The Best Keyboard Deals This Week*
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
If you’re a gamer, you probably take your choice of gaming keyboard very seriously. And you should.
When your keyboard doubles as your game controller, it’s more than just a tool for typing. It is to you what the katana is to a samurai (or to a cyborg ninja): an extension of yourself, your interface with the digital world. If you care about PC gaming, it pays to know what makes a keyboard great, what differentiates one from another, and what’s on the market today. We’ve rounded up the best keyboards you can buy, followed by a brief guide to help you find the one that’s right for you.
MSI Vigor GK71 Sonic Mechanical Keyboard
Best Gaming Keyboard for Most People
Bottom Line:
Casual and hardcore gamers alike will find lots to love in MSI’s GK71 Sonic Mechanical Keyboard. Sensitive keys, a compact design, and cleverly implemented RGB lighting set it apart.
PROS
- Impressive RGB lighting
- Quiet operation
- Light-touch keycaps
- Nifty volume roller
- Wrist rest and keycap puller included
- Cable routing helps keep cords tidy
CONS
- Wrist rest is not magnetic
- No dedicated macro buttons
- No USB passthrough
- Ambient Link LED option is limited to a handful of games
Razer Ornata V2
Best Budget Gaming Keyboard
Bottom Line:
The “V2” name feels like a bit of a stretch, but the new Razer Ornata adds a little extra flair to the company’s classic hybrid keyboard.
PROS
- Dedicated media keys
- Programmable volume roller
- Mecha-membrane keys
- Padded wrist rest
CONS
- Not that many new or updated features
Asus ROG Claymore II Wireless Keyboard
Best Wireless Gaming Keyboard
Bottom Line:
Asus’ revised wireless mechanical ambidextrous gaming keyboard is full of upgrades and ready for the spotlight.
PROS
- Wireless and mechanical
- Number pad can attach to either side of the keyboard
- Four dedicated macro keys
- Perfectly light ROG RX opto-mechanical switches
- Detachable wrist rest
CONS
- Number pad doesn’t always feel secure
- Removable end caps for keyboard and number pad are easily lost
- USB passthrough only works in wired mode
- Very expensive
Corsair K70 RGB TKL Champion Series Gaming Keyboard
Best Tenkeyless Gaming Keyboard
Bottom Line:
The Corsair K70 RGB TKL Champion Series is tuned for both high-performance esports play and luxury, a rare, welcome combination in a tenkeyless keyboard.
PROS
- Media and profile buttons on a tenkeyless keyboard
- Physical Tournament Mode switch
- Compact design
- Detachable USB-C cable
CONS
- 8000Hz isn’t necessary for a keyboard
Read Our Corsair K70 RGB TKL Champion Series Gaming Keyboard Review
Corsair K70 Pro Mini Wireless
Best 65 Percent Gaming Keyboard
Bottom Line:
The feature-rich Corsair K70 RGB Pro Mini Wireless is a stunner and one of the finest 60% keyboards we’ve seen.
PROS
- Excellent RGB implementation
- Hot-swappable key switches
- Included key cap and key switch puller
- Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connection options
- Compact and lightweight
- Can create up to 50 user profiles via Corsair iCue app
CONS
- Expensive
- 8,000Hz polling maximum may be overkill
HyperX Alloy Origins 60 Gaming Keyboard
Best 60 Percent Gaming Keyboard
Bottom Line:
The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 mechanical keyboard works just as well as its larger sibling thanks to a well-designed body, balanced proprietary switches, and useful configuration software.
PROS
- Proprietary HyperX switches offer balanced typing feel
- Cool, alternate space bar cap
- Slightly more affordable than other 60 percent gaming keyboards
- PBT keycaps
CONS
- Only three onboard profiles
- Non-PBT alternate keycaps
Kinesis TKO Gaming Keyboard
Best Gaming Keyboard for Esports Pros
Bottom Line:
With bold and helpful features, the Kinesis TKO gaming keyboard carefully weaves competitive and ergonomic keyboard features into a single, awesome vision.
PROS
- Four ergonomic feet enable reverse tilt and tenting
- Three-button spacebar
- Nine onboard profiles
- RGB underglow bar
- Bundled carrying case
CONS
- Driverless software makes configuration and firmware updates more difficult than usual
Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB Split Gaming Keyboard
Best Ergonomic Gaming Keyboard
Bottom Line:
In the Freestyle Edge RGB, Kinesis brings best-in-class ergonomics to the gaming-keyboard scene for players serious about minding their wrists and hands in the course of their gaming endurathons.
PROS
- True Cherry MX switches in a choice of three varieties.
- Comfortable ergonomic design, once you’re accustomed to it.
- Superb, plush wrist rest.
- Per-key customizable RGB lighting.
CONS
- Driverless SmartSet app is more work than we’d like.
- Optional “lift kit” costs extra.
- Steep learning curve.
