I’m on a bit of a health kick right now. On top of exploringVR fitness, I’ve completely changed my work setup with a focus on ergonomics and remaining active. Fitness tracker, standing desk, even the treadmill I’m walking on right now. If I’m not the picture of health by the end of the year, I’ll feel ripped off.
Part of this push is the Corne 42 MX, by far the weirdest keyboard I’ve ever used. A splitergonomic keyboardby Keebmaker, learning to use it has been an uphill battle, but it feels like a commitment that’s going to be worth it in the long run.
Corne 42 MX Keyboard
The first thing you notice about the Corne 42 MX is the shape. Split into two halves, the idea is that you can position them wherever your hands naturally fall instead of scrunching up like a T-rex. I’ve also been using the adjustable risers that tilt your hands for a better position and my wrists have absolutely thanked me for it.
At first it feels weird to type on, but after a few hours and lots of typos, I’m starting to get the hang of it. As a PC gamer, I’ve got to work through decades of muscle memory telling me to ignore that homekey nonsense we learned at school, but I can already feel myself forming healthier and more efficient typing habits as a result. Who knew using all of your fingers and not just two could make you a better typer?
Under the keycaps areCherry MX Reds, some of the most popular mechanical switches on the market. They feel great, with a lightweight switch that gives them tactile feedback without being too over-the-top in the clicky-clackerness.
Button-wise, this is as barebones a keyboard as you can get. It only has 42 keys, with the default being your letters and a few choice pieces of punctuation. There’s a lot missing, like number keys, function keys, num pads, and even a space bar. But don’t be fooled; once you get the hang of it, this thing can have more keys than just about any other keyboard I’ve tried, and you’re not left missing anything.
That’s because the trick of the 42 MX is its hotkeyed layers. Hold a button, and the rest will all swap to your configured array of keybinds and macros. You can fit all the same punctuation, shortcut keys, and anything else you’d need on it, but you need to get to grips with where you’ve bound each function and on which layer.
It’s almost like learning an instrument rather than using a keyboard, and mastering the right fingering positions gives you access to far more than if they just crammed more discreet keys on it.
It’s this functionality that makes the Corne especially appealing for gaming. For most games I play, the default setting has all the keys I need, and then you’ve got layers and layers of keys to bind all sorts of macros on to. Heck, you can use this alongside a more traditional keyboard as two dedicated pads of hotkeys if you play something more involved like a flight sim or a Moba.
The configuration suite is browser-based too, meaning I don’t have to clog up my startup with another peripheral’s software.
The Corne is definitely a very maker-ly keyboard with a heavy DIY feel. The ordering process has you pick out just about every aspect of your keyboard, from the colours to keycaps, and much of it is 3D-printed. The stands to tilt the keyboard out are just 3D-printed slats and wedges, which for some will feel rushed, but for me is endearing as hell.
I love the vibe the Corne 42 MX gives off. In a sea of identical keyboards that are effectively the same thing with a different gaming brand stamped on them, there’s something very handmade-feeling to this. Even one of the OLED screens on mine is slightly wonky, giving it an imperfection that gives the device character.
There’s a real handmade feel to it, which makes you want to put the time in to learning how to properly use it. It also makes it a lot more easily repairable than lots of peripherals, especially if you have a3D printerand soldering kit available.
Is the Corne 42MX a perfect keyboard? Absolutely not. I’m not a fan of the lengthy cable that connects both halves, and the wireless model needs even more firmware flashing and configuration to get working than my wired one. I’m not wild on how sparse the RGB lighting looks or how it plays off the 3D-printed plastic either.
But all of these complaints pale in comparison to the potential I feel when I use it. I want to play and tinker with it, rebind its keys and set up a billion macros and see what uses I can get out of it. This is a keyboard you have to work at to get anything from it, but the results when you do could be absolutely game-changing.
