Awekeys metal keycap review (titanium black edition)

Skip to 5:49 for a loud, clicky typing demo.
Skip to 6:48 for a quiet, linear typing demo.
Get them here: awekeys.com/pr...
Today we look at another keycap set; something cool again! These are metal (I suspect it's zamak) and have a quite unique feel and sound to them. Hope you enjoy the video!
Intro by Kyle Carter
Outro by Facundo Cabanne
My keyboard reviews: bit.ly/1TbOtft
My switch teardowns: bit.ly/2C1QGHz
My TOP X videos: bit.ly/2FmpZfd
My XL typing demos: bit.ly/2OoAW3w
My tutorials and featurettes: bit.ly/2OrkLUh
My unboxing videos: bit.ly/2TSrr0m
I'm Thomas and I do videos and reviews on mechanical keyboards ranging from the most sickening modern RGB gaming keyboards to vintage hardware relics, or sometimes keycaps or keyswitches ranging from Cherry MX to Alps SKCM to IBM buckling springs and anything in between.
Follow me on Twitter for updates on my keyboard videos! / chyrosran22

[@Rosko333]

They should have named this the anvil keycap set because hitting that spacebar sounds like the shards of Narcil being reforged.

[@ENDESGA]

that spacebar sounds like a goddamn guillotine

[@esra_erimez]

How does this comment not have more likes?

[@CaveyMoth]

Not quite as wet. Needs more lube.

[@darkurthe]

@@esra_erimez It really should.

[@liefhebber6277]

yo its the guy who makes nykra and cool palettes yoooooo

[@ENDESGA]

@@liefhebber6277 lmao hello, yes I also watch youtube videos and post comments

[@TowaAkeashi]

The combination of the the spacebar, the reverb, and the deep clickie sound makes the 8BitDo sound insanely badass

[@lukeumhoefer]

All of the coverage (intentional or unintentional) is starting to convince me to give one a try my goodness

[@nickthaskater]

And they only cost 3x the board

[@HallsteinI]

the the

[@mewserino]

normal keyboard: *tink* good keyboard: *thock* that spacebar: *THONK*

[@impointr]

good keyboard: tink topre keyboard: thock that spacebar: metal pipe

[@AlphaMachina]

I had a massive smile on my face throughout the majority of this review. That's a beautiful keyboard.

[@d33b33]

These caps and that 8BitDo board sound really sweet together.

[@TeamFortress2SGR]

Ah yes new video from my favorite unintentional ASMR channel :)

[@thethriftyfawn]

Relatable! 😄

[@DavidG2P]

That VOICE! Incredible 😴💤

[@thethriftyfawn]

@@DavidG2P The "ask me anything" video on this channel triggers me to fall asleep within a matter of minutes... EVERY SINGLE TIME! 😂

[@DavidG2P]

@@thethriftyfawn OMG I'm so looking forward to put that video on 75% speed for tonight 💚

[@thethriftyfawn]

@@DavidG2P No joke, I put that video on every night, and I'm asleep within 3 to 7 minutes!!! I play it on regular speed (then it just plays on its own till the end, and keeps me asleep lol) I've never had such restful sleep in my life! I've been getting up at 4 or 5am every day for months now, and using that extra time for hobbies that I never had time to do before! Second place video for this effect is the IBM Selectric Typewriter video! But the AMA/ask me anything video is guaranteed crash for me and takes first place LOL 😊💤

[@CaptainShovelHead]

The birds are back

[@Chyrosran22]

Yeah I think they're blackbirds. There was a blackbird nest in my garden just last year, too. They sing quite prettily, but also a lot xD .

[@y00t00b3r]

@@Chyrosran22 Birds!

[@redaffix7320]

@@Chyrosran22 Birds are nice ambiance to talk over. Personally highly prefer it to channels that have electronic music or even dubstep as the background track to commentary.

[@thegeforce6625]

@@redaffix7320honestly agreed

[@wira8097]

Clink sounds on the spacebar sounds great!

[@arubberroomwithrats]

chyrosran never fails to tickle my pickle with his vids 🥰

[@thorham1346]

Tickle your pickle 🤔

[@Chyrosran22]

@@arubberroomwithrats lol xD

[@atemoc]

You again!

[@arubberroomwithrats]

@@atemoc i genuinely love chyrosran's vids just also love posting weird shit

[@atemoc]

@@arubberroomwithrats Same for the first one, can't relate to the second

[@magoid]

2:18 You called their bluff :-)

[@Thiesi]

Holy frell, that spacebar is next level!

[@happens4656]

I actually kind of love how "heavy-duty" the metal keycaps sound. lol

[@thethriftyfawn]

I really like the sounds of these metal keycaps a lot! 😊

[@qwertyuiop32935]

Very nice review, thank you and have a good night!

