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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: macguy80 on Tue, 11 August 2015, 00:30:38

Title: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: macguy80 on Tue, 11 August 2015, 00:30:38
Just stumbled across this because I haven't cared for their design choices for the last several generations, and therefore haven't been to their site in ages.

Its other potential flaws aside, does this mean Das has ditched Cherry MX for what I assume are Chinese MX clones?
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: Altis on Thu, 13 August 2015, 17:17:00
It appears to be the case, though I don't know how those switches compare.

I actually kind of like the look of the 4C but the price, the switches, and the keycap legend prints are all put-offs.
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: hwood34 on Thu, 13 August 2015, 17:18:08
It's a little pricey but Greetech switches feel better than new cherry switches to me anyway
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: jerue on Thu, 13 August 2015, 21:55:33
It's a little pricey but Greetech switches feel better than new cherry switches to me anyway

I've only heard the opposite. I'd like to give them a try.

I don't think they've done away with Cherry switches since they're in the "higher-end" Professional 4. The 4C I think is meant to cut costs (USB cables/passthrough, media keys/etc). If I had to choose between a regular 4 and the 4C, I'd go with the 4 every time. You get a lot more for $60 more. $119 isn't cheap for a "knock-off" when you can get Cherry TKL boards for that price if not cheaper.
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: hwood34 on Thu, 13 August 2015, 22:02:01
It's a little pricey but Greetech switches feel better than new cherry switches to me anyway

I've only heard the opposite. I'd like to give them a try.

Everyone who got in on the samples from the Greetech IC seemed to like them more than Cherry. I would legitimately rather have a board with Greetechs that was the same price as a board with Cherrys feel-wise.

People really should stop viewing any MX-clones as just some cheap knockoffs. Cherry obviously doesn't care to improve on their design in any meaningful way and other companies are taking advantage that. We've already seen one totally unknown company make a switch vastly superior to Cherry at less than half the cost. I wouldn't be surprised to see more companies coming out with better and cheaper switches
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: PrinsPils on Fri, 14 August 2015, 08:11:09
I tried recently the DAS 4 professional, with Greetech blue switches to replace my RazerMX with cherry MX. Since i like the the design of the DAS and heard good quality stories i gave it a try.

The keyboard looks good but the keys felt really really cheap and the plastic is really thin. The keys on my own (budget) keyboard felt much more solid. the keyboard built quality is average. besides the nice thick aluminum top plate there is nothing impressive about it. The idea behind the ruler is nice, but it doesnt have any rubber on it and makes the keyboard slide much faster and its made out of cheaper plastic than the rest of the keyboard. The greetech switches felt okayish, but all felt inconsistent and had a gritty feeling when pressing a key. A big no for me and not worth the 180 Euro's.

BUT!

Should you get a keyboard with Greetech switches? i would say: give it a try if you have the ability to return it. In that way you can really experience it and see if it fits your taste. Maybe you like it more than Cherry or Topre switches. It's like a flavor. There isnt really a bad or good one.
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: PrinsPils on Fri, 14 August 2015, 09:17:48
I tried recently the DAS 4 professional, with Greetech blue switches to replace my RazerMX with cherry MX. Since i like the the design of the DAS and heard they have good quality so i gave it a try.

The keyboard looks good but the keys felt really really cheap and the plastic is really thin. The keys on my own (budget) keyboard felt much more solid. the keyboard built quality is average. besides the nice thick aluminum top plate there is nothing impressive about it. The idea behind the ruler is nice, but it doesnt have any rubber on it and makes the keyboard slide much faster and its made out of cheaper plastic than the rest of the keyboard. The greetech switches felt okayish, but all felt inconsistent and had a gritty feeling when pressing a key. A big no for me and not worth the 180 Euro's.

BUT!

Should you get a keyboard with Greetech switches? i would say: give it a try if you have the ability to return it. In that way you can really experience it and see if it fits your taste. Maybe you like it more than Cherry or Topre switches. It's like a flavor. There isnt really a bad or good one.
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: FoxWolf1 on Fri, 14 August 2015, 11:33:33
I tried recently the DAS 4 professional, with Greetech blue switches to replace my RazerMX with cherry MX. Since i like the the design of the DAS and heard good quality stories i gave it a try.

The keyboard looks good but the keys felt really really cheap and the plastic is really thin. The keys on my own (budget) keyboard felt much more solid. the keyboard built quality is average. besides the nice thick aluminum top plate there is nothing impressive about it. The idea behind the ruler is nice, but it doesnt have any rubber on it and makes the keyboard slide much faster and its made out of cheaper plastic than the rest of the keyboard. The greetech switches felt okayish, but all felt inconsistent and had a gritty feeling when pressing a key. A big no for me and not worth the 180 Euro's.

BUT!

Should you get a keyboard with Greetech switches? i would say: give it a try if you have the ability to return it. In that way you can really experience it and see if it fits your taste. Maybe you like it more than Cherry or Topre switches. It's like a flavor. There isnt really a bad or good one.

Err...isn't the Das 4 Pro still using Cherry MX switches? It is according to Das' website.
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: saturnotaku on Fri, 14 August 2015, 13:05:56
Err...isn't the Das 4 Pro still using Cherry MX switches? It is according to Das' website.

The Das 4 Professional for Mac uses Greetech switches. The 4 Professional and Ultimate for Windows still use MX. Very strange distinction that.
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: PrinsPils on Fri, 14 August 2015, 15:21:43
I tried recently the DAS 4 professional, with Greetech blue switches to replace my RazerMX with cherry MX. Since i like the the design of the DAS and heard good quality stories i gave it a try.

The keyboard looks good but the keys felt really really cheap and the plastic is really thin. The keys on my own (budget) keyboard felt much more solid. the keyboard built quality is average. besides the nice thick aluminum top plate there is nothing impressive about it. The idea behind the ruler is nice, but it doesnt have any rubber on it and makes the keyboard slide much faster and its made out of cheaper plastic than the rest of the keyboard. The greetech switches felt okayish, but all felt inconsistent and had a gritty feeling when pressing a key. A big no for me and not worth the 180 Euro's.

BUT!

Should you get a keyboard with Greetech switches? i would say: give it a try if you have the ability to return it. In that way you can really experience it and see if it fits your taste. Maybe you like it more than Cherry or Topre switches. It's like a flavor. There isnt really a bad or good one.

Err...isn't the Das 4 Pro still using Cherry MX switches? It is according to Das' website.
The Windows version does, Cherry MX brown or blue, but the Mac version got Greetech switches.

Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: FoxWolf1 on Fri, 14 August 2015, 15:44:04
That's actually kind of sneaky of them, especially since they didn't make the Greetech version cheaper. And it's not like Greetech switches are expensive...
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: saturnotaku on Fri, 14 August 2015, 15:55:01
I've also read about build quality issues with the 4C, such as the top plate being warped.

Overall, this seems like a less-than-impressive effort from Das, especially given the premium price they're asking. These are currently on Massdrop for $109.99 as the lowest price, and refurbs are on Woot for $89. Both are about $20-30 too high, IMO.
Title: Re: Das 4C -- "Greetech" switches?
Post by: PrinsPils on Fri, 14 August 2015, 18:57:05
True!  my keyboard was also warped. It was also sliding when the "awesome" non grippy ruler is used on the keyboard... I can't recommend a DAS keyboard to anyone.

"premium quality" lol

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