My PERFECT Keyboard – Ducky ONE 2 SF

Hello good people, I’m Dmitry and I think I found my perfect keyboard. This is the Ducky ONE 2 SF, and SF stands for 65%. This thing is capable of things I never even knew I wanted or even existed on keyboards before. If you require a number pad I totally respect that, and that’s why full size keyboard exists, but if you are a TKL lover like me here are my five reasons why I think you should consider an even smaller keyboards like the Ducky ONE 2 SF.

So over the last five years I’ve settled on TKL keyboards to give me extra room for mouse movement at lower DPI without needing to angle the keyboard like you would have to with a full size layout.

Reason #1 : Size

Reason Number 1 is obviously the size, and while the 65% is even smaller than your traditional TKL allowing my hands to be slightly closer to each other for better comfort during CS:GO or Apex Legends. Also with the TKL keyboard I still sometimes hit the right side with my mouse during strong left flicks and this is no longer a thing with the ONE 2 SF. Also for mobile users it’s a keyboard that you can actually carry inside backpacks. Lastly, this form factor is a lot less awkward than using a full size keyboard with a notebook.

Reason #2: Independent Keys

Reason Number 2 is that all the important keys are separated. The ONE 2 SF has that extra row on the right side with dedicated Arrow keys, unlike with the ONE 2 mini that is a 60% keyboard. This means the Delete key is separated from Backspace, which is very crucial for my editing workflow. The Arrow keys are always handy in productivity, so you don’t need to activate that second layer using I/J/K/L for navigation. I can live without the numpad, but the ONE 2 mini having no dedicated arrow keys and no delete key is a bit too mini for me. This does mean the right side of the ONE 2 SF is not standardized for key cap swapping like the smaller shift and Alt + FN keys, but from a productivity standpoint I have all the same functionality as a TKL board but with the much smaller footprint. Also, when was the last time you actually use the F1 to F12 keys? I literally never use them except for F9 to smooth out of the key frame in After Effects, and having that row minimized and built into the numbers signs as a second layer of commands is totally worth it. This gives me all the same functionality when I need it but in a much smaller footprint.

Reason #3: Price

Reason Number 3 is the price. So the Ducky ONE 2 SF can be pre-ordered right now for $109 USD, while the Ducky ONE 2 mini can be picked up for $89 USD. And honestly this makes them very competitive versus full size and TKL options from our usual gaming brands, none of which offer doubleshot PBT key apps at this price point. We all know that PBT key caps just feel better and don’t exhibit the usual glossy surface over time due to wear, like you’ll see on ABS key caps. I also love their approach with the quality font and extra set of color key caps to style up the board a little bit.

Both the SF and mini connect via Type-C cable, which is impressive, and have a pretty satisfying build quality that is mainly plastic. My only complaint here is the body flex from the top and bottom. I also love the dual angle adjustment that have nice stability to them, and the rubber padding so the keyboard does not slide around. Also I’ve typed on my fair share of switches with Ducky being the most satisfying in terms of how they feel with quality stabilizers and also how they sound.

Reason #4: Custom Features

Reason Number 4 is custom features on such a tiny board. So here we have built-in mouse navigation that actually works very well, with left and right clicks and scroll support as well. You have six profiles saved on the keyboard without the need to access any of the drivers. On these profiles you can record macros to any key aside from Caps Lock and Function. And this customization alone is worth so much more than space wasting dedicated macro keys on full sized keyboards. You have built-in media playback controls and volume adjustments as second layer commands. There are also DIP switches below the board to turn off the Windows key or change the key rollover. You can even switch the Caps Lock key to act as your Function key. You can even change the debounce time for mechanical switches. And all of this is here to show that with the additional key layering you can have so much extra functionality without expanding or ballooning the size of the keyboard.

Reason #5: Looks

And Reason Number 5 are the looks. There is awesome per-key color customization that you can program on the board yourself, with individual RGB color adjustments and many lighting presets built-in. There is no denying the unique appearance of something like the ONE 2 SF or the ONE 2 mini in a setup designed for either gaming, productivity, coding, writing, whatever.

As a bonus, there is also an extra key cap set. And if you venture out into more custom key cap designs and key cap sets, the ONE 2 SF and ONE 2 mini are a really great place to start in terms of making the custom keyboard that you really want to have. The mini model more so because that is the traditional 60% layout, while the SF is a little bit less traditional with that right side and non-traditional key cap sizes.

And so those are my five reasons why the Ducky ONE 2 SF is my perfect keyboard, and whenever I’m reviewing anything TKL or full size they feel way too big now for my space. This thing has all the functionality that I would normally achieve or get from a TKL keyboard, but in a much smaller footprint.