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

I got this to replace a Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic keyboard that was failing. Id been wanting a mechanical keyboard for a while, and this Kinesis was basically the closes I could find to ergo in a mechanical keyboard. Ive not been a PC gamer in years (and years and years), but I am a software developer and having absolute assurance of when a keypress registers helps me avoid typos. The way this keyboard stores settings by emulating a USB flash drive is unique to say the least. Ill be honest, RGB lighting isnt a priority but its neat and some of the profiles like rain or responsive are really cool. I doubt Ill use the software too much, but it is nice that it requires no install onto my computer (you just run the portable EXE file, which downloads from their website in a 7 MB ZIP file). I didnt realize it lacked the Windows Application Key (the key thats usually to the right and opens the right-click menu on a PC). But I can use the alternative Shift-F10 keystroke for that and its rare enough that I dont think Ill care about the omission of that key. I dont believe the top-left key (with the Kinesis logo) does anything by default, but I used the software to reconfigure it to act as Escape (using a macro that only runs that one keypress). The sound takes some getting used to, but then again thats precisely why I purchased a mechanical keyboard :)

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.

I got the Brown key variant, and I have to report that it comically loud. This would be good for (1) deaf people and (2) stage plays where you need a loud keyboard so that the audience can hear the typing. Anyone you live with will hate this noise. And if youre listening to music, youll hear this through the music. Its unfathomable to me that there are key variants that are even louder than Brown. Its a lot of money to spend on something that is so annoying. If you were on a conference call, this typing sound would be RIDICULOUS; coworkers would mock you / know every key that you press. How awkward would that be during a tough conversation (e.g., performance eval)? I dont want to find out. Im ordering a bunch of other keyboards to compare, including a different one with the Red Quiet switches. Ill report back. Hopefully I find a better one and can return this noisy thing. Glare: If you have a window in front of you and you have this keyboard at arms length, the keys are difficult to see. There is great glare on them and its difficult to read the keys in daylight. Presumably it would be better in a dark room, but Im mostly using the computer during the day. keywords: silent quiet noisy loud click clack sound glare Update (May 2021): I am returning this due to the sound and glare. The Kinesis Freestyle Pro with silent switches is quieter, though the space key is still loud. The Freestyle Pros keys are easier to see, because the letters are printed in white and better withstand glare.

Its counterintuitive but springy mechanical keys can lead to more ergonomic typing for some people. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that each key pops your finger back up as you touch-type(?) Im using the MX Brown, and honestly would probably be happier with even less resistant keys (i.e. MX Silver). I cant imagine using MX Blue but maybe you want a forearm (and eardrum) workout... The bigger advantage is probably the split design. Combine it with the tenting kit (Id recommend the one that lets you keep the wristpad supports). The ability to shift the keyboard segment distance and angle makes for much more comfortable typing. There are some drawbacks: Of course, mechanical keyboards are noisier. I dont find this to be a problem in a home/small office, but you might not want a bunch of these clacking in the same room as you. The other drawback (unless you have really long fingers) is that you lose comfortable access to some keys that are common for coding & technical typing. This is a LARGE keyboard and Control, Backspace, Home thru PgDwn, and the arrow keys are a bit of a stretch. And there is no numeric keypad (which Ive always preferred for arrow key and Home thru PgDwn use). There isnt really a solution to this that still leaves room on your desk to use a mouse though. This keyboard doesnt magically solve that problem but Im not aware of one that does. Finally there is the fact that mechanical keyboards are sold as gaming devices--which I dont understand. Sure, the RGB lighting and key programming abilities are top notch. But Im not sure why youd want to use a mechanical keyboard for gaming--or any activity that requires you to press-and-hold keys. The added force required to hold down keys makes this slightly uncomfortable. A final comment: my keyboards onboard memory got corrupted at one point--I could type but not use the software or lighting. The fix is easy but NOT documented on the website or the manual which is a shame. The solution--which you will get if you contact tech support--is to reformat the little 4MB onboard drive (K in this command-line example): format k: /fs:fat /a:512 /q. Then unplug and replug in the keyboard. Kinesis probably doesnt want non-technical types formatting things, but do many non-technical people buy $200 keyboards? Bottom line: if you like mechanical keyboards, this is a great one. Id honestly recommend it for conventional touch-typists as much as gamers. If youre coding, it will take some getting used to and you might even want to add a separate keypad if you can figure out where to fit that on your desk.

