From classic profiles like SA to newer profiles like MT3 and KAT, mechanical keyboard enthusiasts today definitely do not suffer from lack of choice when it comes to keyboard profiles.
Which profile is right for you? While there is no substitute for trying them out in person, hopefully the list we compiled below will give you and idea of some of their unique shapes and character, and perhaps some of the history behind them.
| Name | Type | Notes | More Info / Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry | Sculpted | Similar to OEM, but slightly lower profile | KBDFans |
| DCS | Sculpted | Very similar to Cherry profile. Exclusive to Signature Plastics. | PimpMyKeyboard.com |
| DOM | Uniform | Used in artisan keycaps. An SA-height profile similar to a snow globe, with a rounded top to help magnify the inner contents. | Dwarf Factory |
| DSA | Uniform | Medium profile, spherical top, non-sculptured. Originally exclusive to Signature Plastics. | PimpMyKeyboard.com KBDFans |
| DSS | Sculpted | Originally produced in the 1980s, being revived by Signature Plastics. | |
| G20 | Uniform | Flat uniform profile with rounded corners and a large surface area. Used in the Semiotic and Stealth keycaps sets from Signature Plastics. | PimpMyKeyboard.com |
| HSA | Sculpted | Introduced by JTK in 2019. HSA (HALF SA) is a double shot ABS keycap profile with a glossy finish. As the name implies, it’s a shorter variation on the SA profile while still being spherical and sculpted. | Reddit Geekhack JTKeycaps |
| KAM | Uniform | Uniform version of KAT | Geekhack |
| KAT | Sculpted | Released in 2018. Similar to SA, but shorter and less sculpted. | Reddit Kono Zfrontier |
| MDA | Sculpted | Newer sculpted profile, subtly spherical, designed to have a large surface area. Formerly named EDRUG (MIX). | Reddit Kono |
| MG | Sculpted | Profile based on Topre hi-pro, but with a larger touch surface and adapted to fit Cherry MX switches. Similar to SA. | deskthority Drop |
| MT3 | Sculpted | Designed by matt3o in 2017 to be a "high profile set that was pleasant to see and comfortable to type on." | Matt3o.com Drop |
| OEM | Sculpted | A classic sculpted profile used on many mass-market mechanical keyboards. | MechanicalKeyboards.com KBDFans |
| OSA | Sculpted | OSA = OEM + SA. Features an OEM height, SA curve, and slightly larger-than-SA key surface. Early production runs in doubleshot PBT suffered quality control issues, such as broken, missing and misaligned stems. | KeebTalk Drop |
| SA | Sculpted | High profile, spherical top, sculptured. Originally exclusive to Signature Plastics. | PimpMyKeyboard.com KBDFans |
| SS | Sculpted | 1980s-era sculpted profile. | Deskthority |
| Tai-Hao Cubic | Sculpted | Similar to OEM, but with more square-shaped keys. | Reddit Tai-Hao |
| TEX | Uniform | Retro design -- similar to DSA in terms of uniformity, but more rounded and scooped. | Drop |
| XDA | Uniform | Newer uniform profile, similar to DSA with a larger surface area. | Drop KBDFans |
Keyboard Profile Images & Diagrams
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