As someone who’s never really dabbled in the split keyboard space, one of the major turnoffs for me has been that seemingly near all of the designs have been tray mount (I’ve not personally seen anything else, but wouldn’t be surprised if it exists). This is super interesting! Would love to a design similar to this maybe with a plastic case to bring the price down! Would also love to see a gummy o ring style drop in mounted split!
@@dnegrete3736 are you saying those mounting types exist in these ergo boards? Certainly agree (and own) boards with those other mounting styles, and prefer all of them over tray mount. I was saying one of my personal reservations about the ergo / split boards I’ve seen is that they’ve all been tray mount, but maybe I haven’t looked hard enough.
@@dnegrete3736That’s fair! I guess I was thinking more for the split boards than alice / arisu. Who knows? Neo seems to be hitting tons of different markets, maybe they’ll bring some non tray mounted designs to the split keyboard space.
They do exist, though really hard to know about unless you are part of split keyboard communities. I would reccomend checking out the Sol3 by rgbkb, has a unique oring/gasket mount design that is put together using magnets and currently still in stock (he has quite a few extras, prototypist was the eu vendor if you are out of the US). But yeah they are pretty rare. Usually I am more of a 40% guy but I plan on picking up both the Altair and Altair-X for myself, it is rare to get premium splits like these. Last one I know of other than the sol3 was the cornelius, which wasn't technically a split but it shares the layout of split boards instead of just being a standard board with alice setup.
Why do I always find the perfect boards AFTER the GB is over. It's like an actual curse or a nightmare I'm forced to live through. I just want a really high quality upgrade to my Corne and this could literally not be more perfect, all the design choices are :chefs_kiss: - with the extra inner column, the 4th thumb key, it sounds crazy good, it's literally fucking PERFECT. I really wish GB culture wasn't a necessity, I understand why it is, but holy fuck sometimes I wish I could just BUY the shit I want when I discover it.
I've been back and forth between split ortho and staggered layouts. My favorite half for gaming is the Game Roy ADVANCE. Idk if you can still get it, but it was a great cheap fr4 build. 100% recommend giving split keyboards a try.
As a split user, i''ve been waiting for this drop. Seeing this build video pretty much sealed the deal. It's not my ideal layout though this is quite beginner friendly (and end-game worthy for most spilt users fwiw) - Good chance the full Altair stays on my gaming PC desk. Also got the Altair-X (I'm a developer who loves his 40s) and will likely be swapping it around with my other 40%'s on my work setup. Great video!
Seriously, I just recently built a wireless corne from typeractive and man this shits all over it in terms of build quality haha. Also hoping this to be my endgame split, at least for a while. My first split was a sofle v2, I love it but again, the material is just not satisfying, and I also think I'm ready to move away from screens on my keyboard. The Altair is just soooo clean. Before this video I was considering a unicorne from boardsource.
This is how I have converted most of my tray mount boards to gasket like mount. The boards are not as bouncy as normal gasket mount board but sounds a lot better.
You're either buying it to upgrade the split you already have, or to get into splits because finally there's a premium option available, if you count group buys as available. And you get into splits mainly for health and comfort reasons, especially if you work at a keyboard all day, and not because of a random board you came across. It's a bit more of an investment than just the price of the board.
This will be a really nice upgrade from my corne and sofle boards. If it was my first split board I might be skeptical of the price but that case and weight are clearly worth a premium.
it will be reprogrammable and thanks to the two separate MCUs in each unit you can have a different keymap (on both sides after linking them with a cable) depending on which side you plug into your PC
Very cool, I wish it had pogo pins, and a tenting option would be nice as well. I feel like with how far Qwerty Keys/ NEO is pushing creature comforts like pogo pins, ball catch etc... any keyboard that costs double or more should at least be on par with those build features. I understand that the economy of scale is not there for less popular layouts. JST cables drive me nuts.
Bit the bullet and ordered one off of mech boards as it seems they're still available for order there. Would you say that these will be good for gaming? It will not only be my first custom keeb, but also my first split/Ortho. If you ever see this comment 😅 thx for sharing the keyboard!
Personally not a fan of my Ortho split boards for gaming, I like having a separate board for gaming, I've tried using a corne and a sofle for gaming, just end up going back to a wooting.
I have 10+ split keyboards, currently on a glove80, and I have to say as nice as that alu case is and as awesome as it is to finally have a proper premium offering, the raised typing angle like you'd find on regular keyboards is a turn off. I would much rather have a flat board.
As someone who’s never really dabbled in the split keyboard space, one of the major turnoffs for me has been that seemingly near all of the designs have been tray mount (I’ve not personally seen anything else, but wouldn’t be surprised if it exists). This is super interesting! Would love to a design similar to this maybe with a plastic case to bring the price down! Would also love to see a gummy o ring style drop in mounted split!
Some of the other common mounting types are gasket, O-ring, or top mount
@@dnegrete3736 are you saying those mounting types exist in these ergo boards? Certainly agree (and own) boards with those other mounting styles, and prefer all of them over tray mount. I was saying one of my personal reservations about the ergo / split boards I’ve seen is that they’ve all been tray mount, but maybe I haven’t looked hard enough.
@@ImOnMy116 The OwLab Spring and Angry Miao AFA had leaf spring mounting. I think Akko has some gasket mounted ergonomic keyboards.
@@dnegrete3736That’s fair! I guess I was thinking more for the split boards than alice / arisu. Who knows? Neo seems to be hitting tons of different markets, maybe they’ll bring some non tray mounted designs to the split keyboard space.