[@WyattOShea]

These sound pretty amazing on the first board.

[@Mintor94]

5:50 this is some quality ASMR

[@Continental0p]

I actually just put these same keycaps on a keyboard. It's definitely a stabilizer issue, but these keycaps seem more likely to have a tolerance issue than others. My only complaint with them is the lack of homing keys; "F" & "J" are just normal caps. Same issue i had with the ceramic set, but I just saw that they now make homing keys. Maybe these guys will be able to add them to the lineup later too

[@NEEDbacon]

I mean, given that they're metal I don't imagine at all to make them homing would be hard at all.

[@1carusGG]

These keycaps are expensive, but I can only imagine their manufacturing process. Each of the keycaps need to be presumably milled out of a solid block of Titanium.

[@Chyrosran22]

Nah, they are almost certainly cast.

[@1carusGG]

@@Chyrosran22 Isn't that really difficult though? I believe that titanium does take a lot of heat to be cast and is quite unstable as a compound.

[@Chyrosran22]

@@1carusGG I'm pretty sure it's not titanium, I suspect it's zamak.

[@smwsmwsmw]

Not Helvetica; Helvetica has squared off line ends. These are rounded.

[@YuryKhristich]

Helvetica Rounded, then

[@dorstefan]

They sound really good on the 8Bit.

[@Chyrosran22]

It is such an excellent chassis for purposes like this :D .

[@det.bullock4461]

That spacebar sounds like you should hear a gravelly voice talking about the Riddle of Steel over it.

[@luciascarlet]

I want a Typing Demo XL of that 8bitdo… that sounds DIVINE

[@agrisimfarming]

Anytime the 8bitdo keyboard pops up in a video you know you're in for a good time

[@pokepokepoke64]

These sound way better than my metal keycaps, I have a set of alumizu caps that sit kind of off on my switches and they feel like they click into place when I push down. It’s weird

[@jammies701]

Nice vid mate

[@Danielstigman]

Love the tweeting birds in the background lmao

[@Aeduo]

I couldn't hear them over the tweeting birds outside the window here.

[@NiksSofa]

Hmm.. The IBM buckling spring keyboards use a seperate "keycap"-cap with the printing on it. If you could get those in metal, that would increase the weight of the keyboard to "need to book it's own seat in airplanes" levels.

[@urdnal]

The spacebar thunk made my cat start looking around the room.

[@pyrojinn]

this behemoth of a keycaps kit should really be used on the most obnoxiously loud and venerating keyboard, that spacebar got some thump to it

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

Brother needs a desk pad to mute out some of that table rumble.

[@reptilespantoso]

Sounds Heavy Metal. 😛

[@esra_erimez]

🤣

[@groggyme]

That spacebar is so nice!... HNNNNG! I love the machanical sound. Its so ridiculous.

[@redcroft308]

This thing sounds like heaven.... I'd dull that spacebar a bit tho. Otherwise it's so clickyty metally clacky I love it. Way better on the 8bit rather than the keychron.

[@itsArikfr]

came for keycaps stayed for voice.

[@Sm00k]

I need those to sit on my 150g switches. I need that rebound inertia in my life.

[@wkgmathguy218]

The more metal a keyboard is, the better! I'd love to have caps like these on the repro f77 :-) Great to see you Tom .

[@middle_pickup]

The gold or silver set would look amazing in a fully chromed keyboard case. Very Daft Punk.

[@Rekettyelovag]

Alright that space bar sound might be my new notification sound.

[@HansBezemer]

I'll like the industrial sound the spacebar makes. One should play Rammstein in background while using this.

[@maidpretty]

This nano-something is probably just a common DLC/PVD coating.

[@snarfbot]

Sounds divine

[@myselph1761]

Spacebar sounds reminiscent of professional fencing

[@RobertBoerner]

Very interesting sounds. I’m very curious what these keycaps would sound like when used with a Wooting 60HE with Gateron Jade switches.

[@meowcula]

that space bar ... damn

[@YuryKhristich]

The second typing demonstration sounds like an Middle Age sword fight. If my memory serves me well.

[@P4GrAnGeR]

I instantly thought much worse of my keyboard after listening to that. Holy shit!

[@sarreqteryx]

Dayum... That is a reverb MACHINE

[@B-a_s-H]

Dang that sounds nice. Should be a lot of fun in the office too :D

[@ARVash]

The atoms that make up the coating are nanoscopic unlike the bose-einstein condensate coatings.

[@mithikx]

I'd like to see someone do a build with these keycaps with the goal of making a keyboard as heavy as they can.

[@jesuszamora6949]

Interesting. I wonder if they affect the resetting of lighter keys. 5x as heavy as a normal cap is crazy, but a 30g space bar is bonkers.

