THE BEST KEYBOARD JUST GOT BETTER! | Kinesis Advantage360 Unboxing and First Impressions
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- Опубліковано 1 лип 2024
- I finally unboxed the Kinesis Advantage360, and it's now going to be my daily driver productivity keyboard.
0:00 Intro
0:46 Unboxing
3:54 Advantage360 Pro vs. Regular
8:06 Advantage360 vs. Advantage2
13:42 TYPING SOUND TEST
Thanks for the video, your comments were really insightful, please continue posting videos!
I've watched this video and your last on the Moonlander/Ergo and I'm still undecided between which to go for.. but thanks for the solid reviews. Definitely helps to have the info.
It obviously depends on what your priorities are, but I think the Kinesis Advantage360 is definitely more ergonomic and is more comfortable for me to use because of the 3d aspect of the keyboard. However, it's also the least portable. If you're moving your keyboard around a lot, you could consider the Moonlander cause it comes with a carrying case and is less bulky to travel with. I will be making a comparison video between the two keyboards after I get more typing time in, so stay tuned!
Excited to see they added tenting ability. If you could try out the tenting (medium and max settings), it’s appreciated.
Definitely will do, I am excited to test those settings out and I'll include them in the longer term review, stay tuned!
Thank you for this!! Please do full a review for new comers to the split / ergonomic keyboard scene. I’m torn between this one and the upcoming dygma defy. I have never tried a keyboard with tenting but I’m guessing it will be much comfortable than flat keyboards. My only concern is will your shoulders get more tired since your arm isn’t resting on a horizontal surface (gravity pulling at an angle)
I will be making a more thorough video later, but I tried the tenting and I personally probably won't use it, I am not sure if it's just personal preference or I am just used to horizontal? But yeah between this and the dygma defy I would definitely pick this because of the 3d "wells" on the keyboard make it much easier to use and less tiring/stress on your hands/fingers
After using Pro version for a month, I agree that wired version is way to go. Kinesis failed to address Bluetooth issues and their online ZMK software is very limited.
Thanks for pointing this out! Are you having any bluetooth connectivity issues with your Pro?
@@Richardlizhu Yup. Mainly two problems.
1. It just disconnects. I have to turn two halves off then turn on again DAILY
2. For no reason, it stops connecting. Only solution is to reset.
There are many people having similar problems since the launch. Kinesis doesn't seem to know how to fix it.
Tip for Escape key:
I configured it for the key under X.
You have the same key already under -/_ key, and I never actually use "insert" .
Maybe it helps....
I was wondering about the F keys. In a terminal I use ESC + number....
I think if I am getting one I might order and X-keys 12 button USB row. Maybe one of the modifiers can be configured to turn the number keys to F keys? (not sure if you would still have print screen and F11-F12)
Is there somewhere where we can see your key bindings??
Thanks for the fs :)
I’m looking forward to see what your impressions are after using the 360 for a couple of months. I also “upgraded” from an Advantage (10-year-old Pro with the awful rubber Function keys) to 360, but I went with the Pro model because I specifically wanted the wireless option and the greater configurability of the ZMK firmware. I’d like to know your impressions of the configuration tool and see what features it offers, mostly out of curiosity.
I’ve read about 360 Pro owners having issues with Bluetooth connectivity. I guess I’ve been lucky in that aspect. I only connect it to one device and power the halves down at the end of the day, so maybe that helps mitigate whatever issues may exist.
Can you elect to just use wired on the pro if you want to?
@@PeterOBrien2 Yes you can, sort of. The catch is that the right half always communicates with the left half wirelessly; then the left half identifies as the keyboard connecting via USB. The USB port on the right half does not seem to allow it to connect independently to the computer and the right half will be in an error state if it cannot connect to the left half of the Pro.
Its a Dactyl Manuform it even uses ZMK firmware like my Manuforms work. It's got got a more polished appearance, so not really worth the extra money.
The factory layout does not have escape in the thumb cluster, so maybe that's a keycap swapped by the previous owner?
A _big_ difference between the regular 360 and pro is how to remap keys. The pro requires you to rebuild firmware from source like a homebuilt keyboard. The regular has on-board remap similar to other Kinesis keyboards.
