ZSA Technology Labs, the makers of the excellent ErgoDox EZ Shine and the Planck EZ today introduced their latest ergonomic keyboard titled The Moonlander Mark 1. The company claims this is a result of over three years of R&D, incorporating feedback from customers and the general keyboard community as a whole on what they wanted from the ErgoDox EZ and other such split, ergonomic keyboards. The Moonlander Mark 1 boasts features including a thumb cluster that can be positioned to better suit your hand size/shape, tilting and tenting of the two keyboard halves for better ergonomics, a wrist rest (on each half) that automatically angles with tilting/tenting, hot-swappable switches with Cherry MX and Kailh BOX switches to choose from out of the box, and enhanced portability with the ability to fold the wrist rest (wing) and just plug in the left half via Type-C connectivity to use as a game/macro-pad.

The Moonlander Mark 1 continues the design scheme of the ErgoDox EZ and Planck EZ in having columnar keys, is available in black or white colors, and with ten switch options at checkout. Fully open source firmware is available here as well, for both programming the keys and layers of functions and also the RGB LEDs for backlighting of every single key. There is a first-party configurator available as well, with Windows, macOS, and Linus support without any special drivers needed. The keyboard also has status LEDs on board and, as the name is befitting here, uses audio buzzers to beep out status feedback if desired. The wings and thumb clusters are optional, and come in the package that also includes a carry case. Going for a significant $365 from the dedicated product page (shipping included), the company also offers a no-questions-asked 2-year warranty to help sweeten the deal.

Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. introduces new Happy Hacking Keyboard (HHKB) models including a Bluetooth enabled model, as well as HHKB branded accessories for avid HHKB fans!

The HHKB was developed by programmers for programmers to provide a smooth and fast keying experience while minimizing hand and finger fatigue. The keyboard only has the most necessary keys resulting in a light, compact and minimalist device. Since its introduction, the HHKB has been used by many customers including programmers and engineers and has sold over 500,000 units worldwide. The core concepts for the HHKB are its intelligent key layout and compact size. While these features have never changed for more than 20 years, keymap customization software and multi-platform support have been introduced to meet the changes in today's technology and work environment.

"I've personally used HHKB for over 20 years for professional and personal use, and I'm very excited to bring the latest generation of this cult classic to the U.S. market." said Yasunari Shimizu, CEO of Fujitsu Computer Products of America.

Logitech G, a brand of Logitech and leading innovator of gaming technologies and gear, today introduced two new high-performance gaming keyboards - the LogitechⓇ G915 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard and the LogitechⓇ G815 LIGHTSYNC RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. By combining Logitech G's advanced LIGHTSPEED wireless technology, with its new high-performance, low-profile GL Switches, these new keyboards were designed and built to be the most advanced and innovative keyboards imaginable.

"These new keyboards are perfect examples of what's possible when our award-winning designers and engineers at Logitech G push the envelope of advanced gaming technology and design," said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager of Logitech Gaming. "The G915 combines LIGHTSPEED Wireless, RGB lighting and amazing battery life in a sleek, ultra-thin, aluminium case that creates a new standard for gaming keyboards."

The Input Club Keystone Mechanical Keyboard is an unparalleled leap forward in typing and gaming technology. It will launch on Kickstarter on July 16th, 2019 at 8 AM PST, at this link - kty.pe/keystone. The Keystone combines two new keyboard features - High Definition Analog Control and per-key fast Hall Effect (magnetic) sensing - for supreme performance. Our magnetic switch technology enables near-infinite customization, billion-press (Source: Honeywell Testing Article) durability (20x the industry standard), and analog control benefits for everyone. Full firmware programmability and RGB lighting round out its features.

This project is the future of mechanical keyboards. We believe that there is more to the main tool everyone uses for work, playing games, and connecting with others. Input Club is a group of engineers and designers who drive innovation in the field of input devices. The team formed in 2014 because there was very little innovation in the keyboard space. Our team has developed special mechanical keyswitches, open source keyboard firmware, and some of the more iconic keyboard designs to hit the marketplace. The Keystone is the next technological lead forward for keyboards - it is our flagship keyboard showcasing the best and most sought after features in a keyboard.

