Das keyboards and its high price?

[QRCodeKiller]

While looking for a new keyboard, lots of people recommended me the Das keyboards, after some searching online i found that these Das keyboards are fairly highly priced for a basic looking no backlight keyboard. The Das 4 Ultimate is same price as the Corsair K70 RGB, but Corsair, having a metal plate and the same switch also has RGB backlight when the same priced Das doesn't have any backlighting. Same with the other models too. Why is Das expensive and would they be worth to purchase over something like the K70?

[ARikozuM]

The Das will last much longer compared to the K70, visually speaking. RGB backlighting is an inexpensive add-on for a keyboard that increases the price for little benefit. 

[KaminKevCrew]

2 hours ago, QRCodeKiller said:

While looking for a new keyboard, lots of people recommended me the Das keyboards, after some searching online i found that these Das keyboards are fairly highly priced for a basic looking no backlight keyboard. The Das 4 Ultimate is same price as the Corsair K70 RGB, but Corsair, having a metal plate and the same switch also has RGB backlight when the same priced Das doesn't have any backlighting. Same with the other models too. Why is Das expensive and would they be worth to purchase over something like the K70?

I generally prefer the simpler look that Das provides. I have a Das 4 ultimate upstairs right now (I bought it within 2 days of them coming out) and it's still working perfectly. Honestly, the main thing with keyboards at this price range is whether or not you like the look of them. The switches in both boards will likely last about the same length of time, however the lighting in the K70 will almost certainly fail in the K70 within 2 years, whereas the DAS will likely function as it did when it was new for the next 10 years plus. Das is expensive because they use nice materials, and they work on making all of the components last a long time, whereas companies like Corsair are spending that money on looks that won't last as long.

 

 

[QRCodeKiller]

15 minutes ago, KaminKevCrew said:

I generally prefer the simpler look that Das provides. I have a Das 4 ultimate upstairs right now (I bought it within 2 days of them coming out) and it's still working perfectly. Honestly, the main thing with keyboards at this price range is whether or not you like the look of them. The switches in both boards will likely last about the same length of time, however the lighting in the K70 will almost certainly fail in the K70 within 2 years, whereas the DAS will likely function as it did when it was new for the next 10 years plus. Das is expensive because they use nice materials, and they work on making all of the components last a long time, whereas companies like Corsair are spending that money on looks that won't last as long.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, ARikozuM said:

The Das will last much longer compared to the K70, visually speaking. RGB backlighting is an inexpensive add-on for a keyboard that increases the price for little benefit. 

So, the Das is they higher quality keyboard then. which i personally don't mind losing rgb lighting and paying more for. Also after some more research it seems, that the K70 isn't particularly good with Cherry Blues. They Cherry Blue K70's don't seem to have that high pitched clicky sound due to bottoming out on the metal plate and almost all the videos i have seen, the old K70's and the new Lux's all have their large keys such as shift, enter, backspace sounding very bad and hard.

So with the Das keyboards, whats the difference between Das Model S and the Das 4? Other than the dedicated media keys and volume knob, there's a $30 price difference. Which one would be better to purchase?

[ARikozuM]

2 minutes ago, QRCodeKiller said:

 

So, the Das is they higher quality keyboard then. which i personally don't mind losing rgb lighting and paying more for. Also after some more research it seems, that the K70 isn't particularly good with Cherry Blues. They Cherry Blue K70's don't seem to have that high pitched clicky sound due to bottoming out on the metal plate and almost all the videos i have seen, the old K70's and the new Lux's all have their large keys such as shift, enter, backspace sounding very bad and hard.

So with the Das keyboards, whats the difference between Das Model S and the Das 4? Other than the dedicated media keys and volume knob, there's a $30 price difference. Which one would be better to purchase?

As with all peripherals: User preference. I like my Cherry Blues for the satisfying "click!" and media controls since I work at a hospital and reviewing and explaining surgical footage is important.

 

But I'm using the G710 Blue, not the Das Keyboard. 

