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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: Cedific on Sun, 12 May 2019, 14:48:01

Title: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: Cedific on Sun, 12 May 2019, 14:48:01
Meaning value for money. Looking to get a setup for trying out different switches, going for a hot-swappable and searching for some decent keycaps for it that are going to last through frequent switching around. I'm thinking it's best not to splurge on some 100€+ beautiful SA set for what is essentially a test-bed, so I was wondering what people's opinions on a solid, affordable set might be.
Title: Re: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: lolafineday on Mon, 13 May 2019, 08:57:53
Best value is EnjoyPBT, it’s around 100$ for a set and the quality is top. There is tai-Hao which is cheap and ok, but not value. I would get 1 epbt set instead of 2 taihao sets


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Title: Re: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 13 May 2019, 21:56:52
Tai Hao is surprisingly good, and very low prices.

Try to get a set WITHOUT the anti-biotic coating on it.
Title: Re: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: Cedific on Tue, 14 May 2019, 00:45:46
Best value is EnjoyPBT, it’s around 100$ for a set and the quality is top. There is tai-Hao which is cheap and ok, but not value. I would get 1 epbt set instead of 2 taihao sets


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EnjoyPBT seems the best vfm considering its top quality, but looking for a lower price-point in general. Will keep this excellent advice in mind for the next step which is going to be building a proper custom, no expenses spared.

Tai Hao is surprisingly good, and very low prices.

Try to get a set WITHOUT the anti-biotic coating on it.

So Tai Hao seems to be a good budget option. I've read around on this anti-biotic coating and how it takes away from proper cap feel, will look out for that.

I've found some pretty cheap Vortex keycaps which are PBT+POM (eg https://mykeyboard.eu/catalogue/vortex-ansi-pbtpom-double-shot-white-keycaps_41/), the price seems pretty low considering the materials. Is there some catch there?

Edit: Also, thoughts on YMDK keycaps on aliexpress?
Title: Re: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: Surefoot on Tue, 14 May 2019, 03:48:01
Edit: Also, thoughts on YMDK keycaps on aliexpress?
I got only an XDA set from them, but was not too impressed with the thickness. Still it's decent quality, the dye sub is good enough, the spacebar is straight (it's a PBT set so it's not a given..).
They make the best keyset boxes though, both cheap and excellent (those 3 layer carboard boxes with neoprene cutouts), i bought a handful of those separately..
Title: Re: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: Cedific on Tue, 14 May 2019, 11:28:14
Edit: Also, thoughts on YMDK keycaps on aliexpress?
I got only an XDA set from them, but was not too impressed with the thickness. Still it's decent quality, the dye sub is good enough, the spacebar is straight (it's a PBT set so it's not a given..).
They make the best keyset boxes though, both cheap and excellent (those 3 layer carboard boxes with neoprene cutouts), i bought a handful of those separately..

I see a YMDK set advertised as "1.5mm thickness". Is that thick or thin for a keycap? I've no idea lol.
Title: Re: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 14 May 2019, 22:00:32
I keep reading this thread title as "best VIM keycaps" :))
Title: Re: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: Surefoot on Wed, 15 May 2019, 02:34:56
I see a YMDK set advertised as "1.5mm thickness". Is that thick or thin for a keycap? I've no idea lol.
That's about as think as you can go without going high profile (like SA / KAT etc. which can go to 1.6mm or almost 1.7mm). I think they sell various manufacturers outputs...
Title: Re: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: Cedific on Tue, 21 May 2019, 08:50:57
I see a YMDK set advertised as "1.5mm thickness". Is that thick or thin for a keycap? I've no idea lol.
That's about as think as you can go without going high profile (like SA / KAT etc. which can go to 1.6mm or almost 1.7mm). I think they sell various manufacturers outputs...

Cool, so as long as they're that thick they should probably be OK for a cheap set. Also, since you touched on high profile - is there such a thing as a cheap high-profile set? I certainly can't find any
Title: Re: Best vfm keycaps?
Post by: Surefoot on Tue, 21 May 2019, 08:59:42
You can find some decently priced SA sets on KBDFans (the 'Chalk' set is PBT by the way) and zFrontier (Maxkey SA).