KINESIS Gaming Freestyle Edge RGB Split Mechanical Keyboard | Cherry MX Linear Red Switches | RGB | Ergonomic | Detachable Palm Support | Fully Programmable | TKL | Available Tenting

Been using the keyboard for about a week and was all excited to set it up with custom colors and macros. Took off 2 stars for ergonomics because they require you to purchase the tenting kit separately, which is the accessory that is essential to the ergonomic capability of this product. Once the kit was installed, the comfort improved greatly. Very satisfied with the MX red switches. They feel good, are smooth, and provide a little bit of resistance to feel secure about my keypresses. Havent had issues with any rattling keys. The key caps seem a bit thin to me, and so does the plastic of the keyboard body. Im surprised that this was $200. Had a couple of glitches with the software when I was first playing with it, but its pretty intuitive and the bugs went away with a reboot (eject and remount VDRIVE). Im happy to have the capability of custom lighting per key and all the macros, profiles, and remaps in my control. Overall, a worthy upgrade, and I dont regret spending the $$, but it is overpriced due to low competition.

The quality of the keyboard feels great, the best thing about it for me is that all the keys can be remapped, and macros created for all keys. Im a computer programmer, and use a Mac computer, its hard to find a programmable keyboard that is compatible for macOS. The ergonomics are wonderful. The back lighting is very adjustable. The pads are extremely soft and comfortable. The only thing negative I could say is that its a little pricey, and it should come with the lifts, but its worth it to me.

I bought this keyboard Used-Like New directly from Amazon. It was in as-new condition when I received it, and initially the board worked well. However, after 6 months the keyboard prompted me to update to new firmware. This update scrambled the board, rendering half of it inoperable. Despite working with Kinesis tech support and attempting several hard resets and manual firmware re-installs, the board remained unusable. **Then I learned that because the board I had purchased was pre-owned, there was no warranty coverage.** They will honor warranties for refurbished products they sell through their own website, but not through Amazon or other sellers. So, desipite Kinesis techincal support acknowledging that it was most likely a manufacturing problem, I was not eligible for a replacement and I now have a very expensive paperweight. Buyer beware: unless there is a active problem with your board, I would avoid any firmware updates. While it worked, I loved this keybaord. Echoing what others have said, the (sold seperately) risers are a must-have to enjoy the true ergonomic benefits. Just take care if, like me, you prefer to avoid unnecessary manufacturing waste by purchasing pre-owned products -- buy from the KINESIS website or YOU WILL HAVE NO WARRANTY COVERAGE.

I bought this to replace a Kinesis Freestyle Edge (non-RGB with blue keys) that met an unfortunate accident. Ive been using Kinesis split keyboards for years as they are the most comfortable for my wrists and shoulders. Standard keyboards force my arms to angle inward in a way that is not quite natural, and causes some fatigue. Though you mostly get used to the standard keyboard arrangement, it is always so much better to be in control of the angle as you can when your keyboard is split in half. The older Kinesis split keyboards were membrane keyboards, so I had switched to a standard mechanical once mechanicals were available, as I prefer the feeling. Also, I like backlit keys as I tend to keep my office dark to reduce glar. When Kinesis started offering mechanical, backlit, split keyboards, that was excellent as they combine the three main features I look for in a keyboard. This RGB has a bit different layout to the previous Freestyle, so if you are switching there will be some learning as the ESC key is now small and placed next to the F keys instead of being big at the top of the macro keys (though you can reprogram that top large macro key to be ESC if you want, but youll have to avoid accidentally hitting the real ESC key when you reach for F1). Also 7 is now moved to the other side. Overall, they are very similar. Some points of interest: -when the keyboard is in FN mode, by default, there are no LEDs. This is normal. You can use the configuration utility to assign LEDS (I recommend a different color scheme so you can easily see if your keyboard is in FN mode or normal mode). -the keys themselves have a slightly dusty coating on top for better traction. My previous Freestyle either didnt have that (or maybe it had but wore off over years of use) -this keyboard comes with a wristrest, so you do not need to buy it separately. It is detachable should you not want to use it or use a different one. This wristrest has cushions built in instead of the flat plastic Kinesis ones. They feel nice, though it took a little adjustment as I switched from my old keyboard due to it raising my hands just a little. -You can turn LED backlighting on/off with a toggle switch -The arrow keys are in proper inverted-T layout and have a raised bump on the up arrow for touch placement. This is a small but nice feature; no keyboards Ive used before have had the touch bump on these keys. This keyboard is great not just for gaming but for general computer usage and typing when you want something that is easier on your wrists and shoulders, and has mechanical switches for accuracy.

