You'll love it if:
- You are fond of custom keyboards.
- You like to experiment with different keycaps/switches.
- You want a unique keyboard that draws attention.
Not for you if:
- You want a wireless keyboard.
- You want no customized keyboards
I’ve always wanted to get into custom mechanical keyboards. To have a keyboard cut and sewn to my liking. With the layout, switches, lighting and keycaps that I chose, but also at an affordable price. If you have something like this in mind, the Dark Project KD87A is probably your next choice.
Unboxing
Inside the packaging of the KD87A we can find:
- The keyboard
- Detachable USB Type-C cable
- Keys with different layouts depending on the country
- Metallic switch puller
- Metallic keycap puller
- 4 different g3ms test switches
- Manual and warranty card
Design of the Dark Project KD87A
The particular keyboard we chose is a TKL 80% which, as its name suggests, has 87 keys. I think this size is ideal for gaming as it frees up enough desk space for mouse movement.
The outer shell is made of hard black plastic with white patterns as the version we chose from Dark Project is the DPP 87 Ink. I should mention that each version of the keyboard has a unique and different design that makes them stand out.
The keycaps are double shot PBT with a CSA profile which allows the fully customizable RGB lighting to pass through crystal clear, and only to the characters without diffusing over the rest of the key’s profile. Our friends at Dark Project sent us a second set of keycaps, also CSA profiled, of a different but quite unique style.
You can tell that you have something of quality in your hands, inside the shell there is sound insulation everywhere that helps in a quieter -but also fuller-typing.
Finally, if 80% TKL is not the size you were looking for, Dark Project has a huge range of keyboards of different sizes starting from 60% TKL, 65% TKL, 75% TKL, but also full size 104 key keyboards, covering every need.
Functionality
To fully experience and customize the KD87A keyboard, Dark Project suggests that we download the corresponding software from their page, which allows us to manage several parameters of the keyboard such as the lighting, create macros, program keys and save all this in separate profiles either in the application, or in the onboard memory of the keyboard.
Hot-swappable switches
The switches we chose are Dark Project’s G3ms Sapphire which are linear and come with Krytox lubrication from the factory, for maximum smoothness and a quieter experience. The actuation force is 50 grams and the actuation distance is 2 millimeters.
Something I really liked is that the switches are hot-swappable. What is that, one might ask. This means that if for some reason you get tired of these switches or one of them breaks (almost unlikely), they are very easy to change with a simple pull with the corresponding tool included in the package.
Specifications of the Dark Project KD87A
| Manufacturer | Dark Project |
| Model | KD87A |
| Dimensions | 324x133x58 mm. |
| Weight | 884 gr. |
| Switches | Hot-swappable g3ms Sapphire |
| Keycaps | Double Shot PBT CSA profile |
Conclusion
If you like gaming and want to enter the world of custom keyboards without spending a fortune on parts, Dark Project KD87A is exactly what you are looking for. Dark Project is a company made by true competitive gamers and knows exactly what a gamer wants from their mechanical keyboard.
Furthermore, I would like to mention that Dark Project does not only manufacture keyboards, but also has e-sports class mice as well as quality headphones.
If you want to take it a step further and print your own custom keycaps, check out our 3D printer article here.
Many thanks to the guys over at Dark Project for providing us with this review unit.