12:36 A comment on the build quality: My Moonlander did develop a crack on the plastic hinge on the left thumb cluster after a few months of use, and it got gradually worse over time, to a point where I finally had to contact ZSA about it last month. They were nice enough to replace my whole left half of the keyboard, though, and apparently they now use more reinforced piece of plastic there (which I was able to verify when the replacement left half arrived). I am not sure how many people this issue affected, but enough for them to change the build slightly on that part.
I have the same issue but ZSA refused to even sell me a spare part stating that they are under no legal obligation to do so. Im pretty sure the EU right to repair obligate them to repair or replace like they did with you but I guess they don't want to support their old hardware past a year or two. Good to keep in mind for any one buying their newer keyboards support is limited.
I watched your review couple times, gave it a few days of thought, then bought a moonlander. Best money ever spent on an input device. Appreciated your thorough and analytical review.
@@btkb1427 have used it every day since, still works great. Took just a week to get used to it and type at 70-80 wpm, which is my speed on non-split keyboards; last month I switched the keys from QWERTY to Colemak DH configuration, now building up my speed again (in 3 weeks I'm already at 40wpm typing speed). The software for layers configuration on this KB is also great
Thanks for the great review. You mentioned that you like the thumb keys flat or even tilted up, but doing that then requires the keyboards to sit flat on the desk, which begins to cause the wrist/arm pain which is why one gets a tenting ergonomic keyboard in the first place. So one thought for you, or anybody else that is handy with woodworking, and that is to find the perfect tenting angle for you with the tenting kit, and then make a wooden cradle that each half can sit in that holds the keyboards at your perfect angle. Since the bottom of each keyboard is flat, the shape of the cradle is basically just a wedge cut with two angles, the right to left of the tenting angle and the front to back of the tilting angle. Two passes on a bandsaw with the fence set first at the tenting angle and then a second with the block rotated 90 degrees and the fence set at the tilt angle should be really all that is required. If you don't have a bandsaw, but do have a compound miter saw, you can use two pieces of 1/8" hardboard (aka masonite) one for the bottom and one for the top. Then use the miter saw with the blade angled and tilted to cut blocks from a 2x2 board so that one end is flat and the other end has both the front to back and side to side angle cut into it. The length of each block is determined by each location to get the full height of the cradle including the top and bottom at that point to be what is needed to get the desired tenting and tilt angles. So yes, some math, but now you get to use all of that high school math that you thought you would never use again after to took the final exam. In theory you would only need to cut 3 of these blocks for three corners since the fourth corner is the one where the edge of keyboard would normally sit directly on the desktop. For me, who likes a negative tilt, this would be outside/back corner. However, it would probably be good idea to put a few more one in the middle of each edge and one or two in the middle. To keep the keyboards locked in place, I would recommend putting some small blocks spaced around the edge to act as retainers to lock the keyboards in place. Alternately you could spray on a non-slip coating such as the Rust-Oleum Antislip that puts a thin rubber like coat on the top. It comes in a regular sized spray can, so you wouldn't need to buy a gallon. But you likely will still have some left over, so go spray a coating on those slippery front steps before somebody slips and kills themselves and you get sued into the poorhouse. 😁 With the wooden cradle holding the keyboards at the desired tenting angle, you no long need the thumb boards to be angled downward in order to function as part of the tenting mechanism. Then you can explore the angle of the thumb boards that works best for you. Another potential benefit of making a cradle is that the entire bottom of the keyboard is supported by the cradle. As a result any flexing due to the plastic construction will be eliminated.
@Ken Kaneki I bought the Planck EZ. Then ZSA sent me the Moonlander in exchange for the unboxing and ‘how to tent’ videos. They let me keep it so the rest of the videos are purely my own thoughts on it without any input or approval from them.
I leave all my staggered layout keyboards in Qwerty, and all my ortholinear boards in Workman. I switch back and forth often and it’s no problem anymore. Just do some daily typing lessons on the Workman layout until it becomes second nature.
Nice! I've had my eye on the moonlander for a little while... and you're definitely not giving me any reasons not to get it! I love customizing shortcuts and hotkeys, so god knows I'd have a blast with the versatility this offers.
You get even more versatility if you're willing to do a bit of programming. The Oryx configurator is great in its simplicity, but there's features it doesn't have, like longer macros. To prevent people from making bad decisions about secure information like passwords, ZSA only allows the macros you make with the Oryx configurator to be up to 4 presses long (plus modifiers, plus the option to end with [enter]). I have some longer macros on mine, like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, which wouldn't be possible just using Oryx. Oryx is built on top of QMK, which is a C library for writing keyboard firmware. Along with support for ~arbitrarily long macros, it has some nice extra features like Tap Dance, which lets you have a key behave differently if you tap it multiple times in a row. If I hit my period key exactly three times rapidly…I get an ellipsis. If I do it slowly, or for some other number of times....I get several periods. If you've done any programming, I highly recommend checking out QMK to see what you'd be able to do with the board.
If you enjoyed this video, don't forget to like and subscribe! I make films looking at design, usability and workflow. Be great to have you along for the journey. Thanks! 🙏
Hi, I know this video is a bit old by now, but the quality of the video still holds up very well ! The quality of your videos never disappoint, be it recent video or years old ones. I've recently bought ZSA's Moonlander keyboard, I'm exited to receive it. I ordered it with the "Black Matter" color, Kailh Box White switches, and blank shaped key caps. I have spent almost an entire week on Oryx playing around with different layouts, and finally found one that I think will be perfect for me. I have watched most of your videos, and followed very closely your journey to smaller, more minimal and less fatiguing keyboards and keyboards layouts, and it helped me quite a lot to make a comfortable layout that doesn't require much finger movement for most typing. I based the layout of the alphabetic keys on the keys I use most often, in a Colemak-dh way with an ISRT layout modified to feel more comfy. I have noticed that I don't use a lot of keys (the outer left and right ones) so I made them do functions like control lighting, brightness, audio etc, but I might just move them to another layer. Thank you for making all of these videos and for making them with an absolutely excellent quality that holds up to time. You should really have a lot more subscribers and views than you currently have. Have a nice day !
What other keyboards to in order to solve the "find home row" problem is to use slightly different keys on the home row. I'm not talking about bumps, I'm talking about different key shapes and/or coating. Your fingers quickly learn to identify the home that way.
This is a good idea. I got my own Moonlander keyboard a few days ago, and I have no problem finding the "home row", but I have a problem of misclicking the special buttons and characters - for example, Delete instead of Q, or Backspace instead of A, they are next to each other in the default layout. I replaced those key caps with taller key caps from my "normal" keyboard, and that helps. The left- and rightmost columns on each half of the Moonlander are now higher than the rest, and their surface also has a smoother texture - easy to feel the difference with your fingers. I was also misclicking the arrow keys a lot - replaced them with different caps that are lower and tilted. Will try replacing the home row as well. The markings on the keys get all wrong, obviously, but who cares - one does not buy an ergonomic monstrosity like this to keep looking at the keys when typing.
I appreciate you addressing the comments, "Is it a cheap plastic or not?" The main concern with plastic is rigidity, but also sound. With the right metal, it stabilizes the board and absorbs the sound (like brass). Plastic can, sometimes, give you that "Klacky" sound, which is not fun to hear over the mic. I'm buying this more for gaming, so it would have been great to hear some thoughts on that perspective. This is one of only two boards that I've found that are 45% with hot swappable switches, but the only one that uses more standard gateron switches, and is a 5-pin. Personally, I would love to see them sell a left side only board for the gaming community. I bought this myself and am excited to use it, after watching your review. Keep up the good work.
It's so similar to kinesis advantage (regarding layout), though definitely better key switches/software-configuration. Would really like to try on these - as mentioned: the thumb position discomfort can be seen solved in kinesis with the thumb cluster higher than the rest of the keys (con-caved in). As an owner of both kinesis and mistel split keyboard, I think moonlander is really in the right direction - BTW, if the thumb cluster could be a separate unit (switchable with trackball etc.) , that will be really awesome!
Seeing the way your wrists were bent and so cramped on an Anne Pro 2 and the Planck made me stressed out for you a bit. They look like boards for travel, but not everyday use at home and during a pandemic where we're all likely spending even more time in front of a computer. I'm glad that you got the Moonlander as it looks way more comfortable for your hands. I've been dreaming about getting a Moonlander, but I recently switched to the Kinesis Advantage 2 and don't think I'll be spending this much anytime soon. The thing I wish some of these true splits had were concave key wells. Custom builds like the Dactyl Manuform seem to be the only way to bring what the Kinesis Advantage has into present
It's really interesting actually I’m not sure there is as much of an impact on wrist angle as people think. It’s much more about the shoulders. I will try and articulate this in a new video!
@@BenVallack Ah, yes! You do make a good point. I believe both have a factor, but do wonder how much of a factor each plays, but shoulder width is definitely a consideration worth discussing. I look forward to that in an upcoming video :)
For the past 8 month's I have used the Workman layout on a staggered keyboard. Because I am thinking about getting this keyboard and using a ortholinear version of workman, I am very appreciative of you talking about your success in doing such.
Thanks! I have actually since switched to Colemak dhm. I think after changing to workman first though the process was much easier than having not done that!
Love this, thanks! I’ve been using Workman on a Mitosis split keyboard for a couple years. Other than being bigger and wired, Moonlander seems like a general improvement and will probably be my next board.
