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Gadget Wisdom

Category: Keyboards

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Yuzu Keycaps Review: Custom Keycaps for Weird Keyboard Layouts

This week I opened a box I had been waiting weeks for: my first fully custom keycap set.

Quick Answer: Is Yuzu Keycaps Worth It?

Yuzu Keycaps is worth considering if you need a custom keycap set for an unusual keyboard layout, want colors or legends that standard sets do not offer, or are trying to build something more personal than an off-the-shelf kit. It is not the cheapest way to buy keycaps, but the set I ordered looked professional enough that you would not know it was custom-made.

Best For Why Yuzu Works
Unusual keyboard layouts You can design around nonstandard key sizes and legends
Custom color schemes Yuzu offers a large color library instead of a fixed kit
PBS or PFF profiles Useful if you want newer profile options that are not common in mass-market sets
One-off personal designs Good for making a set that does not look like everyone else’s keyboard
Budget keycap shopping Probably not the best fit; generic sets are cheaper

Why Buy Custom Keycaps

If you’ve ever bought a keyboard with an unusual layout—or just wanted something no one else has—you’ve probably run into the same problem I did: standard keycap sets don’t fit your needs.

I’m a collector of keyboards and I have:

  • Ortholinear keyboards
  • Split Keyboards
  • Keyboards with Enter, Tab, Shift, and Backspace keys in atypical sizes
  • Low Profile Keyboards

But beyond that, sometimes you want to create something no one else has, or some other variation. The design sites for these services are relatively easy, but putting together an entire design is not always easy.

The Options Explored

I opted to order from Yuzu, who offers Cherry, KAM, and what prompted me to order, the recent introduction of PBS and PFF profiles. PFF is a low profile keycap profile that only recently was designed. They also offer a lot of different color choices.

There are two other purchase alternatives:

  • FKKeycaps, who offers custom MDA, Cherry, XDA, DSA, LPF, SLK and MBK. SLK and LBF are also low profile keycaps that work with MX style low profile switches, and MBK, which only works on Choc V1 switches. FKKeycaps only seems to offer one single color of keycap.
  • Thockfactory, who offer only Cherry profile. Their price for Cherry is lower than the competition, but they don’t allow for custom layouts, only several presets, but they allow a variety of colors.

The Profiles Explained

If you look down at your keyboard now, you may notice one of two things. The keycaps are all the same shape and height. This is called uniform. Where each row is a different shape and height, that would be a sculpted profile.  Typists who rely on the subtle angle changes of a sculpted profile to orient their fingers may take a short time to adjust.

Standard Switch Profilesyou

  • Cherry –  one of the most recognizable and popular sculpted keycap profiles. It has a maximum height of 9.4mm with a cylindrical top.
  • DSA – uniform profile with a height of 7.6mm and a spherical top
  • XDA –  uniform profile with a 9.1mm height and spherical top as well as a larger surface area than DSA
  • KAM – uniform profile with a 9.1mm height and spherical top and a surface area in between DSA and XDA
  • MDA – sculpted profile with a maximum height of 12.36mm and a spherical top
  • SLK – A 7.5mm uniform spherical keycap that extends below the typical bottom of a switch
  • PBS – uniform profile with a height of 7.5mm tall, which makes it similar in height to DSA, but combines cylindrical front-to-back curvature with a spherical scoop

Low Profile Switch Profiles

Generally speaking, low profile keycaps are uniform.

  • PFF – 5mm tall, using the same cylindrical front-to-back curvature with a spherical scoop used in PBS, which makes it one of the few low profile keycaps that isn’t flat
  • LPF and MBK – are only compatible with Choc V1 low profile switches. Choc V1 switches can be lower than low profile MX switches, which PFF supports, but there is a lot less variety in general.

Yuzu: A Review

In terms of flexibility, Yuzu can’t be beat with over 300 colors. This allows you to pick colors, fonts, icons and graphics to create sets that no one has.

It is the ultimate in customization for keyboard enthusiasts. I placed an order when they started offering PBS, and received my first custom design a few weeks later…the delay due to the popularity of the new offering creating a backlog. You would not be able to tell these were custom keycaps. They look as good as the commercial ones. Why? Because Yuzu is a project of Keyreative, a commercial keycap manufacturer. Keyreative started out as an OEM manufacturer of keycaps before branching out into direct sales, so they are already the manufacturer of many keycap sets.

