Resource: Visual Guide to Mechanical Keyboards by Size

Mechanical keyboards come in all sorts of sizes and shapes. Here we'll go over them by size:

• Full-size  (about 17.4 inches)
• 96 / TK (about 15 inches)
• TKL (about 14 inches)
• 75% (about 12.5 inches)
• 65% (12-14 inches)
• 60% (11.5 inches)
• Mini (varies)

Please note that dimensions are approximate only, depends on bezel size, gap size between key groups, as well as whether there are additional key groups like macro keys. 

Full-size (recommendations)

A full-size keyboard is the 104 key keyboard that has been the “standard” since IBM PC AT back in the 1980’s. It has function row, alpha area, cursor cluster with arrows, and a numpad. 

There is a variation called 108 key that added 4 keys on top of the numpad for other purposes, such as macros, volume control, and so on.  Below is an example of 108 key, a Keycool 108 (photo courtesy of IigerImports and Keycool)

Some keyboard makers add an additional group of macro keys to make the keyboard even wider. Razer is probably best known, but many other makers have similar layouts. Add another inch.

Typical Dimensions: 44 x 14 x 4 cm / 17.3 x 5.5 x 1.6 inches  (Size of Filco Majestouch 2)

Keycool 108, note 4 extra keys on top of numpad

TK and 1800 (96-key)

TK and 1800 are layouts that existed between the full size and the TKL. They are two separate designs, but are similar. They are rather rare though, and relatively expensive. 

TK is basically a full-size layout with the cursor cluster and arrow keys removed, so you just see the alpha keys and the numpad with some extra keys. It is named after Coolermaster Quickfire Storm TK, the first commercial keyboard to use this layout. As of 2017, the only one on market is Coolermaster Masterkey Pro M (photo courtesy of Coolermaster).

Typical dimensions: 38 x 14.4 x 4.3 cm / 15 x 5.7 x 1.7 inches  (size of Masterkey Pro M)

Cooler Master Masterkey Pro M

1800 layout is named after Cherry G80-1800, with the similar idea of making a narrower keyboard, but this one retained a separate arrow key cluster and added more keys above the numpad so you retain most of the keys of a full-size. The only one other than Cherry that makes the 1800 layout appears to be Leopold, as the Leopold FC980 (courtesy of Leopold). 

Typical dimensions: 38.6 x 14.5 x 3.7 cm / 15.2 x 5.7 x 1.5 inches (Size of Leopold FC980)

Leopold FC980

TKL (recommendations)

A tenkey-less, also known as 80%, is basically a full-size keyboard with the numpad portion chopped off. Following is a Keyboard Paradise (KBP) V80 (photo courtesy of Mechanicalkeyboards.com)

Typical dimensions:  35.8 x 13.5 x 3.56 cm // 14.1 x 5.3 x 1.4 inches

KBP V80, TKL keyboard 

75% / Compact TKL (recommendations)

TKL Compact, also known as 75%, is an attempt to remove the empty spaces between the cursor cluster and the arrow keys by eliminating a few keys and pack the rest against the rest of the keyboard to reduce the overall width even further. 

Finding replacement keys for this layout can be difficult as this layout is required to use many non-standard keys to fit in the arrow keys in the lower right corner. This is a Noppoo Choc Mini (courtesy of xblackdog on imgur)

Typical dimensions:  31.8 x 13.2 x 3.8 cm // 12.5 x 5.2 x 1.5 inches

Noppoo Choc Mini, 75% keyboard

65% (recommendations)

There are several variations of the in-between sizes that fits between the Compact TKL and the 60%. 

MF68

Named after MagicForce 68, this takes out one of the modifier keys in the bottom row, made the keyboard slightly wider, and added 4 cursor cluster keys and the arrow keys back. There is some empty space, but the result requires no odd-size keys and is not that much wider. Varmilo and Abco Hacker make keyboards in this layout. (photo courtesy of MagicForce)

Typical dimensions: 33.5 x 10.3 x 1.4 cm //  13.2 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches

MagicForce 68, 65% keyboard

Leopold FC660 / Clueboard

An even more compact version of MF68 layout, this requires a short right-shift key to only have 1 extra key width to the right edge of alpha clsuter. The custom keyboard Clueboard also uses this layout. (FC660 photo courtesy of Leopold)

Typical dimensions: 32.8 x 11.1 x 4.0 cm // 12.9 x 4.4 x 1.6 inches

Leopold FC660, a 65% keyboard

Whitefox/Tada 68 

Name after Whitefox Keyboard from Input Club or the Tada68/Saber68 keyboard, this layout is basically the compact TKL format without the function keys on the top. Though technically, Whitefox itself allows several alternate layouts. (Whitefox photo courtesy of input.club)

Typical dimensions (Whitefox):  32.0 x 10.9 x 4 cm //  12.6 x 4.3 x 1.6 inches

Typical dimensions (Tada 68):  31.2 x 10.2 x 4.3 cm // 12.3 x 4 x 1.7 inches 

Whitefox, by Input.Club, a 65% keyboard

KC71

The 71-key layout is basically a TKL without the function key row. Drevo Calibur / Keycool 71 used this layout. (photo courtesy of Keycool)

Typical dimensions:  35.6 x 10.7 x 4.3 cm //14 x 4.2 x 1.7 inches

Drevo Calibur / KC71, a 65% keyboard

60% (recommendations)

The 60% size, sometimes called “mini”, is basically just the “alpha” area of the keyboard with the number row, but nothing above, and nothing to the right. To access function keys, you need to use one of the layer keys like FN.

This size was standardized by Vortex with its Poker line and later by Geekhack and its community project GH60. Chinese manufacturers have taken the design and improved upon it, creating several variants. This design is most popular among customizers, because everything is standardized and wide variety of parts existed. (New Poker II Photo courtesy of IKBC)

Typical dimensions:   29.2 x 12 x 2.8 cm  // 11.5 x 4.72 x 1.1 inches

IKBC/Vortex New Poker II

However, this also means there are many variants of this layout, such as split space, split shift key, split backspace, and so on, to create more keys. There are also variants that managed to squeeze in arrow keys in the lower right corner. (gk64 courtesy KBDFans)

SAME DIMENSIONS as Poker above, roughly. 

KBDFans GK64, note the arrow keys in the bottom right

Mini

There are other keyboards that can go even smaller. Vortex Core is a 43 key keyboard that even goes without the number row for something that’s TINY compared to a full-size keyboard, and the smallest mechanical keyboard in retail.

Matias makes a “half-board” (at exorbitant prices) that lets you type one-handed. And if you want to custom build, there are even stranger possibilities, like the Gherkin. (Photo of Vortex Core courtesy Mechanicalkeyboards.com)

Vortex Core Dimensions: 9.75 x 3 x 1 in

Vortex Core