Do your wrists hurt after sitting at your computer all day? Buy a split keyboard
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I faced a dilemma that might be familiar to many computer users: My wrists were killing me. I worked eight-hour shifts at work and then played more games on the PC than I ever did on the same setup to stay connected to friends during a down time. I hadn’t experienced wrist pain when typing before, but it was so bad that I couldn’t move on without finding a more comfortable alternative that had at least some of the bells and whistles I expected from a modern gaming keyboard.
Ultimately, I found a solution that met my criteria for a gaming keyboard, but also an ergonomic keyboard, a combination of needs that I thought would never intersect – at least at a reasonable price. I found the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGBand while $199.99 may not be “reasonable” for some, it is more affordable than other split keyboards with similar features.
The main feature that sets the Kinesis apart from most other keyboards is that it is split into two parts, with each part connected by a cable. In case you’re wondering, yes, there is a learning curve when typing on this type of keyboard. How difficult it will be depends on how you type on a traditional keyboard. If you use the home rows of the keyboard, as you may have learned in computer class as a child, it probably won’t take long to get acclimated, but when you start looking for keys, the split layout can be more challenging. .
Because the Freestyle Edge RGB is split, you can position each half exactly as you want, as long as the two sides don’t extend beyond the 20-inch cable length. So instead of bending my wrists outward to type on conventional layouts, my arms and wrists can be more relaxed and type in a position and angle that feels more natural. On my desk, the keyboard halves barely touch each other. It’s bliss. If you play games like Microsoft Flight Simulatoryou can even slide both halves aside to make room on your desk for a HOTAS controller.
Image: Kinesis
Despite its appearance, the Freestyle Edge RGB is comparable to other gaming keyboards. It has mechanical keys with the option to select Cherry MX Blue (clicky), Red (linear), Silver (fast linear) or Brown (tactile) switches in case you have a preference, and each key is backlit with RGB LEDs that that can be adjusted in Kinesis’ SmartSet app. This model also includes removable wrist rests that lift your wrists for an even more comfortable typing experience.
That’s all great, but this keyboard is a star because it features N-key rollover (NKRO), a feature that allows the user to press any number of keys at once. I found out the hard way that my previous split keyboard didn’t support this during the heyday of Halo Infinity‘s very fun online multiplayer; I couldn’t simultaneously hold down Shift to sprint, press the spacebar to jump, hold down W to move forward, and throw a grenade with the G key. NKRO is a basic gaming feature in many affordable gaming keyboards, but you have to look a little harder for it on ergonomic models. Luckily, it’s available with the Freestyle Edge RGB, which is as responsive and capable as the next gaming keyboard, ready for any series of keystrokes.
This Kinesis keyboard supports an additional ergonomic feature that leaves other gaming keyboards in the dust. The $29.99 Lift kit comes in two parts, each of which snaps onto the bottom of the Freestyle Edge RGB to provide some lift so your wrists can be opened (more directed as if you were giving a handshake rather than lying flat). This allows the keyboard halves to be positioned independently of each other at multiple angles. The lowest angle options of 5 and 10 degrees tilt each side upward slightly, while the 15 degree angle produces a steeper angle that may look strange, but in my experience quickly felt normal to type on.
One minor complaint I have with the Freestyle Edge RGB is that, compared to more expensive options like the ErgoDox EZ and the Matias Ergo ProIt doesn’t support obliques, which would raise your palms so they’re higher than your fingers. It would have been ideal if the add-on V3 Pro Lifters kit made this possible. Still, for the money, the Freestyle Edge RGB offers just enough for full- or part-time gamers and office workers looking to take a break from wrist pain.