At the end, custom keycaps aren’t as cheap as generic sets, but they are comparable with more boutique sets. I opted for the below custom set, which is based on the popular Space Cadet design. Space Cadet was a keyboard designed in 1978 and used on LISP machines at MIT. I made some mistakes on my first foray into this, but Yuzu created a professional grade set of keycaps for me at a price that is comparable to a high quality set.

 

A QAZ style keyboard with custom PBS keycaps based on the popular Space Cadet design

 

Published on April 23, 2026
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Compact travel keyboard with laptop and backpack, illustrating the best travel keyboards in 2026
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Best Travel Keyboards in 2026: Mechanical, Foldable, and Portable Options

updated May 15, 2026

The best travel keyboard in 2026 depends on whether you need something foldable, mechanical, ultra-light, or wireless. Here are the best portable keyboards for working on the go.

Quick Picks: Best Travel Keyboards in 2026

The best travel keyboard depends less on one perfect product and more on what you can actually tolerate carrying. A keyboard for a hotel desk, a coffee shop, a train seat, and a cramped tray table are not necessarily the same thing.

Use Case Best Keyboard Type Why
Best overall travel keyboard Low-profile mechanical keyboard Good typing feel without taking over your bag
Best ultra-portable option 40% or compact keyboard Small enough for tight spaces, but requires a learning curve
Best foldable option Foldable keyboard or split keyboard Easy to pack, though typing feel varies dramatically
Best commuter keyboard Quiet low-profile or scissor-switch keyboard Less annoying in shared spaces
Best mechanical travel keyboard Compact hotswap mechanical keyboard Customizable switches and layout without full-size bulk

There are a few approaches to travel keyboards. In previous years, we discussed folding keyboards as a possible solution. But a lot of those do not have the typing experience of a mechanical keyboard. So how can you get the customizable typing experience you want while on the go? All of my thoughts below use open source firmware for maximum customizability, and hotswap switch options where offered. In making

If you care more about thinness than switch feel, a scissor-switch board may be the better travel keyboard than a tiny mechanical board.

If you are looking for something other than a mechanical keyboard, you can consider something like the Keychron B series. These are scissor switch keyboards, a popular choice on laptops, but they offer full customizability with ZMK open source firmware. The smallest is the Keychron B1 Pro, at $33.99 but if your travel needs allow, you can get larger ones.

The next option would be a low profile mechanical keyboard. There are a lot of good options there.  Keychron, which makes a variety of mid-market keyboards, offers Ultra-Slim QMK open source KS-33 low profile mechanical switch keyboards. They offer a 75% at the lowest rate, the K3 QMK at $74.99 at the time this was published. They make a smaller 65% version as well.

If you want to bump up a level, you can go for a Nuphy low profile. Nuphy offers their Air series. The v2 series uses QMK open source firmware, and the newer v3 has reverted back to proprietary software, so for now would recommend the v2. I bought a used original version of this keyboard, acquiring used versions of both the 60 and the 75, both of which suffered from battery swelling, which is apparently not uncommon, but the ones I got used work perfectly well wired without a battery. Nuphy does not sell replacement batteries and tried to talk me into buying a new one. The Air60v2 is currently $109.95 and the Air75v2 is at $101.95.

The next option for portability is something that isn’t usually used for portability at all. Split keyboards. Split keyboards are usually a preference of individuals for ergonomic reasons. But a split also means your keyboard divides into two pieces. While there are a lot of unique layouts for these, you can get traditional layouts, just in two pieces. There is the Epomaker Split65. Epomaker does suffer from reports of inconsistent quality, but they are a popular budget brand. If you are willing to build, you can go over to companies like Keebio. They offer a kit and an assembled set of split keyboards, like the 65% Quefrency. They also offer the 60% FoldKB.

At the moment, my preference is for a 40% keyboard. These are keyboards that have less than 50 keys. There are a variety of layouts for these. While there are 40% made by bigger companies like Keychron, such as their Q9, you have to go a bit off the open path to find a bit more variety. I have my other site, selling supplies for these tiny keyboards, called Mechdreams, where you can see some of these. These small keyboards are great for small spaces, and you can fit one in your pocket, or even on your belt, and they are fully functional keyboards, although there is a learning curve.

