Slant community chat on Discord| 7 Recommended Products | Recommendations | Weight | Warranty | USB Hub |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Kinesis Advantage2· · · | 4 | 1 | 1 kg / 2.2 lbs | 3 years | Yes |
| #2 Ergodox· · · | 5 | 1 | – | – | – |
| #3 Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop· · · | 9 | 3 | – | – | – |
| #4 Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000· · · | 3 | 2 | 1.3 kg / 2.9 lbs | 3 years | No |
| #5 Kinesis Freestyle2 w/ VIP3· · · | 1 | 0 | – | – | – |
| #6 Microsoft Surface Ergonomic Keyboard· · · | 1 | 0 | – | – | – |
Pro Clusters of keys under each thumb means less reaching
Having multiple keys under the thumbs lets you keep the rest of your hands still, and helps prevent reaching. For example, the backspace key on a regular keyboard is way in the top right corner, while on the Kinesis keyboard it's under the left thumb. So, to hit the backspace button you just ne...
Pro Optimized, ergonomic shape that significantly reduces the risk of RSI
This keyboard is sculpted to fit the curvature of your hand more naturally than regular flat boards. This helps reduce the risks of suffering repetitive strain injuries.
Pro No undesirable movements
Because of its size, this keyboard stands firmly on the desk and doesn't suffer from unwanted movement during use.
Con Quite bulky, therefore not very portable
As a direct consequence of its unconventional ergonomic shape, the Advantage2 is quite bulky. At 16.5 in’ x 8 in’ x 2.88 in’ (419 mm x 203 mm x 73 mm), it's not the most portable keyboard.
Con Not great for gaming
This keyboard is amazing for typing, but not great for gaming. Many games make intensive keys such as the Arrow keys or the Alt, Control and Shift keys. With this keyboard, it's not very comfortable to use them so frequently.
Con Different switches for the function keys
The functions keys are not build with the same switches than the other keys: they use Cherry ML switches instead of Cherry MX Brown switches. Because of their shorter travel distance, the ML feels quite different. It's awkward to have such different sensations for different parts of the keyboar...
Pro Ultimate customizability
You can map any key to any position easily using a simple GUI, including making hardware key layers. And, since the firmware is open source, you can modify it to do anything you want. Many of the hardware components can also be altered/replaced by equivalent parts.
Pro More actions for the thumb
Unlike other keyboards, like the Lexmark M15 and Cherry G80-5000, where the only action performable by the thumbs is punching the spacebar, ErgoDox has extra keys placed near the spacebar, within thumb reach. This prevents the thumbs from being a bit redundant.
Know any negative aspects of this option?
Pro Ergonomically shaped
Our hands naturally rest angled when in front of us, and this keyboard has been built to conform to that, rather than having us awkwardly trying to straighten our hands on a regular flat keyboard, putting strain on our wrists. The keyboard is also curved into a dome shape, which contributes to its...
Pro Quiet
Thanks to the scissor switches used, this keyboard is very quiet.
Con Some keys aren't very reliable
Some keys (like Backspace or Enter), if not pressed perfectly perpendicularly, hit the shelf of the frame and get blocked on their way down. This means the stroke isn't registered and, on top of that, feels awkward. On the (slightly) bright side, this awkward feel acts as feedback that the key...
Con Bad separation of key clusters
The Page Up, Page Down, Home, Insert, End, Delete and Arrow keys are squeezed together, right next to Enter, right Shift and right Control, without any physical barrier/marker to separate the two key clusters. Since this is not an usual layout, it is disorienting for users.
Pro Great value for money
With a retail price of $96.86, this keyboard is considerably more affordable than most ergonomic keyboards on the market. It doesn’t have the same caliber as more premium keyboards, but it’s a top option for those on a budget who are looking for a good ergonomic option.
Pro Ergonomic and comfortable
The 4000 keyboard is designed to be more comfortable to type on than regular rectangular keyboards. Its key rows curve to match the human hands’ angled resting position, eliminating the wrist strain that happens with regular keyboards. This is an important factor in reducing the risk of injury.
Con It’s from Microsoft, which has a track record of being unethical
A lot of people are not very fond of Microsoft for ethical reasons. This con has nothing to do with the technical capabilities of the keyboard, it's just something to keep in mind.
Con Only solves some RSI problems
While this does help with many RSI problems, it still has the ergonomic disadvantages of a standard keyboard layout.
Pro Reduces wrist pain
The wrist support offered by this keyboard alleviates wrist strain.
Pro Ergonomic design
The Freestyle 2 has an ergonomic design, aimed to promote healthier and more comfortable typing.
Con Bad for spreadsheet work
Since it has no numeric pad, the Freestyle 2 is not convenient for spreadsheet work.
Con Not very solid
This keyboard's construction is not very sturdy and it feels flimsy.
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