PCG Article Small 60% Keyboards

[Brian Boru]

According to this recent PCG article…

If you're serious about gaming then come join the compact keyboard club

With the rise of compact keyboards, I've decided to put one to the test for PC gaming.

www.pcgamer.com

…small keyboards—ie 30-40 fewer keys—are seeing a "sudden explosion of nifty sixties onto the market".

Have you used one? How is/was it?

If not, are you interested for your next KB purchase? Why, why not?

Who knows, maybe it's time for your first gaming keypad?

Azeron Gaming Keypad review

A strange evolution of gaming keypad, the Azeron is something I didn't know I needed in my life.

www.pcgamer.com

I got a Logitech gamepad ~10-15 years ago, but sadly can't comment. I never got around to actually using it

I use a full-size 110++ KB, the ++ being various media & macro keys. I'm not interested in a smaller one, since I use my setup for work as well as play, so function keys, nav & arrow keys, and numpad are frequently useful—as well as the macros of course, the main reason I got this particular KB. About the only keys I don't use are those media keys.

My KB is 20" x 10" …~50x25cm… with the 10" incl a wrist rest which is just perfect for me. I don't feel it's too big or takes too much space, which of course may be due to being a big guy with big hands

Over to you, please share your views and feelings.

 

[aswar77]

According to this recent PCG article…

If you're serious about gaming then come join the compact keyboard club

With the rise of compact keyboards, I've decided to put one to the test for PC gaming.

www.pcgamer.com

…small keyboards—ie 30-40 fewer keys—are seeing a "sudden explosion of nifty sixties onto the market".

Have you used one? How is/was it?

If not, are you interested for your next KB purchase? Why, why not?

Who knows, maybe it's time for your first gaming keypad?

Azeron Gaming Keypad review

A strange evolution of gaming keypad, the Azeron is something I didn't know I needed in my life.

www.pcgamer.com

I got a Logitech gamepad ~10-15 years ago, but sadly can't comment. I never got around to actually using it

I use a full-size 110++ KB, the ++ being various media & macro keys. I'm not interested in a smaller one, since I use my setup for work as well as play, so function keys, nav & arrow keys, and numpad are frequently useful—as well as the macros of course, the main reason I got this particular KB. About the only keys I don't use are those media keys.

My KB is 20" x 10" …~50x25cm… with the 10" incl a wrist rest which is just perfect for me. I don't feel it's too big or takes too much space, which of course may be due to being a big guy with big hands

Over to you, please share your views and feelings.

haven't used it yet. not too interested to buy that KB because I still fall in love with my Razer Ornata v2 cause it is comfortable where it is completed with soft hand pads and the material is ABS plastic which is light but tough and sturdy

 

[Lutfij]

I currently own a Corsair K65 Compact which is the original version, sourced from Ebay. It's TKL but I plan to mod the genuine Cherry MX Red Switches with some Tangerine's, lubricating the switches and springs, then film it, foam mod the base and perhaps the tempest mod but I'm trying to get a feel for this keyboard as is since it was purchased 6 months ago. That way I can get a better understanding of a before/after.

I also own the Ducky Mecha SF in Limited Edition Emerald with Cherry MX Silent Red's, the keyboard is 65%. Loved it so much that I placed an order for the Ocean version as well. I plan to pick up the HyperX Alloy Origins 60 towards the end of this year since I can live with a more minimalist layout on the keyboard as well as the desk.

The reason I got the smaller sized keyboards was due to me shifting to a smaller apartment, then realizing I don't need the numpad, brought my mouse closer to the keyboard reducing fatigue on my right hand when gaming and work. I had a Microsoft X6 keyboard whereby you could move the numpad to the left and then have it as a macro bank or remove the numpad entirely to have the keyboard function like a TKL, that's where I got hooked to a TKL. Sadly TKL's at the time were very expensive. Nowadays you can make your own keyboard with the right amount of funds and with the right amount of time. I started off with a full size keyboard, still have the above Microsoft keyboard, alongside an X4, Logitech's G105 MW3 Edition and a Razer Starcraft II Marauder.

Reminds me, I should look into a wrist rest from Glorious or maybe make one myself.

 

[Hidman12]

I use the Womier/Gamakay K87 (it's the same keyboard). It's a TKL keyboard, so you don't lose many keys like on 60% keyboards. Besides that, it is also hotswappable and like 65 euros. I honestly think it's a steal for the price.

 

[Brian Boru]

reducing fatigue on my right hand

My GF got a scare recently when her right hand went progressively numb over a few hours—thought she was having a stroke.

Turns out it was probably due to the normal mouse she was using, all the movement to the right eventually caused a nerve problem.

She's now getting a roller mouse & keyboard combo, so both will be directly in front of her. So yeah, likely a good idea for you to reduce the strain caused by moving your mouse hand away from in front of your body.

 

[Lutfij]

You think it could be carpel tunnel syndrome for her? I don't have it but my right hand did end up having a blood clot around the lower left region of my right hand's palm while I played many hours of Diablo II, Red Alert 2 and Age of Empires. Yeah back then I was addicted to games...started playing after dinner, would then hear the roosters at 5AM.

As for the nerve problem, it can also come from an improper seating posture or even the height at which her hand/arms are resting or which part of the hand is resting on the desk/keyboard. I have an issue with my right hand where if I have my DSLR on a wrist strap, my entire right arm develops a cramp. It's horrible and I need a day off from carrying anything on the right.

