Customer Reviews

DAS Keyboard for PC - Macintosh - Linux

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This is THE keyboard I've been looking for years. I grew up on the IBM Model M keyboards and those were some of the best keyboards ever made in this world. Unfortunately, most of the mechanical key keyboards have been discontinued, probably due to the price or many other reasons beyond my understanding. It was such a relief to finally find a mechanical key keyboard built to last, just like old times. Years of typing on the modern membrane keyboards have ruined my typing speed, but having the Das Keyboard back on my desk feels great.

The build quality of this keyboard is solid, and so are the keys. The keys are perfect and give an awesome audible and tactile response when pressed. Exactly how a perfect keyboard is supposed to be. I took a brief look at the Saitek Eclipse II keyboard after reading rave reviews for that, but was disappointed to find that its response was not much different than the current dell membrane keyboard I had.

Sure, the Das Keyboard does not have any of the extra multimedia keys, but I rarely used those keys anyway. The only feature I miss in the Das Keyboard as compared to other multimedia keyboards is the volume control, which I can happily live without given the awesome keys this keyboard has. My search is over. THE KEYBOARD.

I started typing on a Smith Corona standard portable (non-electric) and, as far as I'm concerned, the best "keyboard" in history was that of the IBM Selectric II. I love the feel of typing - it's a tactile experience, and the sound of the keys somehow made me feel as if I were really doing something. Nostalgia? Perhaps -- but I enjoyed working that way far more than with the soft touch silent keyboards I've been using for the last decade. Finally -- Das Keyboard -- read about it in Mac Magazine, bought two the next day. Will need another, since my wife has appropriated one. This is a heavy, substantial keyboard -- the keys have travel, they click in a satisfying way, and you have to put a little "oomph" into your keystrokes. This is the Bentley of keyboards! I can feel my thoughts expanding with my range of motion! If you remember what typing was like before the current generation of keyboards, and like the way it used to be, this is the keyboard for you.

This is a nice clicky keyboard but here a few negatives to be aware of:

-It is a total dust magnet because it has a high gloss finish. This means that it will look dusty most of the time and show fingerprints unless you wipe it with the included microfiber cloth.
-The lettering on the keys started to wear off after only a couple of months. A keyboard of this price should have very sturdy lettering on the keys, not crapped painted on ones that can be rubbed off.
- The keys started to look shiny from wear/usage after only a couple of months. I'm a normal typist, am not hard on keyboards, but I use them daily.
-This keyboard required two USB ports to be used on my computer in order to work correctly.

I like my Unicomp Customizer 104 keyboard (based on the classic IBM Model M with buckling springs) much better as it feels much more sturdy and even nicer to type on all day, and it was way cheaper than the DAS. You can also still find some of the old IBM Model M keyboards that the Unicomp is based on and use a PS2 to USB adapter. In fact, many 'in the know' believe the IBM Model M (or equivalent Unicomp models) to be the best keyboard ever made.

This is a nice keyboard marred by the fact that it does not work with Windows 7. Or to precise, doesn't always work with Windows 7. To paraphrase Das Keyboard support, this model just cannot be made to work with some configurations of Windows 7 and they don't know why. The suggestion was to upgrade to their current model S keyboard. Nowhere on their site says this at the time of this review.

What this keyboard does on Windows 7 is that it has to be plugged in to the first bank of USB ports on your motherboard, and it will only sometimes register after booting up (will not register at all until a reboot) and if it does not register then you have to reboot along with hoping for the best. The USB hub in the keyboard also prevents plugging anything else like that into the computer such as a 12-in-1 reader or a simple USB key. The hub in the keyboard absolutely prevents those from being recognized unless they go through the keyboard's USB ports.

The keys and action are nice, with the exact right layout. But a keyboard that does not work on a Windows operating system is ridiculous and unacceptable.

I am a software developer and I make my living with a keyboard. After wearing out several cheapy keyboards, and a $70 Saitek I decided to buy something of professional quality. I am a practiced typist and although I dont type fast, I can touch type every key on the keyboard except the numeric pad.

Pros: The tactile feel of the keys is, well, delicious! Typing is a joy. The keys require only light pressure and the click registers pleasantly in the fingertips. The switches are gold plated which should make for a long life. It handles fast or multiple keystrokes without a glitch. The shape is pleasing and unfussy. It's a basic PC keyboard not cluttered with all sorts of specialty buttons. Any short cuts that I need, I can program with autohotkeys or similar software. It has two USB ports on the right side which is convenient for connecting the mouse and for thumb drives. The price is right for the quality, whereas the Saitek was a low quality keyboard at a good quality price.


