Split Keyboard Buying Guide
Guide to buying your first programmable split keyboard.
Post Glossary
This post is part of a larger series on ergonomic and programmable keyboards. If an item has a link then the post has been written, if not, it is still in progress.
Keyboard Hardware
- Keyboard Comparisons
- Switch Comparisons
Keyboard Build Guides
- Keyboard Buying Guide
- Keyboard Build Guide
- Keyboard Software Guide
Layouts
- Colemak Basics
- Colemak Learning Statistics
- Programmable Keyboard Basics
- Layouts in Practice
Overview
There are enough split keyboards on the market to warrant their own dedicated post, so I will not give a full accounting here. I’ve personally used 7 different split keyboard designs and researched many more, and have developed some definite preferences. I’m currently using a wireless MX Corne with Kailh Box Whites running ZMK, so that is the keyboard I will focus on in this post.
The Corne is perhaps the most popular split keyboard on the market, and for good reason. It is small, ergonomic, and highly customizable. You can buy them fully assembled, partially soldered, or completely DIY. They come in many configurations: wired/wireless, Choc/MX, 5/6 column, RGB LED, underglow, transparent back, aluminum body, and more.
This page will outline two particular DIY build options, a budget-oriented, wired corne utilizing many inexpensive parts from China, and a premium, wireless corne with the nicest components.
There are many retailers that sell corne kits, but I only have personal experience with keebd.com and typeractive.xyz. Both are fine companies, but all my recent purchases have been from typeractive.xyz. They are based in the US, have rapid shipping, and their kits are more beginner friendly, with most of the difficult soldering already completed.
Essential Components
No matter what site you end up using, you will absolutely need the following components to build a corne. Note that many kits come with most of these items included, although you almost always need to buy switches, keycaps, and microcontrollers separately.
| Component | Num | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Corne PCBs | 2 | variants exist. mx/choc, 5/6 col, LED, etc |
| FR4 Plates | 2 | |
| Acrylic Bottom | 2 | you can also buy or 3d print a case |
| Acrylic Covers | 2 | |
| 3x6 Switches | 2 | for resetting the keyboard |
| OLED Displays | 2 | premium builds will use nice!views |
| Hotswap Sockets | 42 | optional but highly recommended |
| Diodes (SMD) | 42 | |
| 10mm Standoffs | 4 | may need to be taller depending on build |
| 7mm Standoffs | 10 | |
| 4mm Screws | 14 | |
| 6mm Screws | 14 | |
| Rubber Feet | 8 | |
| Microcontrollers | 2 | wireless vs wired require different controllers |
| Header Pins | 14 | many people don’t use these but I highly recommend |
| Rubber Feet | 8 | |
| Key Switches | 42 | |
| Keycaps | 42 | |
| TRS Cable | 1 | wired only |
| TRRS Jacks | 2 | wired only |
| Batteries | 2 | wireless only |
Buying from Aliexpress
Aliexpress has a reputation for being sketchy and unreliable, but I have bought hundreds of dollars of parts from them with no problems. The key is to buy from sellers who have high ratings and many reviews. Listings sometimes change or disappear, so if a link in my post doesn’t work, just search for the part and you will find many options.
Aliexpress offers sales in many formats, both for new customers and as coupons on items. Often you will pay half the list price after the sales are considered. Always double check other sellers to make sure you are getting the best price.
The parts come from China using snail mail, so expect to wait 2-4 weeks for your parts to arrive.
Budget Build
The budget build uses cheaper parts from China when reasonable and goes wired to save on the cost of batteries and microcontrollers. Refer to the Buying from Aliexpress section for more information on buying parts from China. Depending on which parts you get from China, and which from Amazon, this should cost $90-$110. The budget build requires more soldering than the premium build.
| Component | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Keycaps | $9 | many options available, I prefer PBT OEM caps |
| Outemu Switches | $15 | search Outemu switches on aliexpress and pick whatever you like |
| Corne v3 Kit | $57 | |
| Adafruit KB2040 x2 | $18 | you can save $10 buying from aliexpress |
| Pin Headers | $6 | optional but highly recommended |
Premium Build
The premium build has some advantages over the budget build. All of the parts are bought from US retailers, so you can be building your keyboard within a week. It is also wireless with premium screens, giving higher resolution and low energy draw. The switches are the nicest available, with options for clicky or tactile. It also arrives mostly pre-soldered, which greatly expedites the build time. I’ve included adjustable tilt stands in the table, which are an awesome ergonomic feature. Finally, the software run by the wireless keyboard is more user-friendly than the wired version. The premium build is quite a bit more expensive, costing $200-$250, depending on which parts you buy.
| Component | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Keycaps | $18 | many options available, I prefer PBT OEM caps |
| Kailh Box White 120 | $35 | |
| Corne Wireless PCB | $35 | |
| Corne Case | $20 | |
| Corne Display Cover | $5 | |
| nice!nano x2 | $50 | |
| nice!view x2 | $40 | optional, but very nice for a beginner |
| Liter 601230 3.7V 200mAh x2 | $18 | you can also buy smaller batteries for cheaper |
| Nillkin Stand Pair x2 | $34 | optional accessory giving you tilt functionality |
| Pin Headers | $10 | optional but highly recommended |
Component Notes
Batteries
If you make a wireless build, you will need batteries. The batteries used for these keyboards fit between the PCB and the processor, so the height of the pin headers you use to attach the processor to the PCB should be considered when selecting a battery. By default, many recommend the 301230 110mAh battery, but since I prefer to use taller pin headers, I use the larger and higher capacity 601230 200mAh battery.
Micro Controllers
Wireless The gold standard for wireless controllers is the nice!nano v2. At $25, it is expensive, but the price comes with premium reliability and power consumption. At the time of writing, there was not a widely available Chinese clone, so you need to buy the real thing.
Wired For wired controllers, there are many more options. The premium choice is the $8.95 Adafruit KB2040, but you can alternately buy a Chinese clone from aliexpress, typically for $4. You will need to search for “pro micro” and choose the USB C variant.
Switches
I will ultimately make an entire post on switches, but for now, let me give some recommendations at different price ranges. Refer to the Buying from Aliexpress section for more information on buying switches from China.
Budget
| Type | Switch | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Silent | Outemu Tactile Silent Lemon, 90 | $21 |
| Tactile | Outemu Tactile Panda, 70 | $15 |
| Clicky | Outemu Blue, 70 | $15 |
Premium
| Type | Switch | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Silent | Gazzew Boba U4 Silent, 70 | $45 |
| Tactile | Gazzew Boba U4T, 70 | $45 |
| Clicky | Kailh Box White, 120 | $35 |