They do exist, though really hard to know about unless you are part of split keyboard communities.
I would reccomend checking out the Sol3 by rgbkb, has a unique oring/gasket mount design that is put together using magnets and currently still in stock (he has quite a few extras, prototypist was the eu vendor if you are out of the US).
But yeah they are pretty rare. Usually I am more of a 40% guy but I plan on picking up both the Altair and Altair-X for myself, it is rare to get premium splits like these. Last one I know of other than the sol3 was the cornelius, which wasn't technically a split but it shares the layout of split boards instead of just being a standard board with alice setup.
Definitely going to buy one of these. Thanks for the demo
Why do I always find the perfect boards AFTER the GB is over. It's like an actual curse or a nightmare I'm forced to live through. I just want a really high quality upgrade to my Corne and this could literally not be more perfect, all the design choices are :chefs_kiss: - with the extra inner column, the 4th thumb key, it sounds crazy good, it's literally fucking PERFECT. I really wish GB culture wasn't a necessity, I understand why it is, but holy fuck sometimes I wish I could just BUY the shit I want when I discover it.
If I hadn't caught the GB I would have considered a Boardsource Corne, have you seen those? They go in and out of stock.
I had just bought some Deeping switches before I watched this. Now I’m pumped af.
I've been back and forth between split ortho and staggered layouts. My favorite half for gaming is the Game Roy ADVANCE. Idk if you can still get it, but it was a great cheap fr4 build. 100% recommend giving split keyboards a try.
As a split user, i''ve been waiting for this drop. Seeing this build video pretty much sealed the deal. It's not my ideal layout though this is quite beginner friendly (and end-game worthy for most spilt users fwiw) - Good chance the full Altair stays on my gaming PC desk. Also got the Altair-X (I'm a developer who loves his 40s) and will likely be swapping it around with my other 40%'s on my work setup.
Great video!
Seriously, I just recently built a wireless corne from typeractive and man this shits all over it in terms of build quality haha. Also hoping this to be my endgame split, at least for a while. My first split was a sofle v2, I love it but again, the material is just not satisfying, and I also think I'm ready to move away from screens on my keyboard. The Altair is just soooo clean. Before this video I was considering a unicorne from boardsource.
Someone needs to make a 4 key split spacebar to slap on that bottom row to make one giant spacebar lol
Really like this as I wish there were more premium cases with ortho / column stagger layout. Hopefully it comes back up for sale
It'd be nice to have a tenting option
This is how I have converted most of my tray mount boards to gasket like mount. The boards are not as bouncy as normal gasket mount board but sounds a lot better.
You're either buying it to upgrade the split you already have, or to get into splits because finally there's a premium option available, if you count group buys as available. And you get into splits mainly for health and comfort reasons, especially if you work at a keyboard all day, and not because of a random board you came across. It's a bit more of an investment than just the price of the board.
This will be a really nice upgrade from my corne and sofle boards. If it was my first split board I might be skeptical of the price but that case and weight are clearly worth a premium.
Hey, Alex. Where are the cables from?
did he mention how this is gonna be reprogrammable? If it s through via that would be the cherry on top tbh
It looks like it will be either VIA or VIAL.
It's Ai03. It will definitely be VIA/VIAL.
it will be reprogrammable and thanks to the two separate MCUs in each unit you can have a different keymap (on both sides after linking them with a cable) depending on which side you plug into your PC
Hi Alex!! Just wondering if this unique sound profile was from the switch or the case mostly - thanks!!
Most of always it's the case.
Very cool, I wish it had pogo pins, and a tenting option would be nice as well. I feel like with how far Qwerty Keys/ NEO is pushing creature comforts like pogo pins, ball catch etc... any keyboard that costs double or more should at least be on par with those build features. I understand that the economy of scale is not there for less popular layouts. JST cables drive me nuts.
Bit the bullet and ordered one off of mech boards as it seems they're still available for order there. Would you say that these will be good for gaming? It will not only be my first custom keeb, but also my first split/Ortho. If you ever see this comment 😅 thx for sharing the keyboard!
Anytime at all! I hope you like it!
Personally not a fan of my Ortho split boards for gaming, I like having a separate board for gaming, I've tried using a corne and a sofle for gaming, just end up going back to a wooting.
I have 10+ split keyboards, currently on a glove80, and I have to say as nice as that alu case is and as awesome as it is to finally have a proper premium offering, the raised typing angle like you'd find on regular keyboards is a turn off. I would much rather have a flat board.
@alex, where do you get your cables from? Thx 😊
Sounds phenomenal. Really impressed I'd say. The logos gotta go but really neat keyboard design.
Tempting since most split board sound and feel cheap. Looks a bit like a Lily58 and that didn't have enough columnar stagger for my taste.
what keyboard is at the top of the frame?
what is the brown pad under the keeb
What is wrong with my timing? I just ordered Lily58 last week
I'm going to bankrupt myself after this one
BTW Always good to watch your videos!
Oh I am so getting this.
Anybody know a good patina artist in the US? I feel like those back weights are just begging for that little extra spice
Good stuff
Can I offer them my proprietary play-dough tenting kit for sale :D?
I wish the grey was actually grey and not black. Also wish it was wireless
There probably isnt physically enough room for a battery
I love spacebars too much to ever use a split board :D
i folded guys
split boards always look atrocious and this is no exception. they must be very comfortable to use but I can't get over how toyish they look.
You have bad taste
- someone who stares at a keyboard but doesn't use it
@@ds_7 nah enjoy your toys
@@user-pt1kj5uw3b I use multiple. just not ugly ones.