Read Our Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB Split Gaming Keyboard Review
Corsair K100 RGB Gaming Keyboard
Best Gaming Keyboard for Streamers
Bottom Line:
Corsair’s legendary flagship keyboard is back with a new look, Stream Deck support, and other useful features.
PROS
- Extra macro buttons, with Stream Deck support
- Useful iCue control wheel
- Comfortable wrist rest
- USB Passthrough
CONS
- Stream Deck support limited to extra Macro keys
- Corsair OPX Optical Switches are an acquired taste
- Very expensive
Razer Huntsman Mini Analog
Best Gaming Keyboard With Adjustable Switch Actuation
Bottom Line:
Though changes are minor over the original, Razer’s refreshed Huntsman Mini gaming keyboard is worth putting your fingers on. The addition of Razer’s analog switches is a welcome upgrade to an already excellent 60% keyboard.
PROS
- Optical analog key switches offer precise control
- Compact and lightweight
- RGB lighting looks great
- Quality PBT keycaps
- Razer Synapse software offers tons of customization
CONS
- Expensive
- Synapse software isn’t beginner-friendly
Roccat Vulcan II Max
Best RGB Gaming Keyboard
Bottom Line:
Roccat’s pricey Vulcan II Max keyboard delivers an RGB light show like no other, but it’s not just a pretty face, with functionality to please power users and hard-core gamers alike.
PROS
- Attractive design with gorgeous RGB lighting
- Easy-Shift+ adds tons of functionality
- Switches compatible with many third-party keycaps
CONS
- Expensive
- Keycaps could be more comfortable
- No wireless connection options
Buying Guide: The Best Gaming Keyboards for 2022
Most higher-end gaming keyboards these days use mechanical key switches, which pair each key to its own spring-loaded switch. They are designed to provide superior audio and tactile feedback. Many of these switches use so-called “MX” mechanisms from a company called Cherry, and are identified by color (MX Black, MX Brown, MX Blue, MX Red, and so on), each with a slightly different design, tweaked to provide a specific feel and sound while typing.
Which switch you want depends on what types of games you play, and what else you do with your computer. Cherry MX Black switches have the highest activation force, which makes them ideal for games in which you don’t want to have to worry about accidentally hitting a key twice. This, though, can give them a stiff feel that’s not well suited for games that require nimbler response, so for those types of titles you may prefer hair-trigger Cherry MX Red switches. If either is too extreme for you, there’s a compromise candidate in Cherry MX Brown switches: They have the same actuation force as the Red variety, but add a tactile bump to aid with typing. If you need a keyboard that can switch back and forth between hard-core gaming and traditional work tasks, this is the kind to look for.
(Credit: Kyle Cobian)
Cherry isn’t the only switch maker in town, though. Decent Cherry MX imitations from makers such as Kaihua populate some budget mechanical keyboards. Also, some mass-market keyboard manufacturers have developed their own mechanical switches as an alternative to Cherry’s. Logitech’s Romer-G switches are available on many of its gaming keyboards, and the company claims they have a longer lifespan (up to 70 million keystrokes) and a shorter travel distance than Cherry switches. Razer, too, has made a name for itself with its Green (tactile and clicky), Orange (tactile and silent), and Yellow (linear and silent) key switches. What’s more, the green tri-serpent company now has an optical (“Opto-Mechanical”) key switch that uses a light beam to detect a keypress rather than a standard metal contact point. (For lots more about mechanicals, see our picks for our favorite mechanical keyboards.)
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
At the lower end of the gaming keyboard market, you will still find boards that make use of “rubber dome” switches, which employ little bubbles in a silicone membrane, the material being the spring behind the switch. The result feels mushy and requires a full press with each keystroke, slowing down the speed at which commands can be entered. A slight variation on this is the scissor switch, which also uses a silicone membrane for springback but has a slimmer profile and adds a stabilizing “X”-shaped mechanism beneath each key. Scissor switches are most often found on laptops, but a few low-profile gaming keyboards use them.
Trick It Out: Keyboard Backlighting and Customization
Features that would be unimportant on a regular keyboard take on new significance when adapted to gaming. Backlighting, for example, is not merely a way to illuminate keys in a dark room. For gamers, newer twists on the old backlight include adjustable colors, and multiple lighting zones with separate backlight areas for arrow and WASD keys, highlighting the most frequently used control keys. Some gaming keyboards even have individual-key backlighting, which lets you personalize the color of each key, one by one, as you see fit. (This is often referred to as “per-key RGB,” as opposed to zone-based RGB, in which you can assign colors to key clusters or areas.)
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
Another customizable feature is the swappable keycap. Because mechanical switches are physically separate from the keycap itself, with some designs you can remove and swap out the keys’ tops for others that feature molded sculpting, texturing for better tactile control, or differently colored plastic. Some keyboards offer only swappable WASD keys, while others may include arrow or number keys that you can change out.
