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.

Hello everyone!

The cheaper keyboard that I got when I first built my PC is finally giving out and I'm looking for a new keyboard now.

I'd love to stay under around $200 USD and I would need the seller to ship to Mexico since that's where I'm located.

My requirements are:

-ISO layout since I intend to use the Latin American key layout.

-100%/Full size keyboard since I do use the numpad and a lot of the other keys that are cut by smaller keyboard layouts.

-Backlit (Doesn't have to be RGB but I do need to be able to see my keyboard clearly in the dark)

-I'd love dedicated media keys on the keyboard, but I'm completely fine with using the FN + F## combos as long as I have a way to control my volume and music from the keyboard (Pause, play, previous and next songs, etc).

-I am fine with both wired and wireless keyboards.

I would like the keyboard to be mechanical but Ireally don't know much about keyboard brands, switches, etc. besides what I've randomly come across on the internet, and was hoping y'all could help me here. I do a lot of writing, both normal and programming, a bunch of math related stuff including CAD software and excel, and also play videogames on my spare time, so I'm not sure what I would need in those regards.

I'm also fine with putting the keyboard together myself if it would help me save some money, I even think it might be fun, not gonna lie, but budget is my main concern here.

If you have any recommendations for keyboards that fit my needs (if not all, most of them at least), or you think there's anything I should know about keyboards before continuing my search or in general, please do let me know.

Thanks for your help in advance!

Hello all. I've been using a Corsair K95 Platinum with Cherry MX Browns for the past few years and while it's okay, it's not great. I'm looking to upgrade. Especially with all the new switches that have come out over the past few years.

Budget: $150 to $200 range (give or take)
Purpose: Gaming and heavy typing.
Layout: 100% ANSI (numpad for life!)

Ideally I'd like many of the features the K95 had but it seems 100% layouts are super unpopular. No, I will not go 75% or 60%. I have an 85% RK and a 60% RK and while the 85% isn't too bad, the 60% is an absolute nightmare to type on. The lack of numpad and function keys and having to hit keyboard combinations that I can never remember - just no. Only 100% for me, please.

So anyway, I know that there is the Keychron Q6 Max that should fit the bill. Any other choices. Here's what I'm thinking:

Hot swappable
South-facing RGB (I like the lights on the K95)
100% ANSI layout as stated
QMK/Via support (I know Keychron has their own fork so that would probably be fine)
Volume control (though with a 108 and QMK, could I remap some of the 4 above the numpad to volume?)
I like the idea of tri-mode, but this keeb is likely not going to travel at all. I do have a rare use case that it might come in handy for, though - as a dumb KVM. I can keep the dongle in a server I have and can switch back and forth between modes to use the same keyboard for both of them. Anyway, that's on the nice to have list, not need.

I think Varmilo had 1 single VA100 or something that has most of those checked off. Maybe also the Monsgeek M5? But I think that one had no media controls at all.

Basically I need a sanity check to see if there's anything I'm missing. TIA!

OK... maybe I'm really missing something here as most keyboards posted in this subreddit are 60%/TKL or similar formats, but I really don't understand why would someone let go the convenience of having a direct key to do a certain function for a keyboard layer accessible with a key that you probably would have to memorize or something.

Do people really have so small tables ? It's like someone has got fit things in a restaurant plate or something ? what ?

I mean... I can even concede that someone might not use numeric keypad that much and prefer it as a separate device. But cutting it all together ? you really never type numbers ? what ?

I searched all the wiki and couldn't find any defense of 60%/TKL or even smaller sizes. Can someone enlighten me why is this ? I'm really not getting it. What are the advantages ?
If there is some readings or something in the wiki I may have missed, please point me to it.

I've been going crazy for a long time that I've been looking for a keyboard with 100% layout that's decent, and I find many, but everyone has 50% good reviews and 50% negative, some not even mechanical are but are membrane and yet has good reviews, like the Corsair K55, Redragon Sion RGB, Logitech G213 and G413, still have Chinese branded ones like the Aula F108 PRO. Which ones do you recommend? It doesn't have to be the ones I've listed, it can be personal recommendations even in a range of $30 - $100, please help me

(Edited): I like a type of keyboard with customizable RGBs, not-so-noisy keys, exclusive extra keys like audio, macros between other things, you can have the keyboards that I mentioned as a base.

