Truly Ergonomic Keyboard review (Outemu PG816 snap spring optoelectric)

[Chyros]

Today we look at the Truly Ergonomic Cleave, a kind of "ergo keyboard light", so to speak. It comes with some very interesting optoelectric switches by Outemu, employing a type of snap action. Hope you enjoy the video, and happy new year!

[micmil]

My job has me copy/pasting so much shit on a daily basis I had to move to a TKL with a macro pad on the left side just so I don't have to CTRL anything. The only part that doesn't look good here is the location of CAPS, which I think I use more than SHIFT on most days. Well, that and the ergo-bro insistence that De Quervain's tenosynovitis doesn't exist and subsequent need to pile as many functions on the thumbs as possible. Regardless, it's tempting. More than I can say for most ergo boards. At least I look at this layout and it makes sense, and the built-in functions alone are lifesavers.

On your point about macro software vs hardware, I see it like this. Hardware macros would be borderline useless on a gaming-focused keyboard given their dependence on software to define the flashy-lighty bits that make all the women jealous of your waifu or whatever the fuck "gamers" do. On business-oriented keyboards you run into the problem of security. If I'm the IT guy there is no fucking way I'm letting a keyboard with macro capability into my hardware ecosystem. This sounds a bit too close to Rubber Ducky territory for me, and fuck right off if you think I'm going to let you install Razer software. No macros for you. Just hit the buttons like the rest of the plebs. Kneel before Zod, IT Overlord.

That leaves you with a fairly narrow audience of home power users and business users with IT guys that aren't idiots. Not a huge buyer pool, if we're being honest, but probably larger than that for a split-ergo keyboard with a UNIX CTRL key. All it would take is some wankers willing to do it.

I'm not. Have fun.

[Muirium]

Hmm…

The ergo caught my interest, yet it’s the Otemu switches that really stand out here, as you say. I’d paid bugger all attention to them. Assumed they were Gateron-like Cherryier-than-Cherry fare. But they sound quite a bit like Omron, as far as this vid picks up, and that snappy action is appealing.

Any recommendations for good compact keyboards with these switches? About half the size of this beast would be nice!

[Chyros]

Hmm…

The ergo caught my interest, yet it’s the Otemu switches that really stand out here, as you say. I’d paid bugger all attention to them. Assumed they were Gateron-like Cherryier-than-Cherry fare. But they sound quite a bit like Omron, as far as this vid picks up, and that snappy action is appealing.

Any recommendations for good compact keyboards with these switches? About half the size of this beast would be nice!

Honestly I haven't looked into any other models, but I'd definitely like a standard fullsize with these in tbh. Note that they are quite light, and actuate pretty easily, perhaps slightly too easily, which is uncommon for clicky switches. But they feel a lot nicer than I thought they would!

[Muirium]

Light is good. My favourite Topre weight remains the uniform 30g Realforce I tried at Hataa’s place long ago. Didn’t exactly have long with it (you can just imagine that tour!) but it immediately struck me as ooooh niiiiice! in the way “extra-tactile” 55g never did. Always been meaning to get one of those extra light ones. Thoroughly different experience, somehow, to the pick-‘n-mix “ergo” weighted Realforces, which just throw me off my flow.

Re: Ote-Mu: Naturally, I’d be more interested in 60% or TKL than full-size, being a form factor fundamentalist.

[davkol]

derp