One of the best ergonomic keyboards for 2025

I in all probability take a look at my pc display greater than I take a look at my relations. And copious hours sitting at a desk haven’t carried out favors for my already wonky neck and shoulders. In the event you additionally really feel some discomfort from typing and mousing the day away, you would possibly wish to put money into an ergonomic keyboard. The primary time I attempted a completely cut up, thumb cluster board, I knew I had discovered the reply to my explicit downside. Nevertheless it was tough to determine how you can kind on it. Different unibody boards with angled keys, resembling Alice fashion keyboards, would possibly make issues extra comfy for you with out requiring a lot relearning.
I attempted out greater than 15 fashions of ergonomic boards and located just a few that stood out. Whereas there’s no single “finest” choice for everybody (since our bodies are inherently completely different), this information explores the choices so you’ll find the very best ergonomic keyboard for you.

Desk of contents

Best ergonomic keyboards for 2025
What to look for in an ergonomic keyboard
How we tested ergonomic keyboards
Other ergonomic keyboards we tested

Finest ergonomic keyboards for 2025

What to search for in an ergonomic keyboard

Alice vs cut up

Most ergonomic keyboard layouts fall into two classes: unibody (or Alice) and cut up. The previous is a single board with the 2 halves of the keys rotated about 30 levels aside on the backside. The separation types an A-shaped area between the keys — which has nothing to do with why it’s referred to as an Alice format, it’s only a joyful coincidence. This delicate tweak pushes your elbows away out of your ribs whereas retaining a straight line out of your forearm to your center knuckle. Utilizing one, I fairly immediately felt extra open alongside the entrance aspect of my physique. This format extra intently resembles a conventional keyboard, so it needs to be simpler for most folk to get used to than a completely cut up choice.

Talking of, cut up boards break the keys into two separate elements you’ll be able to place individually. You possibly can put them shoulder distance aside, convey them nearer collectively or angle them as a lot as feels comfy. It’s also possible to put your mouse between the halves, which can really feel like a neater journey on your cursor hand and will probably assist with circumstances like repetitive pressure accidents (RSI). Personally, I like with the ability to put my present snack between the 2 elements. I’ve additionally discovered that pairing a cut up keyboard with a good ergonomic mouse has helped me much more, significantly a vertical mice.

Tenkeyless

You will discover ergonomic keyboards with and with out quantity pads. Not having these quantity keys on the fitting aspect helps you to maintain your mouse nearer in, minimizing total attain. However when you work with numbers lots, you’ll seemingly need that pad included. Some programmable boards enable for using layers, which quickly repurpose keys and may give you a ten-key choice by intelligent remapping of letter keys.

Tenting and detrimental tilt

Tenting raises the center of the keyboard up, so your palms transfer nearer to a “handshake” place. Alice keyboards often angle up in direction of the center and at all times to a hard and fast diploma, for the reason that two sides are linked. Cut up boards usually allow you to regulate the diploma of tenting, going from flat to delicate to excessive carry.

You’ll have encountered keyboards with an non-compulsory carry behind the board, elevating the highest keys increased than the area bar. Each set of palms is completely different, however for most individuals, pulling the backs of the palms in direction of the forearms will increase pressure. Unfavorable tilt has the alternative impact by sloping within the different course, decreasing the highest quantity keys whereas elevating the sting with the spacebar. Many Alice and a few cut up keyboards provide an non-compulsory detrimental tilt. I discovered it was extra comfy to allow that characteristic once I’m standing, and I most well-liked to have the keys flat when sat at my desk.

Staggered vs columnar

This resolution appears to be one of many extra hotly-contested amongst ergo fanatics. A traditional keyboard has staggered keys, with every row barely offset to the rows above and beneath it — so the A secret’s about midway between the Q and W above it. It is a holdover from classic mechanical typewriters, through which every press activated a hammer that smashed ink onto paper within the form of a letter. To suit the hammers as shut collectively as potential, whereas nonetheless permitting for finger pads, the keys had been staggered.

Columnar or ortholinear keyboards stack the keys in orderly columns, usually with rows that aren’t linear. Proponents declare this makes the keys simpler to achieve. Whether or not that’s true can be as much as your fingers to resolve, however I can say for sure that when you discovered to kind on a staggered keyboard, switching to a columnar format is hard. It would take days, presumably weeks earlier than you instinctively hit the C key. The N, M and B keys don’t fare significantly better.

Programmable keys

With just a few exceptions, most ergonomic keyboards will work with PCs or Macs as a regular typing enter, however using operate and sizzling keys could require some remapping. It may be as straightforward as an onboard change to toggle between Mac and PC layouts, or as concerned as downloading software program to vary up the keys. Some boards even embody (or allow you to purchase) additional keycaps to vary, say, the Mac’s Command and Choice keys to PC’s Begin and Alt buttons. These are what’s referred to as hot-swappable keys, which means you simply pull the previous key off (often with a supplied key puller) and stick the brand new one on, no soldering required.

For some boards, remapping or programming keys utilizing software program is an important characteristic. Gaming peripherals have additional keys that you could set to execute a sequence of keystrokes with the push of a single button, and we cover the best gaming keyboards in a separate information. Keyboards that work with layers, through which a single button can carry out a number of capabilities, sometimes will let you change what these are. Some ergo keyboards have non-standard layouts, like thumb clusters with a number of keys close to the area bar that you simply function along with your thumb. You’ll additionally be capable to program these.

