Keyboard Size report
The keyboard is the most commonly used and most important input device. English letters, Chinese characters, numbers, punctuation marks, etc., can be input to issue commands to the computer and input data through the keyboard. Over time, various keyboards with shortcut functions have also appeared on the market, with dedicated drivers and setting software.
The days of standard keyboards are long behind us, with the mechanical keyboard community introducing and producing a broad spectrum of form factors to fit different personal needs. Understanding those sizes can save you from a lot of trouble later buying the wrong keyboard.
Here we would like to talk about the different keyboard sizes and what makes them unique. The following article will detail each keyboard size and show some example pictures of each layout to help you pick out the perfect size for you.
Keyboard Size And Layout Description
There a many different keyboard sizes and layouts available, but do you know the differences between them all? The most common keyboard sizes are Full-Sized (104 key), TKL (87 key), and 60% (68 key). Each size is unique with different features. There are other layouts too, some of the less common keyboard sizes are the 75%, 65%, and 40%. As the keyboard gets smaller, the number pad, home cluster, function row, arrows keys, and numbers are removed.
Keyboard size refers to the physical size of the keyboard, which is proportional to how many keys it has. In general, the more physical keys it has, the bigger the keyboard. What size and layout keyboard are you using now? Choosing a suitable keyboard layout for yourself lets you type comfortably and efficiently for hours. Look at the comparison chart of different size keyboards below.
The Comparison Chart of Common Keyboard Sizes
Sizes are often referred to in percentages: 100%, 75%, 40%, etc., which use a typical full-size layout as the reference point.
Keyboard Size | Keyboard Name | Typing & Control Area | Number Keys | Arrow Keys | Function Keys | Editing Keys | Number Pad |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100% | Full Sized | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
96% | Compact Full Sized | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
80% | Tenkeyless | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Comb-Keys |
75% | Compact Tenkeyless | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Comb-Keys | Comb-Keys |
65% | Compact | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | Comb-Keys | Comb-Keys | Comb-Keys |
60% | Mini | ✔️ | ✔️ | Comb-Keys | Comb-Keys | Comb-Keys | Comb-Keys |
Standard or Full-size keyboard (100%)
Keys from a full-size keyboard have a 15.5mm x 15mm size and key spacing around 3.3mm to 3.8mm. A full-size keyboard accommodates all the above keys, including alphabetic characters keys, punctuation symbols keys, numbers keys, and various function keys. One feature that makes a full-size keyboard distinct from other keyboard sizes is the numeric pad on the right side of the keyboard.
Tenkeyless keyboard (80%)
The tenkeyless keyboard is a full-size keyboard without the right side's numeric pad but still retains the arrow keys and function keys. Many people don't require the numeric pad and prefer simplicity to choose the tenkeyless keyboard.
Compact Tenkeyless Keyboard (75%)
You may be familiar with the 75% keyboard because most laptops have a 75% keyboard. The 84 keys layout streamlined the function keys but kept the commonly used directional keys and F keys. The missing keys include the number pad, some navigation keys (Insert, PrtScn, Scroll Lock, and Pause).
Compact keyboard (65%)
Compact keyboard has a much smaller gap between keys (less than 3.3mm), and keys are smaller (less than 15mm x 15mm) than normal keys. Compact keyboards delete many function keys for a smaller keyboard, such as Home, End, Page Down, Page Up, etc. Arrow Keys usually will be placed right under the right Shift key.
60% keyboard
60-percent keyboards are among the most popular sizes for gamers but might be too small for use outside of entertaining. These keyboards remove the row of function keys, home cluster, number pad, and arrow keys.
40% keyboard
40% keyboards are generally thought of as the smallest usable layout. 40% keyboards ditch the number row, leaving just the letters and the modifiers. Users will need to adapt to this small size. This size is not recommended if it is your first custom or mechanical keyboard.
There are many keyboard sizes or layouts that are smaller than 40% size keyboard, we do not analyze the details about them because they are not common, and some are not convenient for daily use. They are not our recommendations for everyday use, gaming, or working.