Entering the world of mechanical keyboards can be a daunting task with so many options becoming more available by the day. The first step in finding the right fit for you is deciding which layout fits your needs best. Let’s dive in!

Layouts You Should Consider

Layouts are one of the most important aspects of a keyboard’s function, as well as creating a pleasing aesthetic. Whether you’re a casual gamer, data entry expert, or just the average PC user, discovering the perfect landscape of keys at your fingertips can open a world of productivity and comfort. Let’s look at the most popular offerings from major peripheral companies.

Full size - 1800/96%

Full size keyboards are, and have been, the office standard for years. Featuring a full function row (F1, F2, etc.) and a number pad, this layout has been a favorite of the accountant and data entry fields because of the efficiency a number pad brings to productivity. However, full-size keyboards aren’t the most compact in terms of desk space; that’s where the full-size’s little brother, the 1800/96% comes in.

1800/96% boards feature most of the same keys as a full size, meaning it won’t impact productivity much, while freeing up a little desktop real estate. These keyboards very well may be the future of most office, cutting down on simple costs like material by making the cases smaller, and offering more desk room for other projects.

Best for; office work, accounting

Tenkeyless (TKL) - 75%

Tenkeyless (also known as TKL) keyboards usually have ~87 keys, and feature the function row, arrow keys, and some of the special and cursor control keys (for example Print Screen, Page up/down) you’d find on a full-size keyboard. Where the TKL differs, however, is the lack of a number pad.

This is also, generally speaking, where more of the high-end or enthusiast boards start coming into play, with much of the community preferring to forego the number pad. And to be honest, most people probably won’t have much use for one unless you’re doing large amounts of numerical work. For those that can’t do without that feature, many keyboard companies have started producing stand-alone number pads to match their respective models, so you’d never have to sacrifice aesthetics for performance. As we slim down even further, we come across the 75% board.

75% keyboards feature roughly the same amount of keys and functions as a tenkeyless layout but save a little bit of space by organizing the home keys into a neat, vertical row. 75% models also have arrow keys placed a little bit more efficiently, making the right shift key smaller to accommodate. These are your last chance to enjoy that function row, so keep that in mind!

Best for office work, gaming, the middle ground of full size and smaller models

65% - 60%

Here is where things really start slimming down. The 65% boards trade the function row for a function modifier key, making your top number row act as function keys while it’s pressed. These models are great for anyone who wants portability. Keep in mind that functions and key combinations may differ from company to company, making memorizing some of the combinations a little more tricky. Moving down even further in scale, we have the 60%.

The 60% is the smallest keyboard we’ll look at today, usually sporting 66-68 keys, much less than the 104 on a full-sized model. These boards are usually the go-to for most gamers, especially FPS players, where accessing a function row isn’t a necessity. Featuring the smallest case, lightest weight, and increasing availability, eSports players have gravitated highly to using the 65%/60% offerings.

The 60% lacks the arrow keys, however, so if you’re a programmer, you might become a little annoyed using layered key binds to navigate lines of code with these in particular. Some 60% boards have truly gone the extra mile into thoughtfully crafting their layers for dedicated purposes, namely HHKB (Happy Hacking Keyboard), which are designed with programming in mind and have created a very dedicated following and fanbase.

Best for gaming, word processing, small setups

Switches

Mechanical keyboard switches are truly in their golden days. With innovation taking place almost nonstop, it’s hard not to be impressed with how far this once niche hobby has come in the last decade. Some of the larger producers like Cherry have been producing switches and keyboards for 40 plus years, creating icons such as Cherry Black and the more recent Cherry Yellow.

Challenging their reign, however, newer companies like Zeal, Novelkeys, and C3 are trying to push the industry even further, catering to the most die-hard of enthusiasts by coming up with groundbreaking designs, using the highest quality of materials.

With 3 main types of switches (linear, tactile, and clicky) you’re bound to find the perfect feel and sound for your enthusiast-grade board.

Linear switches (think Gateron Yellow, Cherry Red, Novelkeys Cream) will have a smooth travel and actuation, and the only feedback you’ll feel from the switch is the stem bottoming out in the housing. Linear switches are one of the more sought-after for modding as well, as a coating of lubricant, such as krytox 205g0, will make these switches feel undeniably smooth.

Tactile switches (think Holy Panda, Cherry Brown, Durock T1’s) feature a nice, responsive “bump” at some point in the keystroke. Tactile switches can vary on feel though, so don’t expect a Cherry Brown to feel the same as a Glorious Panda switch. Many of these switches also benefit from a coating of lubricant, with some preferring to use a thinner mixture such as Tribosys 3204 and skip the lubing on the front of the stem’s legs in order to keep maximum tactility.

Clicky switches (think Cherry Blue, Kailh Box White, Zeal Clickiez) are closer to tactile switches in terms of feel, but offer an audible “click” when actuating a key. This type of switch doesn’t have the same level of fandom as the other two, but with more companies trying to reinvent the clicky switch and how it works, such as Zeal did with their “Clickiez”, the landscape could soon be changing. Just remember, these probably wouldn’t be your roommate’s first pick of switches, so keep noise level in mind.

Other Considerations

Keycap material: ABS plastic has been the standard for keycaps in terms of thermoplastics, boasting the widest assortment of colors. These caps will be more prone to shining over time, however. These caps generally are slightly higher priced than PBT. GMK is one of the most sought-after, collectible keycap manufacturers in the industry, and only produces caps with ABS

plastic.

PBT is seeing more and more use in keycap manufacturing, with companies specializing in increasing the once-limited color palette associated with the plastic. These caps will have a rougher texture but are more resistant to shine, and generally have a deeper pitch.

65% and 75% right shift: due to the arrow keys being placed more inwards on the board, the right shift key will generally be 1.75u instead of 2.25u on a TKL. Make sure when purchasing keycaps that they come with the right modifier keys, including shift, control, windows key, and spacebars in some cases.

North-facing/south-facing switches: Keyboards with a north-facing LED will have interference with Cherry profile keycaps, causing odd noise and feel on the 3rd row of keys.

Conclusion

Finding the right keyboard, switches, and keycaps can be quite the journey, so always make sure to check resources like Youtube in regards to sound. Many of the content creators also have very well-thought-out and detailed reviews, making buying a model in any of these sizes much easier. Whatever you decide, customizing it with different switches, keycaps and cables can make it truly one-of-a-kind, so have some fun!