---
title: ZSA Moonlander First Impressions
date: 2020-10-27
series: keeb
tags:
 - moonlander
 - keyboard
---

# ZSA Moonlander First Impressions

As I mentioned
[before](https://christine.website/blog/colemak-layout-2020-08-15), I ordered a
[ZSA Moonlander](https://zsa.io/moonlander) and it has finally arrived. I am
writing this post from my Moonlander, and as such I may do a few more typos
than normal, I'm still getting used to this.

![a picture of the keyboard on my
desk](https://cdn.christine.website/file/christine-static/img/keeb/ElVbBm_XUAcVhOg.jpg)

The Moonlander is a weird keyboard. I knew that it would be odd from the get-go
(split ergonomic keyboards have this reputation for a reason), but I was
surprised at how natural it feels. Setup was a breeze (unbox, plug it in, flash
firmware, type), and I have been experimenting with tenting angles on my desk.
It is a _very_ solid keyboard with basically zero deck flex.

I have a [fairly complicated
keymap](https://tulpa.dev/cadey/kadis-layouts/src/branch/master/moonlander) that
worked almost entirely on the first try. Here is a more user friendly
visualization of my keymap (sans fun things like leader macros):

<div style="padding-top: 60%; position: relative;">
	<iframe src="https://configure.ergodox-ez.com/embed/moonlander/layouts/xbJXx/latest/0" style="border: 0; height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%"></iframe>
</div>

My typing speed has been destroyed by the change to this ortholinear layout.
Before I was getting around 70 words per minute at best (according to
[monkeytype.com](https://monkeytype.com/)), but now I am lucky to hit about 35
words per minute. My fingers kinda reach for where keys are on a staggered
keyboard and I have the most trouble with `x`, `v`, `.` and `b` at the moment. I
really like having a dedicated : key on my right hand. It makes command mode (and
yaml) so much easier. The larger red buttons are a bit odd to hit at the moment,
but I imagine that will get much easier with time.

Each key has a programmable RGB light under it. This allows you to get some
really nice effects like this:

![The left hand of my steno
layout](https://cdn.christine.website/file/christine-static/img/keeb/ElTG7QSW0AEqXeE.jpg)

However brown colors don't come out as well as I'd hoped:

![My media layer that mostly has brown lighting, this looks a bit better in the
dark](https://cdn.christine.website/file/christine-static/img/keeb/ElVdFKoX0AE_dAA.jpg)

I am not sure how I feel about the armrests. On one hand they feel a bit cold
(context: it is currently 1.57 degrees outside and I'm wearing a hoodie at my
desk so that may end up being the cause of this), but on the other hand i really
hate typing on this without them. The tenting is nice, I need to play with it
more but the included instructions help a lot.

I still have a long way to go. I'll write up a longer and more detailed review
in a few weeks.

Expect to see many more glory shots on
[Twitter](https://twitter.com/theprincessxena)!

As an added bonus, here is the `if err != nil` key in action:

<video controls width="100%">
    <source src="https://cdn.christine.website/file/christine-static/img/keeb/tmp.ZdCemPUcnd.webm"
            type="video/webm">
    <source src="https://cdn.christine.website/file/christine-static/img/keeb/tmp.ZdCemPUcnd.mp4"
            type="video/mp4">
    Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos.
</video>
