Keycaps for a CODE keyboard

[garage_logician]

I know very little about keycaps.  I was of the understanding that PBT was supposed to be superior to ABS so when I saw a drop on Massdrop for backlit PBT keys I jumped.....  then I read the reviews and the Vortex caps did not sound so great.  So I cancelled and am looking for some caps for my CODE.  As you may already know it is backlit so I do have that to consider.   I am also interested in trying caps with a Cherry profile.   Seems a of people are fans so I would like to give them a try.

Problem is that I have no idea what I should be looking for, nor where.  Are there good PBT caps that meet my needs?  Do I want PBT or?   How do I tell what profile my current (stock) caps have?   I apologize in advance for so many questions but this is all new to me.   It is not that I hate the stock caps on the CODE, it is just that I feel I can do better.  Also adding a little color would be nice too.

One last thing, I did pre-order the KBP V80 from mk.com and got the one with the Dolch keycaps.  I assume those are ABS?   No idea of the profile but they look nice.   Are they a good/great cap? 

Thanks!
g

[jonathanyu]

you stock keycaps on CODE most likely are OEM profile.  For the material and profile of keycaps, you really need to try them to know which fit you most. 

[Wuzadi]

Just as jonathanyu said, it's really difficult to tell what you like without trying them out yet. There are a bunch of different types of caps out there. I browse the vendor websites and see what's out there. Maybe try looking at youtube videos or reviews about certain profiles. Still doesn't make it as easy as trying them in person, but it helps.

[njbair]

PBT seems to be the go-to fav for noobs, who act like only an idiot would buy ABS. They reason that ABS wears and shines more quickly, so therefore must be inferior. I have a few issues with PBT. Firstly, it doesn't feel good to begin with. It's hard to qualify a statement like that, I just don't think it feels as nice to my fingers as ABS. I guess i would say it is harder and slipperier. Secondly, no real doubleshot options. Doing PBT doubleshot is really hard, and doing it well is impossible. This is because of the high amount of expansion and shrinkage PBT goes through when heated and cooled. I have a set of the Vortex PBT caps and the legends are ridiculously uneven. So I ask you, if looks are important enough that you're buying backlit caps, why would you settle for lousy looking legends?

I'm getting long winded here, but I guess my point is that if looks and feel are important to you, ABS is probably what you want. If not getting shiny is your primary concern, PBT is for you.

[garage_logician]

I really don't mind what the keys are made of, I just want a decent "thonk" sound a little texture to the keycap.   The stock keys on the CODE are OK but they seem kind of thin to me, but for all I know they could be really thick caps.  :-)    The hardest part of finding caps, at least from my limited experience, is finding caps for a backlit board.

I do want a lower profile key, and something with a nice solid feel.  And I would like to be able to use (effectively) the backlight.  I work late often times and got a backlit board to be able to see the legends.  I do touch type on most of the keys, but not so much with extended keys, numbers, etc..   I am browsing all the caps I can find on the net and am learning what I can.  It is nice to hear that ABS is a good material for a cap, it will make it a lot easier to find a cap for my new board.

Thanks!
-g

[SpAmRaY]

There really aren't very many options if you want backlit keys.

[Incredigasmic]

I have a Code and just threw the Ducky Shine 4 Grey keyset on it. It looks great and their profile flows really well, for me personally. They are ABS, but Ducky never fails to impress with their quality of caps.

[Pdub]

Which Code keyboard do you have?

[Kad]

I have a Code and just threw the Ducky Shine 4 Grey keyset on it. It looks great and their profile flows really well, for me personally. They are ABS, but Ducky never fails to impress with their quality of caps.

Looking good, nice brocap too!


As for the OP, for some reason at least right now I kind of prefer these thinner OEM caps with MX Blues, they make the keys feel springier to me and I don't know if thicker keys would feel very nice. However I've heard PBT caps hold up a little bit better if you're going for that and they're likely a bit thicker.

[Kola93]

You do not know what you prefer until you try out other options!

Cherry profile is a lot better.