Das Keyboard

If keyboards don't get you, erm, "excited," go ahead and don't bother reading this post.

I recieved my Das Keyboard in the mail. I'm typing this post on it right now.

Summary:
I like. If you're thinking of getting one of these, go for it. Considering how much time many of us actually spend using a keyboard each day, it's a perfectly reasonable thing to drop ~$70 on.

You can read reviews and descriptions of the keyboard all over the place, it's been in the news a decent amount lately. I'll tell you what I'm noticing that I haven't already read elsewhere.

The num/scroll/caps-lock lights are labeled, and I could do without that.

The only other writing on the front is the "Das Keyboard" logo in the upper-left. I could see that being useful if I come home really drunk and forget what it is. "Das Maus? Nein. Das Keyboard."

It's designed to look like an old IBM Type-M, but it doesn't have nearly the same sort of heft. That is to say, unlike it's predecessor, I'd think twice before trying to use it as a murder weapon (Weight: 2lbs Type: Bludgeoning Damage: 1D6 Crit: 20)

I expect the individual-switch design will make it more durable than a membrane-based keyboard, but the overall there's nothing especially sturdy about the craftmanship. I'm not saying it's flimsy, but it doesn't stand out as being a rock of durability either.

I really dig the key action. For the first few sentences, the variable weighting on the keys was throwing me off. I have gotten used to it rather quickly, however, and now I'm happily typing away. I'm tempted to say it's the best action I've felt on a keyboard in many, many years. To me, getting key action this good is already worth the full price of the keyboard. The sexy blank keycaps is just icing on the cake.

Clickclickclickclickclickclick.

I think I'm going to be ordering a few more. For work, for home, for backup. Maybe in a week or so, after I've had a chance to burn this one in a bit.