A Closer Look at Infinikey Aether
The Key Company just released Infinikey Aether by Alexotos, and there are few sets that show off the latest improvements in keycap tech than this one. So today, we’re looking at the keyset that has set a new standard for aspiring keycap designers and all the ways you can make your designs stand out with this new manufacturer.
The History of Infinikey
The Infinikey factory launched less than a year ago as a new alternative keycap producer. This happened at a time when the only other consistent PBT keycap producers were ePBT and Signature Plastics, and the only ongoing production process for vendors was GMK, who only produces keysets in ABS plastic. It’s also important to note the inherent limitations of PBT production technology at the time including issues with warping, turnaround schedules, and overall less vibrancy and choice in the colors and dyes used. Needless to say, the prospect of a new PBT competitor was an exciting new announcement for the keyboard community.
Since their launch, Infinikey has produced more and more unique sets that take advantage of what PBT dye-subbing is capable of. Here are some of the highlight sets of the past year -
You can probably notice that these sets seem different than typical GMK sets, particularly ones like Sanctuary and Pastel. This is due to the design and production flexibility of Infinikey, so let’s break them down and see how this new company's offerings play out in Aether -
What Alexotos did with Infinikey
1. A New Font
One thing you’ll point out right away with Aether is the unique font choice. Traditionally, keycaps almost always opt for the traditional Helvetica or Arial fonts that have become the go-to molds and industry standard. Since new molds are expensive, time consuming, and risky (chance of not coming out as expected) to make, exploring anything beyond a handful of novelties needs to be limited unless the designer or vendor is willing to invest in a whole new array of molds. Unlike doubleshot ABS production, Infinikey’s dye-sublimation process doesn’t have those constraints since lettering and images are 'printed' rather than cast.
For Aether, Alexotos chose to go with the font Titillium, which is among his favorite online fonts. Titillium is more geometric than typical Helvetica and themes well with his work as a photographer, streamer, and keyboard enthusiast. With the templates provided by Infinikey, he was able to fine-tune the exact scale and placement of the typeface.
2. Novelty Freedom
Since there is wider font flexibility, naturally there are more options with novelty keycaps. Alexotos chose to include fewer novelties in the Aether add-on kit, but the ones he did add are a testament to Infinikey’s dye-subbing tech.
The keyswitch novelty shows off those capabilities, using a complex illustration with fine lines that cover a large surface area of the keycap. Casting crisp ABS molds for an image like this would be unfeasible. With Infinikey, designers have more flexibility and choice when it comes to their nuanced work.
3. Production and Fulfillment
The major reason Alexotos is able to push the design choices for Aether is the production process with Infinikey. Right off the bat, you've likely seen his stunning documentation of the keyset. These are real prototypes, not renders, which he received before the sale went up. Getting your hands on a full prototype is near impossible to achieve with other keycap manufacturers. Thus, there is a large risk of the images, colors, and keycaps themselves not coming out as planned in a render when buying into GMK for example.
Render
Proto
Infinikey uses an efficient setup so more prototyping and turnaround capacity is possible. This gives more support and incentive for designers to try something new with lowered risk and the ability to verify their choices before a public sale.
As a huge added benefit, any kit you buy of Aether will show up at your doorstep in a few months. Gone are the days of near year-long lead times, only to be disappointed by the legend quality or inexact color choices.
Infinikey Aether is a milestone set that not only embodies the design choices and capabilities of the manufacturer, but also took full advantage of the production methods and turnaround process that go on behind the scenes. As such, Alexotos has created something that is more unique and gets to your desk faster than any product we've seen before.
