Which keyboard suits me?

You use a keyboard for hours every day, yet many people buy one on looks or price. The finder above asks about size, use, connection, key feel, discomfort, extras and budget. The result is a ranking where every place comes with a reason. Manufacturers and retailers cannot buy a spot.

Size: what stays and what goes

If you type a lot of numbers, go full size or 96 %. Without a numpad your mouse sits closer, which is easier on the shoulder. On 65 % and 60 % boards, F keys and arrows live on a second layer reached with Fn.

The layout follows your country

The finder only shows keyboards sold with your country’s layout: UK for the United Kingdom and Ireland, US for the other English-language markets, German QWERTZ for Germany and Austria and Swiss QWERTZ for Switzerland. Where the maker does not state a layout, the model shows a note.

Flat, classic, mechanical or magnetic

Flat keys (scissor switches) have short travel like a laptop and are quiet. Classic keyboards press onto a rubber dome, soft and inexpensive. Mechanical switches come linear (smooth), tactile (a bump you can feel) and clicky (audible). Magnetic and optical switches trigger without contact. Many let you set the actuation point, and rapid trigger resets a key the moment it starts to rise, which helps in fast games.

Ergonomics

If your wrist or shoulder hurts, look at a curved or split keyboard. They keep your hands straighter. A palm rest helps as well.

Prices

Prices are reference values from price comparison sites. The finder shows Amazon prices only once they can be fetched automatically. Check the retailer for the current price.

All keyboards at a glance

Data: our own research from manufacturer and retailer information. Undocumented values are marked as such.