Ducky One 2 Pro vs Year of the Dragon ZodiacFull-Size vs Premium 65%
Choose the Ducky One 2 Pro for a full layout and lower cost, or the Year of the Dragon for a premium, customizable 65% build.
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Which one should you get?
Get the
Ducky One 2 Pro
Full-Size
Build quality in the bottom 35% of 100% boards under $150.
- Full 100% layout with a dedicated number pad.
- Includes multimedia keys for quick media control.
- Features sound dampening with an EVA dampener and Q-Bounce padding per the vendor.
- Switches are soldered. Swapping them means soldering.
- North-facing LEDs. Cherry-profile keycaps can hit the switch housing.
Get the
Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac
Premium 65%
Build quality in the top 25% of 65% boards under $300.
- CNC machined anodized aluminum case for premium build quality.
- Hot-swappable PCB allows for easy switch customization.
- Fully programmable with QMK and VIA firmware support.
- 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. If you require a full-size keyboard for data entry or office work and prefer a more accessible price, the Ducky One 2 Pro is the practical option. If you seek a collector's item or a premium foundation for customization with a compact footprint, and budget is less of a concern, the Year of the Dragon Zodiac is the superior keyboard. Consider the trade-off between layout completeness and build quality with modding potential.
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 One 2 Pro
Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac
Layout size
100%
65%
Hall effect (magnetic)
No
Yes
Adjustable actuation helps in games and not in normal typing
Hot-swappable
No
Yes
Switch changes without soldering
Case material
ABS, Plastic
Aluminum
Mount style
Plate Mount
Gasket Mount
- Ducky One 2 Pro
- Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac
- Performance
- 7382
- Build quality
- 4877
- Productivity
- 7065
- Customizability
- 5882
- Portability
- 4473
- Connection: Wired
- Keycaps: PBT
What will you mostly use it for?
The Ducky One 2 Pro is the clear choice for office work and content creation where a full number pad and media keys are essential. The Year of the Dragon excels for travel, modding, and offers a potentially superior feel for gaming due to its premium construction. For programming, the decision is a toss-up between the One 2 Pro's complete layout and the Year of the Dragon's extensive programmability.
Pick the Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac
- The Year of the Dragon's gasket mount and aluminum case may offer a more premium typing feel.
- Its south-facing RGB LEDs are compatible with more aftermarket keycap sets without interference.
- It features Hall Effect switches, which the manufacturer states are included.
Ducky One 2 Pro vs Year of the Dragon Zodiac specs
Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.
12 of 22 specs differ
Ducky One 2 Pro
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
Max polling rate
USB-C
Case material
Plate material
Keycaps
Backlight
QMK
VIA
N-key rollover
Mac & Windows
Released
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Ducky One 2 Pro vs Year of the Dragon Zodiac: your questions
Only the Ducky Year of the Dragon Zodiac features a hot-swappable PCB. The Ducky One 2 Pro has soldered switches, according to its vendor description.
No. The Ducky Year of the Dragon is a 65% layout keyboard with only 67 keys. It does not include a number pad, dedicated function row, or a full navigation cluster.
The Ducky One 2 Pro has a plastic (ABS) case. The Ducky Year of the Dragon features a CNC machined anodized aluminum case, which is more premium and durable.
The vendor description for the Ducky One 2 Pro does not mention QMK, VIA, or any software for key remapping. The Year of the Dragon explicitly supports both QMK and VIA for full programmability.
The Ducky One 2 Pro includes pre-installed sound dampening with an EVA dampener and synthetic Q-Bounce padding. The Year of the Dragon uses a gasket mount design, which typically offers a different, often more muted and flexible sound signature.
The specific Ducky One 2 Pro edition described uses MDA profile PBT keycaps. The Year of the Dragon uses special Oriental Crystal keycaps made from a PBT and polycarbonate blend, but the profile name is not specified in the provided details.
Yes, both keyboards are listed as compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems. The Ducky One 2 Pro vendor description also explicitly mentions Linux compatibility.
The described Ducky One 2 Pro edition has white LED backlighting. The Ducky Year of the Dragon has full RGB backlighting with south-facing LEDs.
The main advantage is its full-size 100% layout, which includes a number pad and dedicated media keys. This makes it more suitable for office work, data entry, and users who rely on those keys without using layers.
It is limited to 999 units globally, each individually numbered on an embedded side plate. It includes exclusive themed keycaps, a special coiled cable with a tassel, and unique Cherry MX2A RGB Purple switches.
The Ducky Year of the Dragon includes more exclusive accessories, such as a coiled aviator cable with a tassel, special resin Escape key and spacebar, and Oriental Crystal keycaps. The described One 2 Pro includes a USB-C cable and an exclusive sticker set.
The Ducky One 2 Pro is listed with a 1000 Hz polling rate. A polling rate is not specified in the provided metadata for the Ducky Year of the Dragon.
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