Hi! I'm currently in a search for the perfect mechanical keyboard for me, but unfortunately I can't find anything that matches all my requirements. If anyone can suggest some good options, I would be very grateful. Thanks in advance!

Here is a list of requirements I'm interested in:

1. 100% format (must-have)

2. Wireless work capability on multiple devices (Windows + MacOS) at the same time (must-have). Ideally the keyboard should work via Bluetooth + Wireless 2.4 + Wire, but there seem to be almost no such keyboards. The only one I could find was the Razer Blade Pro Type Ultra, but I don't want to buy a Razer keyboard.

3. Hot Swap (highly preferred).

4. Good build and design

5. Modding possibility

6. Price up to $200

7. Includes a wrist rest or can be purchased separately (desirable)

I'm considering both ready-made options and custom ones that I need to build myself (I've never done it, but I'd like to try)

So far, the keyboard that fits most of my criteria is the Keychron K10 (Aluminium frame, Hot Swap, Gateron Brown). But it has a few issues: no 2.4 operation, not the best design, no wrist rest, probably not the best build.

If anyone knows of other good options - please advise! Thanks!

Hey,

My Logitech G910 finally kicked the bucket – the dreaded double keypress issue got the better of it. Finding a comparable keyboard is tough, there are so many manufacturers out there!

Logitech seems to have lost some of its mojo, so I decided to try a different brand. I got a Royal Kludge RK-S98, and it's pretty good overall. Nice design, heavy and solid build, a satisfying clicky sound. But it's only a 96% keyboard, and I'm finding that increasingly annoying at work. Having to press Shift + Fn + Pos1 (for Print Screen) is a pain. Media controls are also only accessible via the Fn key, and the Delete key, which I use a lot while coding, is way too far away. I can get used to a lot, but I really need a 100% keyboard for maximum comfort. Plus, while the sound and feel are great for typing, the actuation force/response isn't ideal for gaming.

My criteria:

• 100% Layout (QWERTZ)

• Not too much key pressure

• Pleasant clicky sound (I know, that often goes hand-in-hand with high pressure, but maybe there's a good compromise), generally I prefer tactile switches, but they should have a bit of a clicky sound.

• Wired, wireless (like the RK) would be a nice bonus

• Nice design (I find those typical office keyboards super ugly. The G910 was borderline, only the RGB lighting made it somewhat attractive)

• No cheap brands, it should be a robust, durable, and high-quality keyboard

There are tons of Chinese brands out there, and besides Logitech, I barely know any other reputable brands. RK was the first one I tried, and I actually really like it, but unfortunately, they don't have a German 100% keyboard.

Any tips (manufacturer suggestions are enough, I'll do the research myself, but I'm really overwhelmed) would be awesome :)

So I just tried a 63% layout keyboard and for my needs the layout does not benefit me at all. I am very used to the numpad and it's usefulness. I can go both 80% and a separate numpad or 100% layout. (I also do not mind if it has hall effect). My budget is 100-150€ (if a 200€ will be that much better than the others I can also consider it). I'm sorry for my bad english.:).

Hey Friends! I'm asking YOU to help me choose a layout!

I've heard of colemak, colemak dh, dvorak, and qwerty of course.

Right now I'm around 100 WPM on qwerty, with no wrist pain.
However, I'm a musician (trumpet, piano, bass, drums) and a computer science major, so writing code is big for me. I also LOVE to write and time in Obsidian (a note-taking app)
I'm thinking that learning a new layout would be wise so that I can stay healthy and not have wrist pain in the *future* from typing? Preserving my coding and musicianship.

