A tenkeyless keyboard is a full-size board with the number pad sawn off: 87 keys, the complete function row, arrows and the navigation block, in a case about three and a half inches narrower. It is the layout tournament players standardized on because it leaves room for a low-sensitivity mouse without hiding any keys behind an Fn layer, and it is the layout office typists pick when a full-size board pushes the mouse too far to the right. We ranked the TKL boards in our keyboards catalog by switch type and feel, build, lighting, connection, and what owners say after months of daily use.
We have not typed on every one of these ourselves; the verdicts rest on the spec sheets and on the owner review history. Prices are not printed because they change daily; every button opens the live Amazon page. If you want something even smaller, our 75% keyboards and 60% keyboards guides go down from here; for full-size boards see gaming keyboards.
How we picked
- A true tenkeyless layout: 87 keys with the function row, arrows and navigation cluster intact and no number pad.
- Switch variety. Linear mechanical, silent tactile, low-profile mecha-membrane and budget membrane are all represented.
- Build and extras owners mention: aluminum frames, detachable cables, wrist rests and PBT or UV-coated keycaps.
- Owner ratings of 4.3 stars or better, and most picks have hundreds to over a thousand reviews.
- A real price and stock on every listing at the time of writing.
The picks
Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma v2 TKL Tenkeyless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard: Yellow Key Switches, Linear & Silent, Chroma RGB Lighting, Magnetic Wrist Rest, Programmable Macros, Classic Black
The BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma v2 has been the default mechanical TKL for competitive players for years, and 1,150 owners keep it at 4.5 stars. It uses Razer’s Yellow linear switches, which are quiet, light at 45g and actuate about 20 percent shorter than older speed switches, so repeated taps register fast. Every key has its own Chroma RGB LED, Hypershift lets any key carry a second function, and macros record in Synapse. The detachable cable and plush magnetic wrist rest make it easy to pack for a LAN and comfortable at home. It is an older design, so the keycaps are ABS rather than PBT and will polish with use, it is wired only, and the price has not fallen as far as its age suggests. None of that stops it being the best-known TKL for a reason.
- Yellow switches actuate up to 20 percent shorter than legacy speed switches
- Per-key Chroma syncs with games and other Razer gear
- Detachable cable and magnetic wrist rest in the box
- 1,150 owners at 4.5 stars
- Older design; keycaps are ABS and will shine over time
- Wired only
- Often priced like a newer board
Logitech K835 TKL Wired Mechanical Keyboard with Aluminum Frame and Linear Red Switch
The K835 is the TKL for people who want a mechanical keyboard that does not look like it belongs to a streamer. Logitech puts red linear switches rated for 50 million clicks in a slim aluminum frame with a curved key profile and adjustable tilt feet, adds 12 dual-function media and shortcut keys, and leaves out everything else: no RGB, no software, no macro layer. It plugs in over USB and just works on Windows. The absence of any backlight is the main complaint, and the red linears are quiet rather than silent, so a shared office will still hear it faintly. At 4.6 stars from 580 owners it is the best-rated board on this page, and it costs about what a membrane board does. For a desk at work it is the obvious pick.
- Aluminum frame and mechanical switches at a budget price
- No RGB and no gaming styling; fits a workplace
- Curved key profile and tilt feet for comfort
- 580 owners at 4.6 stars
- No backlight at all
- Wired only
- Red linears are quiet but not silent; tactile version is separate
CHONCHOW TKL Gaming Keyboard Wired, Anti Ghosting 87 Keys FPS for PC PS5
The CHONCHOW is the TKL for a first PC, a dorm or a console, and 1,300 owners rate it 4.3 stars. It is a membrane board, so it is quiet and spill-resistant and costs a fraction of anything else here, but it keeps the things that make a tenkeyless useful: 87 keys in a slim case, 19-key anti-ghosting around WASD, 12 Fn media shortcuts and a USB-C cable. The backlight has three fixed color combinations with brightness and breathing speed controlled from the keyboard, and it plugs into a PS5, Xbox or Mac without drivers. It will not feel like the Razer or the Logitech, and the lighting is not RGB. As a cheap, quiet, compact board that does the job, it is the one to buy when the budget is the budget.
- The most-reviewed TKL here: 1,300 owners at 4.3 stars
- Costs a fraction of the mechanical boards
- Spill-resistant and quiet membrane keys
- Works with consoles with no setup
- Membrane, not mechanical
- Three fixed color combos rather than RGB
- 19-key rollover is enough for games but not n-key
Razer Ornata V3 TKL Gaming Keyboard, Low-Profile Keys, Cinnamoroll Edition
The Ornata V3 TKL is Razer’s slim hybrid: mecha-membrane switches that give a mechanical-style click with the soft landing of a membrane, under low-profile keycaps that sit closer to the desk so your wrists stay flatter. This edition carries an officially licensed Cinnamoroll design in pastel blue and white, and it comes with a magnetic soft-touch wrist rest, backlit dedicated media keys and Chroma RGB. Owners rate it 4.6 stars across 590 reviews, and they praise the comfort over long sessions more than the gaming speed. It is not a true mechanical board and the switches cannot be changed, it is wired, and the character design is a commitment. If you want a slim TKL that is comfortable all day and you like the look, it is a good one.
