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OEM vs DSA? Other questions too.

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All my keyboards that I have ever used use OEM caps. I am now planning on getting a custom KBD75, but was trying to get a nice modern, yet retro vibe with my keycaps. In my search for keycaps, I found a nice granite dye sub pbt set that I will pair with a few red blanks for the sake of aesthetics. My issue is, I have never used DSA caps before, and I am scared to drop the $70+ and shipping on keycaps that I may not like. What keycaps profile do you prefer? Does anyone have experience with DSA caps on the KBD75, and what are your thoughts? Also, will the legends rub off easily from use with the dye sub pbt? For the past year, I have only used translucent pbt keycaps from vortex, and some others that I just found on amazon. I know different keycaps also feel different depending on the angle that the keyboard is lifted, but with the KBD75, it is only that one angle that it can be used with. All suggestions and opinions are appreciated. Thank you!
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Jino74
832
Aug 28, 2018
SA/OEM/Cherry vs. DSA/XDA is, in my perspective, a matter of balancing function and form. The uniform nature of DSA/XDA makes it much more flexible when it comes to different board layouts, but it takes a little more time to adjust the finger muscle memory. One thing to also note is that the keycap profile influences the typing acoustics. I don't have a degree in keycap profile science, but my belief is that the shape, weight, and density of the plastic, along with how the cap may or may not prematurely hit the switch determines the sound and feel. There's a post by @livingspeedbump on MD that goes into the mechanical details of the latter point.
I think we can all agree that one can do lots of research to arrive at an informed guess, but the best way to truly learn what works for you is to try it.
cavilikon
180
Aug 23, 2018
For me Cherry profile is most ergonomic, and easiest to type on, OEM is second. But I still like using DSA for it's looks and the for sake of variety, even though I make more mistakes typing on DSA. Quality dye sub is never gonna wear of, the ink should be infused deep into the plastic.
cavilikon
180
Aug 23, 2018
Nice warm earthy tones. OMG I sound like a hipster :)
mrpetrov
23
Aug 23, 2018
cavilikonha! I think all of us who have views on keycap ergonomics and aesthetics are, in some way or another, hipsters - despite what we might tell ourselves?:) But yeah, I love the tones and they match my desk/battlestation setup brilliantly.
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