Key Takeaways
1. All plastic keycap sets wear out over time, and more durable options like ceramic and all-metal keycaps can help reduce this issue.
2. Awekeys is exploring the demand for a full-metal low-profile keycap set through an interest check form.
3. The company has shared designs for a low-profile split ortholinear keyboard in two colors: Titanium Black and Satin Silver.
4. Compatibility with low-profile switches, including Kailh Choc, is likely but not confirmed for the new keycaps.
5. Pricing for the new low-profile metal keycaps is uncertain, but Awekeys’ current metal keycap sets range from $139 to over $200.
If you’ve spent time with a mechanical keyboard, you probably noticed that all plastic keycap sets will eventually show wear and tear, no matter what they are made of. We saw this issue arise quickly during our review of the Lofree Flow Lite. A way to lessen that damage, even if just a bit, is to replace those PBT keycaps with something more durable, such as the ceramic keycaps from Cerakeys or the all-metal keycaps from Awekeys. Sadly, options like these are not commonly available for low-profile mechanical keyboards, like the Iqunix Magi65 Pro (curr. $159.99 on Amazon), which we reviewed earlier.
Awekeys’ New Initiative
Awekeys has recently released an interest check form to find out if there’s enough demand for a full-metal low-profile keycap set. They plan to create this option, showing their commitment to making it happen. Since Awekeys is a well-known maker of all-metal keycaps, if they are taking the time to do market research on low-profile metal keycaps, there’s a strong possibility that this project will move forward. This is especially true considering how many subreddits have shared the interest check post.
Design and Color Options
In their social media updates, Awekeys shared a design for a low-profile split ortholinear keyboard, featuring two color choices: Titanium Black and Satin Silver. These are colors that Awekeys already offers in their current metal keycap line. While the low-profile keycap design isn’t finalized yet, the render indicates it might resemble a blend of the XDA profile and the LDSA keycap profile typical for low-profile keyboards.
It’s not clear yet if Awekeys will cater only to MX stems (the cross-shaped stems on Kailh Choc V2 and Gateron low-profile switches). However, the posts specifically mention low-profile split ergonomic keyboards, which implies compatibility with Kailh Choc V1 switches (the low-profile switches used by Logitech and large low-profile ergonomic keyboards like the ZSA Voyager) is very likely.
Pricing and Availability
Since these low-profile metal keycaps are still in the early development phase, the final price is uncertain. However, it’s worth noting that a set of full-height Awekeys metal keycaps currently ranges from $139 to over $200.
Awekeys on Reddit, Lowprokb
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