Just got my Ducky Shine DK9008S today!

Ducky Shine DK9008S - White LED Mechanical Keyboard (Blue Cherry MX)
SKU: DK9008S-CEALW
(http://tigerimports.net/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=11539)

After trying out other various mechanical keyboards it took no time at all for me to become a fan of Cherry MX Blue switches. I have heard about Cherry MX Red switches being the so called "gamer" switches. But they just didn't feel natural. Membrane keyboards have tactile feedback, so I guess subconsciously I guess that I was looking for a similar response as well. IMO Cherry MX Reds blow after you put them side by side with Blues. Browns are the silent version of Blues, but still lack the intensity of the tactile feedback. Considering Brown/Red switches because of how "quiet" they are? They might be marginally more quiet than Cherry MX Blue switches but not a membrane keyboard.

Here is a video comparing the differences between Cherry MX Blue and Brown switches. It's vagley noticeable, but definitely not quite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mqkm62zJGY

Most of my time spent on the computer is gaming. I am not a big typist as I have to hunt for keys every now and then. So I was really looking into getting a back-light mechanical keyboard.

I do not use the number pad that often at all, so I was at first looking for a 10-key-less keyboard. Unfortunately with the ones that presently exist, namely the KBT Race, some keys are non standard. Some of the keys on the right had side, namely the shift key are SMALL. Pressing the Fn key is required for the Ins, Home, PgUp, PgDn, Del, Ends, etc. keys as well.

The Ducky Shine is a no thrills keyboard beyond the backlighting. There is no branding on the keyboard besides the logo on the space bar. Aside from the top right CALC, MY COMP, EMAIL & Home keys, there are no addition macro or media keys on this keyboard. There is a Fn (function) key that replaces the never used Menu Key. It is used for adjusting the backlighting and media keys that are found on the F1-F7 row.

The Ducky Shine has a good weight to it. Feels just as sturdy as the Filco and Leopold keyboards. Has a lot better weight to it than the Corsair keyboards. Heck even the Razer Black Widow Ultimate has a more sturdy feel to it.

So I've had this keyboard for a few hours now. It came with a key puller and W/A/S/D gamer caps. I am not a WASD gamer but I replaced the keys anyways as it adds to the overall appearance of the board.

The back-lighting on this keyboard is very good and clear. There are several back-light modes, the first one being the "gamer mod".

Gamer Mode) Just the WASD and arrow keys exhibit back-lighting.
2nd) Full back-light minus the 10-key
3rd) Full backlighting that includes the 10-key
4th) Full back-lighting - pulsating

I purchased the Ducky Shine with white LEDs. This is the first white LED keyboard that I have seen and I love it! Blue and red was cool back in the day, but white is just so refreshing and clear. The caps lock, scroll lock and num lock all have backlighting too, but only when the given key is activated. The back light color for these keys are white just like the rest of the board.

The back-light settings do get reset when the computer shuts down (so I have heard... I only reboot on Tuesdays). This is non issue to me as I never turn off the computer. Every night I manually turn off the back-lighting anyways.

The construction of this keyboard is very good. The only issue might be the fact that the keys exhibit wobble. Initially one might write off a keyboard if they hear that it has key wobble. I have never heard of this issue before I started looking into the Ducky Shine so it did worry me. Once unboxed and after a quick look over, the first thing I did was to verify key wobble. Sadly at the time, it was present. If you put your finger on any one of the keys and move them ever so slightly, the keys will wobble a little in any direction. I haven't really took the time to investigate the source of this issue, maybe later I will.

When using the keyboard the key wobble isn't noticeable and doesn't hinder my ability to use the keyboard. Currently its a mute issue with me.

All in all I'm glad that I have purchased this keyboard. The Razer Black Widow and Corsair K90 might be lower cost options, but I have a job and I'm on the computer 24/7. So I'm comfortable investing another $30-60 into a keyboard that is more comfortable to me and better performs. It's also nice taking a break from purchasing yet another peripheral from a "gamer" company.

Audio Technica for my headset and Ducky for my keyboard. Now only if there was a replacement for gamer mice...

I'll be glad to take any questions regarding this keyboard. Below are some pics that I took of the keyboard. My camera isn't the best, so taking pics of the back-lighting aren't really coming out that good. So I think I'll leave that up to others for the time being.

http://imgur.com/a/AHAQa#0

Looks really nice! I love my blue switch quickfire

What are the dip switches on the underside for?

Switch 1: Windows Key Lock
Switch 2: (Caps Lock - Left Control) Key Swap
Switch 3: (Windows key - Alt) Key Swap
Switch 4: Nothing

My complaint is if you're spending $150 on a keyboard, it should be perfect. Key wobbles and backlight reset when the computer restarts is unacceptable. Great keyboard otherwise though. Just not worth $150, maybe half that.

