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What are the best ergonomic keyboards?

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7 Options Considered

7 Options ConsideredPriceWeightWarranty
Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop
––
Ergodox
––
Kinesis Advantage2
1 kg / 2.2 lbs3 years
Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
1.3 kg / 2.9 lbs3 years
Kinesis Freestyle2 w/ VIP3
––
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Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop

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Francisco
HardwareHero
Top 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...
Francisco
Top Pro

Quiet

•••
Thanks to the scissor switches used, this keyboard is very quiet.
Francisco
Top Pro

Slider witch for using special functions or media controls

•••
Rather than the usual Fn key that needs to be pressed in combination with other keys to activate said key's secondary functions, the Sculpt has slider switch that does this. This makes it easier to default to those functions.
Francisco
Top Pro

Cushioned palm rest

•••
This keyboard has a comfortable, cushioned palm rest.
Francisco
Top Pro

Low impact keys

•••
The Sculpt's keys absorb impact quite well, avoiding injuries related to repetitive movements.
Francisco
HardwareHero
Top Pro

Number pad can be placed where it is more convenient

•••
Since the number pad is a separate part from the main keyboard, its position can adjusted and it can be moved out of the way when it isn't being used. This allows for a more ergonomic mouse use, since it can be placed closer to the keyboard, just like in a tenkeyless design.
Francisco
HardwareHero
Top Pro

Clean look and flexible positioning due to wireless connection

•••
This keyboard connects wirelessly to the computer. This offers many benefits, such as a clean, tidy look (no cable mess) or a flexible positioning (greater use range). On top of that, it doesn't occupy one of the ports.
Endi Sukaj
CredibleJurojin
Top Con

The wireless dongle is not replaceable

•••
The wireless dongle is pre-paired with the keyboard and mouse from the factory. If it stops working, or you lose it, or you break it, you have to throw away the whole set. Also if you buy the keyboard on its own, and decide to add the mouse afterwards, you won't be able to pair the mouse with t...
Francisco
Top 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...
Francisco
Top 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.
Francisco
Top Con

Functions keys are not easy to use

•••
The function keys are too small.
Francisco
HardwareHero
Top Con

Less durable than flat keyboards

•••
Because of its shape and thin design, this keyboard will break more easily than the typical, flat rectangular keyboards. This makes it less portable, unless you're very careful.
Francisco
HardwareHero
Top Con

The key switches used aren't ideal for long typing sessions

•••
The switches used are scissor switches, which are the ones used in many laptops. They provide shallow keystrokes which don't give the same feedback as a mechanical keyboard. These keys need to be bottomed out in order to activate, which creates some strain on your finger's joints as they a...
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Ergodox

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Francisco
Andris Pelcbergs
waal
Top 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.
Henré Botha
Francisco
Top Pro

Split design lets you optimize positioning

•••
You can arrange each side of the keyboard to match your hand positions. Helps keep your body straight and improve your posture. Additionally, you can (for gaming) move the right half out of the way in order to place the mouse in a more comfortable position.
Francisco
Top Pro

Many accessible keys

•••
There are more keys which are easily accessible for touch typists than on the usual keyboards.
Francisco
Top Pro

Comfortable for those with broad shoulders and large hands

•••
Because of its split design, the ErgoDox lets you optimize the positioning of its halves according to what's best for your body shape, even if you have broad shoulders and large hands.
Francisco
Top 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.
Francisco
Top Pro

Open source

•••
The ErgoDox has an open design, so if you want to modify anything at all, you can fork the Github repository.
Francisco
Top Pro

Firmware updates

•••
Because of the nature of ErgoDox, within an open source community, there are advancements in firmware being made continuously.
Know any negative aspects of this option?
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Kinesis Advantage2

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Francisco
Top 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...
Francisco
Top 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.
Francisco
Top Pro

No undesirable movements

•••
Because of its size, this keyboard stands firmly on the desk and doesn't suffer from unwanted movement during use.
Francisco
Top Pro

No thumb conflict over the spacebar

•••
On common keyboards, both thumbs rest over the spacebar, meaning they can knock against each other. On the Advantage2 keyboard, only one thumb can press the keyboard, eliminating this problem.
Francisco
Top Pro

Good for learning how to touch type

•••
This layout, because of its uniqueness, is perfect to learn touch typing. Even for those that were never able to learn it with common keyboards. It still requires practice to get proficient, of course.
Francisco
Top Pro

Prepared for macOS, Windows and Linux

•••
Besides the option of easily changing between preprogrammed layouts of these 3 systems, extra OS-specific keycaps come with the keyboard.
Francisco
Top Pro

Very programmable

•••
This keyboard has several programmable options, like Macro recording, key remapping or keyboard layout (the keyboard can be changed from QWERTY to Dvorak with the touch of a button).
Francisco
Top Pro

No need to constantly move hands sideways

•••
One of this keyboard's best features is that the keys are vertically aligned in straight columns, so that you're not constantly exercising the muscles to move your fingers slightly to the left or to the right. It makes a huge difference.
Francisco
Top Pro

