As creatives, we spend a variety of time at our computer systems, the place the cumulative pressure on our palms, wrists, and shoulders is an actual concern. Whereas ergonomic mice and chairs have grow to be extra widespread, the keyboard usually stays an afterthought. Enter the ZSA Moonlander, a break up, ergonomic keyboard promising a extremely customizable and cozy typing expertise. It goals to be a premium answer for discerning customers and keyboard aficionados. However is it a worthwhile funding for inventive professionals? I have been testing the Moonlander over the previous couple of weeks, and listed here are my ideas.
What’s within the Field
The Moonlander arrives with a complete set of equipment. Contained in the field, you get the 2 keyboard halves with the “Wing” wrist rests pre-attached, a 3.5 mm TRRS cable to attach the halves, and a USB Sort-C cable (with a USB-A adapter) for pc connection. ZSA additionally features a key puller, a couple of further keycaps, a hex key for adjusting the thumb cluster, and a comfortable carrying case in case you wish to edit on the go.
The keyboard itself is well-constructed. It is a unique-looking piece of {hardware}, instantly exhibiting its ergonomic intentions with its break up design and columnar key format. It makes use of high-quality plastics, whereas the non-obligatory tilting platform is all metallic.
The core design of the Moonlander revolves round ergonomic selections. Right here’s a fast refresher in the event you’re not accustomed to ergo setups: the break up lets you place every half independently, selling higher shoulder and chest alignment in comparison with a conventional single-slab keyboard. This alone could make a big distinction throughout lengthy workdays and is the simplest single change to make when utilizing a keyboard, for my part.
The tenting functionality, obtainable by default with the included legs or considerably enhanced by the non-obligatory Platform—a separate buy at $112—is a significant ergonomic function. The Platform makes use of a sturdy locking slider mechanism, with angle markings in 10-degree increments, permitting you to exactly set and match the tenting angle for each halves, whereas the included legs nonetheless allow you to get an affordable cant on the board. As soon as locked with the hex wrench, the Platform is extremely secure, even at extra excessive angles. The fast-release latching system can be intelligent; it holds agency whereas typing however disengages simply once you raise the keyboard, making it easy to pack away.
The Moonlander includes a columnar format, the place keys are organized in vertical columns relatively than the staggered format discovered on most keyboards. The speculation is that this reduces finger journey and improves ergonomics. Whereas I did not discover a night-and-day distinction in “finger really feel,” it would assist with some particular pressure points—it’ll require a little bit of adjustment in the event you don’t contact kind “correctly,” i.e., utilizing non-traditional fingers to hit sure keys.
Every keyboard half has an adjustable thumb cluster, designed to carry regularly used keys like house, enter, or backspace inside straightforward attain of your thumbs, probably shifting a few of the workload off your pinkies. These clusters will be independently angled for consolation.
The built-in Wing wrist rests are a pleasant contact, magnetically attaching beneath the keyboard halves, and they’re detachable in the event you want a special answer or no rests in any respect.
In follow, I discovered the Moonlander snug all through the workday. Coming from a break up keyboard already, I observed essentially the most enchancment when switching between my laptop computer keyboard and the Moonlander, with the laptop computer keyboard forcing your wrists collectively in a clumsy association. Higher arm posture is one thing you solely actually discover once you’ve stopped doing it the fallacious means, however it actually does make a distinction.
Customization
The standout function of the Moonlander is its deep customizability, courtesy of the open-source Quantum Mechanical Keyboard Firmware (QMK) and ZSA’s on-line configurator instrument, Oryx. Each single key will be remapped, and remapping extends far past simply swapping two keys round. There’s that straightforward key swapping, however then every key can have as much as 4 features: one for a faucet, one other for a maintain, a 3rd for a double-tap, and even a tap-and-hold mixture. And that’s earlier than you even get into layers.
The layer-based system successfully provides you a number of keyboards in a single. You’ll be able to design totally completely different keyboard layouts and change between them on the fly. Think about a devoted layer for Adobe Photoshop, with shortcuts for instruments, changes, and layer operations mapped to particular keys—even perhaps color-coded with the per-key RGB underglow. Or a layer optimized for video enhancing, with keys assigned to trimming, playback management, and coloration grading features. The left half may even function standalone, which might be a boon for editors utilizing a pen pill with their proper hand, offering a compact financial institution of customized shortcuts utilizing your keyboard muscle reminiscence. Much more pragmatically, you’ll be able to have a layer only for arrow keys, media keys, and the numpad, bringing the facility of a full-width keyboard to this way more compact break up format.
ZSA’s on-line configurator offers a easy and intuitive internet UI for mapping keys, creating macros, managing layers, and customizing the RGB lighting. Flashing your new format to the keyboard is fast, normally taking lower than a minute. Nevertheless, the method does require downloading a small app and manually placing the keyboard into bootloader mode by way of a reset button or key mixture. In comparison with another customizable keyboards I’ve used—like those who enable flashing straight from the browser or reside enhancing from their app—the Moonlander’s flashing course of feels just a little extra fundamental, with a few further steps.
