The New Das Keyboard 4C

[Doyniish]

Just got an email about this, what do you guys think?





http://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4C-ultimate/

[asavi]

I'd like it a lot more if the left side wasn't purposelessly asymmetrical.

[minh278]

Reminds me too much of this:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=67154.0

My personal aesthetics say they should have left the side with the das logo off and just made it a rectangle, otherwise i feel it has a professional feel to it.

[JinDesu]

It's good that they are at least trying a TKL version.

[hwood34]

What is it with Das an putting in those ridiculous portions that jut out from the side. All they've done it moved it from the top to the side

[Valen]

If DAS really has to put that thing on their KB, please put two of them at the bottom so they serve as a palm rest.

[monotagary]

That bezel is just so jarring. 

It would look so much nicer if they just sliced it off and kept the Das branding somewhere on the back of the board.

[Nai_Calus]

OK, the file folder tab at the top of their full-size is goofy enough, but this thing on the side...

Isn't part of the point of a TKL to take up less horizontal space? They just added half of what they saved back, and that bezel was already huge.

Not a fan.

[derb2k2]

That bezel is just so jarring. 

It would look so much nicer if they just sliced it off and kept the Das branding somewhere on the back of the board.

I agree. That is a bit too much branding at the cost of better design and appearance. Are the USB ports really necessary and if so, do they have to be put there?

Keyboard appears nice save for that deformity 

[CPTBadAss]

I kinda like that asymmetrical look. But it's too big. If them slimmed it down a bit I think it'd be better.

[HendyZone]

I kinda like that asymmetrical look. But it's too big. If them slimmed it down a bit I think it'd be better.

+1
Yes too big

[hwood34]

That bezel is just so jarring. 

It would look so much nicer if they just sliced it off and kept the Das branding somewhere on the back of the board.

I agree. That is a bit too much branding at the cost of better design and appearance. Are the USB ports really necessary and if so, do they have to be put there?

Keyboard appears nice save for that deformity 

Well, the USB ports can definitely be useful, but other boards like the HHKB manage to have them without the ports jutting out of the side like that. That's just more of an aesthetic choice by DAS

[exitfire401]

I'd like it a lot more if the left side wasn't purposelessly asymmetrical.

Especially for branding...I hate when companies do **** like that.

[SirDrexl]

OK, the file folder tab at the top of their full-size is goofy enough, but this thing on the side...

Isn't part of the point of a TKL to take up less horizontal space? They just added half of what they saved back, and that bezel was already huge.

Not a fan.

Well, sort of.  I've always thought that the main reason for a TKL is to get your mouse hand to a more comfortable position and allow you to move the letters portion of the keyboard closer to the center.  To that end, you can add stuff on the left side.  But, of course those that want less space used, period, won't like it.  In this case, if they were going to make the left side that wide they could have thrown in a few macro keys - especially for $143.

BTW, in the picture on their site the "das" and the symbol before it is in red.  I think that switch on the bottom illuminates it.

[berserkfan]

Not going to mince words here: the design is damn stupid.

Assymetry is not cool. Taking up extra desktop space is not cool. Not to mention, it means now the mouse is further from the keyboard if you are left handed.

[Dihedral]

Not going to mince words here: the design is damn stupid.

Assymetry is not cool. Taking up extra desktop space is not cool. Not to mention, it means now the mouse is further from the keyboard if you are left handed.

Basically this. It's a good keyboard that's badly designed, no reason to not get a Filco instead.

[Puddsy]

why is the left side so big?

i wanna see pricing before i make more assumptions

if this is like $100 it's fine

if it's like $130... not so much

[Hyde]

I couldn't figure out what's wrong with it all morning, now I see it !

It's keytar !!!!!




EDIT:  Added picture to better demonstrate my point.

[daerid]

I'll be the black sheep: I kinda like it.

I might get one and swap out the stems with Clears (can't do anything but Clears these days).

[LechnerDE]

why is the left side so big?

i wanna see pricing before i make more assumptions

if this is like $100 it's fine

if it's like $130... not so much

Exactly, I kinda like the look if it's a alu top, but if it really costs ~150$ there is no reason not to buy a KUL or Ducky TKL for less.

[Melvang]

Their PCB's (at least the one in my costar build pre media key version) is pretty durable.  It has had the switches swapped out 4 times now and not one lifted pad.

[Rodgaroon]

Show Image

If DAS really has to put that thing on their KB, please put two of them at the bottom so they serve as a palm rest.

^^This 1000x

[dorkvader]

why is the left side so big?

i wanna see pricing before i make more assumptions

if this is like $100 it's fine

if it's like $130... not so much

This is DAS we're talking about here. It'll be like $130 and students can get a discount.

[demik]

das ugly

[rainb1ood]

das ugly

das right

[Jac0b]

I'm disappointed, I really hate the look of that fin.

