Das Keyboard Model S for Mac Wired Mechanical Keyboard, Cherry MX Blue Mechanical Switches, 2-Port USB Hub, Laser Etched Keycaps (104 Keys, Black)

If someone were to ask what computer component deserves the the most investment, my answer would be the keyboard. After all, the keyboard is the one tool on your desktop at home and work that goes through the most abuse. It's also the primary piece of hardware that really establishes the connection between human and computer. It's important that what you press beneath your fingers has the ability to react. The more it reacts, the more confidence you have in what you type, and thus, your typing speed vastly improves. For years I have put a lot of money into the keyboard I type on. I spent almost $300 for the Logitech Dinovo Keyboard. For me, it was well worth the cost, as for the last three years I have been typing on what I consider to be the Cadillac of keyboards. After three years, however, the Dinovo is looking a bit abused (letters have been long worn from the keys), and quite frankly, I was getting tired of having to recharge it every couple of weeks. So, in the market for a new keyboard I started reading about Das Keyboard in some of the Mac magazines. All the reviews I had read pointed to this keyboard being something extraordinary for the fact that it's a throwback to the mechanical keyboards that dominated the 80s (and still hold up well today). Make no mistake about it, Das Keyboard is built like a tank. You really start to marvel at the build quality of this keyboard, that is, until you become distracted once you begin typing upon it. The tactile feel of the keys and the "clicking" response you get with each keystroke is something you must really experience to believe. The keys feel solid, quickly snapping back into position with every press. It's a much more gratifying feeling as opposed to the "mushiness" that most modern keyboards give in response. I have read many complaints on Amazon about Das Keyboard switching manufacturers. I wish there was a way to find out if my keyboard came from the original manufacturer or not. Nobody has posted any details on how to find out (if there is a way at all). I may be wrong about this, but most of the complaints I see are not tied to the Mac model, so I am hoping for the best. What I can say at this time is that the keyboard is working perfectly. As I sit here and write this review, I am immensely enjoying the audible clacking as I stroke each key. It is true that these mechanical keyboards do wonders for typing speed. I am typing faster and more confidently than I ever have before. I am also making less mistakes. I always question spending hundred(s) of dollars on keyboards every time I make a new purchase. However, for those that can afford the expense, you really go get what you pay for. As much as I loved the Logitech DiNovo, I am equally enjoying Das Keyboard. It actually makes me look forward to using my new iMac even more. After all, most of your daily interaction with your computer happens through your keyboard. You really deserve to buy the best model you can. Your fingers will thank you.

After my other keyboard died (unfortunately, not by natural causes) I read some reviews and almost everyone loved the Das Keyboards. So, I decided to spend the extra money and purchase the Das Keyboard for Mac. Wow! I forgot how much I miss typing on a "real" keyboard! After using chiclet keyboards for several years, this keyboard is a dream to type on. It is noisy, but that is also some of the fun (a little nostalgic for those of us old enough). I have only had this keyboard for a few days now, I have noticed my typing speed and accuracy have definitely increased. Now if only it had the ability to improve my spelling and grammar :-) The keyboard worked immediately out of the box. This keyboard only has 12 Function keys, whereas the Aluminum Apple Keyboard has 19 Function keys. I have an app that I map certain actions to the Function keys so this required me to do some re-mapping. Not too big a deal. The Das Keyboard does not have the Dashboard, Mission Control and/or Expose keys that are found on the Apple Keyboard. For me, this is not big deal as I did not use them anyway. I used those Function keys to replace the F13 - F19 I was using. The Das Keyboard does have controls for audio and brightness and you can put the system to sleep as well; you have to press a dedicated "fn" key for those controls. This is very similar to a PC laptop keyboard. Pros: Improves typing skills, feels good to type on, sturdy Cons: is noisy when typing, no F13-F19 keys, requires you to plug into two USB ports if you need to use the built in USB hub If anything changes, I will post a follow-up review. Thanks

