Das Keyboard
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| Manufacturer | Metadot |
|---|---|
| Keyswitches |
Rubber dome Cherry MX Blue Greetech GT02 series Omron B3K series Alpha Zulu |
Das Keyboard is a keyboard family from Metadot most known for having completely blank keycaps.
Contents
Main line
Das Keyboard
Introduced in 2005, the original Das Keyboard was a rebranded black Key Tronic E03600 family rubber dome keyboard, custom ordered with all blank keys.[Citation needed]
Das Keyboard II
Following on from the success of the rubber dome model, Metadot followed it up with a mechanical version in 2006: a Cherry G80-3000 bearing the same old-style Das Keyboard as the original model. The keycaps were POM. The keyboard used PCB-mounted Cherry MX Blue switches.
Cherry has sold a similar model with its own logo as the G80-3000LFCXY-2, but these might be even rarer than the Das Keyboard II.
Das Keyboard III
In 2008, Metadot introduced a fully custom product. This was available as the Das Keyboard Professional (with keycap legends for the first time) and Das Keyboard Ultimate (with the traditional blank legends). With this generation came a large variety of models including a model targeted to Macintosh users.
Das Keyboard 4
The 4th iteration of the Das Keyboard line was revealed in March 2014. The design retains the extended section in the top-right corner for the 'daskeyboard' logo. The LED cluster has been revised to make way for dedicated media keys and an oversized volume knob. As of 29th of March, 2014, the Das Keyboard 4 is available for pre-order in two variants. The standard 'Das Keyboard 4 Professional' and the blank 'Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate'. Both keyboards can be ordered with Cherry MX blue or brown switches. But there is a variant with Greetech brown switches as well.
Tenkeyless
Das Keyboard 4C
The 4C, introduced in 2015, is a tenkeyless version of the Das Keyboard 4. It is the first Das keyboard since 2006 not to use Cherry MX switches; instead, it is built around Greetech Cherry knock-offs. Metadot seems to be trying to obfuscate this fact on their website, where their 4C product page refers simply to the keyboard's "mechanical key switches" (as opposed to "Cherry MX mechanical key switches" on earlier models' pages).
Other lines
Das Keyboard 5Q
The 5Q was presented on the crowdfunding web site Kickstarter in July 2016, for delivery in December 2016. This is a cloud-connected keyboard with the backlighting of each key's RGB LED to be controlled over the Internet. It uses tactile "Gamma Zulu" switches from Omron with backlighting centred on each key surface.
The software is only for Microsoft Windows. Metadot has been accused of banning users from its 5Q forum for mentioning that open source software exists for it on Mac and Linux.[1]
Das Keyboard X40
The Das Keyboard X40 "Pro Gamer Mechanical Keyboard" (formerly known as Division Zero X40) uses "Alpha Zulu" switches, supposedly Cherry MX clones from Greetech. The keyboard has five macro keys (similar to the Razer BlackWidow) and red backlighting. The top panel of aluminium is replaceable, with alternative top panels available to buy for an extra $29.
References
- ↑ Reddit — Das Keyboard banning users from the 5Q forums for mentions of open source. Posted 2018-10-07. Retrieved 2018-12-15
External links
- Daskeyboard.com — Company web site Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- Wikipedia — Das Keyboard
- MacObserver.com — Review of Model S (Wayback Machine). Posted 2012-08-16. Archived 2012-10-02.
