Keyboard Builders' Digest / Review
KBDcraft Israfel review
I tested KBDcraft's brilliant Israfel, a 50% unibody split with an adjustable angle, made of LEGO. It's impressive and offers a huge bang for your buck. Flock to the store, folks!
Published November 15, 2024
Hot on the heels of the Lilith & Lilin write-up, here's a review of another KBDcraft keyboard: the 50% unibody split Israfel. This impressive LEGO-compatible model features a hinge mechanism for an adjustable angle and comes equipped with Kailh's rightfully popular full-POM low-profile switches.
UPDATE: After a few days, two columns stopped working. The PCB is being replaced.
As you may know, there's a giveaway happening! You still have a chance to win the Israfel kit, generously offered by KBDcraft's Boyu. Just check out my recent editorial for the rules and details. I've extended the deadline until Monday. The Israfel kit goes to Ben, congrats!
While sticking to facts and remaining objective are important cornerstones of these articles, I must admit upfront that I’m blown away by the Israfel. It offers a true split experience without the need for soldering and delivers an unexpectedly excellent typing feel – all at an unbeatable price of just $62.
TLDR; After entering the split scene with the minimalist Lilin macropad, KBDcraft has introduced the Israfel – a 50% angled monoblock split design. This full kit is easy to assemble and offers a fantastic experience for first-time split users, while its customizability makes it equally appealing to seasoned split enthusiasts. Features include hotswap sockets, gasket mounting, Vial compatibility, built-in tenting, and an adjustable angle. No soldering, no screws – just a guide reminiscent of a LEGO instruction booklet. Even the typing experience stands out, with the all-POM Kailhs clearly outperforming every low-profile Choc V1 I've ever tried.
I've never written this before, but if you're looking for your first split keyboard, the only logical step is to head to kbdcraft.store and place your order immediately. This will spare you from reading this rather long write-up, but you might as well go ahead if you don't believe me – yet. ;)
Disclaimer
After the Lilin review, I mentioned to Boyu how it's a cool first split project but not quite suitable as a standalone split alternative – especially for work – due to its few keys and fixed 2U footprints. In his reply, he attached a photo of the upcoming Israfel. :)
The ergo-split sector is certainly a rabbit hole, not only for consumers but also for hardware creators. We've had so much fun on this path and have rapidly developed our second split model. It’s no longer just a gimmick but a daily-able allrounder, called #7 Israfel – Boyu.
Shortly after, a review unit was sent to me by KBDcraft. As always, I'm not paid to write this review, but receiving a free sample can still introduce various biases – both positive and negative in my experience. So, take everything I write with a grain of salt.
Israfel specs
- layout: 50% ortho(ish), 56 keys
- hotswap
- colors: white and black (more colors in the pipeline)
- switch: N2 (factory lubed full-POM Kailh low-pros, linear or tactile)
- Poron gasket mounting
- FR4 plate
- freely adjustable angle, 7 fixed positions
- 5 degrees tenting
- brick platform
- plate-mounted stabilizers
- completely screw-free build
- QMK/Vial
- per-key RGB backlight
- weight: 360g
Unboxing & Contents
The Israfel arrived in the familiar cardboard box. As already told last time, the packaging design has improved a lot since my first Adam. This latest version, featuring a photo/render of the fully built product for the first time I guess, is not only visually appealing and pleasant to the touch, but also highly informative, with detailed specs on the back.
The full bundle with switches and caps includes quite a few items.
The actual LEGO-compatible bricks for the case, the Core56 system with the PCBs and plates, Kailh low-pro switches and stabilizers, keycaps, a combined keycap puller and switch remover tool, a nice yellow cable, bumpons/gaskets, instructions(*), and the must-have gift brick figurine (or figurines depending on the value of your order).
First impressions while browsing the parts? The cable is a bit thicker or maybe just more rigid than the previous curled red ones. And I love the case of the keycaps!
The switches coming with my review unit were the white, linear N2s. The final bundle also includes instructions, of course, though they were still being printed when my package was shipped. Regardless, these instructions are regularly updated and improved, so downloading them from kbdcraft.store has become second nature to me.
Variants
Currently, the Israfel is available in white with linear switches. A black variant with tactile switches is available for pre-order, and more color options are on the way
Layout
The Israfel features a 50% orthoish layout with a fixed bottom row and 2U Enter key. This design is the result of Boyu aiming for a layout which could bridge the gap between users of traditional horizontally staggered keyboards and the preferences of split aficionados.
