I know some of the designers behind Electronic Materials Office (EMO), so I am not particularly surprised to see the company pushing keyboard engineering this far. I have not had the opportunity to type on the new Altar II, so I cannot comment on how it actually feels, but based on the photos and specifications, it is one of the more interesting keyboards I have seen recently.
And I have used quite a few keyboards. My current rotation includes a Unicomp Mini-M, a Keychron V1 (+Kailh Box White key), an Apple Magic Keyboard 2026, and many others, which represent very different approaches to typing.
The Altar II tries to combine some of those worlds. EMO has built a mechanical keyboard aimed primarily at Mac users into a chassis measuring just 4.75mm thick, while adding a detachable rotary controller and haptic feedback that can communicate what the computer is doing through your fingertips.
EMO calls it the “world’s thinnest production mechanical keyboard,” based on its comparison of production mechanical keyboards as of August 2026. It sure sounds correct, as 4.75mm is remarkably thin for a true mechanical design.
To achieve that profile, EMO developed a dual steel-arm scissor mechanism with the tension spring positioned laterally rather than vertically. The switches provide 1.8mm of travel with a listed 40gf actuation force. This is not going to feel anything like the tall buckling-spring mechanism of my Model M, and that is precisely the point: EMO is trying to bring mechanical action into something much closer to the dimensions of an ultra-thin laptop-style keyboard, a segment that seemed impossible to serve well…. until now.
A Dial You Can Pull Off the Keyboard
Besides the switches, my must-have feature is the exquisitely designed M-Dial, a clickable rotary controller with a bright orange accent that attaches magnetically to the keyboard.
Turning it can adjust volume, while clicks can control media playback or trigger other functions. Instead of relying only on physical detents, the dial uses haptic feedback to simulate the sensation of individual ticks as it rotates. It must feel very satisfying to turn it!
EMO includes both standard and low-profile versions, and the company plans to publish drawings and 3D files so users can create their own dial shapes. Functions can also be remapped through EMO’s software.
More interestingly, the haptic system extends beyond the dial.
The keyboard can provide different physical sensations depending on what the Computer (Mac) is doing: a subtle hum while holding a modifier key, for example, or a short pop when a keyboard shortcut completes. It can also tap in response to notifications, reminders, or alerts.
EMO is exploring the idea that a keyboard does not only have to receive input bit also how it can let you feel activity coming back from the computer.
This 75% keyboard includes a full function row and full-size arrow keys inside a 299 × 116.5mm CNC-machined aluminum chassis.
The customization happens through EMO Sanctuary, a native Swift application for macOS. It controls key remapping, application-specific shortcuts, the M-Dial, haptics, lighting, and audio.
Settings are stored directly on the keyboard (thank you), although the full Sanctuary software requires macOS 26 Tahoe or later. Basic keyboard operation is also supported over Bluetooth or USB-C on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Other hardware includes two Bluetooth 5.0 LE connections, USB-C, a built-in speaker, ambient-light sensing, and amber-red backlighting. EMO claims up to 30 days of battery life under its defined usage conditions and says a two-minute USB-C charge can provide up to two days of use. Those figures remain manufacturer estimates rather than independently tested results.
$249 for Early Reservations, but Shipping Is Still Far Away
EMO announced the Altar II on August 6, 2026, but this is not a retail launch. The keyboard is still under development and is scheduled to launch on Kickstarter on November 10, 2026, with delivery currently expected in early summer 2027. EMO explicitly notes that specifications and timelines may change.
A refundable $1 reservation provides access to a $249 purchase price. Kickstarter pricing is planned at $279 for the first 48 hours, followed by $299, with a future retail price of $349.
Filed in . Read more about Keyboard and Kickstarter.