In the 90’s the answer to RSI was the microsoft natural keyboard which split the keyboard at an angle to avoid bending your wrists. Personally I felt it was such an extreme angle that it almost bent your wrists too much in the opposite direction. The curve keyboards are somewhere in the middle; a compromise between traditional keyboards and old school spilt keyboard layouts. Logitech has a very similar wave keyboard out as well.

Let me start by saying that the MS version has a built in wrist pad that is actually pretty decent. I’m not typically a fan of gel or rubber wrist pads, but this one has a certain build quality that is actually pretty nice.

As for the learning curve; compared to some of the more exotic layouts it is minimal. The touch typists among us will be able to pick up the curve and type right away. For me, I was somewhat error prone for about a week before I eventually adjusted to the shape of it. After that it was smooth sailing.

The question we ask here at RSIStuff is always, “is this the key to comfort from my repetitive stress injury?” It depends on the person, so lets discuss it..

Compared to a standard $10 keyboard, the curve is a fantastic improvement. The wrist pad is nice enough that I actually enjoyed having it there. The angle of the curve is a vast improvement over split keyboards from the 90’s. The two work together to provide a very natural hand position. The keys are easy to push which is a big plus.

I would say that for someone shopping for their first ergonomic keyboard who has minor discomfort should give it a try because at $40, It’s a serious bargain for an ergonomic keyboard considering some of the more exotic ergonomic keyboards out there cost several hundred dollars. If your RSI is more advanced, this keyboard may or may not help you. I say that because its layout is not drastically different from a normal keyboard; its more like a keyboard with a twist. People with advanced RSI should certainly consider it, but might also consider a more exotic keyboard layout that puts their hands in a very different position than what they’re used to.

For those with a very developed case of repetitive stress injury who have tried a couple of ergonomic keyboards before, don’t expect miracles from this keyboard. It’s modernized update to the natural keyboards. In my trial, I gave it 3 months. At first I really enjoyed the unique design and it was a huge help in my hand pain.

After some time passed, I found that it was not the cure-all for my hands & arms. At the end of my 3 month trial, I decided that the automation features of the logitech g15 were more beneficial (because it reduced the # of key presses) than the improved layout of the curve. However, that’s mostly due to the fact that my job has me doing nothing but editing code all day. If I were a writer, I would swing more towards the curve for long typing sessions.

My recommendation for people who’s keyboards cause them discomfort is to experiment and try various keyboards to see if they can find one that doesn’t cause them stress. Everyone is different and deciding if a keyboard is good for you can take months to decide. At this price point, this keyboard quite affordable and worth a try.

The SteelKeys 6g keyboard is a nitch keyboard designed for gamers as an extremely high quality keyboard with gold plated connectors, solid metal mounting surface, and a very nice 59.5 grams per key push. RSI Stuff asks, does all this stuff make a difference for people who suffer from RSI? We gave it a 3 month trial to see..

Let me start by saying that as an old school computer user, I really want to like this keyboard. It’s very reminiscent of early 90’s clunky keyboards, before membrane based keyboards became popular. Many people call this ‘Clicky’, which old school geeks love. Each keypress makes a distinct sound and touch, feeling very responsive, and fulfilling. That’s what this keyboard is; an very luxurious and updated version of old school ps2 keyboards.

One of the important numbers to consider when buying an ergonomic keyboard is how many grams it takes to push a key, known as key on force (KOF). SteelKeys rates at 59.5, which is about the perfect number. Keyboards range from 40-120 KOF, but anything below 55 is very uncommon because it would feel too sensitive. At 59.5, this keyboard has the perfect feel to it.

Nostalgia aside, for someone who suffers from RSI, this keyboard did not do the trick for me. First off, it has the standard straight keyboard layout which notoriously bends your wrists inwards. While the KOF is 59.5, the backing is all metal, and the keys are rather ‘clicky’, which for me created a whole new problem:

I gave the keyboard a 3 month trial. Up til now my RSI was focused on my wrists & forarms, but this keyboard introduced arthritis in my fingers’ joints which is new for me. I’m 25 years old btw. My theory is that the metal backing combined with the old school clickiness of 90’s keyboards causes a jolt to your finger with every key push. Those jolts add up, and eventually you have a problem in your hands. Once I realized what was happening I switched keyboards back over to the logitech g15, and the problem went away after 3 weeks.

It’s a shame because the build quality from Steelkeys just so phenominal. Compared to a standard QWERTY keyboard, I would take the SteelKeys any day of the week. It beats any OEM keyboard I’ve seen.

In conclusion, this keyboard was created for another nitch market (gamers). After my 3 month trial I find it hard to recommend it to someone who suffers from RSI. Simply put, 90’s style clunky keyboards just aren’t good for people with hands sensitive to RSI.

If RSI is not an issue for you, I’m sure you would find it to be a very nice keyboard; the build quality is incredible which is hard to ignore. If RSI is an issue, for the $100 price point, there’s plenty of other keyboards you should try out first that are more tailored towards your needs than this keyboard.