I Tried a Folding Bluetooth Keyboard and It Wasn’t the Productivity Boost I Hoped

Summary

• Folding keyboards have awkward button positions due to their hinges, which lead to typos.

• Typing on a folding keyboard feels especially challenging when you regularly switch back and forth with a non-folding one.

• Committing to just the folding keyboard might work, but you’re still left with an inferior typing experience overall.

I use a foldable phone as my main PC, and I thought a foldable Bluetooth keyboard would be a fantastic addition to my mobile workstation. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. Let me explain this to you.

1

The zippers make button placement awkward

Foldable keyboards are just like other Bluetooth keyboards. They connect quickly to your computer or your phone, and allow you to write without the hassle of cables or USB adapters. Some have touchpads (like mine), eliminating the need to carry a separate Bluetooth mouse.

The difference with the foldable ones is that they are clumsy. Since they have to be folded, they usually have one or two zippers. I bought one with two zippers, which allows it to fold compact enough to fit in my coat pocket.

Because of these hinges, the buttons are not placed or shaped like they are on normal keyboards. Some keys have been moved. Others are strangely small. This is not the keyboard you learned to type at school.

2

I make more typos as a result

Most of the time, I don’t think much about where my fingers are on a keyboard. After decades of typing, my fingers just know where to press. Do I use the “right” fingers to press each key? I don’t know, and I don’t particularly care. My fingers know what they are doing.

Switching to a folding keyboard is like pulling the rug out from under them. Time and time again, my fingers go to press a button only to find that it isn’t there. I make more typos than usual, then spend a lot of time having to reach for the backspace key.

To make matters worse, the backspace key is the one that has been significantly reduced. The key is so small that the word “backspace” doesn’t even fit on it. Since my fingers don’t miss this little button, I have to consciously look down every time I need to fix a typo. Ugh!

3

It’s weird going back and forth between keyboards

If you have a mechanical keyboard for your desktop, but use a MacBook the rest of the time, you know that switching back and forth between PCs can mess with your typing. These keyboards are very different in how they feel, and your fingers may need a moment to adjust.

With a folding keyboard, that adjustment just feels taken to a whole new level. I’m used to bluetooth keyboards. I keep one at my desk, and find them more comfortable than mechanical keys. Yet I still find myself aggrieved whenever I switch from my usual Bluetooth keyboard to a foldable one. They may be similar in overall size and key travel, but the buttons are too inconsistent.

This is the same reason I don’t stick with a digital typewriter like Pomero DM30. This foldable E Ink digital typewriter is a great concept, but the very different keyboard meant I was actually typing slower than I was on a laptop, even with all the distractions that come with the latter.

4

If only I could commit to this keyboard…

A folding keyboard is not inherently bad. If I fully committed to only using this keyboard, both at home and on the go, then I could make it work. My fingers may have ruined it for someone else’s computer, but I could make it work.

However, this is quite the commitment. After all, these keyboards undoubtedly provide an inferior experience. They are smaller, even compared to small light keyboards like mine Keychron B1 Pro.

I can be out of the norm ditching my PC for a flip phonebut that feels like a pragmatic decision. By having a device that allows me to work from anywhere, I gained more than I lackedalthough some of the applications are not as capable as their desktop counterparts.

With a folding keyboard, I don’t feel like I’m gaining anything. Yes, the keyboard takes up less space in my bag, but for the most part, I still need to carry it in a bag.

Folding keyboards aren’t expensive, so it won’t set you back much to try one out for yourself. Keep all the packaging. You may end up wanting to go back. I want mine back.