Economical mechanical keyboards generally come with a very mediocre keycap set that doesn’t look so attractive as well as has some significant downsides.
That’s why upgrading a mechanical keyboard is always in trend among keyboard enthusiasts which transforms a normal keyboard into an exceptional mechanical keyboard.
Among some popular methods, customizing the keycaps is very popular and a great way to optimize typing experience.
If you are a true keyboard lover, you will certainly be aware of ABS and PBT keycaps, but I would say POM Keycaps can be a good alternative to these keycaps, how it sounds?
As POM Keycaps are not much recognized in the keyboard industry but those who know are definitely fallen in love with their POM Jelly versions.
In this article, we will talk all about POM Keycaps including their review based on technical benchmarks and some significant queries which can be helpful while opting keycap set for your keyboard.
Let’s get dive into the details to explore POM Keycaps.
Table of Contents
What are POM Keycaps?
POM is referred to as Polyoxymethylene (POM), also known as acetal, polyacetal, and polyformaldehyde which is used to produce various plastic components which required high stiffness, better stability, and high durability.
POM materials are generally used in different engineering modules, medical devices, and several medical materials.
POM are mostly OEM profile keycaps that are stiffer and tougher than PBT and equipped with both properties of ABS and PBT keycap materials maintaining a better balance of both keycap’s advantages and providing excellent durability and better grip control over the keys.
POM Keycaps have a variety of brilliant color options in their keycap lineup but the POM Jelly keycaps are the most popular among keyboard users due to its multitude of pastel colors and super smooth feeling while typing.
The POM Jelly keycaps also famous with a Rainbow POM because of their unique color multitude.
The significant property associated with POM keycaps is the wear, tear, and oil resistance which simply means it doesn’t produce oil substance like ABS.
POM Keycaps Specifications
POM Keycaps have many idiosyncratic specifications that other keycaps don’t provide especially translucent effects which can turn on the light show according to your preferences.
Apart from this magnificent property, POM has some other essential specifications which a user needs to pay attention to when opting for keycaps for their keyboard.
I’m putting all the significant characters of POM Keycaps briefly through a table to understand these keycaps clearly and deeply.
Name | POM Keycaps |
Full Name | Polyoxymethylene |
Keycap Profiles | OEM |
Layout | ANSI Layout |
Touch & Feel | Stiff, Tough and Textured feel due to hard plastic material. |
Versions | POM Jelly Keycaps, Printed POM Keycaps |
RGB Effects | Translucent Effect |
Durability | Highly Durable like PBT. |
Vital Feature | Oil and Wear-resistance |
Compatibility | Compatible with most of the switches and keyboards. |
POM Keycaps Review
After knowing the specs and properties of POM keycaps, let’s review these keycaps on technical benchmarks to find out the answer to how they perform practically.
Breaking down these keycaps on these factors will certainly going to help users to finalize their buying decision.
Besides this review, some essential queries associated with POM Keycaps must be revealed, so stick to the end.
Take a look at the in-depth review based on all the technical factors:
1. Sound
POM Keycaps are very stiff and hard in nature that’s why the sound from these keycaps is thick, deep, and slightly silent.
Although the sound profile is broadly impacted by the mechanical switches installed inside the keyboards but Keycaps also impact their sound slightly due to certain reasons.
If you are curious to know which switch produces what kind of sound, please read this guide on Linear vs Tactile vs Clicky switches.
Well, due to their tougher keycap profile, the typing environment for the sound is considered good which is sturdier and provides less noise compared to ABS as ABS are built with squishy plastic.
So if you expect less noise from your mechanical keyboard, you can certainly switch to POM Keycaps which work and produce a very silent sound environment that can be handy as far as the priority of peace is concerned.
2. Touch & Feel
As we have discussed above POM Keycaps are constructed with stiff and tough plastic material so the touch of these POMs is slightly smoother compared to ABS keycaps.
Whereas you feel a bit tougher or quite similar if it is compared with PBT Keycaps.
The Jelly keycaps of this POM variant may sound squishy and ultimately smoother due to their jelly name profile but in reality, they are not that soft instead sturdier and harder such as PBT.
As far as the feel is concerned, POM Keycaps fall between the ABS and PBT keycaps which means their upper texture somehow gives you a feel of PBT keycaps but with a comparatively smoother side.
The touch of these keycaps gives you a premium feel while typing due to their premium plastic material, with a bit of texture that won’t let you feel slippery during keypresses.
Having the PBT frosted feeling and more smoothness than ABS, POM keycaps feature a perfectly balanced touch and feel, so you will certainly enjoy typing on these keycaps.
3. POM Jelly Keycaps
The most appropriate reason for choosing POM keycaps by the user is the spectrum of RGB lighting of key switches especially the effect with their Jelly keycaps version.
POM features jelly keycaps in its lineup which is considered very optimum for the RGB lightening effects due to its translucent property.
The translucent effects create a brilliant environment and provide a better and enhanced RGB lighting effect while typing on POM Jelly keycaps.
These lighting show creates more engagement and provides the best setup to enjoy games in every possible manner, which means these keycaps will make you completely submerged in the game with their lighting setup.
Overall, RGB lighting effects are the most vital property of POM jelly keycaps which draw users’ attention to consider these keycaps for their next keycaps set.
