Some people choose hardware based on aesthetics. While the Goldtouch ergonomic keyboard isn’t sleek or particularly beautiful, it’ll still turn heads. I receive endless questions and comments about the keyboard whenever I use it in public, and, admittedly, it is fascinating to watch someone type semi-vertically for the first time. But users of ergonomic keyboards tend to use them for functional reasons, not for status seeking.
The Goldtouch Go!2 takes the idea of the split keyboard—a distinguishing feature in ergonomics—to a new level by literally splitting the keyboard into two chunks. Moreover, using a top-locking hinge, users can customize both the degree of angle and spread that makes their wrists most comfortable, ranging from an almost semi-vertical position around 30 degrees, to fully flat. The idea of typing vertically may seem unintuitive, and it took some time to get used to, but my hands quickly adjusted.
The Goldtouch Go!2 vertical keyboard is available in both wired and wireless models:
Goldtouch Go!2 mobile keyboard (wireless) $119
Goldtouch Go!2 mobile keyboard (USB) $97
I used various incarnations of ergonomic keyboards back when I was on a desktop, and when I migrated to a laptop, my wrists definitely noticed. A switch to a vertical mouse helped a lot, so I wondered if vertical typing would do the same.
I tried the Goldtouch on its most extreme setting: nearly vertical. You could probably flatten the learning curve by slowly transitioning. But simply turning my wrists 90 degrees to vertical felt so good, I couldn’t bring myself to go back.
What I loved about the Goldtouch keyboard
Verticality aside, the experience of typing on a Goldtouch is delightful. The keys are large, with a soft, pleasant tactile feel. Though it is not a mechanical keyboard, a keypress has a satisfying haptic spring to it. I tend to be a “purposeful” typer, and typically use a keyboard cover to lower the volume a bit, but my keystrokes make almost no noise on a Goldtouch.
It is deeply satisfying to fold the Goldtouch up like a wallet when you’re done working. It’s light and stows in a small space for moving around. On a plane, it fits fine on any tray table.
There are a number of competitors in this ergonomic keyboard space, such as the Kinesis Freestyle Edge, the Ergodox, and the Matias Ergo Pro. The Goldtouch is the most affordable of the bunch, and the only one to offer the hinge: this keeps the entire keyboard in one piece, and forces your hands not only into a vertical position, but keeps your arms diagonally aligned with the keyboard. It is also one of the few wireless options available.
The Goldtouch keyboard is missing a number pad
Even though the keys seem large, I never felt like I was having to reach or stretch. While typing with letter keys wasn’t an issue, my fingers soon intuitively remembered where the keys lay. A few keystrokes, including any using Command or Shift, took the longest to re-learn.
The Goldtouch doesn’t include a number pad, but since none of my recent laptops have either, it’s no real loss. Goldtouch offers a separate numeric keypad, but only in a wired solution.
The downsides of the Goldtouch keyboard
The keyboard hasn’t been refreshed in a number of years, which is evident since the Bluetooth version charges via micro USB. While you can certainly still get your hands on micro USB chargers, this presents two issues: First, it takes forever to charge—almost five hours. You can work with it connected and charging via USB, but what is the point of a wired wireless keyboard? (Of course, you can also just buy a wired version.) As long as I remembered to charge it when not in use, I got four to five hours of typing out of it before needing torecharge.
Second, the point of USB is universality, and the current standard is USB-C. If you don’t have your micro cable on you, your friends aren’t likely to have one to lend you. It’s a minor thing, but minimizing how many cords I need to tote around is an ongoing battle.
I’d love to see an update with longer battery life, faster charging and a transition to USB-C.
Do ergonomic keyboards really help with wrist pain?
There was a time that everyone believed these ergonomic products would help a generation suddenly suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. For years, studies have flip flopped on whether typing causes repetitive conditions like carpal tunnel—the results seem inconclusive at best.
The studies Goldtouch itself offers don’t suggest improvement in wrist pain directly related to use of their devices, but a University of Washington study shows reduced fatigue when using a split keyboard design, and a similar one by NIH suggests improvement in upper extremity disorders. A clinical trial showed greater comfort and less stress on the muscles that are prone to work related injury.
At the end of the day, absent substantive evidence, it certainly can’t hurt to try one of these keyboards. It can help to position your hands and wrists in better alignment to your body, and Goldtouch’s keyboard does that in a way no other keyboard on the market does. Personally, the pain I experienced in my wrists and up my arm stopped as soon as I began using vertical devices, but everybody is different.
The bottom line
While I’d prefer an updated version with more modern features, the haptic experience, ease of transport, and extreme horizontal and vertical angles the Goldtouch keyboard offers make it a pleasant change from a flat keyboard, at a reasonable price.
