05 Best 65% Keyboard in 2024: Expert Guide For Buyer’s

Mechanical Keyboards come in different sizes and layouts – 65% keyboard is one of them.

65% keyboard comes with an optimized size and layout which provides users with an ultra-compact & comfortable keyboard to type on.

I gathered the 05 best 65% keyboards by their quality, features, and user flexibility to help you choose the perfect keyboard for your dream setup.

05 Best 65% Keyboard: A Quick Overview

1. Keychron Q2
2. Keychron V2
3. Royal Kludge Rk68
4. Corsair k65 Pro Mini
5. Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini

Why I Selected These 65% Keyboard?

As a web developer, I had an obsession with mechanical keyboards. 

Usually, I spend a lot of time in testing different keyboards on the market.

Before purchasing a new keyboard 03 facts come to my mind –

1. Sound test,
2. Build Quality
3. Connectivity

I spent a lot of time inspecting the user experience, reviews, specifications, and prices then I chose one to be my companion.

What is 65% Keyboard?

Compact keyboards were becoming more popular during the pandemic when people started working from home.

 A 65% keyboard has a compact layout that is smaller than a full-size or tenkeyless keyboard, but slightly larger than a 60% keyboard as one might expect.

The 65% keyboard has become more popular than the 60% keyboard because it is compact and more functional. 

Some find it more functional due to the inclusion of arrow keys, as well as four keys to the right of the keyboard which will typically be composed of the home, delete, page up, and page down keys. 

How many keys are on a 65% Keyboard?

A 65% keyboard usually has 67 or 68 keys depending on the manufacturer.

Some manufacturers use 1.5u keys between the spacebar and the left arrow key instead of using 1u keys. Because 65% of keyboards don’t have the Numpad or the function row, this cuts down on 29-30 keys (depending on if the number pad has the plus key split into two keys). 

Depending on the keyboard brand, there are also differences in what keys are used on the right side delete, insert, page up, page down, home, and print screen keys. 

More often than not the page up and page down keys are included, but the rest of these extra keys will vary across manufacturers.

What is the Difference Between a 60% and 65% Keyboard? 

Comparing a 65% keyboard with a 60% keyboard only difference is that – a 65% keyboard has four additional function keys along the right-hand side of the keyboard, while 60% keyboards do not. 

Those additional function keys may give you an extra advantage in your productivity.

The people who are using tenkeyless keyboards, and don’t need the number pad, currently switching back to a 65% keyboard to save some space on the desk.

Advantages of 65% Keyboard

A 65% keyboard is a great option for people who like the compact layout.

But if you want dedicated arrow keys, and if you don’t use the function row F1 to F12 when typing or coding. Some people have a hard time using the FN for their arrow keys on 65% of keyboards. 

A vast amount of people who need to type a lot have moved away from using the number pad in everyday typing, and instead memorize each number and symbol.

On the other hand, 65% of the keyboards became more popular among programmers and developers who have also coped with the lack of a number pad and a function row.

So if that’s the issue then a 65% keyboard is a better option. Even though some may not like how close the arrow keys are.

65% of keyboards are not a bad choice for those people who dislike how a full-size keyboard will make their mouse further away. Again If you like to save space on your desk these keyboards are for you.

Facts Before Buying  65% keyboard

keyboard will fall short of their needs. An even more common complaint is the lack of a number pad, which is very handy when entering numbers into a spreadsheet or regularly doing quick math. That said, with a 65% keyboard one could also include a standalone number pad, but this defeats the purpose of buying a compact keyboard since you were most likely trying to conserve space.

• Non-Standard Layout: The main downside of this layout is that non-standard keys may be not found, in that case, if you are planning to swap keys, it might be difficult. So my straightforward answer is to do some research before stepping on it
• No Function Row: If you are a person who uses those function rows often, it could stand a huge issue to fulfill the shortcut of your productivity. In consequence, you may need to add an extra layer under the number row, it will take some period to adjust with it, which may be uncomfortable for you.

05 Best 65% Keyboard Review:

Keychron Q2 

• The Keychron Q2 is an awesome keyboard
• It comes with PBT keycaps and Gateron G Pro Brown switches, which provide you with a satisfying typing experience.
• The best part of this keyboard comes with a full customization option with Hot-Swappable.
• It comes with a good-looking RGB lighting.

The south-facing RGB is designed to better illuminate the keyboard backlight from the typist’s angle with the premium non-shine-through PBT keycaps installed

Keychron Q2 is best overall; you might check this as your 65% keyboard.

QuantumQuillTech doesn't earn any commission from those brands mentioned in this article

Royal Kludge Rk68

• The Rk68 is a simple compact mechanical keyboard.
• It Feels great to type on clicky, tactile(05 Best Tactile Switches For your Mechanical Keyboard), linear Gateron switches.
• There is an option to adjust the angle of your keyboard. This keyboard proves that you don’t have to spend too much for your dream 65% keyboard.
• While some may prefer more features with advanced software.
• Royal Kludge Rk68 comes with fully RGB – No software to synchronize the lighting effect, which can be a downside.

Keychron V6 

• The K6 is an outstanding keyboard with many features.
• The only downside is that – the thickness of this keyboard, so you may need wrist rest. As with our previous one, it is also hot-swappable,
• You can customize it as you want Keychron V6 comes with wireless features and compatibility with Macbook.
• PBT material is used on keycaps and it also comes with a 1000Hz polling rate

Razer Blackwidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed

• HyperSpeed wireless- with 2.4GHz connection to Bluetooth and wired USB-C
• There are two Razer-made switches available at the market- quite linear(yellow – Top 05 Best Linear Switches An Expert Guide ) and clicky(green). The yellow is best for gaming and typing.
• Razer double-shot ABS keycaps feel great, with a bit of texture and cleanly inscribed legends

The RGB gives a glorious look to this keyboard, which may not be as practical but great to look at.

All things considered and saying the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed is a great compact keyboard. If you are ready to get into the Razer extensive ecosystem this is the best option for you.