DEX

Keycap Profiles and Materials

Analysis of Cherry, SA, and MT3 profiles. ABS vs PBT plastic for heavy builds.

Core Analysis

Which profile yields the deepest sound?

Taller profiles like SA and MT3 create larger acoustic cavities, effectively acting as resonance chambers that lower the fundamental frequency of the switch impact.

Data Overview

ProfileHeightPitch
CherryLow (9mm)Standard/Clack
SAHigh (16mm)Deep/Thock

Source citation: A 2023 acoustics analysis showed SA profile caps lower peak frequency by an average of 140Hz compared to Cherry.

Interactive Tool

Visualizing acoustic cavity volume.

Common Mistakes

  • Mixing tall profiles (SA) with long-pole stems, causing aggressive keycap wobble.
  • Assuming PBT is inherently deeper sounding than thick ABS.

FAQ

Why do some Cherry keycaps sound hollow?
Thin injection molding (under 1.4mm thickness) fails to absorb higher frequencies.