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3 reasons why I always go for full-sized mechanical keyboards
- Full-sized keyboards offer a numpad, which is essential for those who regularly use numbers and calculations for tasks such as managing expenses.
- Full-sized keyboards can have more features, such as macro keys and media control buttons, which enhance productivity and gaming experience.
- Having extra mechanical switches for a full-sized keyboard can be beneficial for easy replacement of broken or non-functioning keys.
Membrane keyboards? Never heard of them. Mechanical keyboards are all the rage these days, and they come in various shapes and sizes, from small 60% keyboards (or 40% if you want to go there) all the way to full-sized options. There's something for everyone. While I love how compact and useful small keyboards are, I just can’t seem to convince myself to let go of my old 104-key keyboard, and there are three good reasons for that.
I absolutely need a numpad
All the number keys are accessible with one hand
Most people don't regularly use the extra 17 keys at the far right side of the keyboard, so they only take up unnecessary real estate on their desks. Plus, when you purchase a keyboard with a numpad, you have to pay a premium for all these extra keys, the switches they use, their keycaps, and the metal plate this huge keyboard will need for stabilization. People who do not need the numpad shouldn't go for full-sized keyboards — tenkeyless (TKL) or 75% keyboards will do just fine.
Despite all these glaring drawbacks, I still opt for full-sized mechanical keyboards simply because I can't live without a numpad. I have to deal with numbers and calculations on a daily basis when managing the expenses of my father’s business. Even if I didn’t need the numpad, entering numbers from the number row on top of the alphabet keys is painfully slow, and I’d rather pay a premium and have a numpad for a rainy day then regret it later.
Full-sized keyboards have more features
More money, more room, more features
My current keyboard doesn’t have a lot of extra features; it’s a basic 104-key keyboard. But if I do ever upgrade, I will definitely get one with a few extra keys for macros and some media control keys. Since I’m almost always on Spotify, having a dedicated pause/play, next, and previous button would be a godsend. Currently, I’m using PowerToys to remap my least used keys (Insert, Home, PgUp, PgDn) to media control buttons to make navigating my playlist easier. I would never go for a smaller keyboard and then resort to pressing multiple buttons just to skip a song.
: Satisfying Steps For DIY Keyboard (MetDaan)
Most keyboards that come with macro keys have them on the far left of the keyboard, which makes them easily accessible during gaming. You can set them to any in-game action that requires you to press multiple keys or even remap the macro keys to the default keys that are out of reach.
That’s just for gaming; if you use your PC even a little bit for productivity apps like Adobe Illustrator or Blender, you’ll thank me later for having extra macros. There are so many shortcuts to memorize when using productivity software, and you can assign the most common to your keyboard, saving you a great deal of time in the long run.
Extra mechanical switches
Never hurts to have some spare switches on you
My current keyboard is long overdue for an upgrade, which means occasionally, a key tends to stop working. This often happens with the most used keys, like WASD, which are cardinal to almost every PC game. Mechanical switches have a fixed lifespan, and my clicky Outemu box blue switches are rated for 50 million keypresses. This is a lot, but not every switch on your keyboard will be used equally, which means that if one switch breaks or stops working, you can always swap it out with the switch of another key that you don’t use a lot.
Having a bunch of extra mechanical switches that you can swap out at short notice can be a real lifesaver. I have lost count of how many times I’ve had to swap the switches for my WASD keys after they stopped working in the middle of a game. And since my keyboard is hot-swappable, it takes me no more than 30 seconds to fully revive a dead key.
Full-size keyboards aren’t for everyone
If you’re a competitive FPS player who plays at low DPS, you’ll need all the desk real estate you can get for sudden 360 headshots. A full-sized keyboard might not be the best option since it will only come in between you and your flick shots. Plus, FPS games don’t have a lot of keybinds like MOBA games, so you’re better off going with compact keyboards.
Full-sized keyboards aren’t portable at all. If you type a lot during your travels, a good, compact wireless mechanical keyboard will do you much more good than carrying around a chunky board. Since I fall into neither of these categories, I’ll stick to full-sized keyboards for now.
