Ortholinear Keyboards, 40% Boards, and Setup Guides
Compact, programmable keyboards for people who like to customize.
Ortholinear keyboards use a straight grid layout instead of the staggered rows found on a typical keyboard. People like them for their smaller footprint, cleaner keycap compatibility, and the freedom to build layers and shortcuts around the way they actually type.
What is an ortholinear keyboard?
An ortholinear keyboard (or ortho keyboard) is a keyboard whose keys are arranged in a straight grid instead of the staggered rows you see on a typical keyboard. Ortholinear keyboards are usually mechanical and programmable, so you can customize keymappings with QMK or VIA.
Popular ortholinear keyboards include the OLKB Planck and Preonic, the ultimate guide to ortholinear keyboards covers more options and how to get started.
Blog
Ortholinear keyboard guides, news and more.
Compact
With the smaller form factor on ortholinear keyboards, your fingers aren't more than two keys away from what is considered home row on most key keyboards. They are a favorite for those who want to carry their keyboard on the go.
See the keyboards
Programmable
Most ortholinear keyboards available allow you to fully customize your key mappings and can even play music if your keyboard has speakers. Most support VIA and open-source QMK firmware, making it easier than ever to set up your keyboard the way you like.
Ortholinear Keyboards
Not only are ortholinear keyboards useful, they're pretty freaking cool
There are a plethora of keyboards to choose from and below are our recommendations on getting started. It can be a fun DIY project to assemble your own ortho keyboard, add your own switches, and program your own keymappings.
Learn MoreOLKB Planck & Preonic
OLKB is the producer of the highly popular Planck & Preonic Ortholinear keyboards. The owner, Jack Humbert, is also the founder of QMK. These keyboards are sold on the OLKB website and frequently on Drop.com
Learn MoreIdobo ID75
The Idobo ID75 is a 75 key keyboard, larger than most standard ortholinear keyboards. A common layout has the alphas split on the sides with extra function keys in the middle. This is a great alternative if you want extra programmable keys opposed to the 48 keys on the OLKB Planck and 60 keys on the OLKB Preonic.
Learn MoreSplit Keyboards
You can usually spot a split keyboard if it has two separate PCBs connected by a cable. Split keyboards literally half the keyboard to better the ergonomics and encourage better touch typing. The ones mentioned here are only a few.
Learn MoreWork Louder: Creator Board
The Creator Board is an innovative modular design keyboard that can be configured to suit individual preferences. This is a customizable keyboard (customizable in terms of keys, orientation, modules, and size), which means you can create a personally tailored setup to fit your needs.
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