Pfew, the keys on the macbook sound really broken. Great video overall. I'm using the moonlander for over year now and was wondering what other people thought of it. Your review is super thorugh. Thanks for sharing!
I know that once you get used to a layout you don't look at the keys, but I still hope one day that there will be affordable e-ink keycap so you can glance down to see what layer/profile you're on.
just mentioned to my friend how awesome this would be, great minds think alike. Side note, my mouse (SwiftPoint Z, kindof like the moonlander of mice) has an oled screen on the side and i have it set to show what profile i am in, super useful
If you have hard time finding the F&J. Buy a custom key for these two keys on the home row. Example maybe a difference color or custom key will a texture top
Unfortunately I seem to be one of the very few people who disliked this video. I do not see this is video as a review, there was maybe max. 2 minutes of really keyboard specific stuff in this video. The rest of the video was for general Oryx or QMK stuff (that is not exclusive to the Moonlander), switches, keycaps and your layout. You will notice, I will draw a lot of comparisions to the ErgoDox EZ and I am fully aware that you do not own this but this did not influence me on how I positive or negative I look at this video. While I enjoyed to hear how you have set it up and might give people ideas and an overview what can be done with this keyboard, it is really specific to you (apart from the keycaps maybe that are standard). I would have hoped for information, that cannot be obtained from the website and can only be given when the keyboard is present but still a few opinions how you feel about some things. And btw yes, I have watched your other videos on this. Like the soundtest, even though I am not interested in this, it felt like it belonged in the video. I would have hoped for your opinion on how the different tenting positions are, how you like the wrist support, what material they are made of, how easy they are to clean (the wings of the ErgoDox EZ are a pain to clean, kind of rubber material and perfect dust collectors that is hard to get away). Do your hands feel tired wit the wrist rest? I read from someone that they are not big enough for their average sized hands and the hands get tired. With the ErgoDox EZ it was hard (without using the rings) to find positions for all 3 legs that the keyboard was not wobbly and quite limited what positions were possible. How is this with the Moonlander? Do you feel too limited in the positions? Can you reach all thumb cluster keys easily (I only use two on the ErgoDox EZ, the rest is too far away to hit constantly). I do get that people not owning another ZSA keyboard will be overwhelmed with options and how to configure it and this gives a great overview over this but as I said before, this is not exclusive to this keyboard. It should be part of a review because it is part of it feels there is so much to say about this keyboard for a review that I would have hoped for in this video called a review. Would love to hear a bit more from you in another video about the keyboard specifically, not the software or how your layout is. Thanks! :) Also, as a tip: I would recommend to map the momentary layer toggle 2 from the right to the left' 0 1 2 3 are really awkward to type this way. Also had it like this for a few weeks on my ErgoDox EZ and then switched to the left.
Good list of things I missed thanks! I will cover them another video. I did look at the distance to the thumb keys (showed the measurements). I do think looking at Oryx is important in the review because it’s a major part of they keyboard that people will want to know about when looking to buy it. Cleaning and maintenance is certainly something I can look at though. Re. the wrist supports - I actually don’t use them as I want to avoid all pressure on my wrists. Part of doing this is keeping the home row position all the time I’m typing so I’m very reluctant to use keys like the top row that make it easy to loose that home orientation.
Welp I snagged this AND the planck. Desktop / mobile. Been looking to move ortho for a while and these fantastic videos sold me on it. Thanks for everything Ben!
Hi Ben, I've just got my Moonlander a few days ago. I've been searching for years for a *silent* mechanical keyboard. Even though it should not be possible on the paper, I've managed to have a *very* quiet Ergodox Infinity: red switches, SA profile with *big* O-Rings. My Ergodox Infinity is both a pleasure to see, to type and to hear. The Moonlander has everything I needed: color information, QMK code (I've implemented all my layout + my 84 macros - to circumvent the - nonsense - french layout). But really, really... the Moonlighter sound is *much* higher than my Ergodox Infinity. It's almost a no-go for me, because, I'm giving lectures online, and I've already been asked twice to mute the sound when I type... with the Moonlighter, *never* with my Ergodox Infinity. The Moonlander is so close to be the perfect keyboard that I'm even more frustrated! I've tried every possible things I could (I have 4 different keycaps, 6 different switches, and *huge* O-Rings), but the all the problem comes down to the "container" itself, not the keys, not the keycaps: the sound is definitely very loud because of the container (and not the surface it's on - I've tried to change this too), and it's a big problem. I dont think it's possible to change this, because it's pure hardware. The only solution - unless you have one - is to wait for a *quiet* version of the Moonlander.
Interesting - do you thing it's the space below the tent shape or just the housing itself. Maybe try sticking some weights to the housing - might stop some resonance!
@@BenVallack With my Infinity, it's very clear that when it's "tented" the sound is different. But with the Moonlander, in all 3 different position, on 4 different materials (wook, iron, glass, and plastic - sound absorbing plastic), no change (at all). When I press firmly with one hand and type with the other (= faking some weight), no change too. I'm starting to wonder if I un-screw it to find a solution... $350 for a keyboard which is so nice... I hope I'll find a solution... If you have any other idea I'm your man! I forgot to tell you: using the QMK firmware = programming, I did almost everything I wanted, *including* the sound! Turning son on, off, and music (yes, music!) on and off, and even trying to play some pre-defined musics. I programmed very complex macros too. I hope my layout will be accepted by the community when I share it!
It is really sad that they don't offer more switches like - cherry red mx silent ones or cherry black silent ones, or even go Topre, Plum or Varmilo electronic capacitive switches that are amazingly silent compared to these simple khails silvers. At this price they really should offer Topre like stuff.
Set the top row to be HYPER/MEH keys and listen for them on your Mac. This will be significantly faster than the macro approach. Software such as skhd or hammerspoon are excellent for this.
Yeah these suggestions are awesome thanks - I was looking for something that would respond to some unique shortcuts like that but couldn’t find them - these sound like what I’m after. Thanks!
I know this probably sounds pretty janky, but it worked really well for me: I made my own "bump" on my f and j keys by heating up the head of a needle with a lighter and melting a small dot into my keycaps. It's tactile enough to know when I've successfully made it back to the home row, and doesn't look too shabby. You could also try Loc-Dots (found on Amazon). They seem like a decent solution if you want to spend a couple bucks.
@@BenVallack yeah, I was surprised you didn't just put the wrong keys in a few places just to get bumps in the right places. I'm guess you mostly touch type. And the rest of the keys beyond four keys will be in the right place. Also, the blind community has a some products to put tactile bumps on things. I haven't used them, but I've seen them. But a glue gun might work too. Whatever doesn't just rub off too easily with use.
A low tech suggestion for you on the home key. Puff paint. A small drop will make a nice bump on any key you like. It "should" peel off if you want to change it. Thank you for this review!!!
Great video. Just a clarification on the DSA profile. Those key-caps are either row 1 or 2 in the cherry profile. DSA key-caps are a flat profile with a spherical impression. With your caps, they have a cylindrical impression which is cherry profile. It is nice to see that the caps they included are all the same profile for easy key swapping. Profiled caps can be quite the disadvantage for those who use alternative layouts or like to move their keys around. Cheers.
Hey, Ben! Thanks for all the videos you've made for the ZSA products! They have all been really well done and were one of the biggest influences on me ordering a Moonlander. When can we expect a video on using the mouse from the keyboard? Did that feature end up being unusable for most situations?
It’s the next one actually! Editing and b-roll at the moment. Hopefully I can get it sorted at the weekend. It’s in the context of the Planck on iPad but includes some tips and details on mouse mode in general which is applicable to both. Stay tuned! Thanks for your comments.
Thanks for this - I ordered one yesterday :-) At 14:05, your hands look much happier / open / relaxed on the moonlander than either the plank or macbook.
Enjoying the in-depth review so far. I was wondering why you weren't able to have the thumb cluster angled up when tented and then you immediately answered in the thumb cluster portion. I wonder if there'll be an accessory in the future to allow for tenting and upward thumb clusters.
Good lord, this is so space-age! I wonder if you've ever used a Kinesis Advantage and which one you would suggest for a transcriber? I have had a Kinesis for 9 years but a cup of coffee all over the top of it has left me in a position where a new keyboard is needed. So many unbelievably hard decisions to make over something that some people think is so simple!
I think it depends how much you might consider creating your own custom layout. This is where the ZSA keyboards are really winning. They make it super easy to customize the layout. The implication of this has been huge for me (see my other videos on my 36 key layout etc). The other nice thing about ZSA boards is the hot swappable switches. Again this has been really good for me as it's let me live with some different switches and I'm coming to a decision that I wouldn't have come to had I just used a tester first. (Namely that my preference is for ultra-light linear switches, currently Kailh Silent Pink). I haven't used a Kinesis though so can't draw many comparisons. Thanks!
I use the dvorak layout and your point about being hard to find the home row makes a lot of sense. For now I am planning on just leaving the home row keys in their place because currently I use a blank keyboard anyway and I can touch time on a normal staggered keyboard. Hopefully will get to touch typing on the moonlander as well and can just leave the home row keys with the bumps where they are. I wish they had blank keys though. Thanks for the video!
You’re welcome! Yeah agree on just having a full blank set - I don’t think people buying these kinds of keyboards are going to be hunt-and-peck typing!
With an RGB backlit keyboard, would it be theoretically possible to make a set of key caps with not one, but, say, three sets of characters made in transparent plastic with different optical properties (e. g. working like optical filters for red, green or blue)? So, for example, when red light is on, green and blue are off, you only see English letters; turn off red, turn on green - English letters become more or less invisible, but brackets start shining; same for blue. Only three or so layouts, and not customizable once the key caps are made, but still.