Cons: You cant pull the buttons off to clean it. Blowing a keyboard out with compressed air does not do a complete job. When I pulled the keys off the Saitek to clean it there was a complete meal under there! The case is shiny and the seam protrudes slightly, a sign of less than top quality molding. It is not silent. The keys click of course and it makes more noise than a membrane keyboard. The clicks are not loud but some might find it bothersome. The case is 1/2" high at the front and about 1" high at the back. The keys themselves sit about 1.24" high. I would have preferred a lower profile like the Saitek but it doesnt really bother. If you do a lot of typing it's very important to have the keyboard at the correct height: elbow height or a bit lower. Most desks are much too high for comfortable typing. I may be experiencing the USB device not recognized problem that others have mentioned.

Update: After installing Win 7 I went back to the keyboard. Since I bought and returned the previous one, they have improved the design and the keys are now easily removeable for cleaning. Win 7 has no USB issues with this keyboard. It's every bit as good as promised!

I don't believe there is any such thing as the perfect keyboard, what everyone wants and needs is different. I personally am a college student, a gamer, a fast typist, and a computer programmer. I went looking for a simple keyboard (I don't use profiles or extra keys) that was very comfortable to type on, and this was what I came up with.

If you spend a lot of time typing and care about the feeling of your keyboard, other than an old IBM, you wont find one better than this. There are no extra keys, and not much in the way of any other special features. There is a standard keyboard layout, and that is it. If you regularly use extra buttons/features on your keyboard, either be prepared to change, or look for a different one.

The two USB ports are placed somewhat uselessly on the right side of the keyboard and anything you do have plugged in gets in the way of your mouse if you are right handed. If you really need the extra USB ports, look for a different keyboard or buy a USB hub.

The keyboard looks great. The indicator lights are very well done (look at pictures) and look at least as good if not better when you see the keyboard in person. I don't mind the somewhat retro style of the font on the keys, again that is personal preference. The keyboard panel is shiny and smudges easily, but they clean off easily with the included cloth and aren't noticeable unless you actively look for them. The keyboard isn't that large in terms of length and width, but it is fairly thick. Other users have said the keyboard is unusually heavy, but I didn't thick it was much heavier than my previous media keyboard. The keyboard doesn't move anyway because it has large rubber feet on the bottom. The extenders that let you lift up the back of the keyboard are thick and they don't raise the keyboard too high, but they don't have rubber on the back, so they keyboard moves somewhat more easily when they are extended.

The feel of this keyboard is the best part. At first, the keys feel a little loose and wiggly, but once you start typing, you realize how solid this keyboard is. You can feel (and hear) both the point at which they key triggers and when the key bottoms out. After typing on this keyboard, membrane keyboards feel very squishy and soft. This keyboard has to be felt to be believed. I could go on for a while about the feel, but it is very subjective. I was extremely pleased and I'll leave it at that.

I couldn't be more happy with this keyboard. I got the 'ultimate' edition, which has all the keys blank. As a touch-typist for nearly two decades, I find it kind of neat, and it gives my desktop a clean, fresh look. The finish on it, which can be best described as piano black, is amazing.

It is extremely difficult to find fault with this keyboard. So far, I can't find any faults. I'm typing this review on it, and it just feels so gosh darn good.

Plus, it's neat to own a keyboard that will confound those who don't know how to touch type, while at the same time is built like a tank, so I can bludgeon them severely if they complain about it.

The Führer would be pleased by the quality of construction of this Panzar tank of a keyboard.

Pros:
1. A nice distinctive click with every depression of a key. Reminiscent of the Enigma machine on a U-Boat.
2. When dropped more often than not the floor with be hurting more than the keyboard... (but watch your feet)
3. Can be used as a last ditch weapon when an enemy charges your Foxhole in the Ardennes forest.

Cons:
1. The clicking of the keys will wake up the neighbors.
2. Easily smudged or dusty.. needs to be properly oiled and cleaned and does not come with the EM34 `Entfernungsmesser 34' from the factory.


All in all its good though... I'm typing on it now! Go annex some money from your bank account and pick one up today! -Andreas Varber

If you enjoy the tactile experience of keys clicking as you type you will love this keyboard. It is made for the professional typist. Attractive, reliable, well designed. This is a serious piece of hardware and I love it. Typing on it is on par with eating popcorn, chewing corn nuts or popping bubblewrap. It is finely crafted with German engineering, think of it as the BMW of keyboards.

I have had my Das Keyboard for a few months now, and I have to say it is incredible! If you like having a nice solid (and clicky) keyboarding experience that this device is for you.

There is also very good support offered. I had an issue where some food seeped below the keybase, and I was not able to get it all out. They were quick to offer solutions and offer a replacement. Lucky for me after one day the key stopped sticking and worked perfectly!

This is definately a keyboard for someone who uses their computer daily. It is small investment considering the value!