geekhack Community > Ergonomics

Microsoft Natural Elite Mechanical?

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Pyksel:
Good day all, first time poster/visitor here.

I've been reading the forums over the last week or so and I am either just not search savvy enough or it just doesn't exist but as the title of my post suggests, I am looking for something equivalent to the MS Natural Elite but with mechanical vs membrane technology.

My reasons for searching for this keyboard should it exist in some fashion, are not only due to the overall zero/negative tilt, wave style, psuedo-split design but also due to the placement and size of the modifier keys that I use for gaming such as "ctrl" and "alt". The alt key on the MS Natural is almost directly vertically underneath the "d" key which means less travel time and bending of the thumb to reach it. Most of the other keyboards that I have tested have a small "alt" key, and the location is quite a bit offset to the left of the keyboard requiring an even greater angled bend of the thumb which is uncomfortable to me.

Does Microsoft or an equivalent vendor have anything similar to the original MS Natural Elite in a mechanical format or perhaps an alternative wave/pseudo-split with larger, right justified, alt keys?

redpill:
Hi Pyksel, welcome to GH.  There are a number of split-ergo keyboards.  Most don't exactly have the same curved shape of a MS Ergo.  They tend either be flat and split, or super funky like a the Kinesis or the Maltron.  Search for either of those terms and you'll see what I mean.  As an intermediary, a number of folks are looking forward to the Truly Ergonomic keyboard, but they are an upstart and have yet to deliver their first board (see the thread on them here, or visit their website, trulyergonomic.com).  Part of it depends on how far out of the box you want to go in terms of layout.  It also depends on what your priorities are for ergonomics.  There are a number of issues involved with keyboards, some of them have to do with hand position, and others have to do with key action.  Some comprehensive ergo boards like Kinesis and Maltron deal with both, but they are not cheap, and may not be necessary for everyone.

I've used MS Natural keyboards for years, and I do like the split layout, but eventually the rubber dome switches really bothered me.  Since I've gone down the mechanical path I've found the feel of the switches actually keeps my hands better engaged in the typing process and alleviates a lot of physical typing stress associated with pounding on rubber domes.

Lanx:
yea there is nothing that matches the ms 4k ergo (i modded my own), the 4k ergo has a split incline towards the middle that i believe no manufacturer has, it's that slight incline that is nice, along with having a very nice built in wrist rest. I have never tried one myself but many have said the kinesis like redpill has said comes close to being a very good split ergo.

Pyksel:
Aside from just the split design, what about keyboards that increase the size of the alt key and offset it a bit more to the right?

redpill:
Left alt or right alt?   I can't think of any that are going to have an Alt key as large as the one on the MS Ergo boards.  Maybe if you find a model without a Windows key the alt key would be bigger?  Not sure.

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