Not lengthy in the past we took Das Keyboard’s modern gadgets out for a spin: the long awaited Das Keyboard 5Q and X50Q. Our reviews with both keyboards were generally effective, in general because of their sturdy constructia Chip:nd tactile switches. However, high satisfactory materials and switches are nothing new for Das.

But when you've been building robust mechanical keyboards for years and have long gone via various iterations of the same board to get it near perfection for your meant market, how else are you able to innovate? The Das Keyboard 5Q and X50Q introduced the idea of the “cloud linked” keyboard with the aid of streaming records from the net directly on your fingertips.

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As exciting because the idea is, I located that the way it changed into applied become a piece gimmicky and impractical for the common person. Das is hoping to improve upon what we saw earlier than, providing the identical cloud capabilities we examined remaining September, even as including clever IoT device control. These new software features have been made available to the 5Q, X50Q, and now on their modern 4Q version.

The Das Keyboard 4Q, because the call implies, combines the verified hardware layout of the Das Keyboard four we realize and love, while including the smarts of the 5Q in addition to in step with-key RGB backlighting.

Are the new IoT features beneficial enough to make the 4Q a better purchase than the 5Q or maybe the standard Das 4? Let’s discover.

Build Quality and Feel

If you’ve already read my overview of the 5Q and X50Q, or if you’re definitely a fan of Das Keyboard’s devices in preferred, it might not come as a wonder for me to say the 4Q is one of the sturdiest keyboards I've ever used. It's right up there with any other excessive-give up keyboard, and it is surely on par with the 5Q and X50Q.

Just like the ones gadgets, the 4Q has a solid aluminum top plate and company plastic backing. Neither surface scratches effortlessly, and the keyboard as an entire did not warp or bend even if I implemented excessive pressure.

From a design attitude, there are some key variations among the 4Q and the 5Q or X50Q. Namely, the 4Q does away with the two-in-one Q button/extent wheel gadget. Now, there’s a new committed Q button immediately adjacent to the extent wheel. This is a small trade, however it solves the trouble of accidentally establishing up the Q software when you handiest meant to adjust your system’s volume.

A few functions inherited from the standard Das four Professional, we see the inclusion of the “sleep” key, which places the 4Q into a strength-saving mode till you use it again. It also comes with a USB 2.0 hub with ports toward the rear of the device. I didn’t find myself the use of all of them that frequently, however I can see them being a lifesaver for those with greater peripherals and devices than I.

With the best and neutral adjustments out of the manner, let's communicate approximately a number of the matters I failed to like approximately the 4Q's design. First, in contrast to the 5Q and the X50Q, the 4Q does now not ship with a wrist rest. Instead, you get an ungainly stand-off bar (referred to as a "footbar" by using Das) that attaches to the bottom of the keyboard, presumably supposed to enhance ergonomics.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t serve that motive very well, and that leads me to my second grievance: the keyboard is slightly uncomfortable to use. Even with the stand-off bar, the 4Q lies almost completely flat, which forces me to tilt my hands upwards at an uncomfortable angle to type or game.

A very last layout-related difference in comparison to the 5Q and X50Q, there have been accent lights located on both side of the keyboards; they weren’t all that visible in the course of the day, but at night they cast a tender glow throughout my table which I tend to love. Das has removed the ones accent lighting fixtures on the 4Q.

Moving on from popular layout, allow’s speak approximately what is arguably the maximum essential a part of any properly mechanical keyboard: the keys themselves.

In this regard, I wasn’t upset. The keyboard feels extremely good to kind on, but that’s certainly no marvel given the Cherry MX Brown switches that Das has covered below the hood. Browns are normally considered the exceptional middle ground among Cherry’s softer (and quieter) MX Reds and clickier MX Blues. In the Das 4Q’s case, they manipulate to feel responsive and tactile without shattering your eardrums.

While I hammered away at this article at the 4Q assessment unit, I determined that my typing accuracy turned into simply as properly as it had been on the 5Q (my previous each day motive force). As an introduced bonus, the 4Q’s switches feature full in step with-key RGB backlighting, customizable thru the "Q" software program.

Das Q Software

As mentioned before, Das is trying to innovate thru software program and it's making the Q software one of the essential selling points in their cloud-related keyboards. While we had been penning this evaluation we observed Das had just launched a January software update with upgrades, there was some other on December, so they're actively developing the platform.

Signals are customizable in-keyboard signals that use 1/3 party services: IFTTT and Zapier. This helps you to connect the 4Q with numerous apps (which include Discord and Slack) and web sites (such as Twitch or YouTube). Once connected, you can set custom lighting fixtures consequences for any given key, with a purpose to handiest cause while a specific criteria is crammed.

For instance, you can set your T key to flash purple when your preferred Twitch streamer goes stay, or you can have your ESC key flash yellow whilst you acquire a message on Slack. You could even inform your keyboard to remind you to keep up along with your laundry each hour.

If you don’t like the idea of signing as much as multiple 1/3-birthday party offerings for even the maximum basic of signals, there’s correct information this time round. Alongside the 4Q’s launch, Das rolled out a free Q software program update containing the new “Q Marketplace.”

