The Ducky One 3 is the latest model in the Ducky One keyboard lineup. The unit purchased and tested is the full-size variant, but it's available in various sizes and color schemes. This unit has Cherry MX Brown switches, which feel light to type on and have a tactile bump to overcome during actuation. It's also available in a range of other stock Cherry MX switches, and it's hot-swappable, which means you use the switches you prefer without any soldering. It feels very well-made and has doubleshot PBT keycaps that feel great to type on. However, these keycaps lack shine-through legends, making them hard to read in dark rooms. This keyboard also has exceptionally low latency, making it a great choice for gaming in any genre. Also, while it has two incline settings, it lacks an included wrist rest, so it won't be the most comfortable option if you're using it for extended periods.
Our Verdict
The Ducky One 3 is an exceptional gaming keyboard. It feels very well-built and has remarkably low latency. The Cherry MX Brown switches feel light and responsive and have a small tactile bump to overcome. However, this keyboard is also available in a range of other Cherry MX switches, and it's hot-swappable, so you can use switches of your choice without soldering. This keyboard also has full RGB backlighting. However, its keycaps don't have shine-through legends, so you may not be able to read them in dark rooms. You can set macros to any of its keys, but there isn't any dedicated software, so all macro assignments and settings adjustments are made with key combinations right on the board itself.
- Feels very well-built.
- Exceptionally low click latency.
- Full RGB backlighting.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Lacks dedicated software.
- Doesn't have a wrist rest.
The Ducky One 3 is a great keyboard for office use that feels very well-built. Its Cherry MX Brown switches are light and responsive and have a slight tactile bump to overcome during actuation. It has doubleshot PBT keycaps that feel very comfortable to type on. It's also very quiet and has layers of sound-absorbing material inside the case to improve the overall acoustics. Unfortunately, you can't use it wirelessly, and some of its color options may not fit into all office spaces. Also, while its ergonomics are acceptable and include two incline settings, it doesn't have a wrist rest, so you may tire out when typing for long periods.
- Feels very well-built.
- Superb typing quality.
- Doesn't have a wrist rest.
The Ducky One 3 is a wired keyboard that isn't designed for use with mobile devices or tablets.
The Ducky One 3 is a great keyboard for programming. It feels very well-built and provides outstanding typing quality. Its Cherry MX Brown switches feel light to type on and offer good tactile feedback. It also has doubleshot PBT keycaps that feel very sturdy and have a nice texture. Unfortunately, these keycaps don't have shine-through legends, so you may have trouble seeing them if you prefer working in a darker room. Also, while the ergonomics are acceptable overall, there isn't an included wrist rest, so your wrists may tire out when programming for long periods.
- Feels very well-built.
- Full RGB backlighting.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Superb typing quality.
- Lacks dedicated software.
- Doesn't have a wrist rest.
The Ducky One 3 is bad for a home theater PC setup, but it isn't designed for this use. It's a wired keyboard, so you'll need to sit within the cable's range from your PC. It also lacks a trackpad, so you'll need to use a separate mouse to navigate on-screen menus. That said, it does have fully RGB lighting and dedicated volume buttons.
- Feels very well-built.
- Full RGB backlighting.
- Wired-only.
- Lacks dedicated software.
- No trackpad.
- Feels very well-built.
Changelog
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Updated Mar 19, 2025:
We've added a link to the Ducky One X in the Wireless Versatility section.
- Updated Jan 23, 2024: We've added details for several additional variants in the wider Ducky One 3 series in the Differences Between Variants section of this review.
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3.1, which adds a new estimated PCB latency test to the Single-Key Latency section and a new Analog test to the Switches section of this review. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Oct 27, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3, which overhauls how key input is evaluated. We've added new tests for Single Key Latency, Multi Key Latency, Data Transmission, and Chord Split. We've also introduced a new Raw Performance usage and adjusted how the Gaming and Office usage scores are calculated. You can see the full changelog here.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Ducky One 3 lineup is extensive and has over a dozen different models listed on Ducky's product page. These keyboards all share the same base design; the only major differences between most variants are their color, size options, and backlighting.
We purchased and tested the full-size One 3 Yellow color variant with Cherry MX Brown switches. All configurations have hot-swappable PCBs and are available in a range of stock MX Cherry switches, including linear Black, Red, Silent Red, or Silver; tactile Brown or Clear, and clicky Blue switches. We expect our review to apply to all variants, but the typing experience will vary based on the size and stock switch type you choose.
| Color/Variant name | Size options | Backlighting | Notes |
| Yellow | Full-size, TKL, 65% (SF) , 60% (Mini) | RGB | N/A |
| Daybreak | Full-size, TKL , 65% (SF) , 60% (Mini) | RGB | N/A |
| Matcha | Full-size, TKL | No | N/A |
| Fuji | Full-size, TKL | No | N/A |
| Black | Full size, TKL 65%, 60% (Mini) | RGB | N/A |
| White | Full size, TKL 65%, 60% (Mini) | RGB | N/A |
| Pure White | Full-size, TKL | RGB | N/A |
| Aura | Full-size, 65% (SF) | RGB | Translucent case/keycaps |
If you have a version of this keyboard that doesn't correspond to our review, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update the review. You can see the label for our unit here.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The Ducky One 3 is an outstanding mechanical gaming keyboard versatile enough for office and programming work as well. It's an updated version of the Ducky One Two in Ducky's lineup of One series keyboards. The new Ducky One Three makes several improvements over its predecessor, most notably with lower latency, improved acoustics, and the fact that it has hot-swappable switches. However, it doesn't have dedicated software, which will be a dealbreaker if looking up and using complicated key combinations to change settings on your keyboard doesn't sound appealing. That said, this is a high-quality option for anyone looking for the convenience of a pre-built keyboard that takes several interesting features from the custom keyboard community.