Readers of our website may be familiar with the Wooting brand for their then, and now, excellent Wooting One analog keyboard that we examined in late 2017. It impressed us enough to be the top keyboard for the year as well, and still remains one of the few keyboards to offer analog control at all, let alone on every single switch it is on. The company has since come out with a full-size Wooting Two, along with another switch option using a heavier spring. Their switches to date are linear optical switches manufactured by Flaretech to Wooting's design, and the company admitted there was not much more they could do with the current design. This brought us to Computex 2019, wherein they demonstrated their next generation switches for analog control, gave us some samples to take apart, and also showed off a neat prototype technology for the future- if it pans out, anyway.

The Hall effect has been used for keyboard switches in the past, as much as nearly four decades ago, no matter what some people may tell you when describing Steelseries' new switch from Computex also based off the Hall effect. Indeed, it had a small resurgence a couple of years ago in the enthusiast keyboard arena when "Ace Pad" and "XMIT" worked together for a Massdrop-exclusive keyboard, but 2019 does seem to be the year they come back in the public eye. Wooting's take is called the Lekker switch, a word in Dutch that can stand for different things depending on the context but generally stands for something impressive. Read past the break for more on the Lekker switch, as well as other things that might interest you.

Kailh introduced their newest lineup of mechanical keyboard switches at Computex 2018 in the form of the Sun switch. The aim of this lineup was to retain the Cherry MX keycap compatibility with the same stem design, but allow for centralized lighting akin to what Omron did with their light pillars in the Logitech Romer-G and Creative PRES switches. This meant designing new molds for the various switch parts, and also finding a wider spring that together all still work into providing a tactile and clicky switch with a 1.8 mm actuation depth, total travel distance of 3.5 mm, an actuation force of 50 gf and tactile force of 60 gf.

It found little interest, however, with only Hexgears choosing to adopt it to date in their GK760 keyboard. In a move to drum up more business, Kailh have already updated the Sun switch to allow for a clear stem with walls surrounding the stem to help add some dust and spill resistance, with the clear housing now allowing more light to pass through. The rest of the switch is identical, as seen below in samples we received recently (old switch at the left/top of the new switch), although now there is little scope left for a more diffused backlighting experience. Time will tell how the changes work out, and yours truly would have rather seen the older design in use.More pictures follow.

Ducky Channel is one of the oldest mechanical keyboard OEMs and whitebox manufacturers in Taiwan, and brought a vast selection of new mechanical keyboards to Computex 2019, with a focus on space-saving TKL (tenkeyless) and sub-TKL form-factors without compromising on the size of the keycaps. A running design theme at the Ducky booth has been a fusion of the Chinese Year of the Pig in a rendition by Formosan artists (indigenous people of the island of Taiwan). We begin our tour with the Shine, a lineup of full-size 108-key units that now come in the new Gunmetal Grey color option. These keyboards feature a zinc-alloy top, with PBT double-shot seamless keycaps, and another in hot-rod red+black color scheme. You can have the Shine in a number of Cherry MX switch options. The 2019 edition also comes with USB type-C cabling in addition to type-A.

Leopold is a boutique keyboard manufacturer based out of Korea, and one we have not yet had the pleasure of covering in detail on TechPowerUp. That is about to change, however, as we were invited to meet representatives of the company and go through their products at their Computex booth. I have been familiar with their existing lineup to an extent, noting that they use both Cherry MX and Topre switches in their keyboards designed for the high end market. The FC660 especially is quite popular among keyboard enthusiasts wanting a small form factor keyboard for ergonomics, and Leopold showed off their new version of an electrostatic capacitive switch based on the Topre switch.

The new switch finds its way in the equally new FC660PT keyboard, with the primary design change being the location of the spring relative to the switch housing and rubber dome that gave Topre switches the unique tactile feedback which people either loved or did not. The new design attempts to appease users who long since have wanted compatibility with Cherrry MX stem keycaps, which account for the vast majority of aftermarket keycap sets. The spring is thus right on top, and makes for an interesting two-step feedback mechanism seen in the force-travel diagram below, which may well be just as divisive as the Topre switch itself. Noting that the springs may work loose and possibly be lost, Leopold tells us they plan to also include an extra set of springs with the keyboard as well. The rest of the keyboard is unchanged, and that by itself is a good thing in my books given it is hard to improve on the build quality provided by the thick metal case paired with the 1.5 mm thick PBT keycaps with dye-sub legends. Read past the break for more Leopold offerings at the show floor!

