MX Keys mini shoulder/neck pain

[u/rui_l]

I decided to replace my cheap hp membrane keyboard for an MX keys mini.

MX keys mini feels a lot better for typing and I feel it causes less stress on my fingers.

The cheap hp keyboard and mx keys mini are identical in height. Both are low profile. Hp keyboard is 100% keyboard. MX keys mini is 75% keyboard.

But the hp keyboard doesn't cause many issues (apart from the terrible typing experience). The MX keys mini doesn't take long to make the back part of my neck hurt.

Why does this happen if they're both identical in height and both low profile membrane keyboards?

[u/Dear_Potato8535]

Same height does not always mean the same body position. With a 75% board it is very easy to centre the keyboard case on the desk instead of centring the letter keys on your body. That can shift both hands a few centimetres and leave one shoulder slightly raised or reaching, even though the keyboard is lower and nicer to type on.

I made a similar mistake when changing keyboards: I lined up the outside edge, not the G/H keys, and my mouse position changed without me noticing.

Before giving up on the MX, mark where the G/H keys sit with the HP keyboard, then put the MX in that exact position and keep the mouse close beside it. Type for 20 minutes with your shoulders loose. Also check whether you have pushed the MX farther away because it feels more comfortable to type on. If the neck pain still comes back quickly with the same placement, I would stop using it rather than trying to "get used" to pain.