Drop Planck or ErgoDox EZ

Learning and discussion Custom keyboards
1

Hi I’m still a noooob in this community and even though I know it all comes down to preference, I’ve been wondering what would you recommend more - Drops Planck or ErgoDrox EZ (I know they have Planck as well but the one from Drop seems more appealing to me)

That’s about it. Thanks for all replies in advance :smiley:

2 Likes
2

Very different options! Some questions to help you decide:

  • What interests you more - ortholinear or ergo?
  • How long are you willing to wait? The Planck kit doesn’t ship until February.
  • Do you have a budget? The ErgoDox EZ can hit $300, the Planck kit can be as cheap as $100 or so.
3 Likes
3

Great questions and tbh I’m not sure how to answer the first one :smiley: because to tell you the truth I would buy both if I could haha I’m just so into this hobby right now and I want to try as many things as I can.

The biggest problem is probably money since I’ll be buying Thermal soon and probably some keycaps and Cream switches from novelkeys but the wait for both Thermal and Planck might be too much mentally lol :smiley:

1 Like
4

If money is the biggest problem then you have your answer! Hold off on the ErgoDox EZ, it’s pricey.

As for the Planck, think about whether you want to pay now and wait until February. That’s a typical wait for the Drop kit, although you can get things like the Ortho48 for less money and wait.

5

If budget is an issue there’s also the “easy on the wallet” planck build you can get straight off OLKB’s website. From there you can even see if you like the 40% ortho format at a pretty accessible price.

6

Yeah I’ve been thinking about Ortho48 and the Planck from OLKB, but from what I’ve seen Planck is either sold out or I’m really really blind :smiley: so Ortho48 seems like the way to go for now and maybe prepare for the drop since the shipping date is like at the end of february. :smiley:

7

Oh my bad - lol. Didn’t realize the PCB is sold out at OLKB. Just looked at the top and bottom EOTW plates.

1 Like
8

Haha no worries. Thanks for your advices btw guys <3

1 Like
9

Use the time from the drop to get your switches and keycaps shipped, lube your switches, and build a layout.

1 Like
10

As someone who owns a Planck layout, an Ergodox EZ and Hot Dox of which Hot Dox is now my primary I prefer the Hot Dox hands down. The only downside is that the Hot Dox doesn’t have a tenting kit yet. To me the biggest sells of ergodox layout is the split which makes it more comfortable and not really having to move my hands much while having access to much more labeled keys (than the Planck) like numbers/specials/homing/print/etc w/o toggling layers. That’s just my personal take as at work and at home I use numbers/specials frequently.

If you have a MK meetup in your area it may be ideal to go to one and demo the layouts yourself before investing.

Edit: Not only is the Hot Dox cheaper than ErgoDox EZ it’s arguably more mod friendly as case is open source, etc

11

That Hot Dox seems like a great option! Thanks for sharing, it’s the first time I see it and gotta admit I really like the way it looks.

The problem with MK meetups is that I’m not really aware of any in Poland or close enough for me to casually go without investing even more money :smiley:

I’m considering buying that Hod Dox though.

1 Like
12

I use an ErgoDox EZ (rev 6) with backlighting and while I like it a lot, I won’t continue using it much longer.

The problems:

  • The thumb keys are too far out. Only the big 2u keys are comfortable. The keys next to the B and N should be removed and the thumb keys moved closer.
  • The 2u thumb keys are indistinguishable. The further one (and the 1u above it) should both be 1.5u to clue your finger AND to make the upper button easier to use.
  • The base is WAY too thick. If you care about ergonomics, you’ll find yourself in a situation where EITHER your mouse or your keyboard is at the right angle for your wrist, but not both.
  • Only the center keys are backlit. This sucks both from a usability and an aesthetics perspective. The side and thumb keys are exactly the keys you’d want a visual hint for.

On the other hand, I used my friend’s Planck recently, and I immediately ordered one from Drop. The Planck EZ doesn’t support 2x1u space bar. Plus… colors!

1 Like
13

Okay screw it… I’m buying Hot Dox and Planck from Drop… oh my poor wallet… :smiley:

1 Like