Whereas this stage of management is undoubtedly highly effective, it will also be overwhelming. The intimidation issue is actual, particularly when first beginning out and making an attempt to plot the optimum format on your workflow. That studying curve with customization extends to truly utilizing the board: be ready for an adjustment interval. ZSA is upfront about this, and even coming from a break up ergonomic format—albeit a non-columnar one—it took per week or two to really feel really proficient. The columnar format and the distinctive key association require retraining muscle reminiscence, however it’s positively doable.
ZSA does present good sources to assist this transition, together with typing trainers constructed into their software program, a heatmap to trace key utilization (helpful for understanding the place you may wish to add shortcuts), and coaching modes for particular keys or macros. These will be notably useful in the event you’re diving deep into creating customized setups for complicated software program like Photoshop or video NLEs.
In terms of the default format, I discovered it a bit unintuitive. Whereas it successfully showcases a few of QMK’s superior options—just like the “Hyper” key (a single key appearing as Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Win/Cmd), which is nice for system-wide shortcuts—different selections had been much less very best for me. As an illustration, the default mapping of “Z” to additionally operate as Left Management when held, or the non-traditional placement of backspace, continually tripped me up till I swapped them again to one thing extra acquainted. A default format that extra carefully mirrors conventional QWERTY for important keys like backspace, management, shift, and alt may ease the preliminary transition for a lot of customers, permitting them to get typing comfortably sooner after which steadily discover customization at their most popular tempo.
Past the software program, you’ll be able to customise the board itself. The Moonlander helps hot-swappable switches, that means you’ll be able to simply change them with out soldering. It is appropriate with each 3-pin and 5-pin switches. My unit got here with Kailh Copper switches, that are glorious tactile switches with a really quick bump firstly of the keypress. ZSA gives the Moonlander with a spread of Cherry MX and Kailh switches, masking tactile, linear, and clicky preferences. Swapping switches after buy is easy utilizing the included puller.
The keycaps are high-quality doubleshot PBT, made in Taiwan. The principle lettered keys are all OEM Row 3 profile, which suggests you’ll be able to shuffle them round for various layouts like Colemak or Dvorak with out subject. ZSA consists of F and J keycaps with out homing bumps for this goal. Nevertheless, the thumb cluster makes use of non-standard 1.5u and 2u keycaps, which makes discovering aftermarket caps for these particular keys more difficult. Whereas usually fairly snug, I discovered that even with bigger palms, the outermost thumb key and the big pink keys on every cluster had been a little bit of a stretch to achieve comfortably and constantly—these in all probability aren’t going to be core keys in your format, however it’s one thing to think about for smaller palms.
Value and Worth
The ZSA Moonlander is undeniably a premium product with a premium price ticket: $365 for the keyboard itself, and a further $112 in the event you go for the superb Platform tenting accent.
Seen above is the tenting Platform accent, with detailed mechanical latches and assemblies—all simply to tilt the board.
For inventive professionals who spend a lot of their workday on the keyboard and are prepared to speculate time within the customization course of, the Moonlander can provide vital worth. The potential for a extra snug work expertise and extremely tailor-made workflows for particular functions is compelling. For customers who aren’t inclined to tinker extensively with layouts and macros, the excessive price and steep studying curve is likely to be more durable to justify.
The board strikes an fascinating steadiness, providing the deep customization usually present in DIY keyboard merchandise however with the polish and assist of a client product, together with a two-year guarantee and direct customer support by way of common e-mail (a too-rare function nowadays, and one ZSA is especially pleased with).
Total, the ZSA Moonlander is a thoughtfully designed ergonomic keyboard. Its break up design, tenting capabilities (particularly with the Platform), and columnar format present a strong, very ergonomic basis for a much more snug typing expertise, whereas the facility of QMK firmware permits for an virtually limitless tailoring of the keyboard to particular person workflows—even giving devoted enhancing keyboards a run for his or her cash, whereas nonetheless functioning as a traditional board in different apps.
Finally, the ZSA Moonlander is a severe instrument for customers centered on ergonomics and workflow optimization. The Moonlander is accessible for buy direct from ZSA.
What I Favored
Distinctive customizability of format, layers, and macros by way of QMK
Wonderful ergonomic potential with break up design and adjustable tenting
Comfy for prolonged work periods as soon as tailored
Scorching-swappable switches enable for simple personalization of typing really feel
Strong construct of the Platform accent
Per-key RGB lighting for purposeful suggestions or aesthetics
What Might Be Improved
Default format might be extra intuitive for novices
Some thumb cluster keys will be tough to achieve
Software program flashing course of is a bit clunkier than some rivals
Excessive worth level, particularly with the Platform accent
