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First Look: Z70 Split Spacebar Aluminum Keyboard!
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keyboard_arrow_downElrick
2105
Dec 28, 2016
Normally hate small keyboards but this one changes my miserable position towards them.
Just bought one in Zealio's and hoping this might change my views when it arrives because I always feared small keyboards in the past.
Just bought one in Zealio's and hoping this might change my views when it arrives because I always feared small keyboards in the past.
SurvivorNVL
104
Dec 20, 2016
Can this support ALPS? I'd love to see this with a MATIAS option. If not I'd just get Gateron or Zealios if they were also an option. Also, have you tried the i-Rocks SKCM modern clones, LSB? I've always wondered if someone would do a group buy on here, because they seem super interesting.
joshwt
91
Dec 18, 2016
I love this, however there should be a option to install a "normal" 6x spacebar instead of dual 3u keys. If that will happen AND the Programmability is not proprietary then this will be a instant purchase for me.
Ok I lied I'll buy this regardless when it comes to market but I would still love to see those features.
Ok I lied I'll buy this regardless when it comes to market but I would still love to see those features.
Alan.W
7
Dec 17, 2016
I would love this keyboard! I only hit space with my left thumb, I could change the right space button to be backspace and the backspace button to be delete!
Only gripe is the placement of the the fn key, but since the board would be programmable it should be a non-issue.
ElectricCoffee
35
Dec 17, 2016
I'm loving this design. Been looking for a HHKB-style desktop keyboard with an arrow cluster, and this might just be it!
Cuhrunchy
26
Dec 17, 2016
Love this. Noob question time: Is this going to work on a windows machine or just macs?
Showing 12 of 29
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Geekhack/Deskthority user 0.01 (pronounced "zero point zero one), a former Varmilo designer and the man behind the much loved VA68M and the VB87M, has stepped out on his own and has come forward with his first solo design: the Z70. Instead of simply rehashing an existing layout, 0.01 really dug in and came up with a new layout that better utilizes the 65% footprint.
What I personally love about this project is that the keyboard has a real philosophy behind the layout it offers. It may look chaotic at first, but I can assure you there is order to the madness. I've seen more than a few keyboards come out with layouts that just don't make any real sense to me, and this is not one of them. Through my correspondence with 0.01 he has revealed his thought process behind creating the layout of the Z70 to me.
The first step was using the ever popular 65% layout as a starting point, as it has become a hugely popular layout within the enthusiast community over the past year. The Macbook (and Apple's current keyboard layout) was another very influential inspiration for the layout. To top it all off, 0.01 recognized the popularity of the HHKB among enthusiasts, and made sure to incorporate the HHKB stock layout into the z70 as well.
Now, onto the design element that really makes the keyboard stand out in the crowd of 65% keyboards: the split spacebar. 0.01 noted that the 6u spacebar was a waste of space, and that smaller format keyboards should put more emphasis on better utilizing the space they do have. I for one absolutely love this approach, and couldn’t agree more. Having a split spacebar opens up so many possibilities. Some of my favorite uses for the second spacebar are as a FN key, shift key, or backspace key, though the possibilities are truly endless here.
Digging into the finer details of the keyboard, it will offer a low profile angled CNC aluminum case (with a 3% angle), frosty white backlighting, a host of switch options from both Cherry and Gateron, and the latest USB-C connection. Even small details like the screws being on the bottom instead of the top really highlight the effort that went into creating this keyboard. At the current time I'm not sure how the keyboard will be programmed but will keep everyone posted as I find more information out about that.
I for one am extremely excited to see how this keyboard turns out. I’ve never been a huge 65% fan, mainly because I don’t have any issue with using arrow keys in a FN layer and would rather save the space, but being able to access that FN layer easier and quicker with the split spacebar is definitely more than enough to keep me interested in this project. Hopefully the keyboard quality is as good as it looks in the pictures, and programming it will be easy enough that even casual users will be able to quickly customize their layouts. Expect a follow up as soon as I get my hands on a Z70 of my own!