Tips to Choose a Gaming Keyboard for Small Hands
Games are played to be won and it is therefore key that any gadget a gamer chooses to use aids in winning. However, this isn’t always the case, as every gamer eventually comes to realize that finding the right devices is harder than it seems. Selecting peripheral devices, like a keyboard, that are the correct size and style will not only complement your gaming setup but will also improve overall comfort when gaming for extended periods. But which gaming keyboard should you get if you have small hands? In this article we’ll discuss how to choose a gaming keyboard for small hands.
To find a gaming keyboard for small hands look for Cherry MX Red switches and short keycaps that allow for easy movement of the fingers. Choose a compact keyboard like a 60% gaming keyboard with keycaps that are closer together, and a 40% wireless one-handed mechanical keyboard for even smaller hands.
We will be looking at how to tell if you are using the wrong size keyboard and guide you in your search for the perfect keyboard for your hand size as this is extremely important for ensuring your comfort while gaming.
How To Tell If Your Keyboard Is the Wrong Size
The first step when dealing with a problem, is to identify or diagnose the issue. It is common to find gamers suffering the consequences of using a keyboard that isn’t compatible with their hand size but who are ignorant of this important factor. If you are experiencing one or two of the symptoms discussed below then your gaming keyboard is probably the wrong size.
A keyboard that’s incorrectly sized causes frequent wrist pain after use, hand and finger fatigue, and performance drops while playing a game with a specific keyboard.
You may need to replace your gaming keyboard with one of a different size for the following reasons:
Reason 1. Your Keyboard is Causing You Wrist Pain or Discomfort
It is key to know the anatomy of the forearm to understand the pains associated with the use of keyboards. This article from Clinical Biomechanics explains how continuous keyboarding can produce acute alterations in the median nerve, and how these changes correlate with wrist biomechanics when gaming.
The median nerve is also responsible for providing sensation to the forearm. Applying prolonged pressure to the median nerve causes carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a condition where pain, numbness, and other symptoms are felt in the wrist, fingers, and other parts of the arm. Due to the nature of games, players often spend long hours, clicking away on their keyboard, and sometimes with their entire arms in an uncomfortable position. So, most keyboard users are prone to carpal tunnel syndrome.
If you have small hands and use a large keyboard, the need to stretch your fingers to strike the keys while moving your hands through the length of the keyboard is unavoidable. These actions increase the tension being applied to the median nerve, which often results in more wrist pain. So, if you notice a prevalent pain in your wrist from having to move your wrists more, then you are probably using a keyboard that is too large. If you would like to know more about wrist pain, make sure to check out our article that talks about how to reduce hand pain while gaming.
Reason 2. Your Keyboard is Causing You Hand and Finger Fatigue
Hand and finger fatigue is also a symptom experienced by gamers using a keyboard that is too big. We have established the function of the median nerves in the hands, and how extended pressure on them can cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. A gamer with small hands would have to stretch the fingers more than usual to be able to hit all required keys, at the right time. This, in effect, could also hinder the movement of the hands and lead to pressure on the median nerve which in turn could result in hand and finger fatigue. That is why finding a gaming keyboard for small hands is crucial.
Reason 3. Your Keyboard is Hurting Your Performance
Every gamer knows that their performance is largely dependent on the features of the gaming keyboard as discussed in this article by the G-Lab. The best gamers often have a preference for specific brands of keyboards because of their ease of use. Our article about gaming keyboard recommendations that fit your needs discusses what features to look out for when deciding to buy a high-end gaming keyboard.
How well you play a game can be affected by the size of your hands relative to the size of your keyboard. Quick response and multi-clicking are some techniques that require the fluid movement of hands and fingers and the easier you can execute these techniques, the better. If you notice there is a lag in your execution of these techniques, then maybe you should look into the size of the keyboard you are using as well as the layout as we discuss in our article about e-gaming keyboard layouts.
Summary of Injuries and Suitable Keyboard Sizes
| Problems You Are Experiencing | Features To Look For in a Gaming Keyboard To Solve This | Product From Amazon |
| Wrist Pain | Look for a compact keyboard | Asus Rog Falchion |
| Hand and Finger Fatigue | Look for a keyboard with small key caps | Razer Huntsman Mini 60% |
| Reduced Effectiveness | Get the smallest type of keyboard | Redragon K585 Diti Wireless One-Handed 40% Gaming Keypad |
Similarly, you may find interest in learning how to find the best non-mechanical gaming keyboard or maybe how to find a quiet mechanical keyboard. If so, be sure to read our related articles too.
