Ergodox EZ or Ultimate hacking keyboards or something else ?

[b0f0]

Cant decide which ergonomics keyboard should I buy ?
Fully programmable
ergonomic
mechanical
tactile switches with higher press forcess then MX-brown, I was thinking MX-Clears or some other brand with similar specs
already assembled (dont have a solder device)
split

I have Ergodox EZ and Ultimate hacking keyboard on the list but can not decide which one to buy. IS there anything else available out there. Keyboard.io model 1 looks unpractical to me but maybe I am wrong.
I am not intersted in HHKB and all other standard non ergonomic keyboards.
What do you think ? Should I wait for some new keyboard to arrive on the market or what should I do?
Does anyone have any information about what keyboards will be produced in 2016 ?
Ty.

[bocahgundul]

Ergodox EZ

[b0f0]

Ergodox EZ

Do you have the Ergodox ? Some complain about the thumb keys dont know why. Whats your opinion on ergodox  ?

Are Geteron switches good or should I stick with MX-Clears or or something else thats is tactile?

[bocahgundul]

I have ergodox incoming in the mail  . but yeah the 2 2u keys are usable but the 1u keys on the thumb sections is not used for thumb

Gateron is better than cherry. If you like a big bump on clear I suggest get a zealios 

[b0f0]

where did you order yours ?

[Mechboards]

where did you order yours ?

You can order them from their Indiegogo campaign page - https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ergodox-ez-an-incredible-mechanical-keyboard#/

[bocahgundul]

where did you order yours ?

Well I'm not ordering the ergodox ez ones I order the original 1 which I have to build instead of ready to use

[b0f0]

Are keycaps from non ergonomic keyboards good for Ergodox ? Are they compatible ?

[profet]

Could always order a custom built ergodox from me:

Photos of my builds:  http://profet23.imgur.com

My heatware: http://heatware.com/eval.php?id=102649

[b0f0]

Could always order a custom built ergodox from me:

Photos of my builds:  http://profet23.imgur.com

My heatware: http://heatware.com/eval.php?id=102649

I paid for new Ergodox today. Thank you for your offer.

[algernon]

I was torn between the UHK, ErgoDox EZ and keyboardio M01. I ended up ruling out the UHK, because the key layout is weird, as in, Enter on the right side, pinky position. Having used a TypeMatrix 2030 for years, enter + backspace + del in the middle is orders of magnitudes more comfortable for me. The thumb area of the UHK also looked lacking compared to ErgoDox and M01: for example, I'd want keys on both hands, and have no use for a trackball built into the thumb area. So I was down to ErgoDox and M01. I ended up with the M01, because the palm key sounded very interesting, and I liked the thumb key layout better.

I will also get an ErgoDox EZ for work (the tilts are one of the main reasons I'm going with the EZ, instead of paying someone in EU (like Falbatech), to assemble me one), but the M01 is where I expect to find nirvana.

I have two blog posts here and here, with some more details about my requirements, and thought process.

[b0f0]

I was torn between the UHK, ErgoDox EZ and keyboardio M01. I ended up ruling out the UHK, because the key layout is weird, as in, Enter on the right side, pinky position. Having used a TypeMatrix 2030 for years, enter + backspace + del in the middle is orders of magnitudes more comfortable for me. The thumb area of the UHK also looked lacking compared to ErgoDox and M01: for example, I'd want keys on both hands, and have no use for a trackball built into the thumb area. So I was down to ErgoDox and M01. I ended up with the M01, because the palm key sounded very interesting, and I liked the thumb key layout better.

I will also get an ErgoDox EZ for work (the tilts are one of the main reasons I'm going with the EZ, instead of paying someone in EU (like Falbatech), to assemble me one), but the M01 is where I expect to find nirvana.

I have two blog posts here and here, with some more details about my requirements, and thought process.

