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Author Topic: General question about keycap pricing  (Read 2152 times)

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Offline deadpool

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  • Posts: 21
General question about keycap pricing
« on: Fri, 13 September 2013, 01:20:50 »
I've been looking around at various keycap sets (mx cherry) but have no idea what pricing is/should be like. I figured that a set should cost somewhere between $20-40. They range widely..

My question is basically what is a fair price to pay for a new or used average keycap set?
-Basic blank set
-Basic printed set
-A higher quality set
-33/87/108/etc. keys
etc.

I thought it would be easy to find a basic, no frills set but no luck so far. Did I miss the budget key cap website somewhere?
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Offline rowdy

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Re: General question about keycap pricing
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 13 September 2013, 01:25:21 »
Prices will vary from $0 for a free set of heavily used usually crappy old keycaps, all the way up to $100+ for a set of new or novelty (or Topre) keycaps.

For a cheap set, you could try the ones from EK: http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,cherrymxkeys

Although these are pad-printed, and the legends are likely to wear off.

SP also has some reasonably priced sets: http://keycapsdirect.com/marketplace.php

Generally a new set of doubleshots will be in the range $70 to $120, depending on whether it is a full set or not, and what extras are included.

You can also try qtan's online shop: http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/category/cateogry1-name/catId=3982960

Or browse through Classifieds here where you can occasionally pick up a bargain.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

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Offline BakerMan1971

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Re: General question about keycap pricing
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 13 September 2013, 05:51:16 »
It does worry me that a full set of keycaps can exceed the price of a keyboard !?!!?!???
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Offline rowdy

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Re: General question about keycap pricing
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 13 September 2013, 05:54:29 »
Quote from: BakerMan1971 on Fri, 13 September 2013, 05:51:16
It does worry me that a full set of keycaps can exceed the price of a keyboard !?!!?!???


A single keycap can exceed the cost of a keyboard.

Back in the day original Cherry red Esc keys sold for $250 each.

Rare Clack Factory key caps can sell for $300 or even $400.

These are prices for one (1) key cap.

Welcome to Wallethack!
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

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Offline SeriouSSpotS

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Re: General question about keycap pricing
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 13 September 2013, 07:05:57 »
Quote from: BakerMan1971 on Fri, 13 September 2013, 05:51:16
It does worry me that a full set of keycaps can exceed the price of a keyboard !?!!?!???

You'll get used to it
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Offline AuRinBei

  • Posts: 161
  • Location: Maryland
Re: General question about keycap pricing
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 13 September 2013, 12:44:13 »
Quote from: rowdy on Fri, 13 September 2013, 01:25:21
Prices will vary from $0 for a free set of heavily used usually crappy old keycaps, all the way up to $100+ for a set of new or novelty (or Topre) keycaps.

For a cheap set, you could try the ones from EK: http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,cherrymxkeys

Although these are pad-printed, and the legends are likely to wear off.

SP also has some reasonably priced sets: http://keycapsdirect.com/marketplace.php

Generally a new set of doubleshots will be in the range $70 to $120, depending on whether it is a full set or not, and what extras are included.

You can also try qtan's online shop: http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/category/cateogry1-name/catId=3982960

Or browse through Classifieds here where you can occasionally pick up a bargain.
Will pad printed ones really wear out that quickly? Every non-mechanical board I have has pad-printed legends, and they barely show any wear after years of use. Not as good as dye-sub maybe, but better than laser etched for sure.
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Offline ___q

  • Posts: 248
Re: General question about keycap pricing
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 13 September 2013, 13:28:24 »
Quote from: BakerMan1971 on Fri, 13 September 2013, 05:51:16
It does worry me that a full set of keycaps can exceed the price of a keyboard !?!!?!???

Just start buying more expensive keyboards, problem solved!  :)
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Offline deadpool

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  • Posts: 21
Re: General question about keycap pricing
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 13 September 2013, 14:27:00 »
Some of the expensive sets are realllly nice looking but it's hard to justify spending that much for design right now:( Most keycaps are backlight compatible though right? Even if they aren't specifically designed for backlighting, they'll still allow some light to shine through, or are there some materials to stay away from??
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Offline Puddsy

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Re: General question about keycap pricing
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 13 September 2013, 15:09:46 »
Quote from: deadpool on Fri, 13 September 2013, 14:27:00
Some of the expensive sets are realllly nice looking but it's hard to justify spending that much for design right now:( Most keycaps are backlight compatible though right? Even if they aren't specifically designed for backlighting, they'll still allow some light to shine through, or are there some materials to stay away from??

Thick caps (the REALLY nice stuff) won't (I think).

Personally, I don't like backlighting for practical use. I think it's a waste, and I'm not a strong typist by any stretch. Looks good though.
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Offline rowdy

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Re: General question about keycap pricing
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 14 September 2013, 03:36:21 »
Quote from: AuRinBei on Fri, 13 September 2013, 12:44:13
Quote from: rowdy on Fri, 13 September 2013, 01:25:21
Prices will vary from $0 for a free set of heavily used usually crappy old keycaps, all the way up to $100+ for a set of new or novelty (or Topre) keycaps.

For a cheap set, you could try the ones from EK: http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=access,cherrymxkeys

Although these are pad-printed, and the legends are likely to wear off.

SP also has some reasonably priced sets: http://keycapsdirect.com/marketplace.php

Generally a new set of doubleshots will be in the range $70 to $120, depending on whether it is a full set or not, and what extras are included.

You can also try qtan's online shop: http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-sports-Gaming-equipments/category/cateogry1-name/catId=3982960

Or browse through Classifieds here where you can occasionally pick up a bargain.
Will pad printed ones really wear out that quickly? Every non-mechanical board I have has pad-printed legends, and they barely show any wear after years of use. Not as good as dye-sub maybe, but better than laser etched for sure.

Some can.  Depending on use.  My solicitor's secretary's keyboard is almost completely otaku now.
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ
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