CHERRY vs. OEM: which is the best profile for Keycap?

Keycaps: Cherry vs OEM, the duel

If you are interested in custom mechanical keyboards, you may have already seen some very aesthetic and custom images of different key sets. When you order this kind of product online, the first thing you need to check is if it's all compatible with your keyboard, but you start to see its different descriptions like " Cherry Profile " or " OEM Profile " or other lesser known ones that we won't talk about in this article. So, what is the difference between these two keycaps profiles?

These two types of Keycaps: Cherry and OEM have the particularity of being very similar in design and shape. However, the Cherry profile keys are slightly shorter and are less obvious to find on the internet when it comes to custom keys. On the OEM side, the keys are generally found on many prefabricated mechanical keyboards and are probably the most common in the world.

Why are Cherry profile keycaps so hard to find? And why do they cost more than OEM profile keycaps?

What do the Cherry profiles look like?

Many people find Cherry Keycaps more comfortable to type on, they are very similar to OEM profile keycaps but are smaller. Cherry keycap profiles originate from the original mechanical keyboards from Cherry one of the biggest switch brands(Cherry MX), and for years they have become very popular in the world of mechanical keyboards. On the keyboard, each row varies from each other to allow the user to feel a different ergonomics for each key level. On the top of each key the shape is cylindrical, designed to fit your finger perfectly, while increasing comfort.

Cherry Keycaps profiles can be sold mainly through companies like GMK and ePBT. Stocks are very rare as they are mainly from exclusive group buys or can be bought on the secondary market at very inflated prices. 

What about OEM profiles?

Most people have OEM profile mx keycaps in their mechanical keyboards, this is the most common profile. It is considered standard and its production is done in series among mechanical keyboards of the most famous brands like HyperX, Corsair, Razer... These keys are very similar to the Cherry, meaning that the different rows of an OEM mechanical keyboard would have a different overall design and height. They have, like the Cherry, cylindrical shapes that hug your fingertips to greatly increase comfort when typing or playing.

The OEM profile is also referred to as the standard profile because it has been used as standard in many older and newer mechanical keyboards. OEM is the standard in the mechanical keyboard industry, it is more affordable and available for purchase in different colors and designs. Artisan Keycaps and Keycap kits available on our site are well known for keyboard customization.

Which profile is better: OEM or Cherry?

There is no real best profile, but to know which one is for you, we will have to look at some points that differentiate these two profiles, especially price, availability, material, typing sound, comfort and feel under the fingers. Be aware that all this depends on your personal preferences and the customization you can afford to install on your mechanical keyboard.

And so here is a comparison video for these types of profiles: