- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Review Updates
- Best Keyboard
- Best Mid-Range
- Best Budget
- Comparison
- Lineup
- Page Updates
- Conclusion
- Comments
Ducky is a Taiwanese manufacturer of gaming peripherals, focusing mainly on mechanical keyboards. Their keyboards are highly customizable and offer a plurality of switch types from popular manufacturers like Cherry MX, Gateron, TTC, and Kailh. Ducky keyboards stand out against the competition with their unique and colorful aesthetics, often including Chinese zodiac-branded spacebars. Most of their keyboards have similar features and are available in various sizes, from 60% compact to full-sized variants. Where Ducky lags behind other companies is dedicated software; they've released software to customize the RGB lighting but lack any solutions for more thorough customizations like macro programming or key remapping.
Should you trust us? We test each keyboard in the same way, on the same standardized test bench, to produce fair, comparable reviews. We also buy each one ourselves, ensuring complete independence from manufacturers. See just how we test keyboards and judge for yourself. We've tested over 250 keyboards, including nine from Ducky. Below are our picks for the best Ducky keyboards.
Updates
- 03/19/2025 Ducky One X reviewed
- 02/11/2022 Ducky One 3 reviewed
- 04/06/2021 Ducky One 2 updated
- 03/31/2021 Ducky One 2 Mini V2 reviewed
- 09/29/2020 Ducky One 2 RGB TKL reviewed
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Best Ducky Keyboard
Gaming8.5Office7.4Mobile/Tablet1.0Programming7.8Entertainment / HTPC2.8Raw Performance8.2SizeFull-size (100%)Hot-Swappable SwitchesNoConnectivity WiredSwitch TypeMechanicalN-Key Rollover (NKRO)YesThe Ducky Shine 7 is the best Ducky keyboard we've tested. It's a full-size keyboard with outstanding build and typing quality. It features a durable plastic bottom and a solid zinc alloy top plate that adds a good amount of weight to the keyboard, so it stays firmly on your desk and feels very solid. It also comes with PBT keycaps that are slightly textured and feel nice to type on, contributing to a great typing experience overall. These keycaps are shine-through, so the RGB backlighting comes through to illuminate them in the dark. Ducky includes a patterned space bar with an etched, shine-through design.
Above all, this keyboard is versatile. It's a great choice if you want one keyboard for both work and play, as its latency is incredibly low and well-suited to competitive games. It's also one of the few units from Ducky with dedicated companion software, although it's limited to changing the RGB backlighting. While many keyboards in Ducky's lineup have a hot-swappable circuit board, the Shine 7 doesn't. You'll likely want to find a variant of the board with your preferred switch style unless you want to take apart the keyboard, de-solder the old switches, and re-solder new ones. While this keyboard is harder to find from major online retailers, you can typically find it in stock from smaller retailers such as mechanicalkeyboards.com, an official Ducky sales partner.
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Best Mid-Range Ducky Keyboard
Gaming8.3Office7.3Mobile/Tablet1.0Programming7.5Entertainment / HTPC2.1Raw Performance8.6SizeFull-size (100%)Hot-Swappable SwitchesYesConnectivity WiredSwitch TypeMechanicalN-Key Rollover (NKRO)YesAt a mid-range price point, we recommend the Ducky One 3. This keyboard is widely available from online retailers and comes in a variety of expressive colorways. It also comes in several sizes: compact (60%) and TKL (80%) variants that are great for gaming, as well as a full-size (100%) classic model if you need a numpad. It has improved latency over our top pick, the Ducky Shine 7, for even more responsive in-game performance. Finally, it features a hot-swappable circuit board, so you can change the stock switches by simply popping them out with the included switch puller and replacing them with your switch of choice.
However, there are a few minor trade-offs. Whereas the Shine 7 has software for customizing the RGB backlighting, you have to use hotkey combinations directly on the One 3, potentially limiting your customization ability. The keycaps aren't shine-through, so you'll have to rely on the glow between the keycaps to read the legends in a dark environment. Despite these minor shortcomings, it's a reliable, high-performing unit that can add some style and flair to any setup.
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Best Budget Ducky Keyboard
Gaming8.6Mobile/Tablet4.8Office8.0Programming8.1Entertainment / HTPC4.8We recommend the Ducky One 2 Mini V2 if you want to spend a little less. This keyboard is now called the One 2 Mini RGB on Ducky's website, but they're the same model. It's a newer version of Ducky's original Ducky One 2 Mini V1, which they've since discontinued, so Ducky removed the 'V2' part of this product's name. Also note that Ducky has recently released a new Ducky One 2 Mini Pro version of this keyboard, so you may find earlier versions harder to Find. Ducky advertises the new "Pro" version of this keyboard to have better typing acoustics and tuned stabilizers. We recommend considering the newer model with these upgrades if you can find it for the same price as the originals (around $70 USD).
This compact unit is a great option for smaller desks or if you prefer more space for sweeping mouse movements. Like the other keyboards in this list, it offers solid build quality and a satisfying typing experience. Despite its compact size, it doesn't feel cramped to type on since the keys are very well-spaced.
While our choices have been one-stop shops for productivity and gaming, this keyboard has considerably higher latency, limiting its uses. It's still a good choice for everyday browsing, productivity, or casual gaming, but it isn't suitable if you exclusively play fast-paced, competitive games. Also, there are no dedicated volume keys, arrow keys, function keys, or a numpad. It isn't as great an option if you work with spreadsheets or data entry—or if you're a programmer who likes having a dedicated function row.
Compared To Other Brands
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Easily customizable.
