$500 base price: Ergonomic 11.2 mm-thick wireless split mechanical keyboard gets full launch after Kickstarter round
The Naya Create is a new ergonomic split keyboard that aims to tackle a lot of the ergonomics and productivity shortcomings faced by regular keyboards. Unlike the regular ergonomic and low-profile keyboards we've reviewed in the past, the Naya Create is compatible with optional modules to expand the keyboard's functionality beyond just typing, all without your hands leaving the keyboard or even the home row. Other ergonomic improvements include the low-profile design, which offers a deck height of just 11.2 mm thanks to Kailh Choc Mini switches, a hinge on each half of the keyboard for tenting, and sculpted keycaps.
The Naya Create has just exited Kickstarter and is available for purchase from the Naya site, with an exorbitant starting price of $509.99 (although supposedly the MSRP is $499.99). Additional modules are sold separately, and the Create with all the additional modules currently costs $1,09.76.
The Create is technically a 65% layout, but with the thumb clusters and the two columns on the outside edges of each half of the keyboard, there are a total of 76 keys, putting it closer to a 75% keyboard but without the F row. The Naya Create offers wireless connectivity, as long as you opt for a module on each keyboard, and it can connect via Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, or USB-C. Half the point of Create is that it is meant to be highly customisable, and Naya has developed its own customisation software on top of ZMK firmware in order to achieve that goal. ZMK firmware is known to be super efficient, so battery life on the Naya Create should be decent. The battery life will also depend on which modules you use, since the Track and Touch modules have 800 mAh batteries, and the Tune and Float have 1,500 mAh each. Naya claims that the smaller modules offer 80 days of battery life, while the larger batteries bump that up to 100 days.
The Naya Create has a columnar staggered QWERTY layout, which aims to reduce the amount of movement between key presses, and each side has three additional thumb keys for better ergonomics, further allowing users to configure layers and macros that make sense for their individual workflows. The Naya Create features per-key north-facing RGBW backlighting and shine-through keycaps, which should make it a lot easier to get used to if you work a lot in dimly lit rooms.
Naya is targeting mostly creative users, including CAD users, photographers, coders, and video editors, although anyone who spends a lot of time working behind a keyboard could likely make use of the ergonomic improvements, as long as they can deal with the adjustment period.
Naya Create modules:
All the modules support Qi wireless charging in addition to charging while connected to the keyboard, and they offer the following functionality:
- Track module - $101.99: A 40 mm trackball with four configurable buttons for mouse input, 2D input, and a rotate-to-scroll feature.
- Tune module - $173.39: Round knob with haptic feedback and a touch-enabled top and pressure sensitive crown.
- Touch module - $81.59: A configurable, teardrop-shaped matte glass touchpad with multitouch gesture support.
- Float module - $183.59: 6-axis knob for navigation in 3D applications, similar to the 3DConnexion Space Mouse Compact (curr. $189 on Amazon).
Naya says that the Flow software used to configure the Create will eventually launch on Linux as well, but there are currently only downloadable versions available for macOS and Windows. It's also unclear if Naya will make the necessary contributions to ZMK to make the split keyboard compatible with the open-source ZMK Studio.
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