Tips To Find the Best Gaming Keyboard for Small Hands
So far, we have discussed key factors to look out for to know if you are using the wrong keyboard size. Having taken all these into consideration, you should know whether you are using a compatible keyboard size. In this section, we shall be providing tips to guide you as you begin searching for a gaming keyboard suitable for your small hands.
To find the best gaming keyboard for small hands, look for a keyboard with short keycaps to aid in moving from one key to another, choose a compact keyboard, and go for the smallest type of keyboard if none of the compact keyboards is compatible.
While you’re at it, also check out our article about the 7 best gaming mice for small hands to ensure your setup is optimized for comfort.
Remember these tips when you are looking for a gaming keyboard for small hands:
Tip 1. Look for a Keyboard With Short Keycaps To Aid Movement From One Key to Another
Most game genres require the player to use multiple keys, sometimes at the same time, and most times, one after the other. The ease of moving from one key to the other is therefore important. The keycaps of a keyboard determine the smoothness of moving from one key to another. If you want to learn about some of these keystroke combinations that require more than one key being pressed at a time, then take a look at our guide on e-gaming keyboard shortcuts.
The major features of a keycap include the height, shape, and material used in manufacturing them. This post from Das Keyboard explains that the height of a keycap has a direct influence on how easily a gamer can move his fingers across the keyboard. Gamers with small hands should definitely go for keyboards with short keycaps like these, also known as cherry profile keycaps. These types of keycaps reduce the need to completely raise the fingers over the next keycap to engage it.
Tip 2. Try a Variety of Compact Keyboards To Find One That Best Suits You
Keyboards come in several different sizes as explained in this buying guide from Keychron, however, the most common are full-sized keyboards, compact full-sized keyboards, tenkeyless keyboards, compact tenkeyless keyboards, compact keyboards, and mini keyboards. Our article about how many keys a keyboard has explains the various sizes of keyboards and how many keys each type has so that you can make a decision about which one would fit your hand size best.
The compact and the mini keyboard are the smallest in this series. These keyboards have fewer keys and are much smaller but this is not a problem as gaming keyboards can be fully functional without all the keys that are featured on a full-size keyboard. This article from Ergo Equip explains that compact keyboards feature smaller keycaps, and shorter distances between each keypad, making them perfect for gamers with small hands.
Tip 3. Go For a 40% Keyboard As a Last Resort
The 40% keyboard is the smallest size of keyboard that exists. Like other compact keyboards, they come with fewer keys, however, they retain all function keys to play all types of games. They also offer all the advantages of a compact keyboard. This 40% Redragon K585 is a one-handed keyboard that is perfect for small hands. In one of our articles, we share the 8 best one-handed keyboard options, so be sure to check it out. Also, make sure to check out our related article explaining how to choose a one-handed gaming keyboard for more details.
Why Is It Important To Find a Gaming Keyboard for Small Hands?
Are you still doubting whether you need a gaming keyboard suitable for your gaming needs? In this section, we will be discussing all the reasons getting a keyboard for small hands is necessary, taking into consideration health and comfort reasons.
Using a correctly-sized gaming keyboard for small hands improves response time when gaming and can reduce wrist pain and injuries. It also makes gaming more comfortable and enjoyable.
Our article on what a gaming keyboard is explains how having a keyboard that is designed for gaming, and with the gamer’s needs and comfort in mind. not only offers tremendous speed benefits but also reduces long-term strain and fatigue when gaming.
It is important to find a gaming keyboard for small hands for the following reasons:
Reason 1. A Correctly-Sized Keyboard Will Improve Your Response Time When Gaming
The speed at which players can press a key on a keyboard while playing a game is often a deciding factor for whether or not such a player will win that game. As a gamer, you want to ensure you are able to press a key as quickly as possible. A correctly-sized keyboard will aid in your response time, especially if you have small hands. Our article about the ten best wireless tenkeyless keyboards lists the most popular keyboards without the numeric keys on the right-hand side of the keyboard, which are ideal for small hands.
Reason 2. Finding a Keyboard That Fits Your Hands Will Help You Avoid Wrist Pain and Injuries
As explained previously, the size of a keyboard in relation to the size of the hands of a gamer influences the frequency of wrist pain and injuries. The best gaming keyboards are ergonomic, meaning they are designed to prevent and alleviate health issues. Gamers with small hands have a better chance of reducing computer-related illnesses, especially wrist pain, when they go for keyboards with ergonomic designs.
Reason 3. A Correctly-Sized Keyboard Makes Gaming More Comfortable
Using a keyboard size that best compliments your hand size makes gaming more comfortable for you. Depending on how often you play games, having a keyboard that won’t cause discomfort is extremely important. Our article about using an external keyboard with a laptop explains how using the correct size and type of keyboard can improve efficiency and speed when typing.