Pro front printed, KBT Pure backlit, Poker II white PBT, Keycool blank black POM, Keycool blank white PBT
DCS: Cherry Legend Replica, Nostalgia
Cherry: GMK Dolch, Black on black PBT (PLUM/Gateron?), Cherry lasered PBT
SA: Penumbra, Nuclear Data, PuLSE, 1976, Hack'd by Geeks, Retro SA

Favourites: Penumbra, Hack'd by Geeks.
Notable mentions: GMK Dolch, Keycool sets (I still use them on my ergo board) and black on black PBTs.

The feeling of typing on full sculptured SA is unmatched, IMHO. Cherry is okay, too, but I don't like the step between keys. I have ordered Jukebox and Carbon and can't wait for Skull Squadron to run in SA profile

[KHAANNN]

WASD UV ABS OEM: Slimy, likely not too resistant to extended usage, but nice profile + customizability
SP DSA ABS: Good feeling, non-sculptured keycaps are not my thing
SP DSA PBT: Hard keycaps, don't like their hardness, they are also mostly warped, also some DSA mold defects live on all keycaps
SP SA ABS: Awesome keycaps, the lack of R4 Shifts suck beyond imagination, the SA profile is not my thing tho, I like Cherry/OEM, SA's were too tall for my taste, not for my laidback typing style
Vortex Cherry PBT, Ivan Dye-subs: Awesome dye-subs, ****ty Vortex PBT's to house them, Vortex PBT's all have stem hole visibility issues, they feel great tho, if you look past their issues
GMK Cherry ABS: Mmmmm, awesome profile, soft/welcoming ABS keycaps, double-shots to live on forever, a dream come true (Awesome legends too)

As far as the "sets" go, GMK Dolch or Dolch in general is my preferred colorscheme, testing 10's of keycap sets, I found out that Contrast is extremely important, Eve modifiers didn't work for me, Hack'd By Geeks set didn't work for me, so it's either Dolch, or well contrasted keycaps like white on black, black on white etc. - this is especially an issue with a monitor shining light onto the keycaps

[ideus]

According with current posters, so far: Profile wise, GMK made key caps reign, the material and the legend manufacturing process add to the experience, also.

Interestingly the contrast between legends and their background color was mentioned in one post; but, aren't we touch typists?

[KHAANNN]

According with current posters, so far: Profile wise, GMK made key caps reign, the material and the legend manufacturing process add to the experience, also.

Interestingly the contrast between legends and their background color was mentioned in one post; but, aren't we touch typists?

Create another thread called "Which blanks do you prefer the most?" in that case :)

I'm a semi-touch typist, printed keycaps with good contrast helps a lot, especially when switching profiles or keycaps when one's muscle memories need adjustment, glancing at the keycaps and making quick adjustments is needed, can't asses the alignment quickly if the contrast is low

Even if I was a fully touch typist, low contrast would still bother me, as it tires the eyes

The Grey dye-sub Ivan Vortex set was kind of low contrast for me at first, however I somehow adjusted, after a while the contrast didn't bother me, it's still good to get back to my Dolch'es tho, it's very pleasing to look at the keycaps

[ideus]

According with current posters, so far: Profile wise, GMK made key caps reign, the material and the legend manufacturing process add to the experience, also.

Interestingly the contrast between legends and their background color was mentioned in one post; but, aren't we touch typists?

Create another thread called "Which blanks do you prefer the most?" in that case

I'm a semi-touch typist, printed keycaps with good contrast helps a lot, especially when switching profiles or keycaps when one's muscle memories need adjustment, glancing at the keycaps and making quick adjustments is needed, can't asses the alignment quickly if the contrast is low

Even if I was a fully touch typist, low contrast would still bother me, as it tires the eyes

The Grey dye-sub Ivan Vortex set was kind of low contrast for me at first, however I somehow adjusted, after a while the contrast didn't bother me, it's still good to get back to my Dolch'es tho, it's very pleasing to look at the keycaps

I like high contrast and bold legends; so, we are in the same boat. I only wonder why we like the bold legends, if we are mostly touch typists. I like them for aesthetic reasons.

