Intro

A computer keyboard, apart from being a place to keep your food crumbs, its primary function is to allow you to input text or commands into the computer.

Our keyboard “guest” today would be something that rarely known by commoners out there, a brief history should keep those question marks away from their head.

There was two types of keyboards when computer keyboard was introduced back in 80s – one is mechanical keyboard and the other one is membrane keyboard. Mechanical keyboard produces loud “clack clack” sound when you type and is superbly good to use but expensive to produce, while membrane keyboard is totally opposite. Sooner or later, rubber dome keyboards was invented, because of lower cost to produce along with good usability, quickly, it became more popular than its older brothers. Despite rubber dome keyboards dominated the market, membrane keyboards are still being used on low cost systems, and mechanical keyboards are still being used by several industries and among enthusiast users.

Why mechanical keyboard? This leaves everything to the user’s perspective. I would generally divide them into 3 groups of different thoughts:

1. The first group thinks that all the keyboards are the same, one does not need to pay extra for flashy gaming keyboard or mechanical keyboard. They would feel satisfied with their RM20 keyboard as long as the keyboard works flawlessly.
2. The second group thinks that keyboards only worth to pay for the premium price if it comes with unique features such as LED lights, macro keys, media control and etc.
3. Lastly, the third group thinks interacting with a computer is a critical procedure and the keyboard must be of best of the best, no matter the build quality or feature in order to deliver maximum user experience. Mechanical keyboards are built for them.

Tech Specs

Features Description

1. PCB two-sided routing, safety guaranteed
2. Separated wiring, easy to carry
3. Illuminated keyboard, charming and fascinating
4. Dual coted keycaps, subtle feelings of touch, delicate work
5. On/Off Dip Switch to define the functions of the keyboard
6. Automatically adjust the entering repeated speed

Product Specification

1. Supporting Interface: USB & PS/2
2. Supporting N-Key Rollover (PS/2),USB any 6 Keys
3. Five levels of Light Adjustment function
4. Three different LED lighting areas switching function
5. Whole keyboard LED backlit breathing mode
6. Specially processed dual coated keycaps allow the visibility of LED backlit
7. Supporting multi-media shortcut keys
8. Adopting Cherry MX series key switches
9. Four functional shortcut keys
10. Four buttons On/Off Dip Switch

Source: Ducky Channel *(Ducky Channel is a Taiwan company and their English site just launched not long ago… well Engrishy)

Packaging

Don’t expect fancy packaging like what Razer have for their products. Ducky’s packaging is considered very good if you compare with other mechanical keyboard’s packaging, eg. Filco and Leopold.

Back of the box with multiple languages of product description. Nothing fancy, just black and white.

Open box, it ain’t look classy but served its purpose.

Taking everything out of the box. The keyboard is sleeved in the black keyboard sleeve. The sleeve is made of some sort of microfibre cloth and it attracts tiny dust and hairs.

What you get:

• Keyboard
• USB cable
• USB to PS/2 adapter
• Red WASD key caps
• Ring key cap puller (crap)
• Clear plastic keyboard cover
• Keyboard sleeve
• (not in picture) Ducky keyboard wrist rest

Ducky Channel has special promotion for Malaysia’s market, which for every purchase of DK-9008S, you’ll get a free full size wrist rest. Since the stock is not available at the moment, hence we only could redeem it during next restock .

Look, Feel, Usability

“Isn’t it looks exactly like a normal RM20 keyboard? Why so expensive? Looks so outdated without any special design, except the blings.”

You probably won’t see the difference from its appearance, but once you type a few words on it, you’ll understand how well the quality is.

And the weight of this keyboard is HEAVY. You can use it as your personal shield/weapon and you’ll still able to use it after blocking a knife or smacking the thief’s head.

There’s 4 extra shortcut keys.

Bottom. The rubber feet is quite thick and holds the keyboard in position. There’s a “birth certificate” which lasered onto a thin piece of aluminium plate

The cable routing could be seen at the top part of the keyboard. The cable routing slot is a little too tight, you need to put in extra force if you want to route your cable to the left or right side.

Elevation feet. There’s no rubber feet on it and the angle of elevation is too low.

This is the worst part of the whole keyboard.

Switches to turn off/on several key features such as Windows keys, ALT key, Caps Lock key…

Detachable cable.

6KRO can be achieved via USB interface, else you could achieve NKRO via USB to PS/2 adapter.

The included red WASD key caps and the o-ring key puller.

That o-ring key puller is pure crap. Better to use Filco metal wire key puller.

The all glorious Cherry MX Brown switch, coupled with LED lights.

Installed the red key caps on. After using it for a while I feel a bit awkward and changed it back to black key caps.

Below is a video on different LED modes & brightness.

Conclusion

Pros:

• Above average build quality – Solid
• Aluminium plate mounted – Not as solid as steel plate, but good enough
• Cherry MX switches
• 6KRO over USB; NKRO over PS/2
• Detachable cable
• Full LED backlight (108 individual LEDs, including spacebar)
• Special function – adjustable lighting mode and brightness
• Multimedia control
• Accessories – WASD key caps, keyboard sleeve, free wrist rest

Subjective:

• Cherry MX Brown switch (Tactile, non-clicky)
• LED backlight
• Plate mounted
• Physical switches for key configuration
• Cherry stabilizers

Cons:

• Heavy
• Premium price – this costs me RM400++++++++++
• ABS Dual coated illuminated key caps – looks horrible when the coating wears off
• Limited customizability – illuminated key caps are rare (limited customization)
• Short cable
• Short elevation
• Ring key puller

Don’t be fooled by the “Ducky” name, it may sound funny but they produce high quality keyboards. Famous brand doesn’t mean they have the best products, unknown brand doesn’t mean they have lousy products.

If you type a lot and enjoy using your computer in a way that you think a set of proper computing equipment is very important, I bet you’ll fall in love with mechanical keyboard once you type on it. The keyboard feels superbly good to type on and I’m not going to rubber dome keyboard anymore.

If you have doubt in what I’m saying, mark my words, once you try it you’ll know what’s so special about them. I can introduce you shops that stock mechanical keyboards that has test units for you to play with. If you can’t tell what’s the difference, you better off staying with your current rubber dome keyboard which is more cheap, otherwise

Getting involved with mechanical keyboards is like on drugs / sex, you just can’t stop.

Good news is that several famous rubber dome keyboard producers have introduced their very first mechanical gaming keyboard to the market which then followed by other makers as well as other new brands under the marketing scheme of “gaming keyboard”. Sad to see that mechanical keyboard has to be resurrected in such a hideous way.

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