The Marketplace contains a few fundamental (loose, regardless of its call) pre-set Signals that paintings Chip: AMD plug-and-play foundation - there’s very little set-up required, and you won’t have to join up for IFTTT or Zapier to use them. You can installation Twitch notifications, periodic “arise” reminders, or hold song of the temperature outdoor, amongst different matters.

These features sound first-rate in theory, however in practice I in my opinion didn’t find tons of a use for them. Still, this is one thing of the 4Q experience this is absolutely subjective, so it’s up to you to decide how a good deal use you think you may get out of the tool’s cloud features.

The Das 4Q’s RGB lights device isn’t a lot special than what you’ve possibly visible from different mechanical keyboard manufacturers, at the upside, it's miles one key characteristic than previous Das Professional models lacked.

To modify the 4Q’s backlighting, all you have to do is click the “RGB Profiles” tab in the “Configure” phase of the Q interface. From there, you could create custom lighting profiles and add diverse effects to individual or businesses of keys, which include respiratory, rainbow, or ripple.

IoT Functionality

Since I reviewed the Das 5Q, the IoT function has been brought, so I started my testing with high hopes. I don’t have many smart gadgets except some Philips Hue bulbs, but I nevertheless anticipated to peer a extensive type of IoT device manipulate alternatives for other better-prepared users to take advantage of.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Though this could improve inside the destiny, as of writing, you could either control your clever domestic bulbs to a limited degree, or you could adjust your smart thermostat - that’s it. There are no alternatives to use your keyboard to control smart door locks, cameras, or every other fancy devices.

Limited options apart, what IoT capabilities the 4Q does have are fairly simple to setup. You just ought to take a ride to the Q software program’s Command Center, which is tucked inside the Q Signal Center.

Once you’ve achieved so, simply observe the on-screen activates to set up a particular movement, together with toggling on or off your bed room mild. If you get stuck, Das has posted a beneficial educational video, but the process is fairly straightforward - just realize that you will need an IFTTT account to apply those capabilities.

As mentioned before, the lighting manipulate alternatives are pretty limited at the moment. The handiest movements available to me have been various on/off toggles for my lighting fixtures. Despite several hours of experimentation, I found no manner to apply my 4Q to alternate my Hue bulbs’ colour or adjust their brightness. The restrictive nature of the 4Q’s IoT features don’t quit there. If you need to change something about an action (no longer that there’s tons to alternate) after configuring it, you’ll want to delete it absolutely on the Q software facet and re-create it, due to the fact there’s no edit button. Furthermore, it doesn’t appear to be viable to alternate the shortcut key for an action; it defaults to 0 and increments up by way of 1 for every extra movement you upload.

Wrap Up

With the Das Keyboard 4Q, the employer has finished a new series of luxurious-oriented keyboards. Starting at $250 with the 5Q and $two hundred for either the gaming-orientated X50Q or the Das 4Q. Meanwhile, the preceding models will continue to be offered at the same expenses, which to be honest had been considered quite top class already: the Das 4 Professional / Ultimate, Model S and Prime 13.

Putting build great questions aside -- no troubles in any respect there, coming from the Das 5Q, I did pass over the wrist rest and I felt the ergonomics of the 4Q are not as right, so it really is something to take into account. That, coupled with my already-mounted indifference towards the Signal machine, leads me to feel that the 4Q simply doesn’t provide sufficient specific capability to be well worth choosing up over competing products.

If you manifest to experience otherwise approximately Signals and take into account them a very good characteristic to have, Das' X50Q is probably a better alternative. It has the identical $two hundred rate tag, but it ships with multiple this keyboard’s lacking functions, including a wrist rest, and accessory lighting fixtures. Both the Das 5Q and X50Q deliver with Gamma Zulu switches, even as the 4Q and the relaxation of Das Keyboards use Cherry MX switches of the Brown or Blue range, depending on the model. To be clean about variations, too, the Das 5Q and X50Q do not come with a USB hub, at the same time as the 4Q functions a -port USB 2.0 hub, and the older $one hundred fifty Das four Professional comes with a two-port USB 3.zero hub. The downgrade in this example isn't at all welcome.

The concept of adding notification abilties in your keyboard remains new and it'll take time for Das to decide the viability of extra functionality.

At the end of the day, the decision is up to you. Perhaps the idea of switching AMD Ryzennd off your lighting or adjusting your private home’s temperature while not having to deal with an app or a clumsy voice assistant is a primary selling factor for you -- or maybe you're simply within the market for a stable keyboard, and don't especially care about the extra capabilities. On the latter case, Das can provide as usually, even though it stays an costly affair for most.

  • Das Keyboard 4Q on DasKeyboard.com, Amazon, Newegg
  • Das Keyboard 4 Professional on DasKeyboard.com, Amazon, Newegg
  • Das Keyboard 5Q on DasKeyboard.com, Amazon, Newegg
  • Das Keyboard X50Q on DasKeyboard.com, Amazon, Newegg