I in all probability take a look at my laptop display greater than I take a look at my relations. And copious hours sitting at a desk haven’t accomplished favors for my already wonky neck and shoulders. For those who additionally really feel some discomfort from typing and mousing the day away, you may need 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 drawback. But it surely was tough to determine how you can sort on it. Different unibody boards with angled keys, corresponding to Alice type keyboards, may make issues extra comfy for you with out requiring a lot relearning.
I attempted out greater than 15 fashions of ergonomic boards and located a number of that stood out. Whereas there’s no single “finest” choice for everybody (since our bodies are inherently totally different), this information explores the choices so you will discover the most effective ergonomic keyboard for you.
Desk of contents
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Greatest ergonomic keyboards for 2025
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What to search for in an ergonomic keyboard
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How we examined ergonomic keyboards
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Different ergonomic keyboards we examined
Greatest 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 kinds 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 completely satisfied coincidence. This refined tweak pushes your elbows away out of your ribs whereas preserving 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 carefully resembles a standard keyboard, so it must be simpler for most people to get used to than a completely cut up choice.
Talking of, cut up boards break the keys into two separate components you’ll be able to place individually. You may put them shoulder distance aside, deliver 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 in your cursor hand and will probably assist with situations like repetitive pressure accidents (RSI). Personally, I like having the ability to put my present snack between the 2 components. I've additionally discovered that pairing a cut up keyboard with a very 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 correct aspect helps you to hold your mouse nearer in, minimizing total attain. However in case you work with numbers rather a lot, you’ll doubtless need that pad included. Some programmable boards enable for using layers, which briefly repurpose keys and might give you a ten-key choice by means of intelligent remapping of letter keys.
Tenting and destructive tilt
Tenting raises the center of the keyboard up, so your arms transfer nearer to a “handshake” place. Alice keyboards often angle up in the direction of the center and at all times to a set diploma, because the two sides are linked. Cut up boards typically allow you to alter the diploma of tenting, going from flat to refined to excessive elevate.
You will have encountered keyboards with an non-obligatory elevate in the back of the board, elevating the highest keys increased than the area bar. Each set of arms is totally different, however for most individuals, pulling the backs of the arms in the direction of the forearms will increase pressure. Destructive tilt has the other impact by sloping within the different path, decreasing the highest quantity keys whereas elevating the sting with the spacebar. Many Alice and a few cut up keyboards provide an non-obligatory destructive tilt. I discovered it was extra comfy to allow that function 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 lovers. 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. This can be a holdover from classic mechanical typewriters, wherein every press activated a hammer that smashed ink onto paper within the form of a letter. To suit the hammers as shut collectively as attainable, whereas nonetheless permitting for finger pads, the keys had been staggered.
Columnar or ortholinear keyboards stack the keys in orderly columns, typically with rows that aren’t linear. Proponents declare this makes the keys simpler to succeed in. Whether or not that’s true can be as much as your fingers to resolve, however I can say for sure that in case you realized to sort on a staggered keyboard, switching to a columnar format is hard. It can take days, probably weeks earlier than you instinctively hit the C key. The N, M and B keys don’t fare a lot better.
Programmable keys
With a number of exceptions, most ergonomic keyboards will work with PCs or Macs as a typical typing enter, however using operate and scorching 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 alter up the keys. Some boards even embrace (or allow you to purchase) further keycaps to alter, 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 offered key puller) and stick the brand new one on, no soldering required.
For some boards, remapping or programming keys utilizing software program is a vital function. Gaming peripherals have further keys that you may set to execute a sequence of keystrokes with the push of a single button, and we cowl the most effective gaming keyboards in a separate information. Keyboards that work with layers, wherein a single button can carry out a number of capabilities, sometimes mean you can 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 just function together with your thumb. You’ll additionally have the ability to program these.
Different issues
Ergonomic keyboards are available mechanical, membrane, and scissor change variations. Which works finest for you is, once more, as much as your desire. I received’t get too deep into the particulars right here, as we’ve got a whole information dedicated to the most effective mechanical boards, however the wanting 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 inexpensive. Aggressive players who depend on split-second responses could choose 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 hold your desk much less cluttered.
Some ergonomic keyboards include everlasting or detachable wrist or palm rests, which might be cushioned or laborious. That is one other space the place opinions diverge: proponents declare they assist you to keep a impartial hand place, whereas detractors say they put stress on the tendons in your wrist and might exacerbate situations like carpal tunnel. Ideally, your palms must be resting, not your wrists, and also you may discover you want having that assist or you might discover the stress uncomfortable.
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 take into account manufacturers with good reputations that we’ve heard good issues about from colleagues and take a look at keyboard evaluations in boards and different trusted publications. For this information, I seemed for keyboards with ergonomic options like tenting, cut up keys, palm assist 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 every one for wherever from a number of days to some weeks. I attempted out the remapping and macros software program and regarded the consolation, design, value and sturdiness of every mannequin earlier than arriving at picks I feel will work finest for the most individuals on the market. For subsequent updates to this information, I’ve continued to accumulate 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'll strive these fashions, too.
Different ergonomic keyboards we examined
Naya Create
I didn’t get to completely take a look at the Naya Create keyboard, however I used to be capable of strive one out for a couple of minutes throughout CES this 12 months. 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 just under two modular platforms that every settle for a touchpad, rollerball, dial or a 3D joystick. These are supposed to change your mouse and different enter units, eliminating journey in 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 your entire 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 individuals 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 keep 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 purchase. It’s a solidly-built board and the ball joint connecting the 2 halves appears like it should put up with numerous 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 a number of 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 further neck and shoulder pressure on my half, which is form of the other of the purpose. However in case you’re not into tenting anyway and need a flat, Alice-split board with an adjustable splay, this works fairly nicely.
Kinesis Kind Cut up Touchpad Keyboard
The thought behind the Kinesis Kind Cut up Touchpad Keyboard is fairly ergonomic: put the trackpad between the 2 halves and decrease journey in your mouse hand. The gap between the 2 places your elbows at a cushty distance and retains your wrist practically in-line together with your forearms. The construct is great, with low profile mechanical switches that really feel clean 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 hold my wrists totally unbent. There’s no tenting or destructive tilt both, each of which may assist a bit extra, ergonomically talking.
Logitech Wavekeys
Whereas it's a superbly advantageous and inexpensive Bluetooth keyboard, the Logitech Wavekeys has minimal ergonomics. The keys stand up barely within the center and there's a cushty wrist relaxation hooked up, however the format is similar as some other keyboard, with no splitting of the keys to open up your arms or hold your wrists straight.
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