A couple of months ago, I started thinking about getting a split keyboard. I spent a ton of time reading about them and decided that I wanted to try one. I was experiencing some back pain during the day and wondered if I would notice an ergonomic benefit from a split. The idea of being able to customize the keyboard also sounded cool, but was not a huge draw; I was worried I might spend too much time on that.

After much debating, I ordered the ZSA Voyager (black keyboard with linear red switches). I picked it because (1) I decided I wanted to order from ZSA given their reputation; (2) the Voyager is their latest keyboard design and seemed to capture everything they’ve learned so far; (3) I like the idea of a maximally portable keyboard, in case I wanted to take it with me on any travels.

The keyboard arrived about a month ago. I eagerly started setting it up. Here are some reflections from my experience:

• The split keyboard layout does feel nice. It is comfortable to have the hands spread further apart.
• The ZSA software for configuring the keyboard, Oryx, is amazing. Everyone says it, and it is true.
• It didn’t take as long as I expected to start feeling comfortable. Yes, it was frustrating at first. But I used the typ.ing site to practice, and within a week, I switched over to using it as my only keyboard.
• I have retained the ability to type on my MacBook keyboard. Many days, I use both my Voyager and my MacBook keyboard. The MacBook keyboard definitely feels more constrained to type on now, and there was a period of a couple of weeks where I was having accuracy issues with typing on both keyboards, but those have mostly resolved now.
• Using layers has taken some getting used to, but having the layout printed on my desk for quick reference has been really helpful for learning.

I started out doing 90 WPM on my original keyboard. On the Voyager, I started around 25 WPM and am almost back to my previous speed. I’ve measured 70-80 WPM lately.

Overall, I am happy with the keyboard. I think the Voyager is about the right number of keys for me. I have really liked how I can use layers for things like a number pad; when I want to use the number pad, I do not need to move my hands around.

Most importantly, I notice that a split keyboard opens up my chest and promotes better posture. I wish I had tried this a long time ago, since I spend so much time with my hands on the keyboard each day.

If you’re considering a split keyboard, I’d recommend giving it a try.

P.S. Here is my layout.