TechPeripheralsDas Keyboard 5QS review: a premium mechanical keyboard gamers will loveThe Das Keyboard 5QS is powerful, versatile and a pleasure to useWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Das Keyboard)T3 VerdictThe Das Keyboard 5QS will cost you a significant chunk of money, but you get plenty back in return: as well as high quality Gamma Zulu tactile switches, there are also some unique design touches, plenty of customisation options, and even built-in smart notifications.Reasons to buy+High-quality construction+Premium switches and keys+Smart notification features+Multi-platform support+Offers plenty of customisationReasons to avoid-It’ll cost you-It’s large-Font choice won’t appeal to everyoneWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechPeripheralsDas Keyboard 5QS review: a premium mechanical keyboard gamers will loveThe Das Keyboard 5QS is powerful, versatile and a pleasure to useWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Das Keyboard)T3 VerdictThe Das Keyboard 5QS will cost you a significant chunk of money, but you get plenty back in return: as well as high quality Gamma Zulu tactile switches, there are also some unique design touches, plenty of customisation options, and even built-in smart notifications.Reasons to buy+High-quality construction+Premium switches and keys+Smart notification features+Multi-platform support+Offers plenty of customisationReasons to avoid-It’ll cost you-It’s large-Font choice won’t appeal to everyoneWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
The Das Keyboard 5QS is powerful, versatile and a pleasure to use
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Das Keyboard)T3 VerdictThe Das Keyboard 5QS will cost you a significant chunk of money, but you get plenty back in return: as well as high quality Gamma Zulu tactile switches, there are also some unique design touches, plenty of customisation options, and even built-in smart notifications.Reasons to buy+High-quality construction+Premium switches and keys+Smart notification features+Multi-platform support+Offers plenty of customisationReasons to avoid-It’ll cost you-It’s large-Font choice won’t appeal to everyone
(Image credit: Das Keyboard)
(Image credit: Das Keyboard)
T3 VerdictThe Das Keyboard 5QS will cost you a significant chunk of money, but you get plenty back in return: as well as high quality Gamma Zulu tactile switches, there are also some unique design touches, plenty of customisation options, and even built-in smart notifications.Reasons to buy+High-quality construction+Premium switches and keys+Smart notification features+Multi-platform support+Offers plenty of customisationReasons to avoid-It’ll cost you-It’s large-Font choice won’t appeal to everyone
T3 VerdictThe Das Keyboard 5QS will cost you a significant chunk of money, but you get plenty back in return: as well as high quality Gamma Zulu tactile switches, there are also some unique design touches, plenty of customisation options, and even built-in smart notifications.
T3 Verdict
The Das Keyboard 5QS will cost you a significant chunk of money, but you get plenty back in return: as well as high quality Gamma Zulu tactile switches, there are also some unique design touches, plenty of customisation options, and even built-in smart notifications.
Reasons to buy+High-quality construction+Premium switches and keys+Smart notification features+Multi-platform support+Offers plenty of customisationReasons to avoid-It’ll cost you-It’s large-Font choice won’t appeal to everyone
Reasons to buy+High-quality construction+Premium switches and keys+Smart notification features+Multi-platform support+Offers plenty of customisation
High-quality construction
Premium switches and keys
Smart notification features
Multi-platform support
Offers plenty of customisation
Reasons to avoid-It’ll cost you-It’s large-Font choice won’t appeal to everyone
It’ll cost you
It’s large
Font choice won’t appeal to everyone
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Das Keyboard 5QS deals
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You know where you stand with the Das Keyboard 5QS, as this comes from one of the most reliable manufacturers in the business – and it’s likely to come up in any conversation that you have about thebest mechanical keyboardor thebest gaming keyboardyou can buy.
Like the Das Keyboard 5QS, this model has a party trick, in that the RGB lighting can also be used as a sort of coded signal to alert you to everything from a stormy weather forecast to an overloaded CPU. But that’s just part of the story when it comes to this keyboard.
In our detailed Das Keyboard 5QS review, we’ll outline everything you need to know about the peripheral to help you decide whether or not it’s the one for you, including every key spec. We’ve also written plenty about the otherbest keyboardson the market as well.
