The Ducky One 2 is a versatile keyboard that's available in different sizes and with a wide variety of Cherry MX switches, including Brown, Red, Blue, White, etc. You can also purchase it in different colors, including white and RGB backlighting, although the Horizon variant we tested doesn't have backlighting. Every key is macro-programmable, but sadly, it doesn't have dedicated software, so all programming is done directly on the keyboard. Our unit has Cherry MX Brown switches that have an outstanding typing quality and offer good tactile feedback. Even though the keyboard doesn't have a wrist rest, it's still comfortable to type on and doesn't get tiring over time.
Our Verdict
The Ducky One 2 is a decent gaming keyboard. It scores lower because our unit doesn't have backlighting, although there are variants available with it, which would likely score much better. It's available in a variety of Cherry MX switches, every key is macro-programmable, and the PBT keycaps feel great. However, its latency is a bit higher than other gaming keyboards, and it also doesn't have dedicated software.
- Excellent build quality.
- Available in wide variety of Cherry MX switches.
- Great latency.
- No dedicated software.
- No wrist rest.
The Ducky One 2 is a wired keyboard that isn't recommended to be used with mobile devices.
The Ducky One 2 is great for office use. It's very well-built and has doubleshot PBT keycaps that feel nice to touch. The Cherry MX Brown switches on our unit provide an outstanding typing experience, and even though the keyboard doesn't have a wrist rest, typing on it still feels comfortable. It's fully compatible with Windows, and only a few non-alphanumeric keys don't work on macOS.
- Cherry MX Brown switches offer outstanding typing quality.
- Excellent build quality.
- Quiet typing noise.
- No wrist rest.
The Ducky One 2 is decent for programming. It scores lower because our unit doesn't have any backlighting, though you can get variants with full RGB backlighting. Every key is macro-programmable, but you have to set macros directly on the keyboard itself. Also, even though it doesn't have a wrist rest, typing on this keyboard doesn't get too tiring, and the Cherry MX Brown switches on our unit offer outstanding typing quality.
- Cherry MX Brown switches offer outstanding typing quality.
- Every key is macro-programmable.
- Excellent build quality.
- No dedicated software.
- No wrist rest.
The Ducky One 2 is a bad choice to use with a home theater PC. It's a wired-only keyboard with a full-sized layout that takes a lot of space. Also, it doesn't have a trackpad, which means you need a dedicated mouse to move the cursor. Our unit lacks backlighting, making it harder to use it in the dark, though it's possible to get a variant with full RGB backlighting.
- Excellent build quality.
- No wrist rest.
- No wireless connectivity.
- No trackpad.
Changelog
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Updated Nov 19, 2024:
We've added a link to our 'Best Ducky Keyboards' recommendation article in the Compared to Other Keyboards section.
- Updated Feb 10, 2022: Fixed Software & Programming score as the "Ease of Use" test result was originally incorrectly listed.
- Updated Apr 06, 2021: Updated review for clarity and accuracy.
- Updated Mar 23, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We reviewed the Ducky One 2 Horizon keyboard. It's available in different styles and sizes, which you can see in the table below. Note that the 60% size keyboards are known as 'Mini'. For the most part, we expect our results to be valid for the other full-sized variants, except for backlighting and keystrokes. You can purchase each variant with a wide variety of Cherry MX switches.
| Model | Sizes | Color | Backlighting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue LED | TKL, Full | Black | Blue | |
| Bon Voyage | TKL, Full | White/Blue | - | |
| Bright Lilac | Full | Lilac | - | |
| Good in Blue | 60%, Full | Blue | - | |
| Horizon | 60%, TKL, Full | Blue | - | |
| Midnight | TKL, Full | Black | - | |
| RGB | 60%, 65%, TKL, Full | Black | RGB | |
| RGB Razer Edition | Full | Black | RGB | Collaboration with Razer |
| Skyline | 60%, TKL, Full | Gray | - | |
| Tuxedo | Full | White/Black | - | |
| White Edition | TKL, Full | White | White | |
| White LED | TKL, Full | Black | White |
If someone notices that their unit doesn't correspond to our review, please let us know in the discussions and we'll update the review.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Ducky One 2 is a mechanical keyboard available in different sizes that you can get with different Cherry MX switches. You can also get it with or without backlighting. Not many keyboards we've tested are available in different variants like this one, and even though it doesn't have dedicated software like the Razer BlackWidow or the Corsair K70 RAPIDFIRE, most gamers should still be happy with this model.
For more recommendations, see our picks for the best mechanical keyboards, the best gaming keyboards, and the best keyboards for programming. For more Ducky options, see our recommendations for the best Ducky keyboards.
The Ducky One 3 is a new installment in the Ducky One lineup and succeeds the Ducky One 2. The 3 has lower latency and is available in a wider range of stock Cherry MX switches. It also has a hot-swappable PCB, which means that you can use the switches you prefer. Each keyboard is available in different color schemes, some of which have backlighting while others don't.
The Ducky One 2 is better than Corsair K70 RAPIDFIRE for the most part. The Ducky is available in a variety of switches and with full RGB backlighting, is better-built, and has a detachable USB-C cable. However, the Corsair has dedicated software and comes with a wrist rest.
The Ducky Shine 7 is better than the Ducky One 2 for the most part. The Shine 7 is better-built because it has a metal frame, and it has dedicated software for customization. Both keyboards are available in a wide variety of Cherry MX switches, and even though our unit of the One 2 doesn't have backlighting, it's also available with full RGB backlighting. If you plan on gaming, the Shine 7 has lower latency.
The GLORIOUS GMMK and the Ducky One 2 are two highly customizable keyboards. Both are available in different sizes. The GLORIOUS has a hot-swap board so that you can change the switches without soldering, while the Ducky is available in various switch options. The Ducky has better latency for gaming, but it lacks software for customization, which the GLORIOUS has. Although we tested a variant of the Ducky that doesn't have backlighting, you can get one that does.
Test Results
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