Das Keyboard Prime 13 Review: A clean, focused mechanical keyboard

[Jos]

Metadot has built a reputation for creating simple and clean-looking, high-quality keyboards under the Das Keyboard brand. With every new iteration they’ve been careful not to tweak the formula too much. But as mechanical keyboards have exploded in popularity, especially gaming-oriented ones, you could say they’ve felt the pressure to spread their wings further.

The 2014 Das Keyboard Professional, for example, added an oversized volume rocker and dedicated media keys to the series. Earlier this year Metadot launched a new product line dubbed Division Zero, developed specifically for the gaming community, and they also launched a Kickstarter campaign for a cloud-connected, open API RGB mechanical keyboard.

The new Das Keyboard Prime 13 is a return to their minimalistic roots, delivering only the essentials combined with a great typing experience. There are no dedicated media keys this time around or macro keys that can be programmed however you like, although one much-requested, long overdue feature did make the cut: LED backlighting.

Read the complete review.

 

[Uncle Al]

Sounds like a great keyboard, but I think that $150 price tag is going to make it a LOT less desireable, especially when you can get buy with some of the cheap ones for under $25 everywhere. It gets down to around $50 it would certainly get a lot more attention.

 

[Julio Franco]

Actually mechanical keyboards start at around $80 for the cheaper models, and there are some good ones at that price point. Das' have always come at a premium but they're worthy of my recommendation. My first Das is still on my main workstation 6 years later and it's almost like new.

 

[RusselZiskey]

"Ports have also been reduced from a couple of USB 3.0" to ONE USB 2 port?

*****ic and a deal-breaker. USB 3 has been out for how many years now? And only ONE?

If you have a mouse and thumbdrive... NOPE. A software licensing dongle and a mouse... NOPE.

Retarded.

 

[bluto 2050]

This clean looking back lit Logitech 2 pc. sculptured key G610 Orion Brown with genuine Cherry MX Brown switches and some media buttons and volume roller is sturdy like a brick, all that above and a little more for $89.99 at Amazon . IIRC those DAS keyboards are not German products away .

Note : the Logitech G610 has no USB ports just a braided USB cable and may have a lower anti ghosting rollover key spec (or whatever they call it ) maybe 5 instead of 9 or something like that, OTOH It seems like a lot of KB for the money and entirely plausible for a decent mech. keyboard with media controls that wont break the bank .

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ maybe 6 key rollover on the Logitech G610 instead of N Key Rollover ,some KB have, I read 6 Key Rollover should be good for the 99%

 

[UrbanGecko]

Please can you go look at how they currently scamming the people on kickstarter?! We need people to expose their poor ethics and illegal business practice! they violating section 4 of kickstarters terms of service.

Please can you write about this shocking story?

Go look at their Facebook reviews too!

 

[bluto 2050]

Please can you go look at how they currently scamming the people on kickstarter?!
!

Who ?.... Das keyboard or something else ?

 

[UrbanGecko]

Who ?.... Das keyboard or something else ?

Sorry, forgot to mention...it's daskeyboard themselves with their current Q5 keyboard campaign. Can also go see what people are saying on their Facebook page by the reviews section.

 

[bluto 2050]

IMO their KB products may cost too much more than my black , white back-lit decent Logitech G610 Orion KB with the same type Cherry brown MX mechanical switches and sturdy build + it has media control's and a clever volume roller and a nice braided cord and 2 position front feet for $89.99 that probably all works more than well enough for the 99% , you can get red switches also and Logitech wont be going anywhere soon .