Ducky has earned quite a reputation in the world of mechanical gaming keyboards. In an age when keyboards are all about glitter and glitz, Ducky continues to adhere to a no nonsense design philosophy called "Quack Mechanics."

The proof is in the One 3's wonderfully colorful design. This is Ducky's newest flagship keyboard, available in a variety of colors and styles, and it is called the Fuji. all keys in the One 3 image are included in the standard Fuji design, with custom keycaps for $124 (opens in new tab)/£143 (opens in new tab The One 3 keyboard is a custom keycap set for $124 (opens in new tab) / £143 (opens in new tab), which makes it feel like you've received a keyboard with a custom keycap set pre-installed. [The legend for each key matches the color of the key itself and each other. For example, the large ISO Enter key. It matches the legend of the letter and number keys, and the legend of the smaller Enter key matches the surrounding blue special keys. If this coloring is not to your liking, Ducky comes with 11 spare keys in alternate finishes.

All Ducky keycaps are made of strong PBT plastic; unlike ABS plastic, PBT plastic is long-lasting, stain-resistant, and prevents the color-matched legend from rubbing. Because of the double shot, there is little risk of the legend rubbing off. It also feels good to type on, so that's another plus.

If you are a particularly heavy typer, it won't be so easy to shatter this keycap into pieces. No promises, though. I have seen professional writers smash PBT keycaps in two like the Hulk. Just be mindful to take care of things and they will take care of you.

From the great quality keycaps to the rest, Ducky continues to impress. The surrounding plastic case is two-tone pink and blue, matching the color of the keycap. The attention to detail continues all the way to the adjustable feet. This board does not wobble at all on flat surfaces.

On the blue underside of the Ducky runs the cable for the included (and removable) braided USB Type-C to Type-A cable; the One 3 Fuji's cable is, of course, a shade of pink that matches the rest perfectly. There are also four dip switches with several hard-coded shortcuts for various keyboard modes. I unplugged it, waited a bit, and tried again, but could not get it to work at all.

The Ducky One 3 also does not have full media controls, but does have volume up, volume down, and mute keys on the top row. There is also an important calculator shortcut, which opens the Windows calculator when pressed.

What can we say about the calculator switch: we didn't need it, but will miss it when we move on to the next keyboard review.

The One 3 is mainly made of plastic, but I've never really found that to be a disadvantage with the Ducky. It's built like a tank and doesn't flex at all. It probably won't survive a drop from a high place, but I wouldn't dare try that with this gorgeous review unit.

However, I decide to touch the switches under the keycaps. I opted for Cherry MX Speed Silver switches, which are Cherry's finest for gaming. With only 1.2mm of travel to actuation and a total distance of 3.4mm, they provide a smooth press. This quick actuation helps with the snappy response I look for in gaming, while the linear press without tactile bumps or clicks allows for reasonably low-noise operation. Admittedly not the quietest switch, but far from the loudest (ticking blues and rattling stabilizers).

The ducky hardly rattles when the pink caps are tapped. The space and enter keys make a "thud" sound, but the rest of the switches, including those with stabilizers, sound remarkably even. Ducky is muffled throughout, not just on the surface, and the result is a satisfying mechanical keystroke sound that is pleasing to the ear, even when typing all day or playing games with a microphone nearby. not all keyswitches that can be mounted on the One 3 may be, but the linear option would be all of them.

The One 3 comes with Cherry MX switches in a variety of colors and textures, so there are several to choose from. If noise is a concern, there are also boards with Cherry MX Silent switches. [Ducky One 3 supports hot-swapping. The keyswitch is broken. Replace it with another one. You buy a new keyswitch online, but once you install it, you never actually see it. The keyboard comes with a metal keycap plucker, so you have all the tools you need. It really is a simple procedure.

Many gaming keyboards these days support hot swapping, but this particular feature on the Ducky One 3 feels like the icing on an already very delicious cake.

There is a confident simplicity to the Ducky One 3. Instead of reinventing the wheel, Ducky has made smaller but calculated adjustments in the One 3 than in the Ducky One 2. No need for that; the Ducky One 2 was a favorite of my former employer. The new One 3 retains most of what worked well, such as the hot-swappable keys and the new vibrant style, but improves on a few things. It also has a cleaner look.

Importantly, the basic features of the Ducky have been retained from the One 3. If you find yourself wading through the mud on the outskirts of New Vegas, you can be sure that this new Ducky is as intact and beautiful as ever. I guess that's what "Quack Mechanics" is all about.

RGB lighting may be a letdown on this particular model, but I'm not fretting about that. Sure, there is a Ducky One 3 with RGB LEDs, but it would forgo a more interesting design in order to have RGB LEDs. To me, it is the combination of looks and power that makes the Ducky One 3 the quintessential Ducky One 3.