Wow yeah that's a really interesting idea! I reckon it's certainly possible - although I think it might need to only be pure red, green or blue filters perhaps.
Top tip, put arrows under one hand in a logical orientation, way better, you can add home end, shift home shift and, page up, page down, shift page up, shift page down
Great video! I've been intrigued by this keyboard for a while, its just so expensive. Right now I just use 2 apple magic keyboards as a sort of split keyboard and karabiner to combine modifier keys, but im curious about trying to learn ortholinear and just having the nice mechanical keyboard feel
Hard plastics are totally suitable for a keyboard - I have a metal case on my full size and its annoying that I have to put my back into it in order to arrange it. Its 2020 we have high quality hard plastics which will last a long time. If the tenting system (hinges and screws) were made of plastic that would be a problem since there is compression on them from the bolts - but they look metal to me. Metal keyboard are only good if you intend to use them as a weapon.
I am not convinced, instead of bringing the thumb cluster closer they added this tenting mechanism which forces you to choose between tenting and closer thumb keys, while optimal ergonomics is only achieved when you can have both. What they should do instead is to simply elongate the 1u thumb key, while bringing the 2u thumb key closer. Also make that red button 1u and increase the height for easier access.
Thanks for the awesome review! I'm interested in getting it with the Kailh silver switch as well. How's the Kailh silver comparing to the Cherry MX brown in terms of the feel? Is it lighter to type on? Which switch would you recommend for daily use?
Thanks! Yeah I prefer Kailh Silver to MX Browns for daily use for sure - less effort, simpler feel without a tactile bump. Just need to get used to their high actuation point to avoid accidentally triggering them!
Great video. Thank you ! By the way, metal casing is not by fear of breaking it. Or for build quality. The reason most people prefer metal is that it's heavy. Which makes the keyboard impossible to move by accident. It's the only complaint I have with the ergodox. I always have to re-place the halves. In metal they wouldn't move.
Ah sure yeah that makes sense. A bit of extra weight would always help and also help the resonance/sound too. I wonder about sticking to lead weights to the base.to help with that.
Actually if you ask them, they can provide you with the 3d files for the casing. And you could print the case (or just the bottom) with metal or something heavier. I haven't got around to try that yet. But if you find a solution, I'll be looking forward to see it in a next video :D.
Great, thorough video. Really nice to see someone go into decent detail and yet stay interesting. Hard balance. Do you have any affiliate links for the Moonlander or promo codes?
Excerpt of an email I sent to Erez Zukerman, CEO of ZSA: > For the Moonlander and Ergodox Glow, have you considered offering profiled keycaps with blank markers? Excerpt of the reply I got: > For the Moonlander, yes, blanks are coming! It'll take a year or so The reply came 5 days ago, to give a sense of what "a year or so" means.
Really great video Ben, brilliantly explained and well shot. I’m using an 87 key variant of the CODE keyboard at the moment (past 5 years or so) and really intrigued by the split board. In your opinion, does the keyboard do enough (the split board, programmable keys) for it to become your daily go to at a desk? Or is the small, more traditional ortholinear board win out still?
Thanks for your kind comments! If I was only going to have one keyboard I'd take the Planck - that would be based on still using it for 90% of the time on the desk. But the split is definitely a luxury if you have no need for portability or have a board you can use as a portable board in addition. I actually switched to the Planck at the desk and immediately missed my app switcher keys! The home orientation issue I mention is fairly significant though.
@@BenVallack could you use a small adhesive or other diy solution to mark the home row? or just use the querty keys for those two spots. Do you think that would be too distracting? And finally are there homerow keycaps with the bumps you can buy? Thanks for your time :) i ordered a moonlander and while i'll be using qwerty to get used to it, i might change in the future. Great review :)
@NicincM Just tried hot glue blob- seems to work quite well! There's a photo in the community tab of my channel. Thanks for the ideas! I haven't seen any key caps that would match these so a DIY solution is probably the way to go.
I like the thumb cluster slightly raised, but i like the tenting. I think I'll try to 3D print a stand that uses the tripod m2.6 screws. After spending this much I can't bring myself to spend so much again on their tenting bracket. Also, this being the first keyboard I've chosen the switches for, I now know I hate Cherry MX Brown lol.
With regards to returning to the home keys, probably doesn't fit your minimalist style, however why not mark which ever keys are your home keys with "something", so that you can easily identify the home keys. E.g. just a tiny dollop of clear epoxy
Have you tried using Apptivate? You can bind your app switcher buttons to special keys, and then bind that in Apptivate to switch to that app. A bit less janky than having a macro that types.
What's your opinion on keyboards with a mouse/trackpad embedded in them. I'm talking about the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard, and the Dacty Manuform with trackball? Would love to see a video featuring mouse mode on the Moonlander
This one looks at the mouse mode, it works the same way on both Moonlander and Planck. ruclips.net/video/gtXtCfSIUfs/видео.html Moving away from the keyboard to a mouse or trackpad is a big inconvenience so I'm very interested in the boards with built in trackballs.
hello ben! thank you for all your insight on the moonlander keyboard. I began looking into ergonomic keyboards half a year ago due to carpal and other injuries to my hands and this one caught my eye, but I will admit I'm quite intimidated as I've never learned to type properly (touch type or proper hand placement) do you think this would still be a good fit or would the learning curve be just too steep? For reference, my daily life doesn't include typing code or long papers unless it's a school essay, but I use the keyboard for art shortcuts, illustrator etc, and also gaming.
If you’ve never really learned a normal keyboard then this will be super easy! These things are only hard because you have to re-learn it - if you’re starting from scratch it’s no harder than any other keyboard.
@@BenVallack i hadn't thought of it that way! that does make a lot of sense, typing for some has become muscle memory and i can imagine it takes a lot of effort to inlearn it, thank u for responding to my comment even though the video itself is a year old. I'll be purchasing the moonlander in the upcoming months then, I'm super excited to not have my wrists hurt everytime i pick something up
Great review, thanks. I'm looking into getting a white moonlander but I'm worried about possible decoloration from the oils from your hands/wrist. Have you noticed anything like this?
Thanks for this video, great review! Are you still using the Planck EZ on a daily basis? How is it switching from one to the other? Even if they almost share the same layout, I wonder how quickly this additional row and thumb keys become vital.
Thanks! I usually do a session in the mornings with my iPad+Planck - probably at least 3 times a week. Very happy switching between them but I do miss the launcher keys and my print screen hotkey - although that is partly down to iPadOS vs macOS.
Hey Ben, this well done review was really helpful for me when I was trying to decide on the Moonlander. Unfortunately, after nearly 60 days with it, I am at my wits end. I cannot use it pain free. The trouble seems to stem from my thumbs, but has also spread to my wrists. I can't seem to make the thumb clusters work for me. It's not just the distance but the angle of the key that seems to be an issue, even with the clusters tilted up, the key runs across my thumb rather than with it, kind of encouraging me to hit it at uncomfortable angles. For me the board felt a bit odd from day 1, but I wasn't in any serious pain until about week 3 - 4. I noticed you have moved on to other boards now, so I am wondering if you noticed any troubles after the review? Or maybe not, since you had it in EXTREME tent mode.
Just in case anyone wants to tell me I'm doing it wrong: I have tried everything I can think of. Changing my key layout. Changing my key switches (twice). Getting the aftermarket 3d printed legs that allow you to tent with the thumb cluster up. Crazy experiments with oversized key caps on the thumb cluster etc. I really want to like it because in terms of customisation on the software side it's a tweaker's dream.
Sorry to hear this. I was using it up to my recent explorations into the Corne and GergePlex and didn’t notice any issues with fatigue or pain. The thumb keys are in a bit of a strange location though. Here are some alternative ways to use the thumbs: This one only uses one of them: configure.zsa.io/moonlander/layouts/xKZ0K/latest/0 This one lets you remove the thumb keys and use the boards swapped over to the other hands: configure.zsa.io/moonlander/layouts/VYNpM/latest/0 This is pretty cool actually. Puts the thumb keys in a very different position! Also are you hover typing (with good wrist elevation/discipline)? Using a wrist rest is the road to ruin I find.
@@BenVallack Thanks for the answer, and thanks so much for the reversal idea! After I give myself a bit of a break I am definitely going to see if I can get any improvement with that. And yes I think my form is okay. My wrists seem neutral and one of the first things I did was pull the wrist wrests off.
It seems they sell this with US key caps only. If I want German buttons with umlauts and special characters combined on different keys, is that possible? Do I need to buy them extra?
Yeah there is only one set of keycaps available from them. Backlit keycap sets are pretty hard to find that fit the ortholinear layout though. The modifiers are usually too big etc. I think someone said ZSA were making a set of blanks, I think that is going to the neatest looking solution.
I’m happy enough with the first two piano keys on each side - the third ones are two much of a stretch to be reliably hit so I use them for ‘Lock Screen’ and alternate ways to get to a layer
Do the large wrist rests get in the way? I typically have my keyboard a couple inches from the edge of my desk, and the rests seem like they'd push it farther back and take up more desk space.
I grabbed an ergodox a few years back and just now a moonlander. I've been following their newsletter, and I don't think I have ever seen a sale, at least not on whole keyboards.