Mistel Keyboard has been making waves in the mechanical keyboard market for the last few years now, with new products shown off at Computex that then get ready for the retail channels soon after. Their product portfolio has been predominantly based on split keyboards and non-traditional form factors to appeal to a more specific market segment not targeted by the vast majority of other companies. The company has dipped their feet into the TKL form factor before with the MD870 SLEEKER, and at Computex this year they showed off their first full-size keyboard in the form of the HACKER MD800.

The keyboard supports USB (over a Type C detachable cable) and Bluetooth connectivity options, uses a metal case thick enough to ooze build quality and mass alike, OEM-profile thick PBT doubleshot injected keycaps in black, white, or a special mix edition, onboard macro support with three layers for functionality and programming, native Windows and MacOS support, and white LED backlighting with multiple lighting effects to choose from. Powered by AA batteries on the back, as well as the new Mistel logo on the Esc key, the HACKER MD800 arrives in Q3 2019 with a price point the company is finalizing on to appeal to the mass market upon release. Read past the break for more on the new Barocco MD770 keyboard as well.

ZSA Technology Labs, Inc. is the company behind the Ergodox EZ keyboard that we had taken a look at in great detail, and appreciated a lot. It was a retail take on the open source Ergodox keyboard concept which, until then, was available as a kit or pre-assembled by artisans in low numbers, and was not a mass-market product. One could argue the Ergodox EZ is still not a mainstream keyboard, but it certainly made things much more accessible via options to choose from for a pre-assembled keyboard, as well as a powerful, GUI-based configurator for those wanting easier firmware access and control.

In that same vein, the parent company has now introduced the Planck EZ which, as the name suggests, is based on the 47-key Planck keyboard design. Designed in conjunction with Jack Humbert, the creator of the Planck, the Planck EZ aims to be a simple, complete, portable, mechanical keyboard built with layers and ergonomics in mind. The Planck EZ goes a bit further with adding in not only multiple switch options, but also backlighting and a buzzer that can also be controlled to play 8-bit tunes from the keyboard- definitely a first in my books! The Planck EZ is up for pre-order now beginning at $180, with an estimated shipping date in June 2019.

The Input Club Keystone Mechanical Keyboard is an unparalleled leap forward in typing and gaming technology. The Keystone combines two new keyboard features - High Definition Analog Control and per-key fast Hall Effect (magnetic) sensing - for supreme performance. Our magnetic switch technology enables near-infinite customization, billion-press durability (20x the industry standard), and analog control benefits for everyone. Full firmware programmability and RGB lighting round out its features. This project is the future of mechanical keyboards; join our waitlist to have the future of keyboards at your fingertips.

The Keystone brings novel features together to continue pushing keyboard invention further - with its SILO Hall Effect and High Definition Analog Switches. These are both keyboard switch technologies that have been produced in the past, separately, but this implementation takes them to the next level. With Hall Effect switches, instead of relying on a bending piece of metal for actuation, your keyboard tracks the movement of a magnet. This allows you to change when and where the keyboard receives the signal, while also providing a billion press switch lifespan that simply cannot be competed with.

[Editor's note: Our own review of the Cooler Master MK850 is published here for those interested to know more.]

Cooler Master, a global leader in designing and manufacturing innovative gaming peripherals and computer components, today announces the release of its new analog mechanical gaming keyboard, the MK850. "The MK850 is the world's first mechanical keyboard, using Cherry MX switches, capable of sensing exactly how far down you press the key," says Lance Madsen, Aimpad Principle Engineer. "It provides unparalleled control in even the most demanding PC games."

"We wanted to implement Aimpad technology to provide gamers with an extra tool and to push our innovation efforts to the next level," says Bryant Nguyen, Peripheral General Manager. " What sets the MK850 apart is that it is the only analog keyboard that uses prestigious Cherry MX switches and can sense the entire 4mm range of a key press versus competitor analog keyboards that are only capable of measuring 2mm of analog movement and do not utilize Cherry MX switches.

