I'll start with my credentials so you know where I’m coming from. I am a… PC gamer of ~25 years, playing FPS games since ChexQuest; RTS since AOE2; and MOBA (Aeon of Strife) before DotA even existed; software engineer of ~15 years (Visual Studio, Eclipse, vim); R&D manager of ~3 years, (proficiency in MS Excel and GSheets). My experience and user-needs span the gaming, coding, spreadsheet, and typist arenas. I have little to no experience in photo/video editing. I expect my keyboards to work well for both home and office use-cases, and I like home vs office layouts to match for consistency.

75% vs. Wooting 80HE vs. TKL

Across 75%, 80HE, and TKL variants, the left side of the keyboard (e.g. 60% + F-row portion) is basically identical. F-row keys may be exploded, grouped horizontally, both, or neither. Depth of a keyboard is a factor here, but folks with a strong opinion on a particular F-row concern are more rare than common.

The right side of these layouts is where things get interesting...

Here are what I consider the primary points of variation with a focus on what "right-side" keys are truly necessary for gamers, coders, and white-collar workers. This establishes a "mandatory six" right-side keys, the loss of which would be a significant loss of efficiency.

Let's consider, then, how each of these layouts addresses these considerations. First in tabular form, then with bullets and some "soft" considerations...

• 75%

  • Smallest footprint, best centering KB to chair/monitor

  • 4-5 right side keys available, doesn't cover "mandatory" 6

  • 1.75u right shift key => worse accuracy/ergonomics

  • Non-standard (vs. 100%) right-side keys

• Wooting 80HE

  • Compromise footprint between 75% and TKL

  • 7 keys available covers "mandatory" right-side keys

  • 2.75u right shift key => better accuracy/ergonomics

  • Standard right-side key position

• TKL

  • Largest footprint, poor centering of KB to chair/monitor

  • 9 keys available covers "mandatory" right-side keys

  • 2.75u right shift key => better accuracy/ergonomics

  • Standard right-side key position

  • Fully separated arrow keys, may be strong preference

So where does that leave us?

It seems that the 80HE layout takes the keys you don't really need and removes them to get you 50% closer (from 3 "added" columns down to 2) to a 75% footprint while keeping the more familiar layout for the "right-side" keys that remain instead of squashing them all in a single, "tall" column as is done in 75% boards. 80HE does squish the arrow keys a bit to the left, but it critically keeps that full 2.75u right-shift key which should add considerably to typing accuracy and long-term ergonomic comfort. To reduce the footprint any further, you start giving up much more meaningful things: standard "right-side" key layout locations, standard-sized right shift key, and single-keypress access to several keys which this coder, spreadsheet jockey, and gamer would say are mandatory.

While I'm old enough now to be a bit codgery about change, approaching this with less emotion and more critical analysis has me asking the question: could/should this become the new standard tenkey-less layout with the "old standard" going the way of the dodo? The Wooting team disrupted the keyboard industry once, perhaps this is them about to do it again in a different fashion. If so, let's try not to be too much like Stewie! -- I don't like change!

P.S. There's already another board coming out with this exact layout over at EPOMAKER. A savvy meme-r might use the phrase "it begins..." -- EPOMAKER DynaTab 75X (also, Melgeek Cyber01)

P.P.S. If you got this far... what do you think about taking advantage of this time before release to rename the keyboard something that better conveys the above message that this IS in fact a TKL, but what Wooting believes to be a better version of it? Per MandyDeth's note that the Wooting design is 68% + F-row, the most appropriate name I can think of is:

Wooting 78HE TKL

I'm very conflicted about what I want for my first "real" board. (I have a Logitech g910)

At first I was thinking of getting a 100% bc I do use my numpad all the time. But now I'm thinking maybe I get a TKL or a 60% with a stand alone numpad. I'm just so up in the air.

Hello all, How are you all doing? When it comes to keyboard size I am fan of 60% mechanical keyboards. What is your preferred size/why? Ducky Mini 3 is my daily driver & use it for gaming.

I want to learn touch typing and Vim afterwards. I'm looking for a new keyboard and I was wondering, whether a 80%(no num block) or 60%(no num block, no arrow keys, no insert/delete keys, no function keys etc.) layout is efficient for Vim?

