New keycap colorways seem to come out every week, but some schemes are instant classics that endure over time. One of those classics, Panels, recently reappeared in DCS profile as a limited-release TheKeyMachine project, so I thought we’d chat about this timeless colorway.

Introduction

Panels’ designer, Bub, first introduced Panels in early 2021 with GMK Panels. At the time, Bub explained the colorway primarily “drew influence from the 1995-1996 VW Harlequin, and he later referenced Piet Mondrian, LEGO bricks, and the 90s aesthetic” as inspirations. Bub has only granted permission for Panels’ use in two keycap sets: GMK Panels (2022) and DCS Panels (2026).

GMK Panels

GMK Panels went on group buy in September and October 2021, and production finished in January 2023. Novelkeys ran GMK Panels as its lead vendor, and ZFrontier, Prototypist, ILumkb, Daily Clack, and Oblotzky Industries also jumped on board.

The final kitting was generous with numpad, ISO enter, 40s support, and multiple sizes of spacebar. The set was made of double shot ABS, with icon mods on R2 – R3 and text legends on R4. It had CYL’s standard 1-1-2-3-4-4 sculpt, 1.5mm wall thickness, and proprietary Helvetica-ish legends.

Multiple artisan keycap collaboration accompanied GMK Panels’ release.

DCS Panels

On May 14, 2026– about five years after GMK Panels ran– Novelkeys announced that it was taking on the Panels colorway with DCS Panels. It explained that DCS Panels would be a limited-run, in-stock product through its TheKeyMachine project, with only 250 sets made in total.

Like GMK Panels, DCS Panels is a double-shot ABS set. However, there are several differences between the two sets. First, most obviously, is the different profile and manufacturer — DCS Panels is in Signature Plastic’s DCS profile– one of my favorite profiles— whereas GMK Panels is in GMK’s beloved CYL profile. That means DCS Panels is much lighter weight, higher-pitched, textured, and sculpted than GMK Panels. It also means DCS Panels’ legends are in Signature Plastics’ classic font, Gorton.

In addition to the different profile, DCS Panels featured a text caps lock key, some color adjustments on the Yo key from teal to red on R1 and yellow to blue on R4, fn adjusted from blue to yellow, homing key adjustments, and additional spacebars. However, the set is otherwise a color match to its CYL counterpart.

Takeaway

With its #bright, primary-school colors and #bold color-blocking, Panels is a classic that isn’t going anywhere. My personal favorite is DCS Panels, but ymmv. Which profile do you want to see it in next? I’m hearing good things about SWG…