[MenSuRx]

If you don't need RGB, then pay that extra more for the Das, its very high quality and very professional looking, although the PCB mounted metal plate might be more pleasing to look at. The backlighting on keyboards tend to go wrong after awhile and when it does, it won't feel good anymore and you won't like it.

Also as you said, its seems true that the K70s don't fit well with Cherry MX Blue switches. I noticed that it does not feel or sound good as my Razer Blackwidow 2012. My unit also had the issue where the large keys were stiff to press. This was the new Lux series as well.

As for the difference, I don't know much other difference other than Das Model S needs PS2 connection for NKRO while Das 4 can use NKRO with USB. Of course theres the dedicated media control and volume knob difference you have mentioned.

[dtaflorida]

On 7/19/2016 at 0:59 AM, QRCodeKiller said:

They Cherry Blue K70's don't seem to have that high pitched clicky sound due to bottoming out on the metal plate and almost all the videos i have seen, the old K70's and the new Lux's all have their large keys such as shift, enter, backspace sounding very bad and hard.

 

You seem to like a nice loud click. You could do better with non-cherry blue type switches actually. Outemu  blue switches are louder than Cherry, but yeah the case/plate/internal support of a keyboard does make a big difference to how that sound resonates.

[MenSuRx]

2 minutes ago, dtaflorida said:

You seem to like a nice loud click. You could do better with non-cherry blue type switches actually. Outemu  blue switches are louder than Cherry, but yeah the case/plate/internal support of a keyboard does make a big difference to how that sound resonates.

Lets be honest, anyone thats looking for a Cherry MX Blue loves that loud click sound

Also i think hes saying that the Cherry MX Blues on a K70 makes a heavy, thud noise rather than a nice crisp click. Atleast my K70 Lux did that.

[dtaflorida]

Just now, MenSuRx said:

thud noise rather than a nice crisp click.

I think that happens on a lot of keyboards. The bottom out is always louder than the click. O-rings remove the bottom out 'thock', it's amazing how nice blue switches sound with O-rings. 

[QRCodeKiller]

33 minutes ago, dtaflorida said:

I think that happens on a lot of keyboards. The bottom out is always louder than the click. O-rings remove the bottom out 'thock', it's amazing how nice blue switches sound with O-rings. 

Since i can't explain it, this video might help. It kind of sounds dull compared to the other keyboards he compares it to.

I'm also interested in other manufacturers as well, i haven't heard of Outemu but i have heard of Kailh. But i've also heard other manufacturers aren't as reliable as Cherry, their quality control is worse which leads to inconsistent keys. But i've never tried them.

[dtaflorida]

38 minutes ago, QRCodeKiller said:

other manufacturers aren't as reliable as Cherry, their quality control is worse which leads to inconsistent keys.

I have a keyboard beside me with Cherry MX blues... it has 3+ inconsistent switches ie the blue click sound of some keys is not as loud as the others. In fact, one of them sometimes seems like a brown and doesn't click at all. I found all those keys went bad after 3 months of use, they worked fine in the beginning. 

 

The reliability is only about actuation, not about consistency of the 'click'. All the keys actuate and register key presses to the PC. Then again, every other switch manufacturer is claiming the same or better than cherry for this. 

 

Ultimately the design of the blue switch is an engineering atrocity that is susceptible to inconsistency of the click. If a bit of dust gets inside the switch, you wouldn't be able to tell with a red or brown switch, but with blue... that little plastic piece that drops down suddenly has it's landing impeded ever so slightly making it blatantly obvious to your ears.

 

This is why I have a Void Ray. Anything goes wrong with a switch... I replace it, the individual switch itself, in seconds.

 

Gaote is also sold as Outemu, and Noppoo. They're all actually the same manufacturer.

[QRCodeKiller]

32 minutes ago, dtaflorida said:

I have a keyboard beside me with Cherry MX blues... it has 3+ inconsistent switches ie the blue click sound of some keys is not as loud as the others. In fact, one of them sometimes seems like a brown and doesn't click at all. I found all those keys went bad after 3 months of use, they worked fine in the beginning. 

