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A beginner's guide to split keyboards

justinmklam.com

51–60 of 260 posts

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#51
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?

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Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#52
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

Kinesis freestyle is basically this, they seem to have discontinued the "Pro" mechanical version in favor of an RGB l337 gam3r one but maybe you can just leave that off

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#53
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…

love the microsoft ergonomic kb, I have the surface grey one as my main kb (I need the full layout for various 3d program shortcuts annoyingly) but it really does feel great to type on despite not being "mechanical"

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#54
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

I bought a stockpile of Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard for Business (LXM-00001) when they were still available, after Microsoft announced discontinuing their peripherals. I hope they’ll last me for a long time. I don’t know if the curved geometry still counts as a traditional layout for you, though. Incase, who acquired Microsoft’s peripherals IP, has re-released them, but apparently can’t keep up with the orders: https://www.incase.com/products/ergonomic-keyboard

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#55
The reality is that you need to ask yourself wether you want a hobbyist' tool or a more common one for the same result.

Logitech's ergo k860 is affordable, has a palm rest (most mechanical keebs don't), and has an excellent ergonomical shape. And works right out of the box, with Bluetooth enabled.

The keys are membrane-based, which some may dislike because they are not mechanical - but it's actually more ergonomic, as they require much less pressure and travel length to achieve an input, meaning less wear on your fingers.

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#57
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it depends on your individual anatomy, and the sensitivity of it to stresses? Anyway, the fact alone that you have less bend in the joints of your hands, if used right, seems to avoid all sorts of carpal-tunnel syndrome?

One thing I internalised when speaking with a physiotherapist is that part of avoiding serious issues is making sure you don't stay in the _same_ position for too long. One good ergonomic position is an excellent start, but changing your position several times throughout the work day is even better. This apparently helps avoid building up strain and inflammation in pinch points, balancing out the fatiguing action mor…

I'm using an old Marquardt Mini Ergo(modded to ps/2-usb meanwhile) which is split, but fixed. Either I am so used to it by now, that I don't want to use anything else, but that is not how I remember it when I got it around the year 2000, or slightly before that. It felt like it was made for me!

But I'm not sitting like a robot in front of it. My office chair is set to sviveling back, which I often do. I'm even exchanging that chair for an inflatable big rubber ball to sit on, from time to time.

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#58
post #33

I resent the idea of an absolute standard of ergonomics or typing technique. I often use my left thumb to key z/x/c/v/b. I often reach with my left index finger to key y/h/b. During certain chords, my hands often cross over the split. I tried multiple split keyboards over the period of 2 years and never grew out of these habits. I always wished, at the least, that some of the middle keys were duplicated between the t…

Curious if there are any split keyboards with "overlap", eg, the center of the keyboard is duplicated on both sides

Moonlander has an extra row of keys on the inside for both sides that are mappable

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#59
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

I’m very happy with my Matias Ergo Pro. No numpad, and reduced size F-row, but otherwise normal layout plus a few programmable macro keys on the side. https://matias.store/collections/ergo

Re: A beginner's guide to split keyboards

#60
Underdiscussed: The biggest difference these keyboards make: adding additional keys for the thumbs (replacing the unnecessarily large spacebar of traditional keyboards).

This allows the hands to do more with the keyboard while resting the hands on home row. -- For users comfortable adding a bit of complexity for the benefit of increased expressiveness (e.g. vim users), having extra thumb keys allows bringing the full functionality of the keyboard to within reach of the hands on home row.

For me, I think that these keyboards fix many silly design flaws of the traditional keyboard makes them interesting enough to be worth using.

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