Wind Studios new sub-brand, Daring Run, is all about bringing high-quality mechanical keyboard kits to more affordable price points. No one wants to spend hundreds of dollars on a keyboard, and they shouldn’t have to, and the company’s first attempt at solving that comes in the form of the DR-70F. It’s a function row-less (FRL) TKL keyboard with an innovative, shape-shifting design, all housed in a fully aluminum frame. At $139, it’s a great value and definitely worth checking out.
Specifications
- Current Price: $139 (Daring Run)
- Size:401.9X116.2X32.4mm
- Typing angle: 7°
- Material: 6063 aluminum
- Split main area, arrow area, function area
- Layout: 70%+5%, arrow area and function area can be rotated and switched,one keyboard two layouts
- Structure: PCB gasket mount,Sandwich mount
- Gasket mount plate: 1.5mm,PC,three split parts.
- Sandwich mount plate: 1.5mm Alu,anodised gold
- PCB: 1.6mm, bluetooth pcb include 6400mah battery.
- Polling rate: 1000hz in wired mode,800hz in bluetooth mode.
- Bluetooth PCB Latency Rate:25ms
- Programming Support: wired in VIAL, bluetooth pcb in LDN.
Daring Run DR-70F - Purchase Information
The Daring Run DR-70F is available for purchase now in a limited in-stock run directly from Daring Run. Prices start at $139 for the wired version and $159 for Bluetooth wireless. It will be available for a wider run in the near future. The group buy will run from February 1st to March first with shipping planned for 3 to 6 months depending on production. Additional colors will be available for this run.
Vendor List
- USA: https://divinikey.com/
- Canada:https://www.ashkeebs.com/
- Korea:https://www.monstargears.com/
- Vietnam:https://thekeebs.store/
- Thailand:https://ntchkeys.com/
- Malaysia:https://www.rebultkeyboards.com/
- Philippines:https://zionstudios.ph/
- Singapore:https://pantheonkeys.com/
- Japan:https://basekeys.jp/
- Indonesia:https://kukey.studio/
- South American:https://fancycustoms.com/
- Australia:https://www.switchkeys.com.au/
- Europe:https://keygem.com/
- United Kingdom:https://mechboards.co.uk/
- Taiwan:https://www.inpad.com.tw/
- Others:https://d-r.works/collections/70f
Daring Run DR-70F - Design and Features
The Daring Run DR-70F is one of the most unique keyboards I’ve tested, which is saying something because I’ve built a lot of innovative keyboards. What makes this keyboard unique is its layout, which is an expanded tenkeyless — but not so fast. This is an FRL, or function row-less keyboard, so there’s no F-row. Instead, on one side of the key set, you have a five button macro column. On the other, you have your usual arrow keys and navigation and editing cluster of a TKL but with two additional buttons on either side of the arrows.
But wait — there’s more. Both sets of side buttons are on the own circuit boards, attached with ribbon cables. Since the right side is now perfectly symmetrical with the two additional arrow cluster buttons, you can actually swap sides and move to a southpaw (left-handed) layout whenever you would like. You simply take the top case off, flip it around, and swap the circuits boards on either side. The whole process can be done in less than ten minutes.
Neat!
The DR-70F is more than just a transformer. For $139 for the wired kit, it’s also an impressive kit for the price. Daring Run is applying all of the lessons and even some of the stylistic choices it learned from Wind Studio and putting them into play here. The aluminum case is available in four colors — ano black, ano red, ano silver, and creamy white — and is composed of three pieces, just like the Wind X R2 and Wind X98. The bottom case acts as a tray for the assembly (if you gasket mount), an accent piece rests on top of that, and the top case completes the sandwich.
The look is quite nice, in my opinion. I like the seam and the way the mid-piece provides a contrast to the base color. The layout, which is a bit wider than a normal TKL, looks especially long without the function row. It won’t be for everyone but I like it.
The keyboard also supports multiple mounting styles. It can be built using a traditional gasket mount, with thick silicone gaskets that slide onto the plate, no adhesive required. Since the gaskets fit onto the PCB, that means it can also be built plateless, though this isn’t recommended since the switches may wobble. Sandwich mount is the final style, which uses a rigid aluminum plate with silicone bumpers along the sides to dampen keystrokes. Using this plate does remove your ability to use the keyboard in southpaw format.
