This might just be the most overengineered desktop gear I've ever come across. The Naya Connect system features four devices built around a modular keyboard to upgrade your setup with all kinds of shortcuts and tactile inputs.
No matter what apps you use in your workflow, these gadgets are designed to bring all your tools within easy reach. Essentially, you're looking at a high-end mechanical keyboard with every item on a connoisseur's checklist ticked off – and then there are three modules that snap on magnetically in any configuration you like to level things up.
First and most importantly, you've got the Dock, which has four programmable keys, and a circular receptacle to house a specialized input device to effectively replace your mouse in specific applications:
- Customizable trackpad which supports multi-finger gestures and configurable touch zones – ideal for productivity apps and web browsers.
- 40-mm trackball with support for axis locking, scrolling, and four physical buttons. Handy for audio and visual design tools.
- Rotary dial that lets you program it to offer low or high resistance, and click through levels with a fine ratchet-like pattern or a broader one. It's also got a touch zone at the top that supports gestures. This should make it easy to scrub through timelines while editing video.
- 6-DoF spatial mouse for precise 3D modeling work in CAD, animation, and game development apps, with an integrated rotary encoder to boot.
That's just the first module. There's also the Multipad with 24 programmable keys that can serve as a numpad on either your left or right, and the 6-Key, a column of six programmable keys.
If you're here about the 75% keyboard, it's a low-profile 85-key affair, with a machined aluminum unibody that measures under 15 mm thick. There are hot-swappable Kailh Choc V2 switches on board, along with dished polycarbonate keycaps, and you can choose from five different switch types, from linear to clicky and a bunch in between.
The keys are fully programmable, and offer single-key customizable RGB backlighting. You can connect the keyboard via USB-C, and attach the Dock or other modules to either side magnetically. It'll do 1,000-Hz polling, and is compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac, and mobile operating systems.
The idea is that you can either get the keyboard and expand it by adding modules, or get the Dock which unlocks wireless connectivity and attach modules to that. Naya's desktop app lets you configure every little detail of how the hardware functions.
This sounds like a dream for people who want more flexibility in building out their desktop setups. I love the idea of being able to add and customize modules depending on what I'm working on, and having more ways to interact with creative apps. Naya's talking up how carefully every component has been engineered to feel great beneath your fingertips, and I'm more than a little excited to see what that might be like.
The Connect suite is currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter, where all of the devices are being made available at a discounted price. The keyboard, set to retail at US$189, can be had for as little as $119 if you back the campaign early; the Dock is available at $45, well below its $69 asking price. The different Dock input devices range from $55 for the Touch trackpad to $129 for the Float spatial mouse.
If you need more keys, the 6-Key comes in at $35 (down from $49), and the 24-key Multipad is priced at $50 (down from $69). Shipping costs extra, and you can get an estimate when you pledge on the platform by selecting your location.
All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, so you'll want to keep that in mind if you choose to back this campaign. For what it's worth, Groningen, The Netherlands-based Naya has previously launched a high-end split keyboard with advanced features on Kickstarter; in fact, the four input devices that work with the Dock can be used on that model too. The Connect has already blasted past its funding goal with more than 1,100 backers behind it.
Beyond the difficult process of choosing which Connect devices to get, you'll also need a whole lot of patience. Orders placed on Kickstarter are set to ship more than a year from now, starting in February 2027. That's a long wait indeed, but if you obsess over your desktop rig, it seems like it'll be worth it.
Source: Naya
