Cherry Profile Keycaps

Cherry profile keycaps: the custom standard

The Cherry profile comes from the Cherry G80 and G81 keyboards and is today the standard profile of the custom scene. Almost all double-shot ABS and dye-sub PBT sets come in Cherry, even if they are not made by the company Cherry. Here you will find Cherry profile keycaps in many colours and designs.

Shape and height

Cherry is a sculpted profile with four row shapes and cylindrical tops. Compared with the OEM profile of many prebuilt keyboards, keys are roughly 1 to 2.5 mm lower depending on the row, and the rows are stepped more strongly. Coming from a prebuilt keyboard, this feels flatter. More about all profiles in our guide keycap profiles.

Every key belongs in its row

Because every row has its own shape, you can't move keys around freely. Larger kits therefore include keys with the same legend for several rows, for example Ctrl. Check before buying that the set covers your layout.

Compatibility

Cherry sets fit MX-style switches. On some RGB keyboards with the LED facing up (north-facing switches), individual rows can bump or rattle because the cap hits the top housing of the switch. Other profiles are the better choice for such boards. Low-profile keyboards need dedicated low-profile keycaps.

Material

Cherry sets come in ABS and PBT. ABS sounds crisper and brighter, PBT usually deeper. With double-shot the legends run through the cap, with dye-sub they sit in the material; either way they do not wear off. Wall thickness and texture differ from set to set and are listed in the specifications. An overview of PBT only is in our PBT keycaps, all sets are under keycaps.