ErgoDox Review, an Ergonomic Mechanical Keyboard via Massdrop
by Jarred Walton on August 27, 2013 12:00 AM ESTClosing Thoughts: Some Assembly Required (Maybe)
Reviewing unorthodox keyboards can be a rather difficult business, and clearly it has taken me longer than originally anticipated to complete just these three reviews. However, the time taken has hopefully been of use to some of our readers, and I’ve certainly learned a thing or two. One important thing is that to get the most out of any of these products, you need to be willing to invest some time. You won’t make a switch from a standard 101-key layout to any of these without at least a few days of consternation, and on top of that the ErgoDox will require you to put the whole kit together before typing even a single word! Or will it? The original Massdrop for the ErgoDox required full assembly and programming by the purchaser, but for this round Massdrop has added a couple new options.
First, let’s also clarify something: you don’t actually get everything you’ll need for the current price of $199; you actually have to pay a bit more for the blank key caps that go over the Cherry MX switches – $37 to be precise – and if you want laser etched keys I'm not even sure where you'd buy them. So the minimum cost is $236 if you want key caps, which most people will need, unless you have a bunch of extras just lying around your home/office. There are a couple other options as well that you can check, like getting an anodized aluminum top plate instead of the clear acrylic for an extra $25, or you can have the whole keyboard in a gold plated case for just $5000 (awesome). As for assembly, if you don’t want to roll your own, Massdrop has two options: one is to have all the basic soldering done (steps 1-9 in the assembly process), and then you just need to solder the Cherry MX switches into place; this will cost $19.99. The other option is the easiest: Massdrop will assemble the whole kit for you, for a $49.99 fee.
That means when we talk about pricing, $236 gets you the parts and you put it together, or if you want a similar experience to buying a TECK or a Kinesis Advantage, you’re looking at $285.99 for a fully assembled ErgoDox. By comparison, the TECK will currently set you back $248 if purchased directly from TrulyErgonomic, plus $19 for ground shipping, so it’s only slightly less expensive (but you’d get it within the next week or so). Kinesis Advantage has an MSRP of $299, but it’s also far more widely available, so you can actually snag one off of Newegg.com for $268 + $15.99 shipping, or TigerDirect has it for $271.69 + shipping, which for me is $280.33. Looking at all three prices, then, it’s close enough that what it will really come down to is which one you think is the best/most comfortable/coolest looking keyboard.
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I can’t answer the question of which is best for every person, but I do have my own personal preference. All three keyboards have their advantages as well as some potential disadvantages. I think the TECK is good for anyone looking for a compact ergonomic keyboard, and as I mentioned in the Kinesis review I found the TECK to be better than the other ergonomic keyboards if you want to play games. The Kinesis ends up being my favorite of the three keyboards I’ve looked at, with the large, raised palm rests and curved key wells being the most comfortable for prolonged typing in my experience; I also like that it includes a USB hub, and the macro functionality is basically a free extra. The ErgoDox meanwhile is going to be best suited for people with larger hands in my opinion, and the ability to move the two halves wherever you want (within reason) could prove beneficial for some users – plus it’s the keyboard best suited to modders and tweakers. If you want to dabble in alternative layouts, the Massdrop Configurator is practically impossible to match with any other keyboard.
As far as ordering options go on the ErgoDox, my recommendation in hindsight would be to get the full hand casing, and having now spent plenty of time with the Cherry MX Blue, Brown, and Clear switches, I would personally get the ErgoDox with Cherry MX Blue – though I can’t say from personal experience how the Blacks and Reds compare. Just note that Blue switches are very clicky, so if you’re in an office space with a lot of coworkers, you’ll probably need to get one of the “quiet” switches instead. I do feel the Clear switches require a bit more force than I like, so I imagine Reds would be my next choice for the ErgoDox. It’s too bad you can’t get the ErgoDox with Brown switches – you could always order your own, but most places sell the MX Brown switches for $2.50 each – that’s $190 just for the switches if you were to buy 76 for an ErgoDox, which illustrates quite well the power of the Massdrop group buys.
If you’re interested in giving the ErgoDox a try, now is a great time as the latest Massdrop group buy is nearly finished. Join before the end of the week and you should get your order within a few weeks; the next round of ErgoDox group buy isn’t likely to happen for another six weeks or longer, so for the impatient among you, time is of the essence.
And if you’re curious about what I’ll be typing on next, I’m going to be switching to a more traditional staggered key layout for a bit, the Goldtouch Go!2 Mobile, as I’m a glutton for the punishment of regularly switching keyboards apparently. I’m also going to be focusing on Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12.5 for the next month or two; I know for a fact that I can dictate faster than I type, at least for straight text, but unusual words, punctuation, and acronyms can be a bit of a pain. I’ll see if things have improved since my last serious Dragon review and render a verdict on typing vs. speech recognition sometime in the next couple of months. In the meantime, if there’s some other crazy keyboard you’d like me to test, leave a note in the comments.
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R-Type - Wednesday, August 28, 2013 - link
A broken keyboard. Because we need more wires and piece-parts on our desks.John Green - Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - link
I am inviting to the www.ergodox.pl shop or www.falbatech.pl for new parts for your ErgoDoxBob Todd - Thursday, August 29, 2013 - link
I like to read these, but I'll stick with my cheapo non-mechanical Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 :).Choppedliver - Friday, August 30, 2013 - link
Programmers will never give up a keyboard. Why? You dont sit there and type code like you are reading a story out loud. At least not often. Much of the time you are sitting there trying to figure out what you are going to do , how you are going to do it, and googling how others have already done it.boli - Friday, August 30, 2013 - link
You need to know that the ErgoDox you received for review is special in multiple ways:1. it has labeled key caps
2. it has a weird layout. Click "defaults" then "QWERTY" in the web configurator to see a more standard configuration.
