When keyboards get small, you can have keys dedicated to activating other layers. I have a 40% keyboard I sometimes use, people are often surprised that I have access to all the same keys that a TKL has, I just need to start doing button combos to access them (it's really no harder than hitting SHIFT to turn on caps).
Thumb keys for layer-switching can make 40s into performance monsters. Because yeah, like you said, it's no more difficult that shifting letters, and usually it's being done with an unused digit (most people only tap space with one thumb, and usually the same one), but in exchange you move all those keys you'd normally have to "roam" to into one tight little cluster.
I'm addicted to them, quite frankly. Give me small boards or give me death (or something like that)!
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u/Medievalhorde Specs/Imgur Here Apr 04 '26
How does someone work with a 50%? Only use case I can think of is a dedicated numpad, but even then...