You have a realy great blog. Thank you for writting the pros and cons, realy great.
I didnt buy EZ from indigogo because I need to add the shipping costs that are higher also the tax is 22% and then to cross the border I also pay something. So because I am in Europe I orderd it from Poland (like you said Falbatech), then also have the option to asseble the keyboard. I choose exactly that.

The keyboard.io model 1 looks nice but its to expansive for me right now, for now I wil stay with ergodox.

[algernon]

Yeah, if the price factor is important, ErgoDox is hard to beat. And it is a very nice keyboard, despite the minor flaws.

I'm also in EU, so considerable VAT and shipping, but thankfully, $work covers that part, I only have to pay the rest. The M01 is still pricey, though, but... god damn, that wooden frame is beautiful!

[pcball]

b0f0,

Have you had a chance to use your Ergodox and have get a feel for it? Also, have you seen the Diverge II? http://uniquekeyboard.com/store/diverge-ii

[vatin]

Ergodox is more ergonomic. The ultimate keyboard still maintain the inefficient staggered column layout.

[algernon]

b0f0,

Have you had a chance to use your Ergodox and have get a feel for it? Also, have you seen the Diverge II? http://uniquekeyboard.com/store/diverge-ii

I have received the ErgoDox since, and got a feel for it: I love it. The thumb keys aren't perfect, but they are usable. Compared to the Diverge II, my ErgoDox EZ has a number of advantages:

• It came pre-assembled.
• Tent/tilt kit is awesome.
• Better thumb-key layout: less keys are ok, but the ErgoDox has that two big keys on each side, which are easier to hit. I'd rather have the two big ones beside each other, and a small one above one of them, rather than 3 buttons beside each other. My thumbs do not like gymnastics.
• The inner side of each part has 3 keys on the ErgoDox, 4 on Diverge II. I prefer the ErgoDox one, because my index finger is happy with 3, 4 sounds a bit much.
• The Diverge II looks awful, sorry.
• I don't care about keyset compatibility, so I do not consider that an advantage of the Diverge II (quite the contrary..)
• The QMK firmware has more docs, examples and layouts to base my work upon.
• The ErgoDox EZ came with a 2 year warranty.

But, I have not tried the Diverge II. Mind you, I have no intention no, either, as it does not offer anything worthwhile for me over the ErgoDox. (I have only seen two keyboards so far, about which I am more excited than the ErgoDox: Dactyl and the keyboardio Model 01. Latter is pre-ordered already.)

[Kliwon]

or from Falba & Unique?
http://falbatech.pl/prestashop/index.php?id_product=57&controller=product&id_lang=2#/
http://uniquekeyboard.com/store/

[Binge]

infinity ergodox best ergodox

[Glod]

I'm not a ErgoDox user anymore  (i know, i own like 4 of them) but the best ErgoDox is the infinity one, everything else is just based on the same early prototype with a teensy over and over. The ergodox thumb position was never an issue for me but i would say based on the feedback over the last 4 years, a good third of users hate it. if you really want an ergodox over other keyboards, get the infinity one on sale right now on massdrop, if you don't like it it has a really good resell value over the original. its not assembled though, its really easy to build, you only have to solder switches, but if you really want it assembled, you are on the right forum to find someone.

[gtxorb]

I only have ergodox, but heard that Infinity has changed the controller and can support more things, but if you only want to a cheap one with same layout, ergodox is not bad idea.

[yinzer]

I think with the switch to type-c interconnects, the Infinity Ergodox currently on Massdrop is definitively the best iteration of the Ergodox to date.

And not just because it's a reversible cable. It's port is solid while the plastic TRRS ports and the flimsy micro B left a lot to be desired. The most recently shipped Infinity Ergodox had its Micro B port reinforced with a nice layer of what appears to be hot glue or epoxy so that it would stay put. The adhesive will likely wear with use.

Also, the other two left limited cable options. You can get them .. but their nowhere near as easy to come by as a mini b. The Type-C is widely available.