I ordered one and it just came in today but the very first time I tried to flash a new layout there were errors (code 121 initially and error code 5 after another try.). I tried the beta version of Wally's (windows 10) to try to see if that would fix it, but the flashing program just hangs on the initializing... screen. Anyone run into this when flashing a new layout and get around it? After I unplugged the keyboard and restarted the computer and plugged it back in it looks like the default layout is working now even though the Wally program just froze on the last flash. does anyone else have trouble flashing a new layout? Update: if you run into this, try using a older version of Wally(2.1.0 worked for me)
Another question actually. Since you have your number keys in another layer how easy is it to get to them when they are a part of a shortcut? For example I constantly switch my editor tabs with ctrl + num and cmd + num. How easy would that be a on a plank or this with the numbers mapped to another layer?
That’s one of the reasons I kept full modifiers on both sides so it’s just a case of using the modifiers with left hand and using numpad with the right (triggered by right thumb on layer 2 key). Works well - I switch tabs with it frequently too.
Do you not have bumps on your F and J keys? I've been using an Ergodox EZ for years, this is never an issue for me at all. I basically never look at the keyboard (I also have blank keys, far better)
@@BenVallack lol OK doesn't matter what those keys are mapped to, but having a bump on the home row under each index finger is all you need for orientation. I guess the irregular shape of the Ergodox helps a bit too.
This is awesome, now i think i might save a little for it, do you know any like macro keyboard? im thinking on having like an extra keyboard on the side filled with macros, any idea?
@@BenVallack Thanks, im thinking on setting things like variables declarations, structures, classes, for-cycles, things like that, just to save a little time when coding, think it might save sometime, considering the amount of times ive been writing each one lately Edit: thanks for responding, really like your videos
@@BenVallack I was looking to buy one today (still doubting between moonlander or ergodox) and I saw the option on both. Maybe is a new option I've been looking at this only for 2 days.
would this be the keyboard you recommend to people? I am after something like this and bought the Kinesis Kin-FS2 but I then found out I actually need a modal keyboard with a more modern layout (especially a space-bar that is pointlessly massive). Thoughts on the moonlander vs the Ergo EZ? And also was it expensive to get it imported to the UK? many thanks
UK shipping and tax is a bit of a pain for sure, but then there aren't many other options if this kind of thing is what you're after. It certainly ticks a lot of boxes!
@@BenVallack I may have to take the plunge then :) If portability wasn't a factor which keyboard would be your fave? the Moonlander? or the ergodox planck? or something else? thanks
I do use the moonlander when I'm at the desk - it's just that much nicer on the posture. However, if I didn't have the Moonlader I'd be very happy with the Planck EZ (which I use frequently with my iPad). If you have no need for portability then price is the only downside to the moonlader I'd say. I might suggest it doesn't need the number row at all but that doesn't really change the choice.
@@BenVallack thanks for the reply Ben. I think I may take the plunge tomorrow. Well worth the money considering the decades of use I will get out of it
Thank you for these videos. Do you have any experience with the Ergodox EZ, and if so, how does it compare with the Moonlander in terms of pros and cons?
I've got an Ergodox EZ, and I'm considering getting a Moonlander Mk 1 as well. ZSA's boards since 2018 have let you take out the switches themselves to replace them, in case they break, or if you simply want to try something different. Unfortunately, both of mine (one for home and one for the office, back when "the office" wasn't my home) are from 2016, before this change, so I can't swap out the Cherry MX Browns, and I'd like to try Kailh Box Silvers (or Cherry MX Speed Silvers, which are very similar). One of the big differences I see is that the Ergodox EZ has two more buttons in each thumb cluster. In the default layout that comes with the board, these are used for [Home] and [End] on the left hand and [Page Up] and [Page Down] on the right hand. I've gotten quite used to using those keys, so I'm a little hesitant to lose them, but I'm fairly certain I could relearn a slightly different layout. I'm most jealous when I see the way the Moonlander Mk 1 tents. As someone who rests my palms on the wing rests, I like that the angle and height of the rests adjusts along with the keyboard, unlike on the Ergodox EZ, where it's just a separate piece of hard rubber that sits disconnected from the board. Now that the Ergodox EZ has backlighting (which wasn't available when I got mine), it's a little odd to see that not all of the keys have lights; the ones with blank caps on the Moonlander Mk 1 are solid on the Ergodox EZ, and there's no lights behind them. I don't know how much I care about this, but I do think that more visible indicators of layers would be nice, especially as I have some layers that are very similar, and I can forget which one I'm on sometimes. (For example, some games don't let me rebind keys, or don't let me rebind to specific keys, so I'll make a layout that simply puts the key the game expects in the location I want. Then I have to remember to switch out before typing, or suddenly my backspace becomes [X].)
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Bro how hard is the jump from a normal keyboard to this I want this or the voyager cause of rsi
12:36 A comment on the build quality:
My Moonlander did develop a crack on the plastic hinge on the left thumb cluster after a few months of use, and it got gradually worse over time, to a point where I finally had to contact ZSA about it last month. They were nice enough to replace my whole left half of the keyboard, though, and apparently they now use more reinforced piece of plastic there (which I was able to verify when the replacement left half arrived).
I am not sure how many people this issue affected, but enough for them to change the build slightly on that part.
I have the same issue but ZSA refused to even sell me a spare part stating that they are under no legal obligation to do so. Im pretty sure the EU right to repair obligate them to repair or replace like they did with you but I guess they don't want to support their old hardware past a year or two. Good to keep in mind for any one buying their newer keyboards support is limited.
I love the fact that you clearly took the time to really understand this keyboard. The information density of this review is just perfect. Thank you!
I'm so pleased to read that! Many thanks.
@@BenVallack two years old, but I too appreciate it. Your videos helped me feel comfortable spending the money!
I watched your review couple times, gave it a few days of thought, then bought a moonlander. Best money ever spent on an input device. Appreciated your thorough and analytical review.
I know this is an old reply but I just purchased mine, how do you find the keyboard a year later? And what was the transition to it like?
@@btkb1427 have used it every day since, still works great. Took just a week to get used to it and type at 70-80 wpm, which is my speed on non-split keyboards; last month I switched the keys from QWERTY to Colemak DH configuration, now building up my speed again (in 3 weeks I'm already at 40wpm typing speed). The software for layers configuration on this KB is also great
@@paciopak1006 thank you! I look forward to receiving mine!
Thanks for the great review. You mentioned that you like the thumb keys flat or even tilted up, but doing that then requires the keyboards to sit flat on the desk, which begins to cause the wrist/arm pain which is why one gets a tenting ergonomic keyboard in the first place. So one thought for you, or anybody else that is handy with woodworking, and that is to find the perfect tenting angle for you with the tenting kit, and then make a wooden cradle that each half can sit in that holds the keyboards at your perfect angle.
Since the bottom of each keyboard is flat, the shape of the cradle is basically just a wedge cut with two angles, the right to left of the tenting angle and the front to back of the tilting angle. Two passes on a bandsaw with the fence set first at the tenting angle and then a second with the block rotated 90 degrees and the fence set at the tilt angle should be really all that is required. If you don't have a bandsaw, but do have a compound miter saw, you can use two pieces of 1/8" hardboard (aka masonite) one for the bottom and one for the top. Then use the miter saw with the blade angled and tilted to cut blocks from a 2x2 board so that one end is flat and the other end has both the front to back and side to side angle cut into it. The length of each block is determined by each location to get the full height of the cradle including the top and bottom at that point to be what is needed to get the desired tenting and tilt angles. So yes, some math, but now you get to use all of that high school math that you thought you would never use again after to took the final exam. In theory you would only need to cut 3 of these blocks for three corners since the fourth corner is the one where the edge of keyboard would normally sit directly on the desktop. For me, who likes a negative tilt, this would be outside/back corner. However, it would probably be good idea to put a few more one in the middle of each edge and one or two in the middle.
To keep the keyboards locked in place, I would recommend putting some small blocks spaced around the edge to act as retainers to lock the keyboards in place. Alternately you could spray on a non-slip coating such as the Rust-Oleum Antislip that puts a thin rubber like coat on the top. It comes in a regular sized spray can, so you wouldn't need to buy a gallon. But you likely will still have some left over, so go spray a coating on those slippery front steps before somebody slips and kills themselves and you get sued into the poorhouse. 😁
With the wooden cradle holding the keyboards at the desired tenting angle, you no long need the thumb boards to be angled downward in order to function as part of the tenting mechanism. Then you can explore the angle of the thumb boards that works best for you. Another potential benefit of making a cradle is that the entire bottom of the keyboard is supported by the cradle. As a result any flexing due to the plastic construction will be eliminated.
I'm really enjoying your keyboard series. Quality content :)
did you buy it
@Ken Kaneki I bought the Planck EZ. Then ZSA sent me the Moonlander in exchange for the unboxing and ‘how to tent’ videos. They let me keep it so the rest of the videos are purely my own thoughts on it without any input or approval from them.
@Ken Kaneki also check out my first impressions video where I clarify this point too :)
@@BenVallack where to buy it, if you may know? and I'm from Indonesia so if I have the intention to buy, I can
Direct from ZSA zsa.io
Also, would love a video on what switching to workman was like sometime later!
This this this! My greatest fear of switching to something like colemak or workman is not being able to work properly.
@@rafaeldietrich8050 colemak has a gradual learning tool.
I leave all my staggered layout keyboards in Qwerty, and all my ortholinear boards in Workman. I switch back and forth often and it’s no problem anymore. Just do some daily typing lessons on the Workman layout until it becomes second nature.
