After diving headfirst into testing ergonomic keyboards at the start of this year, I’ve found that the most helpful recommendation for most people isn’t necessarily the most ergonomic keyboard, but the one that people will actually use and feel a difference quickly.

If you’re new to ergonomic gear, the Logitech Ergo K860 might look a little intimidating at first. (I certainly thought so.) Its high-rising dome shape and split layout are very different from the standard keyboards most of us use every day.

Once you get hands-on, though, it’s far more intuitive than you might expect. That’s crucial for folks who may be dabbling with using more supportive ergonomic office gear because of repetitive strain injuries or other forms of pain in their hands, arms, shoulders, and backs. Compared to two-piece split keyboards that basically force you to relearn how to type, using the Ergo K860 is a breeze. And, by striking a great balance between ergonomic support and ease of use, you get a keyboard that offers both efficiency and comfort.

An Approachable Split

The K860 delivers a moderate set of ergonomic benefits without asking too much from a new typist. Instead of splitting the whole keyboard into two separate pieces, it features a single, dome-shaped body, with two sets of angled keys and a triangular gap in the middle.

The design encourages a more natural typing position: You don’t have to twist your wrists to touch the keys, or pull your shoulder blades together to reach a single point at the center of the keyboard. This eases long-term strain on your wrists, forearms, and shoulders.

In the most practical sense, switching to it helped me maintain a more neutral typing posture without having to overthink it. After using it for about two weeks, I started to notice that my upper back and shoulders felt more relaxed after long work days. It didn’t eliminate fatigue entirely, of course—work is still work, you know?—but my more neutral stance was more comfortable, and that’s not nothing.

Of course, switching to a new type of keyboard came with a bit of a transition. The keys are not in the same spots as other keyboards and, while easy on the muscles, typing on it didn’t feel natural right away. That said, it didn’t take long to get the hang of it. I made a few mistakes during my first couple days of using it, but I didn’t feel a dramatic drop-off in my typing speed and accuracy like I did with more customizable two-piece keyboards like the Kinesis Freestyle2.

With Ergo Support, It’s All in the Wrists

Integrated wrist rests can be hit-or-miss, but the Ergo K860’s pillowed support ensures that its domed shape feels good on your body. Made with multiple layers of foam and covered in a stain-resistant fabric, it eases the burden of holding your hands in an elevated position above your desk. Without it, you’d simply be trading one set of muscle issues for another. As with the layout, there’s a balance going on here. The rest isn’t as plush as it could be. Rather, it gives just enough to make you feel fully supported.

When paired with the negative tilt legs, which lift the front of the keyboard up to meet your arms, I was able to type in a more natural position. I didn’t feel any twisting or flexing when I moved my hands to type. On particularly heavy writing days, after hours at the keyboard, I noticed less pressure on the base of my palms that I often experience with my laptop keyboard.

The only off-putting aspect of the wrist rest (and the shape in general) is its size. The shape and wrist rest combined increase the keyboard’s desk footprint pretty dramatically. Measuring 18 by 8 by 1.89 inches, it’s much longer than some of the other models I’ve tried, even split designs with both halves pushed together. But this is a pretty typical compromise for ergonomic gear, because the layout and spacing of the keys are intended to allow your hands and wrists to align naturally with your shoulders.

Quiet and Comfortable Keys Are Made for All-Day Use

The Ergo K860 is an office keyboard through and through. It features low-profile, scissor-switch keys, akin to what you’d find on a laptop or slim office keyboard. That isn’t going to appeal to keyboard enthusiasts who swear by mechanical keys with more travel—that’s the distance you need to push a key to “actuate” it. More travel usually makes for more comfortable typing. It will, however, resonate more with office workers used to that style of typing, and scissor-switch keys are virtually silent, so this is a good fit for offices.

Perhaps more importantly, it felt like those slimmer, softer keys made it easier for me to adjust to using the split layout. I didn’t experience any finger fatigue, even during days packed with nonstop computer work.

In that same vein, the Ergo K860 has a full-size keyboard layout, which includes a number pad. I don’t use it often, but I generally do like having it just in case. It makes the keyboard larger, of course, but this thing’s already pretty huge. I don’t know if removing the number pad would suddenly make it feel compact.

It’s Quick to Connect, and Battery Life Is Solid

The K860 supports both Bluetooth and a Logitech USB receiver, and I opted for the latter because I wanted a plug-and-play setup. The keyboard is easy to pair and use across multiple devices, too. It’s powered by two AAA batteries, and they’re claimed to last up to two years, so you don’t have to worry about having a dead keyboard.

Who Should Buy the Logitech Ergo K860?

The Logitech Ergo K860 is a jack-of-all-trades ergonomic keyboard. I think it’s a strong choice for both new ergo keyboard users and veterans looking for a relatively affordable, balanced approach. At $130, it isn’t the cheapest keyboard you can buy, but a more specialized keyboard will cost you far more.

That said, it isn’t going to satisfy everyone. Some folks will need more support to mitigate their pain, for which they will want a full split design with tenting like the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB Plus. Others will want mechanical keys on keyboards like the Keychron Q11 Ultra. And some new users will want an even easier, more accessible option, like the Logitech Wave Keys.

But, if you’re starting from square one and just want a more comfortable keyboard, the K860 offers the best combination of ergonomic comfort, usability, and familiarity that I’ve tested to date. It’s the one I would confidently recommend for most people, and one that I continue to reach for myself.