Side-printed keycaps are not easier for everyone. They fit typists who like a clean top surface and can read the key sides from their normal seat. If you look down at the keys to find letters or shortcuts, top-facing legends are usually the easier cue.
So the choice comes down to what you can see while you type and how often you need to look. Neither style is proven to make you type faster or more accurately.
Are side-printed keycaps easier to use for everyday typing?
They can be, but only if your habits match the style. Side legends print the label on the front face of each key, not the top. That changes what you see from where you sit.
Akko's guide on side-printed keycaps says top-printed legends are usually easier to see when you look straight down at the keyboard. They are familiar, and they work well if you often check where keys are while typing. For new typists, or anyone who often hunts for secondary functions like media controls or Fn layers, the guide says top legends may stay more convenient.
Side legends give you a cleaner top view. The same guide notes they can still be readable from a seated angle. Visibility is not even across the board, though. The front row or a lower keyboard angle may make some legends easier to see than others. Dark legends on dark keycaps can also be hard to read without lighting.
For touch typists who rarely look at their keys, the guide suggests the difference may be mostly visual. If that's you, side-printed keycaps are a practical everyday choice that mostly changes the look. You'll find this style on keyboards such as our side-printed 60% wireless keyboard and in full sets like our side-printed PBT keycap set.
If you glance down often, moving labels off the top removes a cue you use. That's a cost you'd feel every day, not just a style detail.
How can you tell whether side legends fit your typing habits?
Run a quick check at your own desk, in your usual posture. This is a fit check, not a speed test.
- Sit the way you normally type. Keep your chair height, distance, and keyboard feet or tilt as they are. Don't lean in.
- List the keys you actually look up. Think about symbols, number-row characters, F-keys, and any Fn shortcuts you use. These matter more than the letters you already know by feel.
- Find those labels on the key fronts. Look at a side-printed board, or at photos taken from a seated angle. Pay attention to rows farther from you, since visibility can change from row to row.
- Check your lighting. Try the room as it is in the evening. If the legends are dark on dark caps, see whether you can still read them, or whether you'd need backlighting.
- Note whether you had to move. If you had to lean forward or tilt your head to read a label, count that as a miss.
Read the result simply. If the labels you need stay legible without changing posture, and you want a cleaner top surface, side legends should suit you. If you kept looking straight down or leaning in to find labels, top-facing legends keep the more visible cue. A standard set such as our PBT full keycap set is worth comparing. You can also look at other options in our keyboard accessories collection.
FAQs
Do side-printed keycaps work well with RGB lighting?
Lighting can help readability, especially when legends are dark on dark keycaps. Without lighting, those combinations can be hard to read. If you type in a dim room, choose a legend color with strong contrast or plan to use lighting. For more on how lighting spreads through a board, read our guide to RGB diffusion in acrylic keyboards.
Are side-printed keycaps a good choice for beginners?
They are usually not the easiest starting point. New typists often look down to find keys, and top legends are easier to see from that view. A beginner who wants the look may find it easier to wait until they rely less on visual checks.
Does keyboard angle change how well side legends show?
Yes. A lower keyboard angle, and position on the board, can make some side legends easier to see than others. If you raise or lower your keyboard feet, recheck the rows you use most.
Do side legends change how the keys feel?
Legend placement is about where the label is printed, so it is mainly a visual choice. Feel comes more from the keycap profile and material. If shape matters to you, compare sets in our Cherry profile keycaps range.
