Are you annoyed by greasy and worn-out keys on your gaming keyboard? MeinMMO author Benedikt Schlotmann recently bought new keycaps. He explains why he definitely does not regret the purchase and why he can recommend them to you.
The problem is known to almost everyone: You game on your favorite keyboard and at some point, the familiar problems begin: The keys become illegible, the keycaps take on a greasy and shabby look and do not feel good anymore.
The reason for this lies in the manufacturing of keycaps, as many manufacturers use ABS keycaps. They wear out, and the signs of wear become impossible to overlook after a while.
Significantly better experiences are promised by PBT keycaps. They are rougher and more resilient and do not wear out as much. A friend had raved about how great they are, and for this reason, I wanted to test them. A better typing feel and no greasy keys anymore? I wanted to try that out!
This is how I proceeded: In my search for good keycaps, I looked at several independent online sellers alongside Amazon. PBT keycaps are no longer a rarity, and you can find them from various suppliers.
However, during the search, I noticed that it is almost impossible to find translucent PBT keycaps with a German layout (ISO DE). Manufacturers like HyperX or Razer offer translucent PBT caps for their keyboards, but only for the English layout.
Some manufacturers do offer translucent PBT keys, but often only in complete sets with a keyboard. Corsair has recently “PBT DOUBLE-SHOT” keys with a German layout in the range*, but unfortunately not in the pudding design.
These are the keycaps I chose: In the end, I decided on a keycap set from an inexpensive supplier. I didn’t want to spend as much money as for a complete keyboard on my first set of PBT keycaps.
In doing so, I made the compromise that I would only get the keys with an English layout. Because I love the pudding key design, but they are still not available with a German layout at this time.
For the typing feel, that is not so important. Since I also type blind, the labeling of the keys is of secondary importance to me.
*Affiliate-Links. Wir erhalten bei einem Kauf eine kleine Provision von Amazon. Vielen Dank für Eure Unterstützung!
The keyboard feels really good again
Here are the advantages: The keys feel rougher when typing and therefore significantly more grippy. This results mainly from the fact that I no longer feel like I am constantly typing in the greasy film of my own fingers. I feel like I am also significantly more precise than with the old ABS keycaps.
The keys feel sturdier and are also more durable. In addition, my keys no longer look like I’ve been typing on them for months, as the unsightly “wear effect” is not visible on PBT keycaps.
It is also noticeable in practice. The keys have a decent grip. If I play a few rounds of Apex Legends or two matches of Overwatch, I immediately notice the difference compared to my old ABS keys.
As long as the keyboard uses mechanical switches, the keycaps fit on almost any keyboard. I tested them with various keyboards: on an inexpensive Chinese keyboard, the keycaps work just as well as on the Roccat Pyro or the Fnatic Streak.
The advantage is also that there are some alternative keys in the delivery, such as two differently sized Enter or Shift keys. This is especially useful, as special keys are not always the same size on every keyboard.
Here are the disadvantages: The most important disadvantage first: You do not get the keys in the German layout. They do exist, but they are really expensive. If you definitely want German keycaps, you probably have to wait a bit.
It takes some effort and force to put the PBT keycaps onto the switches. This will particularly not please those of you who do not want to exert any force to change the keycaps.
In addition, the keycaps sit quite firmly on the switches. If you suddenly change your mind, there is at least the risk that you will damage the switches. Here, I found that the keycaps become softer after several weeks of use and can then be removed easily. I had to find this out for myself, and it is not mentioned in any instructions.
For whom are the keycaps recommended? Are you annoyed by worn out and greasy keycaps and wish for grip and better processing? Then definitely check out these PBT keycaps if you do not mind the English layout. Pudding keys with a German layout have since moved to the top of my wish list for things I wish for in the hardware sector.
*Affiliate-Links. Wir erhalten bei einem Kauf eine kleine Provision von Amazon. Vielen Dank für Eure Unterstützung!
The difference is clearly noticeable and I personally really like it. PBT keycaps feel significantly better than ABS keycaps, and this is written by someone who uses their keyboard for more than 8 hours every day, whether writing, gaming, or browsing the internet.
It is especially unusual when you then return from PBT keycaps to ABS keys. Suddenly I have to type again on greasy, worn-out keys and do not have the grip under my fingers that I know from the better keys.
If you are looking for a good gaming keyboard instead of keycaps, take a look at the MeinMMO best list. Here we present the best gaming keyboards you can currently buy:
The best gaming keyboards you can buy in 2021