So, what does this tell us? The best travel keyboard is the smallest or thinnest you can fit in your bag and still enjoy using.

 

Published on February 20, 2026
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Using QMK to Maximize Smaller Keyboards

As I have continued my keyboard journey, my keyboards have gotten smaller and smaller. While many people use forty percent keyboards as their daily drivers, there are some who use them for when portability is a must. I am writing this on one of those keyboards.

The most common way to allow for smaller keyboards would be layers. Layers are second keymaps triggered usually by holding down a key. Your keyboard may have that as a Fn key. I continue to try to tweak my layers on various keyboards, and looking to optimize my typing. But I had not really conceptualized how to use some of the other features that QMK, the most popular open source keyboard firmware, supports.

I recently turned to two other QMK features: Tap Dance and Combos.

  • Tap Dance is a feature that allows you to set different keys based on tap, double tap, or hold.
  • Combos allow two or more keys to produce a key output

The keyboard above is the Acai PCB in a 3d printed case. I built this from components and typed this post on it. The Acai is a 4×10 ortholinear keyboard. The bottom row is customizable with a variety of different spacebar lengths from a single key to the full width of the board.

I have spent a fair amount of time with 4×12 ortholinear boards, like the popular Planck. The extra two columns allow for modifiers along the sides, depending on how you configure the keys. Modifiers would be things like Ctrl, Enter, Shift, and so on. If you look at the Acai, there is no room to the left and right of the alphas(letters) for that. The only modifiers would have to be places on the bottom row in most configurations.

Until recently, I had solved this mostly with layers. I would press a key and that would remap the other rows. But this meant for some keys, I needed to press a key on the bottom row and one on far from it on the board, which is not always ideal configuration wise.

Scrolling through advice one day, I was reminded of combos. With them, instead of holding a layer key, two keys could produce what I wanted…so I started with their suggestions.

  • P and O, occupying the space a backspace key might, when pressed together produce a backspace
  • A and S generate a TAB
  • Q and W an ESCape

This worked more efficiently for me and I experimented with a few more. With customizable firmware like QMK, or QMK firmware with Vial compiled in, which allows you to play with these things in real time without having to recompile, the limit is memory capacity and your imagination.

For Tap Dance, I have made holding down the T key scroll up, and B down. The challenge for tap dance is when you are typing a word with the same letter in a row, like the word letter. If you don’t retrain yourself, you’ll trigger your secondary key. I recently traded something for a Ploopy Nano, which is a tiny trackball, which has no buttons. With tap dance, I can make a key combination be my mouse, allowing for an even smaller setup.

There are many reasons to try an ortholinear keyboard, or a forty percent keyboard. However, the fact you can can carry around an even smaller keyboard when on the go is not usually one people think about. With these features and a little practice, you can have your own tiny keyboard that suits your needs.

 

Published on August 22, 2025
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My Mechanical Keyboard Obsession- Too Much?

Picture of keyboard to illustrate point of postToo Many Keyboards?

Last night, I happened across an article by Tanveer Singh over at XDA Developers. I don’t know the author personally, but XDA Developers started as a mobile development forum and did pivot into many other things, and I have followed them for some time. More recently, they have been posting a lot of mechnical keyboard themed articles.

The title of this article was, “5 Signs My Mechanical Keyboard Obsession is out of Hand.” Singh isuses a warning that is a good one for any hobby. Don’t let something you enjoy become something compulsive or obsessive.

Like him, I worry I may be acquiring too many keyboards because I also like to try things. I’ve had to make some compromises.

  • I’ve tried to scale down purchases in certain categories
  • I sold off some inventory to others(contact me if you want to buy anything)
  • I’m trying to find unique designs, not just new versions of the same thing.
  • I want to have some aluminum cases, but that is where the money is. Either I’m buying discounted metal cased boards, or I’m going with other materials. I found a keyboard layout I wanted to try…the circuit board is on sale for $33, the case is $165.
  • I’ve printed my own cases(from other people’s designs) and am trying to get better at that. I’m printing one as I type.
  • I’ve experimented with printing my own keycaps as well. Over $100 for keycaps when all the other parts are $50 seems wrong to me.
  • I’ve turned my collection into wall art. Sitting above my work desk is an adjustable wall of keyboard in a multicolor display. I regular swap and take them off their hooks when I feel like something different.

