I often get asked what mechanical keyboard
I recommend, and I’m always like, I don’t know, what form factor are you after? So today we’re gonna talk about the main
different form factors that are available, especially in the prebuilt market. In custom mechanical keyboards it really goes
another step further, and there’s a heap of variations, so we won’t specifically
talk about them, but they relate closely to these anyway. And for sure the greatest strength in mechanical
keyboards is being able to get something that suits your needs, because everyone is different. So a really quick rundown. We have full size 100%. 1800 compact. 96%. Tenkeyless. 75%. 65%. 60%. We’ll chuck in 40%. And mention ortholinear and others. And these are what I would regard as the main
form factors, and the percentages don’t exactly match the actual percentage relative
to a full size, it’s just what they’re called. Let’s start off with the classic full size
or 100%. And it’s really simple. If you absolutely require the numpad, and
don’t want an external numpad, don’t want any changes then this is the one for you. They’re obviously widely available with
every brand offering one, and if you’re an ISO person, you’ll have no problem finding
one for you. Then we have 1800 layouts. There’s not a whole lot of these, and there’s
some variations. Probably the most available one would be the
Leopold FC980 which is a stunning retail mech. Honestly one of the best out there. And again, if you require the numpad, then
we have it, BUT in a more compact size, being about 3ish columns shorter than a full size. Basically the nav cluster is moved to the
top right, which allows us to bring the numpad closer to the left. However, depending on the variation, you may
end up losing a few of those nav keys. And our final numpad form factor is the 96%. As the name suggests, it has about 96% of
the keys of a full size, but this time, everything is squished together. So it’s like the previous 1800 but without
any gaps. This saves even more space, however the disadvantage
is that you don’t have the separation between the different clusters, and it can be difficult
to navigate through, especially when touch typing, or even trying to hit the other keys
in your peripheral vision. So those 3 are the main ones with a numpad. Disregarding an external numpad, if you work
with numbers, then you probably don’t want to go any smaller than those. Alright, now we start getting into the compact
keyboards. I have a video on why using smaller keyboards
may be better for you. But the main gist of it is, is that it saves
space on your desk. Allows more space for your mouse, and brings
it closer to to centre for better ergonomics. And legit, once you go small, you really notice
how big full sized boards are. Keyboards of course have 2 sets of numbers,
so if you can live with just the number row, then I highly suggest you try out one of these. Starting with the timeless tenkeyless, also
called TKL and sometimes 80%. Simple really, just a normal keyboard with
the numpad chopped off. I personally love the look. It maintains the clustered design for easy
navigation. And alongside the full sized, it is widely
available, and again for ISO users. But below this size, unfortunately options
start to get thin for ISO boards. Next down, and what I think is the middle
ground is the 75%. Typically this has 84 keys, where a TKL typically
has 87. So we essentially get the primary functionality
of TKL, but condensed. There’s quite a few variations of this as
well, some have no gaps, some have clusters. But the main defining features are that it
has dedicated arrow keys, and a function row on top. So if you need the F keys, then this is the
one for you. Personally, I think a 75% with gaps is one
of the best looking layouts, and functionally is perfect for me. But usually in the prebuilt market, they will
have no gaps, and some can find it looking quite cramped. Below that we come to the massively popular
65%. And it’s essentially a 75% but the top row
is chopped off. So now we have the base, plus the dedicated
arrow keys, and a few nav keys which can vary. And these usually have 65-70 keys. What makes this so popular is its very compact
form factor, BUT it has the essentials that many need. Personally, this is as small as I can comfortably
go, because of those dedicated arrow keys. And they look great. Being small and very simple looking, it can
really give a minimalist look and kind of like an uncluttered feel at times. It’s not as tall as the 75%, so it’s a
little less squarish looking. There’s also quite a range to choose from,
even in the budget market which is great to see, from the likes of Drevo with the Calibur,
Durgod. Then you have guys like Ducky, Varmilo, and
Leopold. And of course there’s some great value lower
end customs from KBDfans with the TADA68, and Tofu65. This is where it starts getting a bit too
small for a lot people, and these are the 60% boards. Still these are massively popular, especially
with the Vortex Poker boards in the earlier days, the Anne Pro’s, and more recently
the Ducky One 2 Mini’s. Also hugely popular in the custom world, as
they’re very standardised. But yeh, the biggest thing missing are the
dedicated arrow keys. As I said, I personally find it difficult
to use, and I’m sure it’s the same for a lot of other people. And this where using layers comes more into
play, so usually to access the arrow keys, you have to press a function key, along with
other keys. And that will be the case for all the other
missing keys. Sometimes I even program them to be in the
bottom right corner, as I don’t use those keys often. And again there’s variations that also include
arrow keys, but you will always sacrifice something when trying to squeeze them into
such a small space. But those are the key words. Small space. Tiny boards, amazingly portable, and can be
really efficient if your use case allows it. There’s an absolute tonne of these 60% boards
available now. You can get them from like 30 bucks, and the
budget end will all nearly be the same thing, as you can’t vary that much in case design. The 40% gang. Yeh. Bare essentials I would say. I’ve hardly used them. I used the Vortex Core just for review, and
personally found it difficult to use. Of course it takes time as you are going to
be missing a lot of keys, so a lot of stuff will be accessible with key combos on the
different layers. But if you can use it, then you get an amazingly
tiny keyboard that you could literally put in your pocket. You could also argue that you have everything
in immediate reach. Because even with 60%, you have to move a
little bit. A just a few mentions. There’s ortholinear boards that have keys
in a grid, rather than staggered, and those are available in a range of sizes. There’s split keyboards which are usually
made for ergonomics. There’s variations with every form factor. But I’d say the left hand numpad would be
the biggest variation in regards to actual use. So having a numpad on the left allows you
to have more space for your mouse, and basically get those ergonomic benefits of smaller keyboards. And it allows you to use the numpad and mouse
simultaneously which is amazing in my opinion. Not too many out there in the prebuilt market,
I know Bloody gaming has one. There’s a few customs, like the EXT65 I
built on the channel. But yeh, that’s just an example of variation. And those are the main form factors. As said, if you don’t absolutely require
a numpad, honestly, downsizing will make a massive difference. It’s just so much better. And I’m sure a lot of people will say the
same thing, because when you go back to using a full sized, it’s so noticeable. So, let me know what form factor you run,
and possibly if you’re thinking of having a change. And hopefully this makes things a little clearer
for people just getting into mechs. Also, if you have any questions, chuck em
down below. I’ll also put a spreadsheet in the description
with some of the boards I’ve dealt with.
