Logitech Ergo K860 Review - My First Ergonomic Keyboard!

The new MX Ergo K860 takes the Logitech MX concept and moves it to a much more ergonomic form factor for touch typing. But how does it feel for someone who has never used an ergonomic keyboard before and will its price, availability and battery life cause problems?

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Review unit provided free of charge by Logitech. This video is sponsored by Cooler Master. As per Hardware Canucks guidelines, no review direction was received from manufacturer. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Gear list (Available on Amazon):
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#ergonomickeyboard #mxergok860 #hardwarecanucks

[mikeshift]

I must be old. When I was in school we had to take a mandatory "keyboarding" class. Looking back, I'm glad I did. I can't imagine what it's like to sit down in front of a keyboard and not know where the keys are!

[coldbrew]

5:33 The wrist rest actually is detachable, you unscrew it from the back. All we'd need is Logitech to sell the wrist rest separately as a piece that you can swap out. :)

[kilgoretrout]

Touch typing is something you can learn from a library book. I found a typewriter-based book at my library and went through it for a few weeks. My typing immediately improved, and it really clicked once I had to do a lot of writing for online classes.

It IS about muscle memory, and some key movements such as using your left index finger for "B" are initially awkward, yet it's totally worth it.

Especially if you know keyboard shortcuts for your operating system, your productivity improves DRAMATICALLY. It's not just that you don't need to look at your fingers, it's that you hardly need to use your mouse! You probably have no idea, but your keyboard can pretty much do it all, and it's a fun feeling.

If I were you, I'd make touch typing a goal and get started on it today. Especially if enjoy life hacks or you fancy yourself a computer person, a gamer, or you work in an office. OMG, office people should HAVE TO learn touch typing, if just to make their life way EASIER.

Anyway, best of luck.

[amadeusb]

Battery life is INSANE! Now you know why there's no back lighting. This has been my work keyboard for the past year and it has helped my hands out even though I've had a busy year. Totally recommended. $130 is nothing compared to going through carpal tunnel release surgery. Take care of yourself.

[PetarStamenkovic]

I've been using ergonomic keyboard from almost the start, from 1995 with the first Microsoft natural keyboard. I'm using Ms natural 4000 now. It's really strange to see that flat, box keyboards are dominating. It's really good that Logitech is joining the ergonomic competition. Thank you for the review.

[FalbertForester]

Having used my Belkin ergonomic keyboards for almost two decades, I can definitely say that they have saved me wrist and arm strain. I have to go back to standard keyboards from time to time, and after a couple of hours, I can definitely feel the strain. If you have learned to touch type, then adjusting back and forth to an ergo keyboard does indeed just take a few hours the first time, but not much time going back.

All keyboards should be ergo designed! We don't need to keep pandering to mechanical movements designed to push a type bar against a paper page anymore.

[tanisha]

I am probably one of the youngest amongst the comment section. I'm 15 turning 16 and the thing is, my wrist pain and hands were aching nonstop and due to the lockdown, it worsened to the point that I couldn't even eat properly. I bought the ergo keyboard a few days ago and it just came in two days ago and I love it. I guess I'm more of a touch typist, but I still do make mistakes because I don't really have the whole layout memorized. This is also my first ergo keyboard and I can tell you that I work at night with the lights ON so I do not find it a dealbreaker if it does not have backlighting. I found this to be expensive, but in the long term, this is a much better solution. Now I'm waiting for my ergonomic mouse. BTW the pain has lessened like crazy for me so this keyboard is a lifesaver.

[masterfork]

As a rehabilitation physician, I've found various studies on the topic of sit/stand desks. They definitely change behaviors but it is hard to say if they change outcomes. The most important aspect to remember is changing positions as you do not want to be in any one position for an extended period. Along those lines, I would recommend a standing desk that has an option to automatically rise and lower after X minutes.


Regarding this keyboard - Logitech definitely made a lot of ergonomically-conscious decisions. Raising the palm side rather than the back of the keyboard (which actually puts more pressure on the carpal tunnel) was a great idea.

[davidreagan]

Yes! I've been wanting to see more split keyboards in the market. :) I have bad RSI, I can't use a normal keyboard for more than a few minutes without pain. I've been using the Microsoft Sculpt keyboard for years. If Logitech accepts any feedback, I'd love to see a tenkeyless version. The extra distance the keypad adds to my right arms travel when switching between keyboard and mouse adds to my RSI pain. I'd also love to see a mechanical version. My Sculpt has low profile keys, and the I start noticing the travel distance being too short after long coding or gaming sessions. My ultimate dream keyboard is a version of the Kinesis Advantage 2 that lets your wrist rest at an angle instead of straight. Anyway, I hope this spurs more companies to try selling ergonomic keyboards. It's a market that needs a lot more competition.

[blahorgaslisk]

As someone who used the original Natural Keyboard from Microsoft for something like seven years I have to say I thoroughly recommend people to try an ergonomic keyboard. It might not be for you, but you won't know unless you try one.

