Das Keyboard buyer’s guide 2023
In English we just call it 'The Keyboard'
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Das Keyboard is a brand that you might have heard of before. They have gained considerable notoriety as a premium and somewhat elusive-seeming brand. Thanks in no small part to their role in popularizing the blank keyboard.
Since their beginnings back in 2005 when they “designed a blank keyboard specifically for uber-geeks” they’ve grown in popularity as a result of their Germanic branding and striking keyboard design.
Since Das Keyboard is a pretty interesting company, and they made some great keyboards, we’ll go over their range of mechanical keyboards for 2022. Fair warning that these aren’t gaming keyboards, so take a look at our best gaming keyboard page for those.
Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate & Professional
We’re going to start with what we believe to be the current jewel in their crown, the Das Keyboard Ultimate 4. It retains its game-changing heritage with the entirely blank keycaps
It also adds some newer up-to-date creature comforts that we wish were more ubiquitous these days.
Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate Blank Wired Mechanical Keyboard
Switch type
Cherry MX Brown or Blue
From factor
Full-size
Connectivity
USB 3.0, 2 port hub
Hotswappable?
No
Keycaps
Blank ABS
If you’re partial to a blacked-out, stealth desk setup, the Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate is the best you can get.
The Cherry MX switches mean that you don’t sacrifice typing feel, and the like aluminum top plate makes for a solid and planted user experience.
Additionally, the full suite of media controls on the upper right means that full control is all within an arm’s reach.
If you’re less confident in your key-finding ability, Das Keyboard has relented and made a ‘Professional’ variant of this keyboard.
Das Keyboard 4 Professional Wired Mechanical Keyboard
Switch type
Cherry MX Brown or Blue
From factor
Full-size
Connectivity
USB 3.0, 2 port hub
Hotswappable?
No
Keycaps
ABS
With both the ultimate and professional variants of Das Keyboard’s top dog, you’ll have to bare in mind the considerable cost of the board.
They both go for a somewhat eye-watering $179.00. This is pretty expensive but when we’re talking keyboards, you can easily spend upwards of $300.
So, within the overall price landscape of keyboards, it’s not too bad.
READ MORE: Here are the best mechanical keyboards you can get right now.
Das Keyboard 5QS
Here we get an example of a ‘smart keyboard’. The Das Keyboard 5QS has dynamic backlighting that actively changes color per-key to indicate to the user changes.
For example the ‘F1’ key will get more red and more bright as the temperature at any given location increases.
The Das Keyboard can use different keys to show different system aspects like RAM usage, CPU load, stock updates, and more.
Additionally, it has integrations with many more online utilities and comes with a software package than allows you to customize what notifications you get, how often, and when.
Das Keyboard 5QS Smart RGB Programmable Mechanical Keyboard
Switch type
Gamma Zulu tactile
Form factor
Full-size
Connectivity
USB 3.0
Hotswappable
No
Keycaps
ABS
It’s the most expensive keyboard of their lineup, but given that it’s mechanical, fully backlit, and houses smart technology, it might just be worth it.
It might not get you the best possible gaming performance, but if you’re a programmer, accountant, or otherwise office-based person, it could give you the producitivity increase you need.
Das Keyboard 4C TKL
You might have noticed at this point that Das Keyboard doesn’t cater to the small form factor keyboards.
This is unfortunate as small keyboards are becoming more and more popular as people age out of using a Numpad and start to favor macros over Funtion keys.
While Das Keyboard haven’t jumped on the 60% keyboard train just yet, they have made a TKL, the Das Keyboard 4C TKL.
Das Keyboard 4C TKL
Switch type
Factory-lubed Cherry MX Brown
Form factor
TKL
Connectivity
USB 2.0, 2 port USB hub
Hotswappable
No
Keycaps
PBT
This is definitely the most entusiast-focussed product from Dad Keyboard. It features factory lubed switches, a more compact TKL layout (obviously), and Das keyboard’s chartacteristically stealth vibe, this time courtesy of a black-on-grey color scheme that we absolutely love.
READ MORE: ABS vs PBT keycaps: Which is better?
