Das Keyboard Model S Professional vs ZSA Moonlander

Which Keyboard Is Better?

Products

Das Keyboard Model S Professional
ZSA Moonlander

Tested using Methodology v1.0

Updated Apr 21, 2022 04:10 PM

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B&H

Tested using Methodology v1.4.3

Updated Jan 14, 2026 05:49 PM

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  1. Recommended in 1 article:
  2. Ergonomic

Our Verdict

Das Keyboard Model S Professional

ZSA Moonlander

The ZSA Moonlander and the Das Keyboard Model S Professional are keyboards with very different designs. The ZSA is a fully split mechanical board with an ergonomic design. It has an outstanding number of incline settings, a wrist rest, and many customization layers for remapped keys. The Das is a mechanical board with a straight design. Since it doesn't have customization software, you can't set macros or remap any of the buttons.

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Variants

  • Model S Professional (Black)
  • Moonlander (Mark Matter)
  • Moonlander (Moonlit)

Check Price

Black
Model S Professional
SEE PRICE
B&H
Mark Matter
Moonlander
Amazon.com
Black
Model S Professional
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Moonlit
Moonlander
Amazon.com
Black
Model S Professional
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
 
Black
Model S Professional
SEE PRICE
Walmart.com
 
Black
Model S Professional
Das Keyboard
 
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Main Differences for
Gaming

Threshold 

0.10

Gaming 
 

6.2
8.5

Backlighting 
 

0.0
8.5

Latency 
 

7.1
8.3

Build Quality 
 

7.0
8.5

Ergonomics 
 

6.5
9.0

Keyboard Compatibility 
 

7.6
10

Pre-Travel 
 

2.1 mm
1.9 mm

Full Comparison

Design

Dimensions 
 

Top Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional Top Picture
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander Top Picture

Size 
 

Full-size (100%)
TenKeyLess (80%)

Height 
 

1.5" (3.7 cm)
1.1" (2.9 cm)

Width  

18.0" (45.7 cm)
13.3" (33.9 cm)

Depth 
 

6.6" (16.7 cm)
6.5" (16.6 cm)

Depth With Wrist Rest 
 

N/A
9.7" (24.6 cm)

Weight 
 

2.75 lbs (1.247 kg)
1.76 lbs (0.800 kg)
Show Text 

Build Quality 
 

7.0
8.5

Build Quality Close Up 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional Build Quality Close Up
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander Build Quality Close Up

Keycap Material  

ABS
PBT
Show Text 

Ergonomics 
 

6.5
9.0

Side Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional Side Picture
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander Side Picture

Curved/Angled 
 

Straight
Yes

Split Keyboard 
 

Yes

Key Alignment 
 

Columnar

Minimum Incline 
 

-15°

Medium Incline 
 

N/A

Maximum Incline 
 

7.5°
17°

Home Row Height 
 

28.0 mm (1.1")

Wrist Rest  

No
Show Text 

Hardware Customizability 
 

5.3

Customizability Overview  

ZSA Moonlander Customizability Overview

Replaceable Cherry Stabilizers 
 

No

Stabilizer Fixation 
 

Non-Customizable Design

Spacebar Stabilizer Size 
 

No Stabilizer

Size Of Right Mod Keys 
 

1u

Hot-Swappable Switches 
 

Yes

Switch Stem Shape 
 

Cherry MX Style

Mechanical Switch Compatibility 
 

5-Pin Cherry

Magnetic Switch Compatibility 
 

No Magnetic Switch Support

North-Facing Cherry MX Interference 
 

Yes

Backlight Features 
 

0.0
8.5

Backlighting Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional Backlighting Picture
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander Backlighting Picture

Brightness Max 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional Brightness Max
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander Brightness Max

Backlighting  

No
Yes

Brightness Min 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional Brightness Min
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander Brightness Min

White Shot 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional White Shot
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander White Shot

RGB 
 

Yes

Per-Key Backlighting 
 

No
Yes

Effects 
 

No
Yes

Software Controllable 
 

No
No

Color 
 

No Backlighting

Color Mixing 
 

No Backlighting
Show Text 

Backlight Clarity 
 

9.0

White Shot 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional White Shot
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander White Shot

Cable & Connector  

Connectivity  

Wired
Wired

Detachable 
 

No
Yes (Wired Only Keyboard)

Length  

6.6 ft (2.0 m)
7.5 ft (2.3 m)

Connector (Keyboard side) 
 

Not Detachable
USB type-C
Show Text 

Wireless Versatility 
 

0.0
0.0

Bluetooth 
 

No
No

Bluetooth Multi-Device Pairing 
 

No
No

Proprietary Receiver 
 

No
No

Battery Type 
 

No Batteries
No Batteries
Show Text 

Macro Keys And Programming 
 

0.0

Dedicated Macro Keys Count  

0

Onboard Macro Programming 
 

No

Macro Programming With Software 
 

No

Extra Features 
 

Extra Features 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional Extra Features
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander Extra Features