Hexgears is, in their own words, "a global gaming brand with influences from the USA, Germany, and China". We briefly covered them before thanks to their first adoption of the new Kailh Sun switches, and at CES 2019 they had a booth on the showfloor for this very keyboard and other products. The GK760 from Hexgears is still the only keyboard announced to use those new Sun switches, which effectively allows for a central backlighting similar to Omron switches, while still retaining Cherry MX keycap compatibility. The GK760 is a full-size keyboard with 104 keys and ABS plastic keycaps, which also appear to be low in profile even though the actual switches are not necessarily so. There is an entire column of programmable G-keys (macro keys), as well as a dedicated volume scroll wheel and a thick plushy wrist rest. Read past the break to know more about the products they showed off at CES.

Mad Catz Global Limited, leading gaming hardware innovators for nearly 30 years, announced an all-new line of S.T.R.I.K.E. professional gaming keyboards, including a S.T.R.I.K.E. with ultra-reliable mechanical keys, ideal for the Esports community. Expected to begin shipping from Spring 2019, the S.T.R.I.K.E. range is a perfect addition to the Company's recently announced range of G.L.I.D.E. gaming surfaces and R.A.T. mice., forming part of a complete PC eco-system. With two S.T.R.I.K.E. keyboards to choose from, gamers can pick the keyboard that suits their preference and budget.

Armed with Cherry mechanical switches, the S.T.R.I.K.E.4+ is the gamers' new secret weapon. Tested to withstand at least 50 million hits, the Cherry switches provide perfect travel and precision every time. With anti-ghosting featuring on every key, gamers can combine with the powerful F.L.U.X. software, which allows for staggering customization and control over every aspect of the keyboard including individual key lighting and control over the USB report rate. Chameleon RGB Lighting baths the keyboard in 16.8 million colors, fully adjustable and customizable via the F.L.U.X. software and creating a new standard in keyboard lighting.

Tesoro announced today the launch of their latest keyboard, the Gram MX One, in time for Christmas in North America. Indeed, the keyboard is slated to be available December 24 for those wanting a last minute gift, and is part of their popular GRAM series of keyboards. This means that the keyboard uses the same body and case as their Gram Spectrum or SE Spectrum (but not the XS, which uses low profile switches), in the usual black or white color options to choose from. Adding to the options list is a choice of genuine Cherry MX Blue or Brown mechanical switches, both in their non-RGB variant.

The Gram MX One has single color blue backlighting integrated, and uses a minimalist design for those wanting something simple and more affordable than many of the new keyboards released this year. Durability and build quality are emphasized by the company, with specific mentions on the use of doubleshot injected PBT keycaps that adopt the floating style design on a thick steel plate as seen below. Pre-programmed onboard functionality includes lighting effects, key assignment and macro recording. The keyboard measures 445 x 139 x 32 mm and weighs 1.2 Kg (2.65 lb), and there is no word on pricing at this point despite imminent release.

Update Dec 20:- MSRP of the Gram MX One is $79.99 as per Tesoro, and at launch the model available for purchase will be the white color, MX Brown switch variant only. Others will follow thereafter.

We first saw the new SUN switches from Kailh back at Computex this year, featuring centralized and bright lighting incorporated in mechanical switches that also offered a lower-than-average actuation and travel distance. At the 2018 Electronica tradefair in Munich, Kailh showed off the first retail keyboard to make use of these switches in the form of the Hexgears GK760.

Hexgears is a Chinese startup company in collaboration with Andrew Lekashman of Input Club fame, and already has an interesting keyboard in the form of the X-1 low profile wireless unit. The new GK760 is a full-size keyboard with 104 keys and ABS plastic keycaps, which also appear to be low in profile even though the actual switches are not necessarily so. This makes for a confusing choice, but we will hold judgement until we get our hands on one ourselves. There is an entire column of programmable G-keys (macro keys), as well as a dedicated volume scroll wheel and a thick plushy wrist rest to go along with a keyboard case with angles galore to provide an aesthetic different than the usual, while still looking clean and minimalist. We can also see what appear to be two USB passthrough ports, and secondary legends on the keycaps indicate lots of onboard control as well. No word yet on retail availability and pricing, and we look forward to seeing more of the keyboard and the new Kailh switches in action.

