ETCS
I’ve owned three mechanical keyboards. The Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate is the one I keep coming back to — and the only one I use daily for both work and gaming.
Over the last couple of years, I joined the mechanical keyboard movement and never looked back.
My first mechanical keyboard was the Corsair K70 with Cherry MX Brown switches. It was (and still is) a great keyboard. I was so hooked on mechanical switches that I bought two more: the Ducky Shine 6 with Cherry MX Red, and the Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate with Cherry MX Blue.
The Corsair and the Ducky Shine 6 are both great keyboards — if Das didn’t exist, I’d probably be using the Ducky Shine daily. But after trying the Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate, nothing else comes close. It’s my main keyboard and the only one on my desk.
First Impressions: Blank and Badass
I’ll admit — I was nervous about going completely blank. No legends on the keycaps at all. I’d never tried one before, never even seen one in person. The price tag made it a risky bet if I couldn’t adjust. But Das called it “Badass”, “A Work of Art”, and “Only for the Best”. I had to try it.
Turns out, the adjustment took only a few minutes. I realized I don’t actually look at the keycaps when I type — and now nobody else can use my PC either.
Build Quality
The build quality is outstanding. The keycaps feel solid and satisfying, the volume knob is the most enjoyable one I’ve ever used, and the built-in USB port is a nice touch. Even the footbar doubles as a ruler — I’ve actually used it a couple of times.
The Cola Survival Test
I’m a heavy cola and coffee drinker, usually while working. Every keyboard I’ve owned has suffered a full mug spill at some point.
When my Corsair K70 got hit with cola, the computer froze immediately. All the LEDs started blinking like crazy. After a cleanup and a few days of drying out, it partially worked again — but it was never the same. To this day, some LEDs are dim and the NumPad dot key is dead.
When the same thing happened to my Das Keyboard, I braced for the worst. To my surprise — nothing happened. It just kept working. I cleaned the stickiness off the keys and haven’t had a single issue since. This keyboard is built to last.
Cherry MX Blue
The Cherry MX Blue switches are my favorite. I enjoyed the Browns and the Reds, but the clicky tactile feel of the Blues is incomparable. If you work in an open office, your coworkers might have opinions about this — but for me, the sound is part of the experience.
What I Wish Was Different
My only real wish: an RGB backlight version. Yes, it’s ironic — you don’t need backlighting on blank keycaps. But I’d still buy it for the atmosphere when working late at night.
Summary
The Das Keyboard 4 Ultimate is the best mechanical keyboard I’ve ever used. The build quality is rock solid, the typing experience is unmatched, and it survived a full cola spill without flinching. If you can touch-type and want a keyboard that’s built like a tank — this is the one.
$169 at the Das Keyboard store | daskeyboard.com