What is a Keycap Profile? Learn about popular profile types for beginners

The next series for those who are new to keyboard playing that you definitely cannot miss is basic knowledge about Keycap profiles. Surely when you are looking to buy a set of Keycaps, you will wonder what the words Cherry Profile, SA Profile, ... next to the name of this Keycap are? Let's find out through this article!

What is Profile Keycap?

Keycap profile is the height and tilt of the keycap set. These two factors create a unique style for each type of keycap in each row and contribute to the comfort when typing as well as the aesthetic feel of mechanical keyboards.

In the world today, there are many different types of Keycaps designed to be customized for each type of keyboard or manufacturers can mass-design these types of keycaps for all different types of keys.

Learn about popular profile types for beginners

1. OEM Profile Keycap

This is a fairly common type of Keycap, most mechanical keyboard models will use OEM Profile made and designed by the manufacturer specifically for a series of keyboard models of the company.

OEM stands for Original Equipped Manufacturer, which is basically the profile from the factory. OEM has the outstanding feature of being "neutral" and easy to get used to, so much so that anyone, newbie or experienced player, with any habit can adapt in a few notes. Specifically, the OEM profile:

• The keys are of moderate height.
• The keycap surface has a reasonable curve that hugs the fingers but is not too concave to cause a cramped feeling.
• The curvature is also evenly distributed horizontally and straight to distribute force evenly to the fingertips, allowing for fast and accurate typing without requiring too much concentration.
• Many famous mechanical keyboard brands have not hesitated to use national profiles for their products such as Filco, Steelseries, Razer, Zowie, Corsair...

2. Cherry Profile

Cherry first designed this profile specifically for genuine mechanical keyboards, and then it became so popular that it was copied many times by Chinese suppliers.

The common characteristics of Cherry keycaps are:

• Low profile keycap with flat top surface.
• The last row has a large tilt to regain balance and reduce fatigue for the user.
• In terms of overall structure, the Cherry profile is pretty much the same as OEM, but the keys are lower and the slope is tweaked to match the overall look.
• This rearranged structure makes the Cherry profile keys feel much softer and smoother than OEM, and the sound is also clearer and sharper when compared with the same material and weight.

3. SA Profile – For Hardcore Players

SA stands for Spherical All, meaning all rows are spherical, used to refer to the top shape of all keycaps in the SA profile set (all have a concave spherical shape with different inclinations according to the line). SA is a keycap style created by SP (Signature Plastic - USA) and was exclusive for a while (currently, many manufacturers have made this profile group).

The most important features of SA keycap are:

• Keycaps are often impressively tall and made from high-quality materials that are corrosion-resistant, impact-resistant, and heat-resistant, helping to enhance the typing feel of the switches below.
• The keycaps have different slopes and concavities. When placed in rows next to each other, they create a clear, solid, harmonious and beautiful overall curve (most visible when viewed from the side).
• The concave surface of the SA keycap helps fingers stay firmly on the keyboard even when typing quickly, feeling solid and hugging the hand.
• But because of the characteristic height, SA keycaps often cause hand fatigue when used for a long time (so keyboards using this profile, if the manufacturer is sophisticated, will always come with a wrist rest for users). Some people also think that because it is too high, some SA keycap sets will feel shaky when used for a long time, especially for people who type hard.
• The characters printed on SA keycaps are usually in the middle, or on the left/right corner, generally quite flexible in position.
• With this characteristic shape, SA keycaps are often installed with switches that require heavy hand force to get the best bottom out feeling.
• Oh, one last advantage: it looks really, really good on screen. Keyboard enthusiasts who want to take some photos to show off to their friends must have at least one set of SA keycaps no matter what they do. It looks shiny and classy on screen, just looking at it makes it look thick and expensive.
• SA keycap sets are usually more expensive than other profile keycaps. Because more plastic is needed, the production quantity in a batch is usually smaller, and advanced character printing technology like doubleshot is also more difficult to do with SA-style surfaces. So SA keycap sets are usually more expensive.

Famous SA profile keycap manufacturers on the market today are: Signature Plastics (Original), Maxkey, ONECAP.

Filco is a mechanical keyboard company that most often uses the SA profile for its separate keycap sets.

4. DSA Keycap

Also a pioneering product of SP manufacturer. And has many differences compared to the SA profile above:

• Low profile keycaps and flat keycap faces without any tilt.
• The keycap surface is flat but has a very slight concavity, enough to hug the fingers when typing.
• The keycap surface is wide, giving a comfortable feeling without being constrained when used.
• The lettering on a DSA keycap is usually centered to accommodate the slight mid-concave of the key surface.
• The DSA profile design helps users to have less hand fatigue, and their fingers fit comfortably on the keys. However, because the keys are lower, sometimes the typing feeling is not too "exalted", especially with tactical and clicky switches.
• Usually comes with a variety of switches, and the case is not too big. Generally suitable for minimalist, compact and elegant mechanical keyboards.
• The keycap structure is easy to get used to and easy to use, but overall it looks a bit boring, the whole keyboard looks bland and has no highlights.

The two largest manufacturers of DSA profile keycaps today are Signature Plastics, YMDK, and some brands from China with cheaper prices.