this post was submitted on 10 Jul 2023
236 points (96.8% liked)

Mechanical Keyboards

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Are you addicted to the clicking sounds of your beautiful and impressive mechanical keyboard?
If so, this community is for you!

Here you can discuss everything about mechanical keyboards (and only mechanical keyboards).

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

96% is the best layout. All the convenience of not having a bunch of dead space between your arrows and nav cluster, with all of the convenience of having a numpad with all the nav keys your heart can want. Yes I want Home and End right there on the first layer, I’d have to go mad not to.

You only need to choose one key to sacrifice, and I happily tucked Insert one layer under Delete. Print Screen is non-negotiable.

I’m always so surprised to see how unpopular 96% is.

[–] charizardcharz 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

RK100 owner here. I need my numpad.

Photo of a keyboard

[–] GroggyKon 2 points 1 year ago

Hnnng... So damn good looking!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

I have a 100% but close enough right!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

As someone not into the hobby (although I have a cookie cutter mechanical keyboard), what is the point of having that few keys? Portability? Otherwise i find it more cumbersome than efficient having to constantly use modifiers to access the full range of keys I might want to press.

Edit: this was meant as a reply to the guy with a 60% keyboard

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

As a user of a small TKL keyboard, I can say from my own experience having a small keyboard makes it easy and less strenuous to switch between the mouse and keyboard since they are so close together. I also find I don't really miss the extra keys, I can do my job just fine if not better without them, because of the added benefit of moving fast.

[–] GroggyKon 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I currently do a data heavy job and almost never use my keypad. Just can't come to terms with letting it go. 96% might be the step that gets me to ditch the numpad!

[–] jiji 4 points 1 year ago

I use my keypad a lot for my job so I’ve always been kind of jealous of the people who can use the slimmed down keyboards. This is a cute little compromise and I’m glad to know it exists!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

To me the main advantage of having less physical keys but a full layout available via modifiers is, that your hands won't have to leave the home-row. Working like this is not only much more comfortable but also a lot more efficient. (At least for me)

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Why Yes I am!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

No, but I might want to be.

Me: I'm going to learn Blender!

My 65% keyboard: HAHAHAHAHA.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Are these new-ish? I was into it a good few years back and since getting my two full size boards I haven't really looked back.

This layout seems really interesting, I don't want to sacrifice the practical side of full size layout but this saves a bunch of space whitout removing anything, looks great.

[–] bleeps 2 points 1 year ago

Nah, they've been around a while. I got a zz96 from a GeekHack group buy in 2017 I think.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Since a couple of days! Is that the Keychron K4? If so then I have the same!

Although my keycaps aren't as nice..

[–] Onlytanner 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

YMDK Melody 96 over here. Absolutely my favorite layout I've ever used.

[–] Metatronix 1 points 1 year ago

YMDK truly does the 96% right. I have two of them that are my daily drivers. One for business and one for gaming. Both are basically endgame grails for me.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Nice keyboard! I am from team 65% :)

[–] elekitty 2 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I, too, am a member. All hail efficiency.

ZZ96 https://ibb.co/K7Msg1h

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I'm 65 here, but that looks tempting. I think I'm gonna go 75, I feel like it's the sweet spot.

[–] GroggyKon 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Getting my Keychron V5 soon so hopefully joining this club! What mods would you suggest for it? I'm getting Brown switches with it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m using browns, but might get a few reds for my space, return, shifts, etc.

[–] GroggyKon 1 points 1 year ago

That might be a good idea. I could look into something like that.

[–] ChamrsDeluxe 2 points 1 year ago

I've still got my logitech orion spark. Thing is amazing!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Where'd you get that right angled coiled cable?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It’s a Keychron one. Got it on special offer from a third-party reseller here in the UK.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Which reseller? I'm UK based too

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, happy these have taken off more recently because they're a good setup. Nice compromise between the space of TKL and keeping the nunbpad of full sized keyboards.

[–] robolemmy 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

F5 to refresh...o you can't.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Hells yeah! Although my 96% is a bit roomier than yours. I'm rocking the AJAZZ AK966; pretty much stock, other than the switches. I replaced the stock Kailh Creams with Akko Yellow Sponges (Spongebobs). For a prebuilt, it feels amazing.

My other one is a DasKeyboard Professional with custom keycaps, but quite honestly, I find the AJAZZ to be more impressive. I'm shocked Das Keyboard uses costar stabs. There's cheating out, and then there's cheaping out. You'd think for $300US they'd splurge on half-decent stabs!

Mine looks a lot like this (stock keycaps): https://i.redd.it/rfyg5s106bf91.jpg

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

96% 4lyfe

Edit: is yours a k4 aluminium also? That’s what I have.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Love your key caps!!

Here is mine: mine

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I ordered a 96% yesterday!

[–] SaakoPaahtaa -1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

That looks nice, wasnt even aware of such 96%s. Numpad for life

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I can’t live without a numpad.

[–] Sheltac 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Why not? What do you do that inputting numbers is so important?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I personally work in finance. It's essential, especially for calculations.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Similar here. I do a lot of budget management and data entry as part of my job, not having a numpad is a hell of an inconvenience.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Accountant checking in, numpad is indeed a necessity.

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