[Photekq]

Cherry dyesubs
---
large quality gap
---
Older Cherry doubleshots (nicer texture than newer)
Newer Cherry doubleshots
GMK doubleshots
BSP (didn't try a full set, going by texture alone)
Imsto KBC dyesub
SP DCS doubleshots
Thin Cherry lasered PBT
Filco, Razer thin ABS

[KHAANNN]

I like high contrast and bold legends; so, we are in the same boat. I only wonder why we like the bold legends, if we are mostly touch typists. I like them for aesthetic reasons.

I personally don't know the placements of all the legends at the top of my head, if someone gave me an empty paper, it would take me 10-15 minutes to get them right, my muscle memories know them tho, in any case, I look at the keycaps occasionally, both for aesthetical reasons and functional reasons

Also, Eyes don't care, when you look at low contrast stuff they adjust themselves to see, it's tiring at times

But mostly aesthetical, aesthetics even beats functionality, I have bumped keycaps, cyan ones, I need bumped keycaps, but I have scoops on as they match the color of other alphas

As another side review, I also bought a set of feng PBT's, but the etched legends were also pretty low contrast, also the stems were very visible, might get blanks instead (I'm guessing the stem visibility won't be too much of an issue with blanks, it's an issue since it clouds the appeal of legends)

[GenKaan]

Different profiles, materials, legends, manufacturers and so on.

• Ducky engraved PBT (OEM): Love it, my favorite set so far. Really thick and fantastic texture, takes ages to shine
• Ducky dyesub PBT (OEM): My second favorite set, just as thick but I prefer the stealthier engraved version
• Ducky blank PBT (OEM): Thin version and overall very close to the thick but does not give the same premium feel as the thick does. Texture is more or less the same and still a solid pickup, think they are legacy at this point
• Ducky stock ABS (OEM): Meh, does nothing for me and shines quick.
• Qpad / SteelSeries / Corsair stock ABS: Horrible, Qpad has the best out of the three by far. SteelSeries print gets worn out quickest and Corsair looks like the have ****ing stickers on the caps. 1/10
• PMK Deep Space ABS (DSA): Like the looks more than the feeling. Super pretty, got similar texture to Qpad (nice fairly rough) with almost polished smooth sides. As far as DSA profile goes its nice, more towards the ecstatic side than the functionality
• Realforce dyesub PBT (OEM): Slightly smoother than Ducky Mx PBT, looks fantastic but shines quicker than Ducky
• HHKB PBT (OEM): Get a slightly higher quality feel than Realforce, could be imaginary. But overall more or less identical

[ideus]

I got back to my vintage worn off Cherry WoB DS set today, after several months of trying to get adjusted to my Granite set, unsuccessfully. The last, have all the right legends for my weird layout, while the Cherry is just and standard set; however, the experience was like getting a vacation after a long and overloaded period at work. The Cherry set texture, profile and solid feeling are just so great.

I wonder, where I can get a Cherry die sub PBT set. I suppose, it can only be sourced, by harvesting it out of a vintage Cherry board. What is the closest thing to a Cherry die sub PBT set that is commercially available? IMSTO's?

[KHAANNN]

I got back to my vintage worn off Cherry WoB DS set today, after several months of trying to get adjusted to my Granite set, unsuccessfully. The last, have all the right legends for my weird layout, while the Cherry is just and standard set; however, the experience was like getting a vacation after a long and overloaded period at work. The Cherry set texture, profile and solid feeling are just so great.

I wonder, where I can get a Cherry die sub PBT set. I suppose, it can only be sourced, by harvesting it out of a vintage Cherry board. What is the closest thing to a Cherry die sub PBT set that is commercially available? IMSTO's?

Originative BSP's / Imsto BSP's?

Do you have pics of the WoB?

