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Keyboards · ZSA ErgoDox

ZSA ErgoDox EZ

11owners with an opinion
62%of verdicts positive
2/2positive/negative since 2024
0happy after 3+ years

Praised for ergonomics and comfort; criticized for ease of use and value.

What people wrote

Doesn’t like it
Countervailing story: the Ergodox (EZ specifically but that's less important) gave me permanent RSI in my thumbs, because it was too big for my hands, and to this day I pretty much can't use a keyboard layout that relies on lots of thumb involvement. Even just hitting the spacebar throughout the day or using my thumbs to type on a smartphone is enough to flare it up, almost a decade after I stopped using that keyboard. YMMV, ergonomics are highly personal with respect to your body size and proportions. We didn't have the proliferation of keyboard layouts then that we do now. Perhaps if the Iris or Corne had existed then, I would still be using my thumbs for modifier keys in a 40% layout. I never got the hang of tapdance or hold modifiers. The Atreus layout is the only one I can still use somewhat, because the thumbs are held closer to the hand rather than splayed out.
Doesn’t like it
I love my ErgoDox EZ but I have the same problem as you. Even after a few years, I'm still not used to the location of some of the punctuation keys that you need when you're writing code (braces, pipe, etc.) which in turn really hampers my flow state. I end up undocking and using my MBP keyboard when I'm writing code because I just can't get into that same flow state on my ErgoDox.
Likes it
Maybe your keyboard was a contributing factor? I had wrist pain typing in vim on a "regular" (Keychron C1) Keyboard. The wrist pain is gone since i use a split keyboard (Ergodox EZ) which allows me to rotate both halves of the keyboard in order to match the "incoming angle" of my forearm which removes the need to constantly bend my wrists outwards.
Doesn’t like it
I've found that overwhelmingly it's brand perception, fashion and trends that build these situations more than anything else. Add to that the situation where people have spent hundreds of dollars on something and generally feel like they will have to justify it. It must be great, right? They spent hundreds of dollars, of course it's great! I bought a mechanical keyboard (ErgoDox EZ) for more than $300 after import taxes and it wasn't remarkably better than anything else. I don't use it nowadays, I just use "classic" models from either Logitech or Microsoft (or even a lower-status brand) for the equivalent of ~$13-$17 a pop. I bought several at once but they've never broken so far so I just have a few in storage. P.S. I had problems with wrist pain and stuff before I bought the ErgoDox which was one of the reasons I bought it. It only got worse after I started using it and the only thing that helped was voice coding and not using a keyboard for some time. After that I started using these bland, uninteresting keyboards and I've never really had the same issues again.
Neutral
Having developed upper back pain due to too much desk time, I switched to Logitech's MX Vertical mouse for a few years, along with moving from a typical tenkeyless to an ErgoDox (a F/OSS mechanical keyboard design). This offered relief for the pain in my upper back but a few years later I ended up developing pain in my wrist and forearm. I then move from the MX Vertical to the MX Ergo (thumb trackball) using the included spacers to make it as "vertical" as possible. These changes, along with a proper desk chair and more awareness of my posture has given many years free of desk related pain. I would say that fully transitioning to these peripherals did not take any longer than 1-2 weeks. I estimate I was obtained close to 70% of my baseline within a day or two and was close to 100% by the end of week 2. My suggestion is to transition one thing at a time. In my case I transitioned to the split keyboard which I found as harder to transition to compared to either the MX Vertical or MX Ergo. I am told by various ergo-nerds that the best trackball experience is one use with your index finger, like the Ploopy Classic. I haven't been compelled to switch yet though.
Likes it
I love my ErgoDox EZ. But I’ve purchased a Dygma Defy in part because I want wireless. It would be so nice to have wireless power built in to my desk so the keyboard could make us of it. But I agree with all the points in the article. Except I still want wireless. If only batteries were still removable like the good ol days…
Likes it
I can totally relate. I bought my ErgoDox EZ a while ago and I still love it. I changed the switches for some lubed linears, and added some foam and now it even sounds better. It also reduced my wrist pain. I'm debating with myself whether to get the Moonlander or not. I don't actually need it, but it looks so cool (and the USB port of the ErgoDox is quite outdated haha).
Likes itDoesn’t say they own it
I think the Ergodox ez does those keys better than a standard keyboard because they are split between the two thumb clusters in the standard layout. Don't even have to move my hands to hit any of the four keys. It was one of the things I was looking for in a keyboard.
Recommends itDoesn’t say they own it
More or less, yeah. There are different stenography systems, each with their own shortcuts and abbreviations, but at core they're all about producing large volumes of text with minimal physical effort at very high speeds. Those interested should check out http://www.openstenoproject.org/ . A good mechanical keyboard (e.g. the ErgoDox EZ) and Plover mean the only thing standing between you and >200 WPM typing is the time and effort to learn it.