Keycap Profiles Explained: Cherry, OEM, SA, XDA, and More
By Jordan Marsh . 9 min read . Updated June 2026
Keycap profile is the shape and height of the keycap rows, and it changes the typing feel more than most people expect before they try a few options. Moving from a tall SA set to a flat XDA set on the same keyboard with the same switches feels like a different board. The Akko ASA Ocean Star PBT Keycap Set use ASA profile, the Domikey Cherry on Top Cherry Profile Keycap Set uses Cherry, and each suits a different hand position and typing angle. This guide explains each profile without the forum jargon.
The short answer
Cherry profile is the standard recommendation for most typists: shorter than OEM, sculpted, and fast to adapt to. OEM is taller with a similar sculpt, common on standard keyboards. SA is tall and retro-feeling. XDA and DSA are flat uniform profiles suited to custom layouts. Buy what matches your typing angle and the sets available in that profile.
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Why keycap profile matters
Profile affects three things: the height of your fingers above the desk, the angle of the keycap tops toward you as you move across rows, and the surface feel when your finger lands on a key. A sculpted profile like Cherry angles each row toward your fingers so the top row slants away and the bottom row slants toward you. A uniform profile like XDA keeps every keycap at the same height and angle.
Whether you prefer sculpted or uniform typing is partly habit from the keyboards you grew up with and partly about your desk setup and typing angle. Flat tables with low keyboards suit uniform profiles. Angled stands and higher keyboards often feel more natural with sculpted profiles.
Cherry profile: the standard recommendation
Cherry profile keycaps are shorter than OEM and sculpted in five rows, with the home row as the reference height. Most typists coming from standard keyboards adapt to Cherry quickly because the height difference from OEM is small and the sculpted angle feels familiar.
The Domikey Cherry on Top Cherry Profile Keycap Set uses Cherry profile and is the easiest doubleshot ABS set to recommend for typists who want a standard starting point. The Drop XDA Canvas Keycap Set uses XDA, not Cherry, so compare them before assuming they feel similar.
Cherry profile keycaps are the most widely supported by keycap group buys and community sets, so if you plan to chase new releases the Cherry profile ecosystem is the most active.
Domikey Cherry on Top Cherry Profile Keycap Set
Cherry profile doubleshot ABS keycaps with crisp legends and a cream and red colorway that pairs with most desk setups.
OEM profile: the keyboard box default
OEM profile is what most people have typed on their whole lives without knowing its name. It is taller than Cherry, sculpted similarly across five rows, and found on almost every pre-built keyboard that does not specify a different profile.
The Epomaker Shadow S PBT Keycap Set uses OEM profile, making it a comfortable starting point for builders who want a dark-theme set without adapting to a new profile at the same time.
Epomaker Shadow S PBT Keycap Set
Dark-themed PBT keycap set in a black and gray colorway with OEM profile and dye-sub legends suited to dark desk setups.
SA profile: tall and retro
SA profile is the tallest of the common profiles, with a spherical top surface and a retro typewriter aesthetic. Typists who love SA describe the feel as deliberate and satisfying. Typists who dislike it describe it as too tall for comfortable sustained use.
SA suits high keyboards on desks with wrist rests. It is a poor choice for people who type with their wrists low and keyboard flat. If you use a wrist rest and type with your wrists supported, SA is worth trying. If you type without a wrist rest, start with Cherry or OEM.
XDA and DSA: uniform-height profiles
XDA and DSA keycaps are all the same height across every row, unlike sculpted profiles. This makes them convenient for custom layouts and split keyboards where row-specific sculpt is impractical. It also means every row feels identical, which some typists find disorienting coming from a sculpted profile.
The Drop XDA Canvas Keycap Set is the most accessible XDA set at a reasonable price. The surface is flat rather than spherical, which reads as modern rather than retro.
Drop XDA Canvas Keycap Set
Sublimated PBT keycaps in a neutral canvas colorway using XDA uniform-height profile, compatible with any layout.
ASA profile: the Akko default
ASA is Akko house profile. It is shorter than OEM, taller than Cherry, and uses a slightly spherical top like SA. Most of the Akko ASA Ocean Star PBT Keycap Set catalog uses ASA. Builders who start with Akko sets find ASA comfortable, and the step up or down to Cherry is small enough to manage without much adaptation time.
If you buy the Akko ASA Ocean Star PBT Keycap Set as your first set, ASA will be your starting profile. If you later want to try a Cherry profile set like the Domikey Cherry on Top Cherry Profile Keycap Set , the transition is minor.
Akko ASA Ocean Star PBT Keycap Set
Full 158-key PBT keycap set in an ocean-inspired blue and white colorway with dye-sub legends and ASA profile.
Domikey Cherry on Top Cherry Profile Keycap Set
Cherry profile doubleshot ABS keycaps with crisp legends and a cream and red colorway that pairs with most desk setups.
PBT versus ABS: the other factor
Profile is about shape. Plastic type is about feel and durability. PBT sets like the Akko ASA Ocean Star PBT Keycap Set , Drop XDA Canvas Keycap Set , and Epomaker Shadow S PBT Keycap Set are thicker, produce a deeper sound, and resist developing shine. ABS sets like the Domikey Cherry on Top Cherry Profile Keycap Set take more detailed doubleshot legends and can be molded in more complex colorways but develop a greasy surface within months of daily use.
The JTK Arc PBT Keycap Set (Nord-inspired colorway) uses PBT in a Cherry profile, which is a useful combination for builders who want Cherry profile without ABS shine.
JTK Arc PBT Keycap Set (Nord-inspired colorway)
Cherry profile PBT keycaps in a cool blue, gray, and white Nordic palette that references the popular Nord color scheme.
Epomaker Shadow S PBT Keycap Set
Dark-themed PBT keycap set in a black and gray colorway with OEM profile and dye-sub legends suited to dark desk setups.
Featured in this guide
Akko ASA Ocean Star PBT Keycap Set
Full 158-key PBT keycap set in an ocean-inspired blue and white colorway with dye-sub legends and ASA profile.
Domikey Cherry on Top Cherry Profile Keycap Set
Cherry profile doubleshot ABS keycaps with crisp legends and a cream and red colorway that pairs with most desk setups.
Drop XDA Canvas Keycap Set
Sublimated PBT keycaps in a neutral canvas colorway using XDA uniform-height profile, compatible with any layout.
Epomaker Shadow S PBT Keycap Set
Dark-themed PBT keycap set in a black and gray colorway with OEM profile and dye-sub legends suited to dark desk setups.
JTK Arc PBT Keycap Set (Nord-inspired colorway)
Cherry profile PBT keycaps in a cool blue, gray, and white Nordic palette that references the popular Nord color scheme.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which keycap profile is easiest for beginners to adapt to?+
OEM or Cherry profile. OEM is the height most people have typed on their whole lives without knowing the name. Cherry is slightly shorter but sculpted similarly and adapts quickly. Both are well-supported by most keycap sets.
Do keycap profiles affect typing speed?+
Not significantly for most typists. What changes is comfort over long sessions. Tall profiles like SA can cause wrist fatigue without a wrist rest. Uniform profiles can feel disorienting to touch-typists who rely on row-specific shapes for positional reference.
Can I mix keycap profiles on one keyboard?+
Mechanically yes, but it looks and feels strange. Mixing SA and Cherry profile caps on the same board creates visual chaos and uneven typing surface. If you want to mix, stick to mixing within a profile family, such as different colorways of the same Cherry profile, not across heights.