Media Keys 
 

Hot Keys
Non-Dedicated

Trackpad / Trackball  

No
No

Scroll Wheel 
 

No
No

Control Knob 
 

No

USB Passthrough 
 

Yes
No

Numpad  

Yes
No

Windows Key Lock 
 

No
No

Lock Indicator  

Caps, Scroll & Num lock
No Indicator

Macro Programmable Keys 
 

No
Show Text 

In The Box  

Bundle Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Das Keyboard Model S Professional Bundle Picture
Compare High-Res
ZSA Moonlander Bundle Picture
Show Text 
Typing Experience

Typing Quality 
 

8.0
8.5

Key Spacing 
 

19.0 mm (0.748")
Show Text 

Typing Noise 
 

9.0
7.8

Typing Sample  

Average Loudness 
 

50.8 dBA

High Pitch Clicks 
 

No

Noise 
 

Quiet
Show Text 

Keystrokes 
 

Key Switch Actuation Graph  

 Preview Graph
Das Keyboard Model S Professional Key Switch Actuation Graph
 Preview Graph
ZSA Moonlander Key Switch Actuation Graph

Initial Force 
 

39 gf

Peak Tactile Force 
 

57 gf
53 gf

Actuation Force 
 

46 gf
41 gf

Key Switches 
 

Cherry MX Brown
Cherry MX Brown

Mechanical 
 

Yes

Bottom-Out Force 
 

61 gf

Pre-Travel Distance 
 

2.1 mm
1.9 mm

Total Travel Distance 
 

4.1 mm
4.0 mm

Feel 
 

Tactile
Tactile
Show Text 

Adjustable Input Granularity 
 

0.0

Input Linearity Graph  

 Preview Graph
ZSA Moonlander Input Linearity Graph

Analog Output Graph  

ZSA Moonlander Analog Output Graph

Top Deadzone 
 

N/A

Bottom Deadzone 
 

N/A

Detection Ratio 
 

N/A

Minimum Step Depth 
 

N/A

Switches 
 

Wobble Video  

Switch Name 
 

Cherry MX Brown
Cherry MX Brown

Switch Type 
 

Mechanical

Feel 
 

Tactile
Tactile

Output Type 
 

Non-Adjustable

Latency 
 

7.1
8.3

Latency Video  

Latency Wired 
 

13.4 ms
10.4 ms

Latency Receiver 
 

N/A
N/A

Latency Bluetooth 
 

N/A
N/A
Show Text 
Performance

Single-Key Latency 
 

7.1
8.3

Single-Key Latency Graph  

 Preview Graph
ZSA Moonlander Single-Key Latency Graph

Best Connection 
 

10.4 ms

Best Connection Std Dev  

±0.7 ms

Wired 
 

13.4 ms
10.4 ms

Receiver 
 

N/A
N/A

Bluetooth 
 

N/A
N/A

PCB (Estimated) 
 

9.4 ms
Show Text 

Multi-Key Latency 
 

7.9

Multi-Key Latency Graph  

 Preview Graph
ZSA Moonlander Multi-Key Latency Graph

Connection Evaluated  

Wired

Key Press 
 

10.9 ms
Show Text 

Data Transmission 
 

8.2

Multi-Key Raw USB  

ZSA Moonlander Multi-Key Raw USB

Connection Evaluated  

Wired

USB Polling Rate 
 

1,000 Hz

Effective Update Rate 
 

1,000 Hz

N-Key Rollover (NKRO) 
 

Yes

Multiple Keys Per USB Report 
 

No
Show Text 

Chord Split 
 

8.9

Chord Split Graph  

 Preview Graph
ZSA Moonlander Chord Split Graph

4 Chord Split Delay 
 

3.0 ms

8 Chord Split Delay 
 

8.9 ms
Show Text 
Software and Operating System

Configuration Software 
 

Software Picture  

Das Keyboard Model S Professional Software Picture

Software Tour  

Software Name  

No Software
No Software

Software Windows Compatible 
 

No
No

Software macOS Compatible 
 

No
No

Onboard Memory 
 

No
No

Profiles 
 

No Profile
No Profile

Account Required 
 

No Software

Cloud Sync 
 

No

Macro Programming 
 

No

Ease Of Use 
 

No Software
Show Text 

Computer Compatibility 
 

7.6
10

Windows 
 

Full
Fully Compatible

macOS 
 

Partial
Fully Compatible

Linux 
 

Full
Fully Compatible

Media Key Compatibility 
 

Windows, MacOS & Linux

Android  

No
Not Compatible

iOS  

No
Not Compatible

iPadOS  

No
Not Compatible
Show Text 

Wireless Mobile Compatibility 
 

0.0

Android 
 

No
Not Compatible

iOS 
 

No
Not Compatible

iPadOS 
 

No
Not Compatible

Media Key Compatibility 
 

Not Compatible

Check Price

Black
Model S Professional
SEE PRICE
B&H
Mark Matter
Moonlander
Amazon.com
Black
Model S Professional
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Moonlit
Moonlander
Amazon.com
Black
Model S Professional
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
 
Black
Model S Professional
SEE PRICE
Walmart.com
 
Black
Model S Professional
Das Keyboard
 

Das Keyboard Model S Professional

ZSA Moonlander

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  1. Comparison

Das Keyboard Model S Professional vs ZSA Moonlander: Main Discussion

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