5QS Mark 2 can be equipped with Cherry MX2A Brown, Red, and Silent Red switches. Das sent us a review unit with their most popular choice, the MX2A Silent Reds. The bottom mount system, amount of dampening silicon, and mute red switch combine to create an incredibly dim typing experience. Switch, silenced using internal silicone strips, naturally soft and slightly mushy, and the lower mount makes this mushiness even more pronounced when typing. The sound dampening inside the case absorbs any vibrations and other typing elements that may be present. The stabilizer is a common plate-mounted unit that, despite being lubricated from the factory, still rattles, even straight out of the box. This is also made more obvious by silencing the keyboard. In the end, typing on this keyboard feels soft and sounds almost silent, while still maintaining some subtle high-pitched and rattly sounds that are not pleasant, but quiet enough to be covered by headphones, earbuds, or even speakers. Photo: Henri Robbins Not like the current keyboard , the 5QS does not have a hot-swap socket. This means that unless you are handy with a soldering iron and don’t seem to have a manufacturer’s warranty, you will be limited to what keyboard switch comes with it from the factory. The Lego-like customization offered by hot-swap sockets has gone from novel luxury to industry standard in modern keyboards, so its absence in this model, at this price, is a little disappointing. However, this means that the 5QS will be more reliable than hot-swappable boards, as hot-swap sockets can sometimes fail with extensive use. The selling point of Q FunctionalityDas with this keyboard is the “Q” software, which is used to manage the RGB lighting and other functions. It can be used to apply animations and patterns to RGB, along with modifying the individual functions of each button. RGB can also be adjusted via individual “applets” you install in the main app. It can connect to external applications and log into websites to display information like unread messages, alerts, and system information. Some of the more interesting ones include a four-day weather forecast, a stock value tracker and cryptocurrencies, and a price tracker for flights and video games. Additionally, there are some time reminder apps for small tasks like drinking water and standing up reminders if you’ve been sitting for too long. While all of these are great concepts, even the best are held back by a major flaw: RGB lighting simply isn’t an efficient way to communicate complex information. For example, the weather forecast applet has different color options for different forecasts, but only a few are visible: White for snow, yellow for sunshine, and blue for rain. The other options – pink for cloudy, and red for stormy – are not very intuitive. Unless you spend a lot of time with this keyboard and set a daily routine to acclimate to the new system, I doubt the average person will help to play a memory game with information that is used two clicks away on the computer. While other keyboards (such as Razer’s BlackWidow V4 75% Pro) incorporate a secondary display, this solution feels cumbersome and uncomfortable.
Das Keyboard 5QS Mark II Review: Keyboard lost in Time
