Introduction

If you are new to the world of artisan keycaps, I recommend reading my first article on them courtesy Jelly Key itself, which also goes over the what and why of these very custom, very niche products. That article went over two example keycaps from the Vietnamese company, and I then had another soon after in the form of a quick look article going over two other such keycaps before a third one came up and then one more a couple of months ago. Indeed, if things had gone as planned, this would have been Jelly Key article #6 but DHL decided otherwise with a parcel that ended up coming in after the group buy had ended. Clearly Jelly Key’s imaginations have no end to them, given we are back already with another artisan keycap group buy, and thanks to them for arranging a finalized prototype keycap for TechPowerUp!

The subject of this quick look is a 2.25u keycap that’s part of the new Lost Cities 3—The Mad Future group buy. This is a follow up the first and second entries in the Lost Cities theme whereby you essentially get a tiny piece of a broken/destroyed city slowing being reclaimed by nature. The various themes—Lava Craze, Extreme Heat, Ice Rage, and Lunatic Waves—involve different disasters in a sense but ultimately end up making for variants based on colorways, with the different keycap sizes allowing for more or less room to fill in with different elements. Common to all would be broken buildings/houses and vehicles to get you to better appreciate what was a living, breathing world before.

Packaging

I have previously covered in more detail how Jelly Key spent more time on the actual packaging design than many companies spend on entire keyboards, and I had already seen all three sizes of the solid paper boxes used by the company, which are in turn made of fully recycled materials. Based on my previous experiences, I already knew this box was going to contain a 1.5u to 3u sized keycap. It has the Jelly Key logo on front and a list of contents on the side, along with a seal with contact information. Opening the packaging reveals the actual product box held in place by a shaped compartment in the solid paper packaging, and we then get a small wooden box with a rounded, smooth finish.

As always, the hand-applied seal is a nice touch with Jelly Key products, and a marketing tagline is etched into the back. Note that this is only a concept prototype; retail products will come with the entire contents listed on the packaging above. As such, I was also told that the keycap may not fully represent the quality of finished products from the group buy, so keep that in mind as we move forward. The box opens up to reveal the keycap presented like a gift. There is foam lining on the lid, with the actual keycap inside a thicker foam piece with a cutout to snugly hold and protect the product.

Closer Examination

Jelly Key’s group buy is titled Lost Cities 3 – The Mad Future and a quick look (heh) at the prototype keycap provided shows why. It’s a window to a possible future, whereby the madness of man has led to unsustainable cities that then end up desolate, and eventually taken over by nature. There is lore, once again, on the theme provided by Jelly Key on the group buy page for those interested. The takeaway from potential customers is the four disasters involved ultimately result in four colorways befitting them.

What I have here is the 2.25u keycap in the SA profile which is the predominant profile employed here except with the possibility to get the 1u keycap in the cubic profile too. The nature of the taller buildings used here means the Cherry profile can not be used, as with a few other Jelly Key group buys. This particular theme is called “Extreme Heat” and uses red and orange colors that certainly make for a bleak future. What I do think would have been better is if the buildings were not all looking the same color or even the same level of wear and tear, given the nature of disasters. Unfortunately, it does appear that the other themes end up going the same route despite being themed with different colors.

Turning the keycap around confirms this is a prototype, courtesy the large not for sale metal badge insert, with retail units sharing the Jelly Key logo. The keycap has thick walls at ~2.4 mm on each side, and perfectly executed crosspoint stem compatibility for all Cherry MX-style switches on the market that conform to the physical shape and layout. Some switches may have an issue though, especially if they have light pillars on the outside similar to these Kailh switches we covered earlier. But really, my eyes were now drawn to the details provided both below street level and above it. Notice the gutters that have burst in places along with openings in the roads, owing to fires running unchecked. The light post has been scorched and is even melted at places, and the car in the middle appears to be on its way to going down in more ways than one. Yet there is greenery taking over too with the buildings and the larger van showing signs of it. Note that the larger keycaps are able to accommodate more elements inside, making for a more immersive experience.

I used the Anne Pro 2 keyboard to demonstrate the keycap installed, and its clean white base makes for a good supporting cast. Jelly Key has this particular 2.25u keycap in the SA profile, and it is best used on the L.Shift or Enter key. Note that the rest of the keycaps use an OEM profile, and it does look slightly out of place here. It would be fair to say that this product would be quite the statement on your keyboard, and given there is no getting around this, you might as well go big! I know I’d have certainly preferred a space bar keycap rather than this one.

The Lost Cities 3 – The Mad Future artisan keycaps from Jelly Key are currently available under the group buy option that ends September 22, with no further sales planned. The keycaps are available in four themes and seven sizes (with an additional two profiles for 1u size) for a total of 28 combinations that would be practically used. These cost $52–102 each and, as seen on the group buy page, there are further discounts and gifts for those buying multiple keycaps, including a desk pad in the overall theme of the group buy for those interested.

Bonus: Jelly Key Coral Oases Artisan Keycap

I mentioned earlier how a delayed parcel meant a previous group buy could not be featured here. This particular one is called Coral Oases and is arguably the best design Jelly Key has put together in my opinion. I wanted to share more photos of my prototype as a bonus here, which happens to another 2.25u keycap in the SA profile and the so-called Moroccan Hill theme. There are neon elements placed which light up in the dark, and the keycap as a whole can trigger trypophobia too. Note also that this particular prototype has less vibrant colors than the final retail units being manufactured right now, but at least those who participated in this group buy before it ended can get a better look while waiting for their units to arrive!