So it's been a couple of weeks already with my Ducky 1087XM. Got it for $44 shipped from PCHome. At that price it would've been silly not to buy it. I'm using it to type this review, by the way.
Keeping in mind that this is not a top-of-the-line unit, it's actually pretty good. The plastics feels a teeny bit chintzy--hard, and thin, although the texturing of the case is nice. Mine came in with the panel above the cursor keys lifted up. After studying the whole thing I figured out that the fix for this is to push in the side of the case while holding the panel in position--that'll make it snap into place. I know some other people have had this same thing happen to them. Once it snapped, the panel remains solid.
The key caps look good. I've read that they're apparently thin, but I haven't pulled any of them out to see--I'm deathly afraid of pulling ALPS keycaps. It's a phobia, the doctor told me. I really don't know what kind of labeling method was used for the key caps--definitely not tampo, maybe laser? I would let that for the experts. The labeling is done in a brownish/gold color that looks kinda neat. I like it. It's kinda strange that you can see the labeling better at an angle than head-on. Works for me, though. I got the one with all the Chinese characters, so the keys definitely look unique. The key cap casting looks sharp and I haven't seen any molding errors or sprue bits.
How does it feel to type on it? Pretty swell, I might say. There's a lot of that ALPS key wobble (yes, I know these are not "real" ALPS, but bear with me). So if you place your fingertips on the keys lightly and rock them side to side, the keys will follow. Does that bother me? Nope. I actually like the loose feel--nothing feels like it's binding. They keystroke action is so light and fluffy. I really love it.
And that's what I really like about this keyboard. Typing on it is so smooth. I like the fact that I get the switch click and activation very early on, so if you're a light typist, you'll definitely enjoy it. As a buckling spring user for years, it feels very light and I have to admit there's less strain on my fingers at the end of the day. Is it noisy? Unless you slam the keys, it's no louder than a Cherry keyboard. There's definitely some pinging going on, but again, it's very low and doesn't bother me. Oh, and the in-key Caps Lock and Num Lock lights are bright. You can't miss them.
It's definitely a very good typing experience for me. Plus the fact that it's a tenkeyless is an additional bonus; now I can place my trackball close to me and not in another zip code.
So do I recommend this keyboard? Yes. Even if the price was a bit higher, it would still be worth the cash. At $33, it's downright absurd not to get one. PCHome does a great job fulfilling the orders fast.
Get one if you can!
