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Elephant42

The Elephant42 keyboard.

Elephant42 Keyboard

Overview

The Elephant42, affectionately known by its alias 🐘42, is a unique split mechanical keyboard designed for ergonomics and efficiency. Its aggressive column stagger and four thumb keys set it apart from traditional keyboard layouts, making it a standout choice for enthusiasts and professionals alike. This keyboard is fully open-sourced under the Beerware license, allowing users to customize their experience.

Design and Layout

The Elephant42 features a split design, with two separate halves that enhance ergonomic comfort by allowing a more natural hand position. Each half showcases a pronounced columnar layout, which means that the keys are arranged vertically with an intentional stagger to accommodate finger movement. While the exact number of keys and their matrix configuration remains unspecified, the design is particularly optimized for thumb access, incorporating four dedicated thumb keys.

Features

One of the key advantages of the Elephant42 is its support for hot-swappable Cherry MX switches, which allows users to easily customize the typing feel without soldering. The keyboard connects via a TRRS cable between the two halves, ensuring flexibility in setup. Additionally, the USB-C connector makes it compatible with a wide range of devices. The aggressive staggered layout is designed to improve typing comfort, reducing strain over extended use.

A side view of the slim profile of the Elephant42 keyboard. Licensed under Beerware. Image Source

 

A side view of the profile of the Elephant42 keyboard. Licensed under Beerware. Image Source

Despite its compact and efficient design, it lacks wireless options, focusing on a wired connection for reliability. The open-source nature of the Elephant42 means there are abundant resources available for those looking to delve deeper into customization and build ideas.

Buy or Build

For those interested in acquiring the Elephant42, there are options to either buy pre-assembled units or build their own from scratch. The GitHub repository for the Elephant42 includes a comprehensive build guide to help users through the assembly process, catering to both novices and experienced builders. Whether seeking a fully assembled keyboard or an engaging DIY project, the Elephant42 offers flexibility.

Similar Keyboards

  • KLOR (similar): The KLOR is a 36-42 key split keyboard featuring a columnar layout. It offers several layout variations and supports per-key RGB lighting, rotary encoders, OLED displays, and more. For more details, you can check its GitHub page.

  • Fifi (similar): The Fifi keyboard is a split keyboard with a 3×5 column staggered key arrangement and three thumb keys. It is based on foostan’s mini-crkbd schematic and thomasbaart’s kyria layout. Additional information can be found on its GitHub repository.

  • 52Te (similar): The 52Te is a split keyboard inspired by the NISSE keyboard created by Esrille. More information can be accessed through its GitHub page.

For those looking for more information on the Elephant42 keyboard, you can visit the Elephant42 GitHub repository, where you will also find a comprehensive build guide to assist you in assembling the keyboard.