Das Keyboard Model S Professional Review
Overview
As mechanical keyboards for both work and Gaming hit an all time high, it’s worth taking a look back in history to see where popularity in the use of mechanical keyswitches in keyboards really started. Back in 2005 the Metadot Corporation and Das Keyboard produced their first keyboard featuring rubber dome switches, which in their own words ‘was atrocious’. This was soon rectified with the Das Keyboard II which used Cherry MX Blue switches. Something that set these particular keyboards apart were the lack lettering on all the keycaps lending a very stealthlike quality to them both, this wasn’t purely aesthetic of course, but helped to increase productivity (Das Keyboard even do their current range in an ‘Ultimate’ blank keycap state). The success of which soon led to Das Keyboard becoming synonymous with high end mechanical keyboards. A few years later and Das Keyboard are still regarded as manufacturers of serious professional grade keyboards, but what about us Gamers?
Here we have the Das Keyboard Model S Professional
Yet as todays typical Gaming keyboards go, the Das Keyboard Model S Professional offers no dedicated Macro keys, no Macro programming and no LED backlighting. Just a mechanical keyboard in its purest form. Let’s take a closer look!
|
‘What Makes a Mechanical Keyboard Awesome A mechanical keyboard is a high-performance keyboard with tactile and audio feedback so accurate it allows you to execute every keystroke with lightning-fast precision. Because of the durability and construction of the switches, mechanical keyboards are built to last far longer than standard keyboards. Read our Mechanical Keyboard Guide to learn more about what makes a mechanical keyboard awesome. Your fingers will be thanking you.’ |
|
|
The Das Keyboard Model S Professional arrived at pcG in a rather simple but stylish looking box, the front of which is predominantly gloss black in colour. The front also shows us a large picture of the mechanical keyboard hidden inside, the model name, Das keyboard branding and goes on to tell us this particular sample features Cherry MX Brown Switches and a UK layout.
Flipping over the box and we get to see a right sided picture of the Das Keyboard Model S Professional along with specifications for its available keyswitches (blue, brown or red), it then goes on to list the Keyboard’s key features:
|
Opening up the box shows that the Das Keyboard Model S Professional is very well protected within a soft foam envelope and sticky plastic sheet to help prevent scratches. The box is also lined with cardboard bumpers to help prevent the keyboard from moving around and possibly cause damage.
|
Once out of the packaging we get a much clearer look of its contents as follows:
At the time of writing the Das Keyboard Model S Professional keyboard is retailing directly from Amazon
Specifications/Features
courtesy of Das Keyboard
Super Awesome Feel
Behold the outstanding tactile and audio response with every keystroke you make. This high-performance, mechanical keyboard feels amazing on your fingertips and offers three distinct tactile experiences – click, soft and quiet. Your fingers will love it..
Type Significantly Faster
Type faster than you ever thought possible on this mechanical wonder. The addictive tactile feedback allows you to have a faster, more accurate typing experience.
Gold plated switches provide the best contact and typing experience because, unlike other metals, gold does not rust and lasts over time.
Uber Quality
When Germans engineer it, you know it has to be good. We’re perfectionists focused on creating top rated products for our fellow overachievers. Das Keyboard Model S Professional mechanical keyboard is made of the highest-quality materials and robust construction.
|
Product Information
|
Technical Information
|
Even More Information
|
* Additional details available here
First Impressions
Once out of the box we get to see the Das Keyboard Model S Professional much more closely and it is most certainly a good looking keyboard. Even though the Model S offers a full QWERTY keyset and Numpad, it seems deceptively small. This is no doubt down to its sleek glossy black appearance (Darth Vader approved apparently!). The Model S weighs 1.36kg and measures 457mm(L)x165mm(W)x25mm(D) which means it doesn’t just appear to be small, as in comparison to many other mechanical keyboards it actually is.
|
|
The top of the Das Keyboard Model S Professional as I’ve already mentioned, looks great. The entire frame is a glossy black plastic with matte black and laser-etched key caps. The basic inscription colour is white, but the Function and F key secondary functions are all inscribed in a nice contrasting bright blue. I’ll admit I’m a little disappointed that the Das Keyboard Model S Professional doesn’t feature fully independent volume, sleep and media keys, but the additional keycaps would make the Keyboard look more cluttered and spoil its sleek appearance (I guess!?). While looking to the far right and at the top of the Model S we have an unusual hump (please read on).
Over on the back and as per the norm for any keyboard, there really isn’t a lot to see. In all four corners lives four heavy duty rubber anti-slip pads, in addition to these we have two height adjustable stilts. Then in the dead centre a specifications and warranty sticker as well as Das Keyboard parent company Metadot UG details.
|
|
Looking at either side of the Das Keyboard Model S Professional shows the keyboard frame is gently curved rather than flat. Something else of interest is the contour of the keycaps. Rather than being flat like many other keyboards, most mechanical keyboard offer a slightly concave curvature to the keyset to help give you a more comfortable typing (Gaming! 😉 ) experience and to help you avoid wrist strain. Where the Das Keyboard Model S Professional differs slightly is the contour seems to be a little more aggressive.
|
|
From the front and back we see very little (well nothing actually), to set it apart from a myriad of other keyboards. Although from the back we can clearly see the Das Keyboard Model S Professional is only 25mm thick, which makes it very slim for a mechanical keyboard. My only gripe with the keyboard being the USB cable featuring black plastic sleeving rather than braiding.
|
|
The Das Keyboard Model S Professional features two height adjustable stilts. With these extended the maximum height at the rear of the keyboard is 38mm, while the keyboard is flat it’s 25mm. This makes the Das Keyboard Model S Professional possibly the slimmest mechanical keyboard I’ve seen to date.
|
|
Getting back to that unusual hump in the top right corner of the Das Keyboard Model S Professional we get to see the Das Keyboard logo in red and white offering a rather nice contrast to the glossy black keyboard. What you can’t see is the very stealthily hidden lock icons which light up blue when the relevant key is depressed.
