Pros & Cons
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- Provides an outstanding experience for both the fingers and the ears.
- Hefty construction.
- Integrated USB hub.
- Can support full n-key rollover.
- Now works with KVMs.
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- Very expensive.
- No media keys.
- Full n-key rollover requires PS/2 port connection.
- The Blank Ultimate version may drive non-touch typists insane.
The difference between a mediocre keyboard and a great one isn't one you see—it's one you feel. And when you use one of Metadot's Das Keyboards you get one of the finest feels around, with light, bouncy action that makes you feel more like a Carnegie Hall piano virtuoso than an office drone. In many ways, it's the ideal typing experience: a wonderfully satisfying throwback to the days of typewriters, when how the keys moved was important as the characters they produced.
In that respect the new Das Keyboard Model S ($129.99 direct) doesn't just live up to its predecessors, the
As with the previous models, this Das Keyboard exists not to change your natural typing rhythm, but to remove all impediments that keep you from achieving your maximum levels of speed and comfort. It does this by way of heavy-duty, gold-plated mechanical key switches (rated for 50 million operations) that you can really hear—the kind of fulfilling, useful aural feedback that dome switch (usually referred to as "membrane") keyboards
The Model S also retains the series' unparalleled quality of construction: Das Keyboards are among the most serious-looking and serious-feeling keyboards out there. It has the unapologetic dimensions of a full-size keyboard (0.95 by 17.95 by 6.58 inches, HWD) with a solid weight (2.6 pounds) behind it; a 6.6-foot cable, guaranteeing you'll be able to connect it to your PC regardless of your desk setup; classy, all-black coloring (matte on the keys, glossy elsewhere—you'll definitely want to hang onto the included buffing cloth to dispense with the fingerprints it will quickly collect) with elegant blue lighting for the NumLock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock notifications; the two-port USB 2.0 hub introduced
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Final Thoughts
Das Keyboard Model S Ultimate
If you think the cost is high for a keyboard, you're right, but the Das Keyboard Model S more than gives you your money worth. With gold-plated mechanical key switches (rated for upwards of 50 million key presses), you can both feel and hear the elegant, comfortable typing experience you'll receive. There are no media keys, and if you want to be able to press more than six keys at once, you'll need to connect via your PS/2 port. But these—and the $130 (direct)—are small prices to pay for one of the best keyboards (whether labeled or blank) on the market.