Kinesis Advantage2 Ergonomic Keyboard (KB600), Black top case, Cherry MX Brown Switches, QWERTY keycaps

Product Information

The Advantage 2 also lets you easily remap keys, define macros and much else besides. I haven’t had enough time with the latest iteration to play much with the new features. I realize that this question has been asked (and answered) a few times before in various form but still - Anyone prefers the Advantage 2 over the 360 and if so why? Plug & play. Instant configuration for Windows, Mac and non-Windows PC operating environments, includes Windows and Mac legended keys. What these design choices amount to is what makes typing on the Kinesis Advantage such a great experience: you never have to move your hands away from the home row.

Select your trigger key or key combination (lights will lights will flash slowly). Up to two modifiers may be used as “co-triggers” in concert) Separating the keywells positions the arms at shoulder-width to keep wrists straight and perpendicular to the home row to reduce abduction and ulnar deviation.If “scan and repair” does not fix your v-Drive, you can reformat the drive using a Windows PC and wipe the contents to restore the keyboard to its factory settings. There are different processes for reformatting depending on the size of the v-Drive on your Advantage2 (2MB or 4MB). Note: To determine the size of your v-Drive, run a Status Report (Program + Escape) in an open text editing window. The benefits of tenting are that it allows you to type in a more neutral position. However, I couldn't use the medium or high settings. For me, the initial stage is the most comfortable one. Palm support Enable Power User Mode (Program + Shift + Escape) and open the v-Drive (Program + F1). Navigate to the “KINESIS KB” removable drive in File Explorer and launch the App. Select the desired key in App and either tap the key action on the keyboard or select from a list of Special Actions using the button at the top of the Programming menu. My only complaint with typing comfort is with the F-key row. It's both very far away and poorly laid out (in my opinion). Every time I want to hit a key on the F row I need to look at the keyboard and very deliberately hit the key. I even find the keys to be too small for me to reliably hit only one; often I'll try to hit F9 and will accidentally tap F8, as well. Thumb Clusters Please Note: The Advantage360 keyboard uses the open-source ZMK engine and is not designed for novice users. ZMK does not support onboard programming so users who rely on that feature may not be satisfied with the Pro. Kinesis Technical Support can help point you in the right direction and provide written documentation, but we cannot provide individualized ZMK training and custom programming help.

Custom Keycaps, the Advantage2, came with shiny ABS keycaps. The Moonlander had better keycaps (PBT). Concave keywells are scooped into a bowl shape to reduce hand and finger extension and relax muscles. The Advantage360 is the first Kinesis keyboard with integrated tenting capability. It has three settings, the lowest one being the same as Advantage2. There is a button underneath you need to press to change the setting, and it's effortless to change the keyboard's height instantly. The Advantage360 tenting with the highest setting. The point is that it is simply impossible to type on a traditional keyboard without some degree of discomfort, because you just can’t get your limbs into a pain-free position. With the Kinesis Advantage, you can. One question I had in mind was whether Bluetooth would introduce any lagging. But it works surprisingly excellent. The keyboards wake up from sleep immediately, and you barely feel any latency. It works like it's wired. There was only one issue that I've seen recently. I restarted macOS, and I couldn't type because Bluetooth was disabled. Somehow, plugging a cable into my Advantage360 also didn't work out. I wasn't sure whether it was a Firmware issue or a limitation of ZMK. I'll update the blog post if I find out the main reason. Advantage2 vs Advantage360Some effort was made to make sure the Advantage 2 didn't look terrible, but I doubt it was too much. This, like most Kinesis products, screams out "I'm a professional!" I personally like the look, but it doesn't have the sleek contours of an Apple laptop or Logitech mouse. The Advantage2 features low-force Cherry MX Quiet Red mechanical key switches, the rubber function keys (found on the original Advantage) have been replaced with Cherry ML low-force, tactile mechanical key switches, and our signature home row keys are in the new Kinesis Blue. Note: Every keystroke is recorded so if you make a mistake, we recommend restarting the macro or using the SmartSet App to edit it.

Turns out, they are much happier. Mine certainly are. All the system modifiers that normally require wrist rotations (Control, Alt, etc.) are in the thumb cluster on the Advantage 2. Because of this, your other fingers almost never leave the main cluster of keys and you get to type with more rhythm. It's hard to describe how amazing it is to not reach out for extra keys with your pinky so often. Importantly, this thing is big. And it's not just wider than most keyboards people use nowadays: it's significantly taller than any other keyboard I've encountered. It's so tall that it doesn't fit in the standard keyboard desk trays I've found. I plan to use blank keycaps in the feature because, with all the customizations I made (more on this later), it doesn't make sense to use them. I also never look up the keyboard, so printed keycaps have little use. Advantage2 vs the Advantage360Soak the loose keycaps in warm soapy water lightly scrub to remove any gunk. Rinse the keycaps and let them thoroughly dry. The ability to create these dual-function keys is incredible. For me, it's taken the thumb cluster from a breakthrough idea to something truly irreplaceable. I can take things like the shift keys or the numpad actuator and move them under my thumbs, where they're out of the way but enable much nicer I tried to list each advantage and disadvantage of the Advantage360 vs. the Advantage2. One thing worth noting is that the Advantage360 feels more solid. There is a heft on it. The Advantage2 was flimsy and shallow. Typing on it would cause echoes inside the case because it was empty. That's not the case with Advantage360. It feels more premium. Its design feels more premium. The color palette is better, and no big logos exist on the case. It feels more futuristic than Advantage2. Verdict The key-wells are scooped into a concave shape to reduce hand and finger extension. Hands rest in a natural, relaxed position, with the fingers curled down to the keys. Keycap heights are varied to match the different lengths of your fingers. The result is less muscle tension and a shorter reach for keys which increases efficiency and reduces fatigue. Programmable. Select 100 heavy-duty macros (200+ characters long). / 2 MB onboard (non-volatile) memory. ·

Bridge: The bridge is plastic and flimsy, and I didn't open it all. After all, I bought the Advantage360 mainly because I wanted to adjust the gap between the two halves. So, the bridge defeats the purpose. A connector could be helpful if you want to use it on your lap.

Weight

The keyboard surface is concave and the key wells are tented to an optimal 20° angle which elevates the thumb side of the hands to reduce the forearm pronation typically caused by flat keyboards. With the all-new SmartSet Programming Engine, Advantage2 features powerful programming tools designed to let you customize the keyboard to boost your productivity. Basic cleaning should be performed regularly by using compressed air to remove any loose debris in the key wells.