REVIEW – I have enjoyed reviewing a lot of mechanical keyboards over the last couple of years. It has branched out into checking out different switches and now even different types of keycaps. Not long ago, I reviewed some ceramic keycaps, and today, I want to show you the Awekeys Hello Silver full metal keycaps set which is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter.
What is it?
The Awekeys Hello Silver is a set of Cherry MX compatible full metal keycaps designed by designer BinaryHarmony for mechanical keyboards.
If silver isn’t your vibe, the Awekeys Kickstarter campaign has two other metal keycap sets worth looking at.
What’s included?
I was sent the Awekeys Hello Silver set of keycaps which included a base set of 116 keycaps and a keycap puller tool.
The set was packaged in a cardboard box with two foam layers holding the caps, as you can see above.
The set is designed to fit most mechanical keyboard switches for both ANSI and ISO layouts in tenkeyless (TKL), full-size, or compact layout like 60%, 65%, 75%, or 96%.
Design and features
The Hello Silver set of keycaps is made of recycled cupronickel and plated with genuine silver with a smooth satin finish and a nano-coating for durability.
The caps have smooth edges with no burrs. The interior of the caps has posts that fit on Cherry MX-style switch stems.
I pulled out one of my favorite mechanical keyboards, the Keydous NJ80-AP, removed all the caps, and sprayed the board with compressed air to remove any crumbs and dust that had accumulated from use. Hey, I eat lunch at my desk, and crumbs are always going to be a menace for keyboard nerds 🙂
This particular set is tailored for Mac users like myself. Even the name Hello is a hat tip to the “Hello” text that appeared on the original Apple Macintosh when it was unveiled in 1984.
The set includes the Command, Option, and media caps. And you can add on a special enter key with the “hello” script instead of “enter” as the label. I was hoping that they would send me this special key, but they didn’t. I was (am) pretty sad about it 😢 In my opinion, this key should be included for free with this set since it is called the Hello Silver set.
I had no issues getting 99% of the Awekeys Hello Silver keycaps to fit my keyboard. However, I did run into one issue…
The base set didn’t include an Fn (function key) cap that fit my Keydous NJ80-AP keyboard.
The included Fn cap is too wide.
Darnit!
I ended up using a ceramic cap from the Cerakey ceramic key cap set that I recently reviewed.
Here is the keyboard with all (but one) key installed. You might notice that it’s a bit tough to see the labels on some of the keys. Depending on the angle, the labels can “disappear” from view.
A side view allows you to see the Cherry MX profile.
Ok, the Awekeys Hello Silver caps look awesome, but how do they feel and sound?
As far as feel, they are smooth and cool to the touch. The slightly concave profile feels comfortable and the very slight bumps on the F and J keys help to keep your hands on the home row for us touch typists.
Hear the keyboard in action
This is just an example of what a keyboard with a set of Awekeys Hello Silver metal keycaps can sound like. If you buy this cap set, your keyboard will not sound just like the keyboard in this example because all keyboards are different. Each keyboard has different types of damping, foam, and gaskets, and, of course, the switches will make a huge difference in the way a keyboard sounds. The switches on the keyboard shown here are Kailh Box White switches.
You might wonder if these metal caps are heavy enough to cause actuation issues. I didn’t notice any issues during my testing with my keyboard, but I can see how that might be a possibility depending on the switches used.
What I like about the Awekeys Hello Silver full metal keycaps set
- Great look
- Great feel
- Unique
What needs to be improved?
- Key labels are a little hard to see at some angles which might annoy non-touch typists
- The “Hello” script key should be included in the set instead of being an add-on
- The set is expensive, but you can’t really complain too much about silver-plated caps, can you?
- Include a narrow Fn key
Final thoughts
Do I like the Awekeys Hello Silver full metal keycaps set? Yes. Are they well made? Yes. Did they fit my keyboard/switches? Yes. Do they feel nice to type on? Yes. Are they crazy expensive? Yes. Do I recommend them? If you have the extra cash, are a Mac enthusiast, and also love noodling on mechanical keyboards, then sure, go for it! Just don’t forget to add-on the hello key!
Price: $300.00
Where to buy: Kickstarter
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Awekeys. Awekey did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
This is not a comment on these products but a question. To me a keycap is a keycap is a keycap. Yet some keycaps are quite expensive. Why would I want to upgrade my keycaps.
For mechanical keyboard nuts, every little thing is a big deal from the case material, gaskets, switches, keycaps, even the look of the USB cord. Materials can change the look, feel, and sound of the keyboard. Having said that, I’ll tell you that I’m a keyboard enthusiast and not an expert. To me, caps are mainly for looks and feel.
I’d categorize myself as a keyboard enthusiast, and as Julie says there’s a lot you can customize with a keyboard. The caps contribute a lot to the feel/sound, along with how they look.
I spend all day typing, nearly every day, so the feel of a keyboard is especially important to me. I like a lot of tactile feedback (so heavy, clicky switches are important), they lead to faster typing and fewer mistakes for me.
For the caps, I’ve been using ceramic keycaps (Julie has reviewed these! https://the-gadgeteer.com/2024/03/22/cerakey-ceramic-keycap-set-review-slick-look-thock-sound/), I like the way they feel as they are cool to the touch and have a nice slick texture.
I’ve put a lot of miles on a lot of different types of keycaps… most generic keycaps will be made of ABS plastic, these wear out noticeably over time — you’ll see some of your more heavily used keys worn smooth compared to the slight texture on the less frequently used ones. This difference in texture personally drives me crazy. PBT keycaps are pretty popular these days, these are a much more durable type of plastic — they will last much longer before wearing down. And now we have all kinds of keycaps being made from exotic materials — ceramic, wood, resins, and apparently metal! It’s an exciting time to be someone interested in customizing their keyboard, there are so many choices now.