Does anyone here use Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac or Matias Tactile Pro?
Interested in hearing first-hand experiences…
I’ve got an older Das Keyboard Model S and I’m quite happy with it.
I have a KB paradise board with the Matias quiet click keys on it. The keys feel awesome but I have a chatter issue where a single key press occasionally causes double characters. That issue is maddening but I’m not sure if the keyboard or the Matias switches are to blame.
I also have a Code Keyboard from WASD that I adore.
According to https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/our-favorite-mechanical-keyboards/, Matias Tactile Pro is apparently the best for Mac.
I will place an order for it later today…
I use a Keyboardio Model 01 that has Matias Quiet Click switches. I like the switches pretty well. They have enough feedback from their travel and slight tactile bump that I’m happy with them. Anything really clicky like an IBM M or some of the clicky Cherrys would drive my labmates insane.
I’ve had the Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac since it was introduced 3(?) years ago. Last year I had a problem with three of the keys having trouble registering keypresses so I mailed it in and they sent me a brand new keyboard as a replacement!
I like it a lot, but I got the clickier Cherry-Blue keys which turned out to be a little too noisy for me (and which I don’t recommend), so I bought a bag of rubber O-rings on ebay that fit (a trick that’s well-known for any kind of mechanical keyboard, I learned), and that reduced the snap sound. If you go for a Das Keyboard get one of the quieter switches.
I love the volume and mute buttons on it.
@sridhar, please note that Wirecutter didn’t call the Matias the “best” or even “apparently best” keyboard, it was actually the third listed of their ‘favorite’ keyboards. If you get it I hope you enjoy it though!
hmm… that was my conclusion from The 6 Best Mechanical Keyboards of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter.
Thanks for the info on Das.
I had an Original Matias Tactile pro for about 7 years at work. I had to replace it because the delete key died. I didn’t think that the keys felt like the old Apple Extended keyboard and it was probably the loudest keyboard I’ve used and I didn’t like the feel as much as I had expected to.
After that many years it was out of warranty, so I ordered a Das Model S for Macintosh. It had Cherry blue switches which were a huge improvement over the Matias, but they were a bit too sensitive for my taste.
Continuing my search for the perfect keyboard I found the Code Keyboard and bought one with Cherry Green switches and red sound dampeners. The green switch behaves like the blue but with a bit more activation force required. After three years I’m still happy with this keyboard, it’s the best keyboard I’ve had since the third party keyboard I bought for my Macintosh SE/30. Come to think of it, the Apple keyboard that came with my Apple //GS was really good too.
I’ve done some research into keyboard technology. Here is a good explanation of the difference between the different kinds of cherry key switches. https://www.daskeyboard.com/blog/mechanical-keyboard-guide/#keyswitches
You can see my keyboard related bookmarks at https://pinboard.in/search/u:Juggularity/?query=keyboard
Good luck in your quest.
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While we’re on the subject, key switch testers like this can be found on Amazon and elsewhere. It’s a good way to try switches before buying a whole keyboard full.
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I’m in the market for a external keyboard as well though I’m so used to the layout on my 2010 White Macbook that anything different will take some getting used to. Maybe I’ll go with a 40 or 60% key board instead of full size
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May I know which colour switches you got?
I may have a problem hahaha… I own it with clears, browns, and blues.
haha. Which of these would be a easy transition to someone that has been typing on MBP and Apple’s wireless keyboard’s chiclet keys for ever? I am guessing Browns?
The browns are a great place to start.
Blues are nice too, but super loud, which can be annoying.
I have it (das Keyboard 4) and I love it. I have the clicky one and I like that, but that’s taste. Recently I accidentally poured a whole glass of water over (and into) it. I could take the whole thing apart, dry it and reassemble it easily. Works totally fine.