Specs

Iris AE Aluminium

Seller: Keebio¹ (US$434 + shipping)

• Top and Bottom parts of case
• Switch plates (FR4 and Stainless Steel)
• SKUF silicone feet
• Silicone tray inserts²
• Carrying case³ (only with the aluminium iris)
• [PCB is ordered separately]
• M2⁴ and M3 Screws (requires allan key)
• O-rings⁵ for burger mount
• Documentation: Iris Aluminum Case Build Guide⁶

Why a mechanical keyboard?

From a reddit thread on Emacs⁷:

“Using the mouse forces my hands off the home row, forces my eyes off my cursor (to the target of a gesture). The mouse and all its control-theory ephemera are a source of sheer agony. They cause me to hate my computer and to tire quickly from any use of it. … There is a special ring in Dante’s inferno for the inventor of the mouse and for the legions of GUI designers [who] built all the World’s software around it.”

How to understand this point-of-view

• a move to Linux, ultimately, is a move away from the graphical user interface (GUI)
• away from a mouse pointer that impedes your view of the text and triggers anxious tooltips⁸ and hover cards
• and superfluous menus and prompts⁹ and notifications – useless distractions designed to coddle, steal your attention and break your flow
• and towards simplicity and the terminal and control of your system
• the keyboard becomes central

Reasons to use a mechanical split keyboard

• ergonomics
  • possibility of tenting¹⁰ (see tenting kit in Accessories below)
• enough space to place a book or laptop (below)
  • better posture for back and shoulders
• a regular keyboard takes up a lot of space with wasted keys
  • if it includes a number pad then the keyboard is off-centre and pushes the mouse out to the side
• a split keyboard has a cluster of keys for the thumb
  • instead of a physical, dedicated space for arrow and fn keys they can be placed on a 2nd layer accessible from the thumb cluster
    • a regular programmable keyboard (e.g Keychron¹¹) will allow layers but without the thumb cluster to access them it’s impractical
  • it is typical to allocate modifier keys found on the periphery (and thus struck with the weaker pinky finger) to the thumb cluster for easier access
    • e.g. <Ctrl> and <Alt> keys which get a lot of use in Vim; and other keys such as <Esc> and <Backspace>

• personalise the board
  • change switches and keycaps for a different feel
  • easily take it apart to clean or lube switches
  • take it apart to inspect a problem (e.g. keystroke not registering)
  • change the layout; add key combinations and macros
• escape the mouse
  • mouse movements could be placed on another layer to scroll webpages with Vim-like keybindings
  • thus, your fingers do not leave the keyboard and your eyes do not leave the display

Ortholinear layout

• Iris is a split keyboard with an ortholinear layout, unlike the normal staggered arrangement of keys (see images under Configuring ); it is intended for those who touch-type, e.g. programmers and writers
  • learning to touch-type can take several months of daily practice; try sites like monkeytype.com¹² and typeracer.com¹³
• compare the Iris layout with other split keyboards here: compare.splitkb.com¹⁴
• the primary motivation for the ortholinear layout is egonomics; there may be an incidental increase in typing speed
• if you can touch-type on a keyboard with a staggered layout¹⁵, it is quick to adjust to the ortho layout, i.e. a couple hours of practice

Switches

• Original: Cherry Pink¹⁶, Linear Switch; ‘quiet’ version of the red linear switch
• Replacement: Cherry MX2A Brown 55g Tactile Switch (3 pins¹⁷), sold by mechanicalkeyboards.com (UK)

Reasons to change switches

• inadvertent key presses seem more likely with linear switches
  • e.g., if leaning on the home row¹⁸ dd can delete a row in Vim (consider remapping dd to D)
• the MX2A are a new switch and “represent more premium, expensive options alongside the original MX series”¹⁹
• tactile (Brown) switches give a familiar feel and may reduce accidental key presses
  • discussed here²⁰ and here²¹
• not all tactile switches are favourable
  • we wouldn’t recommend the sunflowers sold by Keebio: “the force needed to actuate is so much that the landing becomes very harsh”²²
• be careful to check the pins; a lot of the switches we received had bent pins
  • inserting bent pins “can push the socket off of the PCB and damage it”²³