Keyboard Construction As A Hobby

The ones I soldered together and built the cases for are akin to someone who does woodworking and keeps building bird houses. It is the activity of construction. Singh misses that aspect of it. Even if you just go for simple assembly of a hotswap keyboard(adding switches and keycaps), I have boards that turned out to be poor decisions that I have either been purging or trying to modify so they sound better. I have projects I’ve been tweaking.

When I restarted 3d printing after being turned off by my lemon of an Ender, I got the A1 Mini on the theory most of what I’d printed before was less than 180mm square. But when I started with keyboard cases a few months later, I quickly needed something larger to be able to print entire cases. I still didn’t spring for a printer that could do anything larger than a 65…maybe a 75 if I stretch it, in a single piece.

I haven’t tried designing my own case or handwiring yet. Handwiring would be designing a case and wiring it without a circuit board, instead wiring the switches directly to a controller. Credit to the keyboard community for being very supportive of my questions and encouraging me to try new things.

However, despite the fact I’ve pivoted to try to pick more interesting pieces…like collecting southpaw keyboards(southpaw is where there is a number pad on the left side as opposed to the right), there are still a lot of opportunities for diversion. I always wanted to have a crafting hobby. i’ve done many project over the years, but this is probably the most craft-like of them.

Published on February 17, 2025
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Pictures of sub-60% keyboards
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Happy 40s Day 2025

The Keyboard community is an interesting collection of people and contains many sub-communities. One of those is the 40s community…individuals who like smaller keyboards, specifically 40% layouts or smaller. On the 40th day of the year, in 2025, February 9th, they celebrate by posting pictures of their collections. Here is my submission for 40s day.Picture of 40s keyboards mounted on a wall display

 

Pictured you can see several different design variants in this area. Three smaller Vault35 keyboards with differing layouts,  three 50% keyboards(one split), a Minivan layout in 3d printed blue, a Monorail in yellow with a handle.

40s keyboards are often individually made, with parts often designed and produced in small batches. The community is full of creative designers, many of which designs layouts and boards from scratch.

They come in ortholinear variants, for example. Ortholinear would be where the keys are all the same size. There are split models, where the keyboard separates into two pieces.

There are many advantages to them I’ve mentioned before. There are also disadvantages. I initially thought I couldn’t use anything that small, but learned to do so over time and enjoy it. A smaller keyboard minimizes the movement of your fingers, even if you have to use combinations of keys to produce the keys that have no dedicated key on the board.

In addition to some people preferring them, their size makes them ideal for travel.

The problem is, with it being such a niche market, if you don’t want to construct them yourself, even with buying the circuit board pre-made, they can be expensive…although there are some more budget options. Even keycaps often lack an inexpensive option due the fact that unless you use blank keycaps, you might not be able to find a 1U Enter Key, or one of the other keys that don’t come in standard sets.

When the keycaps cost more than the keyboard they are in, that can be a choice or merely an indication of lack of choice in the market. On two in the image above, I tried 3d printing my own keycaps. Not perfect. They have the legends on them…though you might have to zoom to see them clearly.

The reason I’ve grown to love the 40s community is because of the creativity and excitement they display. And the reason I started 3d printing parts of them is not just because there are dozens of designs out there, but because it is a way of saving money on this hobby, which can be expensive.

 

 

Published on February 9, 2025
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Exploring Unique Keyboard Layouts: MiniLA, HHKB, and Beyond

I’ve been talking about keyboards as a regular topic for a while. And as I’ve been delving into the topic, I’ve found the idea of unique and different layouts to be something worth experimenting with. That brings us to the MiniLA and the HHKB layouts for keyboards.

MiniLa Keyboard Layout

The MiniLa, or the Minimal Layout, is a 60% layout designed to be as minimal as possible without sacrificing functionality. The left shift is 2U and the right shift is only 1U…1U being a standard key size. The spacebar is 3U, half the size of the standard spacebar, which allows for extra keys to right and left. This allows for full arrow keys, which usually don’t fit in a 60% profile. The left Control is 1.75U…the same size as the Caps Lock key. The default layout has a split backspace, making backspace also a 1U. You can find the original MiniLa keyboard here.

