Duck Viper Overview
By: Henz Llarves | Date Posted: May 25, 2022
Premium Korean, yet another highly sought-after Korean Kustom. This time it’s the 60% variant, the Duck Viper V2. This is the Korean company Duck not to be mistaken for the Taiwanese company Ducky. Yes, it is confusing.
Similarities in names aside, there isn’t much that’s the same between the two companies. Duck’s keyboards are generally sold via limited-run group buys that tend to originate in Korea. Though over time as the mechanical community has grown so has an interest in Duck’s keyboards. There’s been more group buys and resellers targeting the west.
Although a 60% keyboard, the Duck Viper has a less common layout. This is Dr. Wada’s unique HHKB layout. Dr. Wada designed the layout of the HHKB with better ergonomics and usability in mind. But as this is a Korean Kustom and it can be reprogrammed however you’d like. Full keymapping enables any key on the keyboard to be programmed to whatever you’d like.
There’s a total of 60 keys with an unconventional 5 keys for the bottom row. Those of you looking for a Korean Kustom with a more traditional layout should check out the Duck Eagle.
Not just rare
These keyboards are highly sought after not just because they’re hard to get a hold of but because of their quality components. A machined block of aluminium makes up the housing that sits at an 11-degree angle. Plate options range from steel, aluminium, and plastic.
A completed Viper weighs more than 3kgs (6.6lbs) which is significant enough that you could probably use it as a weapon to defend yourself in times of need. Not that you would want to as one of these keyboards would run you $310 at the time of the group buy.
Still, though, these keyboards are damn stunning to look at and every Duck that I’ve got my hands on screams premium.
My favorite part is the acrylic strips on the front and sides of this keyboard. Any LEDs on the underside of the PCB will glow through these for stunning light shows, not to mention the ones on the PCB. There’s even room for LEDs in the arch on the sides.