Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsIt's okay, but I wish I had gone with something different...
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2018
This is a solid keyboard that feels premium at first glance, but I have a few problems that make me regret my purchase:
# Uneven Frame
I think the frame is slightly bent or something because it doesn't sit evenly on my desk. It rocks ever so slightly (like maybe 1-2mm).
I always considered Das Keyboards a premium keyboard, so I assumed the rocking was my fault. I cleaned my desk and the underside of the keyboard, but it was still rocking when I typed or put any pressure on one of the sides.
This got annoying fast and I had to put something underneath one of the corners to prevent the rocking.
# Uneven Backlighting
The backlighting on the primary letters is perfect (same with the sides on the top row of function keys). But the backlighting of characters on the bottom half of the keys is dim/dull. The colon, for example, is perfectly well lit, but the semicolon is dim/dull looking.
This complaint might seem petty, but the backlighting was the reason I purchased this keyboard over a different model. I own custom backlit keys I planned to use and the backlighting helps me see quite a bit.
At this price range, and given the fact that the keyboard comes stock with characters on both halves of the keys, I kind of expected the backlighting to look even and clean across the top of all keycaps.
I've had other backlit keyboards where this wasn't an issue. But perhaps this was a trade-off to reduce unwanted glow below the keycaps.
# Support
I'm a big fan of AutoHotKey and other open-source software solutions for keyboards. After I ordered this keyboard, I learned that Das Keyboard has been banning users from its support forums for mentioning open source alternatives to the software they provide.
Rather than cultivating an avid fanbase of loyal users in their support forums, they seem more interested in forcing their users to use only their proprietary software. I regret contributing to a company with that approach, especially since it could harm my ability to obtain useful support suggestions later.
If I hadn't already thrown away the box, I would have returned the keyboard based on this issue alone.
# Final Thoughts
Despite these qualms, I'm still giving this keyboard 3 stars. Although I wouldn't buy this keyboard again, it does have a very high-quality feel and I've enjoyed using it every time I sit down.
I've owned other mechanical keyboards at around this price range that didn't feel anywhere near as high-quality as this one. With a few minor improvements, Das Keyboard would have had a fanboy for life.