Im 33 years old and i started to game again about 2 years ago - but when I picked up some of my more favorite games, twitch shooters, i was getting a lot of pain in my wrists. I was using a Corsair K95 and a SteelSeries mouse. Switching to this keyboard and my new mouse alleviated most of the stress and it makes sense because my desk is really non-negotiable in terms of changing. Its a bit pricey but its also good for FPS gaming because you can put aside the other half of the keyboard and you dont have to go purchase a smaller form factor keyboard, i have huge fingers and i dont need a tiny little keyboard. I recommend this to both people looking for relief as well as enthusiasts as it has solid RGB lighting, a sidearea on the left hand of extra keys to program - super cool and handy, easily customizable and programmable macros... onboard software - which is great when you are like me and utilizing a switch between two computers - the preferences are onboard so it works across platforms. As I write this review I realize there are more and more things I like about this keyboard, if you have the extra cash - go for it - you will not regret it. I will retract a few stars because of the premium aspect of the niche product id like a steel body option. It just makes sense especially if you are going to travel with it. I do appreciate the thick woven cable insulation but definitely do not particularly like all the plastic material for the body.

Key feel is really atrocious for a mechanical keyboard. Feels mushy and cheap.

Let me begin by saying that Ive been using ergonomic keyboards since 2011. I have used both the wired and wireless Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, and then the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard. I do like the mechanical keys, wrist rests, and optional tilt mechanism of this keyboard better than the Microsoft keyboards. However, this keyboard has some pluses and minuses to it, and for the price, I was hoping the minuses would be much less. Pros: 1. Nice key-feel 2. Backlighting 3. Good quality USB cable that can be tucked away if you dont need the full length 4. The ability to program the backlighting exactly how you want it and other programming features. Cons: 1. The keyboard backlighting turns off when you press the FN key. Why do they think I dont need to see the keys any longer when I press the FN key? 2. The keys with multiple glyphs on them (e.g., number keys) only allow the backlighting to shine through one of the glyphs. 3. The glyphs are in the wrong order on the individual keycaps. I have been using a computer almost daily since 1988, and used a typewriter before that, and in all my years of using keyboard, I have never seen this done. The shift character is on the bottom of the keycap. In other words, the 5 key has the % symbol below the 5. The period key has the > below the period. I am a touch-typist, but there are many times when I am using both the trackpad and the keyboard that I need to quickly press one of these keys and it breaks my brain every single time I look at one of these keycaps. 4. The space bars extend too far to the left and right. I am a touch-typist and the finger I normally use to press the command key cannot reach it. This has broken my normal use-case so thoroughly, that I have remapped the caps lock key to command. There is absolutely no need whatsoever for the spacebar to be as wide as it is. My thumbs rest on the part furthest to the center naturally. On every other keyboard I own, the spacebar ends up to a full key and a half before the spacebar on this model does. 5. The forward-delete key is way too far away in the top-right corner. It is impossible to reach without moving my hands far off of the home row. It doesnt even make any sense how far away it is. 6. The tilt kit should come standard. 7. The weird software system that you have to load by pressing a key combination

This keyboard greatly helped with my RSI. I love the adjustable tilt and adjustable angle between the two halves. Keys have great tactile feel and clickiness. Four months after receiving it, a group of keys started to intermittently fail. At first they would go out for minutes at a time but would come back after fiddling with the board. The problem got worse over the next month and now it looks like theyve stopped working entirely. It took a couple rounds with tech support with them asking me to troubleshoot various things before they agreed it was a hardware issue and offered to replace the keyboard. My only problem with this is that they are making me pay the return shipping. So one star off for the service. Otherwise when the board is working I give it 5 stars. Update: After discovering that it would cost $20 to ship the keyboard back, I contacted the company and they agreed to send a shipping label. Changing my rating from 4 stars to 5. Ill revise my review if I have any issues with the replacement. I hope the bad board was a one-off since Ive now bought a second keyboard for my desk at work.