[@Tilaton]

I think I might have to get 8Bitdo keyboard now.

[@MrChomiq]

That spacebar sound, Jesus Christ!

[@kornaros96]

The spacebar sounds like the HK G3A3 that I shoot with the other day.

[@robr640]

New sound description unlocked: Thunky...

[@fonseca898]

Woo!

[@mr6291]

As someone who purchased these and the tsangan upgrade (7u spacebar), the stems are terrible. Unless they super cherry-picked them for you, or I got the worst version out of all of them, they fall out just by breathing on them (okay, turning the board upside down, pressing too quickly on them, etc). Their recommended method of tightening the stems (using a metal screwdriver and bracing from an inner corner) lead to breaking a few stemsand me getting free replacements because of this. Honestly, I used as little force as was physically possible due to this fear but it still happened. The snapped stems revealed how porous the metal is under the coating. They sit in my closet, collecting dust. A damn shame.

[@sandorbence2067]

Always wanted a good metal set but never could justify it. Not just the price (you can get regular plastic sets over a 100 dollars) but the limited compatibility options (need a set with 1U modifiers), and the heavy keycaps are somewhat of a setback when most of the key switches are too light anyway with the regular weighing keycaps.

[@michaelkolano8686]

i wonder how these fare for picking up grime, and ease of cleaning. that's honestly my biggest issue with keycaps in my experience. i was considering looking into some form of ceramic kinds, but the pricetag on them is pretty imposing. and i think i prefer metal somehow

[@pessie83]

The design of the 'power' light above the 'Pause' key looks a bit like that of the Commodore 64 keyboard, or I must be mistaken.

[@darkurthe]

220 dollars... How much is that in metric money?

[@BrianMcKee]

On the 8 bit do the pings sound like shells from a gun dropping on the ground.

[@SeraphimKnight]

They definitely sound good but the sound of the stab wire hitting the keycap with a ping would drive me crazy if I used them as a daily driver. That and the price tag on metal keycap sets, oof... GMK is already kinda preposterous paying double that for metal is rough.

[@napalmballwipes]

Think would slap on super heavy linears sounds good already tho

[@Parker_Noodles]

I have a set of these I tried using with Kailh box switches and they would not fit inside the box. Solid keycaps but don't buy them if you use box switches.

[@cheater00]

good warning, thanks

[@Lemon_Inspector]

New keycap concept: keycaps so heavy they perfectly offset the actuation force of the switches.

[@RiceCubeTech]

Wish they sold a $150 set with just a 60 percent layout.

[@Xingqiwu387]

So all you who've tried the Cerakeys and the Awekeys, which would you ultimately prefer?

[@hyperturbotechnomike]

They sadly don't have international layout options for some reasons. *sad äöü€ noises*

[@an2qzavok]

Copper or silver would be a good choice due to their antiseptic properties

[@cheater00]

pretty sure the coating is cerakote

[@barryjive1104]

I can't unsee that A and W. The way the metal keys pick up the oil and dirt from one's fingers is concerning. If I were paying this kind of money, the letter smudging s an absolute deal breaker.

[@TheLukemcdaniel]

If it's not 120% pure marketing bs, the "nano" coating might be some oliophobic and/or hydrophobic to keep them cleaner longer? If that were case tho, that's a pretty good selling point to cover up with "I don't know"...

[@CaveyMoth]

I want to build an aluminum keyboard with an aluminum plate that has raised edges that come into contact with the keycaps at the bottom of the keypress, leading to a crisp metal to metal contact.

[@xzzdm]

It looks awesome! Does it get oily after a period of use?

[@Chyrosran22]

Not after a week for me but it may vary per individual.

[@bewilderbeestie]

Those sound amazing, but... how can you make a range of metal keycaps in different colours and _not_ do a brushed stainless steel version? The closest Awekeys has is silver, except it's chrome silver and just looks wrong. Of course, given the incredible price I wouldn't get them anyway, but it's the principle, dammit.

[@Chyrosran22]

I think these are plated over zamak, brushed steel wouldn't work bery well over that, I think.

[@NEEDbacon]

@@Chyrosran22 Zamak huh? That's the same stuff they use for Hot Wheels. And having fallen down custom Hot Wheels rabbit hole some years back, I know you can get some decent looking "Stainless" look from it. And if they are indeed using just some clear coating on the caps, it wouldn't be any less durable.

[@5ll3x]

I was about to buy a Ornata V2 on sale.Maybe not

[@arutezza]

200$ aint bad considering how expensive some of the GMK sets are, that are just plastic that doesnt sound good

[@ramen6236]

Looks like arial rounded mt bold

[@losbergs2]

i wonder what he thinks of the sketch controversy

[@Mr_Meowboots]

how are you liking the clickiez switches? I am looking into the switch for my first clicky switch keyboard and look very promising if i dont want to go into a alps board.

