Driver

There is no software driver support for the WASD CODE, with all functionality and programming being hardware based using dip switches or Fn key combinations. As such, I have chosen to combine the Driver and Performance pages into one here.

Performance

There is six-key rollover USB here, as Aqua's test confirms. Given this is marketed for typing more than gaming, and also the part where I feel 6KRO is plenty enough, I have no issues with it. It also helps that modifiers such as CTRL, SHIFT, ALT do not count toward this six-key count either. If you do want full NKRO, use the provided USB to PS/2 adapter. Similarly, no key chatter was detected using Switch Hitter, which was to be expected.


The CODE has white backlighting on the switches, and the stock keycaps have laser-etched legends that are illuminated either directly or via light bleed. The one notable exception here is the space bar, where there is no light or backlit legend, which does come off as weird and a possible oversight. Most of the secondary legends are located horizontally, next to the primary ones, and these light up very well too. As far as lighting control, there are seven steps of brightness control + On/Off for an eighth one. No lighting effects here, the backlighting is simply a functional rather than an aesthetic feature.


The dip switches that help configure the keyboard layout come in very handy. I used the source code from my ErgoDox EZ Shine keyboard review in a layout tester (courtesy Patrick Gillespie), and you can see the results above. QWERTY is not even close to the most efficient layout for me, and very likely you too. If you are willing, try out Colemak or Dvorak as they will result in lower finger travel and fatigue overall. So the CODE does hold up to the promises made to professional typists, or simply those who type a lot. Here is the link to the full results if you were interested, including a detailed analysis on key presses and distance moved.


A note must also be made on the Cherry MX Clear switches here, since these are very rarely available as options for pre-assembled keyboards. It is a tactile switch similar to the Cherry MX Brown, but has a higher actuation and bottoming-out force. I did find myself less prone to accidental keystroke registration even with some fingers lightly resting on the keycaps, and this did help reduce double taps when typing. Bottoming out was also greatly reduced as a result of the higher force needed, but also because the MX Clear has a more pronounced bump in the switch mechanism, which helps give much stronger tactile feedback for when the switch is actuated. I am now a fan of the MX Clear switches, and prefer it over MX Brown switches for typing. It is harder to use if gaming, however, especially in FPS/trigger games. RPGs with preset functions for different keys that are not more than a few times per minute will work nicely with these switches also.




As always, the sound of a keyboard is based on more than just the switch type. So when comparing sound clips, consider the keyboard as a whole. In this case, I have provided above two example sound clips of me typing on the WASD CODE sample at ~90-95 WPM. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with tactile switches. I did bottom out on purpose to demonstrate the sound signature, although it is very easy to not do so, and so I have another sound file with touch typing as well. In practice, if you can touch type and not bottom out MX Brown switches, those will still be quieter than these. In terms of actuation and bottoming out, there is not much to say here except that the usual Cherry high QC carries over with an average actuation force of 65.15 cN for the MX Clears averaged across 20 keys on the sample provided. Bottoming out seemed regular if you were prone to doing that here, and nothing jumped out at me that was different from the rest.