Overall I like my Das Keyboard Professional Model S for Mac (DASK3PROMS1MACCLI), but there are some things about it that people should know before buying. 1. The top row defaults to F-keys, NOT the media control keys like Apple keyboards do (pause, play, mute, etc.). I use my keyboard to edit audio and video, and having to hold down the Fn key on the bottom row then reach up to the top row to pause or mute is a hassle, and sometimes prevents me from reacting quickly enough. By the way, I did contact Das Keyboard technical support to see if the defaults for the F-keys and media control keys could be reversed, and they said they could not. 2. The keyboard is quite thick. The thickness makes the keyboard about 3 times higher than the Apple keyboard, which changes the angle of your wrists as you type -- and could throw off your typing ergonomics, depending on how high your desk already is. I had to raise my chair to keep my wrists from hurting. 3. This keyboard is too clacky to use while on the telephone. I type notes as I talk to people, but this keyboard is so loud that people on the phone stop talking as I type. Not good. 4. The cable has TWO USB plugs on the other end of the keyboard. One plug powers the keyboard, the other plug powers the USB ports. 5. The USB ports do not have enough juice to charge iPads -- at least they do not charge my iPad Mini with Retina Display, nor my iPad 2. This is both surprising and disappointing, given that the keyboard has cord has two plugs for the express reason for providing more power to the keyboard's USB ports. 6. The USB ports on the side of the keyboard are so close together that plugging somethings into one port can leave the other port blocked. Also, be advised that some devices, like Apple's "SuperDrive," do not work if plugged in to a USB hub. This is not a power issue, apparently they require some kind of hardware ID from your Mac or Apple Thunderbolt Display, and plugging into a hub won't cut it. 7. Astonishingly, the keyboard does not have an equals sign (=) on the numeric keypad! What is the point of having a numeric keypad if you have to leave it to go to the main typing area type an equals sign? That said, this keyboard makes a real difference in my typing. I'm a part-time developer (programmer), and the increased accuracy of this mechanical keyboard over the mushy Apple keyboards while writing code cuts back on typos, bugs and debugging time and costs -- easily paying for the cost of the keyboard in its first week of ownership. === UPDATE September 1, 2014 === I still own the Das Keyboard Professional Model S for Mac (DASK3PROMS1MACCLI), and I use it daily. However, I also bought the "Das Keyboard 4 Professional Clicky" from Amazon, and I use it daily on my main Mac because I strongly prefer the 4 Professional Clicky over the Model S for Mac. The Das Keyboard 4 Professional uses only 1 USB port to plug in, has USB 3.0 ports on the keyboard, has WONDERFUL media control keys, and because you can remove the Control and Alt key covers and swap them, and swap them in Mac OSX, the Das Keyboard 4 Professional ends up being much more familiar and useable if you are used to how Apple does things. Of course both keyboards have that WONDERFUL Das Keyboard touch and click, but the Das Keyboard 4 Professional is actually a better fit for Macs than their Mac keyboard is.

This is a great keyboard for those looking for a great typing experience. The MX Blue switches offers a nice "clicky" tactile feedback that makes typing word documents a complete joy. The keys are loud, responsive, and makes the entire typing experience a lot easier to bear after slugging away page after page. The switch from a traditional keyboard to a mechanical keyboard is simply night and day. Previously I was using the standard HP keyboard for my every-day use, and I would grow tired of typing before long. I decided that purchasing a mechanical keyboard would be the best option for me, and I ended up choosing this particular Das product. The difference, as previously mentioned, was night and day. Typing now is no longer a chore, and I can sit for longer periods of time without having to complain about a terrible keyboard. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that I can also use this on a Windows OS with no problems what so ever right out of the box. One aspect I was slightly disappointed by however was the plastic finish on the keyboard. Paying this kind of money, it would have been nice to see a metal finish, like some of the other keyboards Das has to offer. However, the build quality is still very sturdy and screams quality. The product has a nice bit of weight to it, and the overall feel of the keyboard is premium. A metal finish however, would have elevated the product.

I was skeptical at first with getting my first mechanical keyboard as I wasn't too sure if I'd like the experience, but boy am I glad I did! The Das Keyboard seems to be well built and has some good weight to it making it feel worth the money and like a true mechanical keyboard. The cherry MX Blue switches are amazing and I love the clicky feedback you get, this has definitely improved my typing speed and its just made my setup more professional. I like the glossy look to the keyboard although it can gather dust and prints easily however it is easily cleaned. I was a bit disappointed by the mac only keys as they had to be used with the fn combination however this was easily changeable by using a 3rd party key binder software. I'm going to be purchasing another one soon for my other computer and I look forward to customising a few of my keys too.

good product

Ich war erst etwas skeptisch, als ich die Rezensionen bei Amazon gelesen habe. Das Keyboard ist zwar grad mal 10 Minuten angeschlossen, aber trotzdem kann ich jetzt schon sagen, dass die 1-Stern-Bewertung vom Herrn ueber mir absoluter Schwachsinn ist. Das Tippgefuehl ist sehr gut. Die Tasten lassen sich sehr leicht druecken, dennoch ist der Druckpunkt sehr gut zu fuehlen und zu hoeren. Das Keyboard ist super verarbeitet. Mit seinem Gewicht von ueber einem Kilogramm fuehlt es sich sehr solide an und rutscht nicht unnoetig hin und her. Wer auf das Tippgefuehl vom IBM Model M steht, dem kann ich dieses Modell nur waermstens empfehlen!

Es mi primer teclado mecánico por lo que no tengo un punto de comparación. Observaciones personales: -El sonido de las teclas no es molesto. -La sensación del pulso de la teclas es muy bueno. -Desventaja es que no hay teclados en español.