Anyway, you get 56 keys, number row, and dedicated arrows keys (if you want them). The bottom row should also feel familiar to most people, though it offers the great potential of a split spacebar – something new users of splits in general will hopefully discover soon.
The two halves aren't perfectly symmetric; I prefer the right half with more 1U keys, except for the 2U Enter, which can't be split into two 1U keys. However, I often forget that I'm viewing any new keyboard through the eyes of a longtime split user and keymap wizard. So, this layout is probably more approachable for normies.
As you can see in the photos, I started with the default layout, which caters to newcomers. I rearranged both the logical layout and the caps later to match more common split layouts.
Building the Israfel
The instructions are clear and straightforward. Everything went smoothly, no tricky parts at all.
Well, except for the fact that there are four upside-down switches on the right side. Be sure to keep an eye on the orientation.
I love the Israfel case, which is an improvement not only over the original Adam case but also over the recently reviewed, sleeker Lilith casing.
What else? I really loved the 'embedded' cable idea of the Lilin, with LEGO bricks surrounding the wires – both for the USB and internal connections. Very clever. However, there's no embedded cable design this time.
PCB
The PCB, or 'Core' as KBDcraft calls it along with the plate, is typically a component shared across multiple KBDcraft models. As of now, I'm not aware of any model other than the Israfel that uses the Core56. That said, these Cores are designed to be modular and can be purchased separately. However, I don’t see the Core56 available for sale at the moment.
The PCB is hotswap and features per-key RGB. The boards come with plate-mounted stabilizers, also made by Kailh. I must say, these low-profile stabs are much easier to install than their standard counterparts.
Plate
The plates are white FR4. Combined with the tented gasket mounting, they offer a nice flex, more in the middle, obviously.
Sound dampening
The gaskets are made of poron, the feet are rubber, and there's also an optional sound pad system for improved sound quality. While the sound and feel, as well as the overall typing experience can't really be compared to that of an aluminum keyboard or the walnut MU01, I'd say it's exceptional for a plastic split.
A large part of the impressive sound and feel comes from the switches. Boyu adapted the structure based on his experience with the low-profile Kailhs:
The exceptional sound and mechanical performance of these switches make additional filling materials unnecessary. They produce minimal rattle and actually sound better without a plate foam. Based on this, we decided to drop the plate foam in Israfel – Boyu.
Switches
Speaking of switches, the PCB is hotswappable, so you can use any switches you prefer. However, the full kit comes with these very nice ones called "N2" by KBDcraft. They are Kailh's popular full-POM low-profile switches, available in white (N2 Depth Charge) or black (N2 Land Mine), linear and tactile, respectively.
I received the white linears, which feel fantastic, especially for something in the low-profile genre. No wonder these models are among Kailh's best-selling switches these days. At least, if my suspicion is correct, and the N2 Depth Charge is a rebranded Kailh Choc V2 White Rain, and the N2 Land Mine equals the Kailh Choc V2 Black Cloud.
N2 Depth Charge specs
- Kailh Choc V2 (MX stem)
- white color
- linear
- 50gf operating force
- POM stem and housing
- pre-travel: 1.2mm
- total travel: 2.8mm
- pre-lubed
N2 Land Mine specs
- Kailh Choc V2 (MX stem)
- black color
- tactile
- 45gf operating force
- 50gf tactile force
- POM stem and housing
- pre-travel: 1.6mm
- total travel: 2.8mm
- pre-lubed
If you decide to go with a barebone kit (if available), feel free to check out the recent best-seller lists of community-favorite switches, or the switch database.
Keycaps
The Israfel comes with nice low-pro keycaps, doubleshot by the way. They look very familiar from somewhere, but I can't figure out where from.
The uniform, cylindrical caps are ideal to rearrange them across rows to mirror your logical layout. Except for the F/J caps if you want your home key markers (three dots in this case) in the correct position.
It seems you get a full set, with a fullsize spacebar, F-keys, numpad, etc. Here is the box with the leftovers:
I also tested a new 4-key cap puller by Kemove, so put the KBDcraft "DSS" keycaps on the Israfel.
The board was surprisingly usable, but the original keycaps are better for work. These stylish dot caps are fine for macropads though.
