Das Keyboard 6 Professional

[VSG]

Das Keyboard introduces its latest in the Pro keyboard line with the Keyboard 6 Professional. It retains several features people liked on the previous model but with updates, including Type-C connectivity and spare ports as well as white backlighting on all switches.

Show full review

 

[Chrispy_]

The 12-year-old Model S I have kicking around at work is still the best Das Keyboard IMO. Since then they've just been fettling with unnecessary rubbish whilst increasing costs while the rest of the market has caught up and dramatically reduced the cost of the bar which the model-S set.

Given that you can buy a model S for $109, I'm not sure USB-C ports and a volume wheel are worth $90 and a 12 year wait.

 

[mechtech]

Seems mechanical keyboards are another things that's gone way up. I remember pre-covid most of the stuff from wasd was about $115, now it's almost $200 as well. Convert that to CAD, add in shipping and taxes and it's $300. Sorry HARD pass.

CODE V3 104-Key Mechanical Keyboard - Cherry MX Clear

WASD Keyboards offers custom mechanical keyboards, custom Cherry MX keycaps, and other mechanical keyboard accessories.

www.wasdkeyboards.com

 

[lexluthermiester]

While I agree with the price, everything else looks good to me! I like this keyboard. If I didn't already have one I love, I'd consider giving it a shot!

 

[Gmr_Chick]

I'm no hardcore keyboard enthusiast (keebsnob) but even I'm finding it extremely difficult to find just what exactly makes this a $200 keyboard. Thin and cheap ABS caps, old as hell iterations of Cherry Brown and Blue switches, no hotswap, no customization whatsoever via software or otherwise, no braided and/or detachable cable, 2 USB C ports, rather than 1 C and 1 A (for versatility), not even a basic wrist rest.

To me, Das looks like it's just trying to profit by nostalgia with this board. Because there's nothing here that warrants the stupid price tag.

 

[Yttersta]

in addition to play/pause and skip media

Weird design choice there to use a stop icon (you know, the rectangular icon that's been used for the past 50 years in all media players for stopping playback, not pausing it) for what is a pause button. What a small detail to drive me mad.

Love that they didn't skip another with the usb-c cable; a 3.2 type-c hub right on the keyboard is great for quick data transfers.

@VSG If you still have the keyboard on your hands, could you do a power delivery test to see how much it can deliver? I read that the power is shared between the keyboard in your article but still; if it's got proper PD support the 5-6W at most, which the keyboard might use will be very little. In which case it would at least give a reason to the sin of using a non-detachable usb cable in 2022; you know, guaranteeing a quality cable if PD is up to 100w then I'd be less annoyed by this.

 

[VSG]

Weird design choice there to use a stop icon (you know, the rectangular icon that's been used for the past 50 years in all media players for stopping playback, not pausing it) for what is a pause button. What a small detail to drive me mad.

Love that they didn't skip another with the usb-c cable; a 3.2 type-c hub right on the keyboard is great for quick data transfers.

@VSG If you still have the keyboard on your hands, could you do a power delivery test to see how much it can deliver? I read that the power is shared between the keyboard in your article but still; if it's got proper PD support the 5-6W at most, which the keyboard might use will be very little. In which case it would at least give a reason to the sin of using a non-detachable usb cable in 2022; you know, guaranteeing a quality cable if PD is up to 100w then I'd be less annoyed by this.

No USB PD on the keyboard, I remember trying to charge my phone and it was pretty slow. Remember that USB 3.2 Gen 1 is USB 3.0 renamed.

 

[Yttersta]

No USB PD on the keyboard, I remember trying to charge my phone and it was pretty slow.

Ah :-/ That USB-A to type-C change is solely on the connector side of things, then. Too bad as when coupled, a detachable cable + usb PD would've made this a worthy upgrade from Das 4. This is a no go for me... and that ridiculous stop button. My Das 4 has a full array of media buttons instead of this, what a silly cost cutting choice (I mean, it must have been cost cutting, why else?).

 

[Tartaros]

A 200$ keyboard should have PBT keycaps.

 

[vmarv]

A 200$ keyboard should have PBT keycaps.

A 200$ keyboard should purr you like a cat every time you touch the keys.

 

[katzi]

ABS keycaps, and soldered switches and unlubed stabs from the early 00s?

The audacity....

 

[Frick]

They easily makes the most handsome keyboards.

 

[Vayra86]

The 12-year-old Model S I have kicking around at work is still the best Das Keyboard IMO. Since then they've just been fettling with unnecessary rubbish whilst increasing costs while the rest of the market has caught up and dramatically reduced the cost of the bar which the model-S set.

Given that you can buy a model S for $109, I'm not sure USB-C ports and a volume wheel are worth $90 and a 12 year wait.

Glad you said it, my first impression here was, oh gosh, 2005 wants its keyboard back.

A volume knob, I mean lol. You're either using a headset or a receiver of some sort, on any half decent gaming system, and you'll have access to other places to set volume or its just fine as is forever. And to have the knob you get an even bulkier full size KB, while the trend is <100% keyboards for gaming.

My amazement just doesn't even reach the price point for this box of weird decisions. There is completely nothing special about this K/B. Why?

 

[Chrispy_]

There is completely nothing special about this K/B. Why?

Indeed. No clue, and I'm with @VSG on this - Flagship pricing ought to mean PBT caps, replaceable switches, RGBLED, and a replaceable cord - at a bare minimum.
"Come on DAS, you can do better than this"

I don't personally care for RGBLED and set white either "white" or "off" for any LED stuff I own, but RGBLED is almost a requirement these days if you're going to have lights at all. The rest of it clearly shows a total stagnation in Das' portfolio with so much of the review being true of 2017 and 2014 models too.

