Mechanical keyboards have come back into fashion in no small part because Metadot, the company behind the Das Keyboard line, committed to their resuscitation about a decade ago and has not given up since. But with more choices on the market now, it's been increasingly tricky for the comapny to offer the same feature and value propositions it once did. The new Das Keyboard Prime 13 ($149) attempts to restore that balance, blending all the must-have basics with a fun extra or two to result in a compromise between the typing-focused Das Keyboard 4 Professional ($179.00 at Amazon) and the gaming-geared Division Zero X40 Pro Gaming Mechanical Keyboard ( at Amazon) . It's a worthwhile gambit, if one that does not entirely succeed.
Design and Features
In its overall shape and structure, the Prime 13 closely resembles the 4 Professional. It has a rock-solid anodized aluminum top panel and essentially all the standard keys, with no extras, and is shaped like a traditional keyboard except for the deeper, angled upper-right corner that houses the integrated USB hub. The font for the key labels is somewhat bigger and bolder, closer (if not identical) to what's used on the X40 Pro than the thin-lined, austere one you'll see on the business-minded Professional.
As you might expect for a keyboard that straddles these worlds, the Prime 13 uses Cherry MX Brown key switches that require less actuation force than the Professional's Cherry MX Blue switches and provide less click when pressed, but still offer a tactile bump. This makes it a better keyboard for users who move back and forth between typing and gaming applications than those who devote their lives to one or the other. (Obviously the Professional is tilted to the former and the X40 Pro to the latter, though it uses proprietary switches with a shorter-than-Cherry actuation point.)
The only significant new feature on the Prime 13 is the backlight, the first to appear on a non-gaming Das Keyboard model. It's only white, which may disappoint you if you want something more shocking (the X40 Pro had red) or configurable (such as our Editors' Choice, the Corsair K95 RGB ( at Amazon) , which provides full-color, per-key customization), but it's not a bad inclusion. And because the Prime 13 doesn't require a driver, you can control the brightness of the backlight just by way of a key combination. (There's even a nice implementation I noticed by accident: The backlight steps down slowly but automatically over a period of inactivity, though it resumes at its previous set brightness once you touch the keys again.)
Similar Products
Das Keyboard 4 Professional
Corsair K95 RGB
Cherry MX-Board 3.0 G80-3850
Das Keyboard X40 Pro Gaming Mechanical Keyboard
Logitech G610 Orion Brown
Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum
Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma
SteelSeries Apex M500
The Das Keyboard folks tout other features on the Prime 13 that are of lesser importance, such as an extra-long braided cable (6.5 feet, or 2 meters) and full n-key rollover that should aid speedier typists or frantic gamers. But there are some unavoidable disappointments. There's only one port on that built-in USB 2.0 hub, compared with two USB 3.0 ports on the 4 Professional. There are no headphone or mic jacks, as you'll find on many keyboards (including the X40 Pro), or for that matter the standalone hardware and media controls that are so handy on the Professional 4. You can access all the same functionality here, of course, by hitting the Fn key (which replaces the right Windows key) and then the appropriate function key, but it adds a level of inconvenience.
Performance and Conclusion
Though I admit to a personal (and professional) preference for Cherry MX Blue switches, I nonetheless found typing on the Prime 13 to be quite satisfying regardless of what I was doing. And I enjoyed, as always, the sturdy feel of everything from the top panel of the keyboard when moving it around to the keycaps themselves as I was pounding away. I can take or leave backlights, but the attractive, gentle, and unobtrusive one used here never once bothered or distracted me. It's the kind of keyboard I could see myself using indefinitely, though it's better suited for my home usage pattern, where I occasionally play (or test) games than at work, where I pretty much type all day, every day.
For that reason, the Das Keyboard Prime 13 earns my recommendation, but it doesn't come without caveats. Considering what you get for your $149 outlay, it's not really a terrific deal. For just $20 more, you can buy an Editors' Choice–winning Das Keyboard 4 Professional, and get two USB 3.0 ports and dedicated media controls, including a big, useful volume wheel. True, that version uses Cherry MX Blue switches, but if you'd prefer the same Brown switches as in the Prime 13, that's an option—and getting it only costs you an additional $4. For most people, it will be worth forgoing the backlight and shelling out the extra money. This is a well-constructed keyboard but, at this price, not a well-constructed value.
A strong performer with a no-frills design, the Das Keyboard Prime 13 is a fine example of a modern mechanical keyboard—though you'll have to pay quite a bit for what you get.
Like What You're Reading?
Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Sign up for other newsletters
