When it comes to choosing keycaps for mechanical keyboards, the material used in their construction can significantly affect their durability, feel, sound and overall typing experience. One of the components that often gets overlooked in the mechanical keyboard world, keycaps play a crucial role in shaping the overall typing experience. The most common keycap materials are ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate), and POM (Polyoxymethylene), each with their distinctive characteristics.
## ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) Keycaps
ABS keycaps have been a standard choice in the mechanical keyboard industry for many years, even in many gaming or high-performance keyboards. These keycaps are relatively easy to mold, allowing for a greater range of shapes and designs, including double-shot molding—a technique resulting in legends (the characters or symbols on the keycaps) that never wear out.
Moreover, ABS keycaps are known for their smooth glossy finish and vibrant color reproduction, making them popular for creative and aesthetic-themed keyboard builds. When it comes to sound, ABS keycaps generally give a higher pitched sound compared to other materials.
However, ABS keycaps do have their drawbacks. While being smooth can be a benefit from aesthetic and feel perspective, it does mean that they can become shiny over time due to the oils on your hands. Similarly, while ABS is a durable material, it is not as resistant to heat or chemicals as other keycap materials. This means that over time and with significant use, ABS keycaps can become yellow or even warp.
## PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) Keycaps
PBT is another common keycap material that is known for its higher quality compared to ABS. These keycaps are harder, more durable, and more resistant to solvents and heat. This leads to keycaps that age better, less likely to become shiny over time, rarely discolor, and are not likely to warp under typical cleaning procedures.
When it comes to typing experience, PBT keycaps have a rougher feel, which some users consider to be more premium or enjoyable. The texture provides more grip, which can help with accuracy during typing or gaming sessions. In terms of sound, PBT typically leads to a lower pitched and arguably more satisfying sound compared to ABS.
On the downside, PBT keycaps do have some disadvantages. They are slightly more challenging to mold, leading to a smaller range of available designs. PBT is also more expensive than ABS, which is reflected in the higher price point of PBT keycaps.
## POM (Polyoxymethylene) Keycaps
Polyoxymethylene (POM) is a lesser-known material used in keycap manufacturing. Known for having a smooth feel (like ABS) and the durability of PBT, they offer the best of both worlds. Smooth yet still providing enough grip and highly resistant to wear, POM keycaps are ideal for heavy users or any situation where keyboard use is high but the user still wants a pleasant touch experience.
In terms of sound, POM keycaps produce a deeper, thockier sound than other materials do, which is often desirable for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts.
One of the drawbacks of POM keycaps is that they are often only available in black or white due to the material’s properties, offering less customization or aesthetic choices than ABS or PBT. Nonetheless, for users who prefer performance or typing feel over customization, POM keycaps are an excellent choice.
## Other Keycap Materials
Other keycap materials also exist, like PC (Polycarbonate) and ABS+PBT (a combination of ABS and PBT). Polycarbonate keycaps are durable and provide a softer sounding keyboard. They are also transparent, making them great for RGB lighting effects. However, PC keycaps are relatively scarce and generally expensive compared to ABS and PBT.
ABS+PBT keycaps, as the name implies, combine the best qualities of ABS and PBT keycaps. They have the shine resistance and durability of PBT with the vibrant colors and easy moldability of ABS. However, these types of keycaps are also rarer and can be pricier than individual ABS or PBT keycaps.
In conclusion, the best keycap material for a mechanical keyboard largely depends on personal preference. ABS, PBT, and POM all have their unique strengths, and the choice between them is heavily dependent on user preferences regarding touch feel, sound, durability, and aesthetics. Other factors such as budget, the availability of designs, and desired color options will also play a significant role in the decision-making process.
