geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: kasakka on Mon, 27 March 2017, 11:58:43
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I'm really interested in getting a Maxkey SA set as I like the colors but I've never used SA keycaps before. I am using a GH60 with Zealio R3 65g, Pok3r with MX browns and in the future will have the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard when it gets released. Since the options for nice cyan or magenta keycaps are few (and really expensive like GMK Cyan), the Maxkey SA seems like a fair deal to me.
However what should I expect from the SA profile? Pros and cons? I have never used it and all my keyboards use OEM or Cherry profile keycaps. Currently using JT Royal Purple on my GH60.
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You could buy 1 or a few SA caps to try before you buy a whole set and see how you like them. They're tall. They're generally pretty smooth. It all comes down to your preference. I'd recommend either buying one or more to test or buy a set that isn't too funky to quickly resell if you don't like it.
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Well, compared to OEM/Cherry, they are very tall and glossy smooth. And because they are so tall, any inherent wobble in your switch of choice will be slightly amplified. And then there's the spherical top, which presents a slightly reduced surface area for your finger tips. Many folks can't get used to these things and so they stay away from SA.
I absolutely love the aesthetics of SA, and even though it took a little bit of getting used to, SA quickly became my prefered keycap family.
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height and discomfort
cylindrical profiles for life
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pros: look good in photos
cons: super tall (wobbly)
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I'm really interested in getting a Maxkey SA set as I like the colors but I've never used SA keycaps before. I am using a GH60 with Zealio R3 65g, Pok3r with MX browns and in the future will have the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard when it gets released. Since the options for nice cyan or magenta keycaps are few (and really expensive like GMK Cyan), the Maxkey SA seems like a fair deal to me.
However what should I expect from the SA profile? Pros and cons? I have never used it and all my keyboards use OEM or Cherry profile keycaps. Currently using JT Royal Purple on my GH60.
Good thread kasakka :thumb: I have been wondering this myself since I went in for a set of Godspeed SA when it was on MD. I'm hoping I like the feel of them since I have a couple SA artisans that I tested it with, but that don't really related to what a board full of them will feel like. I guess worst case & I hate their feel, I could just use them for show since my keeb collection is starting grow (at 10 & counting ;D ). I really love the look of SA caps & intend on taking some decent quality pics of my favorite boards all dressed up soon. Although if I do end up not liking the feel of SA it would make me much more hesitant to buy sets of that profile in the future.
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It is going to feel odd at first (to type on SA).
Prior to the (very recent) surge in popularity of SA, virtually nobody had any typing experience on high-profile spherical keycaps. Their golden age was 40 years ago, and by 1983 they were all but gone from the computing landscape. Most folks have only ever typed on the same old boring cylindrical keycaps that have reigned supreme since the IBM PC (and its clones) took over the industry in the 1980s. Even guys like me, whose first computing experiences were on terminals with spherical keycaps, have long since forgotten what that was like, and jumping on an SA set felt like a new experience more than it felt like nostalgia.
However, the look of a keyboard with SA harkens back to a time when keyboards were engineering marvels made to last, and made out of the best materials available, rather than cheap, disposable commodity items made to accommodate an indifferent (and budget-constrained) general public. If you want your keyboard to look like a timeless, well-made classic, then get an SA set like the ones mentioned in my signature banner and put it on a high-quality (preferably full-size) board. Getting used to typing on them is pretty easy if you give it a little time and don't go into it with a "give me a reason not to hate you, SA" attitude that a lot of folks around here seem to.
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will probably be a bit wobbly, but its super thick abs so it will sound very nice :thumb:
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It is going to feel odd at first (to type on SA).
Prior to the (very recent) surge in popularity of SA, virtually nobody had any typing experience on high-profile spherical keycaps. Their golden age was 40 years ago, and by 1983 they were all but gone from the computing landscape. Most folks have only ever typed on the same old boring cylindrical keycaps that have reigned supreme since the IBM PC (and its clones) took over the industry in the 1980s. Even guys like me, whose first computing experiences were on terminals with spherical keycaps, have long since forgotten what that was like, and jumping on an SA set felt like a new experience more than it felt like nostalgia.