The one downside to the Infinity is that I feel like they source a low-grade acrylic for the case to reduce costs. I've built a few other acrylic based boards and the Infinity by far has the most brittle/plasticky feeling case of all of them, mine had more than a few stress scratches straight out of the plastic. I think Profet23 is going to start making aftermarket cases for the Infinity, but, unfortunately, you can't opt out of the case on Massdrop to save some costs on your end.

[BigDov]

I would definitely agree that the connectivity on the Infinity is the way to go, much better than the older version. For lazybones like me, I would probably jump on the EZ because of that built-in tilting and tenting it's got, I love it.

[xtrafrood]

To have an ergodox pre-built with gateron greens has definitely made me seriously consider. The tilting feature looks amazing as well. I love to tinker though so idk if I could do it. I mean, how many other pre-build gateron green keyboards can a person order? Ergodox EZ is the only one that comes to mind.

[kasakka]

I'm also thinking of getting a split keyboard and currently I'm considering the UHK but it has that annoying issue of non standard right hand keycaps. While I'm not the type to order tons of keycap sets, just getting a great looking single one for the UHK seems like it might be a bit of a challenge and at the least require using the wrong label caps for several keys (which is fine by me as I have Ctrl in place of Fn etc on my current board already).

I'm not really fond of the Ergodox and the like because they seem to take a huge amount of desk space and most of them look very home made in a bad way.

Are there any other split 60-65% fully programmable keyboards I should look into?

[algernon]

I'm not really fond of the Ergodox and the like because they seem to take a huge amount of desk space and most of them look very home made in a bad way.

Are there any other split 60-65% fully programmable keyboards I should look into?

The ErgoDox EZ looks very professional (because it is), and takes up less space on my desk than a full-size keyboard, and that's with a reasonably wide split between the halves. I can place a trackball between the halves, and it's only just a tad wider than my old TypeMatrix 2030.

As for other split keyboards, there are various DIY split plancks, VE.A (though not sure about the VE.A's programmability), Diverge II, and likely others. I would not rule out the ErgoDox EZ, though. It looks great, you can find keycaps for it reasonably easily, the tenting/tilting solution is superb, the firmware rocks, and if you have a split keyboard, the thumb cluster is an incredible productivity boost, even if it is not perfect.

[profet]

I'm also thinking of getting a split keyboard and currently I'm considering the UHK but it has that annoying issue of non standard right hand keycaps. While I'm not the type to order tons of keycap sets, just getting a great looking single one for the UHK seems like it might be a bit of a challenge and at the least require using the wrong label caps for several keys (which is fine by me as I have Ctrl in place of Fn etc on my current board already).

I'm not really fond of the Ergodox and the like because they seem to take a huge amount of desk space and most of them look very home made in a bad way.

Are there any other split 60-65% fully programmable keyboards I should look into?

Home made in a bad way?

Any of these interest you?  http://profet23.imgur.com/

[kasakka]

I'm also thinking of getting a split keyboard and currently I'm considering the UHK but it has that annoying issue of non standard right hand keycaps. While I'm not the type to order tons of keycap sets, just getting a great looking single one for the UHK seems like it might be a bit of a challenge and at the least require using the wrong label caps for several keys (which is fine by me as I have Ctrl in place of Fn etc on my current board already).

I'm not really fond of the Ergodox and the like because they seem to take a huge amount of desk space and most of them look very home made in a bad way.

Are there any other split 60-65% fully programmable keyboards I should look into?

Home made in a bad way?

Any of these interest you?  http://profet23.imgur.com/

To me they look like someone took a few acrylic, 3D printed or wooden plates and screwed them together. I'm sure it's a lot more involved and meant no offense, I'm just not into that look. The Ergodox EZ looks a bit better but still pretty big.

[algernon]

To me they look like someone took a few acrylic, 3D printed or wooden plates and screwed them together. I'm sure it's a lot more involved and meant no offense, I'm just not into that look. The Ergodox EZ looks a bit better but still pretty big.

It's not that big. Compared to a full-size rubberdome, it is about the same size, with my preferred split distance, pictured in the previous link.