For more recommendations, see our picks for the best mechanical keyboards, the best keyboards for typing, and the best gaming keyboards. Or, for other options from Ducky, check out our list of best Ducky keyboards.
The Ducky One 3 and the Ducky One X are both visually similar full-size keyboards, but they differ in several key ways. The One 3 is a wired-only model that uses standard mechanical switches, while the One X is a wireless keyboard with both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connectivity. Although the One X is versatile enough for everyday use and productivity, it also delivers significantly better raw gaming performance and features inductive switches with adjustable actuation and reset distances.
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 3 and the Keychron Q6 are hot-swappable, customizable keyboards intended for different primary purposes. The Ducky is more gaming-focused and has significantly better latency. On the other hand, the Keychron keyboard caters more to office and productivity tasks. It has a double-gasket design that's quieter, and it has robust customization software, which the Ducky lacks.
The Ducky One 3 and the GLORIOUS GMMK 2 are both wired-only, hot-swappable mechanical keyboards that come in a variety of sizes and colorways. You can purchase the Ducky pre-assembled in a wide range of switch brands and styles whereas the pre-assembled GLORIOUS only comes with one type of stock switch. That said, you can also purchase a barebones version of the GLORIOUS and choose from more switch options to purchase separately and install yourself. Performance-wise, the Ducky has lower latency, but the GLORIOUS comes with companion software so you can program macros and customize the RGB backlighting.
Test Results
This Ducky One 3 is full-size, but it's also available in One 3 TKL, One 3 SF (65%), and One 3 Mini (60%) variants. If you're interested in a similar keyboard available in a Compact (96%) form factor, check out the IQUNIX F97.
The Ducky One 3 feels very well-built with a solid plastic chassis and a metal baseplate. There's a sound dampening foam layer underneath the PCB to improve the acoustics. The chassis flexes slightly, but it isn't very noticeable. The keycaps are doubleshot PBT which feel great and have a nice texture. However, they don't have shine-through legends, so they're harder to read in dark rooms. Overall the keys are well-stabilized, but there's a slight wobble on some of the larger keys. That said, it isn't noticeable while you're typing.
This keyboard has acceptable ergonomics. It has two incline settings, so you can find one that feels most comfortable for you to help alleviate typing fatigue to a degree. It lacks a wrist rest, though Ducky does sell wrist rests separately. There are four rubber strips on the underside that do a good job keeping the board from sliding around, and there are rubber pads under each incline foot position.
This keyboard has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys, but some variants of this keyboard lack backlighting. There isn't any dedicated software, but you can adjust lighting settings directly on the board by following instructions in the user manual. If you want a hot-swappable keyboard with shine-through keycaps and customizable lighting effects, check out the NZXT Function.
The stock keycaps don't have shine-through legends. For reference, we've also taken a photo with several stock keycaps replaced with shine-through keycaps that you can see here. The lighting has a slightly pinkish hue when set to display white light only.
This keyboard has a standard USB-A to USB-C braided cable. Unfortunately, it retains some kinks from its packaging.
This keyboard is wired-only. If you're looking for a mechanical keyboard that connects wirelessly, check out the Keychron Q Pro Series. Or, for a keyboard with inductive analog switches that allow you to adjust switch actuation distance, check out the Ducky One X.
The Ducky One 3 has dedicated volume keys, but its media playback keys are hotkeys. The included user manual has limited information, but you can download the full user manual from Ducky's website, including instructions on recording macros, saving settings to onboard memory, changing RGB lighting settings, and more. There are DIP switches on the bottom of the keyboard that let you change the location of certain modifier keys, including the Windows, FN, Alt, Ctrl, and Caps Lock keys. Additionally, this keyboard has USB N-Key rollover support, which means you don't have to worry about any of your keystrokes not registering, even if they're input simultaneously.
- Ducky One 3
- 11 alternative PBT keycaps
- Keycap puller
- Switch puller
- Quick start guide
- Stickers
- 1 keychain accessory:
- Circular keycap
- Cherry MX Blue switch
- Housing for keycap and switch
The Ducky One 3 has fantastic typing quality. The keys are a standard shape and size, and you won't make any more typos than usual if you're used to using a keyboard with standard spacing. The doubleshot PBT keycaps also feel great to type on, and the multiple incline settings help reduce fatigue. Some of the larger keys have slightly more wobble than the alphanumeric keys, but it's hardly noticeable during regular use.
The tactile Cherry MX Brown switches on this Ducky One 3 are quiet. However, the sound will be louder if you install or purchase this keyboard with clicky switches.
This keyboard has Cherry MX Brown switches, which feel light and responsive and provide a small tactile bump during actuation. However, you can purchase this keyboard in a range of other tactile, clicky, or linear Cherry MX switches which will perform differently. Also, this keyboard has a hot-swappable PCB, so you can swap the stock switches out for whichever switches you prefer.
This keyboard has remarkably low latency. Using this keyboard for gaming in any genre will feel snappy and responsive.
Note: Other Ducky keyboards in this lineup allow you to adjust debounce settings using key combinations listed in the user manual. This doesn't seem to be the case for this keyboard, but it doesn't matter as the latency is already exceptionally low.
This keyboard doesn't have customization software. However, you can set macros, change certain settings, and adjust the RGB lighting directly on the keyboard. If you're looking for a full-size gaming keyboard with companion software that allows for detailed customization, check out the Corsair K70 RGB PRO.
The Ducky One 3 is fully compatible with Windows. However, the Print Screen, Pause, and Calculator buttons don't work on macOS. On Linux, only the calculator button doesn't work. If you're looking for a hot-swappable keyboard that's fully compatible with both macOS and Windows, check out the Keychron Q3.