Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard vs Ultimate Hacking Keyboard

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 ergonomic shape.

Thanks to the scissor switches used, this keyboard is very quiet.

The Sculpt's keys absorb impact quite well, avoiding injuries related to repetitive movements.

This keyboard has a comfortable, cushioned palm rest.

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.

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.

Using this keyboard with vim bindings you can sometimes nearly forget there's a keyboard between you and the editor.

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 a slider switch that does this. This makes it easier to default to those functions.

The UHK has a split design, since two keyboard halves result in a more natural typing posture. The halves are connected by a bridge cable, which expands and contracts as needed, occupying minimal desk space. The halves can be merged together as one, which is useful for transportation purposes or if you happen to prefer a one-piece keyboard.

Through the use of an app called Agent, users can configure the UHK to their liking.

You can attach trackpoint, trackball, trackpad and additional key clusters to the board. This allows for extensive feature customization, for increased productivity and convenience.

For maximum touch-typing productivity, one's hands should not leave the home row frequently. With conventional keyboards, this is not the case when navigation and function keys need to be used. On the HKB, via a thumb key press, several function layers can be activated, turning the home row keys into function keys.

The UHK is modular and has disassembly instructions embossed onto components and even printed on the circuit board. It records use data, so when key switches have reached the end of its lifespan, users can replace them.