 

[Vayra86]

Indeed. No clue, and I'm with @VSG on this - Flagship pricing ought to mean PBT caps, replaceable switches, RGBLED, and a replaceable cord - at a bare minimum.
"Come on DAS, you can do better than this"

I don't personally care for RGBLED and set white either "white" or "off" for any LED stuff I own, but RGBLED is almost a requirement these days if you're going to have lights at all. The rest of it clearly shows a total stagnation in Das' portfolio with so much of the review being true of 2017 and 2014 models too.

Even the placement of that volume knob. The longer I think about it, the more silly it becomes.

Look at how it protrudes from the keyboard edge. Now consider a right-handed mouse user frantically gaming. You're definitely going to hit that knob and yank the volume all the way to max or min with a mouse move, sooner or later. In RTS & shooter games I always find my mouse movement to nudge towards the edge of the keyboard, and that's even with a 60% one.

 

[VSG]

Even the placement of that volume knob. The longer I think about it, the more silly it becomes.

Look at how it protrudes from the keyboard edge. Now consider a right-handed mouse user frantically gaming. You're definitely going to hit that knob and yank the volume all the way to max or min with a mouse move, sooner or later. In RTS & shooter games I always find my mouse movement to nudge towards the edge of the keyboard, and that's even with a 60% one.

That seems like an extremely rare scenario, it's not that much of a protrusion. Then again I don't really see people buying this just to game on it anyway.

 

[mechtech]

A 200$ keyboard should have PBT keycaps.

I was gonna say 304 stainless. But I guess PBT is acceptable.

 

[80-watt Hamster]

Glad you said it, my first impression here was, oh gosh, 2005 wants its keyboard back.

A volume knob, I mean lol. You're either using a headset or a receiver of some sort, on any half decent gaming system, and you'll have access to other places to set volume or its just fine as is forever. And to have the knob you get an even bulkier full size KB, while the trend is <100% keyboards for gaming.

My amazement just doesn't even reach the price point for this box of weird decisions. There is completely nothing special about this K/B. Why?

As someone who pines for 2005 (in some respects), that's not a negative. I'm too accustomed to 100% KBs, continually reaching for the non-existent numpad on my G410 (never been able to master touch typing on the number row).

Volume knob? Yeah, possibly unnecessary expense at this point. I can see a use case, though. Not all headsets have easily-manipulable volume controls, or a volume control at all. A more convenient adjustment than either OS or laptop Fn-key control could be a nice slice of QoL. I do have a volume wheel on my Arctis 7s, and it's been a treat. Having experienced that, I would definitely welcome an equivalent on my KB if using a headset without. Yeah, buttons would work just fine, but that's not as "nice". RGB doesn't seem necessary for the target market, but it would allow me to set my preferred red backlighting. On the subject of target market, you mentioned gaming twice. This isn't a gaming keyboard, so those concerns are hypothetically moot. 100% of functionality in hardware is a plus, IMO.

Biggest beeves? Cost; it doesn't seem to offer value commensurate with its price. Brown switches. I have a plain MX Board with Browns that I got secondhand, and the inflection point is barely there. It's my first KB with Cherrys and second mechanical ever, and found myself wondering if I'd ended up with a Red model by mistake. Pulled a cap and nope: Brown stem. It's... fine, but my experience matches VSG's: Underwhelming, not all that much better than a good membrane.

 

[Vayra86]

That seems like an extremely rare scenario, it's not that much of a protrusion. Then again I don't really see people buying this just to game on it anyway.

And here I am, moving my mouse back to center of the pad because I'm slowly moving into the edge of my TKL keyboard. I've had a full sized one before, and the numpad was literally already in the way of proper mouse action.

Rare it may be, but a simple protrusion out the top instead of the right side would have eliminated the chance. Frantic spreadsheeting will run the same risk

 

[lexluthermiester]

They easily makes the most handsome keyboards.

I wouldn't do THAT far. They make quality keyboards for sure, but not the most handsome example ever. Such a thing is very much open to personal preference and is very subjective.

 

[Frick]

I wouldn't do THAT far. They make quality keyboards for sure, but not the most handsome example ever. Such a thing is very much open to personal preference and is very subjective.

How dare you sir!

 

[lexluthermiester]

How dare you sir!

No offense intended of course.

 

[Chrispy_]

Even the placement of that volume knob. The longer I think about it, the more silly it becomes.

Look at how it protrudes from the keyboard edge. Now consider a right-handed mouse user frantically gaming. You're definitely going to hit that knob and yank the volume all the way to max or min with a mouse move, sooner or later. In RTS & shooter games I always find my mouse movement to nudge towards the edge of the keyboard, and that's even with a 60% one.

Definitely not a problem I have but I'm not saying it isn't going to be an issue for some people.

Personally, if I had a volume wheel on my keyboard I think I'd want it to protrude out of the right side so I could adjust the volume with one finger along the edge. Personal taste I guess, but I have a big fat volume knob on my DAC, so I don't need/want one on my keyboard at all.

 

[caroline!]

It looks really nice but $200 is simply too much.

 

[dwd999]

What's this obsession with aluminum frames for keyboards? I live in a low humidity environment where static electricity can build up. I try and touch my computer's case every time I sit down just in case I've built up a charge. But sometimes I miss and I don't need a little static shock any time I touch the keyboard. I already stopped using another aluminum model because of this. So I'm sticking with plastic forever.