Thanks so much for making these videos! It's getting me all excited for when my Moonlander comes in (they said sometime this month 🎉).
Nice! I've had my eye on the moonlander for a little while... and you're definitely not giving me any reasons not to get it! I love customizing shortcuts and hotkeys, so god knows I'd have a blast with the versatility this offers.
You get even more versatility if you're willing to do a bit of programming. The Oryx configurator is great in its simplicity, but there's features it doesn't have, like longer macros. To prevent people from making bad decisions about secure information like passwords, ZSA only allows the macros you make with the Oryx configurator to be up to 4 presses long (plus modifiers, plus the option to end with [enter]). I have some longer macros on mine, like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, which wouldn't be possible just using Oryx.
Oryx is built on top of QMK, which is a C library for writing keyboard firmware. Along with support for ~arbitrarily long macros, it has some nice extra features like Tap Dance, which lets you have a key behave differently if you tap it multiple times in a row. If I hit my period key exactly three times rapidly…I get an ellipsis. If I do it slowly, or for some other number of times....I get several periods.
If you've done any programming, I highly recommend checking out QMK to see what you'd be able to do with the board.
Good stuff - good to know that’s an option if/when I outgrow Oryx!
If you enjoyed this video, don't forget to like and subscribe! I make films looking at design, usability and workflow. Be great to have you along for the journey. Thanks! 🙏
Hi Ben from Canada. Thoroughly enjoyed the level of details you put into the video and the rationale for your keyboard customization. Cheers!
Awesome, thank you!
Hi, I know this video is a bit old by now, but the quality of the video still holds up very well !
The quality of your videos never disappoint, be it recent video or years old ones.
I've recently bought ZSA's Moonlander keyboard, I'm exited to receive it.
I ordered it with the "Black Matter" color, Kailh Box White switches, and blank shaped key caps.
I have spent almost an entire week on Oryx playing around with different layouts, and finally found one that I think will be perfect for me.
I have watched most of your videos, and followed very closely your journey to smaller, more minimal and less fatiguing keyboards and keyboards layouts, and it helped me quite a lot to make a comfortable layout that doesn't require much finger movement for most typing.
I based the layout of the alphabetic keys on the keys I use most often, in a Colemak-dh way with an ISRT layout modified to feel more comfy.
I have noticed that I don't use a lot of keys (the outer left and right ones) so I made them do functions like control lighting, brightness, audio etc, but I might just move them to another layer.
Thank you for making all of these videos and for making them with an absolutely excellent quality that holds up to time.
You should really have a lot more subscribers and views than you currently have.
Have a nice day !
Thanks so much!
This must be on of the deepest reviews I have ever seen on anything. Super expensive but when the time is right I want to purchase this.
There are cheaper options if you want to get a bit geeky! ruclips.net/p/PLCZYyvXAdQpte8dkCPz72m_O-Od9fVEqD
What other keyboards to in order to solve the "find home row" problem is to use slightly different keys on the home row. I'm not talking about bumps, I'm talking about different key shapes and/or coating. Your fingers quickly learn to identify the home that way.
This is a good idea. I got my own Moonlander keyboard a few days ago, and I have no problem finding the "home row", but I have a problem of misclicking the special buttons and characters - for example, Delete instead of Q, or Backspace instead of A, they are next to each other in the default layout. I replaced those key caps with taller key caps from my "normal" keyboard, and that helps. The left- and rightmost columns on each half of the Moonlander are now higher than the rest, and their surface also has a smoother texture - easy to feel the difference with your fingers. I was also misclicking the arrow keys a lot - replaced them with different caps that are lower and tilted. Will try replacing the home row as well. The markings on the keys get all wrong, obviously, but who cares - one does not buy an ergonomic monstrosity like this to keep looking at the keys when typing.
I appreciate you addressing the comments, "Is it a cheap plastic or not?" The main concern with plastic is rigidity, but also sound. With the right metal, it stabilizes the board and absorbs the sound (like brass). Plastic can, sometimes, give you that "Klacky" sound, which is not fun to hear over the mic. I'm buying this more for gaming, so it would have been great to hear some thoughts on that perspective. This is one of only two boards that I've found that are 45% with hot swappable switches, but the only one that uses more standard gateron switches, and is a 5-pin. Personally, I would love to see them sell a left side only board for the gaming community. I bought this myself and am excited to use it, after watching your review. Keep up the good work.
It's so similar to kinesis advantage (regarding layout), though definitely better key switches/software-configuration. Would really like to try on these - as mentioned: the thumb position discomfort can be seen solved in kinesis with the thumb cluster higher than the rest of the keys (con-caved in). As an owner of both kinesis and mistel split keyboard, I think moonlander is really in the right direction - BTW, if the thumb cluster could be a separate unit (switchable with trackball etc.) , that will be really awesome!
Yeah very interesting looking keyboard for sure!
I can also bend my metal keyboard. Never really thought of flex as an overall sign of quality unless its egregious for its purpose.
Seeing the way your wrists were bent and so cramped on an Anne Pro 2 and the Planck made me stressed out for you a bit. They look like boards for travel, but not everyday use at home and during a pandemic where we're all likely spending even more time in front of a computer. I'm glad that you got the Moonlander as it looks way more comfortable for your hands. I've been dreaming about getting a Moonlander, but I recently switched to the Kinesis Advantage 2 and don't think I'll be spending this much anytime soon. The thing I wish some of these true splits had were concave key wells. Custom builds like the Dactyl Manuform seem to be the only way to bring what the Kinesis Advantage has into present
It's really interesting actually I’m not sure there is as much of an impact on wrist angle as people think. It’s much more about the shoulders. I will try and articulate this in a new video!
@@BenVallack Ah, yes! You do make a good point. I believe both have a factor, but do wonder how much of a factor each plays, but shoulder width is definitely a consideration worth discussing. I look forward to that in an upcoming video :)
For the past 8 month's I have used the Workman layout on a staggered keyboard. Because I am thinking about getting this keyboard and using a ortholinear version of workman, I am very appreciative of you talking about your success in doing such.
Thanks! I have actually since switched to Colemak dhm. I think after changing to workman first though the process was much easier than having not done that!
Love this, thanks! I’ve been using Workman on a Mitosis split keyboard for a couple years. Other than being bigger and wired, Moonlander seems like a general improvement and will probably be my next board.
Pfew, the keys on the macbook sound really broken. Great video overall. I'm using the moonlander for over year now and was wondering what other people thought of it. Your review is super thorugh. Thanks for sharing!
I know that once you get used to a layout you don't look at the keys, but I still hope one day that there will be affordable e-ink keycap so you can glance down to see what layer/profile you're on.
just mentioned to my friend how awesome this would be, great minds think alike. Side note, my mouse (SwiftPoint Z, kindof like the moonlander of mice) has an oled screen on the side and i have it set to show what profile i am in, super useful
If you have hard time finding the F&J. Buy a custom key for these two keys on the home row. Example maybe a difference color or custom key will a texture top
Unfortunately I seem to be one of the very few people who disliked this video. I do not see this is video as a review, there was maybe max. 2 minutes of really keyboard specific stuff in this video. The rest of the video was for general Oryx or QMK stuff (that is not exclusive to the Moonlander), switches, keycaps and your layout. You will notice, I will draw a lot of comparisions to the ErgoDox EZ and I am fully aware that you do not own this but this did not influence me on how I positive or negative I look at this video.
While I enjoyed to hear how you have set it up and might give people ideas and an overview what can be done with this keyboard, it is really specific to you (apart from the keycaps maybe that are standard). I would have hoped for information, that cannot be obtained from the website and can only be given when the keyboard is present but still a few opinions how you feel about some things. And btw yes, I have watched your other videos on this.
Like the soundtest, even though I am not interested in this, it felt like it belonged in the video.
I would have hoped for your opinion on how the different tenting positions are, how you like the wrist support, what material they are made of, how easy they are to clean (the wings of the ErgoDox EZ are a pain to clean, kind of rubber material and perfect dust collectors that is hard to get away). Do your hands feel tired wit the wrist rest? I read from someone that they are not big enough for their average sized hands and the hands get tired.
With the ErgoDox EZ it was hard (without using the rings) to find positions for all 3 legs that the keyboard was not wobbly and quite limited what positions were possible. How is this with the Moonlander? Do you feel too limited in the positions? Can you reach all thumb cluster keys easily (I only use two on the ErgoDox EZ, the rest is too far away to hit constantly).
I do get that people not owning another ZSA keyboard will be overwhelmed with options and how to configure it and this gives a great overview over this but as I said before, this is not exclusive to this keyboard. It should be part of a review because it is part of it feels there is so much to say about this keyboard for a review that I would have hoped for in this video called a review.
Would love to hear a bit more from you in another video about the keyboard specifically, not the software or how your layout is. Thanks! :)
Also, as a tip: I would recommend to map the momentary layer toggle 2 from the right to the left' 0 1 2 3 are really awkward to type this way. Also had it like this for a few weeks on my ErgoDox EZ and then switched to the left.
Good list of things I missed thanks! I will cover them another video. I did look at the distance to the thumb keys (showed the measurements). I do think looking at Oryx is important in the review because it’s a major part of they keyboard that people will want to know about when looking to buy it. Cleaning and maintenance is certainly something I can look at though. Re. the wrist supports - I actually don’t use them as I want to avoid all pressure on my wrists. Part of doing this is keeping the home row position all the time I’m typing so I’m very reluctant to use keys like the top row that make it easy to loose that home orientation.