A full WoB GMK set that included lots of weird keycaps for all kinds of layouts would be just awesome, simple

[ideus]

I got back to my vintage worn off Cherry WoB DS set today, after several months of trying to get adjusted to my Granite set, unsuccessfully. The last, have all the right legends for my weird layout, while the Cherry is just and standard set; however, the experience was like getting a vacation after a long and overloaded period at work. The Cherry set texture, profile and solid feeling are just so great.

I wonder, where I can get a Cherry die sub PBT set. I suppose, it can only be sourced, by harvesting it out of a vintage Cherry board. What is the closest thing to a Cherry die sub PBT set that is commercially available? IMSTO's?

Originative BSP's / Imsto BSP's?

Do you have pics of the WoB?

A full WoB GMK set that included lots of weird keycaps for all kinds of layouts would be just awesome, simple

The set with weird legends is the Granite, the Cherry is just an old POS vintage WoB set, that it is as shiny as a mirror, you can almost comb your hair by looking at it. But I really like to type on it.

[DanielT]

From best to worst:

• Cherry OG ABS/GMK
• SP DSA ABS
• SP DSA PBT
• SP DCS ABS
• SP SA ABS

I would like to try Cherry profile PBT, but are way to expensive for my taste, and I like darker colorways, not a fan at all of classic beige.
What I absolutely loath are SP SA profile, can't type on those, way to high and wobbly for my taste. To be honest the only caps I really love are ABS Cherry profile OG and GMK. The only set in an other profile is the Galaxy Class DSA set, the original one and not one of the neverending drops on MD, that one has a special place in my heart.
I enjoy typing on my IBM SSK and also on the Dell 102W caps, on that set I love the convex bottom row it's just amazing on a 60% (I have those caps on my Alps 60% tmk board).

As I don't touch type , not in the classic way for me the collor and legends are very important.

[jonathanyu]

best to worst
cherry or gmk abs
keycaps on dell sk-8115  I guess its abs
sp dcs abs
cherry pbt
filco side print oem
bsp pbt
imsto pbt
sp dsa abs
sp dsa pbt

[ideus]

best to worst
cherry or gmk abs
keycaps on dell sk-8115  I guess its abs
sp dcs abs
cherry pbt
filco side print oem
bsp pbt
imsto pbt
sp dsa abs
sp dsa pbt

Could you please elaborate on why do you prefer Cherry / GMK ABS over BSP PBT?

[jonathanyu]

best to worst
cherry or gmk abs
keycaps on dell sk-8115  I guess its abs
sp dcs abs
cherry pbt
filco side print oem
bsp pbt
imsto pbt
sp dsa abs
sp dsa pbt

Could you please elaborate on why do you prefer Cherry / GMK ABS over BSP PBT?

bsp pbt gives me strange feeling on my finger, its hard to explain.  I think its dryer than cherry abs and cherry pbt, but not as dry as imsto pbt.  but you can see I basically prefer abs over pbt.

[KHAANNN]

Indeed PBT is harder to the touch, less comfortable, but I've noticed it causes less sweating on fingers too

I think both ABS and PBT have their advantages, ABS wins by double-shottability, but I wouldn't mind PBT myself

[ideus]

Indeed PBT is harder to the touch, less comfortable, but I've noticed it causes less sweating on fingers too

I think both ABS and PBT have their advantages, ABS wins by double-shottability, but I wouldn't mind PBT myself

I have not use Cherry profile in PBT, but that particular shape feels great; but, I also agree that PBT has some comfort involve if you do not like that grease feeling of the ABS keycaps.

[davkol]

I'll ignore anything but alphas (because of profiles) and a whole lot of vintage stuff (I really like PBT dyesubs on some vintage keyboards, but they're rare and incompatible with the rest of the world anyway).

Long story short, I prefer thick Cherry POM keycaps with scooped F&J and worn-out legend infill. I don't mind Vortex PBT doubleshots either (newer, with a regular font), thanks to their thickness and smooth texture.

