Best keyboard for typing: how to choose
No keyboard will make you fast on its own. The best keyboard is the one you like typing on, because you will practise more and with less strain. Here is how to tell the kinds apart.
The main types
| Type | Feel | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Membrane (most desktop keyboards) | Soft, quiet, a little mushy | Everyday use, shared spaces, low cost |
| Scissor switch (most laptops) | Short, crisp travel | Typing on the move, a flat low profile |
| Mechanical | Each key has its own switch, durable, many feels | Typing a lot, people who want a specific feel |
Switch feel in mechanical keyboards
- Linear: smooth up and down, no bump. Quiet and easy to type fast on.
- Tactile: a small bump when the key registers. Many typists like the feedback.
- Clicky: a bump and a click. Satisfying, but loud in a shared room.
If you can, try a few before you buy. Feel is personal.
Size and layout
- Full size has a number pad on the right, which is useful for data entry.
- Tenkeyless drops the number pad, so the mouse sits closer to the keyboard.
- 75% and 65% are smaller and keep the arrow keys.
- 60% is the smallest and moves some keys to a second layer, which is harder to learn.
What matters for typing
Look for keys that do not wobble, a layout you know (check that the Enter, Backspace and Shift keys are the size you expect) and a feel that does not tire you. A keyboard that is too loud or too stiff will make you type less. Wrist rests help some people, but only if your wrists stay level.
When you get a new keyboard, run the keyboard test to check that every key works, and see how to avoid hand strain.
Questions
Do mechanical keyboards make you type faster?
Not by themselves. Some people type faster on them because they like the feel and practise more.
What keyboard do fast typists use?
A mix of everything, from laptop keyboards to mechanical ones. Practice and touch typing matter far more than the product.
Is a bigger keyboard better for typing?
Not necessarily. Pick the size that suits your desk and your work. A number pad helps with data entry.