1 
0 Ducky, known for their well-built keyboards released the successor of the Ducky One 2. Thanks to the team at Overclockers UK we have managed to get our hands on a Ducky One 3 Yellow Mini to take for a type.
An Absolutely Quacking Little Keyboard!
Currently, the keyboard cult has a huge following. To be quite honest, before checking out this Ducky One 3 I was pretty clueless about them all. I was a pick up a keyboard and run with it kind of guy. However, has this changed? Keep reading to find out if I am a convert to the custom ways with keys.
Design
Obviously, the first thing that really strikes you when looking at the Ducky One 3 Yellow Mini is the colour, for obvious reasons. Personally, I am not a fan of overly colourful setups. However, the shade of yellow used to make these keyboards is extremely rich in tone. I don’t feel that the pictures online anywhere, give this colourway as much justice as they should. The Ducky One 3 is available in multiple colourways depending on the size of the keyboard you are looking for, these are Fuji, Matcha and Daybreak. All of them can be checked out on the Overclockers UK site.
On picking up the Ducky One 3 Yellow Mini I was blown away by how sturdy it is, the chassis is unbelievably rigid. I have tested many keyboards in the past which have had great accolades but the downside of them is that they have also offered a lot of flex. Obviously, with this being a 60% it will have more rigidity than the larger full-scale versions. It feels like the design team at Ducky has created a keyboard fit for a fight.
To the rear of the Ducky One 3 Yellow Mini, there is a keyboard foot on either side of the board. This allows for an extra two positions which make three in total. I have been using a mixture of the lowest and the mid-level, and I am still trying to find which one suits me the most. Obviously, the one thing missing in this respect is a wrist rest which would make it more comfortable. Having said that, not all keyboards come with one these days and Ducky sells a stunning one you can buy.
The Ducky One 3 also comes with RGB inbuilt, however, there is no software support for this or the macro settings. This is all done via shortcut keys on the keyboard. This is probably one area that will frustrate people, as software can make changes like this much easier. But Ducky has confirmed that this is something that is on the long term roadmap.
Specification
Having checked the specs of their previous products, Ducky seems to be raising the bar on each release. Dubbed Quack mechanics, Ducky is really trying to perfect the prebuilt keyboard. First off, if you take a look at acoustics – An area they are really keen on improving. You have a layer of EVA foam on the plastic chassis. They have then put a rubber membrane in between the PCB and the face plate for even more sound dampening. Having taken the keyboard apart to check these components they are quality made as well. Not just a paper-thin membrane/foam layer.
One of the biggest selling points of the Ducky One 3 Yellow Mini is the fact that it is Hot Swappable. Meaning anyone who gets hold of one of these keyboards can swap out the switches without the need for any specialised hardware. You can simply use the tool that you get in the box. This means that if your play style changes or you start to prefer a certain switch over another you can do a simple swap. I chose the Cherry Silent Red switches, however, there are various switch types available. Just ensure you buy your preferred option.
The one thing about the Ducky One 3 Yellow Mini that I love, is the fact that it has PBT Double-Shot keycaps. These keycaps are unreal. When it comes to quality and when comparing them to some off the shelf brands you can physically feel the difference in quality. Not only that but these keycaps are extremely durable. Meaning you will not see the wear on the keys after a lot of use.
The keyboard also comes bundled with some extras. Like keycaps for customisation, a braided USB C cable (which feels great quality) along with some tools for cap changes and switch amendments.
Final Thoughts
Before receiving the Ducky One 3 Yellow Mini, I thought to myself – it is going to be awesome to check out a keyboard that I have heard so much about. I immediately envisaged myself going back to my wireless Logitech, solely because of the cables on the Ducky. However, that is not the case. Currently, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. The Ducky One 3 Yellow Mini has so much to offer the modern PC gamer. The price point is slightly higher than some of the keyboards available at physical stores, however, the quality is uncomparable. Not only that if your game style changes your keyboard can change with you due to the amount of customisation available. I award the Ducky One 3 Yellow Mini a Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
Disclaimer: A sample was received in order to write this review.
YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord | Podcast
About Author
