Das Keyboard had one goal when creating the X50Q and that was to create the world’s first smart gaming keyboard, and they have succeeded. The smart features are what sets this apart from every other keyboard on the market - well aside from their own 5Q which is a substantial premium over this one. That aside the X50Q is a truly different take on the gaming keyboard and it does really work, the smart features are integrated so well that you wouldn’t think this was a first generation product. We won’t go into massive detail again, but having the ability for your keyboard to notify you is a fantastic feature and an evolutionary step in the right direction as it helps drag the keyboard further into the 21st century. What it does is allow you to quickly see if you’ve had an important email, or if someone has tagged you in a tweet or if your favourite streamer has gone live. This doesn't sound like much, but it really helps you keep on top of everything that is going on without being distracted. This isn’t all it can do as you can keep track of your stocks or see when a parcel has dispatched or you can delve even deeper into the customisation and have it do much more than simply keep you up-to-date with social media and the likes. In this review, we barely scratched the surface of what it can do and if you carry out your own further research into IFTTT and what that offers then you’ll see what we mean.

It also gets a lot right on the design, build and performance front. The design is very classy and would fit very nicely in a modern home setup or even in an office. The build is top-notch too thanks to the solid Aluminium top plate, the robust chassis and substantial feeling keycaps. Comfort is another strong suit, and although it doesn’t offer the pinnacle performance, it is very usable for day-to-day use, or if you have to write for long periods of time or even for those extended gaming sessions. In terms of gaming performance, the Gamma Zulu switches perform very well as they are fast, have a nice subtle tactile feedback and are quiet. However, it’s not all positive as the X50Q does fall short in some places. One prime example is the lack of a USB pass-through, on an almost £200 keyboard you’d expect to see this feature, but it isn’t there. Also missing are dedicated macro keys which would have really made sense and added to what this keyboard is already capable of. On the plus side, the RGB is brilliant as the main lighting is nice and vibrant, the colour spill is great, and the effects are highly customisable. Also, the X50Q does have a volume control knob which works very well and is a welcomed feature. This also doubles as a quick toggle to see your notifications and heightens that experience even more.

Now to the tough question, is it worth £189 (£199 US/ $299 AUS) well that would be up to you, we think that it does offer everything a traditional mechanical keyboard does and then adds even more bells and whistles, so in that regard, yes. It gets almost everything right, but like with most products there are some shortfalls, though in the X50Q's case, the positives really do outweigh the negatives. So, we aren’t saying "go out and buy one" as the price tag is steep making this more a considered purchase, but if you think that this could help you improve upon your work-flow, help with day-to-day use or for keeping you up-to-date when gaming or otherwise occupied, then the price tag can be justified as no other offering on the market can do what the X50Q can - again with the exception of the Das Keyboard 5Q which is quite a bit more expensive. So although the price tag stops it from being a must buy, it is a product that deserves to have close attention paid to it as it offers that familiar mechanical gaming experience that people love and then adds so much more.


What Das Keyboard has achieved with their X50Q is pretty amazing, and a step in the right direction as the performance is great, and the smart features blend seamlessly with both work and play.



Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.

Stay connected with the Vortez Social Media pages:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Join in with the discussions on Discord