Okay, let’s talk about keycaps, specifically the whole OEM versus Cherry profile thing. It’s funny because when I first got into mechanical keyboards, I didn’t even know keycap profiles were a thing. I just typed on whatever came with the board.
My First Keyboard and OEM Caps
My journey started pretty standard. I picked up a mechanical keyboard, probably something common like a Ducky or a Filco, I forget which exactly. It felt way better than the mushy membrane thing I was using before, obviously. The keycaps on it were, as I found out later, OEM profile. They seemed fine? Kinda tall, sculpted, you know, the keys in different rows have different heights and tilts. Felt normal, because it was all I knew at that point. I used it like that for maybe a year.
Discovering Cherry Profile
Then I started seeing other keyboards online, in forums and stuff. People’s custom builds. And some of them just looked… lower profile, maybe sleeker? The keycaps didn’t seem to stand as tall. Folks kept mentioning Cherry profile as being really popular, especially for custom sets. They said it was similar to OEM but slightly shorter and with a less aggressive sculpt. Curiosity got the better of me. Was it really that different? Would it feel better?
Making the Switch
So, I decided I had to try it myself. I ordered a set of Cherry profile keycaps. PBT plastic, double-shot, the whole deal. They weren’t super cheap, but I wanted to give it a fair shot. When they arrived, I set aside an evening. Pulled out my keycap puller – that little wire thingy – and carefully started yanking off all the old OEM caps. Took a while, actually. Then I started pressing on the new Cherry profile ones, row by row. It was kinda cool seeing the keyboard transform.
The Actual Feeling: OEM vs Cherry
Right away, putting my hands on the board, I could feel the difference. It wasn’t like night and day, don’t get me wrong, but it was noticeable.
- Height: The Cherry profile caps are definitely shorter than the OEM ones. Not by a huge amount, but enough that my fingers didn’t feel like they were reaching up as much.
- Sculpt: The curve and tilt on each row felt a little less pronounced on the Cherry set compared to the OEM set I had. It felt a bit flatter, maybe? But still comfortable.
- Typing: This was the main thing. For me, typing felt a bit smoother. Maybe my fingers could move across the keys slightly faster? It’s hard to say definitively if it improved my speed, but it felt more comfortable, less strenuous somehow, especially over longer typing sessions. My fingers seemed to bottom out with a slightly different feel too.
- Sound: The sound changed too! With the same switches underneath, the Cherry profile caps made a slightly deeper, maybe lower-pitched sound compared to the OEM caps. The OEM caps had a bit more of a ‘clack’, the Cherry ones more of a ‘thock’, if that makes any sense. Material matters too, of course (my OEMs were ABS, the Cherrys PBT), but profile definitely plays a part.
My Takeaway
So, after using both? I personally lean towards Cherry profile now. It just feels a bit more refined and comfortable for my hands and typing style. That lower height makes a difference for me. Going back to an OEM board now feels a bit tall and clunky, though perfectly usable!
But honestly, it’s super subjective. OEM profile is popular for a reason – it’s comfortable, widely available, and what many people are used to. There’s no ‘better’ profile, just what feels right for you. My advice? If you’re curious like I was, try to find a way to test out Cherry profile yourself. Maybe a friend has a board, or you can get a cheap test set. You won’t really know until you feel it under your own fingers. That was my experience, anyway!