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I wanted to use my keyboard heavily before writing up the review, and it's been my primary board for the past 5 or 6 months. I'll start with Pros and Cons, and give my summary at the end.
Pros:
- The switches: I've tried Cherry MX Blues, Greens, Blacks, Browns, as well as a handful from several other companies, but Clears remain my favorite. There aren't a huge amount of options for fullsize Clear boards, and WASD deserve props for supporting them. Switches are largely subjective, but for me, the feel and weight are near perfect, and I haven't noticed any significant weight variation across the entire board.
- The keycap feel: I went with side printed PBT, because I was worried about top print wearing off. These have a great texture which doesn't get in the way, and they don't pick up any grease or oil. They're relatively thick, and don't have a delicate feel like some of the thinner PBT caps I've used.
- DIP Switches: If you don't have a fully programmable board, WASD DIP switches are one of the better alternatives. Support for Dvorak, Mac, and Colemak is fantastic, and swapping Caps Lock with Ctrl is one of the most useful options.
- FN keys: The function commands are genuinely useful, and arranged in both a logical and reachable location.
- Cable management: WASD cases allow 5 different channels for your cable, which is nice.
- Bonuses: A sticker, cap puller, PS/2 to USB adapter, and a few bonus caps.
Cons:
- The Case: The black plastic has a nice texture, which doesn't shine or show too much dust. But the way the housing is finished and put together leaves something to be desired. My $70 CM Storm has less flex in the case, with smaller gaps. The biggest issue is the case right in front of the spacebar, where I rest my thumb a lot when working. Pressing on it causes an audible creak, and it moves horizontally and vertically a few millimeters. I bottom out on a lot of my key presses, and I'm pretty certain that it would be quieter and echo less if the case were more solid.
- Key stabilizers: This keyboard uses Cherry stabilizers, which work fine unless you hit the edge of a key. Particularly on the right Shift, hitting the key on the extreme edges causes the key to become lopsided, and you have to depress the opposite side to balance it out. I haven't had a key become stuck this way, but it can be annoying.
- Keycap profile: largely subjective, but the OEM profile isn't nearly as nice as Cherry profile. WASD does a great job offering custom caps, but there's a large amount of interest in custom keycaps and different profiles, and it would be great to offer additional profiles.
Summary: I'm a software developer, and needed a fullsize board with heavier switches. I loved the monolithic look of the white caps on the black board. Every time I look at it, I'm reminded of the control panels on the Death Star in Star Wars. The cap and switch feel isn't perfect, but it's great, and I never have to worry about cleaning my caps due to oil or dust, since they're white PBT. I really don't like the case, and would have swapped it already if high quality 104 key cases were more widely available. There's very few noticeable cost cutting measures with the WASD board, apart from maybe the cheaper rubber-coated USB cable and lack of full programming. But the case movement and creaking feel cheap after prolonged usage. I hope this is improved with the V3 board, but it's definitely something to keep in mind if you're buying a WASD V2. However, I'd still recommend this board. All in all, I've been more than happy with it for the past 6 months, and intend to use it for years to come.
A (VERY) overdue thanks to Deskthority and WASD for the contest and the great keyboard, it's been a pleasure to type on!
