In recent years, due to the publicity of e-sports teams, anchors, and the frequent exposure of various famous portals recently, mechanical keyboards have become a hot topic, many people will be dazzled by the complicated appearance and size of mechanical keyboards.
The mechanical keyboard has a classification method that is the overall arrangement of all keys of the mechanical keyboard, the number of function keys, and the total number of keys to divide the mechanical keyboard.
Enthusiasts understand the corresponding type of keyboard, while other customers may be confused, today I will briefly introduce the most common types of mechanical keycaps size for you, and the following are the recommendation for several more famous mechanical keycaps sizes.
'Matching' as the name suggests, is the assembly sequence of keyboard keycaps. Divided in this way, there are two ways to name them: the number of keys and the completeness of the function of the keys.
The 6 types: Full-Sized 104 keys, 87 keys, Full-Sized Compact Layout, 75 %, standard 60%, special 60 %.
The first two are named after the number of keys on the keyboard, the number of keys on the keyboard decides its name, the last four are divided based on the key function, 75 % means that this keyboard can achieve 75% of the key function of the conventional full-sized keyboard without using the key combination.
"Layer" refers to the key assembly sequence of the keyboard, which is used to divide the number of keys on the keyboard, the layout design of the key positions, and the key function operation. The standard 100% mechanical layer has a total of four partitions, including primary keypad, functional keypad, edit keypad, and numeric keypad.
1. Full-sized 104 standard row - Filco Majestouch 2 TKL Mechanical Keyboard
Full-sized keyboard size is the most original keyboard layer but is also used in the configuration of most of the keyboards in the current market, which is characterized by a complete set of key functions, each function has a corresponding key. It is easy to type a large number of numbers with an independent numeric keypad. So it is will be a good choice for bank workers, as well as persons who work as an accountant.
Filco is synonymous with flagship products in the eyes of mechanical keyboard enthusiasts, and its products are simple and calm without any fancy embellishments.
Filco's entire products are Taiwan's Libao OEM, which is arguably the world's most famous mechanical keyboard foundry, and its products are known for excellent workmanship and excellent hand feel.
Filco Majestouch Ninja TKL Mechanical Keyboard 104 Bluetooth version is a new product developed by Filco with the excellent workmanship and feel of the Majestouch series at the same time, and without the USB cable, it provides a more concise desktop, but also saves the trouble of plugging and unplugging when replacing the connected device, this keyboard will not make anyone get interested except one metal sign reflecting its identity.
2. 87 standard key - cool aurora 87 with a backlit mechanical keyboard
87 standard key which is 104 key mechanical keycaps cut off the numeric keypad area, characterized by reduced key numbers and independent function keys are perfect. This keyboard is not much different from the 104 key models with 17 keys are missing in the small keyboard area because many people think that the independent number area is useless.
As a well-known PC accessories manufacturer, Coolermaster has also begun to get involved in the field of peripherals in recent years, and Aurora as its flagship product in the mechanical keyboard product line has been coveted by many persons for a long time due to its excellent workmanship and diverse lighting effects.
Full-sized backlight design customizes lighting effects with a built-in ARM processor, you can get more updated lighting effects by updating the official firmware.
The Coolermaster uses the standard 87 keys for easy keycap replacement, and the skin-like coated shell ensures good tactility. The keyboard adopts a white backlit white steel plate as a whole, the overall reflective effect is very uniform, compared with many color marquee backlit mechanical keyboards, it is more attractive.
3. Full-Size Compact layout (special 104 keys) - Cherry G80-1869
This kind of keyboard layout often removes the function key area or the functional key area is interspersed and integrated into the main key area and the numeric keypad, which reduces the length of the keyboard to a certain extent, reaching the same as the 87 key layers with the number area, but this keyboard shape is generally more peculiar.
Cherry's self-produced keyboard which is original from Germany has a rough shape and first-class feel.
The G 80-1869 is Cherry's most famous gaming mode is featured with the cherry keyboard's excellent feel without steel plate construction, and a two-color molded keycap, the characters on the keycaps will not be worn off with the time, which is durable. Of course, the rough workmanship of the original keyboard is also a feature enjoyed by enthusiasts. This kind of retro beauty can only be understood by Cherry fans.
