Closer Examination

A front-on view of the Ducky One 3 SF can be something else, especially on this DayBreak model. Now, I have little else but online photos and videos to go on, but do think the DayBreak is the best colorway for the Ducky One 3 series with its use of two shades of blue done very well indeed. The same lime yellow from the replacement keycaps makes an appearance as a single keycap and side plates for the keyboard! This is an all-plastic case construction, but with four parts rather than the usual one or two. The top of the case is given a similar iridescent finish as on the Ducky Mecha SF, which somewhat convincingly makes it look like metal from a distance. It's a flashy looking set, one that will be hard to integrate with other peripherals if that is a concern. I'd also look at the other color options for something stealthier, although this is still a clean design with hardly any visible branding in use. There's a Ducky logo on the front of the space bar keycap, as well as more branding on the side facing away from the user, but this is otherwise a 65% keyboard without any physical extras on the keyboard.

The key layout is also identical to the previous One 2 SF generation, with a gap at the bottom-right corner that could have fit an extra key. On the Mecha SF, this space is occupied by a Ducky logo engraved into the metal case. I would have rather seen the extra key, this is just making me think the PCB and case molds are re-used, though the case is different at least. One thing I do like is that Ducky has gone with front-facing legends on keycaps that have an associated layered function for those keys, keeping the top surface clean for adequately sized, centrally placed legends. The general secondary legends are alongside the primary ones here, but it's more for convenience than backlighting since the keycaps are opaque. While compact, this makes the keyboard not seem cramped, which the smaller bezels all around add to positively.


Flipping the keyboard around, we see the usual certification information in the middle, but engraved onto a metal badge glued to the case. It also houses the serial number of the keyboard for warranty purposes. Four rubber pads along the corners add friction against the resting surface. Two sets of two feet each at the top corners, both relatively large, make for a total of three elevation steps to choose from. These feet also come with rubber pads on the bottom, and I appreciate the cutouts in the case for these feet to be raised easily. A small hole underneath the left set of feet provides access to a sneakily concealed reset button on the PCB.


The set of four dip switches on the right side are carried over from the One 2 SF and make for more customization options we will go over shortly. A look on the side facing away from the user shows the aforementioned branding, including the Ducky logo and One 3 SF written in its artistic form, and the other left corner in use is where you will find the cutout for the flush Type-C port. The provided USB cable fits in snugly, and the cutout is large enough to accommodate most aftermarket cables should you desire to get one that better matches the color scheme of the keyboard. The stock cable is otherwise functionally perfect, the usual 6' long and in black with a durable sleeve on top. You will need an available USB Type-A port on your PC, and USB 2.0 will suffice for power and data alike.


A look from the side better shows how the case design and composition make the One 3 SF fairly unique-looking, at least in this DayBreak color scheme, while showcasing the default elevation without any of the keyboard feet raised. As with your average mechanical keyboard, Ducky uses an OEM keycap profile with five sculpted, angled rows on this 65% keyboard. The included keycap puller works adequately enough, with the top having plenty of grip without the potential to scratch the keycap sides as with the plastic ring-style options. The stock keycaps are quite good, with walls that are an average of 1.4 mm thick and made out of PBT plastic to resist shine from finger oils over time. The legends are doubleshot injected onto the plastic base, and the keycaps look and feel great, but do lack backlighting support, which is a deliberate design choice Ducky adopted a while ago. Keep in mind that the 65% form factor means some of the keycaps on the right are shorter than usual, so account for this if still interested in going with an aftermarket keycap set for whatever reason.


There are seven switch options for the Ducky One 3 SF, all of which are Cherry MX RGB switches in the form of the MX Red, Brown, Blue, Black, Silent Red, Clear, and Speed (Silver). You read that right, Cherry finally made an RGB version of its rarely seen MX Clear switch that I still maintain is its best switch for typing. Of course, I had to request Ducky send me the review sample with these very switches, which are debuting exclusively on the One 3 series of keyboards. The larger keycaps use plate-mounted stabilizers and are factory lubed, which mitigates the somewhat mushy experience otherwise associated with these. The lube is also applied well in just the right amount, which pleasantly surprising for a retail product.


In another new feature, at least for me, the One 3 series happens to ship with hot-swappable switches, too. This makes it the first keyboard with easily replaceable Cherry MX switches out of the box, and I am sure there is a joke to be made by those who are not fans of Cherry switches. The included switch remover works fine, but requires more force to get around the switches. This now gives us a closer look at the hot-swap socket with support for 5-pin cross-point stem mechanical switches and the associated SMD RGB LED, as well as the Cherry MX Clear RGB switch with the same milky white stem, now in an RGB backlighting-compliant housing. Also note that the PCB has multiple LEDs underneath the space bar keycap for uniform lighting throughout the keyboard.


Here is a look at some of the replacement keycaps in action, and I tried to stuff in as many of the lime yellow keycaps as possible, which makes for quite a divisive look no doubt. My personal preference would be to replace the yellow keycap with the replacement blue Enter keycap, making for yellow on the sides only. I do like that circular novelty keycap with the Ducky logo, however, and would like to see it be sold separately for fans of the brand. Also, and I know it's not critical or even matching the keyboard theme, I wish Ducky had maintained its tradition of doing special Year of the Zodiac Animal limited edition keyboards and associated space bar keycaps, since those keycaps often made their way into the packaging of other keyboards, too. This being a 2021 release, I would have liked to see a Year of the Ox space bar thus, for example.