deskthority

I just got a Das Keyboard Professional (non Model S) second hand. It has blue switches. I noticed that the enter key only actuates when bottomed out, and not as soon as the click is heard as with other keys. Is this normal or is the enter switch likely to be defective? Thanks.

Sounds weird. Acts like this on every machine you hook it up to?

The whole point of clicky switches is so you can hear the activation point and not need to bottom out. Right across the keyboard. So it's definitely odd.

First thing that comes to mind about the Enter key would be a stabilizer issue. Have you taken the keycap off and compared how the switch actuates to other switches without a keycap? If the pure switch behaves differently than the others it's probably defective. If it doesn't, maybe something's wrong with the stabilizer assembly under the keycap.

Very true. Large keys like Return, Shift and the space bar are stabilised underneath. Be careful when removing them. But once you have your suspect keycap out of the way, press the switch in isolation just like Halvar says.

Managed to get the enter key off and unfortunately the problem persists when operating the switch directly. I guess this means the switch is broken. Is there any reasonable way I can repair this or will I have to replace the keyboard?

If the switch isn't plate-mounted then you can change nearly anything in it with ease by just taking the top of the switch off. I've never used a Das so I'm not sure if it is.

Sounds like a bad solder job to me (switch leg only makes contact to the solder joint when pushed down ever so slightly.) You probably will have to open the board (PITA w/ Das IIRC) and inspect/resolder/replace the switch.

Sounds like a bad solder job to me

That sounds like a good explanation. However, I don't own a soldering iron and since the cost of a decent one would significantly close the gap between what I paid and what a new keyboard costs, I decided to return it and get a new one.

Which leaves me to choose between the Professional and Ultimate (which has blank keycaps and no stupid Fn/media keys). I want the ultimate, but if I change my mind later will I be able to get replacement keycaps with as good a font as the Das Keyboard professional? Perhaps it would make more sense to get the Professional as replacement blank keycaps wouldn't have that issue. Does anyone have experience with blank vs. non blank keycaps? Thanks!