Verdict
plan to experience as familiar as the reference Apple Mac keyboard , the Das Keyboard MacTigr does stick to its guns , but maybe in too many way to seem worth the request monetary value . Apple users are already used to pay a premium , and while this one sure enough feel great , it also feel just a fiddling bit barebones and borderline unneeded .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
design as a source clacker , the Das Keyboard MacTigr uses the designing principle of the original Apple A1048 or the more late Apple Magic Wireless Keyboard – one I ’ve had a special fancy for decades . But in follow it too closely , does this expensive mechanical keyboard essay too little to feel deserving it ?
An all - metal design is a salient designing decision that put this particular board way beforehand of the direct competition when it comes to durability , that ’s for sure . And its thin profile for sure keeps it search wise on the desk in place of the aforesaid reference board . It just finger like there should be a petty more on go .
Media control are present , as they are in most of the Das Keyboard range , giving you ways to fidget through your playlist without reach for your mouse or flicking between apps . That ’s always appreciated , and the dial feels gravid . There ’s just a feeling that the damage of this board is weighted a small too hard on its metal twist , with it omitting the modern comforts of other boards that we feel even Apple ’s original would do good from in a forward-looking iteration .
Design
The Das Keyboard MacTigr boast an totally metal construction . Though the key fruit are distinctive double - stab ABS that ’ll certainly stand the test of time , everything thereafter is a mix of metals . The darkened stainless steel top shakes off fingerprints with no job , and the Al unibody make the whole computer software feel unbreakable .
Unlike some other Das keyboard offerings , the condition of this one is clean , streamlined , and uniform . The long rectangular body with slim rounded corners will look positively tiny on the desk . It ’s a full - sized board , so your mouse will have to be off to one side a bit , but it ’s a small price to give for a complete collection of keys if that ’s what you ’ve gotten used to by now .
The visibility of the circuit card is never going to match the wireless Apple Magic keyboard and its diminutive scissor switch , but it ’s still flat enough to stow into a marvellous bag . That ’s great if you move between machines a lot and just ca n’t live without it . And while the keycaps can be removed , it film quite a bit more effort than taller ones on the market , so you should n’t run into too much risk of losing a few in your suitcase if you have to sprint for the train .
You will notice the board lifts slightly toward the back destruction to give that curved ergonomic angle , but that ’s about the final stage of its ergonomic endeavours . It does n’t follow in the footsteps of the Das Keyboard 6 Professional – there are no adjustable feet to flicker out or screw on here . That ’s another downside of sticking to that book of facts figure philosophical system .
What does bear over from other Das ware are the metier control and dedicated Sleep push in the top - right wing , and the two - port wine USB - ascorbic acid 3.0 hub , which should be easy to make the most of thanks to the modal Mac ’s array of full - spec Thunderbolt porthole . At the very least , they ’ll make charging your Apple Magic Mouse a small less of a comical chore .
Performance
Being a full - sized board , there ’s little the Das Keyboard MacTigr ca n’t do for you . If something worked on your Mac ’s included keyboard , it ’ll work on this one . What you ’re doing is swapping out scissors or rubber attic flip-flop forCherry Low Profile MX Reds . These linear switches will take a tad more force to press down , but not nearly enough to mean line up how you move your finger’s breadth .
What you should feel is a more premium and stout force as the central move down and reverberate back up . Being scurvy - profile , these will feel like a shot different to the taller key found in something like theCorsair K70 , instead feeling more cognate to the dampened and lubricated K70 Core . If you have n’t strain either of those display panel in the yesteryear , just know that this approach feels solid and ripe whereas others can feel cheaper and puerile .
The double - slam keycaps of the Das Keyboard MacTigr should be able to stand up well against the test of time , too . The legend is already clearly legible , but it ’s this extra process that should help ensure they delay that way , with no real chance of the letters fading over sustain purpose .
continue with the keycaps , you ’ll notice all sorts of shape and indenture with these . The bottom row is mostly domed to aid you skid on and off at hurrying given its infrequent use , with the quietus of the headstone being lightly concaved to welcome your fingertips .