You would have a hard time finding a non backlit full mechanical of similar build quality for $75 let alone a fully backlit one.

No backlit mechanical currently goes without faults. Being an early adopter this should just be something you expect. A year from now the two issues will likely get fixed. Buy now and pay more for less or roll the dice and wait 6-24 months.

Backlight settings getting reset when the computer shuts down is a moot issue to me.
Key wobble is only an issue if you choose to nitpick.

To each their own.

An early adopter? You're making it sound like this is new technology. If I had known these flaws I never would have bought this keyboard. But for the money, I was expecting a flawless keyboard. Hell the Corsair K90 is nice as well and priced a lot better. If you can find it for less than $120, it's worth it. It's not flawless either, but I managed to catch some reviews before purchasing and making up my mind. I was much happier with that purchase than my ducky. Just IMO....

Questions: 1) do they all come with those extra key caps? Never saw that advertised before, where'd you buy it? 2) can the top right shortcut keys be remapped using Autohotkey?

Nice review/pictures, thanks! Some of the comments about brand, switches and feel are rather subjective imo but the Ducky Shine definitely seems like one of the better back lit no-frills mechanical keyboards out there.

hdgamer said:

My complaint is if you're spending $150 on a keyboard, it should be perfect. Key wobbles and backlight reset when the computer restarts is unacceptable. Great keyboard otherwise though. Just not worth $150, maybe half that.

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Excluding temporary discounts, the Shine is usually amongst the cheapest back lit mechanical keyboards out there... The Corsair K90 is like $10-20 cheaper but it has a few rubber dome switches and several extra features lots of people don't care for. (I recently ordered one mind you, but I can see why it wouldn't be everyone's choice)

Even if you start looking at models without a back light, the only ones that ever dip below $100 are either tenkeyless models (no number pad) or the original Black Widow which seems to have a lot of QC issues (on top of a glossy case, only 2KRO, etc).

Point is, the Shine isn't priced that high for what it is, specially given the (relative) low demand for mechanical boards right now. These things might drop in price if models from Corsair/Cooler Master attract more attention to mechanical switches, but for now it is what it is.

Early adopter in the sense that there is a market for $150 mechanical LED keyboards. It will be a while before the competition brings these boards down to a more reasonable price as they become more mainstream. So to see a $150 LED keyboard that has a few minor issues isn't exactly surprising given the lack of competition. Once Logitech, Microsoft, CM, Corsair, Saitek and everyone else starts flooding the market $150 is going to mean a whole lot more.

I have only used a handful of mechanical keyboards, but I'm under the impression that every or just about every mechanical keyboard some sort of degree of wobble depending upon your definition of wobble. Deck/TG3, Razer, Ducky and Das all have different degrees of wobble depending on how much pressure you apply to them.

Overclock.net has a mega thread about this keyboard. If anyone is interested feel free to give it a read. Only one person mentions the word wobble and really doesn't have an issue with it. Most of the people like it for the exception of the people who reboot their comps every 5mins and get tired or adjusting the backlight every time.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1067887/ducky-shining-info

I tried out the K90. I had a dislike for their choice in Cherry MX Red switches, the array of macro keys and unsolid weight and construction of the board.

To each their own.

Impulse said:

Questions: 1) do they all come with those extra key caps? Never saw that advertised before, where'd you buy it? 2) can the top right shortcut keys be remapped using Autohotkey?

Nice review/pictures, thanks! Some of the comments about brand, switches and feel are rather subjective imo but the Ducky Shine definitely seems like one of the better back lit no-frills mechanical keyboards out there.

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They came with the keyboard along with a key puller in a bag. The Corsair K60 has the same setup as well, they are stored in the hand rest. The K90 that you ordered does not since the K90 is considered a MMO board and the K60 is marketed as a FPS board.

If you want to buy them separately, this is one source to look into.
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keycap-sets/wasd-cherry-mx-keycap-set.html

You can get them in any color you want in WASD, arrows or custom graphics. This will work on the Rosewill, but not the K90 so much.

You will have to settle on clear caps or look out for a geekhack group buy on key caps like the on ducky includes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOT-Custom-..._Trackballs&hash=item4cff7ab4bd#ht_500wt_1415

http://www.vendio.com/stores/E-spor...s/kbc-104-half-clean-key-caps-fo/lid=19160792

http://geekhack.org/forumdisplay.php?70-group-buys

I have not tried out autokey nor do I have any intentions on doing so. But I might look into it since you seem interested.

