Kinesis Freestyle Edge, fully mechanical on kickstarter

[blighty]

Kinesis has finally listened to us mechanical keyboard fans and updated their split-ergonomic board to having blue/brown/or red MX switches. 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/294674098/freestyle-edge-the-ultimate-split-gaming-keyboard



Plate-mounted, programable, 20 inch split.  Pretty damn good for a non-custom board.  What do others think?  This is for those VE.A fans who are have less of a budget?

[Puddsy]

i like it becuase it looks like it'll cost like $150-200

but why is the tenting kit seperate

tenting is the ****

either way it looks cool AF

[blighty]

This board will definitely end up in my rotation.  I've already pledged for a MX-red set up.  Hopefully this goes through without any issue.  This does make me realize that I should start dumping/selling all the boards that are just collecting dust in boxes lately before attempting to get more.  Oh well...

[NamelessPFG]

Like I needed to spend $140 shipped on another keyboard... but dammit, I wanted a split keyboard for a change, and it's much cheaper than a typical ErgoDox at that price. So yeah, I'm down for this and already pledged.

My only concern is that 20" of cable between the two won't be enough for an under-the-chair run (I'm aiming for something akin to Elite: Dangerous cockpit control panel mounting here, and thus I don't need the tenting kit when I need to build custom articulated mounts anyway), but hey, that's nothing a soldering iron, multimeter, and cable with the right amount of conductors can't fix.

Even with that aside, it opens up the "Cintiq in the center" arrangement I've been itching to have on my current desk for a long while now. Everyone knows how much it sucks to have to shunt a full-length keyboard off to the side if you have a monitor, steering wheel and/or flight yoke in the middle of your space.

[Puddsy]

Like I needed to spend $140 shipped on another keyboard... but dammit, I wanted a split keyboard for a change, and it's much cheaper than a typical ErgoDox at that price. So yeah, I'm down for this and already pledged.

My only concern is that 20" of cable between the two won't be enough for an under-the-chair run (I'm aiming for something akin to Elite: Dangerous cockpit control panel mounting here, and thus I don't need the tenting kit when I need to build custom articulated mounts anyway), but hey, that's nothing a soldering iron, multimeter, and cable with the right amount of conductors can't fix.

Even with that aside, it opens up the "Cintiq in the center" arrangement I've been itching to have on my current desk for a long while now. Everyone knows how much it sucks to have to shunt a full-length keyboard off to the side if you have a monitor, steering wheel and/or flight yoke in the middle of your space.

If they're smart, that middle cable will be removable

IF

[NamelessPFG]

If they're smart, that middle cable will be removable

IF

That's what I was hoping for, but if you look through the comment history...

"Hi guys, the cables are not detachable. The way the cable storage compartment on the left module is designed that would not have been feasible, and in general we felt that "permanent" cables provided a more durable solution. Perhaps we'll revisit that for a version 2 down the road though, appreciate the feedback."

[Puddsy]

If they're smart, that middle cable will be removable

IF

That's what I was hoping for, but if you look through the comment history...

"Hi guys, the cables are not detachable. The way the cable storage compartment on the left module is designed that would not have been feasible, and in general we felt that "permanent" cables provided a more durable solution. Perhaps we'll revisit that for a version 2 down the road though, appreciate the feedback."

welp

gotta start somewhere i guess

[tp4tissue]

This keyboard is fine for lower tenting angles.

But for Higher tenting angles,  You'd want your alphabet keys as close to the OUTSIDE edge as possible.


That fact presents a challenge on this kinesis, because of the gaming key placement on the left edge and the special keys on the right edge.

Overall... the concept is in the right direction,   but it does not cover all basis as far as being Ergonomic..


The neutral resting angle of ones wrist is approximately 70 degrees.. the goal is to get as close to that as possible..


On this board.. if it was tented to the nominal 55 degrees, as is possible on split boards of this thickness..   The alphabet cluster is too high up, which would force you to use quite a large and tall wrist rest if you'd want to reach them..

The included wrist rest will not operate at high angle either, because it's flat in profile with the board, so had you tried, your hands would just slide off.


And the problem with that is,  if you have a wrist rest that high up,  NOW those outside keys are really difficult to reach, because your wrist must turn against the wrist rest to hit them..


Even the Enter Key would present a challenge if using higher tenting angles..



This keyboard is a half measure towards being ergonomic..

[dantan]

The left side row is a problem during tenting right? That creates a distance of about an inch or more from the bottom of the board. It's one inch you can ill afford to lose because the 'middle' of the board are keys that are too high up to comfortably reach on a tented board.