HHKB Keyboard Layout

The other unique layout in the 60% form factor is the HHKB layout, or the Happy Hacker Keyboard. Control replaces the seldom used Caps Lock key, putting it in a more convenient place, The layout also drops the Backspace/Delete key to where the Backslash is, which allows it to be used in touch typing more easily. There really is no practical reason for the backslash to be a 1.5U key. It also makes this primarily a Delete key, with Backspace as a layered functioned. Since the Control Key is missing, the bottom row is reduced down to the spacebar and 2 keys on each side, as opposed to three on a standard layout.  In place of a 2u backspace, the space is occupied by the backslash key and the Backtick/Tilde key, which is normally on the left as that space is where the Escape key is. You can find the original HHKB keyboard wired here, or wireless here.

Both of the above use a standard QWERTY layout, with only the modifier keys being shifted around. But as I previously mentioned, another alternative to the Caps Lock key placement is inherent in the Colemak layout, where it provides another backspace, reducing the need to stretch one’s finger to the backspace position.

In all of these layouts, extraneous keys are removed, replacing functionality with layers…key combinations that produce the key, reducing finger travel and allowing for closer placement of the mouse next to the keyboard. Over time, people have come up with even smaller layouts than the 60% variations. The 40%, which drops the number row, and is a 4×12 layout. The QAZ, which removes a column from the left side. 30% drops the keyboard down even further to 3×10. Most people won’t go below 60 though, and some think even that is too small.

Even though most people won’t use the smaller layouts, there is a dedicated group of people who use and love them. But, even with the traditional layouts, there are ways to optimize them to your usage. As I’ve said before, ask yourself…what keys don’t you use very often? Maybe you could have a smaller keyboard, which would take up less space. But some individuals do like the choice.

 

Published on January 15, 2025
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Flat Out Awesome: Why Desk Mats Are the Unsung Heroes of Your Workspace

This is one of those topics I hadn’t given much thought to over the years was desk mats. The most popular reason to have a mat on your desk was always for your mouse, but then optical mice came in and made that less needed, and I use a trackball anyway. But more recently, due to the fact I have been trying a lot of different type of keyboards, have become more aware of those accessories around it.

Why a Desk Mat?

  • Protecting the surface of your desk
  • Noise reduction as it reduces vibrations from your keyboard
  • Prevents a keyboard from sliding around your desk.
  • Aesthetics…they come in a variety of colors and designs.
  • If you do have an optical mouse, some surfaces aren’t friendly to it.
  • Cushions your wrist…similarly or in addition to a dedicated wrist rest.

So, I decided to take the same tactic I do with the mat in my bathroom. I have more than one color, and occasionally, when I need a change, I rotate it to change the feel of the place. I bought this mat on Amazon for only $8. You can go even less expensive, or more luxurious. You can choose a larger one, depending on your desk, or a thicker one to reduce vibrations even more. I even saw one on sale not long ago with a built in LED light border if you want your desk to look like something from the movie Tron.

I even carry a slightly smaller mat now in my travel bag to put down my travel keyboard on. It really helps in the uneven places

 

Published on December 5, 2024
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Best Low-Profile Travel Keyboards for Working Anywhere

I recently took two trips out of town. I have been evolving my hotel room set up for years after my employer had me spend extended times in hotel rooms and it always involves an external mechanical keyboard. I had written about the folding keyboard search as part of this previously. In that article, I only mentioned the Royal Kludge F68 in that context as a mechanical low profile keyboard that folds. But I didn’t talk about low profile keyboards themselves. I’m limiting myself to mechanical keyboards per my preference for them.

Updated note: If you want a broader comparison of mechanical, foldable, compact, and commuter-friendly boards, see my full guide to the best travel keyboards in 2026.A low profile mechanical keyboard, also called an ‘ultra-slim’, even in a larger form factor, can take up less space than a comparable keyboard and still have some of the advantages of mechanical keyboards. Like full size mechanical keyboards, you have keyboards with hotswappable switches and ones without. While they come in larger sizes, for travel a 75% or smaller makes sense.

Some people find the low profile keyboards better for ergonomics. Also, if you are coming from a laptop keyboard, the angle can be similar enough, but it is definitely a more premium experience.