- Low-profile keys with a natural hand position for long sessions
- Chroma RGB and dedicated media keys
- Magnetic wrist rest included
- 590 owners at 4.6 stars
- Mecha-membrane is not a true mechanical switch
- Pastel licensed design is not for every desk
- Wired only
Razer Ornata V3 TKL Gaming Keyboard, Hello Kitty & Friends Edition
This is the same Ornata V3 TKL in its Hello Kitty and Friends edition, which is the version to pick if the lighting matters: it carries 8-zone Chroma RGB with 16.8 million colors and access to the Chroma-integrated game effects, lighting the keyboard in bands rather than per key. Everything else matches the Cinnamoroll board: low-profile mecha-membrane switches, UV-coated keycaps that resist fading, backlit media keys and a magnetic wrist rest. It shares the 4.6-star rating from 590 owners. The licensed design carries a premium over the plain Ornata V3, the lighting is zone-based, and the hybrid switches feel softer than a real mechanical board. For a slim, colorful TKL for a themed desk, the two Ornata editions are the choice; pick whichever character you prefer.
- Eight-zone Chroma lighting with game integrations
- Same slim comfort as the Cinnamoroll edition
- UV-coated keycaps resist fading
- 590 owners at 4.6 stars
- Zone lighting, not per-key
- Licensed edition carries a price premium
- Mecha-membrane feel is softer than mechanical
Razer BlackWidow Stormtrooper Edition, Silent and Tactile Gaming Keyboard, Orange Switches, Compact with Detachable Cable, Tenkeyless Design, US Layout
The Stormtrooper Edition is a Razer BlackWidow Lite in white armor, and the BlackWidow Lite is the quietest mechanical board Razer makes. Its Orange switches are tactile, so you feel the bump of each keystroke, but they are engineered to be silent, and Razer includes o-rings to soften the bottom-out further. It is a compact tenkeyless with a detachable cable, individually backlit white LEDs with brightness control, and Synapse 3 support for macros. There is no RGB, which suits the theme, and the licensed finish costs more than the plain Lite. With 180 reviews it has the smallest sample here, though they average 4.6 stars. If you want a mechanical TKL that a sleeping partner or an open office will not hear, it is the one.
- Tactile bump with almost no noise; o-rings included
- Individually backlit keys with brightness control
- Detachable cable for travel
- 180 owners at 4.6 stars
- White backlight only, no RGB
- Fewest reviews on the page
- Licensed design costs more than the plain BlackWidow Lite
Compare the picks
| Product | Switches | Lighting | Wrist rest | Cable | Owner rating | Our score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma v2Razer | Yellow linear | Per-key RGB | Magnetic | Detachable | 4.5 (1,150+) | 9.0 | See price |
| Logitech K835 TKLLogitech | Red linear | None | No | Fixed | 4.6 (580+) | 9.2 | See price |
| CHONCHOW TKLCHONCHOW | Membrane | 3 color combos | No | USB-C | 4.3 (1,300+) | 8.6 | See price |
| Razer Ornata V3 TKL CinnamorollRazer | Mecha-membrane, low profile | Chroma RGB | Magnetic | Fixed | 4.6 (590+) | 9.2 | See price |
| Razer Ornata V3 TKL Hello KittyRazer | Mecha-membrane, low profile | 8-zone Chroma | Magnetic | Fixed | 4.6 (590+) | 9.2 | See price |
| Razer BlackWidow StormtrooperRazer | Orange silent tactile | White per-key | No | Detachable | 4.6 (180+) | 9.1 | See price |
Why tenkeyless and not 75%
A 75% board saves another inch or two by removing the gaps between key groups and shrinking the navigation block, but it changes where your fingers find Delete, Home and End, and some people never stop hunting. A TKL keeps the exact spacing of a full-size board, so there is nothing to relearn, keycap sets fit without special sizes, and the arrow and navigation clusters are where muscle memory expects them. That is why it remains the standard at tournaments and in offices that buy keyboards in bulk. If you want the space saving without a learning curve, TKL is the one; if you want the smallest board that still has a function row, the 75% guide is the place to go.
Mechanical, mecha-membrane or membrane
The BlackWidow TE and K835 use real mechanical switches with a metal contact and a spring, which give consistent feel and long life and let you choose linear or tactile. The BlackWidow Lite uses Razer’s silent tactile Orange switch for people who want the bump without the noise. The two Ornata V3 boards use mecha-membrane, a rubber dome with a clicky mechanism on top that is slimmer and softer than a full mechanical switch; owners like it for comfort more than speed. The CHONCHOW is plain membrane, the quietest and cheapest option. For gaming speed, linear mechanical; for an office, silent tactile or low-profile; for a console or a first PC, membrane is fine.
Lighting, wrist rests and cables
Per-key RGB on the BlackWidow TE lets you light the WASD cluster or color-code macros; 8-zone lighting on the Ornata Hello Kitty edition lights bands of keys, which is enough for ambience. The K835 has no backlight, the Stormtrooper has white only, and the CHONCHOW has three color presets. Three picks include a magnetic wrist rest, which matters more on a TKL than people expect because the compact layout tends to pull the hands closer together. Detachable cables on the two BlackWidows make them the picks for carrying to a LAN or between home and work. A good mat from our desk mats and mouse pads guide finishes the setup.
What does TKL or tenkeyless mean?
A keyboard without the number pad: 87 keys instead of 104, with the function row, arrows and navigation keys intact. It is about 3.5 inches narrower than a full-size board.
Is a TKL keyboard better for gaming?
It gives the mouse more room, which matters at low sensitivity in shooters, and keeps every key in its normal place. Most esports players use TKL or smaller boards.
Which TKL keyboard is quietest?
The Razer BlackWidow Stormtrooper Edition with silent Orange tactile switches and o-rings, then the CHONCHOW membrane board. The Logitech K835 with red linears is quiet but not silent.
Do these work with a Mac or PS5?
All of them work as standard USB keyboards on a Mac and most consoles; the CHONCHOW lists PS4, PS5 and Xbox support. Razer Synapse lighting software is Windows-focused.
Can I add a number pad later?
Yes. A separate USB or Bluetooth numpad sits wherever you want it, which is the usual answer for TKL owners who enter numbers occasionally.
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