Keyboard was easy to use and onboard but more than that I like their web interface where it is easy to get product support through videos, and easy to interact with customer service very quickly. I got my keyboard 6 months ago and this morning had an issue with a key not working. Thankfully, i found the support site, FAQ, and contact link in a flash; it was then easy to get test data to send to Kinesis, and I received extremely quick customer service response on my question — including clear directions on how to remap to fix the an accidental key remapping I had made. I clearly haven’t worked to get the most out of this keyboard - I really only bought it for the ergonomics, but based on the quality of the keyboard, the service, and my accidental experiment, I am looking forward to more effectively using its programmable features! As for ergonomics, the keyboard is a joy to use. I did get the lifts which make it much better for me. I like that the keyboard separates which allows me to have a clear space to place a snack while I am working, and I can work with a very comfortable arm position throughout the day.

I will admit my shame, and I own 4 of these keyboards. Two of them are the previous edition, and the others are the RGB model (Cherry MX Brown and Cherry MX Blue). I used to be a software engineer and now working as an engineering manager. I thought I would type a lot back then until I became a manager. When you are a software engineer, you think more and type less, but being a manager is all about typing when you create user stories, documentation, email, answering questions, finding out solutions, etc. Now, I type even more, and I appreciate an ergonomic keyboard like this. I have used many keyboards out there in the market, partly because of my passion for keyboards. As the keyboards are the only physical object you interact with within your daily software development life, it becomes something you enjoy with. I even had my company buy one for me for the office as I was using my Kinesis Edge keyboard there. I explained all this background so that you can see where I am coming from for my review. I dont care much about gaming, and interestingly enough, this keyboard is mostly advertised as a gaming keyboard. It is more than a gaming keyboard. It is a typist, software developers, engineering managers, and all sorts of occupations keyboard that involves a high amount of typing. I used to have mild anxiety about the mistakes I was doing while typing since it was more than reasonable and was affecting my work. It is frustrating when you cannot translate your thoughts into code while you are in the flow because of the mistakes and backspaces you have to do while doing it. Once I got used to using this keyboard, the number of errors considerably reduced partly because of the clear separation of my left and right hands. They no longer run into each other. It also trains my brain to use both my hands as effectively as possible. Previously, it was my right hand doing all the traveling over the keyboard, whereas my left hand was just scanning a few keys. It is the case anymore. The other significant benefit is the posture it puts you in. You can adjust both parts as comfortably as possible. You can want to tilt your one keyboard as it is more suitable for your posture, go ahead and do it. You just have to experiment with this keyboard to appreciate the benefit of it genuinely. I can explain all the small benefits that add up to major ones, but I believe it is self-evident even by merely looking at the keyboard. Using the RGB keyboard has two significant benefits for me than the old version: 1. I could not distinguish the key prints due to blue light due to my eyes condition. It was honestly a horrible choice for the backlight color. The simplest and most effective option would be white color, but I think it is too simple of a color for gamers. 2. When you tilt the keyboard, I realized it becomes partially harder to see the letters on the keyboard. What I do is to color the keys that I use quite regularly, such as print screens, etc. with different colors to find them when I need them quickly. This has been working quite well for me. TBH, coloring each key with different colors for quickly seeing them, is the only benefit I appreciate in RGB keyboards. I dont care about the lighting effects, especially in the professional office environment. I used to hear some metallic echo sound in the previous edition of this keyboard, but it seems they have fixed that problem in this newer RGB model, or my ears simply stopped hearing them. Either way, I am okay. The other significant design change with this keyboard is the new palm cushion. I admit that the previous model was horrible, and I stopped using them entirely after the weird feeling and texture it has that I started realizing. I had been waiting for the new palm support since the time I saw it on Twitter and ordered two of them for my older keyboards, and it was a lot better than the previous generation. The major drawback of this keyboard is its price. It is not reasonably priced, I believe, but almost all of the premium keyboards are not reasonably priced these days. The good thing is that though you buy these keyboards once and use them for years without any deterioration in their quality. So, they are mostly long-time investments, but they make it so appealing, you sometimes cannot resist upgrading to their newer versions when they come out. Regardless, this is my review of this keyboard, and I hope it helps.