[@Chyrosran22]

Check out my review of them!

[@Kvantum]

Did you try them with a Kailh box switch? I'd be worried with the prongs getting stuck in the outer edge of the box stems.

[@Chyrosran22]

I haven't, and one commenter said it didn't, so I'd be apprehensive about it.

[@rohitdoestech]

clickies sound way better and are very thocky imo

[@impointr]

That spacebar is amazing but the rest is just... Meh. I'll definitely keep using GMK and KKB ABS caps in my builds lol

[@censoredterminalautism4073]

Not seeing any bumps on f and j.

[@blackjack8957]

Heerlijk!

[@inzyster]

Did your set actually include all the ISO keys? I’m asking because the photo on their product page doesn’t 😅

[@yuhwryu1234]

the birds are a little quiet, is there any way to make them a bit more audible?

[@jacksonhall3151]

it would be cool to try these on Model F Labs Beamspring keyboard

[@Chyrosran22]

Hahaha now we're talking :D .

[@xaytana]

The 'nano coating' probably isn't anything special. I would imagine this is how they're getting different finishes, glossy and matte, on the same base keycap, layered coating would also fill the laser ablated legends, plus acting as a longevity coating, easy cleaning, finger oil friendly, etc.; essentially what polycrylic or lacquer is to woodworking. It's probably either an aerosolized coating or a liquid self-leveling application. At least that's how I would personally go about this, considering humans are very grungy creatures that're nothing but a machine for creating paste out of secreted oils and dead skin cells, it gets even worse once the cheetos dust gets involved, having a proper finish that easily just wipes off is the way to go, even on metal surfaces that see high touch use. A finish like this would also keep the original polish and finishing of the metal itself, not to mention these kinds of finishes can be quite durable long-term, and be fairly neutral to oils and sweat. Personally, I can see the stem mount being problematic, especially if these are molded and not machined, the latter having much tighter tolerances and especially across hundreds of sets. Personally I wouldn't go for this approach anyways, mostly due to metal on plastic, I'd rather see a plastic stem as an insert that a metal shell goes on top of; it might affect the sound profile slightly, but it's objectively a better solution from basically every aspect. I see this kind of approach as an endgame novelty where you're not likely to ever mess with the switches or caps on a board again, not your typical general use set where you can pop the caps on and off at will with no foreseeable downsides; again, metal on plastic is a nasty combination, especially if care isn't taken to make the metal component as blunt and smooth as possible with a loose but not wobbly fit. Hence why a molded-in or epoxied-in plastic slug for the stem makes more sense long-term. And speaking of lacquer, from the analogous example earlier, I'd love for someone to make a set of true to form decorative lacquerware keycaps. Lacquerware is one of the few things that I outright collect.

[@mattcrowley8993]

What was the practice sentence for those demos?

[@Chyrosran22]

Dunno, I made it up as I went along xD .

[@SpiceFox]

Those keys are large and in charge.

[@xard64]

Is it a good estimation that these keycaps weight around 6 times more than a same layout set of PBT keycaps? I'm just wondering about the overall added weight.

[@Chyrosran22]

Sounds about right, yeah.

[@BigDrewski1000]

Never really been a fan of metal keycaps. Yea, theyre durable as hell, but any legends on them tend to wear off pretty quickly.

[@SuryanIsaac]

never knew you were a nanomaterials chemist, do you work in catalysis or something?

[@Chyrosran22]

Yes, that is the main theme of the group I work in. I did my PhD in heterobimetallic heterogeneous catalysis.

[@alpacamale2909]

why is he so passionate about letter positioning? Top center makes more sense for shine-through keycaps.

[@Chyrosran22]

Only because of the technical limitations of the MX platform.

[@alpacamale2909]

@@Chyrosran22 ROG switches allow Leds in the center. Too bad those keyboards suck.

[@Chyrosran22]

​@alpacamale2909 Montereys allow top left, and those are better than anything produced today :D . Anyway I'd take good lettering over RGB backlights any day of the week, myself.

[@braisedtoast9002]

What's the keyboard itself?

[@thethriftyfawn]

The first keyboard is the 8BitDo, the second keyboard is Keychron

[@braisedtoast9002]

@@thethriftyfawn thank you

[@thethriftyfawn]

@@braisedtoast9002 No problem! Thomas did full video reviews on each of those keyboards in recent months 🙂

[@Stackali]

maybe the will learn like the ceramic key maker and just glue in a plastic stem.

[@bobweiram6321]

$300 is way overpriced! Metal keycaps are actually cheaper to manufacture under a certain volume.