Let’s be honest. Custom keyboards usually don’t add a whole lot of functional benefit when you
think about a desk setup as a whole. But the past few boards we’ve looked at have features that got
me thinking about whether or not a custom board in general could be used in a way that could actually
increase output, whether you do creative work, coding, or anything inbetween. So let’s take a
look at some of the features custom keyboards can bring to the table - pun intended - and
whether or not building one can actually be justified from a productivity perspective.
Let’s first take a look at the options you have in terms of layouts. Since I work with
editing software and need to move my mouse a lot, I’ve always preferred keeping a 75%
keyboard or smaller at my desk, just so I get the extra room. Even though I don’t really like the
look of a 75% keyboard, I’ve found a lot of use with the function row. But layout options doesn’t
just describe the traditional layouts we’ve seen commonly, like a TKL, 65% or 60%. We’ve
also got boards like the Windx, with a really unique layout that includes the number pad but
not the function row. If you’re trying to save overall space, I think this is a great option,
but I think in my use case, and a lot of other people’s, southpaw is better as it helps preserve
a lot of that mouse space while keeping the extra keys. With VIA and other custom software,
you’re essentially able to use the numberpad as a separate macro area that’s still attached
to your board. But where this is executed in a more proper way is with XT, or a dedicated
macro column. While I don’t personally own any boards with this, we’ve seen this on boards like
the Sunsetter with 10 extra keys and Geon W1-AT which also has the numberpad on the right as well.
Also not directly productivity oriented are ergo layout keyboards, including alice, arisu,
and split, which can all help with overall typing feel, granted they take a little bit of getting
used to, and maybe increase your words per minute. I personally find it really difficult to use
these, as they tend to have the y key on the right side, while I press it mostly with my left hand.
Heavily tying into layout options is VIA, which allows compatible keyboards to remap
pretty much anything to anything, and also set multiple layers, which can be accessed
through designated layer switching keys. This basically multiplies the capability of your board,
and can be especially useful if you have a ton of macros or want to access keys in an easier way.
Macros, of course, can be programmed in-house, and bound to keys of your choosing. But to
play devil’s advocate, there are also PC-side ways of configuring macros, like autohotkey,
which allows you to create and trigger really advanced macros upon keypresses. So essentially,
the barebones functionality of remapping keys and assigning macros can technically be replicated
on any keyboard with software like autohotkey. Not to mention gaming and productivity oriented
keyboards from larger companies will usually have proprietary software that allow you to do similar
things, like razer synapse and logitech options. But VIA still prevails by a small margin. Since
autohotkey requires a specific key input to activate a macro, and can’t just have
a key directly bound to a macro, it can’t really be used to configure a macro column
without losing the functionality of that key. So whether you bind a function key, number key,
or something else to activate a macro, you’re losing the base functionality of that key. But
with VIA, you can simply have a macro key bound to a macro, and not have any sort of middleman.
Additionally, VIA key changes and macros stay with the keyboard,
regardless of the device you use them on. They don’t require any extra software to
be on your computer to use. Once you set a change, you’re ready to go anywhere.
And also getting a macropad to configure solely for macros may also be of benefit.
Something i’ve recently also been looking into is changing a key function based on whether you
tap it or hold it. This is especially useful for the spacebar, since its something you can
easily tap or hold whenever. VIA has a default keybind that allows the spacebar to activate a
different layer when held and just type a space when tapped. The first use case I learned for this
was to be able to use WASD for arrow keys on this different layer. This is in an attempt to imitate
the virtual arrow keys of the AM Compact Touch, which allow you to swipe on a small
touch surface below the spacebar to activate the arrow keys. On paper, a spacebar layer
switch seems to be faster and more effective than the AM Compact Touch’s implementation,
but in reality, proves to be more of a nuisance, as assigning the spacebar this special keybind
gives it a little bit of delay when you type a space. If it was a shorter delay, it probably
wouldn’t be a big deal, but to me, it’s really noticeable, which makes it a deal breaker.
For more complex workflows, software gives way to hardware, and the various special pieces of
hardware custom keyboards offer may be of better use. This includes of course, knobs,
which are gonna be the most common kind of special control. While these generally
control volume by default, you could also control vertical or horizontal scroll,
which I like to use for navigating my video editing timeline. I’ve also seen implementations
for zoom, or photoshop brush size adjustment, and pretty much anything that uses a linear scale.
Some more advanced custom keyboards have also included customizable LED screens,
like metakey’s TENET and matrix lab’s corsa. But I wouldn’t really call these anything productivity
improving, although they can definitely be super fun and also display useful information,
like words per minute and the time and date. And now we get back to the AM Compact Touch
and the concept of these virtual arrow keys. After comparing usage of normal arrow keys,
secondary layer arrow keys through VIA, and the swipe screen arrow keys, the AM Compact
Touch is definitely the best implementation. Although it takes a little getting used to,
it’s the fastest of these 3, and can be particularly useful if you’re navigating
around documents or sheets. You never have to leave your normal typing posture,
although if a shorter delay with a spacebar layer switch was possible,
I would definitely say that that would be a better option instead. It’s even more intuitive,
since you get to use your normal typing fingers, and doesn’t require any pricey engineering.
But a lot of custom keyboards focus primarily on aesthetic. And at first glance, this doesn’t
really have anything to do with productivity, but environmental factors contribute a lot more
to this than people think. There’s a huge difference between working in a cluttered
and messy space versus an organized and efficient space with a harmonious design.
This is where custom keyboards can shine, and also where our sponsor Grovemade comes in.
grovemade creates functional and beautiful desk accessories that can elevate your setup. I’ve
particularly loved using the desk shelf and tray which allows me to keep all my little trinkets
neatly stored and ready for use. Now their whole system kinda all culminates and flows together,
like how their small deskmat fits right under the desk shelf allowing you to quickly free up
space to use other tools, and how the desk shelf and desk tray beautifully integrate
together. They’ve also got these really premium tools that are really making me
reconsider my lifestyle digitization. So be sure to check out Grovemade for meticulously
designed desk accessories, and use the link in the description for 10% off your first order.
So even with all this said, for most reasonable people, the overall gain in productivity you
can see from using a custom keyboard over a mainstream keyboard is going to be really small,
and a lot of the benefits of things like VIA and special hardware can all be found in a good
macropad anyway. After all, the hobby isn’t really about functionality - it’s moreso the novelty and
experience you get from crafting something that’s uniquely yours. But that’s not to say
that custom keyboards aren’t boasting interesting features that can help with productivity. So while
building a custom keyboard isn’t exactly going to give you a noticeable edge in your work,
and productivity generally won’t be a large selling point for many products,
a custom keyboard can still serve to be a priceless addition to your desk setup.