I tried out the Keychron K3. There are several revisions and variants, and the newer ones have QMK/VIA and different wireless capabilities. For example, the K3 Pro which is hotswap and bluetooth.  The K3 is a 75%. The smallest Keychron makes is the K7 at 65%. I was able to get a hotswappable K3 on a deal, and that allows me to try different Gateron low profile switches. It came with Browns, but there are other ones to try that may be more to my liking. Either way, I was perfectly satisfied with using these on those recent trips. I even printed a case to transport it.

There is also the Azio Cascade Slim, which is hotswappable, and finally the more expensive and often reviewed alternative is the Nuphy line. They make the Air60, and Air75 variants that fit into the travel category.

Finally, on the budget side, Royal Kludge, in addition to my F68, has the N80 Low Profile 75%. It includes a little LCD screen. Redragon, also known for being on the less expensive side, has the K652. Both are budget models that get decent, if mixed reviews. The Redragon K652 is hotswappable with the Outemu low profile switches. The Royal Kludge uses their own branded low profiles and is hotswappable. However, some research suggests TTC or Cherry MX LP switches are compatible.

You can also go with the entirely niche, but prebuilt Chosfox Geonix48…another Ortho, or their L75 75% keyboard.

Even kit-wise, if you want to build one. There is the 60% Cerberus from Pikatea….which is ceasing operations in December of 2024. Boardsource has the Equals48 and Equals60 kits, which are both Ortholinear keyboards.

The two most popular low profile switches are the Gateron Low Profile and the Choc V1 Low Profile. The Keychrone, Azio, and Nuphy all use the Gateron type. Choc V1 seems to be the domain of ergonomic type keyboards mostly. Despite the useful utility of this category, it seems as if the low profile market for traditional form factors is limited.

In the end, after all that, there are some good options…and most of the choices come in traditional red, blue, or brown switches, so you should be able to find something to suit your preferences.

 

 

 

 

Published on November 29, 2024
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Splitting Hairs: Split Spacebar, Split Backspace, and Split Shift- Some Ideas For Enhancing Your Keyboard

Hand built split backspace and split shift keyboard

Two underappreciated modifications of the standard keyboard layout are the split backspace and the split spacebar. I previously discussed disused or less used keys on the keyboard and wondered why we still need them. Now I’m starting to consider doing something about it.

The split backspace takes the 2u(size of two single keys), and replaces it with two single keys…giving you an extra. This creates one of two choices for those using an ANSI keyboard(as the ISO has the giant Enter key). You can have a 1U(single key) backspace and an extra keyNow…having that key somewhere is important…but do you use it enough to give it such a big key?

You can take a lesson from the Happy Hacker Keyboard layout and you can move the backspace down one row to where the \ | key is, and move the \ | up to a single key on the top row. On that layout, by default, the key is a delete key, although some people switch to backspace. Backspace removes characters to the left of the cursor, delete to the right.

The right size backspace and delete keys aren’t available on all keycap sets…but are certainly options if you look.

The second popular split option is the split spacebar. Spacebars are traditionally 6.25U, though you can get 7U on some keyboards. That is a lot of potentially wasted real estate. As I type this on a traditional spacebar, I’m watching my tendency to use both my left and right thumbs to hit the spacebar…that is one reason why they are so long. So…what about the split? There are a few configuration options you can get if you hunt around. The most common is just a straight split that replaces the spacebar with two half size ones. The advantage of this involves layers…the ability to use left and right spacebar in different key combinations. The second, is either having a smaller spacebar(3U for example), to get more keys on right and left. Or…having a split spacebar with a single key in the middle. Sounds interesting to try in the future. More keys, even if duplicated, leaves more flexibility in future. Also, the large stabilizer to support a full size spacebar is often the loudest key on your keyboard…so there may be sound advantages.

Split shift is a common feature on 65% and smaller keyboards. This involves shrinking the right shift key to add a 1U key to its right. This is usually used as an up arrow or a layer(FN) key depending on the configuration. ISO keys split the left shift to put an extra key to its right, which is usually the  \ | key. There are advantages of even if you don’t use it the way the ISO layout does.

Choice is important. These less popular options aren’t always less popular because they aren’t good ideas…but because the software customization to take advantage of them didn’t override the traditional keyboard layout. With QMK/VIA and other ways of configuring keyboard behavior, having these options means more choice when you customize.