Glad to see these are now available. For months at the beginning of 2021 they were unavailable. I have two of these; a cherry brown at home (my first one) and a cherry red at work. For an expensive keyboard like this, its tough choosing the right cherry switches without being able to try them out. Many reviewers of mechanical keyboards advise getting the cherry brown switches for the subtle tactile feedback and relatively quieter key presses compared to the louder cherry blue switches. The Reds are recommended for gamers. After getting the cherry brown keyboard, I liked it so much I wanted one for work. At the beginning of 2021, when there was no supply, Amazon had one used cherry red version and I ordered it. Being used it was unfortunately missing the normally included palm rests which are very necessary when using the tent kit. Before returning it, I was able to try it out to asses the cherry red switches before ordering a new one when they became available. For me, I like the cherry reds better and heres why. Cherry browns. Coming from a conventional membrane keyboard, you probably dont realize it but you normally push the keys all the way down until they bottom out. Fortunately you bottom out into a soft squishy rubbery material (the membrane). When you first type on a mechanical keyboard, youll do the same and bottom out your key presses. This is part of the clackiness of a mechanical keyboard. The key is literally physically contacting the board, plastic on plastic with no soft cushion. The cherry brown switches provide tactile feedback or a bump towards the end of the key travel so you can actually stop pressing down when you feel the bump and before the key bottoms out on the board. Its kind of cool to realize you dont have to press so hard and so far down to actuate the key press and this should allow you type faster and lighter since you can be more efficient, but you have to train yourself not to type so hard. If you are a hard typer and bottom out the keys anyway, you may not even notice the subtle feedback of the cherry browns because the bottom out feel is much stronger. There is a crispness when typing with the browns similar to the cherry blues that you dont get with the cherry reds or any standard membrane keyboard. Cherry reds. Nice and smooth. When transitioning from the cherry browns to the cherry reds, the first thing you notice is that the keys seem easier to press. Second, you immedeately realize the difference in the tactile feedback the browns provide. There is certainly no issue typing with the cherry reds and it feels more like a traditional non mechanical keyboard. I appreciate what the cherry browns have taught me that I dont have to push down so hard or so far, but the main reason I prefer the reds over the browns is that I feel less tired typing on the reds. They claim its the same actuation force between the reds and the browns, but to me typing on the reds just feels easier. The tactile bump of the browns is like a small percussive force on your fingers joints that adds up over time and you can feel it. If youre young and virile and want the feedback, the browns are great. Or go for the blues and strut your stuff and let everyone around you know you are a mechanical keyboard aficionado and they should respect your authority. But Im glad I made the choice of cherry reds for work where I do most of my typing. I just dont need the extra percussive force on my fingers. I dont think there is any downside to the cherry reds, I can type just fine. The browns and blues just let you know that you have a mechanical keyboard and give you a different feel than what a traidtional keyboard or laptop can provide and you may enjoy that. The KINESIS GAMING Freestyle Edge RGB Split Mechanical Keyboard itself is great. One of the main reasons I chose this keyboard is to remove the number pad on the right so my mouse can be closer to the midline for better ergonomics. I am much more comfortable working with this configuration. I do miss the number pad at times, but the trade off is worth it. I do have the second layer programmed as a number pad, but every number pad is ortho-linear where the keys are directly above each other. Even color coding the keys and extinguishing the lights on surrounding keys is still not the same. Most people will choose 7, 8, and 9 to stay the same which makes u, i, o = 4, 5, 6 and j, k, l = 1, 2, 3. But to match a number pad, 0 (to the right of 9) becomes your plus key, and for me this is hard to get used (the key says 0 and there is a plus key two more keys over) and space or M (or both) becomes 0. The fact that the keys below 7,8,9 are diagonal and to the right just isnt quite the same. And the j key has the bump, which is now the number 1 key vs the bump on the number pad is the on the 5 key. If you can get used to the layout without looking its better. At home I dont have space for a number pad, but at I work I do and I place it above the keyboard. Ive just started using the real number row above the letters more and more. The second reason I wanted this keyboard is for the illuminated keys. If the microsoft natural 4000 keyboard had back lit keys, you wouldnt be reading this review and I would have right arm pain with my hand further out to the side. Nothing is better in a low light environment than back lit keys. And Ive really enjoyed color coding the keys to my liking. You can soften the brightness of the keys by choosing a softer color. I use browns, oranges, and reds so the keyboard is easy to look at in low light. The third reason I wanted a keyboard like this is for on the fly macro programming. Back in the late 90s I had a keyboard that let you program extra keys on the keyboard and it was awesome for short term repetitive tasks. This keyboard shines in this area. While you can put a macro on any key, this keyboard gives you 8 keys on the left side for easy programming and easy access. You press the macro button at the top above the fn keys, press the key you want to program, type whatever you want including spaces, returns, multi key presses (ctrl-shft-end), etc. then press the macro key again to finish. Then bam you have a repeatable set of key strokes for editing that spreadsheet youre working on. Its great! Dont want to accidentally press that macro key and have that complex macro do all kinds of crazy stuff on another important document or spreadsheet? Press macro, the key you just programed, and macro again... macro erased. I did have to burn one of the macro keys for the function layer (fn) toggle (press it once and release to toggle to the function layer, press it again to toggle back vs the built in FN button that only toggles to the funciton layer while your holding the key down). There is an oversized Kinesis key in the upper left next to ESC, the perfect location for fn toggle, but strangely enough, fn toggle is the one thing you cant program that key for. You can but it prevents you from programming macros with the macro button. Its a bug in the software they dont care to fix. So I just programmed the big kenesis button as another ESC key and I used the macro 7 key as fn toggle just above the fn key. I also reprogrammed F2 and F3, which I never use, with volume up and down, which is already printed on the key. F2 and F3 are then on the function layer if I need them. ## edit 12/9/2022. I still use macros all the time, but sometimes the macros are too fast for the program you are using. For example your macro involves entering info into a popup dialog box, that delay for the dialog box to appear takes time and the macro can speed past and now you are out of sync. You can fix this by slowing the macro down or by adding delays, but you have launch VDRIVE and edit the macro in the keyboard gui keyboard application. Its not that big of a deal, and you can change the settings to globally slow down macros, but I thought it was worth mentioning as it does take time to deal with. The palm rests are super comfy and coming from a microsoft ergonomic keyboard the tent kit is a requirement. Im happy with the middle setting of 10 degrees and I spread the keyboard out until its comfortable. Last thing, I did O-ring both keyboards. I bought these silicone O rings https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HMMGHL4 and this key puller https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TAUJDJK and it very noticeably reduced the clackiness of the keyboards. So it becomes quite the investment of keyboard, tent kit, O ring kit and a little time to install the O rings, getting used to the layout, programming the lights and other layers. But in the end, I think its worth it. Keyboard, Monitors, and Mouse are your main interfaces to the machine. Make them count. ## edit 12/9/2022. I still love both keyboards and use them daily without issue. While it could be valuable using keyboard layer switching for particular software like gaming, adobe, or video editing, I find myself never using the fn layer toggle. At home I use a KVM switch to switch between several computers. I cant launch the VDRIVE (F8) when plugged into the dedicated keyboard port on my KVM switch (because the VDRIVE button turns the keyboard into a USB key and the KVM switch only wants to see a keyboard). But I can access VDRIVE if I plug the keyboard into the shared usb port on the KVM switch, but then I cant use the keyboard commands to change computers because the KVM switch is looking for those commands on the keyboard port. So fast macro tuning using the VDRIVE keyboard app is out when using a KVM switch (and I would imagine most KVM switches operate this way). In order to change keyboard settings or edit a macro, I have to be determined and change USB ports on the KVM switch, launch VDRIVE, make the changes and change back the USB port. You dont have to shutdown the computer to change ports but its painful enough that it prevents me from making changes at times. I dont do this very often and havent for months. But in the beginning, you will probably be making frequent tweaks to your setup to dial it in. Just wanted to share my experience with the KVM switch Im using. Siig SIIG CEKV0612S1 4x1 USB HDMI KVM Switch https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G88PRUK/