Das Keyboard 5QS review: design and setup
(Image credit: Das Keyboard)
(Image credit: Das Keyboard)
The Das Keyboard 5QS doesn’t stray too far from the angular, bold design choices on show onprevious Das Keyboard models, and while we like it, it’s not going to appeal to everyone. It’s also worth noting that this full size keyboard (number pad and all) stays relatively flat, even with the rear stands flipped open. It’s a large-ish keyboard too, measuring 457 mm x 152 mm x 36 mm, with an attached USB-A cable that’s a generous 2 metres in length, so you have plenty of flexibility in terms of where to place it.
That large size means there’s room for dedicated media playback keys and a chunky volume dial that can also be used to preview notifications on your computer. The anodised black aluminium top panel adds a touch of class to the keyboard, and the Das Keyboard 5QS looks and feels like a device that’s going to last you - it definitely has the sort of premium aesthetic that you would expect from a mechanical keyboard costing this much.
Setting up the keyboard is as simple as plugging in the USB-A cable. The free configuration software download from the Das Keyboard website is quite a hefty one, but we’re pleased to see that the program is available for macOS and Ubuntu as well as Windows – not something you can say about many mechanical keyboards or gaming keyboards. You can then change the default colour profile, set up smart keyboard functions, and more.
Das Keyboard 5QS review: features and performance
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
The Das Keyboard 5QS makes use of proprietary Gamma Zulu switches, which Das Keyboard says will last for 100 million presses, if you want to put them to the test. They’re tactile, which means they don’t need a full press to register, and we were able to get through some speedy typing using this device – and we also found the keyboard very responsive when it came to gaming too.
Other specs that you need to know about are full NKRO (n-key rollover) support, so every key gets registered no matter how many you press simultaneously – which again helps with gaming – and the ability to record and playback macros to save you fingers with repetitive tasks, showing the keyboard’s prowess as an all-rounder as well.
The per-key RGB lighting that the device brings with it definitely looks impressive, as you would expect from Das Keyboard. There’s nothing in the way of light bleed here, and the two illumination panels on either edge of the keyboard add an extra touch of flair, if you want to make use of them. Of course it’s up to you how all of this lighting is configured, so you can go as subtle and minimal or as loud and flashy as you like.
As for the smart features on the keyboard – using colours on specific keys to show weather conditions, or new email alerts, or CPU load, or whatever it is – this is all easily handled through the supplied software that we mentioned earlier. We’re not sure exactly how useful these smart functions actually are, considering how many other ways there are to get notifications these days, but they certainly help the Das Keyboard 5QS stand out.
Das Keyboard 5QS review: price and verdict
(Image credit: Das Keyboard)
(Image credit: Das Keyboard)
If you’re after a high-quality mechanical keyboard with a wide range of RGB lighting effects then the Das Keyboard 5QS has to be right up there as one of the best keyboards in the category. Not every keyboard lets you set up multiple lighting profiles to suit different scenarios, as well as having dedicated profiles for particular applications and games (everything from Photoshop to Counter-Strike is covered).
As we’ve said, the smart lighting features help to set this keyboard apart from the rest as well, though it’s not something that we imagine a lot of people are going to end up relying on. There’s certainly nothing to complain about when it comes to the typing and gaming experience, with the excellent build quality and Gamma Zulu switches ensuring the keyboard feels great and responds to your every touch instantly.
We can’t think of many reasons why you wouldn’t consider buying the Das Keyboard 5QS if you’re in the market for amechanical keyboardor agaming keyboard. The design and low profile of the keyboard perhaps won’t appeal to everyone, and the font used on the keys is something of an acquired taste too. Everyone’s different when it comes to the hardware designs that they prefer, and that’s going to apply here.
The Das Keyboard 5QS is also on the expensive side, relatively speaking, and you can certainly pick up mechanical keyboards for less. However, considering the wealth of options and features you get with this model, and the quality of the user experience, we think that the device justifies its cost – particularly if you’re going to make use of the smart notification features and the RGB colour profiles.
Das Keyboard 5QS: Price Comparison
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