The Ultimate Hacking Keyboard Review: A Truly Unique, Truly Expensive Keyboard for Pros
by E. Fylladitakis on March 12, 2020 10:00 AM ESTConclusion
Unlike the vast majority of mechanical keyboards nowadays, the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard truly is a unique product - a wholly unique design that is being marketed almost exclusively towards IT professionals. The developer of the keyboard designed it to be reliable and easily customizable, without the extraneous bells and whistles that would be unnecessary for a professional.
As a keyboard targeted towards professionals, the UHK is based on a 60% layout in order to maximize productivity and reduce fatigue. However, this is going to actually work only with professionals who use a single keyboard every day and will tailor the UHK to their specific work needs. For everyone else, having to result to multi-key combinations for virtually anything else but basic input will probably have a negative impact.
The customizability of the UHK is its greatest selling point. Its Agent software initially seems simple but can be used to create very complex layouts and layers, making it a true weapon at the hands of an experienced professional. Users can also expand/customize their keyboards with additional modules that are available from the manufacturer for about $60 each, allowing the tailoring of the UHK to their specific needs.
The only real issue with the UHK is its unreasonably high price tag. It is currently retailing at $275 plus shipping, and this is without any of its accessories. The palm rest alone costs an additional $75, which is more than a whole mechanical keyboards using Kailh switches retails for nowadays. And the complete price tag for the UHK system can go higher still, as the future expansion modules will another $60.
Meanwhile, although the pricey keyboard is appropriately extravagant in some ways, it's also not very impressive in others; at it's core you're still looking at a keyboard built using Kailh switches, and lacks even basic backlighting. While we cannot deny the excellent quality and customizability of the UHK, it lacks enough features to fully justify such a price tag.
To summarize, we believe that the market potential of the UHK is significantly limited. It is, at the same time, both the smallest mechanical keyboard and the most expensive mechanical keyboard that we have ever reviewed. But its feature set, while impressive at times, just can't justify such a humongous price tag. The UHK is a product designed strictly for a small percentage of IT professionals and experts – it may be a real toolbox at the hands of an IT expert, but also is an unreasonably expensive choice for practically everyone else.
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EmbeddedShire - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
> unbiased user"I'm obviously biased", never pretended to be.
I read the website daily but don't usually comment. Create the randomcommenter account back when I wanted to comment on one article I was interested in but for some reason the posts wouldn't get published in the comments section. Thought the name was too throw-away and got caught by some bot-filter or something so I made this other one.
Logged in today after ages with my usual email address, posted my first comment - didn't see it go to the 2 second page and remember the previous pain, so I got into this other one. I rarely post stuff online.
PeachNCream - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
In that case, please accept my apology for calling you out. I'm naturally suspicious of comments these days so it is easy to get caught up in those sorts of assumptions and then overreact.EmbeddedShire - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
cheers :)with the internet brimming with bots and fake accounts, it's normal
Droekath - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
"The only real issue with the UHK is its unreasonably high price tag. It is currently retailing at $275 plus shipping, and this is without any of its accessories. The palm rest alone costs an additional $75"I'm surprised that no one at Anandtech is a r/mk. There's bound to be a few there typing away on their own unique creations. $300 is rather average for a custom-built keyboard. Some of the most expensive go for well over a thousand. Although I will admit that it's a niche hobby.
p1esk - Sunday, March 15, 2020 - link
Yes, when I read "exorbitant price" I thought it would be closer to $999. I have Logitech G915 laying around somewhere, which I bought for $250. I have zero problem paying more than that for a great keyboard, even though I'm typing this on a $60 low profile Havit keyboard (chosen as the best out of five different low profile keyboards I tried).Small Bison - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
What's so "unique" about this keyboard to justify the $100 price premium over a Kinesis split keyboard with Cherry switches?Hxx - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
So no rgb I take and no volume rocker ? Lol darn itmgulick - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
I went from using an array of MS Natural keyboards for ~20 years to an ErgoDox EZ to the UHK. I didn't last long on the ErgoDox. Too much customization, and I could never remember the key layout. To be honest, I really like the printed keycaps on the UHK. It made learning to use it much faster. I've customized it a fair bit now, but most of the keycaps can be moved around, so the labels are still mostly correct. Its solid, reliable, and comfortable. The mod key and mouse keys are surprisingly useful. No wrist pain so far after a year and a half on it. It was honestly exactly what I was looking for. If you're used to a traditional split ergonomic keyboard but want the added comfort of mechanical switches, you can't go wrong with the UHK.1_rick - Thursday, March 12, 2020 - link
"I didn't last long on the ErgoDox. Too much customization, and I could never remember the key layout. "You can get keycaps with labels on the ErgoDox.
I've got one on order, myself--the Infinity, not the EZ--and a set of keycaps with lettering on most of them. I haven't had a chance to use it yet--I ordered it as a group by from Kono and it's taking forever, and now with COVID-19 I'm looking at at least a couple of extra months.
mgulick - Friday, March 13, 2020 - link
I had the ErgoDox with the keycaps, but it was all the other keys that I struggled with, e.g. pgup, pgdown, home, end, insert. Even the lack of printed symbols above the numbers were frustrating, which despite using qwerty keyboards for 25+ years, I still occasionally need to look down for. The UHK not only has a full set of standard keycaps, but many of the special 'mod' mappings are printed on the side of the keycap facing you. There's a lot of attention to detail which I appreciate.That said, if I could get an ErgoDox with full printed keycaps, I'd be tempted to try it. I'm also tempted to try the Kinesis Advantage, but the UHK is adequately meeting all my needs right now. Also looking forward to the extra key cluster and trackpoint modules shipping soon.