More thoughts about Das Keyboard 5Q keyboard switch

As previously noted, Das Keyboard 5Q’s biggest thing is programmable RGB lighting for each key that can be controlled by an external program via an API.  However, cool notifications and lighting control won’t do you any good if the keyboard itself is not interesting.  These days, the newer Das Keyboard entries no longer use Cherry MX, but instead going with another vendor since the 4C.  However, with the 5Q, Metadot is taking this separation a bit further.  Remember that they have release a brand new key switch for the gaming keyboard?  It’s basically a Cherry MX Red clone with a short activation distance.  With the 5Q, they have gone further.  Much further.

From the information gleamed on the site, looks like the switch is a completely new design, manufactured by Omron.  That name should ring a bell.  Yes, it’s the crew that make Logtiech’s Romer-G key switches.  So, from a first glance, the 5Q’s new gamma zulu is surprisingly similar to Romer-G’s design.  Both share many similar characteristics.  So, it’s possible that Omron provided a reference design and then each company selected features to make a switch type distinctly their own.  In any case, Metadot chose to identify their new switch to Cherry MX brown as a close comparison.  However, the switch is rated at 100 million actuation.  So, it’s about twice of that for a Cherry MX's rating.  Either way, I would be impressed if someone reached that many key presses.  Suffice to say that Metadot is confident of its durability.  Given Metadot’s history coming from software developers, I am not surprised that a solid, reliable key switch is a must have feature.

Short actuation distance is now in vogue.  The new standard is now around 1.5mm.  Anyway, this gamma zulu switch is no exception.  45g force is still the norm, but there’s some moment elsewhere to increase the key weight upward toward 70g or more.  That’s probably too much for most folks; but for heavy hitting typist, they are just getting started.  However, in that regard, gamma zulu stayed put.  It has a 1.5mm actuation distance, 3.5mm total travel and about 45g key weight, very similar to Romer-G.  Like Romer-G, it has a central LED lighting pipe that allows better lighting.  Since one main feature about this keyboard is the LEDs, I suppose it’s one of the reasons why Metadot went with Omron rather than Cherry.  One of the bigger MX weaknesses is the LED positioning.  Since the LED pipe is in the middle, Cherry MX key caps need not apply.  I am wondering if one can transplant Logitech’s Orion key caps to the 5Q and vice versa.  In any case, the LED lighting is crucial given that programmable LED lighting is the linchpin of the product.  It must work well.  So, the new Omron design solves a major problem for Metadot.

So Metadot has double down on this new keyboard design, trying to please both the gaming crowd and the coder/typist niche.  Let’s see if it works out.  I think Metadot is onto something, but they will need software development support and build momentum going forward.  I am keeping a close eye on this one.  Should be pretty interesting to watch.