If you can only find the keycaps, that is…

 

 

Published on September 2, 2024
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My Evolving Thoughts on Keyboard Layouts- July 2024 State Of The Keys

Back in March, I expressed my thoughts about different keyboard profiles in general when I was talking about traveling with mechanical keyboards. But I’ve tried a bunch of different keyboards and I’ve developed new thoughts.

To recap, I covered the major sizes…

  • Full-size
  • Tenkeyless(TKL) – A tenkeyless is the same size as a full-size keyboard, but omits the number pad.
  • 75%  – condenses the function keys
  • 65% – usually retains the arrow keys while condensing the other function keys.
  • 60% – removes the function and navigation keys
  • 40% – the smallest keyboard

But even within those, there are not necessarily consistencies. I have several 75% keyboards I’ve tried, and some have 3 function buttons, 5 function buttons 7 function buttons…So, there is no clear definition matching above.

So, let’s talk about the why for a moment? Maybe it is because you want to carry it around, but maybe you want a keyboard for your desk that is smaller. Maybe you have a laptop and you want to use a keyboard with that, as there are few options in laptop keyboards by comparison.

What tradeoffs will you make to get that smaller size? Do you need a numpad? If so…there is an alternative to the traditional full size..the 1800 layout(96%), which cuts function keys but retains the number pad? Are you left handed? Maybe you still want the number pad, but you want a southpaw keyboard, which moves it to the left side? Or get that separate number pad I mentioned.

A good example of the hotswappable 1800 keyboard with VIA programmable support is the Epomaker EK98. There was also the Q5, that Woot recently had on sale.

Let’s get below the TKL, because the form factor there is what you want if you want the full size keyboard but don’t need the number pad. But that still leaves the 6 function keys and the arrows taking up space. What if you dumped those? Do you actually use the arrow and navigation keys(Home/End,Page Down/Page Up)? I talked previously about what keys on a keyboard you might be able to dump.

Once you get down to this size, you also start to have to think about keyboard layers…what combination of keys you want to trigger the keys you jettisoned if you need them. And if you want to invest in a QMK/VIA programmable keyboard to do that over having to install drivers on a computer.

Below TKL, the actual layout seems to be fluid. It may say 75%, or 65%…but…they all look very different. At the 75% level, if you want budget, look at the Hexgear I2 75% hotswappable keyboard. This isn’t programmable, but it has an aluminum frame and PBT keycaps for only $20. It also has all six navigation keys as well as arrow keys. By comparison, what is Keychron doing with their VIA/QMK V2 75%? A home but no end key? Are there studies showing people want to jump to the top over the bottom? Of course, being VIA/QMK…you can change out the function keys to be whatever you want. Epomaker has a sale on their wireless TH80 at $45 right now. You get a knob…then Delete, Home, and Page Up/Page Down.

65% cuts out the function keys..which is fine, I don’t use those much anyway(although I could program them to something else. As mentioned, 65% for me is the best combination for travel. Not too small, not too big. Royal Kludge has a sale on the RK68 hot swap 65% right now, but it isn’t my favorite budget 65% right now. If you can give up programmability, the Shurikey Gear 65 is a great budget hotswap 65%. I also still have my K6 with its aluminum frame. Aluminum is great for home, but not necessarily for traveling due its weight. The Shurikey at $20-25 seems to be a good keyboard you can forget somewhere…and after I left a portable monitor at a hotel in Europe and had to figure out how to get it back…

At 60%, the Skyloong GK61 is my budget pick…QMK/VIA programmable, offers PBT keycaps, wireless capability…

I’ve even warmed to the 40% layout, compiling QMK firmware for an Inland MK47, the cheapest 40% I could find and swapping keycaps and switches…I took this one on a trip and you can get used to it pretty quickly. I do miss number keys at times though.

I continue to limit my searches to Amazon of late…but there are some good deals to be had. There are always better keyboards…do you want aluminum? Gasket mount? Filled with foam? There are all sorts of options to improve the experience of typing, but with a little customization, many budget keyboards can be perfect for needs. You can even, like me, have different keyboards for different use cases…travel, the office, home, to leave at a relative’s house…

Published on July 23, 2024
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