Keyboard Size Guide: Best size for your need!

The world of peripherals has many variations for every piece, and keyboards might have the highest count of variations in the market. As we speak, we have wired and wireless options, those that work with Bluetooth or 2.4GHz, and those with different switches. However, this is not our point of discussion in our keyboard size guide today.

Our keyboard size guide aims to explain the main differences between the different sizes of keyboards. Size is an important factor when you buy a new keyboard.

Pick your next keyboard according to your need

If you are thinking about buying a new keyboard, you should always consider the best one for your needs. You might need a portable one for work, a larger one for coding, or the smallest if your office space is limited.

We will mention every size available in the market, and we will tell you about the best uses for each.

Full-Sized Keyboard | 100% with 104 keys

The normal one, or the 100% keyboard as it is called commercially. This is the typical keyboard you find in a working space or a home PC, and it includes all keys, which are:

• Alphabet keys.
• Upper number keys.
• Function keys.
• Numpad.
• Arrow keys.

If you're working on your PC or using many functions simultaneously, this is the right one. You have many zones to use to avoid confusion, and you won't find a better one, especially if you work on Excel sheets or handle numerous tasks involving numbers.

96% Keyboard | Almost the Same as 100%

If you want to retain all the functions of the 100% keyboard but want a smaller, more compact one, then this is the right keyboard for you. It includes these key zones:

• Alphabet keys.
• Upper number keys.
• Function keys.
• Numpad.
• Arrows only from their zone.

You are getting the same keys, except for the ones that you might not use in your life. We are talking about PrtSc, Scr Lk, and Scroll. There is a difference in size too, where these keys have no space between them, almost identical to laptop keyboards. They are better for traveling and to maximize efficiency in office space.

Tenkeyless (TKL) | 80% with 87 Keys

The one for adult life. This is the right pick for both gamers and workers who want a setup suitable for working in the morning and gaming by night. It includes the following keys:

• Alphabet keys.
• Upper number keys.
• Function keys.
• Arrows.

Removing the numpad made this a bestseller. Now the keyboard’s design is linear, where all keys are aligned with each other and with a smaller space, making it better for gamers who won’t use the extra keys, and still suitable for people who work in coding and writing environments.

75% Keyboards | Same as TKL, No Gaps

This one doesn’t take any keys off its bigger brother. All it does is push the keys to stick to each other, instead of having zones aligned to each category. It minimizes the space used by these keys, and it’s almost identical to laptop users but retains the same keys from TKL ones.

This is the best for you if you are used to using laptops, as it moves arrows below the Enter key and takes the home key buttons right next to arrow buttons, making a vertical line that includes the four keys of scrolling: Home, PgUp, PgDn, End.

65% Keyboards | 67 Keys with No F

Cutting it down to 67, and maybe 68 keys, will produce 65% keyboards for us. These ones have only these keys included, minimizing the size as much as it can:

• Alphabet keys.
• Upper number keys.
• Arrows.

If you want a clean, minimalist setup and aim to game most of the time, this is the right one for you. It can be pretty useful for you if you write many documents too, and with better portability, you can take it anywhere to work off your iPad or your own setup at work.

60% Keyboards | 61 Keys with No Arrows

61 keys at most, and you lose access to arrow keys and the Home keys for browsing, turning it from 65% to 60%. We don’t recommend this for people who work because you only get:

• Alphabet keys.
• Upper number keys.

This turns the alphabet and number keys into multi-layered ones, where you can use them for an alternate function to overcome the sacrifice you made for space. We don’t recommend them for people working in editing, gamers who stream, and coders. One typo will cost a lot, but it will be the best for small spaces and daily usage only.

40% | Smallest and Hardest to Use

The smallest one in our keyboard size guide is the 40% keyboard, with only 47 keys placed on it. We won’t list the keys you’ll find because you have only the alphabet numbers with no number keys.

Think of it as your smartphone’s keyboard, and the Shift key will toggle specific uses according to your setup. This is the hardest one for both workers and gamers, and we only recommend using it if you travel a lot and your desk space is minimal.

By the end of our keyboard size guide: which should you buy?

This is the TL;DR part. To make it easier, we will tell you which keyboard of those will be the best for you:

• 100% keyboard: For desk setups and gamers with large desks who rarely travel aboard, and those who work in the editing and coding fields.
• 96% keyboard: Same use as 100%, but only if you want a smaller space and you thinking about taking it in a backpack.
• TKL keyboard: If you game and work, with no need for numpad and you want bigger space for your mouse to travel.
• 75%: Great for gamers and workers, and the best for people who are used to using laptops for both functions.
• 65%: Best for minimalists, and for people who use tablets for work aside from gaming too.
• 60%: Great pick for small offices and gamers who travel, but not recommended for workers.
• 40%: Only consider if you have a very small space to work/game on, but still the hardest to learn for new users.
  
  

We offer a wide range of PC keyboards with various sizes, and you can find them all here. If you can’t make your mind, feel free to send us a message with your budget and use, and together, we can pick the perfect keyboard for your fingers.