When it comes to keyboard customization, the possibilities are endless. Users have various methods to fine-tune their setups, making them stand out and reflect their personalities. One common way of customizing is choosing a SA profile keycap set.
SA profile keycaps are one of the most popular types of keycaps on the market. They come in a variety of colors and styles, so you can find the perfect set to match your personality and style. They’re also a great way to add personality to your keyboard without compromising on quality or functionality.
But with so many different types of SA profile keycaps to choose from, it can be hard to know which set is right for you. That’s why we’ve put together this article on the different types of profile keycaps available today. We’ll help you understand what to look for when buying SA profile keycaps and show you how to choose the right SA profile keycaps for your needs.
So whether you’re looking for a classic look or something more flashy, read on to find out everything you need to know about SA profile keycaps. In this section, we’ll be focusing on SA profile keycaps.
What is a profile keycap?
The mechanical keyboards allow for a great deal of customization to fit your preferences. Choosing a profile keycap is an excellent way to improve the feel and sound of your keyboard. However, things get a little more complicated when choosing a profile keycap. A profile keycap refers to the general shape of the keycap itself. Some are flat, some are rounded, some are curved, etc. This allows the keycaps to either be flat or angled, in each row to give a different typing experience.
Who knew that changing keycaps can be a total headache? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. With our introduction below, you’ll know exactly which profile keycap to use to bring your keyboard’s style and feel to the next level.
Profile keycaps stand for different sets of key characteristics, namely shape, height, and inclination. Profiling keycap into different groups makes it easy for you to pick out the best keyboard set that fits your aesthetics and preferences.
Your choice of profile keycap will have a significant effect on your daily life, especially if you spend long hours tapping away at the keyboard. Different types of keyboard profiles cater to speed, accuracy and comfort, while others strike a balance between those features.
And there are various types of profile keycaps.
This table compares five popular profile keycaps. Scroll down for more details about each type.
Keycap Type | Height | Keycap Shape | Row Shape |
SA | High profile | Angled and concave | Sculpted |
OEM | Medium profile | Angled | Sculpted |
Cherry | Medium profile | Angled | Sculpted |
XDA | Low profile | Concave | Uniform |
DSA | Low profile | Concave | Uniform |
Why do we need to know the differences between various profile keycaps? That is because profile keycaps can affect typing comfort. Whether you’re a writer, typist, gamer, or programmer your choice of profile keycap can affect your typing comfort. A keycap’s profile is dictated by its height, key shape, and row shape. Here’s what you need to consider.
Keycap Height:
Keycaps come in different heights, typically ranging from around 2mm (low profile) to 17 mm (high profile). Keycap height isn’t necesSArily uniform across the keyboard. If your keycaps are sculpted, some rows are higher than others.
The primary consideration is how tall you prefer your keys in relation to how you set your wrists for typing or gaming. Some people prefer taller keys; others favor shorter keys.
Keycap Shape:
Keycaps come in a variety of shapes, including:
- Angled: Angled tops (front to back, or vice verSA) are designed for reach, comfort, and ergonomics.
- Concave: Fingertip-sized indents in the top. Spherical keycaps have a sphere-shaped indent and were popular until the 1980s when they gave way to cylindrical keycaps that sport a cylinder-shaped indent.
- Rounded: Convex tops, are often used for artiSAn keycaps.
- Flat: Straight tops, often seen on chiclet-shaped keycaps.
Keycaps can feature a combination of these shapes. For example, a keycap could have an angled and cylindrical top.
It’s essential to understand the relationship between keycap shape and row shape before deciding which type of profile keycap is best.
Row Shape
Keycap sets are designed in two different row shapes, uniform and sculpted:
- Uniform: All keycaps have the SAme height and shape, giving keyboards a flat appearance.
- Sculpted: Keycaps have different heights and shapes to create contoured rows, where each row has a different height or strike angle.
Unform keycaps are best if you barely lift your fingertips as they glide over your keyboard. They offer excellent speed but less accuracy because it’s difficult to differentiate keys by feel. Sculpted keycaps are popular among gamers and typists alike because they feature intuitive contours that make it easy to differentiate keys by feel. Nearly all major mechanical keyboard brands come with sculpted keycaps, as is the case with all Das Keyboard models. Many find sculpted keyboards more comfortable for their ergonomic row shapes. Sculpted keycaps offer accuracy and speed, though you’ll need to lift your fingers a little higher to navigate the keyboard.
And now let us get into our topic-SA profile keycaps.
SA profile keycaps
Introduction
As we have mentioned above, there are many types of keycaps on custom keyboards. They vary in shape based on style, ergonomics, feel and so on. The SA profile keycaps are one of them.
Strongly created and distributed by Signature Plastic, SA stands for Spherical All which means that the keys are all curved at different angles to create a soft feel. The height of the keys is at a good level along with modern machining and assembly forms, SA Profile is very popular with users today. The minus point is the high price (equivalent to high-quality materials), and because the keys are quite high, it is easy to cause hand fatigue when typing continuously at a fast speed.
