The market for mechanical keyboards is booming, and with so much competition in the industry, brands must innovate and come up with creative solutions to cater to the needs of their customers. While having options available is always a good thing, it can be pretty confusing to choose a mechanical keyboard for your particular needs given the massive range of factors that can influence your purchasing decision. Our team at CL aims to make the process as easy for you as possible, and starting with this update of our keyboard size from 2021 we will go through all the different components which make up a mechanical keyboard so you can see what will work best for you!
In this blog we are going to explore a variety of size and layout options for the mechanical keyboards we have available as well as what scenarios they would be useful in. In particular we will be focusing on sizes and layouts under the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard as it is the most common here in New Zealand compared to other standards like ISO (International Standards Organisation).
First up let’s run through all the terminology and different sections which make up the layout of a keyboard. As a starting point we will use this handy diagram from Keychron to understand the different areas of a keyboard. At the top highlighted in yellow are the function keys in the function row, the escape key on the far left, and on the right there is the number pad in green and editing keys in blue. Under the function row is the alphanumeric cluster in red which contains the main block of keys including modifier keys (Control, Alt, Shift) which provide additional functionality.
FULL-SIZE CLASS KEYBOARDS (100%, 96%)
Starting with a size everyone will have seen before, the full-size keyboard. A true 100% full-size keyboard typically features 104 or 108 keys, and this layout provides the true full functionality of a keyboard. Some manufacturers even add additional media keys and programmable macro keys as extra features such as on the Corsair K100 or Logitech G915. Obviously as this is a full-size keyboard it takes up the most space compared to other options, which is the most important trade-off which you have to consider. For office applications, a full-size keyboard can be handy for users who take advantage of the number pad for entering data quickly, and some games also use the number pad for directional control such as in the still very popular title GTA V where control of aircraft and boats uses the number pad.
Varmilo Beijing Opera 100% Full-Size Keyboard
The other size available we consider to fall under the full-size class is the compact full-size or 96% keyboard as it is commonly known. This size usually has either 100 or 104 keys and covers most if not all of the functionality of a 100% board but in a more compact form factor. Typically this means that only the very rarely used keys are removed from the navigation/editing cluster of keys - this is usually the Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause keys. If you want all of the physical functionality of a 100% keyboard in a slightly smaller footprint including the number pad then this may be the right size for you! Some keyboards which feature this size layout include the Akko 3098S / 3098B and the Keychron K4.
Akko 3098S World Tour London 96% Mechanical Keyboard
COMPACT CLASS KEYBOARDS (TKL, 75%, 65%)
Kicking off in the compact class of keyboards is the Tenkeyless size, also commonly known as TKL, with an 80% or 87% layout featuring 87 keys. This has quickly become one of the most popular sizes for mechanical gaming keyboards as it is essentially a full-size keyboard with the number pad section removed. Most gamers or even creative professionals find that they do not use the number pad very much, and so removing it allows for a more compact size. For gamers, this means having more space on your desk for a bigger mousepad for example if you play games with a low sensitivity. Other users also just simply appreciate the extra desk space. Most games and applications tend to not require the number pad, especially e-sport type games which only require the main alphanumeric section of keys and sometimes the arrow cluster. Almost every single keyboard brand has their own range of TKL options available, so you can pretty much guarantee that you will be able to find something that suits your tastes in this form factor whether you need it for office or gaming use.
Logitech G915 TKL (Tenkeyless) Low Profile Wireless Mechanical Keyboard
Next up is the 75% keyboard size, also sometimes called ‘Compact Tenkeyless’. It features 84 keys, and a surprising number of users will actually be familiar with this size without knowing it as it is commonly used in laptops as a standard layout. This layout keeps the arrow keys as well as the function keys, but there is no number pad and some of the navigation keys such as Insert, Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause are removed. This is usually also combined with a shorter right shift key which allows manufacturers to design even more compact keyboards which feature almost all the functionality of a TKL, hence the name compact tenkeyless. The range of 75% keyboards here at Computer Lounge is mostly focused on Keychron, so take a look at their Q1, K2, and K3 keyboards as well as Akko with their 3084B and PC75B Plus models!
Keychron Q1 QMK V2 75% Mechanical Keyboard
The final size in our compact class of keyboards is the 65% layout. It is a super compact design with 68 keys, and is what we would consider an entry point into the mini mechanical keyboard space. This highly condensed layout does not include a number pad, function keys, or some of the navigation keys including Delete, End, Insert, Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause as well as the tilda (~) key. Usually the function row (F1 to F12) and some of the media controls are accessed through combinations of keys so you still have access to them if you really need it. This form factor is becoming extremely popular in the gaming market and if you can live without those missing keys then a 65% board is a great option! Keep in mind that the 65% does still retail physical arrow keys, which can come in handy in many scenarios. Custom keyboard enthusiasts and manufacturers of custom keyboard parts frequently use 65% layouts, and it looks like trends such as this are now trickling down into the mainstream market as they become more widely known. For most gamers a 65% layout will be perfect, and if you want a keyboard for office use and typing but don’t need to edit massive amounts of numerical data using a number pad then 65% boards are a good choice! Akko has a selection of 3068B series boards, Keychron has the K6, and Razer the BlackWidow V3 Mini.
Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini Wireless 65% Mechanical Keyboard
MINI CLASS KEYBOARDS (60%)
Rounding out our list are the mini class keyboards which are only just starting to make their way into the mainstream market. Starting with 60%, this layout includes only a 61-key alphanumeric section which means no number pad, function keys, or navigation keys. The way that most manufacturers work around the removal of these keys physically is to have the other functions available as different layers on the keyboard. For example, the first layer will be the standard physical keys marked on the keycaps, the 2nd layer might include function keys, the 3rd layer might include navigation keys and so on. If you are comfortable setting up and managing the different layers in software then it may not be a big deal, but for many users the removal of so many different primary functions can make adjusting to this layout a little difficult.
There are however some upsides to a keyboard this small. First up, the sheer size reduction compared to a full-size or even TKL keyboard is huge, making this size ideal for travel. The small size also makes for an ultra clean aesthetic, and leaves users with a whole ton of extra desk space for other things. More and more brands are coming on board with 60% keyboards, so there are a surprising number of options available from well known brands in this form factor such as the Akko 3061, Corsair K65 Mini and K70 Pro Mini, HyperX Alloy Origins 60%, Keychron K12, Razer Huntsman Mini, and Steelseries Apex Pro Mini.
One of the options which we can recommend if you want to pickup a super compact keyboard but still need to edit lots of numerical data is to get a separate number pad in addition to the main keyboard. Something like the Varmilo VA21M, or the Razer Tartarus V2 or Pro are some good options, so keep that in mind if you are looking at a board without a number pad.
Akko 3061S World Tour Tokyo 60% Mechanical Keyboard
There are other sizes available such as the 40% layout, but they are pretty rare and work in a similar way to the 60% layout with additional functionality layers so we won’t be covering any today. If you are in the market for a new mechanical keyboard then check out our full range online, or if you have any questions have a chat to our team in-store or online today! We also have a range of mechanical keyboards available for testing in our showroom so if you want to take a look and try out the typing experience come visit us in store!