I type faster and make less mistakes with this mechanical keyboard. The split design is comfortable (despite a wrist injury) and the satisfying sound says, “I am getting Lots Of Work Done.” It is great except for one thing: the illuminated keys don’t live up to the advertising. I wanted the illuminated keys because the keyboard is on a drawer under the desk, resulting in much of the keyboard being in shadow, plus I do have to look at the keys when using special characters such as “%” or “{“. The special characters that I need to light are exactly the characters that do not light. The photos that Kinesis uses to sell this keyboard misrepresent how the illumination of the keys actually looks. One of those photos is attached. Also attached are more photos—two showing how the keys look when illumination is on, and the other showing how the LED is positioned under the key cap. After this investigation I’d be surprised if ANY mechanical keys available today can be made to illuminate both characters because parts of the mechanical key (metal and otherwise) are opaque, and the light can’t get around those parts to illuminate the second character. Maybe a design change for future keyboards would be adding a second LED light for the other half of the key. Cool if that circuit were activated by the “shift” key… So the choice seems to be either crisp/accurate/more fun mechanical keys that don’t illuminate completely, or mushy/membrane keys that do illuminate completely. Next Ill try an LED light strip to stick on the underside of the desk above, and turn off the keyboard lights.

Firstly, I really like this keyboard, and love the clacky blue keys which feel really good. Also, Im a big fan of the lighting - I cant believe I went 25 years without a lighted keyboard. The only complaint I have is there is a steep re-acclimation curve to get used to where the Del, Home, End, Pg Up, Pg Dn, arrow keys, and number keys. I am a computer programmer of 25 years, and with my MS Natural Keyboard, I NEVER had to look down and search for ANY of the keys mentioned above. I didnt even think about it... However, with this keyboard which Ive had for a month now, it is slow-going getting used to the new key-locations. Whoever said its an easy transition mustnt use those key listed above very much. For what I do, I use them a lot. For gaming, there are no problems whatsoever, and I really appreciate the lighted keys then. With all that said, I do recommend this if youre looking for a lighted keyboard, and as a bonus, the keys feel and sound so crisp as you type!