I am looking to buy my first split keyboard. My first option was the zsa voyager and I was going to buy it until I stumbled on the whole world of split keyboards and now I can’t make up my mind. I have no experience in soldering or anything and I would prefer to get it fully assembled but if it’s way cheaper to get a kit I guess I can learn but I’m scared to mess it up. I’ll be ordering it to France so I’m looking to get the keyboard with shipping and taxes and duties for a maximum budget of 300-350€. There are so many options and websites and I don’t know which one to go for and which will be worth it. I know the quality of the voyager is the best but I’m okay with not having the greatest quality if it’s a good keyboard. Let me know if you have any advice for me since I really need the help and hoping to order the keyboard soon.
I have the ZSA Moonlander and multiple versions of the Keeb.io Iris (v2 up to v6, I believe - they’re on v8). I use both regularly and they’re great keyboards. I took several keys off the Moonlander to make it match the Iris, which incidentally makes it look closer to the Voyager. It’s still a bulkier board than the Iris, though, especially with the wrist rests still attached. However, it’s very easy to travel with and the size difference is rarely relevant.
I have a low profile Iris and sometimes use it as a travel board, but I’m not a big fan of the low profile keys (I have the “Compact Edition,” I believe, so the spacing might also be part of the problem - they have a new “LM” version I might like more).
The Voyager is also low profile and has only 4 thumb keys compared to 8 (which I use extensively*) on the Moonlander and Iris, so it isn’t a good option for me. But if you like the idea of a low profile split board and there’s a layout you like that only requires four thumb keys, the Voyager looks great.
If you want a similar split keyboard that can come pre-assembled, with the option for a low profile version, I highly recommend the Iris. If you want an even more versatile, albeit slightly bulkier, keyboard, the Moonlander is fantastic.
* - I have my thumb keys set up with two layer shifts, alt, command, control, space, and enter. One of my Irises has a rotary encoder on a thumb keys but I wouldn’t do that again. I could handle three per thumb and overload, but two isn’t feasible without learning a new layout. Our thumbs are our most powerful fingers, so it makes sense to use them extensively.