These mounting methods will make a huge difference on the typing experience you can expect. Plateless, if you’re a rebel and break the rules, will be the most flexible and give you the unadulterated sound of your switches (which you need to provide yourself, along with keycaps). Gasket mount is also fairly soft and is well isolated thanks to the plentiful silicone tabs. Sandwich mount will be the firmest. I wasn’t able to test the sandwich mount style since I didn’t receive the plate.
By default, in-stock purchasers will receive a polycarbonate plate set. It comes in three pieces to match the three circuit boards, so will still be compatible if you split the three parts of the PCB (required to use southpaw), though an aluminum plate for right- and left-handed users is also available.
It also comes with a full set of foams to tailor its sound profile. It comes with a layer of Poron plate foam, IXPE switch foam, and two thin layers of case foam to balance acoustics with flexibility while typing. You can use all of these or none of these, it’s entirely up to your taste.
The PCB provides options of its own. While it’s three parts in the case allow you to flip-flop into southpaw mode, the PCB supports a number of different layouts. ANSI and ISO are both an option here, as is a 6.25u and 7u Tsangan layouts. You also have split Backspace, stepped Caps Lock, and split Shift keys. The only replace things with thing it really can’t do is split Spacebar.
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The case itself is also rather neat. As mentioned previously, it uses a three part design which creates a contrasting seam along the side. There’s a unique weight on the back too, centered with the logo and model beveled into place. Interestingly, there’s also three holes in the bottom that I have to assume are for acoustic tuning but I’ve never seen anything quite like it before. Used on a bare desk with no desk mat to block them off, the keyboard is noticeably louder and slightly deeper in pitch.
There are also two weights inside that act as plates to cover the batteries. If you have a wired unit like I do, these are essentially aesthetic but definitely look nice when you take it apart.
To the right of the key set, above the arrows, there is a thin line of LEDs. It’s a bit of a matrix, and is fully customizable using VIAL, the customization software utilized by the wired version. Interestingly, half of this lights up at a time and seems to depend on whether you are in right-handed or left-handed mode. I rather wish the entire strip would light up but it is a stylistic choice from Daring Run.
When it comes to build quality, this keyboard kit really is quite nice for the money. I was sent the black model, which is a bit of a fingerprint magnet, but overall the fit and finish is quite nice. There were no stray marks from anodization or the production process. It is a bit more lightweight than Wind Studios’ mainline of keyboards, but is also only a fraction of the cost incomes remarkably close. In fact it reminds me of nothing more than the Wind Studios Wind X R2 with the key additions we talked about previously. That, my friends, is a very good thing.
Daring Run DR-70F - Assembly
The keyboard also comes with a great hard-back travel case
The DR-70F is intended to be a beginner friendly keyboard kit, so easy assembly is an important element to its design. Given its swappable sides, my first concern was that it might be too complicated for real beginners, but Daring Run really did a good job of making this easy. Not only is there a build guide that guides you through every step of the process, but it’s pretty intuitive. Certain elements are done for you, so all you really need to do is put together the PCB with your choice of foams, switches, stabilizers, and keycaps and mount it in your preferred style.
For this review, I was only sent the components for gasket mounting. This is as simple as it comes. There are silicone gaskets that slide onto marked tabs on the PCB (so there are no adhesives to fuss with). These gaskets then sit on hard to miss cut-outs on the bottom case. The mid-piece is similar, with some rubber stoppers that stop vibrations from traveling through the layers of aluminum. These stoppers also have cutouts in the bottom case. If you Pay attention, it’s genuinely hard to do wrong.
You’ll still want to consult the guide if you’re a newcomer as it provides important tips for installing switches and stabilizers. It’s also just reassuring and doesn’t leave you guessing and hoping you assembled it correctly.
Sandwich mount may be slightly more difficult, though from the videos I’ve seen, not much. You’ll need to swap out the aluminum mid-plate with a rigid plate and fasten the PCB assembly to it, but, again, none of it looks too complicated and the guide walks you through every step.
As a beginner build, I really appreciate that Daring Run takes care of some of the steps for you. The ribbon cables connecting both sides of the case are pre-installed and the PCBs are connected for easy installation. The USB daughterboard is also done for you, so you don’t need to remove the bottom panel of the case and spend time screwing it down and replacing everything you took off. Even the rubber dampeners on the mid-plate have been done. The core of what’s left is the PCB assembly and that process is similar to most other custom mechanical keyboards.