FYI I also came across a site that sells Ducky Shines in Pink and Red.
http://www.mechkeyboards.com/shine.html

I was just curious about the caps, since I hadn't seen anyone selling it with that included... I'm probably not messing around with cap replacement for now but thanks for the info. I see the Pink lit Shine listed there btw but not Red (which seems to be pretty rare). Tiger Imports has like every color but red/pink I think.

Red is rare for whatever reason. When in stock mechkeyboards will list it.

I think the OC version is in red too. But that is also out of stock last I checked.

I also have one, with blue led and MX red switches. I dont say its cheap or its flawless (backlight reset, although no major problem for me) or there are no better quality keyboards out there. But i have to admit that i m in love with it and i really enjoy typing on my pc now. Btw i must add that i hated typing at all. Overall for me worth every last euro.

I'm just wondering what one person defines as 'key wobble' from the next person... and the Ducky has the best spacebar feel of any keyboard I've experienced including Deck, Filco, Leopold. That's the thing I love most about the Duckys... I think the Deck is constructed better but the Ducky's spacebar wins it for me hands down.

I've tried several different brands of mechanical keyboards (Filco, Leopold, CM Storm, etc.) and every one of them had this "key wobble" effect. I think it's just due to how keys are mounted on those posts.

I just ordered the DK9008S. My current work keyboard is a Unicomp Model M which I love. We shall see how the Cherry switches compare to the buckling spring.

Goaty said:

I just ordered the DK9008S. My current work keyboard is a Unicomp Model M which I love. We shall see how the Cherry switches compare to the buckling spring.

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I'm more than certain that the buckling spring switches are more sturdy.

I went to Frys today to check out their mechanical keyboards. Ducky might be the most wobbly of them all, but it's hard to say. Corsair uses membrane keys for the majority of the perimeter of their keyboard and thous are the keys that are the easiest to test for wobble, as they have no support around them. So besides reducing the cost by going with membrane switches for thous keys, they have also managed to hide for the time being from the wobble police.

By removing the caps and fiddling with the switches them self, they all appeared to be just as sturdy as one another.

I even tried putting my Deck and Corsair keycaps on my ducky and they still had the same amount of wobble. So I'm pretty sure it has got to do something with the top shell/bezel/enclosure of the case of the keyboard.

If I had anything to nit pick regarding the wobble effect of the ducky, it would be the caps lock key. I just wish that they used the same stabilizer as they did the enter key.

On another note, I wish that Ducky made the cable channel a little deeper for the USB cord. I have to coming out of the back left hand side. It follow the grove just fine and doesn't pop out except for the last inch where the cable exits the keyboard. It isn't a huge issue, but annoying at times.

BTW the rubber feet on the bottom of the keyboard ROCK! This sucker does not move an inch. I don't like the feel of a raised keyboard, but if raised the keyboard doesn't have nearly as much support and it is more free to move around.

So not raised = epic traction
Raised = average traction, certainly not one of it's better traits

Goaty said:

I just ordered the DK9008S. My current work keyboard is a Unicomp Model M which I love. We shall see how the Cherry switches compare to the buckling spring.

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What type of switches did you order and what color of LEDs? Also where did you order it from?

Goaty said:

I just ordered the DK9008S. My current work keyboard is a Unicomp Model M which I love. We shall see how the Cherry switches compare to the buckling spring.

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For pure touch typing you might actually find that you like the Unicomp more than any of the cherry switches. Buckling spring is just king when it comes to tactile feedback (thanks to that little 'snap' of the spring under your fingers), followed closely by Alps, and then the Cherry Blues.

If gaming is what you care about most then you may like the Ducky more depending on the switch choice you made. Cherry blacks and reds are much more gamer friendly...

Buckling springs are also an order of magnitude louder than Cherry MX switches, so if those bother you or yours then beware of buckling springs. Goaty's already using one tho so he might actually welcome the step down in noise.

I got the White LED, Cherry brown switch from Tiger as well.

My home KB is a random one liberated from some job so it's nothing special. I received the Unicomp because I wanted something substantial to type with. It also reminded me of my College days in the early 90's; The computer labs at UTA had many IBM style KB. There is also the added benefit of everyone around me knowing that I am in the office due to the noise.

Being a Unix admin, I do a fair amount of typing. So I have grown used to the Unicomp over the last several years for work related stuff. Gaming with a mechanical KB will be interesting.

I absolutely love my Unicomp Model M Blank. It's sadly out of use at the moment as the keys are too loud and wake my sibling up easily. I'm contemplating bringing it into work.

I received the new keyboard last night. Unfortunately I was only able to use it for about an hour but in that hour I made a few discoveries.

Apparently I like my keyboards at an extreme angle. The legs that come with the Ducky, and most other keyboards, are not long enough by far. Once I placed risers under the back feet it felt more natural.

