Buying a high‑end keyboard is an investment. It is a worthwhile investment for something you will use nearly every day, for hours a day, for years and years, but still, you're looking at anywhere from $300 to $1,000. It's not a small decision.
It can be a confusing process, prone to hype. Obviously, we sell high-end keyboards. It makes me happy when people buy and enjoy our keyboards. But there are other good keyboards out there, too, and there are also keyboards that promise a lot but may not be worth your investment. We’ve been doing this long enough that I feel confident about distinguishing the good keyboards from the bad and the companies that actually care from the ones that just say they do.
I want to suggest twelve questions I would ask myself before deciding on a keyboard (if I wasn’t using a ZSA keyboard). These are worth taking the time to research.
- Is most of the information I find about this keyboard in the form of sponsored or paid reviews? How much authentic consumer information is out there from regular people who actually paid for the product and were not approached for a review?
- Am I being bombarded with ads on social media and websites for this keyboard? Does the company pay for lots of ads? Does their budget go towards making good keyboards or making noise?
- What is the keyboard’s layout configurator like? Can I try it before I buy? Is it easy to use? Is it powerful?
- Is the keyboard easy to repair? Are parts readily available should I need them in the future?
- What is the warranty policy like? How long is it, and what happens once it expires?
- What is this company's reputation for support? Do they actually help with questions or issues before and after purchase? What kind of answers do I get when I contact them myself?
- If this is a pre-order or a crowdfunding campaign, what is this company's reputation for delivering on its promises on time and in the quality promised?
- What happens if the company goes under in the future? Is the firmware actually open source, or is it merely based on open‑source firmware that has been forked and the fork is not available to me?
- Is there an active community of people modding this keyboard and making it their own? If there is, how does the company treat them?
- If the product contains a battery, how easy is it to replace? How readily available are replacement batteries?
- What's the return policy like? Is there a clear written policy?
- Will I have to pay anything on top of the purchase price on the site, like customs when the board comes in? Is the company upfront about this?
You may notice these are things ZSA does or talks about — that is no accident, of course. :) Many of ZSA’s policies come from what I value as a consumer. I want our customers to feel as cared for as I wish I did when buying any premium product.
Happy typing!
