Ducky Bethesda Tinker 75 ProjectD vs Year of the Dragon ZodiacLayout vs Collector's Edition
Choose the Tinker 75 for a versatile, mod-friendly 75% layout, or the Year of the Dragon for a premium, limited-run 65% collector's item.
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Which one should you get?
Get the
Ducky Bethesda Tinker 75 ProjectD
Layout
Build quality in the top 20% of 75% boards under $200.
- More versatile 75% layout with dedicated arrow and navigation keys.
- Comes as a DIY kit with included Poron plate foam, PE sheet, and case foam for sound tuning.
- Officially licensed Fallout Nuka Cola theme with novelty spacebar, accent keys, and a matching mousepad.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- No numpad.
Get the
Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac
Collector's Edition
Build quality in the top 25% of 65% boards under $300.
- Ultra-limited collector's item, with only 999 individually numbered units.
- Includes premium accessories like a themed coiled aviator cable with tassel.
- Unique Oriental Crystal keycaps made from a PBT+PC blend and resin artisan Escape/spacebar keys.
- Magnetic switches only. Standard MX switches will not fit.
- South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
- 65% layout. No function row and no numpad.
Your primary need dictates the choice. For a highly customizable, practical keyboard you can build and tune yourself, the Ducky Tinker 75 ProjectD is the logical pick. If you are a collector or prioritize a unique, premium aesthetic with special accessories in a smaller form factor, the Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac justifies its higher cost. Consider the Tinker 75 a tool for use and modification, and the Year of the Dragon a display piece for admiration.
The differences that matter
Skip the 40-row spec sheet. These are the specs that change how each board feels, sounds, and fits your desk.
Ducky Bethesda Tinker 75 ProjectD
Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac
Layout size
75%
65%
Hall effect (magnetic)
No
Yes
Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing
Mount style
Plate Mount
Gasket Mount
Sound dampening
Yes
No
Media keys
Yes
No
- Ducky Bethesda Tinker 75 ProjectD
- Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac
- Performance
- 8082
- Build quality
- 8077
- Productivity
- 7765
- Customizability
- 9282
- Portability
- 6373
- Connection: Wired
- Hot-swappable
- Case material: Aluminum
- QMK
- VIA
- Plate material: FR4
What will you mostly use it for?
The Ducky Tinker 75 ProjectD wins for practical, daily-use scenarios like office work, programming, and gaming due to its more functional 75% layout and modding-focused kit. The Year of the Dragon Zodiac takes the lead only for travel due to its more compact 65% form factor and shines as a content creation tie for its unmatched aesthetics. For hobbyists who enjoy building and tuning, the Tinker 75's included foams and barebones nature make it the clear choice.
Pick the Ducky Bethesda Tinker 75 ProjectD
- The 75% layout retains dedicated arrow and navigation keys for in-game controls.
- Both feature N-Key Rollover and hot-swappable sockets for switch customization.
- The Tinker 75's included Poron and PE foam may provide a more muted acoustic profile.
Ducky Bethesda Tinker 75 ProjectD vs Year of the Dragon Zodiac specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
5 of 20 specs differ
Ducky Bethesda Tinker 75 ProjectD
Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac
Switch options
Hall effect (magnetic)
Hot-swappable
Mount style
Sound dampening
Layout size
Layout standard
Ergonomics
Display
Media keys
Connection
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Backlight
QMK
VIA
N-key rollover
Released
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Ducky Bethesda Tinker 75 ProjectD vs Year of the Dragon Zodiac: your questions
The Ducky Tinker 75 is a 75% layout keyboard, which retains the function row, arrow keys, and a column of navigation keys. The Ducky Year of the Dragon is a 65% layout with 67 keys, which removes the function row and compacts the navigation cluster, relying more on layers for secondary functions.
Yes, both keyboards feature hot-swappable sockets, allowing you to change switches without soldering. The Tinker 75 uses exclusive yellow Kailh hotswap sockets, while the Year of the Dragon comes pre-built with hotswap capability.
The Ducky Tinker 75 is generally better for productivity due to its 75% layout. It provides direct access to the function row and navigation keys, which are commonly used in office applications and coding, reducing the need to memorize layer combinations.
Both keyboards are programmable with open-source firmware. They support QMK and VIA, which allow for deep key remapping, macro creation, and lighting control without proprietary software.
The Tinker 75 includes a Fallout novelty spacebar, six dye-sublimated accent keys, and an exclusive Ducky x Fallout Nuka Cola mousepad. The Year of the Dragon includes a Seal of the Dragon resin Escape key and spacebar, plus a themed coiled aviator cable with a tassel.
No, both the Ducky Tinker 75 ProjectD and the Year of the Dragon Zodiac are wired-only keyboards. They connect via a USB-C cable.
The Ducky Year of the Dragon is a collector's item because it is strictly limited to 999 units globally, with each unit individually numbered on an embedded side plate. It features a unique Year of the Dragon theme with a CNC aluminum case, special keycaps, and exclusive accessories.
The Ducky Tinker 75 ProjectD is better for sound modding directly from the box. According to the vendor, it includes multiple sound-dampening materials pre-installed, such as Poron plate foam, a PE sheet, and case foam.
The Tinker 75 uses double-shot PBT keycaps in an OEM profile. The Year of the Dragon uses Oriental Crystal keycaps, which are a dye-sublimated blend of PBT and polycarbonate designed to mimic vintage porcelain, along with separate resin artisan keycaps.
Based on the vendor's characteristics listing, the Ducky Tinker 75 ProjectD is listed as compatible with Windows only, and is explicitly marked as not compatible with Mac or Linux systems.
Both keyboards use a gasket mount design, which typically provides a softer typing feel and better sound isolation compared to traditional tray mounting. They both also use an FR4 plate material.
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