Das or Ducky?

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FireBean

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I'm going to be getting a new keyboard soon and I cannot seem to choose. I'm looking at three different keyboards.

Overclock.net modified Ducky for ~$80
least expensive by far

Ducky Shine w/ Browns
I'm a huge fan of back-lit keyboards. I still look down at the keyboard. I know it's wrong...

Or a Das Model S Professional Silent Keyboard
Looks like the highest quality....

I've heard nothing but good from all three of these keyboards and I cannot seem to choose. I've never thrown this much money at a keyboard before. Since I'm now starting a profession in programming and web design, I'm starting to realize that I have worn out my G15. Help me decide people.

Note: I'm tried the blues and I love how they feel, but working long hours while at home is really going to annoy my wife. I don't need anymore of that! ;)
 
Again beware of keyboard snobs... truth is all three are great boards. The DAS is built well but I personally don't like the looks, especially that funky top contour.

The Ducky is built just as well and has one of the best feeling/working spacebars I've ever experienced. Add to that the ability to get a backlit version in almost any LED color and I think it's a winner. My combo of choice is the Ducky Shine/Shining with white LEDs and brown keyswitches. But I've got a green LED / MX Blue on the way for my collection too. :D

I really wish I could get them to make a board with either Orange LEDs or UV LEDs...
 
Ducky Shine/Deck Legend for full size and KBT Race for tenkeyless.
 
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I would just get this Rosewill w/ MX Red and call it a day.

My experience is that ducky and das are at opposite ends of the quality spectrum. Das Model S would be my choice as the stronger investment. That being you said... you're going to enjoy typing on any of the 3 keyboards.

Any particular reason why you're only looking at those 3?

Have you seen the Leopold
Or Filco
even Rosewill w/ MX Brown ?
 
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FireBean said:
Comes in reds only, does it not?
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Actually, it's the blue switch one that goes for about 70. Red you still need to buy from the company store for 90 before tax and shipping. Still not a bad deal for a tenkeyless red switch mechanical, just not as good of a deal.

They also come in browns, but those are not yet sold in the US.
 
:confused: Now I don't know what to get. Want browns and I want it to last a very long time without having to replace keycaps...
 
I'd give browns a shot if you like blues but want something quieter.

Do you want a tenkeyless or full?
 
FireBean said:
:confused: Now I don't know what to get. Want browns and I want it to last a very long time without having to replace keycaps...
Click to expand...

Then you want the Deck Legend. I've got one that's three years old now and the keycaps look good. In fact my girlfriend uses it now. I don't use it because that one has Cherry MX Black switches and I prefer Cherry MX Blues. My Das Keyboard has had about the same amount of use and the key caps are all worn to a glossy finish and they are still pretty much like new, all but the spacebar anyway on the Deck.
 
Dan_D said:
Then you want the Deck Legend. I've got one that's three years old now and the keycaps look good. In fact my girlfriend uses it now. I don't use it because that one has Cherry MX Black switches and I prefer Cherry MX Blues. My Das Keyboard has had about the same amount of use and the key caps are all worn to a glossy finish and they are still pretty much like new, all but the spacebar anyway on the Deck.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I gotta say the Deck Legend is probably one of the best built keyboards I have ever had my hands on. It actually reminds me a lot of the IBM/Lexmark/Unicomp Model M because of the large footprint and heavy weight. I do find the lock LEDs kind of garish but that's minor. My only other gripe is that they need more of a color / switch selection, especially for the price premium paid over the Ducky. For example I'd love to buy a Deck Legend 'Toxic' (green LEDs) with MX Blue or Brown switches. :)
 
man that deck legend is ugly as hell. It looks like its built like a tank since it has the old IBM design.
 
The Das Model S Professional Silent Keyboard looks almost ideal to me. I just want to add back lighting. I see Razer has this (blackwidow ultimate stealth) but I'd prefer it NOT look like a gaming keyboard (ideally white back lighting, but I can be flexible here). And I need a numpad.

Any suggestions on finding exactly what I want? I guess Cherry Brown is what I want??? I'm not really up on my mech keyboard jargon yet.
 
purple_haze said:
man that deck legend is ugly as hell. It looks like its built like a tank since it has the old IBM design.
Click to expand...

I agree, I do not like the looks of it either. I think I'm just going to save a few bucks this time and get the cheaper ducky. There is no way I'm going to over $100 for a Rosewill branded device. I don't care who makes it, I just don't like that company.
 
After i bought my first Das S Pro Silent for home and got used to it I had to go and get one for work too. They're great keyboards. I have not tried the others mentioned though but I dont feel the need to either.
 
My Ducky 10less is pretty sweet. I find the browns nice, but wish I would have gotten the blues. It seems on the bigger keys they seem to be more linear and don't have that click feel to them half way through. But the keyboard itself is solid, way more than my black widow I use to own. No flex or movement in the keys, other than going down of course. Overall great keyboard. DW approved!
 
Are browns really that bad for gaming?

I like the ducky ten keyless, but prefer the lighting of the shine. Alos, not sure about brown vs red?
 
I don't think anyone would say they're bad for gaming, some people just prefer the linear switches, they feel it feels better when doing multiple taps in a row and whatnot... I can't really give you a first hand opinion because I haven't been able to try reds for myself yet. next week tho! Browns are really the middle-ground switch, probably the de facto recommendation when someone's on the fence about tactile vs linear.
 
Blues all the way! They aren't much louder than non clicky keyboards like the Cherry MX Browns. All mechanicals will be louder than membrane keyboards. The sound difference between membrane and browns are more apparent than the sound difference between browns (non clicky) and blues (clicky).
Blues have a more responsive tactile feedback to them vs. browns.
Reds are trash IMHO. Membrane keyboards have a certain degree of tactile feedback, going to reds that have zero just feels unnatural.