Welp I snagged this AND the planck. Desktop / mobile. Been looking to move ortho for a while and these fantastic videos sold me on it. Thanks for everything Ben!
Really well filmed and super helpful! Thanks for going into detail on everything, including the type test 🎉 ZSA might have another customer now!
Hi Ben, I've just got my Moonlander a few days ago. I've been searching for years for a *silent* mechanical keyboard. Even though it should not be possible on the paper, I've managed to have a *very* quiet Ergodox Infinity: red switches, SA profile with *big* O-Rings. My Ergodox Infinity is both a pleasure to see, to type and to hear. The Moonlander has everything I needed: color information, QMK code (I've implemented all my layout + my 84 macros - to circumvent the - nonsense - french layout). But really, really... the Moonlighter sound is *much* higher than my Ergodox Infinity. It's almost a no-go for me, because, I'm giving lectures online, and I've already been asked twice to mute the sound when I type... with the Moonlighter, *never* with my Ergodox Infinity.
The Moonlander is so close to be the perfect keyboard that I'm even more frustrated! I've tried every possible things I could (I have 4 different keycaps, 6 different switches, and *huge* O-Rings), but the all the problem comes down to the "container" itself, not the keys, not the keycaps: the sound is definitely very loud because of the container (and not the surface it's on - I've tried to change this too), and it's a big problem. I dont think it's possible to change this, because it's pure hardware. The only solution - unless you have one - is to wait for a *quiet* version of the Moonlander.
Interesting - do you thing it's the space below the tent shape or just the housing itself. Maybe try sticking some weights to the housing - might stop some resonance!
@@BenVallack With my Infinity, it's very clear that when it's "tented" the sound is different. But with the Moonlander, in all 3 different position, on 4 different materials (wook, iron, glass, and plastic - sound absorbing plastic), no change (at all). When I press firmly with one hand and type with the other (= faking some weight), no change too. I'm starting to wonder if I un-screw it to find a solution... $350 for a keyboard which is so nice... I hope I'll find a solution... If you have any other idea I'm your man!
I forgot to tell you: using the QMK firmware = programming, I did almost everything I wanted, *including* the sound! Turning son on, off, and music (yes, music!) on and off, and even trying to play some pre-defined musics. I programmed very complex macros too. I hope my layout will be accepted by the community when I share it!
It is really sad that they don't offer more switches like - cherry red mx silent ones or cherry black silent ones, or even go Topre, Plum or Varmilo electronic capacitive switches that are amazingly silent compared to these simple khails silvers. At this price they really should offer Topre like stuff.
Set the top row to be HYPER/MEH keys and listen for them on your Mac. This will be significantly faster than the macro approach. Software such as skhd or hammerspoon are excellent for this.
Yeah these suggestions are awesome thanks - I was looking for something that would respond to some unique shortcuts like that but couldn’t find them - these sound like what I’m after. Thanks!
I know this probably sounds pretty janky, but it worked really well for me: I made my own "bump" on my f and j keys by heating up the head of a needle with a lighter and melting a small dot into my keycaps. It's tactile enough to know when I've successfully made it back to the home row, and doesn't look too shabby. You could also try Loc-Dots (found on Amazon). They seem like a decent solution if you want to spend a couple bucks.
Cheers - I'm also thinking of hot glue gun blobs.
@@BenVallack yeah, I was surprised you didn't just put the wrong keys in a few places just to get bumps in the right places. I'm guess you mostly touch type. And the rest of the keys beyond four keys will be in the right place.
Also, the blind community has a some products to put tactile bumps on things. I haven't used them, but I've seen them. But a glue gun might work too. Whatever doesn't just rub off too easily with use.
Sukant Hajra heh yeah I couldn’t quite live with having the wrong keys on the layout! I’d take blank keys no problem but not the wrong keys 🤣
A low tech suggestion for you on the home key. Puff paint. A small drop will make a nice bump on any key you like. It "should" peel off if you want to change it. Thank you for this review!!!
Awesome cheers!
Thanks for the reviews. Helpful to watch as I wait forever for my Planck to arrive. Every english person needs to start a channel.
Great video.
Just a clarification on the DSA profile. Those key-caps are either row 1 or 2 in the cherry profile. DSA key-caps are a flat profile with a spherical impression. With your caps, they have a cylindrical impression which is cherry profile. It is nice to see that the caps they included are all the same profile for easy key swapping. Profiled caps can be quite the disadvantage for those who use alternative layouts or like to move their keys around.
Cheers.
Cheers yeah someone else clarified that so I pinned their comment - good point for sure.
@@BenVallack sorry about that, I missed the pin.
No problem! The more mentions of good points the better :) I’ll note in the description as well actually.
Hey, Ben! Thanks for all the videos you've made for the ZSA products! They have all been really well done and were one of the biggest influences on me ordering a Moonlander.
When can we expect a video on using the mouse from the keyboard? Did that feature end up being unusable for most situations?
It’s the next one actually! Editing and b-roll at the moment. Hopefully I can get it sorted at the weekend. It’s in the context of the Planck on iPad but includes some tips and details on mouse mode in general which is applicable to both. Stay tuned! Thanks for your comments.
@@BenVallack Looking forward to it! Thanks :)
@@benisrood Yep
Thanks for this - I ordered one yesterday :-) At 14:05, your hands look much happier / open / relaxed on the moonlander than either the plank or macbook.
Enjoying the in-depth review so far. I was wondering why you weren't able to have the thumb cluster angled up when tented and then you immediately answered in the thumb cluster portion. I wonder if there'll be an accessory in the future to allow for tenting and upward thumb clusters.
Good lord, this is so space-age! I wonder if you've ever used a Kinesis Advantage and which one you would suggest for a transcriber? I have had a Kinesis for 9 years but a cup of coffee all over the top of it has left me in a position where a new keyboard is needed. So many unbelievably hard decisions to make over something that some people think is so simple!
I think it depends how much you might consider creating your own custom layout. This is where the ZSA keyboards are really winning. They make it super easy to customize the layout. The implication of this has been huge for me (see my other videos on my 36 key layout etc). The other nice thing about ZSA boards is the hot swappable switches. Again this has been really good for me as it's let me live with some different switches and I'm coming to a decision that I wouldn't have come to had I just used a tester first. (Namely that my preference is for ultra-light linear switches, currently Kailh Silent Pink). I haven't used a Kinesis though so can't draw many comparisons. Thanks!
I use the dvorak layout and your point about being hard to find the home row makes a lot of sense. For now I am planning on just leaving the home row keys in their place because currently I use a blank keyboard anyway and I can touch time on a normal staggered keyboard. Hopefully will get to touch typing on the moonlander as well and can just leave the home row keys with the bumps where they are. I wish they had blank keys though. Thanks for the video!
You’re welcome! Yeah agree on just having a full blank set - I don’t think people buying these kinds of keyboards are going to be hunt-and-peck typing!
With an RGB backlit keyboard, would it be theoretically possible to make a set of key caps with not one, but, say, three sets of characters made in transparent plastic with different optical properties (e. g. working like optical filters for red, green or blue)? So, for example, when red light is on, green and blue are off, you only see English letters; turn off red, turn on green - English letters become more or less invisible, but brackets start shining; same for blue. Only three or so layouts, and not customizable once the key caps are made, but still.
Wow yeah that's a really interesting idea! I reckon it's certainly possible - although I think it might need to only be pure red, green or blue filters perhaps.
Top tip, put arrows under one hand in a logical orientation, way better, you can add home end, shift home shift and, page up, page down, shift page up, shift page down
Great video! I've been intrigued by this keyboard for a while, its just so expensive. Right now I just use 2 apple magic keyboards as a sort of split keyboard and karabiner to combine modifier keys, but im curious about trying to learn ortholinear and just having the nice mechanical keyboard feel
Hard plastics are totally suitable for a keyboard - I have a metal case on my full size and its annoying that I have to put my back into it in order to arrange it. Its 2020 we have high quality hard plastics which will last a long time. If the tenting system (hinges and screws) were made of plastic that would be a problem since there is compression on them from the bolts - but they look metal to me.
Metal keyboard are only good if you intend to use them as a weapon.
Yeah that’s what I figured too!
one thing i would like to see on these style keyboards is a spacebar keycap(s) option.
Unless mistaken, I believe the profile of the Moonlander keycaps is not DSA but OEM Row 3 (see: www.zsa.io/moonlander/faq)
Yep I think I corrected that somewhere - thanks!
I am not convinced, instead of bringing the thumb cluster closer they added this tenting mechanism which forces you to choose between tenting and closer thumb keys, while optimal ergonomics is only achieved when you can have both. What they should do instead is to simply elongate the 1u thumb key, while bringing the 2u thumb key closer. Also make that red button 1u and increase the height for easier access.
Yeah definitely valid ideas for sure. I guess there is some variance on your preference/hand size too.
Thanks for the awesome review! I'm interested in getting it with the Kailh silver switch as well. How's the Kailh silver comparing to the Cherry MX brown in terms of the feel? Is it lighter to type on? Which switch would you recommend for daily use?
Thanks! Yeah I prefer Kailh Silver to MX Browns for daily use for sure - less effort, simpler feel without a tactile bump. Just need to get used to their high actuation point to avoid accidentally triggering them!
The sound is also nicer - less like a keyboard from the 80s!
it's too bad you're the only dude talking about this keyboard. im very interested in getting one!
