Use a split keyboard to protect your wrists while working and PC gaming

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I faced a dilemma that will 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 ever before using the same setup to stay connected with friends during a bleak time. I’d never had wrist pain while typing, 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’d expected from a modern gaming keyboard.

Eventually, I found a solution that met my criteria for a gaming keyboard while also being ergonomic, a combination of needs that I assumed would never overlap – at least at a reasonable price. I found that Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGBand while $199.99 may not be “reasonable” for some, it is cheaper than other split keyboards with similar features.

The main feature that sets the Kinesis apart from most other keyboards is that it is divided into two parts, with each part connected by a cable. In case you’re wondering, yes, typing on this type of keyboard requires a learning curve. How difficult it will be depends on how you type on a traditional keyboard. If you use the basic keyboard rows like you might have learned in computer class as a kid, it probably won’t take you long to get used to it, but if you’re searching and picking around for keys, the split layout can be more of a challenge.

Because the Freestyle Edge RGB is split, you can position each half exactly how you want, as long as the two sides don’t extend beyond the 20-inch length of the cable. So instead of bending my wrists outward to type in traditional 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. It’s bliss. If you play games like Microsoft Flight SimulatorYou can even slide one of the two halves aside to make room on your desk for a HOTAS controller.

Image: Kinesis

Despite its appearance, the Freestyle Edge RGB is similar 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) if you prefer, and each key is backlit with RGB LEDs that can be customized in the Kinesis SmartSet app. This model also features removable wrist rests that elevate 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 the same time. I found out the hard way that my previous split keyboard didn’t support this in the heyday of Halo Infiniteis a very entertaining online multiplayer mode. I couldn’t simultaneously hold Shift to sprint, Spacebar to jump, 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 in ergonomic models. Luckily, it’s available with the Freestyle Edge RGB, which is just as responsive and powerful as the next gaming keyboard and ready for any key sequence.

Photo: Cameron Faulkner/Polygon

This Kinesis keyboard supports an additional ergonomic feature that puts other gaming keyboards to shame. The $29.99 lifting rate comes in two pieces, each of which snaps onto the bottom of the Freestyle Edge RGB to provide some elevation so your wrists can be opened (oriented more like you’re shaking hands rather than lying flat). This allows the keyboard halves to tilt independently at multiple angles. The lowest angle options of 5 and 10 degrees tilt each side slightly upward, while the 15 degree angle provides a steeper tilt that may look strange, but in my experience quickly felt normal when typing.

One small complaint I have about the Freestyle Edge RGB is that compared to more expensive options like the ErgoDox EZ and that Matias Ergo Pro, it does not support tilting, which would raise your palms so that they are higher than your fingers. It would have been ideal if the V3 Pro Lifters additional kit had made this possible. For the money, however, the Freestyle Edge RGB offers just enough for full- or part-time gamers and desk workers looking to take a break from wrist pain.