You can purchase Ducky keyboards in various switches, colorways, and sizes. Each keyboard comes with a keycap puller, and you can buy different colored keycaps on their website; this provides you with choices for the overall aesthetic. Most of their boards have a hot-swappable printed circuit board (PCB), meaning you can change out the stock switches without having to solder. -
Excellent typing quality.
These keyboards usually come with lightly textured PBT keycaps that feel great on the fingertips.
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Tons of features.
Ducky keyboards are loaded with extra features. Every key is macro-programmable, and you can access two layers of hotkeys. DIP switches allow you to change the location of the Windows, Fn, and Caps Lock keys.
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Limited software.
Most major manufacturers have customization software for gaming keyboards to create custom profiles, set macros, and reprogram buttons. Ducky doesn't have similar software, though some models have software to change RGB lighting settings. On Ducky keyboards, all macro programming is done directly on the keyboard.
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Cheap USB-C cable.
Even though the keyboards are typically very well-built, Ducky usually includes a cheap, generic USB-C cable. It retains kinks easily and may even have generic markings on it. Luckily, it's detachable if you want to replace it. -
Only purchasable via third-party.
Unlike many other brands that are readily available on major online marketplaces or directly from the manufacturer, Ducky keyboards are often limited to select vendors. They can be a little unintuitive to purch
ase as you'll have to go to their website, find a sales partner, and purchase from there.
Ducky vs Razer
Razer keyboards are designed primarily for gaming use, so they often outperform Ducky's models in terms of latency. However, Ducky's keyboards are a bit more versatile thanks to their switch options and typing experience, making them a better choice if you're looking for one keyboard for both working and gaming. However, Razer keyboards have software for in-depth customization, while only a few Ducky models have companion software that only allows you to adjust the RGB backlighting. You can see our recommendations for the best Razer keyboards.
Ducky vs Logitech
Logitech offers a significantly wider product line-up than Ducky's, producing everything from budget-friendly scissor-switch boards to high-end mechanical gaming units. Logitech also makes wireless units, while Ducky only makes wired-only keyboards. That said, Ducky's keyboards generally have higher build quality as they tend to be stiffer, rarely suffer from deck flex, and use higher-quality PBT keycaps. To compare the brands' offerings, check out our recommendations for the best Logitech keyboards.
Ducky vs Keychron
Keychron offers an extensive lineup of mechanical keyboards in different form factors, switch types, and layouts. It has many more models available than Ducky. Keychron keyboards are more productivity-focused and feature wireless connection options, while Ducky keyboards are wired-only models designed primarily for gaming. You can check our recommendations for the best Keychron keyboards.
Other major companies, like Razer and Logitech, have bigger lineups than Ducky. However, you know what you're getting with a Ducky keyboard since most are similar; they're all well-built, and quality control is excellent. Ducky offers more customization options regarding aesthetics and switch types but lacks dedicated software beyond RGB customization. That said, some people feel the software options from many other manufacturers are too invasive and consume unnecessary system resources, so you may prefer the ability to record macros without installing additional software on your computer. Overall, Ducky's offerings are on par with the competition.
Lineup
Zero Series: Ducky's Zero series is the entry-level product line. Zero models are cheaper than the One Series keyboards, but that's reflected in their inferior build quality and non-detachable USB cable.
One Series: Ducky's One series is a mainstay in their lineup, with higher-numbered models indicating a newer generation model. They're available with a wide range of Cherry MX switch types and colorways and in full-size, TKL, or compact (65%) and (60%) form factors.
Mecha Series: Ducky's Mecha series is similar to the One series, but they feature an aluminum case instead of the latter's plastic body, yielding a more premium feel. These keyboards are available with several different Cherry MX switch options and colorways and in compact (65%) or (60%) form factors.
Shine Series: Ducky's flagship product line, the Shine series, features a zinc alloy top case and shine-through keycaps. These keyboards are available in many colorways and with various Cherry MX switch types, but only in a full-size form factor.
Origin Series: These are Ducky's more vintage-inspired keyboards with classic bezel designs, callback colorways, and layouts reminiscent of keyboards from the late 1980s and 1990s. While these keyboards look retro at first glance, they also have many of the same features as other popular custom keyboards on the market, including hot-swappable PCBs and double-shot PBT keycaps.
ProjectD: Ducky's ProjectD lineup takes more direct inspiration from recent trends in the custom mechanical keyboard space, with barebones kits, QMK/VIA programmability, hot-swappable PCBS, and gasket-mounting designs. These keyboards are available in various compact form factors.
Recent Updates
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We've made very minor text changes for clarity and relevance in this article, but our lineup remains unchanged with this update.
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We've confirmed that all picks are typically in stock and continue to represent the best choices available. We've also updated a link to a smaller retailer for the Ducky Shine 7 and added text to our 'Best Budget' category with details on an updated version of our pick, the Ducky One 2 Mini Pro.
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Aug 06, 2024 : We've updated the article for accuracy and clarity and verified that our picks represent the best choices.
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May 10, 2024 : We've confirmed all our picks remain the best options available for their respective categories and haven't made any changes to our recommendations with this update.
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Jan 12, 2024 : We've checked all our picks for pricing and availability and aren't changing our lineup with this update. We've also added new information about Ducky's Origin and ProjectD keyboard lineups.
Conclusion
Overall, Ducky produces highly customizable keyboards. You can purchase them in several color variants, giving your gaming setup a unique aesthetic. They have outstanding typing quality, which is great if you also want to use them for the office, and they're very well-made. These qualities all but guarantee that you can find a Ducky keyboard that suits your needs.