Performance Testing

The Kinesis Advantage360 supports N-key rollover USB, which tested successfully using Aqua's test. Switch Hitter confirmed no chatter with these keys either, and seen above are all the functions with dedicated keys on the base layer. This keyboard has 76 keys and, at first glance, might appear to be similar to a 65% keyboard when it comes to functionality. But then you realize a typical 65% keyboard has 67–68 keys, so now we get to some of what makes the Advantage360 special.


The base layer is self-explanatory, although going for R.Win over L.Win is an inspired choice. The Fn layer is also no different from usual on a 65% or smaller keyboard, with the number keys now becoming Fn keys. Usually we see more than just this on the Fn layer, but Kinesis has opted for a third pre-defined layer called the Keypad layer, which is accessible with the Kp Toggle key in the top left corner of the left side. You now get a number pad on the right side, although note that the zero key is positioned below and not where it typically falls, since that space is taken up by two arrow keys instead. Between this and the short numpad Enter that resulted in me hitting the [/] key more often than I would like, I generally found myself not using the Kp layer at all. I am used to the number key row anyway, and pull out a dedicated numpad for heavier number crunching—if not outright using a full-size keyboard at times. The Advantage360 is better suited for productivity via more efficient typing.


I have used a lot of ergonomic keyboards in the past, and I have to say the Advantage360 is definitely the most ergonomic of them all. The contoured key wells are such a big game changer, no matter if you have small or large hands. Those with smaller hands can struggle to reach keys further away in split keyboards, be it on the thumb cluster or on the corners. Having they keyboard be curved means your fingers need to travel less to reach the keys in the first place, and this also helps naturally position your hands for typing. Look down at how your fingers rest in a curved position, and imagine that with a keyboard accounting for this added height differential compared to your palm and wrist. Larger hands often suffer from wrist pronation as well as radial/ulnar deviation, and here the palm rest combined with the key spacing and tenting helps make for a natural typing angle as well. The split nature of the keyboard also means you can position the two sides such that your hands, when resting idly on the keyboard or for typing, are in line with your shoulder width too. I also think the pedal accessory is a neat idea since you can now delegate a layer or toggle, say for switching between profiles, to your foot instead. All of these sound great, but do note that you will almost certainly have a learning curve to get to this point. As good as the pre-programmed functions may be, I am sure you may want to swap some keys around. Then there's the whole part where you will likely be going from staggered key columns to this more ortholinear one, and the contoured nature will also throw a wrench in your typing efficiency initially. Take the time to set up the Advantage360 to your liking and then practice, practice, practice to find yourself not only becoming a better, faster typist but also one that will not suffer from issues such as Carpal tunnel syndrome. I will also give a shoutout to the onboard key mapping and the indicator LEDs helping make this process faster.


Having no clicky switch option on the Kinesis Advantage360 feels like a missed opportunity though, especially since the switches are soldered. There are only two switch options at this time, which also is lower than I would have liked to see. The Gateron Brown is a nice tactile switch though, so I can see a lot of people generally being happy with it. Likewise, if you plan to use this in a shared work environment then a more silent switch may be for you. This is where the second switch option in the form of the Kailh BOX Silent Pink comes in. It's a lightweight linear switch that has rubber dampers in the stem to, well, dampen the keystrokes and reduce the noise when bottoming the switches out. The total travel distance is reduced slightly from 4.0 mm to 3.6 mm on this otherwise full-size mechanical switch, with actuation at ~1.8 mm and taking up just 35 gf of force. You will almost certainly bottom out here with the spring giving up at just 45 gf though. Those who prefer touch typing and have a lighter hand may want to go for the Gateron Brown, which can also be quieter if you train yourself to not bottom out. On the other hand, the Kailh BOX Silent Pink is likely to feel smoother owing to the absence of the tactile bump used for feedback, and it comes with the push rod (active block) well lubed too.


As always, the sound of a keyboard is based on more than just the switch type. So when comparing sound clips, consider the keyboard as a whole. In this case, I have provided above an example sound clip of me typing on the Kinesis Advantage360 keyboard sample at ~95 WPM as it comes out of the box with the Kailh BOX Silent Pink switches. For context, you can find sound clips from other keyboards here, including those with linear switches. I did bottom out constantly here, as pointed out above, and I am pretty sure the keyboard itself doesn't have a lot of damping inside. Still, it ends up being one of the quieter keyboards on the market owing primarily to those switches as well as the contoured key wells which don't direct the typing sound directly towards you.