Das Keyboard DeltaForce 65 review: A keyboard with strange layout options

A series of shallow grooves line the sides of the bottom half of the case. These appear to mimic the side sculpts of some limited-run custom keyboards, and have a functional purpose, making it easier to lift the keyboard. The design is reflected in the aluminum handle in the upper right corner, which has a similar shape. I really like that these designs are not just decorative, but actually have a functional purpose during regular use.

Delving deeper into the aesthetic choices of this keyboard, it loses me a bit with the keycaps. I’m not a huge fan of the camouflage design. The shapes don’t always line up across the keycaps, and it generally looks tacky. However, print quality is top-notch, with no distortion or discolouration, and consistent even along the sides of the keycaps. Because the keycaps are white with multi-color printing on top, the RGB lighting is able to bounce between the white plastic panel and the white undersides of the keycaps, appearing brighter and spreading more evenly across the keyboard.

With a polling rate of 1,000 Hz (meaning the keyboard sends 1,000 messages to the computer every second), the DeltaForce 65 feels fast and responsive. This combines with the relatively light Gateron Red switches to create an efficient gaming keyboard while remaining comfortable to type on. It can’t compare to high-end gaming keyboards with Hall effect switches and 8000Hz polling rates, which will be faster and more customizable, but for casual gaming, it’s more than enough.

The keyboard’s compact size is ideal for gaming, as it saves a significant amount of space compared to a full-sized keyboard. This allows more room for the mouse and allows your hands to be closer together for quick movement between the mouse and keyboard. To compensate for missing the function row at the top, you can hold down the FN key and press the corresponding number key (for example, FN+1 = F1), and the FN key can be used with some other keys for Home, Pause, Print Screen, and other keys that have been removed. The handle on the upper right is easy to reach and has a satisfactory degree. It’s programmed to set the volume by default, but can be reset to almost anything else.

Software quirks

As far as programmability goes, VIA is the star of the show here. DeltaForce65 uses an open source system known as QMK for its programmability, and VIA is an in-browser interface based on QMK that allows for smooth and fast customization of the keyboard layout. The system is incredibly powerful and easy to use, a capability common to many modern mechanical keyboards.