Ducky Shine 3 Mechanical Keyboard

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Benchmark Reviews has the Ducky Shine 3 mechanical keyboard on the test bench today. With a name like "Ducky Shine" and a price tag of $150, this keyboard had better be good. ;)

The Ducky Shine Series, arguably one of the best mechanical keyboards on the market, has released the Ducky Shine 3 DK9008S3. Often referred to as the YOTS or “Year of the Snake”, the 2013 Shine 3 is the offshoot descendant of the 2012 Year of the Dragon Shine 2 DK9087 (a tenkeyless version in the shine series).
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I just bought a Ducky keyboard with Cherry Black keys. Honestly, it is pure tactile euphoria.
 
Do the more expensive boards really hold their own against the cheaper versions with the same switches? I have a cooler master with browns, but I've always been interested in the more expensive brands.
 
ninjacore said:
Do the more expensive boards really hold their own against the cheaper versions with the same switches? I have a cooler master with browns, but I've always been interested in the more expensive brands.
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Normally you're paying for features at that price-point (over $80 USD). Some companies (we know who you are) will inflate prices for sub-par quality because it's in-line to be competitive with other quality products of similar feature sets, but Ducky hasn't been known to do this (they have increased prices slightly due to demand though).

Most of the CM Storm mechanicals are quality baseline no-frills boards and had pretty much set a new base price for such when they first released. The prices have slowly been rising to that of the big name brands (Leopold and Filco mostly), but are still more than worth it at ~2/3 the cost.
 
Still using an old IBM PS2 mechanical keyboard on my system.
 
PrkChpXprss said:
I just bought a Ducky keyboard with Cherry Black keys. Honestly, it is pure tactile euphoria.
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Pure tactile euphoria? Cherry MX blacks?? o_O

Cherry MX blacks are linear switches and have no tactile feedback whatsoever.

ninjacore said:
Do the more expensive boards really hold their own against the cheaper versions with the same switches? I have a cooler master with browns, but I've always been interested in the more expensive brands.
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Depends on the brand, but generally, yes. Ducky is a great brand and I own several keyboards from them. Filco and Leopold are also great, reliable brands.
 
Still missing the mark for me :(

Weird spacebar? Do not want.
Weird windows keys? Do not want.
Weird hotkeys (top-right)? Do not want.

At least they got one thing right, they illuminated the media hotkeys. No idea why so many keyboards forget to do this.
 
If its a Cherry MX switch board, go for the one that's as cheap as possible while still maintaining some level of high NKRO or full NKRO like my Gigabyte Aivia Osmium with USB, my Steelseries 6GV2 in PS2 mode or Cooler Master Quickfire XT in PS2 mode (Though both have near full NRKO in USB mode), and pay extra for whatever fancy features you want etc like fully lit keyboard etc.
 
I'm happy with the Ducky Zero with Reds that I picked up as my 'gaming' counterpart to my CM Storm Quickfire Stealth with Greens. I am tempted, at least somewhat, to pick up a different board with Reds to get a different backlight though. The blue lights I have to keep very dim because that color is just painfully bright. I'd prefer orange/red/amber or something like that as a backlight color really. I just wish Greens were more common as, for typing, I have loved them though Blues will do in a pinch.
 
missalaire said:
Pure tactile euphoria? Cherry MX blacks?? o_O

Cherry MX blacks are linear switches and have no tactile feedback whatsoever.
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I wasn't referring to tactile feedback specifically -- I was referring to how the act of typing on this keyboard is much more enjoyable over more common domed keyboards.
 
Really enjoying my Shine 3 YOTS edition w/ the aluminum top (#513 of 999). I have the MX blues and I like the "clicky" sound myself :)
 
Unknown-One said:
Still missing the mark for me :(

Weird spacebar? Do not want.
Weird windows keys? Do not want.
Weird hotkeys (top-right)? Do not want.

At least they got one thing right, they illuminated the media hotkeys. No idea why so many keyboards forget to do this.
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Just as a head-up to people who would not be happy with the space bar, Ducky includes an optional, less intrusive, key cap to replace the one with the snake.

Also, am I mistaken or does Benchmark Reviews not know about Cherry and Costar stabilizers?
 
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_PixelNinja said:
Just as a head-up to people who would not be happy with the space bar, Ducky includes an optional, less intrusive, key cap to replace the one with the snake.

Also, am I mistaken or does Benchmark Reviews not know about Cherry and Costar stabilizers?
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They probably don't seeing how they call them "dummy switches", lol.
 
Does anyone have an opinion on the NZXT Shine 3? I might be getting the H440 and Shine combo. Would that be a good choice or would I be better off buying a Corsair Obsidian case and then a regular Shine 3?
 
I had no idea Ducky and NZXT had a little thing going, but it seems to be a standard Shine 3 with Ducky's normal keycaps (I don't see anything indication otherwise aside from some NZXT branding on the back). I do have to say that the white version does look sharp though.
 
How does this thing compare with the Maxkeyboard Blackbird? I would imagine the keycaps are inferior but still pretty good? Does it blow away boards like the Poseidon? I'm going to return mine because I can't stand the stabilizers and want to be sure the quality of the ducky is closer to the blackbird before purchasing another mechanical.

_PixelNinja said:
Just as a head-up to people who would not be happy with the space bar, Ducky includes an optional, less intrusive, key cap to replace the one with the snake.

Also, am I mistaken or does Benchmark Reviews not know about Cherry and Costar stabilizers?
Click to expand...

Does the ducky use these type of stabilizers "dummy switches"?

stabilizer.jpg


Are these costar or cherry (they are not rubber)? I have this style stabilizer on my blackbird and I really like them.
The Poseidon uses some crappy stabilizers that have bars (but not cherry or costar style) They make a lot of noise when I used them. Do the long keys using cherries or standard costar stabilizers make a twang when you hit the keys?
 
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