RGB
Lots of effects and colors. Plenty of bleed too, which is fine in this case I guess. I wonder how all this would look with transparent LEGO pieces.
Ball joints
The orange LEGO pieces in some of the photos are ball joints. In the Lilin build there were purely for aesthetics, allowing you to "easily and flexibly connect external decorative or functional parts" – e.g. the accompanying figures. In the Israfel, these ball joints serve a very practical function: they allow you to fix the angle of the two halves.
You can adjust the two halves as you wish, of course, up to above 90 degrees. However, to fix them in place, you have seven – eight with the basic non-angled ortho – options through these connecting pieces. Grab some more LEGO and you can come up with even more alternatives.
Ergonomics
While the board's target audience is likely more casual typers and users of traditional keyboards with classic layouts, given that the Israfel is an angled monoblock split, we should compare it to other ergo split alternatives and their features.
Firstly, the Israfel checks many important boxes: built-in tenting to mitigate forearm pronation, an adjustable angle to alleviate ulnar deviation, and a relatively low profile, so wrist extension shouldn't be an issue either. (There's a separately sold wrist rest.) Coming from a Glove80 and Ergohaven Planeta as my daily drivers, I felt right at home with the Israfel's form factor and layout – at least after adjusting it to my preferred slant angle.
Extremist ergoheads might long for a keywell, columnar staggering, adjustable tenting, and separable halves, but that would be a whole different project.
- A keywell is probably impossible with standard lego pieces.
- A true split with separable halves could open up your chest, but the adjustable angle already offers a great remedy for your wrists.
- Columnar staggering is tricky too, but in fact, a 1U offset on the pinkies is nearly perfect for me. Thanks to the easily updateable firmware, setting up all the pinky keys as if they were one row lower is pretty straightforward. (The larger keys in the bottom row of the left half interfere with this approach.)
Adjustable tenting and negative typing angle? I personally don't find these features critical, but with some creativity and a few extra extra Lego pieces you can work wonders. ;)
The weakest point of the Israfel, at least for more seasoned split users, is probably its fixed bottom row, thus the mere 2 thumb keys. You could potentially use one more adjacent key on the right for this purpose, but the left one is already too far away.
Portability
The Israfel is quite portable. For one, its 50% layout is already quite compact. That said, many small true split keyboards can be a real pain to carry around with all the loose pieces, cables, halves, etc.
But the Israfel is practically an adjustable unibody split, so it's very rigid in its fixed state. Given its relatively small footprint, light weight, and overall dimensions, along with the simple yet clever fixing mechanism, transporting it in your backpack is definitely possible.
Software
This board is Vial compatible. Yay! I headed to vial.rocks, and the Israfel was recognized perfectly, without the need to upload any layout JSON.
Making basic changes to the keymap (e.g. swapping alphas) as well as reproducing my personal logical layout including SpaceFN – minus four thumb keys ;) – went easily.
The build instructions come with some tips on this topic, but the point is: you can set up this keyboard according to your needs, languages used, workflow, etc.
Conclusion
The KBDcraft Israfel, a LEGO-compatible 50% adjustable-angle split keyboard, is an excellent entry point for newcomers to enter the split scene and experience tenting, adjustable angle, an orthoish arrangement of keys, etc. All this without having to solder or even dealing with any screws, let alone managing Github repos and PCB orders. "Building" the Israfel was really like putting together a LEGO set. The typing experience is on par with many boards in higher price ranges. Actually, the all-POM low-pro Kailhs are great, this is by far the best out-of-the-box experience from KBDcraft so far. To sum up: the hotswap PCB with per-key RGB, Vial compatibility, versatile brick structure, optional sound dampening, etc. make the Israfel highly customizable – not just as a first split. Given the unbeatable price, I'm confident that many split enthusiast will give it a try. You won't be disappointed!
Pros
- clever split design & LEGO-compatibility
- ergo features
- the all-POM Kailh switches feel great
Cons
- lack of multiple layout alternatives (fixed bottom row and 2U Enter)
Availability
The Israfel is available as a full kit for $63. Yep, you read that right. Use the KBDNEWS coupon code to claim this price with a 5% discount. (The code works for all KBDcraft products by the way, be sure to check out the Lilith and Lilin as well.)
- Israfel kit at kbdcraft.com,
$65$62
Published on Fri 15th Nov 2024. Featured in KBD #179.
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