Tested: Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac has finally sold me on mechanical switches

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For someone who spends as much time typing as I do, chiclet-style keyboards have long been my preference. Recently, the folks at Das Keyboard reached out about changing that, which has led me to spend the past few weeks using the Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac. Walking away quite impressed with its German-engineered build, you can get all of the hands-on insight in our latest Tested with 9to5Toys review.

Hands-on with the Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac

Das Keyboard has long been one of the more popular brands around these parts at 9to5, delivering offerings for those who want the mechanical typing experience without all of the RGB or bells and whistles on a gaming peripheral. There’s also the fact that it’s one of the companies out there with a macOS-focused offer, which enters in the form of the Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac that we’ll be checking out today.

Sporting a full keyboard layout, the accessory’s claim to fame is certainly the German-engineered build you’ll find on all of Das Keyboard’s releases, not just the Mac version. That’s backed by an aluminum build, Cherry MX keys, and more unique inclusions like a USB 3.0 hub and volume dial.

Clocking in with a steep $169 price tag to match its premium build, is it actually worth the price of admission for the German-engineered build? Let’s find out.

Here’s a quick look at the specs:

• The thinnest mechanical keyboard in the world! The combination of tactile feel, the psycho-acoustic experience and incredible craftsmanship all deliver an unmatched typing experience that only Das Keyboard 4 offers.
• Laser-etched keycaps for maximum durability are paired with Cherry MX Blue switches, giving your new mechanical keyboard life up to 50 million keystrokes.
• High-performance, gold-plated switches provide the best contact and typing experience because, unlike other metals, gold does not rust, increasing the lifespan of the switch.

9to5Toys’ Take

For years now, I’ve been a pretty adamant user of Apple’s chiclet-style keyboards, mostly unimpressed by the mechanical keyboard market at large for daily driving. So when Das Keyboard reached out about sending over one of the brand’s more popular releases, I was interested in seeing just how much the peripheral can live up to its reputation.

And right off the bat, I was impressed by the overall build quality. One of the biggest selling points is certainly the German-engineered design, which manages to make good on my expectations and then some. The aluminum top plate pairs with the rest of the housing to deliver a study form factor that has some nice heft. Not to mention, the Mac layout and compatibility is also an added benefit to the overall build. Suffice to say, Das Keyboard has certainly kept my attention with its first impression.

As for the actual typing experience, it’s clear that attention to detail has paid off. The softer finish on the keys paired with the Cherry MX Blue switches makes for a comfortable experience that delivers all of the clicky-ness you could need from a mechanical keyboard. Though my favorite part certainly has to be the large volume knob, which has a nice click to it when adjusting playback. It’s definitely on the more novel side, but inclusions like this that add entirely new functionality over the keyboards I’m used to is an easy sticking point.

Now if I had to have one disappointment with the whole Das Keyboard 4 Professional experience, it would have to be the connectivity. Don’t get me wrong, having access to a dual port USB-A hub is certainly a perk. But the reliance on USB-A for connecting to your Mac is a bit of an inconvenience. The rest of the package feels like it’ll be set for years to come, only to be left behind by what today’s standards is already a bit of a legacy connector.

All of that combines to deliver a pretty premium package for Mac users looking to finally get in on the mechanical keyboard game. While I can’t say I’ll be ditching the chiclet-style keys forever, the Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac has certainly earned a place at my workstation.

Buy the Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac now

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