Keycap material & legends
What the caps are made of and how the letters are made.
Keycaps are made from two main plastics — PBT and ABS — and legends (the letters) are applied by several methods. PBT resists shine and feels textured; ABS can sound a touch deeper and takes vivid colours but eventually develops a smooth shine. The legend method determines durability and whether RGB shines through.
PBT is denser, more textured and resists the greasy "shine" that develops on well-used keys — a great default. ABS is smoother, can sound slightly deeper, and supports the crispest doubleshot legends, but shines over time.
Dye-sublimation dyes legends into PBT (durable, no shine-through). Doubleshot moulds the legend as a second piece of plastic (extremely durable, can be made shine-through for RGB). Cheaper pad-printed/laser legends wear off over time and are best avoided for a gift.
If per-key RGB matters, choose doubleshot shine-through (or "pudding") caps so the legends glow.
Every choice you'll see for this decision in the builder.
The connoisseur default: textured PBT with legends dyed into the plastic so they never wear off. Does not shine-through for RGB.
- Resists greasy shine
- Legends never rub off
- Pleasant texture
- No RGB shine-through
- Slightly muted colours
Best of both worlds — PBT durability with sharp moulded legends, and available in shine-through styles for RGB.
- Very durable legends
- Shine-through options
- Textured PBT feel
- Pricier
- Can have a slight seam
Crisp moulded legends, the most vibrant colourways, and a slightly fuller sound — at the cost of developing shine with heavy use.
- Sharpest, most vivid legends
- Shine-through friendly
- Slightly deeper sound
- Develops shine over time
- Smoother (some dislike)
For touch-typists who want the cleanest look. Pairs nicely with custom firmware where layers matter more than printed letters.
- Cleanest aesthetic
- No legends to wear off
- Encourages touch typing
- Not beginner-friendly
- Layers must be memorised