Ducky Outlaw 65 Aluminum 65% DIY Kit Hotswap RGB DIY Keyboard Kit

I have been running this board off and on as my primary 65 board for about 3 months now. Mostly in gaming when I'd like something more compact.

Here's the honestly truth, this is for people who are looking to build a premium keyboard with a premium feel with the understand that this is a toe dip in the water for Ducky. It's also for people who are ok being part of the market research for Ducky. They have been transparent that this is to test the market to see if there is interest in a self assembled, premium, metal keyboard, with VIA. Considering their latest offering for limited editions have been Tinkers, the VIA part is likely to stay.

Right now you even get a 1st wave box of goodies that will make you feel extreme special in the unboxing. Not to say the base wouldn't but this is more special. And that brings me to the good and not so good. I can 100% recommend this board at this price for as long as the triple shot caps, the coiled USB, and some switches are included. Sub-Text says, this is special and when it's gone, the price point is for the base board and nothing else. If I'm wrong on this, than the recommendation stands on it's own.

The other not so good is the switches you currently get. This is not to say I don't like Cherry or that the MX2A Reds are not a good switch, but, if the plan is to keep this price point and include all the extras permenantly, a more premium switch is required. Looking at the POM Tinker, the Kailh Box Cream Pro is an insanely good switch, the TTC ACE's I put in my Outlaw are insanely good. For something like the Outlaw, I'd have like to see a switch I wouldn't ever be able to get anywhere outside the first adoption wave. Something silky, premium, and special, as special as the board in goes into.

the good: Cool concept using nice materials. Having a mecha mini I wanted a similar heavy aluminum body just in 65% form factor. This seemed to fit the bill. Putting it together is not very hard but will take around 2 hours and is a cool process. the bad: qmk and via are absolute garbage. This is all you can use to customize the keyboard. There is extremely limited rgb settings unless you can do a lot of research and coding. My other ducky keyboards could do everything and more built in than these 2 laughable programs combined as far as setting macros, and rgb per key lighting and effects. this keyboard would be 1000% better if it just used the standard ducky firmware. conclusion at this price due to having to use qmk/via I would not recommend this keyboard.