Das Keyboards - One For the Enthusiast

Generally, I'm happy with the Macbook Pro's keyboard, both the old and current unibody one. Chiclet keyboards generally have a good feel to them, and I frankly can't say I miss the old fashioned keyboards you get from your typical Dell or HP desktop computers with those huge keys you press down on.

Yet, there are a group of fans who adore the mechanical keyboard, and when you chat up with them, two models come to mind: The IBM Model M and the Apple Extended Keyboard II.

Both models were apparently prized for their durability, feel, and notably, their classic sound they make. Enthusiasts still keep these keyboards to these date and some still use them on today's modern computers.

Apparently the hype about such keyboards has quite a following, and resulted in the Das Keyboard which sorta pays homage to these old school keyboards.

The Das Keyboard Professional and Das Keyboard for Mac (featured above) are two modern designed keyboards that bring back the retro feel of the IBM Model M and AEKII, while there's a Silent model that caters to those who want the same feel but a slightly quieter click.

And then there's the Ultimate, which doesn't come with any labels on the keys at all. Here's the synopsis taken from their website:

"Efficient typists don’t look at their keyboards. So why do others insist on labeling the keys? Turns out you’ll type faster than you ever dreamed on one of these blank babies. And that’s not to mention its powers of intimidation. Sometimes less really is more."

There doesn't seem to be a place in Singapore selling them off the shelfs but I think there are individuals who bring in the product for sale. They aren't cheap though, their website alone sells them between US$129-135.

I don't think I can ever be this excited about a keyboard the way some enthusiasts are, but it's really interesting to know that there's a market out there that caters to these people...heck there's even a Mechanical Keyboard Club on the VR-Forums (Link)!

Anyway if you're curious, here's how Das Keyboards sound like, also check out their website here (Link).