Let me know if there's anything else you want me to cover before others get hold of it! :)
They now have blank keys, so you don't have to choose between non-qwerty and key bumps
Great video. Thank you !
By the way, metal casing is not by fear of breaking it. Or for build quality. The reason most people prefer metal is that it's heavy. Which makes the keyboard impossible to move by accident. It's the only complaint I have with the ergodox. I always have to re-place the halves. In metal they wouldn't move.
Ah sure yeah that makes sense. A bit of extra weight would always help and also help the resonance/sound too. I wonder about sticking to lead weights to the base.to help with that.
Actually if you ask them, they can provide you with the 3d files for the casing. And you could print the case (or just the bottom) with metal or something heavier.
I haven't got around to try that yet.
But if you find a solution, I'll be looking forward to see it in a next video :D.
Great, thorough video. Really nice to see someone go into decent detail and yet stay interesting. Hard balance. Do you have any affiliate links for the Moonlander or promo codes?
Thanks! No affiliate codes for ZSA as far as I know! Enjoy.
Is the keyboard hot swap? Maybe custom made switches with keycaps videos coming soon? Might get the mechanical keyboard enthusiasts interested.
Any review between moonlander and ez ergodox from same vendor please ?
(and second, any comment about typematrix 2030 fro bepo (french guy inside :) )
I think the type matrix has way too many rows!
@@BenVallack just received my moonlander.
3h of configuration, and really not finished :)
But cool, a big big change at least
Me now for the dygma defy, yes i have to wait but it feels like the endgame
Next level: blank keycaps.
WPM go down for a while and can be frustrating but you get used to it in weeks or a month.
Definitely! I'd be very happy to have the whole board using the blanks with the line for the backlight to shine through.
@@PatrickAnsari-rw4vn Blank DSCs would be ideal on this board like the Ergodox EZ, hopefully they add that as an option at some point.
@Patrick Ansari Yes true - but I agree it’s almost totally intolerable to have the wrong keys in place! (Blanks would be totally fine though!)
Excerpt of an email I sent to Erez Zukerman, CEO of ZSA:
> For the Moonlander and Ergodox Glow, have you considered offering profiled keycaps with blank markers?
Excerpt of the reply I got:
> For the Moonlander, yes, blanks are coming! It'll take a year or so
The reply came 5 days ago, to give a sense of what "a year or so" means.
Pi Fisher that's awesome news!! Thanks for sharing.
Really great video Ben, brilliantly explained and well shot. I’m using an 87 key variant of the CODE keyboard at the moment (past 5 years or so) and really intrigued by the split board. In your opinion, does the keyboard do enough (the split board, programmable keys) for it to become your daily go to at a desk? Or is the small, more traditional ortholinear board win out still?
Thanks for your kind comments! If I was only going to have one keyboard I'd take the Planck - that would be based on still using it for 90% of the time on the desk. But the split is definitely a luxury if you have no need for portability or have a board you can use as a portable board in addition. I actually switched to the Planck at the desk and immediately missed my app switcher keys! The home orientation issue I mention is fairly significant though.
@@BenVallack could you use a small adhesive or other diy solution to mark the home row? or just use the querty keys for those two spots. Do you think that would be too distracting? And finally are there homerow keycaps with the bumps you can buy?
Thanks for your time :) i ordered a moonlander and while i'll be using qwerty to get used to it, i might change in the future.
Great review :)
@NicincM Just tried hot glue blob- seems to work quite well! There's a photo in the community tab of my channel. Thanks for the ideas! I haven't seen any key caps that would match these so a DIY solution is probably the way to go.
Really amazing review. I subscribed immediately.
Thanks so much!!
I like the thumb cluster slightly raised, but i like the tenting. I think I'll try to 3D print a stand that uses the tripod m2.6 screws. After spending this much I can't bring myself to spend so much again on their tenting bracket. Also, this being the first keyboard I've chosen the switches for, I now know I hate Cherry MX Brown lol.
With regards to returning to the home keys, probably doesn't fit your minimalist style, however why not mark which ever keys are your home keys with "something", so that you can easily identify the home keys.
E.g. just a tiny dollop of clear epoxy
Yeah I’m using glue gun blobs at the moment :) they do fall off every few weeks so might try epoxy- cheers!
Have you tried using Apptivate? You can bind your app switcher buttons to special keys, and then bind that in Apptivate to switch to that app. A bit less janky than having a macro that types.
Ah cool thanks, will take a look, yeah the Spotlight thing isn't 100% reliable.
Do you think keeping to qwerty would solve the 'finding the home row' problem?
What's your opinion on keyboards with a mouse/trackpad embedded in them. I'm talking about the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard, and the Dacty Manuform with trackball? Would love to see a video featuring mouse mode on the Moonlander
This one looks at the mouse mode, it works the same way on both Moonlander and Planck. ruclips.net/video/gtXtCfSIUfs/видео.html Moving away from the keyboard to a mouse or trackpad is a big inconvenience so I'm very interested in the boards with built in trackballs.
hello ben! thank you for all your insight on the moonlander keyboard. I began looking into ergonomic keyboards half a year ago due to carpal and other injuries to my hands and this one caught my eye, but I will admit I'm quite intimidated as I've never learned to type properly (touch type or proper hand placement) do you think this would still be a good fit or would the learning curve be just too steep? For reference, my daily life doesn't include typing code or long papers unless it's a school essay, but I use the keyboard for art shortcuts, illustrator etc, and also gaming.
If you’ve never really learned a normal keyboard then this will be super easy! These things are only hard because you have to re-learn it - if you’re starting from scratch it’s no harder than any other keyboard.
@@BenVallack i hadn't thought of it that way! that does make a lot of sense, typing for some has become muscle memory and i can imagine it takes a lot of effort to inlearn it, thank u for responding to my comment even though the video itself is a year old. I'll be purchasing the moonlander in the upcoming months then, I'm super excited to not have my wrists hurt everytime i pick something up
For all the keys on the edge which ones are easiest to access? I want to design a English phonetic layout and find the core keys not enough.
Probably the inner ones and the central ones on the outside.
Great review, thanks. I'm looking into getting a white moonlander but I'm worried about possible decoloration from the oils from your hands/wrist. Have you noticed anything like this?
Thanks! Nothing you can't fix with an alcohol wipe for me so far.
Thanks for this video, great review! Are you still using the Planck EZ on a daily basis? How is it switching from one to the other? Even if they almost share the same layout, I wonder how quickly this additional row and thumb keys become vital.
Thanks! I usually do a session in the mornings with my iPad+Planck - probably at least 3 times a week. Very happy switching between them but I do miss the launcher keys and my print screen hotkey - although that is partly down to iPadOS vs macOS.
Hey Ben, this well done review was really helpful for me when I was trying to decide on the Moonlander. Unfortunately, after nearly 60 days with it, I am at my wits end. I cannot use it pain free. The trouble seems to stem from my thumbs, but has also spread to my wrists. I can't seem to make the thumb clusters work for me. It's not just the distance but the angle of the key that seems to be an issue, even with the clusters tilted up, the key runs across my thumb rather than with it, kind of encouraging me to hit it at uncomfortable angles.
For me the board felt a bit odd from day 1, but I wasn't in any serious pain until about week 3 - 4. I noticed you have moved on to other boards now, so I am wondering if you noticed any troubles after the review? Or maybe not, since you had it in EXTREME tent mode.
Just in case anyone wants to tell me I'm doing it wrong: I have tried everything I can think of. Changing my key layout. Changing my key switches (twice). Getting the aftermarket 3d printed legs that allow you to tent with the thumb cluster up. Crazy experiments with oversized key caps on the thumb cluster etc. I really want to like it because in terms of customisation on the software side it's a tweaker's dream.
Sorry to hear this. I was using it up to my recent explorations into the Corne and GergePlex and didn’t notice any issues with fatigue or pain. The thumb keys are in a bit of a strange location though. Here are some alternative ways to use the thumbs:
This one only uses one of them: configure.zsa.io/moonlander/layouts/xKZ0K/latest/0
This one lets you remove the thumb keys and use the boards swapped over to the other hands: configure.zsa.io/moonlander/layouts/VYNpM/latest/0 This is pretty cool actually. Puts the thumb keys in a very different position!
Also are you hover typing (with good wrist elevation/discipline)? Using a wrist rest is the road to ruin I find.
@@BenVallack Thanks for the answer, and thanks so much for the reversal idea! After I give myself a bit of a break I am definitely going to see if I can get any improvement with that. And yes I think my form is okay. My wrists seem neutral and one of the first things I did was pull the wrist wrests off.
Can the moonlander work if you type with the keyboard on your lap? Not sure if it’s too heavy or if the legs and the thumb clusters can hold it.
It seems they sell this with US key caps only. If I want German buttons with umlauts and special characters combined on different keys, is that possible? Do I need to buy them extra?
Yeah there is only one set of keycaps available from them. Backlit keycap sets are pretty hard to find that fit the ortholinear layout though. The modifiers are usually too big etc. I think someone said ZSA were making a set of blanks, I think that is going to the neatest looking solution.
Unrelated, but what loop are you wearing with your watch in this video? The green one. Thanks!
It was the Sport Band but I think the colour is no longer available. I think it was forest green or something like that.
Please do a review of the Kenesis advantage 2. It seems better than the moon lander. Thanks 🙏
Yeah would love to try it!
Great review, thanks!
