A desk pad is the answer for a 60% keyboard.

Yes. Get a desk pad big enough for both keyboard and mouse – not a separate mousepad.

A 60% keyboard is tiny. That frees up desk space, but it also means a standard mousepad leaves the keyboard sitting bare on the desk, which looks cluttered and feels disjointed. A desk pad (roughly 90x40cm) covers the entire front area: keyboard on the left (or wherever), mouse on the right. No dead