If I were getting into mechanical keyboards for the first time today, I’d buy the tenkeyless Keychron C1 or the full-size Keychron C2. If you do need a number pad, you can get a separate numpad, such as the Leopold FC210TP, which you can move out of the way when you’re not using it.Ĭ1: 14.06 by 5.12 by 1.5 inches C2: 17.15 by 5.12 by 1.57 inches We recommend tenkeyless keyboards-that is, models without a built-in number pad-because they’re more ergonomic and because most people don’t use a number pad frequently enough to justify the desk space it occupies. These Varmilo keyboards aren’t fully programmable, but they have clearly labeled media keys, and you can customize a couple of functions.

Our pick comes with a removable Mini-USB cable that’s easy to replace and a wire keycap puller for replacing or cleaning keys. The Varmilo VA87M and VA87M Mac are available with a variety of Cherry switches if you don’t already know what kind of switches you like, we recommend Cherry MX Brown switches because they offer a satisfying tactile bump without making too much noise for a shared space.