 

Ultimately the design of the blue switch is an engineering atrocity that is susceptible to inconsistency of the click. If a bit of dust gets inside the switch, you wouldn't be able to tell with a red or brown switch, but with blue... that little plastic piece that drops down suddenly has it's landing impeded ever so slightly making it blatantly obvious to your ears.

Have you tried any other manufacturers switch? Also for O-Rings, is it fine to just use any o-ring from a random manufacturer i can find on amazon?

[dtaflorida]

24 minutes ago, QRCodeKiller said:

Have you tried any other manufacturers switch? Also for O-Rings, is it fine to just use any o-ring from a random manufacturer i can find on amazon?

My Void Ray has Gateron brown switches at the moment, I only had Outemu blues on it because it came with them, which my coworker was very quick to mention how loud my keyboard was when I got it and immediately replaced my other keyboard (note, I was using a 600K with Cherry MX blues before I got the Void Ray and she hadn't made much of a complaint until I got the Void Ray, which is why I switched to Gateron browns ASAP). 

 

O-rings... I have so many. Brand name, generic, big, small...

L size is actually about 1.5 mm. The claim is that they reduce travel .2mm which I think must be the compressed state of the ring, which is a stupid measurement cuz who the hell presses down so hard it reaches it's maximum compression?

 

R looks like it's 2mm thick, reportedly .4mm travel reduction.

 

L and R are common, easy to get.

 

Then there are the rare sizes.

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/20615

 

I got 2.5mm and 3mm rings. 

These in most cases are useless. But in combination with poorly made caps that don't have proper height supports under the caps, are actually useful to me.

 

For most ppl, just get the cheapest thing you can get, clear/translucent for backlighting.

Cheapest I got off amazon were the refaxi rings, but they took like a month to ship from HK.

 

 

Can you tell which one is L and one is R? Truth is these size differences are negligible, and you can't feel the difference.

MK L size rings

Massdrop 2.5mm and 3.0mm rings. At these sizes you can actually feel the difference from L and R rings.

[QRCodeKiller]

How are Cooler Master keyboards? Just found CM Storm Masterkeys with Cherry MX Blues. I've heard CM Storm makes high quality keyboards, so which is better between Cooler Master or Das?

[ARikozuM]

1 hour ago, QRCodeKiller said:

How are Cooler Master keyboards? Just found CM Storm Masterkeys with Cherry MX Blues. I've heard CM Storm makes high quality keyboards, so which is better between Cooler Master or Das?

Das. I had Cooler Master before and they are nice. The other option you can look to is Logitech G710 which is my daily driver at home and work.

[QRCodeKiller]

55 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

Das. I had Cooler Master before and they are nice. The other option you can look to is Logitech G710 which is my daily driver at home and work.

I have heard good things about the G710 and i have looked it up but i just don't like that gamer's shape.

So the highest quality keyboard i can get for around $160 is the Das 4 then?

[ARikozuM]

51 minutes ago, QRCodeKiller said:

I have heard good things about the G710 and i have looked it up but i just don't like that gamer's shape.

So the highest quality keyboard i can get for around $160 is the Das 4 then?

Pretty much. If you're looking for a quality, professional looking keyboard, that's the one.

[QRCodeKiller]

Is it better to get Das Keyboard 4 for $162 or Das Keyboard Ultimate for $130?

[MenSuRx]

22 hours ago, QRCodeKiller said:

Is it better to get Das Keyboard 4 for $162 or Das Keyboard Ultimate for $130?

Do you think its worth $30 more to get NKRO and dedicated media buttons? I personally would, but i don't know about you. Its not the best advice and don't take my word for it. There might be other differences i don't know of so my opinion isn't the best. Try to get an opinion from someone who actually knows the facts about these keyboards lol.

[ARikozuM]

On 7/22/2016 at 4:19 AM, QRCodeKiller said:

Is it better to get Das Keyboard 4 for $162 or Das Keyboard Ultimate for $130?

It's mostly up to you now. I'd go with the Pro for the additional 3.0 hub and printing on the keys as that disorients some people (not me, but a client had to get used to it). Otherwise they are both great and the N-key rollover is good if you're an FPS gamer.