And would you look at that, I happened to write a guide on building your first mechanical keyboard for Tom’s Hardware too. Give it a look if you’d like to get a head start.
Daring Run DR-70F - Typing and Gaming Impressions
With the build out of the way, let’s get into how it feels and sounds and performs in games. I built my sample using KeebsForAll’s Pink Robin switches, which are pre-lubed linear long pole switches. I also outfitted my keyboard with a set of Drop DCX Dolch keycaps. Which I really enjoy. It’s no exaggeration to say that for the money this keyboard delivers a typing experience that only a few years ago would’ve cost several hundred dollars. How far this hobby has come.
One of the things I noticed early on is that it really seems to need at least one case foam. Without it, there is a bit of hollowness and reverberation. The silicone dampeners and gaskets do a good job of minimizing this but it’s still audible. The case foams are thin, so using only one preserves the flex and softness of the typing experience. The other foams are optional and come into play mainly for acoustic tuning of the keyboard.
For my build, I used plate foam and one case foam. I did not use the IXPE foam to help preserve the sound of the switches, but certainly an option if you would like to have the marbly sound that has been in vogue for more than the last year. Plate foam, in my opinion, often helps clarify the sound of the switches across different keyboard models and is a staple for most of my builds. I did try to use both case foams just to see the impact, but found that the second foam did reduce flex somewhat and led to a more muted sound. Like all things in this hobby, it’s subjective.
The typing experience is soft but not overly flexy. You’ll see a very small amount of movement when typing normally and can certainly get more when pressing down hard. The ultimate effect is that you have a soft typing experience that is somewhat dampened, higher in pitch (at least with these switches), and poppy all without the use of IXPE foam. Using the case foam and plate foam, however the sound profile is surprisingly refined for this price point. I said it previously but it bears repeating: the sound and feel are surprisingly close to Wind Studios’ more expensive keyboards at a pretty major discount.
When it comes to gaming, the DR-70F’s prowess will really depend on your personal preferences in the games you’re playing. The lack of a functional role could negatively impact certain games, like Microsoft Flight Simulator, but the macro row on the left side can easily be remapped to cover many of these keys or to carry macros or unique key binds for other genres and titles. It’s with, on the other hand, could negatively impact. If you play games that benefit from bigmouth sweeps, you may find that you have slightly less space. In less you have a very small area, however, this isn’t likely to be a big concern.
With that in mind, I have long contended that the best gaming keyboards are also keyboards that make you want to come back and use them. Since you’ll be choosing your own switches and dialing in your preferred sound and feel, it is far more likely that you will find this keyboard much more pleasant to use than even a high-quality “one-size-fits-all” gaming keyboard. It connects with a 1000 Hz polling rate, so responsiveness is right in check too.
To being able to swap sides into a southpaw format, I am not entirely sold on the two buttons that have been added to the arrow cluster. Perhaps it is just because I’m not used to it, but I routinely hit these extra buttons by mistake. On the other hand, they make for two easily accessed additional buttons which can be useful for macros. I don’t use many macros in my day-to-day gaming, so I mapped mine to volume controls.
Overall, what you have is a highly versatile keyboard that delivers a very good sound and feel and gives you more latitude to customize its layout than most other keyboards.
This would usually be the part where I insert a typing test, but unfortunately, leading up to this review I began experiencing some wrist pain unrelated to the DR-70F. For today, I’m happy to share a selection of typing tests from the wider YouTube keyboard community. I highly suggest subscribing to these creators.
Credit: MarkerChun Credit: ClackBait Credit: Divinikey (Vendor) Credit: XinXinWongFinal Thoughts
The Daring Run DR-70F is yet another example of the democratization of the mechanical keyboard hobby. It continues to amaze me just how high the quality bar has gotten for “beginner” custom keyboards over the last couple of years. I won’t claim that it, or its growing number of competitors, compete on the same level as some of the higher end mechanical keyboard kits you can buy. Wind Studios and Daring Run wouldn’t either. But this kit really exemplifies the narrowing gap between them. It may benefit from foam, and arguably require it for the best acoustics, but that’s a very fair trade-off for the quality of what you’re getting and the sound and feel of the final product. If you have looked at a Wind Studios keyboard, or custom keyboards in general, and thought to yourself that you can’t justify spending so much money, the DR–70F is a great middle ground that is well worth considering, even if purchased through group by but especially now while it is in stock.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
