Using a keyboard can be painful and taxing on your body. Traditional, straight keyboards force you to bend your wrists in a position that can be painful for some, especially when used for extended periods. Many manufacturers, thankfully, are trying in daring new directions to produce a more comfortable typing experience. These boards may appear unusual and take some getting used to, but they could be exactly what you’re looking for. To help you choose the best option, we consider a keyboard’s size and profile, incline settings, wrist rest, overall comfort level, and price.
Logitech ERGO K860
The Logitech ERGO K860 is the best ergonomic keyboard we’ve tested. It boasts a very comfortable soft wrist rest and a wave-like form that descends from a higher center into two independent key clusters, one for each of your hands, on either side. Its design aligns your hands, wrists, and elbows in a neutral posture that is less stressful on your body and can help you stay comfortable when typing, particularly if you use your keyboard for lengthy periods.
While entirely constructed of plastic, it has a high quality and solid overall feel. The switches on this keyboard are light to push, so you won’t tyre out your fingers while typing. These switches are also incredibly quiet, perfect if you’re concerned about disturbing folks around you at work or home. Furthermore, you connect this keyboard wirelessly with its USB receiver or by Bluetooth, so you don’t have to worry about a cord getting in the way of you positioning your keyboard in the most comfortable position for you.
Kensington Pro Fit Ergo Wireless Keyboard
We recommend the Kensington Pro Fit Ergo Wireless Keyboard as a mid-range option. This keyboard, like our top pick, the Logitech ERGO K860, has a wave-like, split design with two distinct clusters of keys and integrated wrist rest to support your palms while typing. The wrist rest is made of light-density foam, which isn’t as comfortable as the plush wrist rests found on the ERGO K860 or our enthusiast pick, the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB below. The feet on this keyboard are one of the most noticeable ergonomic distinctions between it and many other similar-looking choices. Unlike other keyboards, which have inclined feet towards the top of the board, this keyboard has feet on the side closest to you, allowing you to tilt the board away. While this may appear weird at first, it can serve an important role in reducing upward tension on your wrists.
This wireless keyboard, like our top pick, connects via USB receiver or Bluetooth. However, the Kensington’s build quality is a little flimsy compared to the Logitech, and it isn’t as quiet to type on, but this is to be expected given its lower price point.
Logitech K350
The Logitech K350 is the greatest cheap ergonomic keyboard. This keyboard’s price fluctuates a lot, but it usually goes on sale and is at its best value when it’s about $30. While the ergonomic features on this keyboard are more subdued. It can be a good choice if you’re new to ergonomic designs because it isn’t as radically different from a standard keyboard as some of the other options on this list. Its design includes curved rows of keys and a wave-like shape that rises slightly in the middle, causing your wrists to curve slightly outwards, which is a more comfortable position for most people when using a keyboard for long periods. It also has a large integrated wrist rest for added support while typing.
Aside from its comfort, this wireless model has an impressive set of extra features for its price, including a full set of dedicated media buttons. However, there are a couple of minor drawbacks. First, it does not support Bluetooth so the wireless receiver will require a free USB port on your computer. It’s also not as quiet as our top mid-range pick, the Kensington Pro Fit Ergo Wireless Keyboard and it’s fairly large, with no way to remove the wrist rest, so it takes up a lot of desk space.
Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB
If you’re an ergonomics expert searching for a keyboard that can be fine-tuned to fit your body, we recommend the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB, the best-split keyboard and the best keyboard for enthusiasts we’ve tested. This mechanical keyboard has two sides connected by a long cable, allowing you to modify the distance and angle of each half to keep your shoulders, elbows, and wrists in a more natural posture. Each side also contains a plush wrist rest to keep you comfortable while using it.
The split design of this keyboard provides excellent ergonomic versatility right out of the box. If you want to take things a step further, Kinesis also sells a separate ‘lift kit’ on their website, which includes three ‘tented’ height options. These tented height adjustments can help guarantee that your wrist and hands do not sit flat on the wrist rest, enhancing one of the greatest split keyboards available.
Nevertheless, because of the extra macro keys and built-in wrist rests, this keyboard takes up a lot of desk space. If you’re looking for something smaller and don’t mind sacrificing the Numpad and navigation keys, the Dygma Raise is another fantastic alternative. It features a split design as well, but the two pieces join together to make a single tiny board that provides a fantastic typing experience and incredible comfort.
