How to Shop for a Mechanical Keyboard (2025): Switches, Materials, and Layouts Explained

Most keyboards will come with inexpensive ABS keycaps that use thin, cheap, and inconsistent plastic. These keycaps aren’t horrible, but they aren’t ideal. They sound worse and more inconsistent than a nicer set and are more prone to crack or break over time.

PBT keycaps typically create a lower-pitched sound when typing, and are usually made from a thicker plastic than stock ABS keycaps. They are almost always dye-sublimated, which is a process where dye is absorbed into plastic using heat, though…