The look & feel of a mechanical keyboard

a) Keycap material

Keycap materials are mainly divided into the following types. Different materials feel different to the touch. The main differences between each material are as follows:

ABS: The most common material, relatively low cost, high strength, smooth touch, good plasticity, and easy to color. The thickness of the ABS keycap is relatively thin, so it will feel crisp when you hit it, and the color is also cool, with good light transmission, so it is also highly compatible with RGB backlit keyboards. But the biggest disadvantage is that it is easy to oil. Generally speaking, after using it for a period of time, the surface of the button looks polished and shiny, and the sensory and physical feel will be greatly reduced.

This is not to say that ABS material is not good. In fact, many high-end brands such as Filco like to use ABS material to make keycaps. Its advantages such as good impact feedback, bright color, delicate touch, and high light transmission are irreplaceable by other materials. However, if you want to use it longer, it is recommended to buy a keyboard with PBT keycaps.

PBT: PBT is made of matte material, the color is relatively dark, the advantage is that it is very wear-resistant, which greatly prolongs the time for oiling. It solves the shortcomings of ordinary PBT material keycaps that are not delicate enough, and the advantages of ordinary PBT keycaps are high temperature resistance and no oil, but the disadvantages are that it is not easy to shape, the feel is not delicate enough, and the cost is much higher than ABS.

POM: High hardness, excellent wear resistance, and self-lubricating properties. POM is somewhat similar to PBT as a whole, but it feels more slippery than PBT, and is not dry enough. Due to the high cost, few manufacturers currently use it. Students in need can consider third-party customized keycaps.

b) Keycap character processing technology

In addition to the above keycap materials, in order to further improve the look and feel of the mechanical keyboard, the processing technology of the characters on the keycap is also very important:

Two-color molding: also called two-color injection molding, it is made of plastic injection molding with two different colors. The advantage of the keycap made in this way is that it is very durable, and the font is difficult to be erased after a long time of use. The second is Combining with transparent materials can make the mother of light transmittance effect, compatible with backlit keyboard.

Dye sublimation: Dye sublimation uses high temperature to allow pigments to penetrate into the keycap. Its advantages are that it is very durable, the characters are not easy to wear, and it supports custom graphics on the keycap_, with bright colors. Although the keycaps made by the dye-sublimation process are good-looking and durable, the disadvantages are also obvious, that is, poor light transmission and high production costs, resulting in high prices and poor compatibility with RGB keyboards.

Laser engraving technology: Laser engraving technology is divided into two types: inkjet laser engraving and laser engraving (laser engraving). The former is to directly spray paint on the transparent keycap and then use laser engraving. It is mainly used for RGB keyboards with backlight. The latter is the same, that is, engraving on opaque keycaps, and mechanical keyboards without backlights are more widely used.

The production cost of inkjet laser engraving and laser engraving (laser engraving) is very low, and it is also a relatively common keycap art on the market. For example, most RGB keyboards such as Corsair and Razer use the process of inkjet laser engraving, while IKBC , Goss and other non-backlit keyboards are mostly laser-marked. The biggest disadvantage of the keycap characters of laser engraving technology is that they are not wear-resistant. The letters on the keycaps are raised to the touch. The letters are easily worn off after a long time of use on the keyboard, which affects the look and feel. However, due to the low cost and relatively simple process, it is widely used in mass-produced mechanical keyboards on the market.

Silk screen printing: Silk screen printing means that the manufacturer makes a font template and prints it directly on the keycap. This kind of keycap font is easier to scratch, so it is generally used for side engraving, and the cost is also not high.

c) Keycap character engraving method

Finally, let’s talk about the engraving method of the keycap characters. According to the different engraving positions of the keycap characters, it can be divided into the following three categories.:

Engraved keycaps: all the words and characters are engraved on the keycaps, the cost of injection molding is low, and most keyboards in the market are equipped with engraved keycaps.

Side engraved keycaps: All the words and characters are engraved on the side of the keycaps ("side engraved" is also called "front engraved"). The advantage is that the letters on the keycaps will not wear out after a long time of use.

No engraved keycaps: all the keycaps are not engraved with any words or characters, which are simple and beautiful, and there will be no problem of words being worn after a long time of use. It is okay for people who are familiar with the keyboard layout, but for large For some people, there is no word and character identification, and sometimes it is very painful, so it is relatively small.