If you're planning to build your ideal mothership or want to update your current keyboard, there are various keyboard alternatives on the market. Let alone the fact that there are several types of keyboards, which adds to the confusion. To simplify this equation here is all you need to know about mechanical keyboards in order to make an informed judgment and select the correct keyboard for your needs.
While most people can get by with a conventional membrane or scissor keyboard, having a decent mechanical keyboard adds to the experience with its better performance. So, if you spend a lot of time typing, programming, or gaming during the day, there is a keyboard type that will meet your needs and provide uncompromised performance.
Before we get into the specifics of selecting a mechanical keyboard, here's a brief primer on mechanical keyboards and the elements that distinguish them from typical, regular keyboards. In contrast to a membrane keyboard, a mechanical keyboard is constructed of high-quality mechanical components such as the individual spring, bottom, and stems that join together to form a switch. The kind of switch on the keyboard influences the performance in terms of tactility and feedback that the user may anticipate from their keyboard. Other advantages of mechanical keyboards over ordinary membrane keyboards include replaceable keycaps, key rollover, longevity, and the ability to wipe the keyboard (DIY style).
Let's begin refining our approach depending on several aspects like Form Factor, Design, Buttons, and much more.
Keyboard Factor of Form
The full-size keyboard layout is the most prevalent form factor used by most manufacturers and appears to be favored by many users. A full-size keyboard contains all 104 keys, including the tenkeypad or Numpad cluster, with no key missing. It includes the Numpad, navigational buttons, function keys, and a few more features. This keyboard is an excellent alternative for people whose jobs need them to deal with numbers or for those who have no preferences and are just seeking something that gets the job done.
Those who do not like huge layouts and can get by with a keyboard that has only a restricted (most regularly used) set of keys might opt for a tenkeyless or TKL (also known as 80 percent) form factor. In comparison to a full-size layout, a tenkeyless keyboard has just 88 keys in total, saving space by removing the ten-key Numpad cluster. It is popular among gamers and programmers owing to its lightweight and portable design, and it is also regarded as one of the most appealing solutions by minimalists.
If a tenkeyless or 80 percent form factor is still too large for your needs, the 75 percent form factor is significantly smaller and jammed in to conserve space and provide a more portable solution. Keys are packed in tightly next to one another with almost no extra space between them, but otherwise, it's pretty similar to the tenkeyless or 80 percent form factor. The form factor includes a separate row for function keys, as well as the navigation key cluster and a few more keys on the far right column. It is an excellent solution for individuals who prefer a more compact design than the tenkeyless form factor without sacrificing function and navigation keys.
One of the lowest form factors (referred to as the 60% form factor) takes a minimalist design approach and focuses more on aesthetics. It foregoes the function and navigation keys to have a smaller footprint that is simpler to carry and operate. This form factor generally holds roughly 60 keys in total and caters to a certain prospective consumer group – people who favor portability and ease of carry over other things.
Keyboard Layout
Aside from the physical factor, another important item to consider when purchasing a mechanical keyboard is the keyboard layout. When a user pushes a key on the keyboard, say, A, the keyboard does not grasp what A is and instead corresponds to the letter A with its raw keycode value assigned during the keyboard's functional configuration. So, based on the various locations throughout the world, three sorts of layouts are presently deemed standard: the ISO, ANSI, and JIS.
ANSI, or American National Standards Institute, is a typical keyboard layout seen throughout North America and portions of Western Europe. In Europe, keyboards employ the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) layout. However, in Japan, only the JIS (Japan Industrial Standards) design is used. There are three standard layouts for keyboards: ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization). Among the notable changes between the ANSI and ISO layouts are the enter key, which is horizontal on ANSI and vertical on ISO, the left shift key, which is larger on ANSI and smaller on ISO, and the backslash key, which is one on ANSI and two on ISO.
Conclusion
So far, we have examined all of the aspects to consider when purchasing a mechanical keyboard. Furthermore, we recommend that you read the reviews for the keyboards you are interested in to get a better understanding of their performance.
If you don't want to go through the hassle of searching for a keyboard, we've compiled a list of our best 65% mechanical keyboards for a variety of purposes (in no particular order).