The cherry MX brown switches are much softer than I expected. It might be too soft for my tastes. I'm sure I will probably grow to like it over time but its not what I was expecting. It's definitely not as loud or as stiff as my Unicomp but I think it will work.

The space bar might be an issue. It feels sharp...maybe a better word is harsh on my thumb.

Time will tell.

The backlighting kicks ass. Finally I can see what keys are where.

Goaty said:

I received the new keyboard last night. Unfortunately I was only able to use it for about an hour but in that hour I made a few discoveries.

Apparently I like my keyboards at an extreme angle. The legs that come with the Ducky, and most other keyboards, are not long enough by far. Once I placed risers under the back feet it felt more natural.

The cherry MX brown switches are much softer than I expected. It might be too soft for my tastes. I'm sure I will probably grow to like it over time but its not what I was expecting. It's definitely not as loud or as stiff as my Unicomp but I think it will work.

The space bar might be an issue. It feels sharp...maybe a better word is harsh on my thumb.

Time will tell.

The backlighting kicks ass. Finally I can see what keys are where.

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Blues all the way dude!

I normally don't tilt up my keyboard. I'm very happy with the default angle of the board. Too high tends to put my hand in an unnatural angle and makes it sore.

Yeah the space bar is a bit sharp at first. I initially didn't like it, but i have gotten used to it.

My TG3 BL82 keyboard has a very similar space bar. By removing it and reversing it my thumb now lands on a slope. It is MUCH more pleasant to use now. You may want to try that with the Ducky. I haven't removed the space bar for the Ducky, but you should be able to reverse it.

I recently got a keyboard with browns and one with reds, after having tried out blues, and frankly I don't see how a lot of people can say browns are a good middle ground... They barely feel any different than reds when typing fast, the tactile bump in browns just isn't very distinctive to me

It's not because I'm hammering my keys either as I can sorta type without bottoming out even on reds. Browns just feel like dirty reds to me, I know it's all highly subjective but if someone asks me I'd tell them to go fully linear (black/red) or go for blues if you really want the click at actuation.

Does Shift/Enter feel slightly different to you guys btw? I think I read Ducky uses Costar stabilizers under those like Leopold/Corsair.

Yeah I think that I mentioned it above. The keys that require support beyond the single cherry mx switch don't have a clean finish to them. They feel more spongy. You can take off the key to see what they did.

I like it when keyboards have dummy cherry mx switches as stabilizers.

Ahh, I must've missed it... Backspace actually feels more normal to me, or closer to the smaller keys, and space feels fine. I just didn't realize the difference in how the stabilizers could feel before I got my K90, then after I noticed it I went looking for info and found a whole lot of it. I'm surprised it isn't mentioned more often, seems like it'd be just as much of a personal preference thing as the regular key switches themselves.

I'm not sure I'd describe it as spongy (that makes people think of membranes imo), not having a clean finish as you said first seems accurate. Key travel is the same, it just bottoms out differently, softer, as if dampened with an o-ring.

I for one don't mind it, particularly on Shift, one tends to hold down that key without much pressure on it (pinky) and with Costar stabilizers I think it might feel like you're letting it float up off the bottom at times... I gotta try the Rosewill I got again to see. On Enter I'm ambivalent, doesn't make a difference imo tho it does take some getting used to.

I can see how it might bother some tho, but I hear these Cherry stabilizers are more durable anyway (and easier to replace caps on), so there's that.

keyboard looks nice. the font looks kind of big though or is it just a close up.

Seems normal to me.

After using the Ducky for a few days I find that I really like it. We shall see how long it lasts. My luck has been so shitty the past five years that stuff I buy seems to last about 1.5 years. Then again maybe its just me....

Mr. Wolf said:

I've tried several different brands of mechanical keyboards (Filco, Leopold, CM Storm, etc.) and every one of them had this "key wobble" effect. I think it's just due to how keys are mounted on those posts.

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There are definite differences between different boards in my experience. I have a Filco and Leopold that, like you say, seem pretty similar in terms of wobble. However, my xarmor is noticeably worse for this, but i put up with it since it's the only wireless mechanical board I can find.

LOL! All you guys and your Ducky's are making me want to pick up another mechanical......just got rid of the Deck 82 because I wanted to get a full board again, and from what I've seen, the Ducky has some of the best illumination out there..... *sigh* I'll gaze lovingly from afar.

The backlight turns off every time you suspend/reboot, and it takes several two-handed keystrokes to turn it back on. That's a serous defect. With the backlights off, visibility is much lower because the letters are dark gey, which defeats the purpose of buying an expensive backlit keyboard. You need to press Fn+F9 and Fn+F10 and Fn+F11 to turn it on and adjust brightness every time.