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Backlights on keyboards only make sense if they're not being used wirelessly so I decided to get some non-shine-through key caps for the one of mine I use like that, and went for a 'Mintcaps' Chinese brand set on Amazon that were very marked up versus AliExpress prices but I wanted ASAP. They're knock offs of a popular GMK set. I'm not sure if KBDiy also trades as Mintcaps (or whether vendors use actual product photos) but Apollo colour sets are seen variously with either name attached, and with legends such as Super and Code to designate the Windows key. Super would have been particularly welcome since that's the name for it that Linux distros tend to use but these use Code, if it matters to you. You can also look for replacements for specific keys; the modifier keys on the bottom row of my keyboard are 1.25u width, for instance, although most replacements of those available are for Mac symbols. There are PlayStation symbols for arrow keys, or oversized moulded artisan caps that people use for infrequently used or unlikely to obstruct keys such as Esc.

When you look at a keyboard with different colour caps on like this it becomes much more obvious how few of the keys are actually for typing symbols, doesn't it? Note: the Mintcaps keys are the grey ones. The rest I took from the Eono keyboard mentioned further down before giving it a new set. They aren't exactly the same profile but I like the effect of having only the 'symbol' keys highlighted whilst the rest are still readable but in the background. This isn't a wired keyboard by the way, it's just getting its second charge this year.

There are no obvious production issues or damaged keys or keys loose in the packaging with these. The double shot moulding is clear but matches what some posters on Reddit have described: the letter sizes and thicknesses on labelled keys such as Enter, Pause, etc aren't 100% consistent. I think this is possibly due to the moulds also being used with transparent plastic to create other sets that would be used backlit, so that lines don't get too thin. It gives the sans serif font a friendly handcrafted feel that to be honest I like but someone after accuracy might not. They're for a cheapish board that's a KO of a well known Filco board from years ago that I've superglued label printer bits to and stuck a filed down band pin onto and deliberately removed a sticking stabiliser from, etc, after all. I'm having fun but this is to use.

The keys are definitely a bit more thocky and deeper sounding than the light OEM caps, and the Cherry profile to the key heights and angles seems to pair well with red style switches. If push came to shove maybe I'd have gone for all gray or all black keys, but this has a bit of a Spectrum hybrid thing going for it. I've also got the backlight, not that I'll use it unless the board is plugged in, set to a muted unhealthy pink that's reminiscent of Slaanesh army colours. This confirms that the board does remember its settings, including (warning!) what comms method it's using, so it's important to remember that the Fn key plus keys 1-5 mean bluetooth, bluetooth, bluetooth, wireless dongle and cabled.

They're presumably ABS rather than PBT, so can be expected to develop a bit of a shine after a lot of use but the two colour plastic moulding will ensure they stay readable. Assuming I can keep the switches and battery in this keyboard going, that suits my approach to tools just fine.

Remapping the Menu key under Plasma as a DE is simple, there's an option in system settings (not sure if it works under Wayland where other keyboard shortcut things don't all work, but I'm using X11). Keyboard > Advanced > Alt and Win behaviour > Menu is mapped to Win. Then restart.

Incidentally, the keyboard surround isn't optional as it holds the board to the case but can be gently pried up (easiest to start at the front edge using a rigid piece of plastic as a lever) to access the battery or give it a better clean. I also wanted to see what I could potentially do about dampening the indicator LEDs since there's no light piping and they bleed light brightly under the surround... I settled on using a cut strip of label maker vinyl plus some black duct tape to line that recess rather than taking the case apart again, and will just redo that if I have cause to do so.

I've also got some cheap double shot PBT low profile black key caps on the way I intend to try with an even cheaper Eono board (and I mean cheap, it was under a tenner clearance stock on eBay, and it seems Amazon had them made then stopped selling own brand mechanical keyboards). My 'work' keyboard is a Logitech TKL with mid profile caps on brown switches that has a satisfying typewriter feel, so I'm curious how even lower ones will pan out on the clicky blue switches.

Update: pretty well. I think the low profile caps are intended for use with reduced height switches or at least a keyboard with a surround, because the mounting points in them are at the same level as the rim. On regular height switches it's reminiscent of a bare metal typewriter, and of course functionally despite being closer to laptop key height you still get normal keystrokes. It's a bit lighter feeling and more clicky than I'm used to, but I could happily get stuff done on this and will be promoting it to main spare ahead of the low profile Cherry TKL one I've got. Its separate USB cable is a better design than the Logitech, and with more 'normal' switches and heavier keys I'm sure it could have done well for Amazon. Maybe they'll dabble again in future.

The stock keyboard image for comparison:

Although actually the key caps don't quite look like that.

Which is unfortunately a common theme with online purchases. You can see what the Eono caps look like in the top image, and I can confirm that underneath they're clearly double shot (for clarity that's moulded in two stages so the lettering is a separate plastic).

The Ducky brand ones below are from 2016 and were only about a tenner but aren't really worth even that. The contrast isn't as distinct as shown, and they're transluscent with a dyed exterior like the originals that were on the LC-Power keyboard. There's also only standard UK keys, no alternative ones and no plain space bar.

Maybe things have just moved on in nearly ten years but I don't think that even back then it would have made sense to produce aftermarket caps that aren't an upgrade from what shipped on keyboards.

I'm more or less done with key caps for now, I think, but if I can get a full set of white on concrete grey ones that would be tempting. At the moment I can't spot a set of Modern Dolch KOs on AliExpress that includes UK keys plus is a "doubled up" key set, the latter are usually ANSI, but I wouldn't be surprised if one exists.

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