Switch plate

• Original: Stainless steel
• Replacement: FR4

Reasons to change the switch plate

• from the documentation⁶:
  • “The stainless steel plates are heavier and stiffer, which provide a sturdy but stiffer feel.”
  • “The FR4 plates are lighter and have more flex, which can provide a more bouncier feel”
  • both plates are provided by Keebio when ordering the Iris
• switches are difficult to remove from the steel plate; and can be removed with ease from the FR4 plate
• we want to remove switches quickly and frequently, e.g. to clean the board
  • the FR4 plate is preferable because it is easier to work with in this regard

Keycaps

• Original: Filco Chocolate MINILA, ABS double-shot, sold by mechanicalkeyboards.com
• Replacement: GMK MTNU Graphite, PBT double-shot; design by Matt3o; sold by Oblotzky Industries: euros135.50 + shipping (seen in images below)

Reasons to change keycaps

• high-profile keycaps (e.g. SA) may be appealing
  • easily striking the tall number keys and [,] for Vim movements
• but: the SA keycaps were stubborn and had a glossy feel; they were horrible to type on
  • “PBT plastic is less common but is usually higher quality than ABS. ABS keycaps feel smooth and develop a greasy shine over time, while PBT keycaps feel textured and are more durable.”²⁴
  • Ways to avoid ABS shine: “If there was a way to prevent or undo ABS shine, it would definitely be common knowledge already. Just buy PBT.”²⁵
  • with ABS there’s more friction and fingers don’t glide over the keycaps
• MTNU keycaps are effortless; Matt3o presents his design here: MTNU, the definitive guide²⁶
  • at 31m0s: “SA is the weirdo … Ergonomically speaking, it doesn’t make any sense”
  • at 9m0s: Matt3o defends the PBT plastic
• keycaps are expensive, but the result is a new board with a completely different feel
  • more comfortable; faster typing and fewer typos
  • the keycaps are lighter and sound better
• MTNU is named after MT3 – Matt3o’s higher-profile, preceding design (MT new = MTNU)
  • we ordered MT3 from Drop but they ‘disappeared’ during shipping; only Drop sell them and we gave up
• blank keycaps make sense
  • what the key does depends on the layer
  • if you can touch-type you are not looking at the keys

Comparison with Dygma’s Defy

• alternatives to the Iris include
  • Moonlander²⁷
  • Advantage360²⁸; a clumsy, archaic board made popular by Primeagen²⁹
  • self-builds: Killer Whale³⁰ (with a track ball); ergodash³¹
  • the Defy (pictured below); this is the main alternative; based on experience we note the following issues

• the low-profile keycaps on the thumb cluster are bespoke and susceptible to breaking
  • the thumb cluster will take a beating and the low-profile caps are not as tough as one would hope
  • you may not have spare low-profile switches lying around; and certainly won’t have spare keycaps for this thumb cluster
• other keycaps on the board are OEM profile³² and may not be preferrable
  • OEM is good for beginners: it’s easy for the fingers to find the home row
  • the Iris allows us to source keycaps elsewhere
• there are too many keys, e.g. on the thumb cluster, although the design is rational
  • Dygma made an interesting video³³ on this but failed to include Iris in their discussion
  • at 7m30s they suggest the user has freedom-of-choice if there are more keys on the thumb cluster and the lower keys are ‘secondary’
    • this may not gel with the Linux crowd who have a hankering for simplicity and parsimony
    • if you use 2 additional layers to the main layer then a cluster of 4 keys is sufficient (see Configuring below)
  • the extra inner and outer columns seem superfluous and they note this
  • the Moonlander has the same problem; unlike Dygma they offer key covers³⁴ to hide the unused keys
• although VIA is fine (see Configuring below), Dygma’s Bazecor is superior
• Dygma are unencumbered by previous designs; we can follow their logic, but we are accustomed to the Iris
  • the Defy broadens appeal and gives new users leeway
  • they are right: the upper key on the Iris thumb cluster seems awkward at first
    • a high-profile keycap could be placed here and you get used to it

