Mode keycaps

Mode Designs keyboards are sold as kits without keycaps included, allowing customers complete freedom to choose their preferred keycap sets. The keyboards use standard Cherry MX-compatible switches and accept any MX-stem keycap set. All Mode keyboards feature standard ANSI layouts with no proprietary key sizes or unusual spacing, ensuring broad compatibility with aftermarket keycap sets.

However, Mode has developed their own line of premium keycaps designed to complement their keyboards. Mode's keycaps use Cherry profile with a hybrid PBT/ABS blend material engineered specifically for durability and shine resistance. The material combines PBT's scratch resistance and longevity with ABS's ability to produce crisp, vibrant doubleshot legends. These keycaps are manufactured using doubleshot molding, ensuring legends will never fade through use.

The keycap legends were developed in collaboration with veteran designer Tim Van Damme (MVKB) and derive from the Neue Haas Grotesk typeface. The legends are notably larger and bolder than typical GMK or ePBT sets, providing excellent legibility. A distinctive manufacturing detail: Mode positioned sprue marks on the keycap bottoms rather than sides, creating a cleaner appearance from all viewing angles.

Mode offers three colorway themes: Obscura (light gray alphas with dark legends), Anthracite (eggshell alphas with dark modifiers), and Tomorrow (cyan-tinted legends on neutral base). All three sets include comprehensive layout support in a single kit, covering full-size (104/108 key), 1800, TKL, 75%, 65%, 60%, HHKB, Tsangan/WKL, Alice, GK64, 40s, and Terminal ISO layouts. macOS modifier keys are included. The sets retail for approximately $50-60, positioning them as a mid-tier option between budget sets and premium GMK offerings.

Independent reviews note that Mode's keycaps produce a pleasant acoustic signature—sharper than pure PBT but less hollow than pure ABS, with the hybrid material delivering "the best of both worlds." The keycaps pair particularly well with Mode's keyboards, which are engineered for balanced, refined typing sounds rather than aggressive thock or clack.

Mode Designs entered the custom mechanical keyboard scene in September 2020 with the announcement of their first product, the Mode Eighty TKL. The brand was founded by a small team of designers and engineers in Rhode Island who shared a common frustration with the custom keyboard market: beautiful designs often shipped 12-18 months after group buy orders closed, and many keyboards sacrificed functionality for aesthetics. Mode set out to solve both problems by building inventory before announcing sales and prioritizing typing experience alongside visual design.

The Mode Eighty's launch strategy was unconventional. Rather than running a traditional group buy, Mode introduced a tiered release: the Founder's Edition (50 units with polished rose gold bottoms at $690, sold via raffle and auction), the First Edition (450 units at $640-650), and finally a Standard Edition pre-order of 1,000 units at $470-490. By producing inventory before opening pre-orders, Mode dramatically reduced fulfillment time—most customers received their Standard Edition boards in early February 2021, just months after ordering.

The Mode Eighty also introduced the "stack-mount" construction system, which sandwiched all internal components between layers of poron foam. This approach proved divisive in the community—some praised the balanced, muted sound signature, while enthusiasts accustomed to top-mount and gasket-mount designs found it overly dampened. Mode addressed this feedback in subsequent releases by offering multiple mounting options on the same keyboard.

In 2021, Mode released the SixtyFive, their take on the increasingly popular 65% form factor. The SixtyFive refined the Mode design language—clean lines, magnetic accent pieces, and extensive customization through material and color choices—while introducing a dedicated online configurator that rendered customer specifications in real-time. This configurator became a Mode hallmark, allowing customers to visualize exact color combinations and material pairings before purchase.

The year 2022 brought the Sonnet, Mode's 75% keyboard featuring their signature sculpted side profile and contrasting accent bar. The 75% form factor proved perfect for Mode's design approach: compact enough to save desk space but large enough to showcase the brand's distinctive aesthetic elements. The Sonnet established Mode's reputation for premium surface finishes, with reviewers consistently noting that anodization quality rivaled or exceeded keyboards at double the price point.

Mode continued expanding their lineup with the Tempo (60%), Envoy (65%), and Loop (TKL) through 2023-2024. Each new model refined Mode's internal engineering—the lattice block mount system replaced stack-mount, offering unprecedented customization of typing feel through interchangeable mounting blocks in multiple materials (polycarbonate, POM, FR4, aluminum, carbon fiber, copper). This system allowed customers to tune sound and flexibility without permanently committing to a single mounting style.

A significant collaboration arrived in 2024 with the Encore, designed by Matthew Encina of Mod Musings and manufactured by Mode. The Encore featured thick bezels and a cherry-lip chamfered front edge, exploring retro-inspired design elements within Mode's modern manufacturing capabilities. The partnership demonstrated Mode's willingness to work with established community designers while maintaining their quality standards.

Throughout their development, Mode has maintained a consistent philosophy: keyboards should earn their place on your desk through quality of materials, refinement of execution, and excellence in typing experience. The brand avoids aggressive marketing in favor of letting products speak through detailed build guides, transparent specifications, and community engagement through Discord. By early 2025, Mode had established themselves as a reliable premium manufacturer in a market segment often plagued by delays, poor communication, and inconsistent quality control.