EMO has opened a refundable $1 reservation for the Altar II, a mechanical keyboard just 4.75mm thick, with a Kickstarter launch set for 10 November 2026.
Quick specs:
- 75% layout with full function row and full-size arrow keys, in a 299 x 116.5mm CNC-machined aluminium chassis
- 4.75mm-thick body on a dual steel-arm scissor mechanism, tension spring mounted laterally instead of vertically
- 1.8mm of travel, 40gf actuation
- Detachable magnetic M-Dial rotary controller, clickable, in standard and low-profile versions, with haptics simulating ticks instead of physical detents
- Haptics beyond the dial: a hum while a modifier is held, a pop when a shortcut completes, a tap for notifications
- Two Bluetooth 5.0 LE connections plus USB-C, built-in speaker, ambient-light sensing, amber-red backlighting
- EMO Sanctuary, a native Swift macOS app needing macOS 26 Tahoe or later; basic typing works on macOS, Windows and Linux
- $249 reservation price, Kickstarter $279 for the first 48 hours then $299, future retail $349
The hype check: EMO calls the Altar II the world’s thinnest production mechanical keyboard, based on its own comparison of production mechanical keyboards as of August 2026. No independent measurement is offered, and the claim carries a trade: EMO’s own figures are 1.8mm of travel at 40gf, so this sits far closer to a laptop-style scissor board than to a full-height mechanical switch. The battery figures, up to 30 days of use and two days from a two-minute USB-C charge, are manufacturer estimates under EMO’s own usage conditions, not tested results.
Not a retail launch: EMO announced the Altar II on 6 August 2026 and it is still in development. Kickstarter is scheduled for 10 November 2026, delivery is expected in early summer 2027, and EMO says specifications and timelines may change. That is about a year from announcement to first boards arriving, and the price climbs at every step: $249 with a reservation now, $279 in the campaign’s first 48 hours, $299 after, $349 at retail.
Would a 4.75mm mechanical board with a magnetic haptic dial earn a place on your desk, or does 1.8mm of travel land too close to the laptop keyboard you already type on?