4. 75 % Layer – Kbtalking RACE II
The 75 % key is a mini keyboard stack that minimizes keyboard size and retains the vast majority of independent function keys. A few function keys, such as Ins, F11, F12 and other keys (the settings of the function keys of products produced by different brands are different) rely on Fn to call out.
There are very high requirements for desktop utilization, refresh the web page and other operations cutting the need for F area function keys, Persons who do not need in-place function keys such as Ins or accept a small number of keys to call out the key combination can try this type of keyboard.
RACE II is the keyboard used most frequently because of limited space, so it is more necessary to use a small size product. Race not only meets my needs for keyboard size but also has a complete range of arrow keys and function keys.
Full-Sized programming means you can set various key combinations and shortcut keys according to your needs, which is convenient for daily use.
At the same time, I also set the boot password of his computer as a shortcut key because it supports key programming, and he can enter the password of more than a dozen after booting, which is very convenient.
Although it is an OEM keycap product, it is difficult to find a full set of personalized keycaps on the market that can be replaced because the keycap length selection is relatively special.
5. The Regular 60 % key - Kbtalking Poker II
We can understand that the regular 60 % key layer is the most simplified conventional keyboard that cuts off all the keys except the primary key area at the 104 layouts, and cannot use any function keys such as ESC, F area, and mini keyboard with arrow keys, ins, etc. without using the key combination.
If you only use it for typing without any function key shortcuts, you can accept key combinations or persons who mind the size of the keyboard and portability.
Of course, it also includes OSX users who do not use the arrow keys often (because the F-zone in osx systems is not very useful).
Compact layout, representative of the mini keyboard, a continuation of a generation of classics.
As the most famous forum brand in the mechanical keyboard industry, kbtalking's products are all classic, this mini keyboard and RACE use the same coverless design, simple and durable, but also support full sizes key programming, programming content can only be achieved through shortcuts because the keyboard is indeed too few as a whole, when you want to press F5 to refresh the web page, you must go to the lower right corner of the right hand to find FN, and the left hand to press 5 to get it done; but ,,,, if it is F10, it may be more troublesome. So most of the persons who accept this kind of keyboard have a powerful mouse, such as sensei with 5 shortcut keys.
6. Specially-equipped 60 % keyboard - Filco minila air mechanical keyboard
Since the standard 60-key keyboards mentioned earlier are small, but the function key combination is more cumbersome, the solution is to reduce the length of the keys on the 60- key keyboard to a certain extent to increase more keys to achieve the corresponding purpose. A specially equipped 60 keyboard tends to be the same size as a standard 60 keyboard, but with more keys and more features. Of course, to take advantage of the limited space, the versatility of the keycaps is also sacrificed, which means that it is impossible to replace any complete set of OEM keycaps for this type of keyboard.
The same is the flagship manufacturer Filco production that is wireless and its volume is only half the size of the Saguskatsu series, the left and right sides of the space can be replaced with the function of the Fn shortcut keys, the thumb can be easily pressed down, and can be combined with all the keys on the keyboard to achieve all the functions of the 87-key keyboard.
It also has a drawback that is only half the length of the regular keyboard space, you want to change the keycap, then I guess it is impossible.
The most important thing about the mechanical keyboard in the eyes of many persons is the excellent feel different from the membrane keyboard, and the different user experience brought by different shafts are also the most frequently discussed, but in fact, the use of the shaft body will only have a more accurate evaluation after a long period of use, and it is difficult to understand its essence from the data analysis alone.
Just like many persons who have just started to burn have said that the tea shaft is the mechanical keyboard axis that is closest to the film feel, many friends will be the first to pass off the tea shaft when they first choose the mechanical keyboard, but in fact, the difference between the two is huge, and it is also the preferred shaft body for most of the author's current main keyboards.
The keyboard is easier to understand the content different from the shaft body, which is an important factor for choosing a mechanical keyboard, after all, everyone's keyboard size, function preferences are different, it is likely to be confusing if only from the appearance of the selection. I believe that after you patiently read this introduction, you also have a deeper understanding of your favorite key layers, then hurry up and buy the keyboard that is most suitable for you.