Let me know which is best for me, or if it's even worth it! Or, should I learn something that's NOT a keyboard?
Thanks a ton for this! I love reddit for things like this :)
Will

ok so to preface, i'm moving from a satalite office to our corporate headquarters under a new software development team. i've always just used whatever keyboard and mouse was given to me but my soon-to-be boss said they were hooking me up with some new office equipment and to pick out a keyboard and mouse.

knowing that my company doesn't really bat an eye at price for things under like $1000 , what keyboard would you recommend?

i'll be in an open office environement and i hate the feel of squishy keys. i've never used a mechanical keyboard before but i know if i were to, it couldn't be loud, and i wouldn't want it to be super squishy either. i need some physical feedback for button presses but without sound.

i'm not even set on mechanical but i'll take your advice on that! Additionally i'd prefer it be wireless as my main computer will be a laptop and i will be traveling from time to time. i need dedicated media keys and volume control. macros would be fantastic but by no means a must.

ideally nothing rgb or flashy. but if i can turn the lights off then it doesn't really matter. full 100% keyboard is a requirement.

i grew up using the microsoft sidewinder x6 and it stands as my favorite keyboard of all time so anything in that general field would be ideal. i am a sucker for knobs lol.

to give you an idea of where i am right now. i'm using a chicklet logitech keyboard...so i have a ways to go here lol.

thank you for the advice!

Hi everyone, I am looking for a full size keyboard kit that support 2.4 ghz and Bluetooth with hotswap switches and is reliable for around a 100 usd/euro. I scoured the internet and couldn't find anything. Please help.

Every time I move to a TKL, I end up missing the numpad after a few days, and end up switching back to a full-size by the end of the month.

Why all the hate for 100% boards?

I was wondering--once you have a programmable keyboard, do you build and rely on a custom layout on the keyboard? When you make the jump to a programmable keyboard, is there any reason to use only a layout supported by the operating system you're working on? For example, the nearly decade old Colemak Mod DH is now supported in many operating systems but there are modern layouts that are not (basically nearly every recent layout after that which are stats-focused). Without your own programmable keyboard wouldn't you be unproductive?

I am interested in the Gallium layout (actually the v2 variant of it which seems to be popular but I don't understand why it's not mentioned on the Github page and I need to dig through Reddit/Discord posts to find more information about) because it has good stats and is both English and vim-friendly.

My concern is if you use such layouts and then build custom keybindings based on that layout over time, that would mean you're 100% reliant on your programmable keyboard, right? Won't you struggle on other people's PCs or even on a laptop keyboard (how many of you try to translate your mappings on a programmable keyboard to your laptop's keyboard assuming you can't always bring your keyboard with you)? Actually, I can't remember the last time I needed to use a public PC for casual use, but I was wondering how you would get by e.g. for a job interview. I can't imagine it being a good impression to request and use a strange split keyboard on-site...

So does that mean you need to be proficient on a regular keyboard as well? I would rather not split my focus and development for both a split board and a traditional board custom setup but I'm curious other people's experiences with this. Would Knomad be able to translate all your ZMK implementations to a regular keyboard? Would muscle memory, particularly with thumb clusters on a split board not translate at all when switching back to a regular keyboard?

I was thinking having a layer with full Qwerty and disabled thumb clusters on a split keyboard and occasionally typing on this casually to preserve muscle memory over time even if I don't intend to use it on even a laptop keyboard but honestly not sure how that would work out (I'm thinking not well--perhaps even just the split/keywell nature of my keyboard would be too different from a flat regular keyboard that even practicing the standard Qwerty layout would not help much with muscle memory when it comes to the difference in the boards physically (even if you're still using the same fingers for the same keys for the most part, except e.g. middle finger on "c" and index finger on "c" for a columnar and a traditional staggered keyboard respectively).

Hello. I am training touch typing in QWERTY for almost 6-8 months. Now I touch type without any issues and my speed is around 100 WPM.

But in these speeds I am kind noticing the design flaw of the QWERTY layout and I want to switch to a more ergonomic layout.

I looked at some layouts like Colemak and Dvorak but couldn't settle on one. I hope you can help me.

This to consider: I am a programmer and I heavily use the VIM editor. I am ready to train hard.

My goals are comfort, speed and long time benefits.

Thanks in advance !

I'm replacing an old Logitech gaming board and am stuck between the Keychron Q5 and Q6. I like the narrower Q5 to give a bit more desk space, but I'm not sure about the lower arrow keys and half-size zero. I do need the numpad (work and financial stuff), and I want the knob. I know the Q6 has the F keys offset due to the knob location, but I'm not using them so much that muscle memory will mess me up. I also use print screen a fair bit, and I'd probably want to remap something to that on the Q5 if I opted for it.

Anyone who has used both sizes, can you comment? Do you find you use one more than the other?

Thanks!