The Variety and Preferences of Keyboards Used by The Verge Staff

Image: Keyboards of The Verge · Source

The Verge staff share diverse personal keyboard choices, reflecting different needs from ergonomic comfort to aesthetic appeal and functionality, highlighting popular models like NuPhy, Keychron, and Apple Magic Keyboard.

Keyboards remain a fundamental interface for transferring thoughts into digital form, and The Verge explored the diverse keyboards used by its staff to reveal contrasting preferences and needs. Some staff prioritize ergonomics to combat wrist pain, while others focus on the typing experience’s tactile and auditory qualities or simply use what’s immediately available.

Senior reporter Jay Peters prefers the Kinesis Freestyle Pro for its ergonomic benefits, including tenting add-ons that improve hand positioning and palm rests that reduce discomfort. Meanwhile, senior copy editor Kallie Plagge balances work and gaming by using a Keychron K2 at work and a Logitech G713 mechanical keyboard with a wrist rest for gaming, appreciating the compact tenkeyless design.

For Apple fans like product manager Danielle Steussy, the Apple Magic Keyboard with a numeric keypad remains a long-term favorite, despite occasional Bluetooth and legend fading issues. Editor at large David Pierce switches between mechanical and Apple keyboards, seeking quiet typing solutions suited for shared spaces.

Some staff members experiment with mechanical keyboard customization. Executive editor Jacob Kastrenakes uses a visually distinctive Boop Redux setup with GMK Dots keycaps, valuing its unique look over practicality. Laptop reviewer Antonio G. Di Benedetto enjoys modding his budget TM680 keyboard, improving sound and feel through lubricating switches and adding foam.

Others like former senior editor TC Sottek have settled on affordable, durable options like the Keychron K2 after repeated keyboard damage. Senior reports editor Meredith Haggerty uses the built-in M2 MacBook Air keyboard, noting its convenience despite minor annoyance with debris.

Mechanical keyboard enthusiasts Andrew J. Hawkins and Stevie Bonifield favor NuPhy models (Air75 and Halo75 V2) for satisfying typing experience, design, and wireless versatility, especially on Macs. Senior reviews editor Nathan Edwards switches among Leopold, Omnitype, and custom keyboards seeking a blend of tactility and customizability.

Senior tech editor Adi Robertson prefers low-profile mechanical keyboards like the Iqunix MQ80 to combine satisfying feedback with typing speed. Senior editor Sean Hollister enjoys the programmable Keychron V1 Max with quiet switches, although he occasionally misses laptop chiclet keys.

AI reporter Robert Hart, less focused on keyboards, uses a compact Keychron K2 Pro for portability and multi-device use, while senior internet typist Elizabeth Lopatto opts for a split, clicky gaming keyboard — the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB — to accommodate repetitive stress injuries and enjoy loud, machine-gun-like typing sounds.

Editor-in-chief Nilay Patel keeps it simple with basic full-size Apple keyboards, replacing them periodically as wear accumulates. Across the staff, keyboards range from elegant and understated to brightly colored and heavily modded, illustrating personal tastes shaped by comfort, function, and enjoyment.

This variety underlines that despite modern alternatives like touchscreens and voice input, keyboards continue to be indispensable tools for productivity and creativity, with users tailoring their setups to fit ergonomic needs and personal style.