Best Split Keyboard For Gaming 2022
The split keyboard is gaining popularity amongst gamers - here's the best of the bunch
Split keyboards are often favored in the working environment, offering typists an ergonomic option to keep any repetitive strains at bay. For gamers that do more than just load up the latest AAA title, an ergonomic split keyboard could be ideal for both working and gaming.
Traditional keyboards were designed in an era where health concerns were often overlooked, with even the ANSI and ISO layout boards being refined to offer a bit more support and comfort when being used.
The stress on your health can build up over time and affect you in later life, we’ve recently been getting into the science of ergonomics, specifically with chairs and ergonomic mice. But we’ve unfortunately neglected keyboards. keyboards can cause the same issues of pronation that mice can. Pronation is the positioning of the hand with the palm facing directly down, keeping your wrists in this position for extended periods can cause strain. While split keyboards don’t always remedy this, they can help separate your hands into a more natural spacing
Split keyboards feature a strange appearance and are certainly something that will take a lot of getting used to. As you can tell by the name, a split keyboard is usually split into two halves. The two halves give the user various options as to where they can position the keys, allowing you to comfortably line up your wrists when working or gaming. This makes split keyboards among the best of the best when looking for an ergonomic keyboard.
Let’s take a closer look.
Our Top Picks
Our Best Split Keybaords For Gaming
In-depth Review
KINESIS Freestyle Edge RGB
KINESIS Freestyle Edge RGB
Kinesis and ergonomic design go hand in hand; This company was at the forefront of more comfortable keyboard options and this mechanical gaming keyboard follows suit.
If this wasn’t split you could say it was a TKL board, as it is lacking the numerical pad on the right. This board is split into two halves with up to 20 inches of separation. The left half of the board features 10 extra keys, eight being macros, and the other two made for advanced commands.
The design is fairly simplistic with pleasant RGB backlighting, letting you know this was built for gamers. The Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB Is our top pick primarily because of the availability of genuine Cherry MX switches, with your choice of reds, blues, or browns. The advantages of good mechanical switches in a gaming keyboard cannot be overstated.
There is no software required to get the RGB shining and it feels robust and ready for anything, making the Kinesis FreeStyle Edge RGB our top pick for the best split keyboard you can buy right now.
Koolertron SMKD62
Koolertron SMKD62
With the Koolertron SMKD62 you are getting an 89 key split keyboard that simply looks fantastic. The sleek and simplistic design will be favored by many who dislike flashy RGB boards, with this looking great as part of any setup.
This is another option with no numerical keypad, saving space and generally making it more versatile for its primary use, gaming. The board splits into two halves and weighs just three pounds.
This keyboard comes with a variety of switch options from two different manufacturers, Cherry MX and the highly popular MX Clones from Gateron. The switch options are a little limited in terms of variety but they offer both gamers and typists great options.
This split keyboard comes with a 1m long detachable cable and features a mini USB to link the two segments. The board features anti-ghosting, and the switches are very accurate and responsive, giving you the best possible results.
This is a slick board and the superb design speaks for itself.
Cloud Nine C989M
Cloud Nine C989M
The Cloud Nine C989M ergonomic split keyboard comes with all the features a gamer could want. This split board will not only help eliminate those pesky pains and strains, but it will do so in style.
The board is split about 40/60, with the WASDA side for gamers getting some macros along the leftmost side. The split board can have a gap as wide as six inches, giving you enough room to maneuver this into the perfect position for your needs. This is backlit with RGB and features a handy volume control wheel in the middle of the split.
Aside from RGB lighting, the C9 board features Cherry MX Brown switches which are widely known for gaming performance and feature a tactile bump. Whether its gaming or typing, you are going to have a comfortable and satisfying experience with this board at all times.
This is a great split keyboard for gaming simply thanks to its versatility and it is the only one on our list to feature a full-size layout and a numerical keypad. Furthermore, you are getting a built-in palm rest with this product too, so get ready for some comfy gaming!
ErgoDox EZ
ErgoDox EZ
The only reason the ErgoDox EZ doesn’t top our list is its excessive price, of course, it depends on the optional extras you pick, but your basket can easily come out to more than $350. But the ergonomic ortholinear layout needs to be represented here, and this is by far the best example. So what is Ortholinear?
The ErgoDox EZ’s ortholinear design fixes a somewhat antiquated design in keyboards. Why are the keys not stacked directly on top of each other? Our fingers extend forwards and back, not left and right. The ErgoDox EZ uses an ortholinear design wherein all the keys are vertically aligned, retaining the familiar QWERTY layout, but increasing the ergonomics tenfold.
We also like the novel tilt/tent system. This comprises three legs on both keyboard halves, they can all be adjusted independently so you can find the ideal angles for your specific preferences. The ErgoDox EZ is the best implementation of these we’ve seen thus far.
Final Word
There we have it folks, a rundown of the best split keyboards for gaming. We’ve covered ergonomics, posture, build quality, and the differences between split and standard keyboards.
We’ve also taken a dive into the various repetitive strain injuries that are commonly caused by standard keyboards and how these can cause significant discomfort, and how they can be mitigated by a good split keyboard. Repetitive strain injuries are the bain of any typist or PC gamer, so it’s worth keeping them at bay. You can reduce the discomfort caused by repetitive strain injuries further by combining the split keyboard with the best mouse for carpal tunnel for a fully ergonomically-focused setup. It may cost a bit initially, but reducing the possibility of repetitive strain injuries and in turn, decreasing discomfort levels over long periods is more than worth it.