However, the look of a keyboard with SA harkens back to a time when keyboards were engineering marvels made to last, and made out of the best materials available, rather than cheap, disposable commodity items made to accommodate an indifferent (and budget-constrained) general public. If you want your keyboard to look like a timeless, well-made classic, then get an SA set like the ones mentioned in my signature banner and put it on a high-quality (preferably full-size) board. Getting used to typing on them is pretty easy if you give it a little time and don't go into it with a "give me a reason not to hate you, SA" attitude that a lot of folks around here seem to.
Very good points there, I'm trying to go into SA with an open mind myself but I do agree with your last statement. I usually do give most new things I try a fair shot even if they do not line up with my expectations though. I plan on using my Godspeed set on my MK Disco for now till I get around to buying a nice TKL kit (The Moon looks very promising) as I think they are better suited to full sized & TKL boards as well. I figure I'll give SA a good month or two of typing on them before I decide if they are for me or not. I feel that is a good amount of time to adjust & if I don't by then I can truly say they are not for me. Although I do think I will like them from testing with the few SA caps I have.
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Tall, spherical, and smooth. The tall is the thing that honestly took me the most time to get used to. Spherical isn't as huge a thing for me but the height of SA caps definitely threw my typing off for a few weeks until I adapted to it. Nothing drastic but I did find myself making a few more typing errors. That and pausing or slowing down for a moment to think about what I was typing and what key I needed to press.
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I found them to be somewhat heavy on lighter switches, such as MX reds and blues.
On blacks and greens they were more usable.
I do have a preference for uniform profile, and Nuclear Data Green (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=61198.0) is one of the best switch cover sets I have used.
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I am looking into the same thing as OP and I get different feedback from everyone. It is looking like, to me at least, the only way to find out is to try them and see where you fall. This would leave you with a whole set purchase or following what wishful_cynic said and purchasing a few caps to test out . The good news is these full sets seem to hold their value, so the risk doesn't seem too high.
I think I am personally going to buy a set and sell if needed to make sure I get the full experience of typing and adapting to the caps.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
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Best to try them out if you can get a set at a reasonable-to-you price. They tend to take some getting used to if you're coming from low or mid-height profile caps. There's always MaxKeys SA sets if you want to save some money. They appear to be using old SA molds from Comtec in France (aka the parent company of what became Signature Plastics).
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And copying set designs without any credit/compensation for the original designers (Carbon and Rocketeer being the most recent that I've become aware of). But you know what they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? :confused:
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SA looks good in photo, especially in other's photo. :D
Discomfort to type on, you can expect Carpal tunnel syndrome ;)
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And copying set designs without any credit/compensation for the original designers (Carbon and Rocketeer being the most recent that I've become aware of). But you know what they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? :confused:
I agree it would be nice of them to note the original designers at a minimum.
What's this about Rocketeer being copied, though? Is MaxKeys grabbing your design?
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Apparently.
They have a set coming out called "Hermes" which is a dual-green colorway with novelty keys that say "HERMES" on them. However, the darker green modifier keys (which are a different green than Rocketeer) have light green legends, instead of black, so it isn't exactly the same in terms of colors. But I think they could have at least had the creative integrity to call it something different, like "Green Giant" or something. After all, they had the courtesy to call their Carbon clone "Creamy Orange" instead of something like "Boron".
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Apparently.
They have a set coming out called "Hermes" which is a dual-green colorway with novelty keys that say "HERMES" on them. However, the darker green modifier keys (which are a different green than Rocketeer) have light green legends, instead of black, so it isn't exactly the same in terms of colors. But I think they could have at least had the creative integrity to call it something different, like "Green Giant" or something. After all, they had the courtesy to call their Carbon clone "Creamy Orange" instead of something like "Boron".
Well damn. Hadn't seen anything on that yet so that's a bit of a surprise. Meh, still hope Rocketeer makes it out eventually.
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The originator of that Chinese HERMES group buy and I have come to an understanding and his set has been cancelled. I am working with MassDrop to put together a great package for Rocketeer which I think will be worth waiting for!
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Sounds like good news all around for Rocketeer, then.