Adjustable split keyboards provide you with more options in terms of how you can use them. As the name implies, the position and width of the break or slant of the keyboard are not adjustable.Īdjustable split keyboards are literally split, usually into two separate parts that are linked by a cable. With fixed split keyboards, however, the keys are usually positioned in waves so your hands will rest more naturally on them. Your first big choice will be whether you want a fixed split keyboard or an adjustable model.įixed split keyboards are single-piece keyboards, much like the traditional keyboards. Ergonomic keyboards take time and patience to get used to, so throwing in blank keycaps, as the Koolertron does, is just another complication.In addition to protecting your hands and wrists from nerve damage, split keyboards are set up in such a way that they can also improve your typing speed. For everybody else, printed keycaps and a standard layout are more important.

Have all blank keys: Keys that don’t have printed letters, numbers, or symbols on them are fine for touch-typists and ideal for people creating their own alternative keyboard layout.Those features remain accessible via special key combinations, but most people want those dedicated keys, so we eliminated ultra-compact split keyboards. Ditch commonly used keys: In an effort to create more compact models, some keyboard makers eliminate navigation keys such as the arrow keys and the function-keys row at the top.

Feel cheap or plasticky: We looked for keyboards with solid build quality that made us confident the keyboard would last for years.Require building or soldering: Although the build-it-yourself keyboard community is thriving, with many interesting options for self-assembled split keyboards, most people want to use their keyboard out of the box.

And if you’d like to remap keys for a different layout, you can do so in just a couple of clicks. Although getting used to typing on a fully split keyboard could take a bit of time-at least a few days, if not weeks-the Freestyle Edge RGB was the easiest for us to get comfortable with thanks to its standard, familiar key layout. With the recommended Lift Kit accessory, you can also tent each half (raise the inner edges of the keyboard halves) to keep your wrists at a neutral angle. You can position the halves of the keyboard as close together or as far apart as you’d like in order to reduce shoulder strain and neck tension. The Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB is the best option due to its fully split design, its responsive Cherry MX mechanical keys, its zero-degree slope and low profile, its programmability, and the optional ability to tent the keyboard to 5, 10, or 15 degrees.

Ergonomic split keyboard mac