Ok, well here are some thoughts and opinions on some of the ergonomic keyboards I have, I guess like mini review of each that I use enough as to have an opinion on, and some more solid reviews to go into more depth (mainly Ben Frain as he has reviews for nearly all of these and his reviews are excellent).

UHK60V2

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This is a 60% board and probably the most “normal” one here. It has a split design that can plug back together to form a single board. You get most of the stuff most people want like hotswap switch sockets and customisable backlighting with some major ergonomic improvements with the split and some minimal tenting and it is not a harsh transition to make at all. It also has really cool modules that can add an extra set of thumb keys and mouse/tb/tp options.

The software is unique (it is open source) in that it is specific to the board and not built on top of a existing solution like QMK however I have always found it very nice to use and really stable. It has similar configuration options to most, can save changes without flashing new firmware, pretty powerful with good UX.

UHK is where I started getting into ergonomic keyboards and it is usually what I recommend to most people as you get a lot of the benefits in a very accessable package. They also have a forum where the maker and users are quite active/good support.

Good:

• Easy to pick up
• Modules
• Solid
• Sells spare parts for repair or customisation

Bad:

• Lack of bluetooth might be an issue for some

Also consider:

• UHK80 (their new larger version that does have bluetooth)
• Dygma Raise 2

For an in depth look try: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk2DUI3-El4

Defy

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The Defy is a columnar offering from Dygma which aims to bring ergonomic keyboards into a gaming market as well as developers etc. As a result the designs have a few nuances to better support hand positions used by gamers as well as more gamer market aesthetics. The main features are the arc thumb cluster with 8 keys, a very refined tenting solution that covers a wide range with easy setup, most connectivity options (Dygma are the only ones with RF as well as BT and wired), premium build with all the stuff like hotswap sockets metal case etc, and also insane lighting if thats your thing.

Config software is a polished experience with most of the stuff others offer. It is a custom open source offering that is generally good but not as advanced as some when tuning the fine details. At first the FW was pretty buggy but they have done a great job sorting it out and it is pretty solid now (it is something you might see in earlier reviews). They have a very active discord community that has high engagement from the company and users.

My general take on it is that it is more or less a better Moonlander, it is pretty much in the same space with refinements and modernisation. I would recommend it to someone looking to jump to a columnar layout who is willing to spend time getting used to it or someone with a moonlander who wants these features.

Good:

• All round solid with premium look and feel to the build
• Lighting while gimmiky is really useful when on different layers, it is bright enough to know where you are from ambient light
• Great hard travel case (the best of the cases of the ones here)
• Best tenting system out there right now
• Best connectivity options on ergo board right now

Bad:

• The base model does not include some of the most important features and they cant be added later as an upgrade.
• While the software is good it is less advanced than the others
• Those thumb keys are non standard which limits some customisation options
• ABS key caps at this price point is unacceptable

Also consider:

• Moonlander

For an in depth look try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVpinjluogQ

Voyager

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From ZSA, this one is a super small, light, thin, low profile board with 52 keys and really high build quality. It has similarities to many DIY kits out there such as Corne or Totem with high end production. It also comes with a set of key caps exclusive to voyager owners that are absolutely great.

It comes with limited tenting options out the box but you can customise with either 3D printed solutions, camera mounting systems or magsafe mounts.

The software is second to none between the UX of Oryx, Keymapp to help learn new layouts and the training tools as well. The ecosystem is great and really the only thing i would pick fault with is the annoying limits on macros that effectively makes them useless for anything I like to use macros for.

If you are looking for a small keyboard that is great on the desk and easy to travel with then it is one of the best options going and is absolutely the easiest to travel with on this list.

Good:

• Build
• Software
• Easy to take anywhere
• Comes with travel pouch, which is good but being the most travel friendly option a hard case would be even better

Bad:

• No wireless option might be an issue for some
• Macro limit drives me nuts
• Low profile switches have limited choice (side note, forget tactile just go with Ambient Twilight or Robins and embrace either great linear or great clicky ones)

Also consider:

• Looking at some of the DIY options, many you can pay for someone to build them but not quite to this standard.

For an in depth look try: https://youtu.be/2zOfR5MmQXk?si=BcHakZs6eY-dMwGL

Glove 80

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Coming from MoErgo this is medium sized columnar option with a keywell. The focus is ergonomics with everything here and they put a lot of research into making it as ergonomic for the average person as they could. It is nicely made, light (giving it a slightly cheaper impression but it is really strong). It has 6 thumb keys on each side and they are all pretty usable without straining. It comes with unusual POM keycaps that feel strange at first however after getting used to them it is very nice how the fingers glide over the keys with low friction.

The shape of the board has a good natural tent however if you want a steeper angle then the screw in legs are a pain to setup.

Firmware is ZMK which is great, the configuration solution from MoErgo is not that great though, it is ok for some basic setup but is neither the best UX or the most complete functionality. Luckily there is this great tool Keymap Editor which I would recommend instead (or for other ZMK boards like Advantage 360 Pro).

Once again there is great support from the company and the community on Discord.

Good:

• Comfort is great
• Lightweight and relatively travel friendly for what it is
• One of the more understated options that blends into an office environment
• Comes with a good hard case

Bad:

• No hotswap (seriously consider going for one of the Blossom switch models)
• Third party software is better than first party offering
• Only bluetooth, some might find an issue

Also consider:

• Dactyl options
• Advantage 360

For a more in depth look try https://youtu.be/Q-mNGb7-Ywo?si=Yhd5cf7V7oC85aTF

Svalboard

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So I am just learning this, it has taken about 3 hours to write this so far on the Svalboard so it is a pretty huge adjustment. Being a niche product 3D printed etc it is slightly rougher in presentation compared to some of the others (though for avoidance of doubt it is very well made). It is also almost twice the price of anything else on this list of very expensive keyboards making it a serious investment in both time and money.

So with that we are really talking early impressions at the start of what i expect will be weeks of relearning.

First the fit can be customised in every way, you can make this thing fit your hand exactly. The feel is really unusual, being magnetic the keys are both really light and tactile, they are lighter than the lightest switches i have tried while can also comfortably rest on them without accidental activations and there is instant feedback as the magnet breaks away. It also takes almost no motion to hit any of the keys, no strain whatsoever.

The trackballs are awesome, one of the biggest RSI triggers i have is switching to the pointer next to my keyboard regardless of style, so this is a big win for me. They auto switch to a layer with mouse buttons when moved which is really nice, I have one side for pointing and the other for scroll.

For software it is QMK based with VIA/Vial support and they have also an alternative interface with more support for the specifics of the board. They also have a Keybr fork that is specific to the board which helps when learning. The ecosystem here is less polished and more community driven but functionally very good.

I can’t really give much of a fair opinion yet, it is early days and will be a while before i can use it for work, so far though I am pretty happy with it.

In depth look https://youtu.be/bKRkvcNpfLU?si=E6fqiRd2lg8XOMGo

Overall

The voyager is my favourite and i use it a lot, the Glove 80 is IMHO the most comfortable of the things that at least resemble a keyboard and the one i use the most. The others are great if they are what aligns with your needs or wants, I would recommend each to different people looking for different things. I’m feeling hopeful that with some time the Svalboard will be my main daily driver at some point.