Hopefully I can make this clear with an example. On my current keyboard, Alt is directly under X and Win is directly under Z. On most of the models of mechanical keyboards I have looked at, those keys are shifted well to the left of where I am used to. The bottom row layout is often (3 keys, spacebar, 4 keys). If I could switch it to (4 keys, spacebar, 3 keys), that would match what I am used to.

I am testing out an Aula F87, and I've found that the difference is not just cosmetic. I use the Alt and Win keys a lot between video games and my window manager, and it is substantially less comfortable to have to reach the additional distance so frequently.

How much work would I have to do to, or is it even possible at all, to move things around as described? If it's not possible, does anyone have suggestions for finding a keyboard that matches what I want (other than just looking at pictures of lots of keyboards until I find one that looks comfortable)?

Realistically no, there is no way to move the mechanical switch to a new physical location. This would require replacing the PCB and using one with the correct spacing.

You can remap keys using QMK if supported but thats about it.

Otherwise, you will need to find a board that has the layout you prefer.

https://github.com/sezanzeb/input-remapper

This could help. It also has a GUI.

I have a laptop where my 2 key and tab key do not work. I have remapped them to home key and end key.

Is this what you want?

Time to make your own keyboard! If you don't have a 3d printer you can buy one online. Then you need just wires, switches, and a raspberry pi pico and you can make one any way you want!

Are you fundamentally opposed to doing the remapping at an OS level? I suspect that most, if not all, OSes permit for such remapping in one way or another. For many, that might be an acceptable workaround.

I also think I vaguely recall some USB device from quite some time back that you could plug a keyboard into that proxied for the keyboard and provided macro functionality at the keyboard level for keyboards that couldn't do that, and I could believe that it might be able to remap.

searches

Probably not the device I was thinking of, but this appears to be a dedicated USB remapper:

https://www.remapper.org/

Sadly, I'm not generally the hands on sort. Thanks for the suggestion though!

I was hoping for something that would let me physically move things around. I might have to settle for remapping, but I haven't come up with a map that's really satisfying yet. I'll keep the link you sent in mind if I go that route. Thanks for sharing!

Disappointing, but not surprising. Seems like I have some more work ahead of me to get something I want. Thank you for letting me know!

I'm late here, but while it may create more problems than it solves (it also uses an ISO style vertical "7-shaped" enter key and splits the right side shift), a JIS keyboard shortens the spacebar and does 4-1-5 on the bottom row. If it's remappable you could make the one immediately to the right of space be another space so your thumb doesn't betray you.

Beyond that, "Minila" layouts are usually for smaller boards (60%) but will sometimes have this, and if you can at least go as far as soldering switches, YMDK sells a cheap PCB that has many bottom-row options. If getting left-Alt moved to the right a bit is the main thing, many custom and semi-custom boards support the "Tsangan" bottom row that scooches it so it covers 3/4 instead of 1/2 of 'X'. Finally, the Tex Shinobi is a mechanical keybaord that recreates the layout of a Thinkpad, including the trackpoint.

Or, you could go full DIY. C'mon! You know you want to!

Thanks for all the info! For now, I'm just living with what I bought, but I've noted the layouts you mentioned for my next attempt.

The distinction that helped me think about this is between moving the function and moving the physical key. Remapping can change what a key does, but it cannot move where your thumb lands, so if the issue is reach distance rather than which label is where, remapping alone may still feel awkward. One cheap test is to remap a key that is already under your thumb to the function you use most, use it for a few days, and see whether the problem goes away or whether you still miss the old spacing. If you still miss the spacing, look specifically at the bottom-row layout in the specification, not just photos, because spacebar length and modifier sizes decide whether a four-key, spacebar, three-key arrangement is even possible on that board. That is a much narrower filter than general layout photos, and it saves a lot of trial and error.