If there's anything I don't like, it's shiny ABS most of the time (my fingers stick to it, when sweating a bit) anything with sharp dots on homing keys, and thin keycaps in general (DCS and generic OEM stuff are the worst offenders; DSA feels cheap too, though for multiple reasons), mostly because of sound.

[KHAANNN]

I compared DSA/Cherry/Vortex spacebars by the way, I was expecting DSA to be lighter, thinner, yet all ABS's are around 6g, and PBT's are 7g

Comparing a GMK Spacebar to a DSA one, the DSA indeed sounds worse, but it's not severely worse, probably like 20%, so the difference is not too extreme

The main problem of DSA's is their random warping and the flimsiness it brings

I use 2 DSA 1.25's along with Cherry profile keycaps, I sand their stems + bottoms to make them flush with Cherry profile keycaps, along with Cherry's, the sound difference doesn't stand out

TL;DR: I don't think DSA sound/keypress experience is too inferior to Cherry's, just slightly

[ideus]

I compared DSA/Cherry/Vortex spacebars by the way, I was expecting DSA to be lighter, thinner, yet all ABS's are around 6g, and PBT's are 7g

Comparing a GMK Spacebar to a DSA one, the DSA indeed sounds worse, but it's not severely worse, probably like 20%, so the difference is not too extreme

The main problem of DSA's is their random warping and the flimsiness it brings

I use 2 DSA 1.25's along with Cherry profile keycaps, I sand their stems + bottoms to make them flush with Cherry profile keycaps, along with Cherry's, the sound difference doesn't stand out

TL;DR: I don't think DSA sound/keypress experience is too inferior to Cherry's, just slightly

I also found warping on DSA PBT key caps to be annoying, there is no reason a set that is over one hundred bucks should look that bad. In the other hand, GMK quality shines, everything looks great.

On the legends, while PBT sublimated legends are nice and long lasting, I would rather like better to know that my legends are actually made of plastic embedded inside my key caps. That is just geeky stuff, I know.

Feeling, well, do you prefer greasy, sticky but nice to the touch ABS, or dry and rough PBT surfaces, it is a pure matter of personal preference.

[swill]

Many different caps have good and bad things.

My Favorites

GMK
Pros: Great typing feel.  Doubleshot. 
Cons: I think the molds are getting old because my sets have had a lot of legend issues with line weight and such.

Thick PBT
Pros: Great typing feel and texture on fingers. 
Cons: Limited legend availability because DyeSub was the only option for a long time.  Have not tried the doubleshot PBT yet.

SA
Pros: Different experience.  There is a substantialness to them which makes them fun.  They come in both sculpted and non-sculpted as options (depending on set). 
Cons: Because of the sculpted profile, sometimes pressing on the number row sticks a bit because the pressure does not go straight down on the switch (I am using light browns in this case).  I only notice this while gaming and it is not really a major issue.  I need to get my non-sculpted profile set on this board so I can give it a good go. This should resolve this, but non-sculpted caps are not for everyone.


I Want To Try

JTK - I think these have a lot of potential to become a huge success in this community.


I Pass On

SP DSC
Pros: Lots of sets available.
Cons: Too thin.  Overpriced.

SP DSA
Pros: Lots of sets available.  If you like non-sculpted keycaps, you have options because quite a few sets have been produced.
Cons: Too thin.  Overpriced.  Lots of warping in PBT sets.  Thickness is OK in PBT, but not great.

Tai Hao
Pros: Very cost effective.  Doubleshot, so you can't wear down the legends.
Cons: They are quite thin and there is some inconsistency in the thickness of the caps.

Stock OEM
Pros: Free, they come with every board and you don't pay extra for them.
Cons: Pad printed so the legends wear.  Usually quite thin and don't give a good typing feel compared to aftermarket keycaps.

[DanielT]

I got back to my vintage worn off Cherry WoB DS set today, after several months of trying to get adjusted to my Granite set, unsuccessfully. The last, have all the right legends for my weird layout, while the Cherry is just and standard set; however, the experience was like getting a vacation after a long and overloaded period at work. The Cherry set texture, profile and solid feeling are just so great.

