How to shop for a keyboard

There’s no such thing as one perfect keyboard for everyone. The kind of keyboard you should get depends on what you’ll use it for, your aesthetic preference, your computer or device, and your own anatomy. Here are a few important factors to consider when choosing a keyboard:

Size: Keyboard sizes fall into four main layouts: compact (60%, 68%, 75%), tenkeyless (80%), full-size, and ergonomic. The term “compact keyboard” encompasses a range of slightly different layouts, but all of them pack the keys tightly together like a laptop keyboard does. We love them because they take up less space on a desk and allow you to position your mouse closer to your keyboard, which can reduce strain on your body. Tenkeyless (TKL) layouts lack a number pad but have all of the other keys of a full-size keyboard. And full-size keyboards include everything—all of the letters, numbers, modifiers, function keys, and arrow keys, as well as a built-in number pad.