Of course this doesn’t explain the hump, but moving to a side on view we can see two discreetly placed high-speed USB 2.0 ports.
Hardware Installation
|
The Das Keyboard Model S Professional features two USB plugs. One of these is for the on-board USB hub, the other for the keyboard itself. If choosing to use the Model S via USB you will only receive a 6 key n-key rollover, however by using the included USB/PS2 adapter the Das Keyboard Model S Professional gains full n-key rollover. |
Testing Methodology/Setup
The Das Keyboard Model S Professional was tested on the pcG Test Rig, a fresh installation of Windows Home Premium 64bit (service pack 1) was performed prior to testing.
The following Games were used during testing:
- Evolve (ALPHA)
- Metro 2033
- DayZ(BETA)
Hardware Performance
As I type away on the Das Keyboard Model S Professional with its heavily contoured keyset and Cherry MX Brown keyswitches, I could happily say as a productive keyboard it is fantastic, but that isn’t what you want to hear is it!?
As a Gaming keyboard, the Das Keyboard Model S Professional doesn’t tick many of the boxes you’d expect. It is plug and play which means it requires no software installation, this also means the Model S offers no Macro programming. In addition to these negatives, the Das Keyboard Model S Professional doesn’t feature any RGB backlighting, in fact apart from the lock key LED the keyboard features no lighting at all!
What it does offer is a very precise and comfortable Gaming experience. The angle of the keyboard, the contour of the layout and even the keycaps themselves are perfect for resting your fingers on during fast pace shooters. Whilst the soft tactile feedback of the Cherry MX Brown switches and the fast and accurate full n-key rollover make everything feel more fluid in game. Surprisingly I’ve even warmed to the Cherry MX Brown switches! Being a heavy handed Gamer I tend to bottom out each key when pressed and have always chosen Cherry MX Blue for their more audible tactile click (very much a placebo effect methinks), but with the softer feel of the Brown switch I didn’t need to…
Another huge benefit for those heavy handed Gamers amongst us is the actual build quality. The weight and metal brace plate beneath the Das Keyboard Model S Professional keycaps help towards giving the Keyboard an incredible sturdiness. This is one very heavy duty Keyboard that gives you the impression that you could literally be hammering away at the keys for years before they give out, in fact if I kept on using the Das Keyboard Model S Professional for the next few years, I think my fingers would give out first with arthritis!
The Das Keyboard Model S Professional might not be your typical Gaming keyboard by any means, but it does offer you what could possibly be the most productive typing experience for a mechanical keyboard out there, whilst doubling up us a damn good Gaming keyboard as well.
Final Thoughts
When is a Gaming keyboard, not a Gaming keyboard? (or should that be vice-versa?). When it’s the Das Keyboard Model S Professional
The Das Keyboard Model S Professional came to pcG in a sleekly styled and predominately black cardboard box. Inside which the keyboard itself was very well protected and covered by a sheet of sticky plastic, inside a soft foam envelope and wedged between cardboard bumpers.
Once out of the box the minimalist styling of the ‘Darth Vader approved’ high gloss black plastic, mixed with the matte black soft coating of the keycaps looked very pleasing to the eye. In fact I’d go so far as to say it looks fantastic!
Performance wise the Das Keyboard Model S Professional clearly isn’t a Keyboard aimed squarely at Gamers. It features no dedicated Macro keys, no Macro programming, no software and no backlighting, in fact the only backlighting is supplied courtesy of the keylock icons! Yet the Das Keyboard Model S Professional still does a brilliant job. With the build quality of a tank, perfectly contoured keyset and keycaps, combined with the soft but tactile feedback supplied courtesy of the Cherry MX Brown keyswitches. The Das Keyboard Model S Professional offers a very comfortable and fast experience for typists and day-to-day users, but also doubles up as a very good Gaming keyboard as well.
Although the Das Keyboard Model S Professional is also supplied with a polishing cloth to help keep ‘Darth Vader’s’ helmet, I mean the the Keyboard surround smear free, it is a fingerprint magnet. I also found that despite the keycaps being laser etched, the typical WASD Gaming keys looked as if they were slightly wearing after two weeks use (very heavy handed use of course!), but that’s not a good sign…
If you can overlook the lack of Macros or LED backlighting, the Das Keyboard Model S Professional offers a very good experience while Gaming, it is also a very good day-to-day keyboard (something that is very rare with todays mechanical keyboards targeted at Gamers) and it feels like it will last for years. Where it falls foul in my eyes are keycap wear and the price. At approximately £105.00, the Das Keyboard Model S Professional is pretty expensive for what is ultimately a no frills mechanical Keyboard, even if it is a damn good one.
Verdict
Please Share, Like & Comment below, we really value your thoughts and opinions…
|
Where possible we always use Amazon’s price for Value… |
Design/Quality |  |
 |
|
| Performance |  |
|||
| Value |  |
|||
| Overall | |
Many thanks to Das Keyboard for providing this sample for review
