Carbon fibre plate under the AG75's keys: stiffer or softer to type on than aluminium?

Keyboard forums love to rank plate materials, usually on a scale from "soft and bouncy" to "stiff and clacky", with aluminium somewhere near the firm end. Carbon fibre tends to get placed in the same neighbourhood. The truth is less tidy. A plate's feel depends on how thick it is, how it is cut and what surrounds it, and on the AG75 the surrounding parts do a lot of work. Here is how a carbon fibre keyboard plate really fits into the typing feel.

Quick Answer

Neither, by default. How a carbon fibre plate like the AULA AG75's feels compared with aluminium depends on its thickness and cut as much as the material. On the AG75 it is paired with six dampening layers, a switchable spring shock-absorbing base and a heavy CNC aluminium case, and those shape the feel and sound as much as the plate does. Every AG75 edition, Pro and Ultra, uses the same carbon fibre plate, whether you pay R2,399 or R2,799 at Evetech.

🧱 Why the material is not the whole story

The plate is the layer the switches clip into. When you press a key, the force travels through the switch into the plate and onward into the rest of the board. How much the plate flexes under that force decides part of the feel.

Several things control that flex:

• Material. Carbon fibre and aluminium are both stiff materials in general terms, which is why they tend to sit in the firmer half of plate rankings.
• Thickness. A thinner plate of any material flexes more than a thicker one.
• Cut-outs. Slots and gaps in the plate make it more flexible, sometimes dramatically.
• Mounting. How the plate is held in the case, and what cushions it, changes how the whole assembly responds.

Because AULA's pages do not publish the thickness or cut pattern of the AG75's plate, the honest answer is that its exact stiffness relative to a given aluminium plate cannot be read from the spec sheet. The best test is typing on it.

Weight

Carbon fibre composites are considerably lighter than aluminium for the same volume, which is one reason the material is used for strong, light parts in general. On the AG75 that saving hardly registers, because the case around it is solid machined aluminium and the whole board weighs about 1532g without the cable.

🔊 Sound and everything around the plate

Plate material can shift the pitch and character of each keystroke, but on the AG75 it is only one voice in the mix. Under the plate, AULA packs six sound-absorbing sheets, from Poron at the top of the stack to PO foam on the floor, and they soak up vibration and take the hollowness out of the case. Below everything sits a spring-loaded base you can switch on to soften how the board meets the desk.

Then there is the case itself. Cut from solid metal, then blasted to a matte finish and anodised, the shell is rigid and heavy, so it does not resonate the way a thin plastic shell can. Put together, the result is designed to sound controlled and feel solid, whatever the plate on its own would do.

🎛️ Tuning the feel on the AG75

If you want a softer feel than the board gives you out of the box, you do not need to change the plate:

1. Engage the switchable spring base, which adds give at the desk.
2. Use a thick desk mat underneath for extra cushioning.
3. Try different magnetic switches from a compatible family, since the AG75's switches are hot-swappable.
4. Adjust actuation in AULA's web HUB. A deeper actuation point changes how far you press before a key registers.

The AG75 Pro uses LEOBOG Frostcore switches in Shadow Grey and Armor Silver; the AG75 Ultra uses LEOBOG Eight Treasures in Battle Shine Orange.

Evetech carries the AG75 range in its gaming keyboards category, each edition with a 2 Years Local Warranty. For context on what else keyboard buyers are choosing, see the keyboard best sellers at Evetech. Prices are on the product pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't plate material alone predict the feel?

Thickness, cut-outs and mounting change how much a plate flexes, and the damping and case around it shape the feel too.

Does carbon fibre weigh less than aluminium?

Yes, for the same volume. On the AG75 the heavy aluminium case still dominates the weight.

Will the plate alter how it sounds?

It influences pitch and character, but the AG75's six dampening layers and rigid case play a big part.

How can I make the AG75 feel softer?

Engage the spring base, use a thick desk mat, try other compatible magnetic switches or adjust actuation in the web HUB.

Does every AG75 get the carbon fibre plate?

All of them. The Pro and Ultra share the same plate.