Advantage2

As the market leader in computer ergonomics, Kinesis has been designing and building premium-grade ergonomic keyboards for more than 25 years. The new Advantage2 features our patented Contoured keyboard design and low-force mechanical key switches to address the major risk factors associated with keyboarding for maximum comfort. With the all-new SmartSetTM Programming Engine, Advantage2 features powerful programming tools designed to let you customize the keyboard to boost your productivity.

The Advantage2 features low-force Cherry MX Brown tactile mechanical key switches, the rubber function keys (found on the original Advantage) have been replaced with Cherry ML low-force, tactile mechanical key switches, and our signature home row keys are in the new Kinesis Blue.

The Advantage2 is available with a standard US layout or German, Swedish, Japanese and UK country-specific layouts (see image gallery for layouts).

Ergonomic Features

• Concave keywells are scooped into a bowl shape to reduce hand and finger extension and relax muscles.
• Separating the keywells positions the arms at shoulder-width to keep wrists straight and perpendicular to the home row to reduce abduction and ulnar deviation.

 

• The keys are arranged in vertical columns (rather than staggered) to better reflect the natural motion of your fingers.
• The two keywells are “tented” at an optimal 20 degree angle moderately raising the thumb side of the hand. Tenting puts you in a more neutral, “handshake” posture and reduces the stresses caused by forearm pronation.

 

• The integrated palm supports reduce stressful bending of the wrists and provide a convenient place to rest your hands when you are not actively typing. Self-adhesive, cushioned palm pads (included) can be attached for maximum comfort.
• The thumb clusters include frequently-used keys such as Enter, Space, Backspace, and Delete to redistribute the workload away from your relatively weaker and overused little fingers to stronger thumbs.

 

• The Advantage2 may look big, but it actually has a smaller footprint than most keyboards because we eliminated the numeric 10-key so you can place the mouse closer to your body, reducing painful “over-reach”.

 

Mechanical Key Switches

The Advantage2 (KB600 model) utilizes the Cherry MX Brown stem low-force tactile key switches. “Tactility” is a slightly elevated force around the midpoint of the stroke of the key which lets you know the switch is about to be activated. A tactile response is preferred by many ergonomists, because it cues your fingers that activation is about to occur and can reduce the frequency of “bottoming out” the switch with a hard impact.

Function keys use Cherry ML low-force mechanical key switches.