How do you feel about the thumb clusters? Do you find your thumb falls naturally in a useful place?
I’m happy enough with the first two piano keys on each side - the third ones are two much of a stretch to be reliably hit so I use them for ‘Lock Screen’ and alternate ways to get to a layer
just put the bump keys on the home row index finger place. You don't look at it, are you?
That‘s what I’ve done now, but it is slightly annoying having the wrong keys on my home keys. Not because I look at it but because it‘s not ‘right’!
@@BenVallack hah ok. I have my name spelled out in my keyboard so even though it's not the right keys, it looks good 😁. plus the bump keys.
Nice stuff! Did u end up using the F2?? Sorry again for the ctrl and so
Did you manage to change my layout? How is that even possible?!
ZSA confirmed this was a bug - you shouldn’t have been able to change my layout without cloning it. They’ve fixed it now :)
Do the large wrist rests get in the way? I typically have my keyboard a couple inches from the edge of my desk, and the rests seem like they'd push it farther back and take up more desk space.
Yes I do a similar thing and also found the same. They’re very easy to remove so I just leave them off.
Skip to 14:06 to see it without them.
I would like a version with blank black keycaps (including that one thumb key) and glorious panda keyswitches
Agree!
Your wish came true!
I have Cherry profile keycaps that I wanted to try using, do you think they would still look nice in the default split layout?
Awesome info. Thanks!
I wonder if ZSA ever offer their keyboard at discounted price
I grabbed an ergodox a few years back and just now a moonlander. I've been following their newsletter, and I don't think I have ever seen a sale, at least not on whole keyboards.
@@shopt6933 yeah. I reached out to their CS and they said the same thing few days ago. Thanks for the info!
I ordered one and it just came in today but the very first time I tried to flash a new layout there were errors (code 121 initially and error code 5 after another try.). I tried the beta version of Wally's (windows 10) to try to see if that would fix it, but the flashing program just hangs on the initializing... screen. Anyone run into this when flashing a new layout and get around it?
After I unplugged the keyboard and restarted the computer and plugged it back in it looks like the default layout is working now even though the Wally program just froze on the last flash. does anyone else have trouble flashing a new layout?
Update: if you run into this, try using a older version of Wally(2.1.0 worked for me)
Thanks for the update.
Great review! Any chance that you can make your planck layout public again? Had a plan to shamelessly copy your setup (:
configure.ergodox-ez.com/planck-ez/layouts/DZyRq/latest/0 should be visible there I think. thanks!
@@BenVallack I get "forbidden, this layout is private" error message 🤔
hum - I've just tried turning public off and on agin - any difference?
@@BenVallack Tada! There it works again! Thank you very much :)
Another question actually. Since you have your number keys in another layer how easy is it to get to them when they are a part of a shortcut? For example I constantly switch my editor tabs with ctrl + num and cmd + num. How easy would that be a on a plank or this with the numbers mapped to another layer?
That’s one of the reasons I kept full modifiers on both sides so it’s just a case of using the modifiers with left hand and using numpad with the right (triggered by right thumb on layer 2 key). Works well - I switch tabs with it frequently too.
@@BenVallack that's good to know! Thank you for the quick reply. I can't wait too get the Moonlander.
Do you set the keyboard as US layout in the operating system and create all those whacky layouts on the keyboard firmware itself?
Yep US standard on the Mac - just for normal # symbol treatment etc. The keyboard firmware does the rest.
@@BenVallack Thanks for the reply and of course, the awesome video!
Do you not have bumps on your F and J keys? I've been using an Ergodox EZ for years, this is never an issue for me at all. I basically never look at the keyboard (I also have blank keys, far better)
I switched my layout so F and J are no longer the home keys. Yeah I’d prefer blanks too.
@@BenVallack lol OK doesn't matter what those keys are mapped to, but having a bump on the home row under each index finger is all you need for orientation.
I guess the irregular shape of the Ergodox helps a bit too.
Yeah but there’s no way I could live with knowing the wrong key is on the wrong place! (Even though I’d never need to use it to know what it was!)
It’s blanks or the right keys in the right place :)
This is awesome, now i think i might save a little for it, do you know any like macro keyboard? im thinking on having like an extra keyboard on the side filled with macros, any idea?
I'm not sure but I think gamers using things like that - just a small one handed board. Might be worth searching for something like that. Cheers!
@@BenVallack Thanks, im thinking on setting things like variables declarations, structures, classes, for-cycles, things like that, just to save a little time when coding, think it might save sometime, considering the amount of times ive been writing each one lately
Edit: thanks for responding, really like your videos
Rodolfo Rincon awesome - yeah I've really enjoyed this process! Best of luck!
Thank you and best regards
if you are not using the standard qwerty layout, Why not order the keyboard with blank key caps?
They don’t do it yet - apparently it’s coming next year though. I’d definitely love that!
@@BenVallack I was looking to buy one today (still doubting between moonlander or ergodox) and I saw the option on both. Maybe is a new option I've been looking at this only for 2 days.
I just looked on the site and couldn’t see that option? Do you still see it?
@@BenVallack ohhh sorry I had the ergodox page open yes you are right they are not offering them right now. Thanks for the answer
Adrian Godoy no worries! I think another comment below quoted an email from ZSA with timeframes on the blanks.
Is the programing of the keyboard done on a cloud? In other words it isn't a requirement to have a Mac or Windows machine to program it? I run Linux.
Correct, web based. They have an app which runs on Linux to flash the firmware to the keyboard then from then it doesn’t matter what you plug it into.
In my opinion the thumb keys are to far away. I have a Redox Keyboard where the thumb keys are closer
Yeah with them tilted down this is true, better when angled up, but you loose the tent.
would this be the keyboard you recommend to people?
I am after something like this and bought the Kinesis Kin-FS2 but I then found out I actually need a modal keyboard with a more modern layout (especially a space-bar that is pointlessly massive).
Thoughts on the moonlander vs the Ergo EZ?
And also was it expensive to get it imported to the UK?
many thanks
UK shipping and tax is a bit of a pain for sure, but then there aren't many other options if this kind of thing is what you're after. It certainly ticks a lot of boxes!
@@BenVallack I may have to take the plunge then :)
If portability wasn't a factor which keyboard would be your fave? the Moonlander? or the ergodox planck? or something else?
thanks
I do use the moonlander when I'm at the desk - it's just that much nicer on the posture. However, if I didn't have the Moonlader I'd be very happy with the Planck EZ (which I use frequently with my iPad). If you have no need for portability then price is the only downside to the moonlader I'd say. I might suggest it doesn't need the number row at all but that doesn't really change the choice.
@@BenVallack thanks for the reply Ben. I think I may take the plunge tomorrow. Well worth the money considering the decades of use I will get out of it
@@dewijones92 You're welceme! Yeah exactly, and things like hot swappable switches improve longevity too.
can you provide link to touchpad from video?
Good old apple trackpad - very nice trackpad actually. www.apple.com/shop/product/MJ2R2LL/A/magic-trackpad-2-silver
sound test @ 14:05 (Kailh Silver)
Is it possible to set a negative tilt on this keyboard?
There are holes on the outside edge actually - it might be possible to buy more legs to use in them. Might be worth asking them.
Thank you for these videos. Do you have any experience with the Ergodox EZ, and if so, how does it compare with the Moonlander in terms of pros and cons?
Unfortunately I haven't used it. I think the mail thing is the adjustability of the thumb clusters and the simpler 'flat surface' construction.
I've got an Ergodox EZ, and I'm considering getting a Moonlander Mk 1 as well. ZSA's boards since 2018 have let you take out the switches themselves to replace them, in case they break, or if you simply want to try something different. Unfortunately, both of mine (one for home and one for the office, back when "the office" wasn't my home) are from 2016, before this change, so I can't swap out the Cherry MX Browns, and I'd like to try Kailh Box Silvers (or Cherry MX Speed Silvers, which are very similar).
One of the big differences I see is that the Ergodox EZ has two more buttons in each thumb cluster. In the default layout that comes with the board, these are used for [Home] and [End] on the left hand and [Page Up] and [Page Down] on the right hand. I've gotten quite used to using those keys, so I'm a little hesitant to lose them, but I'm fairly certain I could relearn a slightly different layout.
I'm most jealous when I see the way the Moonlander Mk 1 tents. As someone who rests my palms on the wing rests, I like that the angle and height of the rests adjusts along with the keyboard, unlike on the Ergodox EZ, where it's just a separate piece of hard rubber that sits disconnected from the board. Now that the Ergodox EZ has backlighting (which wasn't available when I got mine), it's a little odd to see that not all of the keys have lights; the ones with blank caps on the Moonlander Mk 1 are solid on the Ergodox EZ, and there's no lights behind them. I don't know how much I care about this, but I do think that more visible indicators of layers would be nice, especially as I have some layers that are very similar, and I can forget which one I'm on sometimes. (For example, some games don't let me rebind keys, or don't let me rebind to specific keys, so I'll make a layout that simply puts the key the game expects in the location I want. Then I have to remember to switch out before typing, or suddenly my backspace becomes [X].)
That is not DSA profile, most probably a R3 OEM/Cherry profile...
Cheers yeah I pinned another comment that mentioned that - not sure where I got the idea they were DSA!
great video
Great content.
how do you access the function keys? I use windows btw
It depends on your layout - you can just set them up on one of your layers which you can assign to one of the thumb keys or other bottom row keys.
This or the Voyager?
Voyager
Omg sold.
cool vid