Currently I'm using a 80%(no num block) keyboard(Cooler Master Masterkeys Pro S). Would you say a 60% layout would have disadvantages over an 80% layout(regarding Vim)? Which one would you choose?

Visual comparison:

80%(no num block)

60%(no num block, no arrow keys, no function keys, no insert/delete keys)

Thank you for your help! :)

I really like my ducky one 2, only I want something more ergonomic. I just want a keyboard thats split, ortholinear, and has the exact keys that a standard 80% has. I found a bunch that came close, but not a single one that's exactly like what I described. Does such a keyboard exist, or will I have to compromise?

about 0-55$

Hi All, 2nd post. Kind of resigned to the fact that if I want that custom layout I'm going to have to make it myself. Been looking around at DIY mechanical kits and finding it hard to find ones that are 80% keyboard PCB and are still in stock. I'm a programmer so I kinda need those function keys so I really can't settle for a Satan 60% unfortunately. I've come across the XD87 PCB however I don't know if it will support single colour or RGB key lighting, would also prefer if it was type-c connection. Can anyone help me out in my search??

It really doesn't make sense to me. Maybe someone can explain it?

The numpad already has ins, del, home, end, pg up, pg down and the arrow keys. So why do we need dedicated keys for those? A 90% layout makes a full size keyboard basically the same size as a ten-keyless.

For those who don't know what a 90% keyboard layout is, here's an example

With these two layouts being so similar, I'm interested to see why people would still prefer one over the other. The jump from 65% to 75% includes dedicated function keys, and the jump from TKL to Full size/1800 adds a whole numpad. The jump from 75% to TKL seems pretty minimal other than a few keys that could be remapped.

Why do you prefer one over the other? What is your favorite keyboard that uses that layout?

Hi - first time posting here.

Looking for recommendation on a keyboard that has similar form factor to Logi K585 (14.5-15in wide, numpad, and somewhat thin), backlit.

I don't think I've ever spent so much time looking for a keyboard before; but once I started looking, I could not believe the number of choices.

RoyalKludge RK96 is perfect size and functionality; though I would like a little thinner and perhaps RGB (but that is not necessarily a need). But it is a front runner for sure.

NuPhy Air96 V2 looks great but it is a bit over my budget (~$80).

Irok FE98Pro looks doable but I know nothing about the brand (and is it really that thin).

Seenda Backlit Multi-Device could be ok but that is even more sketchy (the dimensions don't even add up).

TIA

Maybe I'm just on the wrong side of a fad. I want 104+ keys and a volume knob in the top right, with hotswap keys and preferrably QMK/VIA. I would pay extra for a little aluminum heft. But for every 100% layout I find, I see a least a dozen 96% or 99% options and those are the nice fancy ones. So what's the deal? This is like when Steve Jobs declared "flash is dead" and so Adobe obediently stopped updating flash. (I was a flash developer) So who declared 100% layous are dead?

I'm not a gamer (much), I'm a programmer. I USE home / end / pgup / pgdown all the time. I USE the right CTRL key. I use numpad for number entry and need that full sized zero key. I suppose I could do without an insert or pause keys but that's about it. (ScrlLk gets mapped to actual caps lock so my caps lock can be another CTRL key)

I'm writing this after seeing a Royal Kludge ad, and there's a nice dial and screen on the top right over a numpad yay! But nope it's a 96% and has squished arrow keys and no End key. I look on their website and they have a 104 key! But no knob, just bare 104 keys. Like, hey gray beard you can have what you want but it's not the NICE model or anything.

1.I don't want it to be over £110

2.I want a black front plate and back

3.i want it took look like the varmilo keyboard layout with the arrow keys and the F1 keys and distance away from the main keyboard

Like WHY?!?! From what I’ve seen, they look compacted and squished together. I don’t like how they are so long and not very wide.

I’m having a hard time finding a full size keyboard case or kit. Let me know if you have any ideas.

EDIT: Reworded it for all you keyboard warriors.

So.. I just broke my fnatic ministreak and I wanted to change it, but I don't really know anything about good keyboards.
I was wondering if any of you could help me get a good keyboard for around 80€, that is 80% and can last for years.