[demik]

while ugly, at least it added something useful and its not just aesthetics.

[00zeRO]

Whatever happened to 'Classic' styling?

Still, at least it doesn't look like a Razer or Logitech G710

[sidel]

Well, at least they're consistent.

[exitfire401]

why is the left side so big?

i wanna see pricing before i make more assumptions

if this is like $100 it's fine

if it's like $130... not so much

$143 and they only have browns right now. No thanks.

[Snowdog993]

Just got an email about this, what do you guys think?

Send them back an Email to make it right.  Why in the world would they do that?  It's supposed to save space, not waste it.
If anything, put letters on the keys too.  Blanks are a pain to me too.  Oh, and tell them to make it a bluetooth while they are at it.

[Puddsy]

why is the left side so big?

i wanna see pricing before i make more assumptions

if this is like $100 it's fine

if it's like $130... not so much

$143 and they only have browns right now. No thanks.

lol no thanks

[Doyniish]

Just got an email about this, what do you guys think?

Send them back an Email to make it right.  Why in the world would they do that?  It's supposed to save space, not waste it.
If anything, put letters on the keys too.  Blanks are a pain to me too.  Oh, and tell them to make it a bluetooth while they are at it.

[Novus]

DAS makes really nice keyboards.
I will get one.

[Awful]

I'm buying one.

[tbc]

for everyone that says 'no left hump'

would you actually buy one if they made a new revision that is properly rectangular?

honestly?

[Valen]

I would. I keep reading good things about DAS, but a few things stopped me from getting one: fingerprint magnet finish, that hump and no TKL until now.

[Nai_Calus]

for everyone that says 'no left hump'

would you actually buy one if they made a new revision that is properly rectangular?

honestly?

Absolutely not, but it commits a number of other sins that'd keep me away:

- I have a board with a glossy frame. It's a magnet for EVERYTHING and looks awful even right after I clean it. I'm more annoyed by this than I am by the fact that my keyboard has a non-standard bottom row.
- I use the numpad for both alt codes and numbers several times a day, so TKL are a complete non-starter for me anyway. If I'm going for inconvenience I'll go straight to a 60% and save even more space because I use the arrows/the nine keys above them less than I use the number pad.
- That bezel is just plain too wide, period.
- Costs too much IMO for what it is.

[rowdy]

I don't mind it - black, smooth, and the bulge on the case it the DAS thing - all their keyboards have it.

At least it is on the left side and won't interfere with the mouse (assuming that the mouse is on the right, which would be the case for most people).

[KRKS]

from 4C Brown page:

Merchant SKU: DASK4CMKPROSIL (Soft Tactile - Brown Switches)

It was "Cherry MX Brown" at first, now they changed it. MX-Compatible confirmed?

[JinDesu]

for everyone that says 'no left hump'

would you actually buy one if they made a new revision that is properly rectangular?

honestly?

Absolutely not, but it commits a number of other sins that'd keep me away:

- I have a board with a glossy frame. It's a magnet for EVERYTHING and looks awful even right after I clean it. I'm more annoyed by this than I am by the fact that my keyboard has a non-standard bottom row.
- I use the numpad for both alt codes and numbers several times a day, so TKL are a complete non-starter for me anyway. If I'm going for inconvenience I'll go straight to a 60% and save even more space because I use the arrows/the nine keys above them less than I use the number pad.
- That bezel is just plain too wide, period.
- Costs too much IMO for what it is.

I don't think it's glossy. I have the Das Keyboard 4 and it's anodized aluminum, with a non glossy surface.

[Grim Fandango]

I think it looks great. I would buy one if I did not already have more keyboards than I am currently using.

[berserkfan]

I'm buying one.

UM... correct me if I'm wrong but you seem to be selling everything for a loss right after touching it.

DAS is not looking promising... might become another money loser for you!

[Doyniish]

I honestly don't think the Ultimate looks that bad. I have loved my DAS ever since I got it, and I'm sure I would love the TKL version as well. The design will grow on me.

[gameaholic]

I kinda like it but would want it in clears or reds.  I don't mind the ports on the left.  What I really wanted to see on this was a volume knob like on the full size version. 

[Doyniish]

I wonder when blues will be available as an option.

[Snowdog993]

Perhaps if they did this, it might be a lot more appealing to more people.

[Novus]

I think it looks great. I would buy one if I did not already have more keyboards than I am currently using.

Dood. Get out of here and buy it already.
Psh more keyboards than currently using.
That's what closets are for.

[Huxley2500]

from 4C Brown page:

Merchant SKU: DASK4CMKPROSIL (Soft Tactile - Brown Switches)

It was "Cherry MX Brown" at first, now they changed it. MX-Compatible confirmed?

Where is my Cherry MX Blue!

[Doyniish]

Perhaps if they did this, it might be a lot more appealing to more people.

True. It takes away from the Das "signature" shape though.