I wonder, where I can get a Cherry die sub PBT set. I suppose, it can only be sourced, by harvesting it out of a vintage Cherry board. What is the closest thing to a Cherry die sub PBT set that is commercially available? IMSTO's?

Funny thing, I love my shiny Cherry caps too, they feel like a pair of old shoes that you know you can wear and your feet won't hurt. I would type on shiny Cherry any time

[ideus]

I got back to my vintage worn off Cherry WoB DS set today, after several months of trying to get adjusted to my Granite set, unsuccessfully. The last, have all the right legends for my weird layout, while the Cherry is just and standard set; however, the experience was like getting a vacation after a long and overloaded period at work. The Cherry set texture, profile and solid feeling are just so great.

I wonder, where I can get a Cherry die sub PBT set. I suppose, it can only be sourced, by harvesting it out of a vintage Cherry board. What is the closest thing to a Cherry die sub PBT set that is commercially available? IMSTO's?

Funny thing, I love my shiny Cherry caps too, they feel like a pair of old shoes that you know you can wear and your feet won't hurt. I would type on shiny Cherry any time

Good metaphor, I love my old shoes too.

[WhitePlate]

GMK TA, Cherry profile is good, felt natural to type on.  GMK uses ABS though but it didn't really make a difference for me.
OG Desko, Also cherry profile, the caps were shiny when I bought them. The smooth plastic feels nice to type on though.  Others may dislike it though. I also prefer the nibs on F and J over scooped homing keys.
Granite, DSA profile, I thought dsa would take a while to get used to but It didn't really feel too different but that's just me.  The keys are made with PBT and the rough feeling is nice.
I have a couple of other sets but they are all either dsa or cherry profile.

[hwood34]

One opinion of mine that hasn't changed much since I started is my keycap preferences.
Best to worst:
Cherry
DCS
OEM
DSA
SA

And ABS>PBT

[rowdy]

I've tried a few keycap sets, but don't really have an overwhelming preference.

DSA - Only tried Granite PBT, and found it slightly underwhelming.  Probably the profile coupled with the surface area of the keycaps.

DCS - From SP, these are ok.  A bit thin in comparison to, say, GMK sets, and even feel a bit more flimsy compared to some Tai Hao sets, but can't go past the range of colours.  Tried at least Toxic, Nathan's Set, BumbleBee, probably a few others.

Cherry - Very nice, although I have only tried one of Ivan's white/beige sets and TA, nevertheless a nice profile, good quality keycaps.

OEM - most of my keyboards arrived with OEM profile keycaps of various quality.  CM - not too hot.  Ducky - ok, and pretty much still in use where backlighting is required.  Tai Hao has some half decent sets.  Even the original $6.50 sets aren't that bad considering the cost (got at least one of each), and their more recent PBT sets are quite nice (got one or two of those).

Topre - only tried HHKB keycaps, which are probably closest to Cherry profile.  But the feeling is quite different to Cherry, even Cherry PBT, due to the different switches.

BS - nice, reliable, one piece or two piece I don't mind.  Some of Unicomp's keys are a bit ... imaginative.  These have really held up well to the test of time.

SA - tried R3 uniform (Nuclear Data Green) and also non-uniform (Hack'd by Geeks).  Either is nice on stiffer switches (blacks, greens).  Prefer uniform (or maybe just need even stiffer springs to fully enjoy non-uniform).

What am I using now?

OEM on the CODE (MX clears, stock backlit keycaps).  OEM on the Ducky Shine Yellow Edition (MX blacks, Filco yellow).  Cherry on the KeyCool (MX reds, TA).

Edit 1: Added SA.

[MoarCoffeePlzzz]

DSA Profile is nice. As far as quality, call me crazy, but the stock pok3r keycaps are beast. Those things are thick as the ****ens.

