For the longest time having a good gaming keyboard meant that you need to have a full-size (100% keyboard) slab of plastic in front of you that could alternatively be used for self-defense, paddling a canoe, or perhaps surfing on it.
Those days are long gone and the new trend in gaming keyboards and enthusiast-grade custom keyboards is a compact form factor that makes full use of macros to deliver the same experience utility-wise while occupying a significantly smaller chunk of your table.
One of the first boards to be universally recognized as the pioneer of 60% keyboard domination is the Ducky One 2 Mini. This tiny keyboard went viral and is perhaps the most recognizable gaming keyboard currently on the market.
I have been using the Ducky One 2 Mini as my main keyboard for about 2 years, and today I will share with you a quick review of what makes the board truly shine and what are some less impressive sides.
Once you have received your Ducky One 2 Mini you will be greeted with the following items: the keyboard, a detachable USB Type-C cable, keycap puller, and a small bag with custom keycaps.
You do not receive any super impressive freebies but at the same time, the inclusion of some special items like the keycaps is a great bonus. In addition, the fact that the keyboard is using USB Type-C is great news for those who are struggling to plug in things from the first try, and people that are enthusiastic about new technology standards.
The keycap puller has a simple Ducky logo on it, and as you might have guessed, it does its job of pulling out the keycaps splendidly.
The biggest disappointment when it comes to the Ducky One 2 Mini, in my honest opinion, is the build quality of the keyboard case. The case is made entirely out of plastic and therefore exudes a not-so-premium feeling.
In addition, because of the plastic construction, the case creaks under the slightest touch or pressure. In fact, just by picking up my Ducky One 2 Mini, I can make it creak all over the case of the keyboard.
This can obviously be just my copy of the board, but since I have tried multiple other Ducky One 2 Minis and they all have the same issue, I can conclude that the build quality of the case is poor.
Even without using any expensive material like aluminum, Ducky could have made the case feel a lot more premium by using better quality plastic and making the construction feel a lot sturdier!
The Ducky One 2 Mini comes with very well-made double shot PBT keycaps with a very inoffensive key legend. If you are unfamiliar with what double shot PBT keycaps mean, it is simply a type of keycap that is produced when two layers of plastic are molded into each other.
What this means is that there is no printing necessary, therefore, the key legend will never fade resulting in a longer lifespan for the keyboard.
The Ducky One 2 Mini also comes with some free custom keycaps in different colors, and even with a special spacebar key. The custom legend on the spacebar key depends on the Chinese zodiac signs and changes each year! In my case, the keyboard was bought during the year of the pig in the Chinese zodiac calendar, therefore my spacebar has a custom boar legend.
Overall a very nice addition that is not available for other keyboard purchases. Good job Ducky!
The Ducky One 2 Mini took a very safe approach when it came to the mechanical switch type it comes equipped with, opting to use only different variations of the Cherry MX mechanical switches.
The Ducky One 2 Mini can be bought with Cherry MX Blacks, Browns, Blues, Reds, Silent Reds (Pinks), or Speed Silvers. Overall very unimpressive stack of switches considering the hugely diverse mechanical switch market, but we can assume Ducky took this approach to ensure the quality control of their boards.
My Ducky One 2 Mini keyboard came equipped with Silent Red Cherry MX mechanical switches, which are linear just like their big brother the Red switches, but with a much quieter sound to them.
The keyboard is overall well suited for gaming and typing and I would highly recommend purchasing the Silent Red switches if you hate the noise that usual mechanical switches produce.
The RGB on the Ducky One 2 Mini is bright and vivid because of the white PCB and casing under the keycaps. This and the PBT keycaps help the RGB shine through creating a nice overall spectrum of colors.
There is no software for the Ducky One 2 Mini RGB control as everything is done on the keyboard by using the macro combinations that the FN key enables. This can be both seen as a hassle and a great feature depending on how used you are to utilizing the FN key for different tasks.
It’s not a gaming keyboard if it does not have RGB and the Ducky One 2 Mini performs well when it comes to this specific aspect.
As mentioned previously every setting related to the Ducky One 2 Mini keyboard is accessible through the FN key, and can be customized live without any software.
This means that for example to access your arrow keys to scroll through text, or to lower your volume on the go you would have to use the FN key plus another key press for the desired action to take effect.
For me, it was very simple to get used to and now I tend to execute the macro combinations on the fly without even paying attention to the fact that I’m pressing on so many keys at once.
Overall I would consider this a feature and not a drawback, but once again opinions may vary.
The Ducky One 2 Mini cannot be considered a budget keyboard since its price always hovers around 120$/€. This is truly interesting to me since as I have mentioned before, the case of the board is made entirely out of plastic and it creaks at the slightest touch.
This is the one conflicting aspect I cannot fully comprehend when it comes to the Ducky One 2 Mini.
On the other side, the greatest benefit of the Ducky One 2 Mini is its availability. There is no other single 60% keyboard on the market that is as widely available to the public. If you are new to the keyboard market and want to get away from the basic keyboard options, most likely, your first option will be the Ducky One 2 Mini.
The Ducky One 2 Mini 60% keyboard has become a mainstay even on the mainstream keyboard market. This is largely due to its popularity amongst keyboard enthusiasts and newcomers on the compact side of the keyboard world.
Its greatest asset is the fact that it is widely available and represents one of the very few 60% keyboard options for people to buy everywhere, even though its reputation as a product is not spotless.
Would I recommend buying a Ducky One 2 Mini? This question entirely depends on how hellbent you are on trying a 60% keyboard. For example, after using the Ducky One 2 Mini for so long I cannot switch over to any other form factor.
On the other hand, the quality of the keyboard case is lacking (like on my copy) and feels pretty cheap, so in the end, it is up to you to decide if the 60% form factor is worth the gamble.
The Ducky One 2 Mini is an extremely popular keyboard because of its availability in most regions of the world and its 60% form factor. This keyboard should be considered your entry into the enthusiast 60% keyboard market and could be an enlightening experience for many. An overall impressive keyboard!