Accessories

• possible wrist rests: Crystals Gel Flexible Wrist Rest x2, sold by splitkb.com³⁵ (Netherlands)
  • wrist rests are not needed although for the lighter Iris a wrist rest can prevent it from sliding on the table
• possible track ball: ploopy nano³⁶, shown here with an Iris
• order a USB-C cable (from Keebio) long enough to keep the splits shoulder width apart, e.g. 1m
• Keebio provide a solid carry case but the weighty, expensive AE is not a keyboard for the office
  • the low-profile Iris (LM)³⁷ is small and light enough for the commute to the office

• if tactile switches are too noisy consider dampeners³⁸; they are not an ideal solution however, and are typically avoided
• the tiny o-rings are easily lost
  • Keebio can provide replacements if you email them and make a custom payment; but o-rings are not essential, they provide some bounce (as per Keebio’s video³⁹)
• Keebio now offer a magnetic tenting kit⁴⁰
  • the Iris AE has some tenting in the design

Configuring

• see the VIA Usage Guide⁴¹ (Keebio have great documentation)
• VIA is open-source; download version 3.0.0 from Github⁴²
• the screenshots below show how we configured our board
  • we use MO to move between layers; from the documentation, MO(layer #) “momentarily activates [layer #] while … holding down the key. Once released, the keyboard goes back to [layer 0]”
  • in Via you can save the current layout; our layout can be downloaded from our Github: gist.github.com/BasedScience⁴³
  • we could easily add symbols for writing in multiple languages too
  • it is quite common to put arrows on another layer: “I mapped the Vim navigation keys to the arrow keys”⁴⁴
  • with smaller keyboards like the Kyria⁴⁵ you would map the number keys to the home row; others want to put modifiers here, i.e.: homerow mods⁴⁶
• why place mouse movements on a layer?
  • unfortunately some clients force us to use a Windows machine; this is also why we add arrow keys to the 2nd layer, e.g. for moving around spreadsheets
  • quickly shove the mouse pointer out of the way without moving hands off the keyboard
• adding foreign language letters
  • we use the Scandinavian letters frequently
  • in the Linux keyboard settings make the <Caps Lock> key a compose key⁴⁷
  • then add <Caps Lock> to a key on Layer 1 that makes it possible to hold the shift key at the same time (needed for capital letters)
  • then striking this compose key followed by o/ produces ø, etc. This is very simple and becomes second nature

• the following clip shows the finger placement for selecting text using mouse movements
  • the left pinky holds the shift key; the left thumb moves the keyboard to Layer 2; the right pointer finger starts the text selection while the ring finger drags the mouse pointer to select the text

• macros are useful for difficult key combinations and frequent actions
  • to archive an email in Outlook the shortcut is Ctrl + Shift + V; this is a frequent action and the key combination is awkward; thus it could be achieved with a macro

Verdict

In general, it is worth paying more if you have the money. You will spend more moving incrementally forward from a budget keyboard to a split keyboard – a likely destination.

The extra weight of the AE (aluminium edition) prevents the board from shifting on the desk, and we cannot overstate the difference good keycaps make: if you do not like the Iris it might be the keycaps and not the Iris.

The Iris simplifies issues. E.g., the ANSI versus ISO discussion is redundant; the virtues of a dedicated number pad or trackball are an aside; and RGB lighting is unnecessary: if you can touch-type you do not need to see the keys in the dark (thus it is not added to our configuration above).

Forget the old technique of palming <Ctrl> keys⁴⁸; or reaching for the <Esc> key in the top left everytime you jump to normal mode in Vim; and discussions about how to hit modifier keys when touch typing⁴⁹. And the obligatory remapping of the <Caps Lock> key (a large piece of real estate for a useless key) to a <Ctrl> key. Forget all such nonsense.

If this post seems too opinionated, try the geekhack forum for good, honest opinion, e.g.: Split and ortholinear did nothing for my RSI⁵⁰. There is some research on the topic, e.g.: “Effect of setup configurations of split computer keyboards on wrist angle.”⁵¹ Xah Lee⁵² goes deep too.

References

Updated: September 16, 2026 · Version: 0bd8989