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Das Keyboard Model S |
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Usage and Conclusions
It's worth noting at this point that there are four current versions of this keyboard. The review unit is the "Model S Professional Silent". The "Silent" moniker refers to the use of Cherry's MX brown "soft sounding" key switches. If you prefer a louder or sharper click sound, don't get the "Silent" version, simply get the "Model S Professional", which uses MX blue switches. Both the silent and non-silent are available as "Ultimate" instead of "Professional", too. These have blank key tops - no letters to tell you which key is which - for a stealthy look, and presumably to discourage n00bs from using your PC. Blank keys won't bother a proper touch typist of course, but given my fairly haphazard typing style I think I'd find that a little frustrating. By the way, their use of the word "Silent" is not in any way accurate, and all models of this keyboard should be considered "clicky". It's only slightly tongue-in-cheek that one of the accessories on the Das Keyboard website is a set of re-usable earplugs for co-workers or significant others.
Above you can see a size/layout comparison, from top down being my old Dell, the Das Keyboard and an Arctic Cooling slim-line I'll be reviewing soon. Earlier versions of the Das Keyboard apparently had a Fn key instead of the Windows key, but current models are the standard 104-key Windows layout with two Windows keys and a Menu key in the normal place. You can get replacement key-caps with Linux penguins or Mac-appropriate keys, or just different colours, if you like.
I'm going to admit here that until just now I have never even noticed the Menu key before - I had to check my trusty old Dell keyboard to see if it even had one. It does, and pressing it results in a right-mousebutton menu popping up on screen. Bizarre. Does anyone use that?
Anyway, in the box you get the keyboard itself, a quick install sheet and a purple USB->PS/2 adapter. No driver software is required, of course. The keyboard does feature n-key rollover, which means you can hit lots of keys at the same time and have them all register simultaneously. This is useful for gamers, but the install sheet notes this is only available via the PS/2 adapter. I think this is a limitation of USB rather than a failing of the keyboard, and the website notes that up to 6 simultaneous keypresses can be registered when connected via USB.
If I had to look for something to complain about, I'd prefer if the cord exited the back of the keyboard either lower down or at a more downward angle, as that would make the cable easier to tuck under the detritus on my desk. Also, the shiny top surface is a magnet for fingerprints, which is no doubt partly why there's a little polishing cloth included in the box. But I'm grasping here - it appears excellently made and well presented and, while not overburdened with extra features, it has everything you need for its intended purpose. Speaking of which...
Usage:
Two main things caught my attention when first using the Das Keyboard. Firstly, it's a solid, heavy object. My little electronic scale claims about 550g for the Dell keyboard, but trips over its 1kg limit when the Das Keyboard is rested on it - the website claims 1.36KG. This is no doubt largely due to the sheer mass and complexity of all those individual key switches and a generally more sturdy construction, but of course it also means the keyboard feels much more planted and stable on the desk, and definitely won't flex or shift underneath your furiously typing fingers.
The second most noticeable thing is the sound. I genuinely had to check the model number on the back against the Das Keyboard website to make sure I had in fact recieved the "silent" model. Frankly, if this is silent, the non-silent model must come with a set of ear muffs in the box. There is a solid click from each key, which reminds me of typing on an electric typewriter as a kid. The key mechanism itself seems to almost leap away from your fingertip when depressed. The keypress is registered extremely early in the travel of the key so you can in fact almost just brush the keyboard and not have to pound away on it, but if you do, there is a hearty and satisfying audible and tactile click for each keypress. But if you attempted to use this keyboard, yes, the "silent" model, in a quiet office or library type setup, expect a few stern looks. But the overall feel is that odd combination of solidity and lightness-of-touch which will be familiar to users of IBM's venerable Model M keyboard and similar proper mechanical keyboards.
As mentioned earlier, that mechanical feel is due to the use of Cherry's key-switches beneath each key. These simulate to some extent the "buckling spring" mechanism of the IBM and provide both the tactile and audible feedback for each key press. For more info on the history of keyboard innards I refer you to Manaz's recent Filco review here.
Typing Speed:
It seems odd to consider benchmarking a keyboard, but before making the switch from my Dell to this Das Keyboard I had a crack at TypingTest.com. I had three attempts at the "1 minute - Astronauts" text and registered 81, 71 and 91 wpm in the "adjusted speed" which takes into account any errors made. My goal wasn't outright speed - I was attempting to type the text correctly, but I didn't go back and correct any errors I was aware of. There's also some annoying combinations of fullstops, dashes and commas in that text. Anyway, immediately after plugging in the Das Keyboard I managed 81, 79 and 78wpm. My speed was notably higher in some tests, but so was my error rate, which is to be expected on a new keyboard. I should note here that as a self-taught typist I don't do proper home-position touch typing. On my right hand I use my first and second fingers and my thumb for the space bar, while on my left hand I only use my first finger and my pinkie for shift.
After a week of general use on the Das Keyboard I had another go. This time I managed 80, 86 and 78wpm. The average of the Dell and "experienced" Das Keyboard tests is pretty much bang on 81wpm in both cases. So I can't say the Das Keyboard has made me a faster typist, but it certainly hasn't slowed me down at all. I do feel I'm still making more errors than previously, particularly just nicking a neighbouring key to the one I want, which registers thanks to the high sensitivity of the Das Keyboard. So I'm paying a little more attention to improving my accuracy which will definitely bring the speed up further. The real difference for me is in the feel of typing, though.
This entire review has been written on the Das Keyboard, but before writing the conclusion I switched back to the Dell I've been using for years, to see how it feels after a week on the Das. The difference is very distinct - the Dell feels almost gummy or spongy in comparison. I have to hit the keys considerably harder and depress them further to get a response, but even then there's not the positive confirmation that the Das offers. On the Das I was making errors by clipping neighbouring keys, but on the Dell the main issue seems to be not quite hitting the key hard or straight enough and it simply not registering. Admittedly after a couple of years of use it is indeed gummed up with the usual horrifying gunk that falls between the keys but even unused, out of the way keys like the Pause/Break key at top right have the same deadened feel. I had a quick go on my wife's no-name keyboard and another unused-in-box model of Dell with thin laptop-like keys, and the feeling was very similar. Compared to the crisp lightness of the Das Keyboard, the Dell now feels like typing through treacle and genuinely seems like harder work. I couldn't wait to switch back to the Das Keyboard.
Conclusions:
If you spend a lot of time typing at your PC, it's worth thinking about the quality of the chunk of metal and plastic you're typing on. People spend a fortune on fancy video cards and large hard drives etc, but the real hands-on interaction with your PC is via the keyboard and mouse. As a fairly proficient typist already, switching to the Das Keyboard hasn't increased my speed after a week - or perhaps I'm just set in my ways. But for typing up reams of text, like this very review you're reading, it's genuinely a much more pleasant experience on a professional-level mechanical keyboard than on the cheapies I've been used to. I won't go back!
AusPCMarket carry the full range of Das Keyboards, and currently have some special offers for OCAU members. They're a little under $200 including GST and shipping anywhere in Australia.
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