[ideus]

DSA Profile is nice. As far as quality, call me crazy, but the stock pok3r keycaps are beast. Those things are thick as the ****ens.

You are not alone while thinking that PBT OEM stock caps of the Poker feel good.

[DesignerNeil]

Not tried many as I am still quite new to the whole mechanical keyboard thing. In order of first used.

Corsair OEM from K70 - seemed Ok but I wasn't paying attention back then.
Das OEM on DKPro 4 - worst keycaps ever. Weak, brittle, uneven colour, poor fitting and sound awful.  Went shiny in a matter of weeks.  These make the keycaps on ALL my past rubber domes look top quality.
Vortex PBT like the ones on the Poker - They are on my Das right now.  A big improvement and I love the feel and the deeper sound. Not keen on the warm/smoky grey colour though, I like my greys cool and crisp and these really don't match the black of the keyboard. I am a designer so aesthetics are important to me and for this reason only the Vortex PBTs have to go.
Filco M2 Ninja OEM - I love these, although to be fair I have only owned this keyboard for 2 weeks so at this point so I can't comment on shine or wear - but I was in the 'I hate ABS' club until my Filco arrived.  These caps are thin ABS yes, but the fit, feel and finish are fantastic, which might I add is a good description of the Filco keyboard overall - man that keyboard is so well finished it almost looked CGI when I took it out of the box.. and side by side with the Das4 I was actually a little embarrassed for DASKeyboard.   I have the Filco WASD keys on my Das now and the sound is very solid and actually quite similar to the Vortex PBT caps beside them - maybe just a little lighter sounding but not rattling like the Das keys and much better looking than both.

I need to change the keycaps on the DAS to something more aesthetically pleasing, but I am using UK ISO 105 so my options are severely limited.  I am getting close to ordering a set from WASD and hoping they are closer in quality to the Filco's than they are to the DAS. I have also been thinking of buying the Filco tall double shots from Keyboardco, putting them on the Filco and putting the Filco ninja caps on the DAS... but I don't know if I like the idea of the taller keycaps. If anything I would want lower than OEM.  There are also Filco blanks in ISO 105, but I don't know if I'd like blanks for everyday use.

In short, I am still searching for my favourite keycaps. I used to think they weren't important at all, but now I see them as important to overall feel as the switch. Eg. I didn't like the MX browns with the Das OEM caps, to me they felt granular and gritty, but I love them with the Vortex and now they feel smooth and springy. But the Filco ABS caps feel better (to me) on MX blues than even the Vortex do. Nothing is ever as simple as it first appears.

[Bromono]

Honestly I think Topre key caps are my all time favorite.

I really love the texture and the profile. It's like a cross breed between OEM and Cherry but with great texture on the top. I dislike smooth caps.

The only grime I have is that they are pretty thin, but besides that they are perfect for me. 

[absyrd]

The only grime I have is that they are pretty thin, but besides that they are perfect for me. 

Thin stock topre caps allow for better oneness with cup rubber.

[ideus]

The only grime I have is that they are pretty thin, but besides that they are perfect for me. 

Thin stock topre caps allow for better oneness with cup rubber.

Interesting, it is the first time that I read a comment on favor of thin key caps. Does that apply to any Topre?

[Hypersphere]

I've tried many keycap sets and many other keycaps that came with various vintage and modern keyboards.

Among the best:

IBM dye-sub PBT on Model F keyboards

Topre dye-sub PBT on Realforce 87U and HHKB Pro 2 keyboards

The IBM and Topre caps are thin PBT. You do not need thick PBT for high quality. These caps were made specifically for IBM and Topre switches, respectively, and together they constitute a beautifully functioning unit. This is not always the case with Cherry mx caps and switches.

Among the worst:

Tai-Bao DS "PBT" (the legends are apparently not PBT) with antibacterial coating. --The caps have a horrible feel.

Vortex blank dark gray PBT -- on the batch that I received, the stems show through the tops of the caps.

No-name PBT caps intended as replacements for the Poker II -- the caps were misshapen and the dye or paint job was washed out and uneven.

