This is admittedly a lazy post where I show that I haven’t done much research.

Whenever I start searching around online, I find tons of smaller companies selling ergo keyboards or parts for keyboards, but they are always very pricey and don’t match the layout I want. I quickly give up since it can take long to search store-by-store online.

The keyboard of my dreams has:

  1. All (104) the keys. This means arrow keys and as numpad. I like the layout of my current keyboard (below). I guess this is called a “full keyboard”?
  2. Mechanical and with plenty of clackedy clack in the keys.
  3. Corded with USB (I still miss PS/2 :))
  4. Is curved, similar to this one.
  5. Has the “Y” key on the left side of the gap! This is my biggest sticking point. I have realized that I type the “Y” key with my left hand 99% of the time and I don’t want to change.
  6. I am also willing to investigate split design keyboards if the “Y” is on the left and a numpad can exist separately which I could put to the right of my mouse. But still I’d prefer that to be attached.
  7. I don’t care about RGB or lights or much else. Take it or leave it.

For reference, this is my current keyboard and I actually quite love it. I just wish it was curved.

  • obosobMEnglish
    6•1 month ago

    I’m short, no, the keyboard you are describing does not exist. As others have pointed out, you might need to design your own.

    Besides the Y key requirement, the curved requirement is also going to make it a little trickier to design. If you want it curved then you’ll have a hard time making a PCB, so you’d probably want to hand-wire it in a 3d printed case or something. If you don’t necessarily need curved and would settle for tented then it’ll make that a little easier. Tented means when the two halves are tilted opposite directions with the middle highest and the edges lowest (like a classic A-frame tent). This would allow for two flat PCBs. You could make the halves separate or attached to each other depending on your preference. Presumably the numpad would then be flat relative to the desk.

    The closest thing that came to mind, by the way, is the keebio KBO-5000 as this is a pretty traditional tenkeyless layout (no numpad) but split, and can thus be tented with the addition of some feet or a wedge of some kind, then you can just have an external numpad. But as you can see, the Y key is in its correct spot on the right, rather than the left where you’d prefer it. Either way, hopefully this provides some inspiration for your design.

    Happy designing.