Das 6 Keyboard Professional Review

After immersing itself in gaming with RGB-lit keyboards, elite brand Das Keyboard has once again focused on productivity. Like the company’s recent MacTigr keyboard for Apple users, the $199 Das Keyboard 6 Professional features the exemplary build quality and design that defines the brand’s reputation, while offering some very simple but forward-looking features. trendsetters such as USB-C and removable ports. feet. You’d be right to expect even more features at this price, but assuming you can afford it, the 6 Pro is a joy to type.

Das keyboard goes pro

The 6 Professional returns to the classic Das Keyboard design: it’s a wired full-size keyboard with a standard 104-key layout. The design is black and white and all professional, with a black anodized aluminum top casing and dual-grip black ABS keycaps that provide a stark contrast to the white LED backlighting. It weighs 2.7 pounds, so it’s not a keyboard you’ll want to rest on your lap.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

The utility RGB lighting of the fourth and fifth generation models of Das Keyboard is gone, along with support for the company’s Q configuration software. Aside from RGB, the lack of configuration software cuts off access to other customization options that are a staple among most high-end keyboards, including the ability to remap keys and create macros. .

Unlike the MacTigr and some of the firm’s other recent keyboards, the 6 Pro returns the classic Das tab to the top right corner by the large volume button. You’ll find a large aluminum scroll wheel and four utility buttons: play/pause, track skip, backlight brightness control and a key to put your PC to sleep. Das Keyboard markets the sleep button as an eco-friendly feature because it simplifies the process of temporarily limiting your PC’s power consumption without shutting it down. You’re unlikely to buy the keyboard for this reason, but if you’re used to sleeping instead of shutting down your system at the end of the day, it’s nice to be able to do so with just one button.

The most distinctive feature of the Das Keyboard 6 Professional is USB-C support, a leap into the modern era. The keyboard cable has USB-C connectors, although a USB Type-A adapter is included. More importantly, it features two USB-C pass-through ports on the back of the upper right tab. I’m a sucker for a keyboard that doubles as a USB hub, and it’s worth double that for one that gives you extra USB-C ports (probably because I only have one USB-C port there). back of my desktop PC).

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

A quirky new feature is the screw-in keyboard feet – round plastic feet with rubber pads instead of the usual flip-up tabs to prop up the back of the keyboard. I’m of two opinions about them: for one thing, removing the internal feet helps keep the keyboard flat if you like it that way. On the other hand, it means more parts to take up space or misplace. That said, the keyboard feels sturdier on these feet than some I’ve used with thinner, taller props.

The 6 Pro’s focus on productivity also applies to its limited choice of mechanical switches. The keyboard we tested features Cherry MX Brown tactile switches, which are quiet with a tactile bump. You can also opt for the clicky Cherry MX Blue switches, which have a similar feel but a louder, louder sound. I generally prefer Brown switches for writing, as they provide a great balance of resistance and displacement to create a satisfying feel. Typing on the 6 Pro is comfortable and fast, whether you’re spending 10 minutes on an email or an entire day writing, say, a keyboard review.

(Credit: Kyle Cobian)

That said, I find it curious that Das Keyboard doesn’t offer an option for Cherry’s third core choice, MX Red linear switches. Linear switches are geared more towards gaming as they have a light touch, but I have to imagine some users might like the hair trigger keys on a desktop keyboard.

Verdict: a uniform keyboard feel

The Das Keyboard 6 Professional is an excellent mechanical keyboard. Its Cherry MX switches feel great, as they always do, and while it only has a few extra features, they make a strong impression. There aren’t many keyboards with a dedicated sleep key, and there are almost none with two USB-C passthroughs. Although the abandonment of the configuration software seems like an odd omission, only a limited number of power users will likely miss it.

Then again, it doesn’t look good missing features at $199, so the 6 Pro falls short of an Editors’ Choice price. Basically, it falls into a divide between elite productivity keyboards like the wireless Logitech MX Mechanical, with its full suite of productivity features, and enterprise enthusiast keyboards like Drop, Ducky, and Vissles that primarily focus on feel and aesthetics. Ultimately, this middle ground is actually a sweet spot for anyone who cares about typing feel but wants a full-size layout and some quality of life features. The 6 Pro is sleek and focused; everything he does, he does well.