I never thought of my RGB keyboard as a potential source of information, but that’s precisely what Das Keyboard looks to accomplish with the 5QS by offering all the performance of anexcellent mechanical keyboardwith the added utility of applets to deliver information at a glance. It’s an ambitious idea, and the results are mixed, but I can see plenty of benefits if a few issues are resolved.
Das Keyboard 5QS
In a sea of full-size mechanical keyboards, the Das Keyboard 5QS stands out with two features that will appeal to heavy users. It features Omron-made light tactile switches rated for 100 million clicks each, ensuring years of worry-free use. Das keyboard also allows you to code custom applets to keys for maximizing productivity. You can also enjoy distraction-free notification alerts through the board’s RGB backlighting.
Price and availability
The Das Keyboard 5QS is available through Das Keyboard’s website for $199. You can also find the board on Amazon for the same price. If you are looking to dress things up, you can purchase an additional set of translucent keycaps for $18 on Das’s site if you want more RGB to bleed through. The 5QS is offered only in black, and no tenkeyless option is available — it would defeat the purpose of having more real estate for information spread across your keys.
Design and hardware
A mechanical keyboard with an office-feel
None of the fancier features on the 5QS matter if it doesn’t deliver aquality mechanical keyboard experience. And as far as hardware goes, I think Das Keyboard nailed it. The anodized aluminum top plate gives the keyboard a solid feel, and I love the more traditional aesthetic. If you were to turn off the RGB, it could easily be mistaken for a keyboard you’d find in an office cubicle. It reminds me of an old IBM Model M with a relatively high frame (1.42 inches) and tall keycaps. At 3.3 pounds, you can rest assured that the 5QS will not slide across your desk during intense gaming sessions.
For a keyboard designed for office-related applets, I would’ve expected the key switch to be a bit better for typing than it is for gaming — but that wasn’t the case. I wouldn’t say I liked the typing experience and felt a bit fatigued on longer documents or emails, even using the included wrist rest. I don’t know if the taller keycap throws me off, but the switches don’t feel as crisp as other keyboards for pounding out paragraphs.
Omron makes the Gamma Zulu switches for Das Keyboard. It’s a soft tactile key switch that, on paper, should have excellent performance. In addition, they are rated to last forever, with Omron claiming the Gamma Zulu’s can survive 100 million keystrokes, partly because of their gold-plated double cross point. Das Keyboard claims they are similar to Cherry MX Brown switches, and I agree with the comparison.
Both share a smooth, milky sound that won’t wake the neighbors. If you’re looking for a clicky sound, the 5QS is not your keyboard. Gamma Zulu requires 45g of actuation force, actuating at 1.5mm in the keystroke. These are pretty competitive stats for a keyboard, and the results for gaming are impressive. The switches are responsive, and the reset is lighting fast.
The media controls are solid on the 5QS. A wheel (like your mouse) handles volume controls with adjacent buttons for RGB brightness, play/pause, and fast forward. The wheel can be pressed, pulling up additional information on your screen in tandem with specific keys.
As we all know, the true measure of a keyboard is the RGB — insert editor’s note about sarcasm here, and Das Keyboard does a respectable job with the 5QS. The lighting is bright and vibrant, although I recommend getting a set of translucent keycaps for the best effect. It will also help with the applets, as more of the keycap will reflect whatever information is displayed.
The keycaps are standard double-shot ABS plastic, but because of the keycap design, very little light escapes from anywhere but the laser-etched lettering. Das Keyboard also includes side panel lighting on the 5QS, but it might as well not be there. I thought I had a defective unit because even when turned to 100%, I had to lift the keyboard to make sure the lights were on. Don’t expect to see them unless you are in a pitch-black room. The Das Keyboard software allows you to customize the RGB heavily, but I left it relatively stock to take full advantage of the applets.
Software and features
So many apps
Despite the solid gaming performance, the apps are why you would consider purchasing a 5QS. You can select from a library of ready-made applications through the Das Keyboard Q software. Some are in beta, and results are mixed, but APIs are available if you wish to design your own. If you’re programming savvy, it’s a great way to add functionality to the 5QS.
Setup is relatively easy; once you choose the applet you want, the software will prompt you to select the keys that will display information. For the weather app, I picked F1-F4, with various colors representing the four-day forecast. If I see blue on F4, I know rain is expected later in the week. If I want to see the full forecast, I press the media wheel plus F4, and a popup will display on my screen with the entire four-day range. It’s an intuitive system; once you get used to it, you’ll find it hard to do without. Gmail worked the same way; once I saw the key light up, I clicked the wheel and the corresponding key to see my messages.
Unfortunately, not all apps run smoothly. The package tracking app, which would use five keys to gauge the delivery of FedEx or UPS parcels, didn’t work. Other apps, like the ones designed to display CPU load, worked well but had limited use. If you’re a Workday user, you’ll enjoy the benefits of seeing project progress displayed in real-time, but for the 5QS to be successful, it needs more consumer-level apps. It’s a great concept, and I love the apps that work, but unless you’re a developer, it’s a barren selection.
The 5QS is compatible with Windows, Mac, and even Linux (which means you should be able to get the softwareworking on ChromeOS), each offering full software support. On-board macrosand shortcutscan be programmed on the fly or using the Q software, and full n-key rollover ensures that you’ll never have your inputs locked out during gaming.
Competition
Price is definitely a factor
The Das Keyboard 5QS runs into problems when you see what’s available for the same price. The Corsair RGB Platinum XT is available for $199, with your choice of Cherry MX Blue or Cherry MX Speed switches. The RGB is also superior, with light coming from under the keys and a light bar at thFspe top of the deck. If you’re looking for a gamer aesthetic with better performance, Corsair’s K95 is worth a look, although the software experience can be painful.
The Roccat Vulcan II can be purchased for only $149 and offers comparable specs to the 5QS. It features an aluminum top plate, full n-key rollover, and fast Titan II Red Linear mechanical switches, with Roccat claiming they can last for up to 80 million keystrokes. I have tested the Vulcan, and I love the feel of the switches and the quality of the board for that price. If you don’t care about apps, the Roccat might be your choice.
Should you buy it?
I like the 5QS a lot. I wish it had a better typing feel with Omron switches, but — more importantly — I hope the app situation gets sorted out. I could see the appeal if Das Keyboard could develop killer apps for the 5QS.
It’s fine at gaming, but typing left me feeling flat, so the biggest competitive advantage for the 5QS is its potential for great apps. But when the options are mostly limited to checking the weather or getting alerted to an email, I think there are more focused mechanical keyboard choices for $199.
The Das Keyboard 5QS offers an interesting proposition using its RGB lighting in conjunction with apps to send alerts and other helpful things. This is a unique and interesting way to leverage a board’s lighting, and with Omron’s Gamma Zulu switches, the board is guaranteed to last. But this all comes at a high price when many competitive options are available on the market.