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
A gaming keyboard may have more to offer than exceptionally well-made keys, adding features like macro-command customization and dedicated shortcut keys. Some go so far as to include entirely new features, such as in-game statistics tracking, text communication to the keyboard, or built-in touch-screen displays. Other possible enhancements include rows of dedicated media keys (for adjusting volume, playing and skipping music, and the like) and profile keys (for toggling on game-specific sets of keyboard functions). Some gaming keyboards also have USB pass-through, letting you connect other USB peripherals to the keyboard itself, freeing up an extra port or two on your PC.
Most gaming models offer a 10-key numeric pad, which laptops frequently lack and is a necessity for anyone who needs to tally numbers or enter data into a spreadsheet. So-called “tenkeyless” models slice off the numeric pad in the interest of space savings and keeping your typing and mousing hands closer together. Bear that in mind if you’re looking at gaming keyboards, as tenkeyless models are a recent trend especially in that subclass. If you want to go even smaller, 60 percent keyboards eliminate even more keys. Check out our 60 percent keyboard guide for everything you need to know about the category.
Interface: USB Wired, or Wireless?
Speaking of USB: Though you may prefer your keyboards to be wireless, most gaming keyboards are wired for a reason. Wired keyboards are snappy, as you don’t have to worry about the potential input latency involved in the transmission of wireless signals. With a run-of-the-mill wireless keyboard, you might expect some delay between you pressing down a key and your computer registering it as a keypress.
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
When you’re playing games, especially in the case of competitive multiplayer titles, it’s critical to keep this lag to a minimum. That’s why many competitive gamers and esports hounds swear by wired only. That said, many of the big players in gaming keyboards offer a few avowed low-latency wireless designs. But wireless gaming keyboards remain the exception rather than the norm. (See our picks for our favorite wireless keyboards.)
Evaluating Gaming Keyboard Software
Another area that we consider when evaluating gaming keyboards is the software. These days, almost every gaming keyboard worthy of being called one is tied to an application that lets you assign functions to shortcut keys, create game-specific profiles, and customize on-keyboard lighting.
For these tasks, and a few others, Corsair keyboards use a utility called Corsair Utility Engine (iCUE, formerly just CUE)(Opens in a new window). One of the best-regarded examples of keyboard software, iCUE boasts a simple interface with a vast assortment of options for personalizing your board. You can, for example, record your own custom macros or assign new functions to existing keys. For Corsair keyboards that support RGB, you can even use the software to stack various effects, with the option to preview combinations before applying them.
(Credit: PCMag)
The latest Logitech keyboards, on the other hand, are compatible with two programs: G Hub(Opens in a new window) and Logitech Gaming Software (LGS)(Opens in a new window). G Hub is the newer interface for Logitech gear, and it offers a more digestible interface for setting up game profiles, customizing and synchronizing lighting zones, and assigning a second layer of functions to your keys, activated by pressing an assignable G Shift command.
Recommended by Our Editors
(Credit: PCMag)
Meanwhile, all Razer keyboards use an application called Synapse(Opens in a new window) for personalization. Up until G Hub was released, Synapse had one of the cleanest interfaces of all the keyboard utilities we’ve tested. Easy to learn, Synapse employ menus with options to modify lighting, create profiles, record and assign macro functions, and integrate your Razer hardware with Philips Hue lights for the ultimate coordinated RGB (or “Chroma,” as Razer calls it) experience.
(Credit: PCMag)
Other software for gaming keyboards exists, such as Roccat’s Swarm, SteelSeries’ Engine, and Cougar’s UIX. As much as their appearances vary, the purpose and functionality of these programs remain largely the same. Software goes hand-in-hand with gaming keyboards, and one of the key selling points for these peripherals is that you can tweak the way they look and perform to suit your preferred games, genres, and play style. Competent software helps you make better use of your gear; that’s why the best gaming keyboard manufacturers pour so many resources into developing software and drivers that our analysts deem up to snuff. Look to our reviews for deep dives on the software.
Gaming on a Mac? You’re not alone, and you have more options than you used to. Many mouse and keyboard manufacturers now produce Mac versions of their configuration apps so you can enjoy all the advantages of customizing your inputs. Our roundups of the best keyboards for Macs and the best gaming mice for Macs will help you find peripherals that help you step up your game.
So, Which Gaming Keyboard Should You Buy?
If you’re looking to fully deck out a gaming system, you’ll also want to check out our top-rated gaming mice, monitors, and gaming headsets. Some of these models can work in sync with the keyboard, in terms of lighting and commands, so it’s worth reading reviews of these as well. Sometimes, the same software can control RGB effects or macros on a keyboard and a mouse from the same manufacturer, keeping you from having to maintain and understand two or more utilities.
Check below for the best gaming boards we’ve tested of late. Most are classic mechanical-switch models, but a few use alternate key types, so check the reviews for the details. And if you’re in the market for a whole new gaming rig, don’t miss the best gaming desktops and gaming laptops we’ve tested.
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