Packaging and Accessories

As typically the case for split keyboards with a larger form factor, the Zergotech Freedom is on the larger side of things, as is its product packaging, of course. The box is a two-piece construction with thick cardboard throughout, which has it ooze build quality and make for a nice unboxing experience. The top piece is white and has the company logo and name, the awards won by the keyboard, and a render of the keyboard itself. Marketing features in the bottom-right corner showcase the keyboard in brick-and-mortar stores should you still find yourself in one, and the bottom piece is a dark blue with more of the same except for a render of a Kailh BOX switch instead. Opening the box, we are greeted by a really thick and sturdy piece of foam that protects the contents inside during transit.


The foam piece comes molded to fit the keyboard halves underneath, and we are then greeted with a look at the keyboard in addition to all the various accessories, which also come in their own compartments. We once again see a large foam piece to complete the sandwich, which ensures everything arrives in top shape. The accessories are also separate from the keyboard to prevent any scratches to the keyboard itself. There are some silica gel sachets in here, and we see paperwork on top of the keyboard, which includes a note that the product guides are now online (found here). The manual itself is detailed and extremely useful to where I am conflicted on whether it would merit a physical copy or not. Either way, do take a look at it here before you start using the keyboard, and while you get used to it as well. Zergotech also includes a couple of shorter mouse mode references for either half and the pre-programmed macro functions. The other accessories are more directly involved in the user experience as opposed to making you aware of them.


One of the more novel accessories is the Zergotech keycap puller. It is a plastic keycap puller; however, given the non-standard keycap layout and design employed here, this particular puller has two fixed sizes on either side to remove every single keycap, including the larger ones. Zergotech also includes a set of O-rings to dampen the keystroke for less stress on your fingers, making it a quieter typing experience at the expense of a shorter travel distance. Finally, and arguably the most exciting here, is a set of their sliding palm rests. Zergotech ships their slim sliding palm rests by default, one for each keyboard half, although they also sell taller sliding palm rests (17 mm vs. 11 mm on the slim) as well as fixed palm rests that are much larger and, well, don't slide around. The slim units are recommended for use with the Zergotech Freedom, with the taller units meant to be used alongside other keyboards or even mice! These have a gel pad cushion with a synthetic leather cover for durability, and four skate pads on the bottom for the sliding action itself.