Comfortable palm rests

•••
The large, raised palm rests provide comfort while typing.
Francisco
Top Pro

Tweaked layout that saves your hands

•••
This keyboard has numerous ergonomic advantages over a keyboard with a standard layout. Some of them are obvious and some are subtle, but they are synergistic and result in a typing experience that places far less stress on the hands. Learning a tweaked keyboard layout is a small price to pay to av...
Francisco
Top 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.
Francisco
Top 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.
Francisco
Top 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...
Francisco
Top Con

Proficiency means overcoming a learning curve

•••
Becoming an expert at using this keyboard’s optimized design needs time and patience, since it’s so different from what most people are used to. Some of its drastic layout changes can be disorienting at first. For example, the four arrow keys are separated: up and down on the right side cluster; le...
Francisco
Top Con

Can be a bit flakey at times

•••
The downside of this keyboard is that it can occasionally act up. The biggest problem is that the up-event for a key occasionally gets lost and then some key will auto-repeat until you press it again. Or even worse, it's a key that has no visible effect like an Alt key, and then you have to fig...
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Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000

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Francisco
Top 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.
Francisco
Top 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.
Francisco
Top Pro

Key swapping for macOS

•••
On macOS, users have the option of swapping the Windows and Alt keys, so they match the Option and Command key order found on standard Apple keyboards, even if no alternate keycaps or stickers are provided for use with this OS.
Francisco
Top Pro

Great for people with big hands

•••
Due to its size, this keyboard is great for those who have big hands.
Francisco
Top Pro

Several additional, personalizable keys

•••
This keyboard has hotkeys for things like media control, zoom or launching applications. The function keys also have secondary functions, activated by an F-lock key. Some of them are customizable via a companion app (for Windows and macOS) that ships with the keyboard.
Francisco
Top Pro

Ergonomic wrist support

•••
Foam cushions support one’s wrists while typing, preventing “hanging hands,” which can cause fatigue over extended periods.
Francisco
Top Pro

Can be used with a negative tilt

•••
While the 4000 keyboard can be raised at the back like conventional keyboards, it also comes with a detachable platform that raises the front of the keyboard. This creates a negative tilt more natural to the arm-hand alignment.
Endi Sukaj
Paulo Silva
Top 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.
Francisco
Top 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.
Francisco
Top Con

No right hand Windows key

•••
There is no right hand Windows key.
Francisco
Top Con

Not very portable

•••
With external dimensions of 19.8’’ x 10.3’’ x 3.26’’ (503 mm x 262 mm x 82.8 mm) and weighing 2.9 pounds (1.3 kg), this keyboard is not easy to carry around.
Francisco
Top Con

Noisy

•••
Despite not using mechanical switches, the 4000 keyboard is quite noisy, so it’s not the best pick for those looking for a silent option.
Francisco
Top Con

Most of the extra functionality keys are not supported on macOS

•••
This keyboard has a lot of extra functionality keys useful for daily tasks, like media controls or back/forward keys. Unfortunately, most of them are not supported on macOS, even after driver installation.
Francisco
Top Con

Key printing gets erased after a short time

•••
After 2 or 3 months of use, the most used keys loose their printed symbols.
Francisco
Top Con

No USB ports

•••
Can't connect any external devices, since there aren't any USB ports.
Francisco
Top Con

Almost all the keys are hard to press

•••
The keys can feel too rigid due to the force needed to press them down. This hinders the typing process, making it less fluid.
Francisco
Top Con

The space bar is hard to press

•••
While it's new, the space bar needs quite some force to be pressed down.
Francisco
Top Con

Key layout is hard to reconfigure

•••
It's hard to reconfigure the 4000's default key layout. Some users would like to have the option of moving a few keys around, which is very difficult with this keyboard.
Francisco
Top Con

No mechanical switches

•••
The 4000 keyboard uses the same traditional rubber dome switches found on common keyboards, unlike the mechanical switches found on many other good programming keyboards. Rubber dome switches are inconsistent and always need to be bottomed out with each key press. They are also not especially durab...
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Kinesis Freestyle2 w/ VIP3

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Francisco
Top Pro

Reduces wrist pain

•••
The wrist support offered by this keyboard alleviates wrist strain.
Francisco
Top Pro

Ergonomic design

•••
The Freestyle 2 has an ergonomic design, aimed to promote healthier and more comfortable typing.
Francisco
Top Con

Bad for spreadsheet work

•••
Since it has no numeric pad, the Freestyle 2 is not convenient for spreadsheet work.
Francisco
Top Con

Not very solid

•••
This keyboard's construction is not very sturdy and it feels flimsy.
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Microsoft Surface Ergonomic Keyboard

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Matias Ergo Pro

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49 Community Recommendations

Paulo Silva
raisercostin
Onze
Jason Ripley
Tyler
Francisco
Bryan
Callixtus
Mleri
MomoIshida
Izem Lavrenti
+21
Request recommendations from the community
Paolo
Paolo
Contributor for a year
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Ergodox
Recommended 6 months ago
Decided to invest on one as I have been having trouble with wrist pain on conventional keyboards. After a 2-week adjustment period, I really love this keyboard. The split makes typing easier on my wrists and shoulders, while the thumb-cluster can be very useful.
Pro
 Ultimate customizability
Pro
 Split design lets you optimize positioning
Pro
 More actions for the thumb
Pro
 Comfortable for those with broad shoulders and large hands
Pro
 Many accessible keys
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Currently displaying 1 out of 49 total recommendations.
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