[KnivesM]

Cherry>OEM need to try other profiles

Best to Worst

• BSP IMSTO Dyesub
• Leopold Dyesub
• Gateron IMSTO Dyesub
• BSP Dyesub
• Vortex IMSTO Dyesub
• Vortex DS PBT
• Leopold Stock engraved PBT
• Vortex Stock Engraved
• Geekkeys Thick PBT Blanks (too rough)
• Tai-Hao DS PBT (too rough + antimicrobial b.s.+ thin)
  
• All crap stock/thin ABS caps

I've got a GMK Triumph Adler set I still need to put on and use for a bit, but I'm probably just going to wait till my Hyperfuse arrives.

[Oobly]

One opinion of mine that hasn't changed much since I started is my keycap preferences.
Best to worst:
Cherry
DCS
OEM
DSA
SA

And ABS>PBT

Motivations for the SA-notlikiness?

[ideus]

Without pretending to make a comprehensive statistics; posters appear to trend towards:

Cherry ABS / PBT. Some are very vocal for the second; most, consider ABS a good option.
BSP PBT. There are strong arguments that favorite these key caps over Cherry.
.
.
.
Wide quality gap here
.
.
.
Thick PBT. Either Cherry or OEM profiles.
DCS
DSA,
SA. For SP made key caps the order of preferences has a great variation, in particular for the SA design; either, contoured or not contoured sets. The main discussion points are their height and weight that cause some problems with weaker springs.
.
Other quality gap here, but narrower.
.
Thin PBT.
Thin ABS.

Regarding the legends is clear that dye sub and double shot are superior.

These options do not apply to Topre boards, nor to buckle spring boards; for them, the stock thin PBT keycaps are considered of high quality, and that have an integration with the overall board system design.

[raymogi]

Finally get to try GMK today after a month with only DSA sets.

I LOVE IT!

[swaqqqmaster]

Ivan Black on Black (Dyesub PBT, currently on my b.Face with Clears)
Filco SA (Granted, this only really feels incredible to me on my Novatouch, and it really is the only set I can stand using on that board.)
Granite (Dyesub PBT, I love using this one on my Greens)

Everything else I've tried is ABS and really not worth mentioning.

[keshley]

Depends on the board I'm using. Here's what I've used in the past year, in order of preference:

SA on HHKB - Typing heaven, silenced sliders or not.
HHKB PBT
DSA Dyesub PBT - I don't mind flat profile, but only on 60% boards.
SA on Cherry MX boards - Listed lower because of how much SA acts as a megaphone, particularly on any keys/boards that have ping. Makes a nice sounding clack, just louder than I like.
Varmilo Lasered PBT - Front Legends. Surprisingly nice.
Vortex Dyesub PBT
OEM Profile PBT - Qtan set IIRC.
Ducky ABS
Novatouch ABS
Razer ABS  - Only set I actively dislike.

[ideus]

Depends on the board I'm using. Here's what I've used in the past year, in order of preference:

SA on HHKB - Typing heaven, silenced sliders or not.
HHKB PBT
DSA Dyesub PBT - I don't mind flat profile, but only on 60% boards.
SA on Cherry MX boards - Listed lower because of how much SA acts as a megaphone, particularly on any keys/boards that have ping. Makes a nice sounding clack, just louder than I like.
Varmilo Lasered PBT - Front Legends. Surprisingly nice.
Vortex Dyesub PBT
OEM Profile PBT - Qtan set IIRC.
Ducky ABS
Novatouch ABS
Razer ABS  - Only set I actively dislike.

Thank you for your comment on SA on Cherry, that amplified the sound, it makes a lot of sense.

[KarimDK]

SA profile: Pulse- makes a nice sound.Really thick keycaps.
DCS:Toxic set- feeling ok. Nothing's special.Too thin tho.
DSA: Quartz ,Patriot : they look great when capturing photos. However, I feel like they're too thin and not that worth prices. and make weird sounds tho.
IMSTO: Cyrillic. it's kinda nothing special.
Cherry - beige sets and TA, would highly prefer. Very nice profile.

