Alright, so I wanted to chat about my whole adventure with these smaller keyboards, specifically the tenkeyless (TKL) ones and the super tiny 60% boards. It was quite a ride, let me tell ya.
My Big Old Keyboard Problem
It all started because my desk was just… a mess. I had this massive full-sized keyboard, you know, the kind with the number pad and all the extra keys I barely even touched. It took up so much space! I was constantly knocking my mouse into it, especially when gaming. I figured, there’s gotta be something better, something smaller.
Dipping My Toes with a Tenkeyless (TKL)
So, I started looking around, and the first thing I stumbled upon were these TKL keyboards. Tenkeyless, right? Basically, it’s a regular keyboard but without the number pad on the right. My first thought was, “Hey, this makes sense!” I don’t do a ton of data entry, so losing the numpad wasn’t a huge deal.
I went ahead and got one. And honestly? It was pretty good at first. Suddenly, I had all this extra mouse room. My aim in games felt a bit better, or maybe it was just in my head, but the space was real. The arrow keys were still there, the function row was all present and accounted for – it felt like a normal keyboard, just… neater. I used it for a good few months, coding, writing, gaming, the works. It felt like a solid upgrade for desk space without sacrificing too much.
The 60% Temptation
But then, you know how it is. You start looking, and you see other stuff. I kept seeing these pictures of 60% keyboards. Man, they looked so clean and minimal. Just the main block of keys, nothing else. No arrow keys, no F-row, no delete key cluster. Just… tiny. The aesthetic really pulled me in. I thought, “Wow, that’s the ultimate space saver!”
The idea of having that much more desk space was super tempting. Plus, they just looked cool. I convinced myself I could get used to it. How hard could it be, right?
Living the 60% Life (or Trying To)
So, I took the plunge and bought a 60% keyboard. When it arrived, I was stoked. It was so small! I put it on my desk, and the amount of free space was incredible. But then… I actually had to use it.
Oh boy. That was a learning curve. The biggest hurdle? Arrow keys. Most 60% boards hide them behind a function layer. So, I had to hold down ‘Fn’ and then use other keys like I, J, K, L as arrows. It was awkward. Coding became a bit of a pain. Navigating text documents was slower. Even simple things like trying to hit ‘Delete’ (which was also on a layer) felt like finger gymnastics at first.
I stuck with it, though. I told myself I just needed to build muscle memory. And slowly, very slowly, I did get a bit faster. For typing general text or for gaming where I didn’t need arrows much, it was fine. The compactness was genuinely great for my small desk.
- Pros: So much desk space! Looks amazing. Super portable.
- Cons: Layers for everything. Missing dedicated arrows was a killer for my productivity sometimes. The F-keys on a layer were also a bit annoying for certain apps.
The Back and Forth
For a while, I actually switched between the TKL and the 60%. Some weeks, I’d love the simplicity and dedicated keys of the TKL. Other weeks, I’d crave the extreme minimalism of the 60%.
When I was doing a lot of coding or writing, I found myself reaching for the TKL more often. Those dedicated arrow keys and the delete cluster just made life easier. When I was mostly gaming or just browsing, the 60% felt fine, and I loved the clean look.
I realized that for me, the TKL hit a sweet spot for general use. It cut out the fat (the numpad I never used) but kept the essentials that I relied on daily without thinking. The 60% was cool, and I totally get why people love them, especially if they master the layers or their workflow doesn’t lean heavily on those missing dedicated keys. But for me, it introduced a bit too much friction for everyday tasks.
So, Where Did I Land?
Well, for my main setup, I’ve mostly settled back on a TKL. It’s just more practical for the variety of stuff I do. I still think 60% boards are awesome, and I actually kept mine for when I travel or if I just want that super clean desk vibe for a bit. It’s nice to have options, right?
But if I had to pick just one for everything? The TKL is my workhorse. It’s that balance of space-saving without making me relearn how to do basic navigation. My journey taught me that sometimes, the super minimalist option isn’t always the most practical for your specific needs, even if it looks the coolest. It’s all about finding what works for you without causing a headache. And for me, that was learning I really, really like my dedicated arrow keys!