I used this site;

Desk Height Calculator: Plan an Ergonomic Space | Ergotron

This quick and easy tool will help you set up an ergonomic computer workstation. Position your keyboard, monitor and chair for optimum comfort and productivity.

www.ergotron.com

to help when designing my desks that was shown on the Computer. Off. Floor thread. Turns out my hands and back develop a cramp when I work on the raised desk in my Dhaka residence. On my Chittagong residence desk, no cramp at all. It's with that in mind that I'm planning on a desk for my Dhaka residence since the one I made for myself prior, is too big and it's meant to be at my folks house...a parting gift to them.

Every time anyone says a roller mouse, I'm reminded of the need for a perfectly boiled egg(meme) on Imgur.

Also, thanks on the pointers, will keep them in mind!

 

[Brian Boru]

You think it could be carpel tunnel syndrome for her?

Nope, one of the first things they checked for.

improper seating posture or even the height

Could be, she's careful about such things, but I've passed on your link, thanks

Anytime I feel a little tense or crampy, I get up and move around—at least once an hour. That seems to work for me.

 

[Lutfij]

Yeah, that's another thing, I've been known to get lost in anything I do so when I'm on the PC, I stay stuck to the chair. Will need to do what you do...have been told that by many prior.

Welcome, do let me know if I could help in any other way.

 

[Frindis]

Logitech G413 Carbon with HyperX wrist wrest. Perfect fit for my hands and while I don't really use num lock that much, It is nice to have. I also like to have those extra numerics on the side for when playing Flight Simulator.

 

[Kaamos_Llama]

According to this recent PCG article…

If you're serious about gaming then come join the compact keyboard club

With the rise of compact keyboards, I've decided to put one to the test for PC gaming.

www.pcgamer.com

…small keyboards—ie 30-40 fewer keys—are seeing a "sudden explosion of nifty sixties onto the market".

Have you used one? How is/was it?

If not, are you interested for your next KB purchase? Why, why not?

Who knows, maybe it's time for your first gaming keypad?

Azeron Gaming Keypad review

A strange evolution of gaming keypad, the Azeron is something I didn't know I needed in my life.

www.pcgamer.com

I got a Logitech gamepad ~10-15 years ago, but sadly can't comment. I never got around to actually using it

I use a full-size 110++ KB, the ++ being various media & macro keys. I'm not interested in a smaller one, since I use my setup for work as well as play, so function keys, nav & arrow keys, and numpad are frequently useful—as well as the macros of course, the main reason I got this particular KB. About the only keys I don't use are those media keys.

My KB is 20" x 10" …~50x25cm… with the 10" incl a wrist rest which is just perfect for me. I don't feel it's too big or takes too much space, which of course may be due to being a big guy with big hands

Over to you, please share your views and feelings.

I used a 60% Keyboard from around 2014 until a couple of years ago. The Noppoo Choc Mini. It was great, I loved the extra desk space and I dont play any games that need macros, although I occasionally missed the number pad.

It did have access to media keys via function shift. I didnt miss the arrow keys as it still had them available in the same way. Had Cherry brown switches and I added o rings to soften it a bit more.

I'd still have one except that it had a fixed USB cable and the conection went bad. I could have tried to fix it but at the time I just picked up a new keyboard instead as I didnt want to wait.

Currently using a TKL with Cherry silent red switches, because I couldn't find a 60% locally that I liked the look of. Don't think I'll ever go back to full size, the TKL feels too big now as it is.

Reminds me, I should look into a wrist rest from Glorious or maybe make one myself.

Roccat makes a really good silicon wrist rest, I've had one for years and its still holding up perfectly. Perfect size for a 60% board, at least for me.

 

[Lutfij]

Varmilo, my man!!!

Will be looking into that wrist rest you linked above. Thanks!

 

[Brian Boru]

Roccat makes a really good silicon wrist rest, I've had one for years and its still holding up perfectly.

Will be looking into that wrist rest you linked above

I've had the same one for years too, but for my mouse—my Roccat KB has a perfect-for-me wrist rest built in.

Got a couple of cheap wrist rests first—one lasted a week, the other less than a month. They just disintegrated. Roccat still perfect after years.

 

[ZedClampet]

According to this recent PCG article…

If you're serious about gaming then come join the compact keyboard club

With the rise of compact keyboards, I've decided to put one to the test for PC gaming.

www.pcgamer.com

…small keyboards—ie 30-40 fewer keys—are seeing a "sudden explosion of nifty sixties onto the market".

Have you used one? How is/was it?

If not, are you interested for your next KB purchase? Why, why not?

Who knows, maybe it's time for your first gaming keypad?

Azeron Gaming Keypad review

A strange evolution of gaming keypad, the Azeron is something I didn't know I needed in my life.

www.pcgamer.com

I got a Logitech gamepad ~10-15 years ago, but sadly can't comment. I never got around to actually using it

I use a full-size 110++ KB, the ++ being various media & macro keys. I'm not interested in a smaller one, since I use my setup for work as well as play, so function keys, nav & arrow keys, and numpad are frequently useful—as well as the macros of course, the main reason I got this particular KB. About the only keys I don't use are those media keys.

My KB is 20" x 10" …~50x25cm… with the 10" incl a wrist rest which is just perfect for me. I don't feel it's too big or takes too much space, which of course may be due to being a big guy with big hands

Over to you, please share your views and feelings.

I've never used a mini-keyboard. What I have used is a gaming keyboard that only has keys for your left hand

I've got the GameSir VX Game Keyboard. Obviously, I have a regular keyboard as well. It's basically half a keyboard with a bunch of extra function keys you can program. It's just for your left hand, but is better ergonomically and allows you to program easy to reach buttons for things that you would normally have to move your hand off the mouse to reach. "M" is the map button? "L" is for flashlight? Just move them over to the extra keys on the game keyboard.

Plus, you can set it on you desk at whatever angle works best. When you are as good at gaming as I am *cough cough* little touches like this are very helpful.