I bought this keyboard because I was having trouble finding a mechanical ergonomic keyboard that featured RGB lighting. Cherry Blue switches are the cherry on top that makes this board actually fun to type on. TLDR: While some functions are a bit lacking, overall this keyboard is a winner. It is a joy to type on. Setup is fast and easy. The software needs additional features and updating. If youre looking for a mechanical keyboard, with RGB lighting, and is the epitome of ergonomic, THIS is the board for you. PROS: - Easy to go from a regular keyboard to this one. Start with the two halves closer together to get that classic keyboard feel. - Looks and feels great. Keys are responsive, and nice and clacky (if you like that kinda thing). Key travel is right where it should be to feel natural. - RGB backlighting is well executed. The glow is definitely noticeable, especially at max brightness. The lighting is dimmable and can even be turned off if thats your preference. - You dont NEED to download any software. Simply plug it in, let it install itself, and youre up and running. The additional control software is necessary for remapping of keys, macro creation, and tweaking the RGB lighting to your preference. - This has built-in storage on the board itself. Set your profiles in the control software, save it to your board, and take those configurations anywhere. Switching profiles is as easy as pushing the Profile button. Profiles can be set with different key mappings, RGB lighting, and macros. - The onboard memory can be accessed via File Explorer and looks like a small flash drive. The files on your onboard memory are simple text files (.txt extensions) and can be edited in a simple text editor like Notepad, Wordpad, or Notepad++. The files are very straightforward and easy to decipher. - The keyboard looks unlike 99% of other boards out there. I have received SO many comments and compliments on this board when I take it to LAN parties or out in public. CONS: - The software lacks some functionality and can be a little confusing at first. Just know that you have to save profiles before the change is reflected on the board itself. I wish updates on the screen were reflected instantly on the keyboard (lighting, for example). - You can only have one RGB effect/layer at a time. I wish there were a way to combine additional layers to layer the different RGB effects (example: rainbow wave going at all times, but Ripple effect on each keypress). Layering effects is done by other companies already (like Razer), so hopefully Kinesis will add this in later. - At this price point, I would have hoped that the risers used to tent the keyboard would have been included. They arent terribly complex, and simply including them in the purchase price would save a lot of aggravation and expense. (I accidentally ordered the wrong Lift Kit for the Freestyle keyboard instead of the Edge RGB).

I recently needed to replace my Microsoft ergonomic keyboard, which was pretty old and the keys had started to stick. After a bit of online study, I decided my poor arthritic fingers deserved the best care I could provide, and this keyboard seemed a likely candidate. I have had it now for two days, and I just *love* it...the return to a mechanical feel is welcome, but the mechanics on this board are the best yet, at least in my experience. I use my computer for data science work, writing papers, and all the other usual correspondence and so on, so I spend a LOT of time typing, and it is so much more efficient than that Microsoft board was; responsive, comfy, and highly configurable. Indeed, I find I move the two halves around periodically to minimize repetitive motion, something I would not have even thought of if the board design didnt allow it! And all this before Ive even gotten the tenting add-on, which should increase comfort even more (I accidentally ordered the wrong kit the first time; Amazon suggested buying it with the board, and I did not look closely enough to see that it wasnt the correct type--watch out for this!). Anyway I have no idea how it might be for gaming, but even for standard keyboarding application, its an exceptional gadget. Spendy, no doubt about that, but so far Id have to say it was worth every penny. And, in perspective, much cheaper than carpal tunnel rehab...right? One additional point: I was concerned that the layout would be hard to get accustomed to. Its not. All the keys are right where my fingers expect them to be, and I just had to get used to the distances, which are a bit different than the old Microsoft Ergo. But Im now typing even faster than before, thanks to the new boards responsiveness and feel. After just two days of not especially heavy use. Everyone probably experiences this a little differently, but I can say that for me, its a non-issue.