3. Your configuration does not have any layer push keys. Those can enable/disable a layer until the layer is popped again, which could have voided one of your criticisms.
Key (grid) spacing is the very same on the ErgoDox as it is on the TECK, the Kinesis, or most standard keyboards! Feel free to measure it. Keys on the Advantage are closer due to the curvature, of course.
Background: I have 3 Kinesis Advantage (two with Cherry reds, one with Cherry browns), a TECK (brown), and 2 ErgoDox (one with Cherry blues, one with Cherry clears, 3rd with reds on order). I've been using the Advantage for years and the TECK and ErgoDox for weeks.
Cheers, boli
JarredWalton - Saturday, August 31, 2013 - link
I discussed the configurator quite a bit, along with the power it offers, including how to add an integrated 10-key with a layout that I like more. I'm not sure how you seem to miss that I understand this is a highly configurable keyboard, and that the layout on my unit does not necessarily have to be the same as others. In fact, I highlighted this (extensively) in the review. Also, the layout I have does indeed have layer push/pop (really just the Dvorak switch); as for the criticism this would have voided... I'm not even sure which criticism you're referring to, so please enlighten me.I also noted (more than once) the fact that labeled keys are not standard; I wish they were, or at least wish there was an easy (inexpensive) way to get them. Some people may prefer blanks, simply because you can then configure the layout however you want, but I personally like having key labels -- it really helps with the initial learning curve, plus people other than yourself can actually use the keyboard if needed.
Regarding the spacing and the keys, yes, the spacing is the same as on the TECK, though the layouts are obviously completely different. However, coming from the Kinesis Advantage it's a pretty big change, and the result is that I feel the ErgoDox (in this design) is a better fit for larger hands. I'm not small handed by any means, but the distance between the thumb pads and the rest of the keys is pretty large compared to the Kinesis, and that alone makes for a typing experience that some may find less appealing.
Anyway, the main point I'm trying to convey with this review is the customization options, which are truly awesome, and the fact that pretty much everything else is going to be highly subjective. I don't dislike the ErgoDox by any means, but for pure typing duties I'd still go with the Kinesis.
boli - Thursday, September 5, 2013 - link
Upon re-reading your review, I realize I must have missed some stuff so my comments weren't all appropriate, my apologies.Yes you did talk about the configurator later, after discussing the particularities of the "random" layout your unit came with. I still think the layout of your unit is weird, and most people might be better off with the default QWERTY layout (plus some individual tweaks), which is somewhat closer to the Kinesis Advantage layout.
I'd have been interesting to see what you ended up with if you'd received an ErgoDox with blank keycaps and initial layout. I like labeled keys as well, but they get in the way of experimenting in my opinion.
In my experience other people are thrown off anyway given the grid layout they're not used to, and the increased use of the thumbs (Backspace and Enter in particularly).
As for learning, I think one is better off printing the layout and attaching it to the display, until it is no longer needed - it's easier to see than letters printed below one's fingers. ;)
The criticism I meant was "holding down Fn the whole time isn’t something I want to do", which applies to the unit you were sent, but not the default, which has the 10-key on layer 1, and it features layer 1 push and pop keys.
Yes, the thumb cluster feels further away than on the Kinesis, that's not what was said in the review though: "...the keys are somewhat larger and spaced out more than on the TECK and Kinesis keyboards, ..."
Something I find unfortunate is the key caps that massdrop chose for some of the keys, in particular the two top keys in each thumb cluster - having used a Kinesis you know that it's much taller keys are easier to press without pressing the ones below. The 1x2 keys in the thumb cluster are quite different from the Kinesis ones as well - and I noticed those on your unit are different than the one included in the DCS key cap set.
About gaming: I've been using a Kinesis Advantage for 5+ years and game quite a bit - mostly StarCraft 2 nowadays - and it works well, if you can put all the keys you need on the left half. With the ErgoDox you can even move the right half out of the way and put the mouse there instead, which is quite comfortable in my opinion.
For inspiration, this is what I'm currently using: https://www.massdrop.com/ext/ergodox/?referer=UWH9...
- only one extra layer with numpad, F-keys and arrows in normal configuration (didn't get rid of the layer 2, but there's no access to it)
- layer toggle keys for both thumbs
- numbers shifted 1 position left to make using them feel the same as on a regular (non-grid) keyboard
- arrows on left hand for concurrent right hand mousing
- second Enter on left hand, when right hand is on mouse
From the 3 keyboards my favorite is also the Kinesis - its shape is hard to beat, though I will always be wondering what a Maltron keyboard feels like, the granddaddy of ergonomic keyboards. :) The ErgoDox is a close second, with better configurability (teensy FTW) and a few nice to have extra keys. The TECK is also nice but does not nearly have enough thumb buttons for my liking.
I'm glad you reviewed all of these keyboards and hope you will try more.
Also, Colemak is a nice layout indeed, can recommend it heartily. The switch is tough though, harder and lasts longer than adjusting to a new keyboard in my experience.
praftman - Sunday, September 1, 2013 - link
Datahand and SafeType. Those would be interesting reviews.mediaconvert - Saturday, September 7, 2013 - link
Personally I have noticed that laptop/scrabble tile keyboards are less stressful on the hands. I think it might be the lower travel distance of the keys. If you are suffering from keyboard related stress you might want to give it a try.FKname - Friday, January 24, 2014 - link
It's called Groupon, "The idea behind the site is a bit like.." Groupon, not Kickstarter. It's not at all like Kickstarter (which funds things that don't exist yet), unless your criteria for similarity is if _money_ is involved - in which case it's like Target, or Sears, a bank, or maybe your wallet? Which? Pick?