The keyboards for pc They have evolved a lot in recent years, especially in the gaming segment, where we find authentic tricks to make life easier for users. Within the ecosystem of mechanical keyboards, which are currently the most used, we can also find several formats, especially if we take into account their size, but when is it recommended that you buy a smallest mechanical keyboard? We will give you some tips on this below.
The keyboards in full format are those considered as standard, which we all know. However, we also have other formats, such as TKL that eliminates the numeric pad or 60%, which are becoming more important than ever lately and that only have the necessary keys to occupy the minimum essential space. Do you need a mechanical keyboard and want it to be smaller than the standard? Let’s see if it’s your thing or not.
Why buy a smaller mechanical keyboard?
The keyboard is a necessary peripheral when it comes to using the PC, and the downside is that full-format keyboards take up quite a bit of space on the desk (they are usually about 42-44 centimeters, and that’s the ones that don’t have additional macro keys). This, for users who do not have a desktop that is too generous in size, can be a problem especially when it comes to the space you have left to move the mouse.
So much so, that many gamers are opting for a smaller format mechanical keyboard, such as TKL or even 60%, since this way there is much more space on the table to be able to move the mouse freely without crashing. with the keyboard, something that is especially interesting for users who use a very low mouse resolution and need to move it a long way on the table.
So, the main reason why you should consider buying a mechanical keyboard smaller than the standard format is precisely this, the space they occupy on the table. If you are also one of those who has a low resolution on the mouse, you will appreciate even more this additional space that a compact keyboard gives you.
And what kind of compact keyboard should you buy?
If you are already convinced that you want a smaller mechanical keyboard because you need more space on the table, there are some things you should know, because after all with compact keyboards you will also find some drawbacks that make them not recommended for some people. .
Let’s start talking about the keyboards in format TKL: their name means “Tenkeyless”, or put another way, these keyboards lack the entire right side, so they do not have a number pad as you can see in the image above these lines. Therefore, in this type of keyboard you don’t lose functionality because, after all, you also have numbers at the top of the keyboard, but you can lose some comfort if you use numbers a lot to work… and that’s it. It is, because they are ideal for gaming since you will rarely use the number pad in games.
So, if you want a compact keyboard and you’re in doubt, of course it’s best to go for a TKL, since you only lose the number pad and you’ll be gaining quite a bit of space on the table. Now, if this still seems too big for you, you also have other options.
The next option would be keyboards 70%quite little known. In these keyboards, the number pad and the function keys (F1-F12) are eliminated, but the cursors and the text editor keys are kept (you can see an example in the image below). Some manufacturers do it the other way around, and do without the editing keys but do have the function keys. This type of keyboard is only recommended for users who only use the PC to play games, and who do not need any advanced options for games.
Finally, we have the more compact keyboards, the 60% (there are some 65% keyboard models as well, but marginally almost) that are becoming so fashionable now. In this type of keyboard, function and editing keys are dispensed with, leaving only those necessary to be able to “write”, although it is true that all functions are maintained through shortcuts with the Fn key.
These compact keyboards would only be recommended for users who only use the PC to play games, since for other types of tasks they will miss the keys that these keyboards do not have.