I would say that browns are a good midground. But if you are going for tactile feedback blues do a better job. Don't be surprised if you order browns and they aren't silent, because they aren't. They are just more silent than the blues. Not vs. membrane and not vs. dead air.
 
Well, they'll be louder for sure if you're bottoming out... But if you're not I'd imagine they can be a good bit quieter. Dunno how many people have the proper typing habits or precision to not bottom out tho.
 
Reds all the way here for gaming at least. I get finger fatigue while gaming sometimes (arthritis) and I find the reds the best for this as they're easier to press. When I was purchasing my keyboards I could care less about some "tactile feedback" crap... All I wanted was to ease my finger fatigue while typing and gaming.... LOL

The reds are still noisy when they bottom out though. Thinking about buying the O-rings to help with that. Would prefer a silent keyboard over a noisy one anyday....
 
Duckies are very high quality, but all the Ducky Shines I’ve tried the backlight doesn’t stay lit, so when you resume or reboot you have to turn it back on every time. You have to press Fn+F9 and Fn+F10 and/or Fn+F11 several times, and contrast/visibility is poor when backlight is off.
 
I've been using my DAS Pro S Silent for exactly a year now. I must say that the pictures don't give justice as to how this thing really looks like in person. The glossiness looks really2x nice in person. The contoured keys is a non-issue for me. For those wondering, the little extra space at the top right corner of the keyboard is for the usb controller hidden under it.
 
hmm the black widow was one of the most solid keyboard I have used, did not care for the macro keys and the shape of the keys on it though.

BTW here is a major tip. Stay away from back light keyboards it only takes about 2-3 weeks to learn to type without them and once thats done, you will be a lot better off.
 
So many choices! I think I'll just stick with my Logitech illuminated and call it a day, lol.
 
shadyqwerty said:
So many choices! I think I'll just stick with my Logitech illuminated and call it a day, lol.
Click to expand...

I was using the Logitech illuminated keyboard before the DAS. There is a major difference between the two. There was definitely a learning curve for me going from scissor type keyboard to mechanical. But after I got used to the DAS, I prefer this than the Logitech. However, I believe I type faster with the Logitech though.
 
Haiku214 said:
I was using the Logitech illuminated keyboard before the DAS. There is a major difference between the two. There was definitely a learning curve for me going from scissor type keyboard to mechanical. But after I got used to the DAS, I prefer this than the Logitech. However, I believe I type faster with the Logitech though.
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I feel the same about typing with a scissor switch compared to a mechanical. I'm much faster/more accurate with my SIIG Aluminum board. However, I prefer gaming on a mechanical. I found a new, open-box CM Storm Quickfire for just $55 at a local Micro Center, over the weekend. I'm going to use it as my gaming board.
 
I've grown pretty fond of my Das Ultimate S. They action isn't quite as smooth (both are Cherry Blues) as that of my Razer Blackwidow, but it's a lot less flashy looking (blank key caps), and is pretty obviously better made.

The switches are purely a preference thing. I'm pretty fond of the blues, but they are somewhat noisy. I could see that being a problem in an office environment where you just have a cubicle or something.
 
I gotta quit reading these threads. Now I'm considering a really nice keyboard, to go along with the awesome-ish system I'm going to build at the end of May.

I've only ever had the baseline, garbage membrane keyboards for my desktops. The latest one was a Saitek Eclipse, which is disappointing in almost every way possible (lousy membrane switches, inadequate illumination).

I can just about justify $100+ since I'll use the keyboard constantly.

Are the mechanical switches used in e.g. the Ducky and other high-end keyboards very loud? I would imagine they would be, unavoidably. This is a consideration, because I don't necessarily want to create a mind-shattering racket for everyone else in the house whenever I type.
 
No point skimping on peripherals. If you're going to have a sexy beat of a machine, it better feel good when you interact with it ;)
 
They're louder than membrane keyboards regardless of switch type, tho you can train yourself to not bottom out on keys while typing since mechanical switches actuate halfway thru the key travel... I seem to be able to do that even with linear switches like red/black, most people would prefer tactile ones like blue/brown for that purpose tho. When gaming you're gonna be bottoming out regardless tho...

Some people slap o-rings at the bottom of the switch stems which makes them as quiet as a membrane keyboard (at least with linear switches) but that takes away from the crisp key feel imo, kinda defeats the purpose of a mechanical keyboard (altho it's still more durable I guess and key travel is still smoother overall).

You missed some good sales on mechanical keyboards this weekend, Newegg had a 15% discount on all keyboards and Corsair's were 20% off along with $20 MIRs. :( If you don't care for back light or you can live without a number pad the Rosewill and CM Quickfire Rapid models are always at or under $100 tho. They're rebrands of other pricier brands out there.
 
Haiku214 said:
If I were to get a new keyboard today, I would go with the CM Quickfire.
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Agreed. At about $75 with excellent build quality and performance, it's probably the best value of all mechanical boards, right now.
 
Can anyone explain to me the attraction of chopping off the number pad?

I don't know about you guys, but I use the number pad all the time. It's good for entering numbers, obviously, but also handy in many games. I wouldn't do without it. Same goes for my notebook PC, which is partly why I ended up with a 15.6" model (smallest one with a full keyboard).
 
Most people here game. Having more desk space because your keyboard is 25% makes a big difference regardless if you have the space for a full size keyboard or not.

Unfortunately I couldn't get all the features that I wanted in a 10-keyless, so i opted for a full size Ducky Shine.
 
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