Das Keyboard today announced the launch of the 4Q mechanical keyboard, the first Cherry MX-based keyboard in the company's Q-series family of smart, cloud-connected keyboards that empower users to increase productivity by changing the color of its keys from information coming from the Internet.

The new gold standard for mechanical keyboards, the Das Keyboard 4Q takes the company's flagship mechanical keyboard-the Das Keyboard 4 Professional-to the next level by adding in the Q technology and RGB lighting. Concurrent with the 4Q launch is the introduction of Das Keyboard's Q marketplace for applets, a place where users can share and download free and open source Q applets.

The GRAM Spectrum TKL Mechanical Keyboard follows the award winning GRAM Spectrum, delivering a low profile design in a compact version. Featuring the Tesoro's low-profile Agile Switch, the GRAM TKL offers precise keystrokes, fast response and accurate actuation available within a shorter, beautiful tenkeyless body. Experience typing and gaming with an ergonomic, aligned mouse placement for optimal comfort with hours of use. While compact in size, features, functionality and customization are robust and plentiful with the GRAM TKL. Enhanced RGB with 16.8M color customization, the GRAM TKL is housed within double injected PBT keycaps and casing made from high-strength steel plate.

Hardware pre-orders are a mixed bag, especially when it comes to keyboards from a peripheral maker that you know are going to be available for retail sale one way or another. AZIO showed off their R.C.K. (Retro Compact Keyboard) series at Computex this year, with the defining features including a TKL form factor keyboard offering their Retro-series options of genuine leather or wood materials for the keyboard, a typewrite-style mechanical keyboard design that AZIO have used to good success in the past, and a combination of wired and wireless (via Bluetooth) connectivity as well. A 5000 mAh battery should provide months of battery life even with backlighting on, which is a nice change of pace from the current crop of wireless mechanical keyboards that struggle to go more than a few days on a single charge.

IndieGoGo as a platform used to be associated with crowdfunding a product, and indeed the original AZIO Retro series of keyboards came about that way. But the new R.C.K. range appears to be up for what AZIO terms is a "pre-launch" perk at a heavily discounted price, rather than this being a requirement towards getting the product to market. If you are so interested, the current pre-order price is $119 for a keyboard and matching palm rest (in leather or wood to match the keyboard), which is a 45% discount to the $219 MSRP for when the keyboard launches in December 2018. The special price ends September 15 and pre-orders have become an accepted norm in the enthusiast keyboard community today, but we still recommend thinking hard before going forward with pre-orders in general.

In addition to the fairly unique Rev-o-mate, i-Rocks also had a plethora of new keyboards to show off recently. These included updates to existing keyboard lines, new additions using mechanical and electrocapacitive switches, as well as a security keyboard/accessory utilizing fingerprints.

First up, we took a look at the K72E Capacitive keyboard. This uses the same platform as the i-Rocks K72M which uses their own mechanical switches except with new electrocapacitive (hence the E, rather than the M in the name) switches that we first saw in the i-Rocks K70E that was reviewed by us recently. As such, the K72E uses a removable (for modding or otherwise) aluminum top plate with beveled edges for a more defined look compared to the more standard rectangular cuboid normally seen. The top cover especially is on the thicker side of average, and allows for i-Rocks to make replacement covers available for those wanting different color options. The capacitive switches on the K70E were impressive overall, so this version should attract those who wanted those switches on a different aesthetic than the K70E that uses an acrylic top cover and paper skins for customization. Be sure to read past the break for more information on their other keyboards.

CORSAIR , a world leader in PC gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, today announced the release of the new CORSAIR K70 RGB MK.2 and CORSAIR STRAFE RGB MK.2 range of mechanical gaming keyboards. Equipped with 100% Cherry MX high-quality mechanical keyswitches, the K70 RGB MK.2 RGB and STRAFE RGB MK.2 offer gamers a huge variety of switch type, including Cherry MX Red, MX Brown, MX Blue, Rapidfire MX Speed or MX Silent keyswitches.

