JOMAA Portable Folding Split Keyboard: Unboxing, First Impressions, and Initial Thoughts

Unboxing and first impressions of the JOMAA folding wireless keyboard

While browsing for new, affordable keyboards to test on AliExpress, I came across the JOMAA Folding Ergonomic Keyboard. It was really cheap, coming in at USD 22 with free shipping. It appeared worthy of a review, and so I bought one, with it arriving in just 8 days from China.

Like the ProtoArc XK03, it is a flat, foldable keyboard, designed to offer a proper split typing experience in a uber compact form factor. There appear to be two versions – one with Bluetooth only (which is the one I bought), while another version adds a USB A wireless receiver dongle to the package.

It arrived well packaged, but ironically with no JOMAA branding on the outside, nor on the inside instruction manual. There are no details whatsoever on which factory it was manufactured in, or even which city. I’m not actually sure if it is a JOMAA product, but it doesn’t really matter. We’ve tested out generic keyboards before, and as long as they work, and available for purchase, it doesn’t impact how we consider it.

Unboxing revealed the keyboard, a USB A to C cable, and an instruction manual.

The first physical impression is that it feels rather plasticky, a bit hollow, and toy-like. The two halves do snap shut and are kept in place with magnets. It doesn’t feel solid though. When folded, it doesn’t take much pressure for halves to push and buckle against one another. The hinge is also a plastic affair, which makes one wonder about its long-term durability.

The key layout is much welcome though, as the keys at the middle next to the hinge (the T, G, B, Y, H, N keys) are physically longer. This design choice helps you to hit the key, as opposed to just empty plastic space.

The keyboard was already charged, and so we switched it on, and paired it to our devices via Bluetooth. I tried it on an iPad, and on a PC, and the Windows/MacOS specific keys do work without any further configuration.

Using an online typing test, I was able to hit 78 WPM with 98% accuracy on the first go, followed by 65 WPM on the second try. Depending on which test score you look at, this is still a bit slower compared to the 83 WPM I can hit using my daily drivers (the Microsoft/Incase Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard, and the Keychron K11 Pro/Max).

In terms of key feel, they do seem a bit slippery and during my initial typing tests, I was worried my fingers would slip off. I’ll need to use it for a bit longer to see whether it’s a matter of getting used to. There is a some bounce with the scissor keys, feeling like any standard chiclet laptop keyboard. Generally, it’s a fair typing experience so far.

One thing I quickly discovered was that the keyboard has an on/off switch on the side, and it exists for a reason: it doesn’t automatically turn off when you close the keyboard halves. This means keys will continue to activate if you forget to turn it off. This is a bit annoying, but at this price point I may just give it a pass.

I’ll continue to test this out over the next month or two, and come back with a fuller review, along with a verdict on whether the JOMAA Folding Ergonomic Keyboard is a good buy or not.