Kinesis Advantage360 Pro compact split keyboard

An ode to the Advantage 360 Pro

Rome was not built in a day

After an hour of wrestling with your new Advantage360 Pro, you will probably think "I really regret this purchase". Give it some time. Tomorrow will go better, and within about three weeks you will not want to be without this masterpiece.

Why the Advantage 360 Pro

Maximum comfort

At first glance, the Advantage360 Pro mechanical keyboard looks very complex. That complexity is exactly what lets you work entirely free of complaints. Because this compact, split keyboard is made up of two parts, you can position it however you like. By placing the halves at a slight angle to each other, you can relieve your wrists. Your wrists no longer have to make the bend that a regular keyboard forces on them.

Besides the position of the two halves, you can also adjust the tilt angle of the halves across 3 different heights. In other words, you can tent the keyboard, so to speak. This way you can keep your arms and wrists at a comfortable angle while typing. Not ready for full adjustability yet? Then you can attach the supplied bridge connector for the traditional Advantage separation. Finally, the integrated palm rest offers extra support for the palms of your hands. The magnetic cushions are not included, but are available separately.

The bowl-shaped design also adds extra comfort. Because the keyboard is shaped concavely, your fingers do not have to stretch fully and you can relax your hands more. Working quickly with the Advantage 360 Pro will take some practice, but we can tell you it is well worth it.

Little-finger and thumb keys

Frequently used and "heavier" keys such as backspace, enter and shift are often pressed with the little finger. Kinesis, however, has placed these keys near the thumb. The reason is that the thumb is stronger than the little finger, so pressing them takes less effort.

What makes the Advantage360 Pro so good?

Mechanical

The Advantage360 Pro is fitted with brown Gateron switches, which have a tactile action. That means they give a little counter-pressure when you press the keys. The advantage of a mechanical keyboard is that you get more feedback while typing. Mechanical keyboards also tend to last longer and are easier to clean or repair when needed.

Wireless & wired

The Advantage360 Pro can be connected wirelessly via bluetooth. The connection between the two halves of the keyboard can also be entirely wireless. The advantage of this is that you have a little more freedom of movement than you would with a wired keyboard. This way you can connect the Advantage Pro to 5 devices at once. Switching between them takes a single press of a button.

You charge it using the supplied cable (190 cm). A fully charged keyboard lasts a full day with the backlight on. Without the backlight, this stretches to several months.

Prefer to work wired? Then connect the left half of the keyboard to your computer or laptop with the supplied cable. Only with this connection will the keyboard register keystrokes on your computer over a wired link

Programmable with ZMK

The Advantage 360 Pro is compatible with Windows 7-11, macOS, Linux, Android & Chrome. The keyboard has 76 keys, all of which are fully programmable using the ZMK platform. The advantage of this is that you can give every key the function you want. For example, cutting or pasting with a single press of a button. You can read more about it here.

Finally, the Advantage360 Pro is fitted with Global White backlighting and (partly) translucent ABS keycaps. You also get 16 extra of those keycaps, including 4 for Mac.

Overview of the keys

Not to be missed either

Advantage360 VS Advantage360 Pro

The Advantage360 is available in a standard and a Pro version. You can read the differences between the two models in the table below.

Pros and cons

• Ergonomic design
• Works with Windows, macOS, Linux and Android
• Mechanical keys
• Customisable to your wishes using ZMK
• Getting used to it takes some time

Brief specifications

How happy will my body be with this?

Product features

• Split keyboard
• Triple adjustable tilt angle
• Integrated palm rest (cushions available separately)
• Compact layout
• Bowl-shaped
• Vertical key configuration
• Separate thumb keys
• Optional fixed split
• Frequently used keys near the thumb instead of the little finger
• Mechanical keys (Gateron Brown)
• Suitable for Windows 7-11, macOS, Linux, Android and Chrome
• 76 keys
• Fully programmable
• Wireless Bluetooth or wired connection (via left half of the board)
• Global White backlighting
• ABS shine-through keycaps

Switches

Mechanical switches are the mechanisms that sit beneath the keycaps of mechanical keyboards. With the Advantage360 you can choose between Gateron Brown (tactile) or Kailh pink (linear). You can find more explanation about mechanical switches here.

Which switch suits you?

With this keyboard you choose which switches go underneath. They cost the same, so it comes down to preference. A linear switch travels smoothly with no noticeable bump; a tactile switch has one, and a clicky switch lets you hear it too.

	Kailh BOX Silent Pink	Gateron KS-9 Brown
Type:Linear travels evenly. Tactile has a noticeable bump. Clicky adds an audible click to that bump.	Linear (silent)	Tactile
Actuation force:Force:The force needed to register a keystroke. A regular rubber dome keyboard needs 55 to 60 g, so lower means lighter typing.	35 g	55 g
Tactile bump force:Bump force:The force at the point where you clearly feel the key give way. Only tactile and clicky switches have this; a linear switch does not. A dash means the switch does have one, but the manufacturer states no figure. Technical term: pressure point force.	Not applicable	–
Registers after:The distance the key travels before the keystroke registers. You do not have to press the key all the way down. Technical term: pre-travel or actuation point.	1.8 mm	2.0 mm
Full travel:Travel:The total distance until the key can go no further.	3.6 mm	4.0 mm
Lifespan:The number of keystrokes per key stated by the manufacturer.	80 million	60 million
Sound:Indication for normal typing. Even a silent switch makes noise if you bottom out the key.	Silent	Quiet

Downloads

What is in the box?

• 1 x Keyboard
• 1 x Bridge connector
• 1 x Keycap puller
• 1 x Quick start guide
• 16 x Extra keycaps
• Required cables

The Advantage360 & its predecessor the Advantage2 through the eyes of Kinesis

• The split parts can be positioned completely independently of each other (even more so on the Pro version thanks to the absence of a cable), which makes the 360 kinder to the shoulders
• Adjustable tilt angle. By default it sits at the 'Classic' angle (as on the Advantage2), but you also have 'Medium' and 'High'
• 5 programmable layers instead of 2 (the Pro even many more)
• Higher build quality and reduced noise
• The Gateron Brown Low-Force switch on the 360 types more pleasantly and quietly than the Cherry Brown on the Advantage2
• Vertical key configuration
• Magnetic detachable palm rests are an improvement over the stick-on models on the Advantage2
• The same industrial designer was involved in both the Advantage2 and the Advantage 360
• The aim was a look that can last 30 years
• The Advantage360 is handmade in the United States

Unboxing the Advantage360 Pro

Positioning the keyboard

Frequently asked questions