Whichever switch you pick, the K70 RGB MK.2 RGB and STRAFE RGB MK.2 both offer the comprehensive set of features that gamers demand; per-key RGB backlighting, 8MB of onboard profile storage and dedicated media keys are just the start, all powered by new CORSAIR iCUE software to synchronize lighting and control across all your CORSAIR iCUE compatible devices. Staying true to the CORSAIR legacy for quality and choice, the K70 RGB MK.2 RGB and STRAFE RGB MK.2 are ready to make their mark.

Thermaltake, a leading brand in eSport gaming peripherals, showcased the latest X1 RGB Cherry MX Mechanical Gaming Keyboard at COMPUTEX 2018 during June 5 - June 9 at the TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall (4th floor, booth number M0120). The keyboard comes in a sleek and stunning finish that delivers 16.8 million of true RGB color illumination with 12 dynamic lighting effects.

Best yet, it is exclusively compatible with all Thermaltake TT RGB Sync Power Supply and Liquid Cooling Solutions - Toughpower iRGB Power Supply, Pure Plus 12 RGB Radiator Fan TT Premium Edition, Riing Plus Series RGB Radiator Fan TT Premium Edition, Pacific W4 Plus CPU Water Block, Pacific RL360 Plus RGB Radiator, Floe Riing RGB 360/280/240 TT Premium Edition, Pacific Lumi Plus LED Strip - and any other product range sporting the TT RGB Sync logo, enabling enthusiasts to sync all RGB colors seamlessly to all Thermaltake compatible product lines for even greater color coordination. In addition, the X1 RGB comes with an exclusively designed smartphone/tablet app with voice controlled AI for access to light functions and essential macros. The app also includes an exclusive patented designed Virtual Game Controller (VGC) mode for a truly unique and astounding mobile gaming experience.

AZIO Corp underwent a massive makeover in their product line the last few years, focusing on their typewriter-style mechanical keyboards and then doubling down on it to give their products a different look than most others. Their Retro Classic line from last year introduced vegetable-tanned genuine leather to the keyboards, and then there was a special edition that made use of genuine wood trim as well. At Computex this year, AZIO showed more of the same being applied to other products, as well as hinting towards the use of more such unique materials in the future.

The Retro Classic full-size keyboard was shown in a new orange leather color, which went well with an entire system a wrist rest and mouse pads as well. This was next to another wood option, this time a lighter tone that went well with the white keycaps as opposed to the darker grain wood and black keycaps from the previous version. AZIO also showed off more mouse pads under the R.C. Mouse Pad name in two sizes (medium and XL) and multiple genuine leather color options to match the rest of their portfolio.

Vortexgear, which is more commonly referred to simply as Vortex, has a close collaboration with iKBC when it comes to their product line and this year at Computex was no different. Indeed, it was evident that Vortex were joining in the fray of making 2018 the year of wireless mechanical keyboards now that RGB is a done deal, with every single new product having that option.

We began our look at the Vortex section of the giant Mistel/iKBC/Vortex booth with the new members to their popular Poker series of keyboards- a 60% form factor keyboard that offered onboard layers and programmability at a time when this was just a dream for even keyboard enthusiasts. The Poker IV is scheduled to work with their new software driver, thus finally allowing end users the freedom to customize layers and keys to a larger and easier extent than before. The two-tone keycap color scheme we saw with their recent keyboards carries over here, as does a thick plastic case to hit a wallet-friendly price point. On the back is a toggle for the power alongside a battery tray for two AAA batteries. New this year to the Poker series is also the so-called Poker Vol. 2 that trades in for a thick metal case and a split space bar. Images for the new Poker keyboards are seen below, and there is more to go after the break.

Mistel Keyboard has impressed us before with their MD870 SLEEKER keyboard before, and another of their products is being tested as we speak. They did not simply rest on their laurels this year, as they introduced a whole slew of new keyboards and even stepped out of their comfort zone with a new power supply range as well. Beginning with the keyboards, Mistel first showed us their take on the Cherry ML low profile switch- not to be confused with the new Cherry MX RGB Low Profile switch that debuted this year. Indeed, Mistel tells us they prefer the Cherry ML paired with their wire-style stabilizers and the new MD650L comes in multiple color options as well as a handy accessory that ties the two pieces together at a point to add a pivot function for ergonomics to those who do not prefer a fully split keyboard. Images of the keyboard are seen below, and lots more to follow after the break.