Premium mechanical keyboard manufacturer Das Keyboard is renaming its Division Zero gaming branch as Das Keyboard Gaming. To help launch that new brand, it debuted a new keyboard. The X50 makes use of “Gamma Zulu,” Omron switches, rather than the more common place Cherry MX.
The Gamma Zulu switches it employs are produced by Omron, which also makes Logitech’s Romer-G switches. Interestingly enough, they are almost identical, featuring the same tactile feedback and 45g actuation force. However, they feature a 3.5mm travel distance, rather than 3mm.
Actuation is still likely to be higher than traditional Cherry MX switches, so it should offer a slight performance advantage in that respect. Das Keyboard representatives have said there may be options for tactile and clicky versions of the switch, though in what guise as of yet, we don’t know.
The body of the keyboard will be a full design, featuring the Numpad as well as the standard keys. There will also be three dedicated macro keys located in the top right section of the board, alongside a rotational volume control knob. As Tom’s Hardware points out, this is an interesting placement, considering it means removing your hand from the mouse to press them.
Aesthetically, the keyboard comes in silver or black and looks to have RGB, per-key backlighting, though that is not a surprise considering the switch design being used. Better yet, we can expect the backlighting to be uniform throughout the key, as the Omron ‘Romer G’ base design used for the Gamma Zulu switches has a centrally placed LED. That effect will be enhanced with the X50, which has a white backdrop for all of the keys, which helps reflect light in a uniform manner. There is an attachable wrist rest too.
The X50 is expected to become available in the second quarter of 2017 with a price tag around $180.