Oh I did not know that, that's something I didn't even consider about getting a refurbished keyboard. I checked the online photos and you're indeed right. Thanks for pointing that out!
And yeah I'll definitely go into more of the remapping detail in the follow-up review after I've had some time to use it and test it out
hows the keyboard going for you? do you prefer it over the advantage 2?
It's going! My thoughts right now are that it's definitely better, but not sure it's worth the upgrade if you already have the Kinesis Advantage 2, but worth it if you have neither and are looking to buy one, you know what I mean? A.k.a. it's probably more than $100 better, but not $450 better, is a good way to phrase/think about it
In my time of using it so far, I've found that it's largely better in almost all ways, but one aspect in which I've found it to be slightly worse is the portability aspect. Because it's better constructed, it's heavier. It also has two parts and doesn't have a carrying case unlike the Ergodox Moonlander, so I'm worried about damaging it, whereas on the Kinesis Advantage 2 I just wrap the cable around the keyboard and toss it in my bag.
Does the price difference justify the 358 more advantages?
Haha! Good one!
What type is the link cable? Can you replace it with some generic much longer cable?
The one that comes in the box is a USB-C to USB-A. But yes, you can use a generic cable. I personally am using the USB-C to USB-C that comes with the Macbook Pro that I also use to charge my laptop
@@Richardlizhu To be clear, I meant the cable that connects the two keyboards together, not the one that goes to your PC. I suppose out of the box that is something else than USB-C to USB-A? Is that replacable with longer custom cable? This is important to me as I am planning to buy the wired version of the keyboard.
Ah yes thanks for clarifying. I thought you meant the connection from the keyboard to the computer is USB-A to USB-C. Between the two halves, they include a short around 1ft? USB-C to USB-C, but you can use any custom cable you prefer. As I am currently typing this, I am using the Macbook Pro 6 ft USB-C to USB-C charging cable to connect the left and right halves. Let me know if you have any more questions!
@@Richardlizhu Thanks, much appreciated!
Any Australians here found the best price in Australia? I can't find it for under $796.
Waiting for a video after year of use
I wanted to avoid the unbelievably complex re-keying stuff with the pro (can’t remember what it’s called)
only prob with this is price and availability in our country
Any regrets on not getting ZMK?
Nope! I personally have no regrets, I feel like I don't really need THAT much customization
this is how I feel!! smartset arrives TODAY. thanks for the video!@@Richardlizhu
Bro today is 07/07/2023 Your going to be a millionaire sooner than you think 👍 We'll definitely link one day
Hm. The loss of the F-row keys is a huge negative in my mind. As a software engineer myself, it's common to use those keys pretty much a few tens or hundreds of times a day. I know the trend in mechanical keyboards and the especially with split ergo keyboards is that they cut down on keys and just tell you "use the layers!"... But I can't help but feel that this is stupid. I mean, sure, there are people for whom the F-row is ill-utilized and putting them on an alternate layer is reasonable, but that can't really apply to everyone, and there is no argument for why a product that caters to those segments should not be allowed to exist -- yet it seems that is the prevailing attitude.
In my view, things like layers and macro keys should be something you use to *augment* functionality beyond what you might otherwise need normally, not something that you are required to use just to meet the bare minimum of usability. When you are spending nearly $500 on a keyboard, any and all shortfall from that bare minimum and requiring some extra features just to emulate it is inexcusable. Yet every "keeb" enthusiast I tell this to will simply turn up their noses at it and flippantly argue that "layers are superior, ergo [pun intended], you should not be allowed to think about usability in any other way."
Lol I totally agree with you here. I quite dislike the fad these days of like 60% keyboards, my gaming keyboard I use is a full-size Corsair K95 with 18 macro keys on the left. For the Kinesis, I definitely think the loss of F keys is a negative, but I personally don't use them that much, and I think the other improvements makes it overall a better keyboard than the Advantage2.
sound of 360 is still terrible
It's always hard to tell the sound on cameras, which is why I don't understand why car youtubers and keyboard youtubers always put the rev and typing sections, but yeah it's not like THOCCY or THONKY or w/e the current meta is.
You can order it with case foam and like 80 types of switches, if you go for the Signature Series. If I'll finally get one in the next 2000 years, it will have factory lubed Gateron G Pro 2.0 Silvers in it.