You can also check out the below video to understand RGB lighting effects in POM Jelly and how it works in a practical scenario.
Source: :3ildcat
4. Gaming Experience
If your intention is to use POM Keycaps for Gaming purposes, it’s the best experience you get while playing games with these keycaps because the RGB spectrum with a translucent effect enhances the gaming experience.
Let me simplify, Translucent keycaps mean allowing RGB light to luminous more clearly and brilliantly.
The RGB light that passes through these keycaps shines beautifully compared to conventional keycaps.
With a kind of RGB lighting effect, a Hardcore gamer will completely dip and lost in the gaming environment and experience a tremendous gaming experience with POM keycaps.
Apart from the RGB lighting effect, the stiff profile of these keycaps along with a textured feel provides a fast finger movement with very fewer wrong keypresses making these keycaps best suitable for gaming.
5. Compatibility
POM Keycaps occupied OEM keycap profiles which is quite a popular profile among the users so you don’t need to be much concerned about its compatibility.
The ANSI layout standard perfectly suits the POM jelly keycaps as the ANSI is the standard layout and it is widely used in the United States and some other countries as well that works excellently with the Qwerty keyboard layout too.
POM Keycaps works smoothly with the following keyboards:
- ANSI 104 keys and 5 blank R4, for STANDARD US LAYOUT.
- cherryG80-3000 and filco 104 PLU104 ducky cool XT，RK.
- Gaussian and other standard Mechanical keyboards (61/87/104/108 Keys)
- British and American QWERTY layout keyboards
Despite having all the compatibility properties, you should check and verify for these keycaps, whether it is gonna work with your mechanical keyboard or not.
This step avoids any non-compatibility issues as you know every mechanical keyboard comes with different switches, keycaps, and layout that’s why it is recommended to verify first before buying any keycaps.
Where to buy POM Keycaps?
Unlike other keycaps such as GMK and Tai-Hao keycaps, POM Keycaps are not that easily available due to their limited user base but there are some reliable platforms that sell POM Jelly keycaps
Here are the reliable platforms to buy POM Keycaps:
Esckeyboard and DROP are the two most popular platforms where you can get POM Keycaps easily as well as fast at your doorstep.
These keycaps are available most of the time on the given platforms so you can order your favorite POM jelly keycaps there.
Bestseller No. 1
- ✅[WIDELY COMPATIBLE]
- ✅POM JELLY 109 KEYS: surpasses the smoothness of ABS
- ✅ PERFECT PC GAMING EXPERIENCE
- ✅OEM Profile Keycaps + Exclusive Patent
POM Keycaps With Letters
There are two types of POM Keycaps that usually come on the market, one with blank keycaps and another one that comes with printed letters on it.
People who are not professional in typing prefer the Printed POM Keycaps as they feel comfortable on them during typing.
This Printed POM keyboard looks very similar to a standard mechanical keyboard due to its keyboard structure but slightly different due to translucent keycaps.
You should take a glance at the above picture which I’m embedded that illustrates POM keycaps with printed letters much better.
Talking about the Blank POM Keycaps which comes without printing letter on the keycaps.
Black POM Keycaps mostly suit the keyboard user who is proficient in typing as well as they don’t need to look at the keyboard while typing. Their hands move expressly fast on the keyboard with precise accuracy.
Now it totally comes down to your typing habit which POM Keycaps best fit your wrist, you can opt accordingly.
Are POM Keycaps PBT?
POM Keycaps are generally stiff and tough in nature which can give you the slight feel of PBT due to their hard and sturdier nature but POM is not actually PBT keycaps.
They feature Oil and wear-resistant properties making these keycaps highly durable even with very long use.
Their oil resistance property protects these keycaps to develop a shinier texture.
POM Keycaps fall between the ABS and PBT keycaps in terms of quality, whereas POM provides much smoother keypresses due to their premium quality manufacturing materials.
Due to their touch and feel, POM Keycaps have many similarities with PBT but it is a different product that features idiosyncratic Jelly keycaps which are mostly loved by the users.
Conclusion
This is all that I have that I’ve shared with you about the POM Keycaps, now it’s time to conclude this post.
POM Keycaps are definitely very unique and decent keycaps that beautify your mechanical keyboards, especially under the dark mode the translucent effect looks amazing and boosts your overall typing experience.
They are compatible with most of the keyboards so it’s a big upside considering some other devices.
You can go either with Printed POM keycaps or Black POM Keycaps according to your typing habits, after all the choice is yours so opt accordingly.
If you are looking to buy these keycaps you can go ahead with your decision, the POMs will not disappoint you anyway.
I hope this post was helpful to you.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!!
POM Keycaps FAQs
Is POM better than PBT?
POM can be a better option for whom PBT looks expensive for their pocket as PBT required a very high temperature to mold which required lots of energy whereas POM Keycaps lie between the ABS and PBT and have hard and stiff nature similar to PBT and are smoother than ABS so considering these factors, it is definitely a better option to buy.
Are POM Jelly keycaps squishy?
POM Jelly keycaps are simply constructed with silicone that's the reason jelly keycaps look squishy and very soft but the fact is they offer a slightly harder feel in real hands similar to PBT keycaps.