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abs and pbt plastic are among the most durable types of plastic on the market. thus, most keycap manufacturers typically choose either abs or pbt material for their keycaps. however, there are differences between abs and pbt keycaps that should be considered when purchasing new keycaps. let’s look at those.
what do pbt and abs mean?
abs stands for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and refers to the polymer used to make the plastic. pbt stands for polybutylene terephthalate and represents another polymer that can be processed into plastic.
durabillity
pbt is slightly more durable than abs. in the practical sense, they’re very comparable. however, pbt does give the user a slight edge of durability.
under-hand feel
pbt and abs plastic feel very different. this is going to be the primary difference that most users experience when using keycaps made with these materials. pbt is a bit rougher and has more texture than abs, which is typically very smooth and sometimes a bit slick. the feel of abs plastic can sometimes be described as “greasy,” which is one reason i prefer pbt. however, after a long period of use, pbt keycaps will smooth out and the surface will feel a bit more like sleek, smooth plastic.
uv light degradation
abs plastic will also start to degrade if it’s exposed to too much uv light. vibrant colored plastic will start to fade if exposed to uv light, as many dyed and painted items do. however, pbt is more resistant to uv light degradation. additionally, while most double-shot keycaps use in-plastic legends, it’s also possible to print pbt keycaps using dye sublimation. this gives the keycaps more variation and better access to intricate designs on the keycaps beyond the standard legend shapes.
which is better?
pbt keycaps are generally considered more robust and resistant to wear compared to abs keycaps. while many keyboards ship with the cheaper, easier to manufacture, abs keycaps, swapping your keycaps for a pbt set can improve your experience in the long-term.