The F - key wrangle at the top lacks the segmented spacing , and you ’ll suffer quite a few compared to theMagic Keyboard with Touch ID(including said biometric system of rules ) , but what you ’ll get in its home are those said media controls .
The controls in particular work as well as you ’d expect . The four button are quite loud and have that snappy , no - travelling feel to them . It is n’t to my taste , but the bulk wheel flick softly with each tiny incremental stage is . The dial is low and does n’t bleed over the border like the Das Keyboard 6 Professional , nor can you click it to mute , but it does feel better in use .
Using it to write this review on my iPad , I am a small disappointed that you lost some functionality . For instance , Apple ’s keyboard allows the FN key to allow for app switching on an iPad . On here , it does not . The caption does n’t match up to Apple ’s iPad - specificMagic Keyboard , and some of the universal winder you ’d conceive would work just very well on an iPad do n’t , which may gall those who care to utilize both .
Software and Lighting
The Das Keyboard , for some maddening reason , omits backlighting entirely . If you ’re planning to utilize this for belated - night coding efforts , you ’d better get a lamp ready or use those brightness keys to crank up your video display .
It ’s a major stain on an otherwise self-coloured keyboard and one that might confuse folks when they see a large fable utterly suitable to it , the two cleverness buttons , and the high-pitched price tag .
And , being a reference keyboard , software support is completely hooked on the auto you use it on . Interestingly , my iPad ’s keyboard screen suggests there are two Day Keyboard MacTigr devices plugged in at once , with each having dissimilar modifier samara I can alter the function of .
The second one suggests the Globe key ( which is still the FN tonality on this finicky instrument panel ) is present and jell to bring as it would on a mod Mac / iPadOS political machine , but there does n’t seem to be a agency to activate it . The brightness controls wo n’t even work to turn down your iPad display .
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Should you buy it?
The Das Keyboard MacTigr offer a solid native typing experience for MacOS . It ’s high-priced , but there ’s also no reason it wo n’t last for generation .
At this price point , it ’s a surprisal to see the Das Keyboard MacTigr omit things like cardinal backlighting , height adaption , and a caption that equalize today ’s Mac batting order . If you travel , the Magic Keyboard with TouchID believably still makes more common sense at this price .
Final Thoughts
The Das Keyboard MacTigr feels like a product that ’s mystify in the past . It offers a substantial typing experience for if you ’re moving from a summary butterfly stroke or scissor electrical switch frame-up , but the deletion of modern comforts like backlighting , TouchID , and the Globe Florida key means it ’s in dire need of a refresh .
Despite the USB - C standard suggesting it ’s build for more modern Apple machine , it struggles to make the most of them , offering a very canonic experience on an iPad , which might contradict the idea of taking it with you to get set of piece of work done with a relatively stocky apparatus .
If it bet to have everything you want , however , there ’s little reason to conceive it wo n’t help oneself you get the Book of Job done for eld on end . It ’s a solid workhorse that will help you put words to a page . It ’s just that when it comes to much else , let ’s just hope you get some good use out of the USB - degree centigrade hub and media mastery . Take a flavor at thebest mechanically skillful keyboardsif that ’s all you ’re looking for , in which you ’ll find excellent productiveness - favorable mechanical option like theLogitech MX MechanicalandKeychron Q1 Pro , both at a alike or slightly cheaper price .
Trusted Score
How we test
We expend every keyboard we quiz for at least a workweek . During that clip , we ’ll see it for ease of use , comfort and performance of the switches .
We also check each keyboard ’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up .
FAQs
USB - C means the Das Keyboard MacTigr will be recognized by a compatible iPad , but not every keyboard function will work .
No , there ’s no LED lighting to mouth of here .
