Custom PC - UK (2021-05)

I

f you like the idea of the
customisation aspect of a custom-
made mechanical keyboard, but can’t
afford (or don’t have the time) to build one from
scratch, it’s worth having a look at what Ducky
has to offer. The company produces a vast
range of mechanical keyboards with multiple
keyboard sizes, switch types and keycap sets
available. UK retailer overclockers.co.uk lists 111
different flavours of Ducky keyboard. The
keyboard brand with the next most numerous
options at the same retailer is Vortex, with
30 options.
The Shine 7 is Ducky’s flagship keyboard,
with a full-sized layout, RGB backlighting and
a design that’s capped by a beautiful thick
slab of zinc alloy. The overall simplicity of the
design makes for an attractively minimalist
appearance, as does the fact that the keys are
sunken into the metal surround, which gives
the Shine 7 a less gangly appearance than
keyboards with the switches mounted on
the surface.

DUCKY SHINE 7 RGB /£180 inc VAT

SUPPLIER overclockers.co.uk

This sense of build quality runs to other

areas as well. The whole keyboard has a real

heft to it – it weighs a group test-topping

1.44kg, which in turn provides plenty of rigidity.

You also get a removable cable, with the 1.6m

cable plugging into a USB Type-C socket at the

back of the board. Sadly, there’s no USB pass-

through though.

Elsewhere, however, this board isn’t as

fully featured as some models on test. You do

get an extra count of four proper mechanical

switches in the top right corner, which by

default are dedicated to mute, volume control

and opening the calculator app, of all things.

Otherwise, there are no extra gaming keys or

other multimedia features.

When it comes to programmability, Ducky

provides software for changing the lighting

effects, with plenty of options included,

although annoyingly the overly bright lock key

indicator lights can’t be controlled. There’s

no option for changing key functions and

programming macros either. Instead, there

are loads of (unlabelled) default secondary

functions, and you can program keys and

macros via a series of key inputs.

On the underside, there’s also a row of four

DIP switches for changing the default mode

of the keyboard. The first three assign the

position of the Fn key (it can be programmed

to sit on any of the seven keys that flank the

spacebar), while the fourth switches between

N-key rollover and 6-key rollover modes.

For switches, you get the choice of nearly

all Cherry's MX range of switches, including

standard red, blue and brown. We tested the

brown switches, which are light and snappy

enough for speedy typing and gaming, but

with just a little bit of a tactile bump to inform

when you’ve pressed the key.

As for keycaps, you only get the one

choice by default, but Ducky sells a load

of alternatives, in both standard Cherry

profiles as well as the taller SA profile. The

included caps are doubleshot and made with

PBT plastic, so they should last a long time

as well. A plain black spacebar is included too.

Conclusion

The Ducky Shine 7 RGB isn’t a cheap

keyboard and you don’t get masses of extra

features for the high price, but what you do

get is plenty of quality. From the premium

metal-topped design, to the solid overall feel

of the keyboard, the real Cherry MX switches

and the high-end keycaps, it feels like a step

towards a much higher grade of keyboard

than most of the others on test. It’s just a

shame about the limited programmability

and overly bright lock key indicator lights.

VERDICT

A superb quality keyboard that’s about as

close to a custom mechanical keyboard as

you can get without really splashing the cash.

DAZZLING

• 
  

  Great build quality

  
  


• 
  

  Stylish design

  
  


• 
  

  Real Cherry
  MX switches

  
  


• 
  

  Doubleshot
  PBT keycaps

  
  

DULL

• Expensive


• Modest feature set


• Overly bright lock
  key lights

SPEC

Dimensions (mm) 458 x 134 x 38 (W x D x H)

Weight 1.44g

Format Standard 109 keys

Connections USB Type-C socket

Switch type Cherry MX – all types

Switch life 50+ million keystrokes

Backlighting RGB

Extras Detachable USB Type-C cable,

extra pink keys, keycap removal tool

DESIGN

22 / 25

PERFORMANCE

20 / 25

FEATURES

20 / 25

VALUE

22 / 25

OVERALL SCORE

84 %

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