RK100 owner here. I need my numpad.
this post was submitted on 10 Jul 2023
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Mechanical Keyboards
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Hnnng... So damn good looking!
96% is the best layout. All the convenience of not having a bunch of dead space between your arrows and nav cluster, with all of the convenience of having a numpad with all the nav keys your heart can want. Yes I want Home and End right there on the first layer, I’d have to go mad not to.
You only need to choose one key to sacrifice, and I happily tucked Insert one layer under Delete. Print Screen is non-negotiable.
I’m always so surprised to see how unpopular 96% is.
I have a 100% but close enough right!
As someone not into the hobby (although I have a cookie cutter mechanical keyboard), what is the point of having that few keys? Portability? Otherwise i find it more cumbersome than efficient having to constantly use modifiers to access the full range of keys I might want to press.
Edit: this was meant as a reply to the guy with a 60% keyboard
As a user of a small TKL keyboard, I can say from my own experience having a small keyboard makes it easy and less strenuous to switch between the mouse and keyboard since they are so close together. I also find I don't really miss the extra keys, I can do my job just fine if not better without them, because of the added benefit of moving fast.
I currently do a data heavy job and almost never use my keypad. Just can't come to terms with letting it go. 96% might be the step that gets me to ditch the numpad!
I use my keypad a lot for my job so I’ve always been kind of jealous of the people who can use the slimmed down keyboards. This is a cute little compromise and I’m glad to know it exists!
To me the main advantage of having less physical keys but a full layout available via modifiers is, that your hands won't have to leave the home-row. Working like this is not only much more comfortable but also a lot more efficient. (At least for me)
Why Yes I am!
No, but I might want to be.
Me: I'm going to learn Blender!
My 65% keyboard: HAHAHAHAHA.
Are these new-ish? I was into it a good few years back and since getting my two full size boards I haven't really looked back.
This layout seems really interesting, I don't want to sacrifice the practical side of full size layout but this saves a bunch of space whitout removing anything, looks great.
Nah, they've been around a while. I got a zz96 from a GeekHack group buy in 2017 I think.
Since a couple of days! Is that the Keychron K4? If so then I have the same!
Although my keycaps aren't as nice..
YMDK Melody 96 over here. Absolutely my favorite layout I've ever used.
YMDK truly does the 96% right. I have two of them that are my daily drivers. One for business and one for gaming. Both are basically endgame grails for me.
Nice keyboard! I am from team 65% :)
Getting my Keychron V5 soon so hopefully joining this club! What mods would you suggest for it? I'm getting Brown switches with it.
I’m using browns, but might get a few reds for my space, return, shifts, etc.
That might be a good idea. I could look into something like that.
I'm 65 here, but that looks tempting. I think I'm gonna go 75, I feel like it's the sweet spot.
Rise up!!!
I've still got my logitech orion spark. Thing is amazing!
Well how about 98%. Looks the same except a 1/2u space moving the numpad to the right.. Keychron K4Pro. I actually carry it back and forth to work so it is my daily driver and I still haven't quite gotten used to the placement of Del/Home/End. I sort of miss the Insert key, I need to check the mapping and see if it is on or can be added to another layer.
60% forever!
F5 to refresh...o you can't.
Yeah, happy these have taken off more recently because they're a good setup. Nice compromise between the space of TKL and keeping the nunbpad of full sized keyboards.
Where'd you get that right angled coiled cable?
It’s a Keychron one. Got it on special offer from a third-party reseller here in the UK.
Which reseller? I'm UK based too
96% 4lyfe
Edit: is yours a k4 aluminium also? That’s what I have.
Yeah, K4 Alu- love it!
Love your key caps!!
Here is mine: 
Hells yeah! Although my 96% is a bit roomier than yours. I'm rocking the AJAZZ AK966; pretty much stock, other than the switches. I replaced the stock Kailh Creams with Akko Yellow Sponges (Spongebobs). For a prebuilt, it feels amazing.
My other one is a DasKeyboard Professional with custom keycaps, but quite honestly, I find the AJAZZ to be more impressive. I'm shocked Das Keyboard uses costar stabs. There's cheating out, and then there's cheaping out. You'd think for $300US they'd splurge on half-decent stabs!
Mine looks a lot like this (stock keycaps): https://i.redd.it/rfyg5s106bf91.jpg
I ordered a 96% yesterday!
That looks nice, wasnt even aware of such 96%s. Numpad for life
I can’t live without a numpad.
Why not? What do you do that inputting numbers is so important?
I personally work in finance. It's essential, especially for calculations.
Similar here. I do a lot of budget management and data entry as part of my job, not having a numpad is a hell of an inconvenience.
Accountant checking in, numpad is indeed a necessity.
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