Different concerns

Ergonomic keyboards are available mechanical, membrane, and scissor change variations. Which works finest for you is, once more, as much as your choice. I gained’t get too deep into the particulars right here, as we have now a complete information devoted to the best mechanical boards, however the in need of it’s that membrane and scissor switches are much less customizable than mechanical and sometimes cheaper. Typing on them tends to be quieter and softer. Mechanical switches are extra customizable, provide a extra responsive typing expertise and are often pricier.

You’ll even have the choice of wired or wi-fi ergonomic boards. All different issues being equal, wired fashions are cheaper. Aggressive players who depend on split-second responses could favor the zero-lag of wired keyboards. Wired fashions additionally by no means run out of battery life and have fewer connectivity points. However wi-fi keyboards maintain your desk much less cluttered.

Some ergonomic keyboards include everlasting or detachable wrist or palm rests, which will be cushioned or exhausting. That is one other space the place opinions diverge: proponents declare they aid you preserve a impartial hand place, whereas detractors say they put strain on the tendons in your wrist and may exacerbate circumstances like carpal tunnel. Ideally, your palms needs to be resting, not your wrists, and also you would possibly discover you want having that help or you might discover the strain uncomfortable.

Picture by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

How we examined ergonomic keyboards

All our guides start with intensive analysis to determine what’s on the market and what’s value testing. We contemplate manufacturers with good reputations that we’ve heard good issues about from colleagues and take a look at keyboard critiques in boards and different trusted publications. For this information, I appeared for keyboards with ergonomic options like tenting, cut up keys, palm help and so forth. I additionally zeroed in on boards that didn’t require a deep quantity of familiarity with the huge and exhaustive world of customized keyboards.

As soon as I settled on ten boards, I acquired them and used each for anyplace from just a few days to some weeks. I attempted out the remapping and macros software program and thought of the consolation, design, value and sturdiness of every mannequin earlier than arriving at picks I believe will work finest for the most individuals on the market. For subsequent updates to this information, I’ve continued to amass and take a look at out new keyboards as they arrive available on the market, including and changing the highest picks as warranted. If and when Microsoft ergonomic keyboards, just like the Sculpt, come again available on the market, as a collaboration with Incase has promised, I will attempt these fashions, too.

Different ergonomic keyboards we examined

Naya Create

I didn’t get to totally take a look at the Naya Create keyboard, however I used to be in a position to attempt one out for a couple of minutes throughout CES this year. It’s one of many extra customizable keyboards you’ll discover. Not solely is it a completely cut up, mechanical board with programmable keys, the thumb clusters sit slightly below two modular platforms that every settle for a touchpad, rollerball, dial or a 3D joystick. These are supposed to substitute your mouse and different enter gadgets, eliminating journey on your cursor hand. Every half of the keyboard physique bends in two locations to permit for exact tenting and, from my quick time with the Naya, the hinges and the whole board felt solidly constructed. The Naya Create begins at $500 earlier than you add on any of the mouse modules, however that’s not stopping folks from ordering. In accordance with Naya’s web site, the primary three batches of pre-orders offered out and the fourth batch will ship in July 2025.

Goldtouch Elite Adjustable

I bear in mind questioning if one thing just like the Goldtouch Elite Adjustable existed once I first began testing ergonomic keyboards. It didn’t on the time, so far as I may inform, however now a linked but adjustable cut up board is certainly a product you should buy. It’s a solidly-built board and the ball joint connecting the 2 halves seems like it’ll put up with plenty of use. A squeeze of the lever on the prime of the keys helps you to set the board simply how you want, adjusting each the vertical tenting and the angle between the 2 halves. There’s no programming to talk of, simply the flexibility to swap just a few operate keys like print display and residential.

Sadly, the tenting doesn’t work for me. Due to the additional keys on the outer edges, elevating the center edges upwards lifts the middle keys significantly, which brings my wrists and forearms off the desk as a substitute of letting them relaxation. Holding them like that created additional neck and shoulder pressure on my half, which is form of the alternative of the objective. However when you’re not into tenting anyway and desire a flat, Alice-split board with an adjustable splay, this works fairly properly.

Kinesis Type Cut up Touchpad Keyboard

The concept behind the Kinesis Form Split Touchpad Keyboard is fairly ergonomic: put the trackpad between the 2 halves and reduce journey on your mouse hand. The space between the 2 places your elbows at a cushty distance and retains your wrist practically in-line along with your forearms. The construct is great, with low profile mechanical switches that really feel easy and simply the correct amount of clacky. The trackpad is responsive, however gestures solely work with Home windows computer systems. Even dragging and dropping doesn’t work on a Mac right here, so I don’t see Apple customers getting a lot use out of the board. I additionally discovered myself wishing for the slightest rotation of the keys — although they’re a long way aside, a slight angle would maintain my wrists totally unbent. There’s no tenting or detrimental tilt both, each of which may assist a bit extra, ergonomically talking.

Logitech Wavekeys

Whereas it is a completely positive and inexpensive Bluetooth keyboard, the Logitech Wavekeys has minimal ergonomics. The keys stand up barely within the center and there is a comfy wrist relaxation hooked up, however the format is similar as every other keyboard, with no splitting of the keys to open up your arms or maintain your wrists straight.

This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/equipment/best-ergonomic-keyboard-130047982.html?src=rss

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