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.