One thing I found actually helped me improve my typing was the split nature of the keyboard. I never got any training in typing so was just shy of "hunt and peck" when I first started using the Natural Keyboard. The split forces you to use the correct hand when typing. For instance there is no way you can get away with using your left hand to type an "h" on a split keyboard. At the same time this can be a major disadvantage if you try to game on one. I'm not saying you can't game on a ergo keyboard, just that it can be less than optimal for gaming.

Ergo keyboards seem to fall into two major categories. On one hand you have reasonably priced keyboards such as the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard and on the other hand you have expensive keyboards where there doesn't seem to be a limit to how much they can cost.
There are also some very exotic looking ergonomic keyboards where they throw away the old QWERTY standard and create a layout they think is more logical. The more exotic the keyboard is the harder it will be to adapt to. Doesn't mean they are bad, just that it require more of an investment in the form of retraining.

Then there are the type of keys used. Most ergo keyboards are using membrane switches, and are definitely not N-Key rollover capable. And that's one more point against using them for gaming. There are however some mechanical version though they tend to cost an arm and a leg. And I have no idea if there are any N-Key rollover capable ergo keyboards out there...

[raploh]

Currently using Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard.

I've been using MS ergonomic keyboards for a very long time (20+ years, since my student days).
Very comfortable. All the pain in my wrists went away in a few days once I switched over to an ergo keyboard.
For touch typists, I would say ergonomic keyboards (those with the split in the middle) all the way. Worth (almost) every penny.

[artistryartistry]

My dude, you didn't even mention how the keys feel, the pressure needed to depress them, or what the tactile experience of actually typing is like. That's an unbelievable oversight.

[unparticularnoise]

Thanks, Eber. Great review.
You kinda convinced me to try this out.
Also cinematography is great, lighting is great. Colors so vivid and punchy!
You guys so grew up. Really amazing.

[Zacharuni]

Typing on my Microsoft Sculpt. Happy to report that this is everything I'd want in a successor. LED backlighting is unnecessary for me, as touch typing is the goal with these. Having that 10-key built in will be nice, the Sculpt has one as a separate device which has never felt convenient. Being able to switch from three devices right from the keyboard is the killer feature. Definitely waiting for a sale on one of these.

[VG-]

Been using an ergonomics keyboard for years, with the latest being the K860 the past few months. And I love this keyboard. Being able to connect to a pc and a Mac and my iPad, has been awesome. the feel is great and very comfortable. Funny how you mentioned its a large keyboard, look at the ms 4000. I found this KB has a great design and use of space. Best KB I’ve used in long while.
Enjoy the channel, great reviews.

[gregbrowne]

I have used the wired Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 since about 2004 or 2005. As a full-time programmer it was a lifesaver on my wrists. Never had a problem with carpal tunnel. It's kind of clunky looking compared to today's fancy ergonomic keyboards, but it is a total workhorse and only about $30-40 on Amazon. In fact, I am still using the same physical keyboard. That's how sturdy it is.

[blueridge]

Ergo boards are definitely the way to go for office workers but models like this with very shallow keys will cause repetitive stress injuries. Longer key travel boards are a better choice because they give your joints a larger area under stress to diffuse the overall friction load. The Logitech K350 and MK550, Microsoft Ergonomic Keyboard and Natural Keyboard, and the Perixx Periboard 512 are great affordable options. I used a K350 at work for 8 years before building my own mechanical split board and it’s still working great on my basement workbench today so it’s safe to say that board is a great value. Extremely comfortable too, especially the padded wrist rest.

If you have the money to spend and want truly the most healthy option then you really need a split keyboard that lets you adjust the angle of the two halves (horizontally and vertically) to fit your particular hands and wrists. Mistel and Kinesis offer quite a few high quality options for under $175 and you can go up from there to boards like the Matias Ergo Pro, Ergodox, Dactyl, Keyboardio Model 01, and TGM Alice clones to really get the best of the best in the $200-400 range. The newly released Mistel D770 is a fantastic value at $140. I have one with Cherry silent switches being delivered on Friday and I can’t wait.

For anyone that wants to learn more, allthingsergo is a great website to read reviews on ergonomic keyboards as well as other ergo products.

[Boopop]

I love PC gaming but I've never bothered with mechanical keyboards. Currently on a MS Sculpt, and I love it! Had an MS Ergonomic 4000 before that.

[DaPoets]

If you took any type of typing course the ergonomic keyboards will actually let you type faster and type longer.

[Darkman]

These are really great boards, but I'd love to see the MX Mechanical come in a layout like this, or a TKL + Backlight. The MX Keys do last a long time, albeit not as long as the k860. Backlights help when you are working in the early morning or late at night with lights off or dimmed, even as a touch typist. Ditching the numpad or including it as a split option would further increase ergonomics for those that don't need it regularly.