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A beginner's guide to split keyboards

justinmklam.com

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Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#21

Post by walthamstow »

0cf8612b2e1e wrote: post #17
zihotki wrote: post #12

The split keyboards with more traditional 92+ keys including 0-9 and F keys are underrepresented in the guide

My kingdom for a split keyboard with a traditional layout. I have no interest in chording, layers, or having fewer keys. No numpad if you must cut something. I just want to spread my arms without any additional novelty. No shortage of “vertical” desk space, give me that F-row

If you're a Mac user, I have a Keychron that fits this description, the Q11. It's basically a split mechanical MacBook keyboard.

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#22

Post by roflchoppa »

piskov wrote: post #14

The issue with kinesis and all those nice small symmetrical keyboards is that not every alphabet is as short as English. Russian, for example, has 33 letters. So if you’re someone like that, you really want that ordinary macbook-like number of keys = larger non-symmetrical right half. — As for the ortholinear keyboards, I spent a few months with the latest kinesis but sold it eventually: not that comfortable. Just cl…

I love my uhk, I really wish the 60v2 had bluetooth. I really don't wanna fork over the money for a 80v2. :(

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#23

Post by roflchoppa »

soufron wrote: post #2

The main question should be: are split keyboards any better than normal keyboard? When I gave it a look, the studies were on the side of split keyboards being the hardware equivalent of snake oil. But whatever. And maybe then: are keyboards the best input device in 2026?

for me its the outside angle between my wrist and my forearm. When I any of my splits it removes the angle entirely, and the pain for me is gone.

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#25

Post by 0cf8612b2e1e »

walthamstow wrote: post #21
0cf8612b2e1e wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My kingdom for a split keyboard with a traditional layout. I have no interest in chording, layers, or having fewer keys. No numpad if you must cut something. I just want to spread my arms without any additional novelty. No shortage of “vertical” desk space, give me that F-row

If you're a Mac user, I have a Keychron that fits this description, the Q11. It's basically a split mechanical MacBook keyboard.

Almost. I own a Mistel MD770 which does a very similar arrangement. I strongly dislike the non standard home/end/pgup/pgdown positioning.

Had you asked me how often I use those keys, I would have said hardly ever. Now that I have to suffer that layout, I have realized they are crucial for my typing/usage patterns.

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#26

Post by Conscat »

piskov wrote: post #14

The issue with kinesis and all those nice small symmetrical keyboards is that not every alphabet is as short as English. Russian, for example, has 33 letters. So if you’re someone like that, you really want that ordinary macbook-like number of keys = larger non-symmetrical right half. — As for the ortholinear keyboards, I spent a few months with the latest kinesis but sold it eventually: not that comfortable. Just cl…

I've been inputting Devanagari with a 30% ortho keyboard lately using QMK. ऐसे अति मुश्किल नहीं है । I have an extra layer for nicher inputs just as I do with my usual Roman text. I'm not aware of any writing systems that normally require multiple layers. The most complex I can think of is Hangul, and they all should translate pretty directly to a smaller keyboard.

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#28

Post by robinsonb5 »

Personally I prefer a keyboard with a gentle curve rather than an actual split - the old Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000 was my favourite for many years, but mine have all failed with membrane issues now.

I'm probably going to end up building a custom board with the features I want (gentle curve, ISO layout, nice switches) since what I want doesn't seem to be available off-the-peg. (The X-Bows keyboards are quite nice, but ANSI-only - I've done enough programming to have learned that I'm not prepared to compromise on the position of "\"!)

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#29

Post by ivanjermakov »

johnhamlin wrote: post #27

What about when you’re on the go? Or can we presume split-keyboard users never leave the house

I travel with my Ferris Sweep, 2.5" drive travel case is a perfect fit.

https://github.com/davidphilipbarr/Sweep

https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Waterproof-5-5x3-5x1-0inch-Acce...

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#30

Post by 0x1ch »

piskov wrote: post #14

The issue with kinesis and all those nice small symmetrical keyboards is that not every alphabet is as short as English. Russian, for example, has 33 letters. So if you’re someone like that, you really want that ordinary macbook-like number of keys = larger non-symmetrical right half. — As for the ortholinear keyboards, I spent a few months with the latest kinesis but sold it eventually: not that comfortable. Just cl…

> The issue with kinesis and all those nice small symmetrical keyboards is that not every alphabet is as short as English.

> Russian, for example, has 33 letters.

Ironically, the biggest enthusiast of these splits I know in real life (he owns a kinesis) is a slavic guy, speaks both Ukranian and Russian, but I suppose he's typing in English for most of the day at his job, however I know he uses layering for the cyrillic.

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