ANSI vs ISO – what are the different keyboard layouts, and do they affect your gaming performance?  

We’ve all seen the words ANSI and ISO being thrown about to describe keyboards, but it’s not always obvious as to what it means. But that’s where we come in! It’s time to ease your confusion about keyboard layouts as we’re going into detail about what ANSI and ISO mean, along with the key differences between them.  


British vs American Keyboards

UK ISO vs US ANSI – do you know the difference between these two keyboard layouts? If not, we’ve broken down everything you need to know below.

ANSI

An ANSI keyboard follows the layout set by the Amercian National Standards Institute and is commonly used in the United States. An ANSI keyboard is defined by the wide rectangular Enter key which sits underneath the Backslash key along with larger left and right shift functions.  

Full-sized ANSI keyboards have a total of 101-104 keys. There is no space for any additional key for special characters or diacritics.  

Pros

  • More ergonomic than ISO as all the keys are mounted and closer together. 
  • Can be cheaper than ISO. 

Cons

  • Enter key isn’t as distinct since it’s a simple rectangular shape.  
  • Lack special characters and the Alt Gr key used to create diacritics.  

ISO

ISO keyboards follow the layout established by the International Organisation for Standardisation and are more commonly used in the UK and other European countries. An ISO keyboard is defined by the Enter key which is shaped as an upside-down L and sits directly under the Delete key. In addition to this, the Alt key is also replaced with Alt Gr which is used for characters that feature diacritics, such as á. 

ISO keyboards will typically have 102-105 keys. Those with 105 keys have the backslash button at the bottom left of the Enter key and the right shift key is notably larger the left. 

Pros

  • Inclusion of the Alt Gr key, which is widely used in European countries to create accents. 
  • The closer backslash key. Helpful for programmers and developers as this key is frequently used. 

Cons

  • Not that ergonomic since other popular keys are further away meaning you’ll have to extend your hand whilst typing.  
  • Can be more expensive than ANSI keyboards. 

So… What’s the Difference? 

All those different keys and sizes can sure get confusing. But to make it easier to understand the differences between ANSI and ISO, we’ve included the handy table below.  

Number of KeysAvailabilityShift Key (Left)Enter KeyAlt Key (Right)Backslash KeyNumber of
Tenkeyless Keys
ANSI101-104USBigger and closerWide rectangular shapeSame left and right Alt keysDirectly above the Enter key
and same size as the right Ctrl key
87
ISO102-105EuropeSmall and farL-shaped and upside downNo right Alt keyDirectly to the left of the Enter key88

ANSI vs ISO – Which Do I Want on My Keyboard?  

There aren’t any in-game benefits to each layout. It won’t affect your performance but rather the size and placement of the keys. For example, on an ISO keyboard, the backslash key is notably closer to the enter key. However, as a result both the enter and left shift keys are placed further away, meaning you’ll have to extend your hand to reach them. Therefore, which keyboard layout you pick all depends on your individual preferences and ergonomics.  

What’s more, if you have always used one layout over the other, you’ll probably be best with sticking with the layout that you know best. This will avoid those moments of panic and confusion when the key you want isn’t in the spot you think it is…  


Looking to Upgrade Your Keyboard?  

Are you in the market for a new keyboard for your set-up? At Overclockers UK, you can find a huge range of gaming keyboards and keycaps available in both ISO and ANSI layouts.  

Ducky One 3 Classic Full-Sized ISO USB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard 

  • Full sized keyboard
  • ISO layout
  • Quack mechanics
  • Hot-swappable technology
  • This model comes equipped with Cherry MX Silver key switches

Glorious GMMK 2 96% ANSI USB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard 

  • 96% keyboard
  • ANSI layout
  • Hot-swappable technology
  • This model comes equipped with Glorious Fox linear key switches

Ducky 132 PBT ANSI/ISO Mico Keycaps

  • 132 keycap set
  • PBT
  • Dye-sub legends
  • Compatible with ISO and ANSI keyboard layouts

Glorious Aura v2 PBT ANSI Pink Keycaps

  • 145 keycap set
  • PBT
  • Translucent legends
  • Compatible with ANSI layouts
  • All pink design

All Your Keyboard Questions Answered!  

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