Using a US layout keyboard in UK

[danlightbulb]

Im searching for a nice mechanical keyboard at a reasonable price. Many of the good value ones are US layouts though.

I can see that most of the key symbols still exist on a US layout, but they are in different locations. Is this annoying to use?

And one or two symbols don't appear at all, eg the £ sign. How do you handle this?

I really don't want to have a symbol saying one thing on the keyboard but producing another when typed.

But if I could get a US layout, it would certainly open up more buying choices.

Any views please?

 

[danlightbulb]

Don’t be so tight, treat yourself.

Its not the money on its own, its the choice as well.

 

[danlightbulb]

One option is to get a keyboard with a standard layout of physical keys and buy a keycap set to suit you. Set it to UK layout in Windows, sorted.

I was looking at this but it seems far from straightforward. For a start some keys are actually different sizes (enter, left shift) and then have to try and find a set which has the £sign on the 3 key.

 

[danlightbulb]

I don't even get why it would even be a consideration

Because the choice in US styles in much larger with more cleaner looking colour choices and less garish 'gaming' styles.

 

[danlightbulb]

Revisiting this thread because I have an update.

There is a native windows software add on called Windows Keyboard Layout Creator. It allows you to create and install completely bespoke keyboard mapping layouts.

So for example, if you had an Ansi keyboard with the 3# key, you could create a keyboard layout that lets you get a £ sign on altgr+3.

Or what ever other symbols you want mapped anywhere on the keyboard.

So I'm wondering now if this changes things. If I get a barebones Ansi layout and a set of keycaps which has both iso and Ansi keycaps in it, I could create a broadly ISO keyboard layout using the windows software. The only difference then to a full iso layout would be the different sized/shaped enter and shift keys.

Or, using a completely standard Ansi layout, a simple key remap of the £ symbol on altgr+3 would give me the £ symbol on key 3 where it should be. I just wouldn't have the symbol showing on the key itself. This would leave the other Ansi keys on their original spots, so 2@ instead of 2", and 3# instead of 3£, etc.