Keycap Materials: ABS vs PBT and Beyond

The plastic your keycaps are made from has a bigger impact on your daily typing experience than you might think. It is a primary factor in the keyboard's sound profile, the texture of the keys under your fingertips, and how well the keycaps will hold up over years of intense use. The two undisputed kings of the keycap world are ABS and PBT, but other materials are gaining popularity for their unique characteristics.

Understanding these materials will help you make an informed choice that aligns with your priorities, whether that's durability, sound, or tactile feel.

ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)

ABS is the most common plastic used for keycaps, found in everything from budget pre-built keyboards to the most expensive, sought-after custom sets.

• Feel and Texture: Brand new ABS keycaps have a smooth, almost silky feel. It's a softer plastic compared to PBT, which can feel more forgiving to the touch.
• Sound: ABS keycaps tend to produce a higher-pitched, sharper, and "clackier" sound. The exact sound can vary greatly depending on the thickness of the keycap walls. High-end manufacturers like GMK produce very thick (around 1.5mm) ABS keycaps that have a deeper, more solid and refined sound than the thin ABS caps on a typical office keyboard.
• Appearance and Color: ABS is fantastic for producing vibrant, rich, and consistent colors. Its ability to hold deep blacks and bright, saturated colors is why it's favored for many of the most iconic and colorful custom sets.
• Durability (The "Shine" Issue): This is the main drawback of ABS. Over months and years of use, the oils from your fingers will cause the micro-textured surface of the keycap to wear down, leaving behind a smooth, glossy spot. This is what the community refers to as "shine." It's purely an aesthetic issue and doesn't affect functionality, but for many enthusiasts, it's a significant downside.

Famous for: High-end, colorful "doubleshot" keycaps. GMK is the most well-known manufacturer of premium ABS keycaps, with their sets often being the benchmark for quality in the hobby.

PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate)

PBT is a harder, more dense, and more brittle plastic that has become the material of choice for those who prioritize durability, a unique texture, and a different sound profile.

• Feel and Texture: PBT keycaps have a distinct, slightly rough or sandy texture. Many people prefer this matte, textured feel, finding it less slippery and more pleasant to the touch than smooth ABS.
• Sound: PBT keycaps generally produce a lower-pitched, "thockier," and more muted sound compared to ABS. The sound is often described as deeper and less sharp.
• Appearance and Color: Traditionally, it was difficult to produce vibrant colors and deep blacks in PBT, leading to many sets having more muted, pastel, or grayish colorways. However, modern manufacturing has improved this significantly. PBT is also the perfect material for the dye-sublimation printing process, which creates incredibly sharp and permanent legends by infusing dye directly into the plastic.
• Durability: This is PBT's killer feature. It is highly resistant to the oils on your fingers and will not develop shine over time. A PBT keycap set will look and feel the same on day one as it will on day one thousand, making it a "buy it for life" option.

Famous for: Extremely durable, textured keycaps with crisp dye-sublimated legends. Many high-quality brands like ePBT, CRP, and Geekark specialize in PBT.

Other Materials

While ABS and PBT dominate, other plastics offer unique properties:

• POM (Polyoxymethylene): Often known by its brand name, Delrin, POM is a very smooth, self-lubricating plastic. POM keycaps are known for their incredibly smooth, almost waxy feel and a very deep, muted sound profile. They are extremely durable and resistant to shine.
• PC (Polycarbonate): PC is a transparent plastic used for clear or "smoky" keycaps designed to show off RGB lighting. It's very smooth but can be more brittle than other options.

Which is Better?

Neither! The choice between ABS and PBT (and others) is purely a matter of preference.

• Choose ABS if you love vibrant, high-contrast colors, a smooth feel, a clacky sound, and don't mind the eventual shine.
• Choose PBT if you want ultimate durability, a textured feel, a thocky sound, and a guarantee that your keycaps will never look worn.
• Choose POM or PC if you're looking for a more unique, specialized experience.

Next, let's explore how the shape of the keycap itself affects the typing experience in Anatomy of a Keycap: Profiles.