New modular low-profile mechanical keyboard packs optional num pad, trackpad, track ball, rotary dial, and 6DoF spatial mouse
Naya, the company behind the Naya Create modular, ergonomic, low-profile wireless mechanical keyboard, is lining up for its next release, this time opting for a much more conventional design, but with a modular twist that allows its users to customise the keyboard to their liking and optimise it for their specific needs. The Naya Connect is an upcoming low-profile wireless mechanical keyboard from Naya that will integrate with the brand's range of modules originally designed for the Create. According to a new announcement, the Naya Connect will launch on Kickstarter on January 13, although pricing gets complicated, considering how the keyboard's module system works.
An ecosystem built around a low-profile mechanical keyboard and a macro pad
Rather than just a regular low-profile mechanical keyboard, the Naya Connect is an ecosystem of interconnected modules that can be configured around a hub. The main parts are either the Naya Type, a 75% low-profile mechanical keyboard, or the Naya Dock, a standalone hub that houses one of the other input devices that Naya sells for its ergonomic wireless keyboard, the Naya Create. By default, the Naya Type is a wired mechanical keyboard, but adding in a Dock and a module also adds wireless capabilities — in a similar fashion to the Naya Create as well. The Dock itself also integrates four keys below the input module, which will presumably be used for macros or as keys bound to whatever module you have installed.
The Naya Type is a 75% low-profile keyboard that uses Kailh Choc V2 switches, which we previously tested and reviewed in the Iqunix Magi65 Pro (curr. $128.79 on Amazon), and, in our testing, those Kailh switches deliver an exceptionally smooth typing experience and decent typing sound, both of which have been somewhat rare in the low-profile mechanical keyboard space until recently.
The Connect modules attach to each other magnetically, with proprietary pogo pins for electrical connections. Aside from the modular approach, the Naya Type already packs a number of interesting features, including a full-aluminium case measuring in at just 14.9 mm with switches and keycaps, a split space bar for additional keyboard efficiency, and custom shine-through polycarbonate keycaps for the white backlighting. If not connected wirelessly, the Naya Type uses a USB-C connection, and there is an easy-to-reach hardware on/off switch.
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Naya Connect expansion modules
Naya pitches the Connect as a productivity tool, and as such, the expansion modules are all productivity-focussed, with some, like the Float we discussed previously, adding novel navigation or interaction methods to the keyboard or Dock hub. While more modules may be available at launch, the Naya Connect module ecosystem is currently confirmed to consist of:
- Multi-pad: A num pad that doubles as a macro pad.
6-key: A column of six keys intended to replicate the functionality of a navigation or macro column on keyboards like the Keychron Q13 Max we reviewed prior.
Modules for use with the Dock:
- Track: Modular, customisable track ball with four customisable keys on the rim.
- Touch: Multi-touch trackpad with low-latency connectivity and multitouch gesture support.
- Tune: A customisable rotary dial with a dynamic haptic motor and a touch-sensitive top surface.
- Float: Combination rotary dial and 6 degrees-of-freedom 3D navigation tool, akin to the 3Dconnexion Space Mouse.
The Naya Dock itself doesn't seem to have any built-in battery or antenna, but the modules that attach to the Dock contain that wireless connectivity hardware, with battery capacities varying between 800 mAh and 1,500 mAh. It's unclear how long the Naya Connect devices will be able to last on battery power alone, but the Naya Create split keyboard is supposed to be able to get around 80 days on a single charge, depending on the module powering the setup — it's safe to say the Type and Connect will have decent battery life, given that they're technically simpler devices with fewer wireless antenna to power than the Create. The Naya Create is confirmed to run ZMK firmware, which is known to be highly customisable and efficient, and the Naya Connect uses the same Flow configuration tool, so it is assumed that ZMK will be in use here as well.
Buyers of the Naya Connect devices will be treated to a launch discount on the new Type low-profile keyboard, Multipad, 6-key, and Dock with the VIP offer currently available on the Naya site. There is also a discount for existing modules when purchased with the Naya Connect Dock. The Naya Type keyboard starts at $99 with the VIP discount, but will have a $189 MSRP. Meanwhile, the Multipad has a VIP price of $44 and an MSRP of $69, the 6-key has a VIP price of $29 and an MSRP of $49, and the Dock will sell to VIPs for $39 and retail for $69. Of course, none of this is available just yet, but the Kickstarter campaign will start on January 13
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