At 16.5 mm, SA (Spherical All) keycaps are among the tallest you can buy. These high-profile keycaps feature an angled, concave top shape and a sculpted row shape. Due to their height, SA keycaps might not be as comfortable as other options. They’re not optimized for speed, but they’re still a good all-purpose option if you prefer taller keycaps.
It features a spherical design with a more rounded and concave top. In order to achieve this design, the SA profile keycap is taller than all other types of keycaps, which is its unique shape. From an aesthetic point of view, SA profile keycaps are popular because of their larger legend and circular design.
Background
The original SA profile keycaps manufacturer was Signature Plastics. Domikey, ONECAP, and many other manufacturers also produce SA profile keycaps. Signature Plastics is a US-BASED keycap manufacturer that gained popularity for its DSA, DCS, and SA keycaps, which were originally designed as a flat profile, followed by a spherically sculpted SS profile that was later abandoned. The SA itself was later defined as a carved outline and retained its original spherical name.
Key characteristics of SA profiled keycaps
- Uniform + Tall + Spherical profile.
- Older-keyset generation.
- Thocc sounding
Compared with the common keycap, the high height of SA keycaps increases the difficulty of the key. But even so, the SA profile keycap has a beautiful appearance and unique button sound is still attracted many people to use, every time the click like a bullet loaded. If you’ve just made the transition from regular keycap height to SA keycap height, you may need some time to get used to the overall layout.
Benefits
A SA profile keycap is known for providing a great sound, a “thocc”, that many enthusiasts love. SA is known for having a more vintage look that many appreciate. This profile might not be the best profile for gaming but for typing it is a good option although other profiles in this article may help you to type faster.
And SA profile keycaps can be used for a variety of reasons, the most popular of which is to provide an alternative to standard keycaps. Because SA profile keycaps have a unique design, they can be difficult to find and may have a limited production. However, this should not dissuade users from trying them out, as they can offer a great experience when it comes to typing. SA profile keycaps can also be used to add a bit of flair to your keyboard, and because of their popularity, there are many different designs and colors to choose from. If you’re looking for SA profile keycaps, be sure to check out specialty stores or online retailers.
Tips for Switching SA Profile keycaps
These tips can help ensure a smooth transition if you’re switching to a new type of keycap.
Try Before You Buy:
If possible, give different profile keycaps a test run before committing to any one type. You can see if a friend or colleague uses the profile you’re considering, you can visit retail stores, or contact the manufacturer to see if there is a way to take their keys for a spin.
If you can’t try before you buy, check into return and replacement policies, but keep in mind it will probably take a little time to get used to the look and feel of your new keycaps. You can also check out an interactive visual comparison of popular keycap types at Keycaps.info.
Make Sure Keycaps Are Compatible with Your Keyboard
Make sure your keycaps are compatible with your keyboard. For example, you don’t need a full set of keys if you have a tenkeyless keyboard, and you want to make sure you’re getting the right keycaps if you have a 65% keyboard.
You should also verify that your keycaps will fit your switches.
Consider Other Keycap Features:
The profile isn’t the only consideration. Others include:
Material: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) are the two most common keycap materials. Generally speaking, PBT keycaps are more durable and expensive than ABS keycaps, which are more common and tend to be cheaper.
Backlighting: If you have a backlit keyboard, you probably want keycaps that let your RGB lighting shine through. Doubleshot keycaps have translucent legends, while pudding keycaps have translucent sides.
Tactile feel: Some keycaps have a smooth, glossy finish, while others have a textured, matte finish. Consider how the keys look and feel when you type.
Conclusion
The keyboard’s overall keycap press experience relies heavily on profile keycaps. That is why you must educate yourself on them and ensure that you select the best one for your keyboarding experience. Changing a new keycap set for our keyboard is always exciting and challenging, but with the proper knowledge, it becomes simple.
And the best profile keycap depends on your personal preference. If you prioritize speed over all else, you might prefer a low profile, uniform profile. A sculpted profile is a good choice if accuracy and ergonomics are paramount. For the best of both worlds, you might consider a medium-profile keycap with sculpted rows.
Whether SA profile keycaps are worth the investment is entirely up to the user. Some users may desire the idea of customized keycaps, and SA keycaps offer an unmatched level of aesthetics. However, SA keycaps’ tall profile and overall feel are subjective. It’s one of those scenarios where you don’t know if it’s for you until you try. Additionally, SA keycaps don’t necesSArily provide any obvious practical advantage for typing and gaming, aside from each key feeling SAtisfying and solid to type on.
In short,from my perspective,SA profile keycaps are a great way to upgrade your keyboard and give it a unique look. Not only do they feel great, but they also offer users an exclusive experience that can be hard to find elsewhere. If you’re looking for quality SA profile keycaps, then we recommend checking out some of the sites listed in this article. With so many different designs and colors available, there’s sure to be something perfect for your needs!