[zslane]

1. Double-shot SA is tops with me. (Pulse, Round4 SPH, Round5 Honey/Cadet)
2. Double-shot DSA would be next. (Dolch)
3. Dye-sub DSA would be third. (Granite)

Everything else I avoid. No more cylindrical keycaps for me.

[Kola93]

Ranked from best to worst:

1) Cherry POM blanks - unfortunately lacking layout support
2) Cherry/GMK ABS DS - unfortunately becomes shiny over time, but has the best sound and feel when new
3) Cherry/BSP PBT dyesubbed - unfortunately can be a little harsh on bottoming out at times, it is definitely a more brittle and harsh plastic

[ideus]

I recently became aware of a sort of unseen characteristic of OG Cherry double shot key caps, and it is that their smooth surface, along with the material they are made of, do not keep dirt as easily as other plastics and surfaces tend to do. For example, I had one copy of Matt's Skull Squadron that I used for a couple of weeks, the caps keep considerable amounts of dirt in their rough surface, even when they are ABS double shots. In a second dirt magnet place comes Granite, that tend also to get dirty, but it takes more time to accumulate it, maybe a couple of months, the third place comes for a PBT set in Cherry profile that I had that takes over three months to get very dirty. In all the cases I was in need to soaked them in water with soap for hours, and then gently scrub the dirt off. The Beige DS OG Cherry I am typing now, has been clean two times in three years, it is being used in the same conditions as the others, and it looks pristine.

[CaplockJack]

I've only tried GMK Doubleshots but like them better than stock Novatouch.

[rowdy]

I've only tried GMK Doubleshots but like them better than stock Novatouch.

You have been spoiled

[Zorox]

I myself find Cherry profile the most all-round lovebird for my fingers. I have tried Cherry old dye-sub and new GMK Doubleshot and they are both fantastic. While my finger are shot and my palm is tiny, low profile fits most of my long-term usage. Although I own SA R3 and OEM keyset, they are only for decoration or sometime to refresh my hands' feeling.

[ideus]

I myself find Cherry profile the most all-round lovebird for my fingers. I have tried Cherry old dye-sub and new GMK Doubleshot and they are both fantastic. While my finger are shot and my palm is tiny, low profile fits most of my long-term usage. Although I own SA R3 and OEM keyset, they are only for decoration or sometime to refresh my hands' feeling.

How do you compare the feeling of double shot and dye-sub Cherry, OG?

[keshley]

Depends on the board I'm using. Here's what I've used in the past year, in order of preference:

SA on HHKB - Typing heaven, silenced sliders or not.
HHKB PBT
DSA Dyesub PBT - I don't mind flat profile, but only on 60% boards.
SA on Cherry MX boards - Listed lower because of how much SA acts as a megaphone, particularly on any keys/boards that have ping. Makes a nice sounding clack, just louder than I like.
Varmilo Lasered PBT - Front Legends. Surprisingly nice.
Vortex Dyesub PBT
OEM Profile PBT - Qtan set IIRC.
Ducky ABS
Novatouch ABS
Razer ABS  - Only set I actively dislike.

Updating my list, as I'm finding I like keysets with bars less and less:

SA on HHKB - Typing heaven, silenced sliders or not.
Cherry POM - I like it so much, I'm making sure I have a board with offset caps and space bar for it to reside on permanently.
DSA Dyesub PBT - I don't mind flat profile, but only on 60% boards.
SA on Cherry MX boards - Listed lower because of how much SA acts as a megaphone, particularly on any keys/boards that have ping. Makes a nice sounding clack, just louder than I like.
Varmilo Lasered PBT - Front Legends. Surprisingly nice.
HHKB PBT
Vortex Dyesub PBT
OEM Profile PBT - Qtan set IIRC.
Ducky ABS
Novatouch ABS
Razer ABS  - Only set I actively dislike.