Your keyboard is likely one of the most necessary components of your total PC, so that will help you resolve what your subsequent one’s going to be, we’ve put collectively a listing of all the perfect gaming keyboards we’ve tried and examined within the RPS treehouse. We’ve bought all the pieces right here from high quality mechanical keyboards proper all the way down to the perfect that membrane keyboards have to supply as effectively, the latter of that are each a bit simpler in your ears and, extra importantly, your pockets.
If none of that makes even the slightest little bit of sense, then worry not, as we’ll additionally take you thru all the pieces it’s worthwhile to learn about all of the totally different keyboard varieties on supply, in addition to all of the varied sorts of switches that go along with them. By the time you’re finished, you’ll have all the pieces it’s worthwhile to learn about shopping for the perfect gaming keyboard for you and your finances. Naturally, this checklist will proceed to evolve as and after we get new keyboards in for testing that we expect deserve a spot on this checklist (wi-fi keyboards are additionally forthcoming), however for now, let’s get to it.
Mechanical or membrane?
The very first thing it’s worthwhile to learn about shopping for a brand new gaming keyboard is whether or not you desire a mechanical one or a membrane one. Generally, lots of people who play PC video games favor mechanical keyboards due to their sharp, clear actions and quick, quick actuation factors (when the keyboard really registers you’ve pressed down a key). Personally, I couldn’t give two hoots about whether or not I exploit a mechanical keyboard or a barely spongier membrane one. I’ve preferred and used each kinds of keyboard with out a lot criticism, and so long as I can kind effectively sufficient on it, that’s adequate for me.
Each kind of keyboard has its personal ups and downs. Membrane keyboards are often quite a bit cheaper than their mechanical counterparts as a result of they’re comprised of cheaper supplies, however this in flip makes them extra vulnerable to breaking and are typically a little bit of a ache to repair. Given their low worth, the answer 9 occasions out of ten is simply to purchase a brand new one.
Mechanical keyboards, alternatively, are typically much more costly – with most demanding at the least £80/$100, if not considerably extra – however they’re additionally extra sturdy and simpler to restore. They are, nevertheless, a heck of quite a bit noisier than membrane keyboards, and the loud CLACKEDY CLACK sound they make means they’re a bit anti-social for shared residing areas and are typically finest suited to bedrooms and locations the place you’re the one one that’s bought to place up with all of the noise.
The purpose for it is because every key on a mechanical keyboard has its personal particular person spring-loaded change beneath it. Some are clackier than others relying on what kind of change you go for, however extra on that in a minute. Membrane keys, in the meantime, are comprised of a number of small domes on a single layer of plastic – a bit like bubble wrap. This, naturally, deadens any extra sound they may make, and are usually a lot simpler on the ears.
Now I’ve used many a membrane keyboard over time and located them completely appropriate for video games that don’t require mad esports reflexes in fast-paced FPSs. They can, nevertheless, really feel a bit of unresponsive at occasions if you’re urgent numerous keys collectively, and sometimes require you to press every key all the way in which down to ensure that it to register – which isn’t the case when you go mechanical. As such, a lot of the keyboards you’ll discover on this checklist are, certainly, mechanical keyboards, however some you’ll additionally discover some that supply the perfect of each worlds – so-called ‘membranical’ keyboards, the perfect of which I’ve additionally picked out under. Your ears will thanks later.
What’s the distinction between pink, blue and brown switches?
If you do go for a mechanical keyboard, the following choice you’ll must make is ‘What colour?’ For there isn’t only one kind of mechanical keyboard, oh no. There are a number of, and each comes with its personal kind of change that makes them ever so barely totally different to kind on.
Most keyboards have a tendency to make use of Cherry’s MX switches. Other producers often use their very own switches or different varieties that come in numerous colors, however you’ll principally discover keyboards that broadly fall into the next three Cherry classes: pink, blue, and brown. To see how they work in observe, HyperX have a handy primer with animated GIFs displaying each in motion, however we’ll additionally inform you what keyboards are available in what colors in our rankings under.
Red: Often thought-about the quickest kind of mechanical change, these have a linear motion and go straight up and down if you press them. They don’t present as a lot tactile suggestions as different switches, however the wider hivemind will say these are often the perfect kind for enjoying video games.
Blue: The loudest of all mechanical switches, these ‘click-style’ switches are a bit slower than pink ones as a consequence of their increased reset positions, and usually require a bit extra pressure to press earlier than they register (though in observe it’s mainly tiny and doesn’t have an effect on your typing type in any respect). These are typically thought-about the perfect for typing as a result of they supply a very good sense of tactile suggestions, however they’re fairly good for gaming as effectively.
Brown: For these after the final word in tactile suggestions, brown switches are a type of half-way home between linear and click on switches. Press certainly one of these down and also you’ll really feel a noticeable little ‘bump’ midway by way of, supplying you with a bit extra bodily affirmation that, sure, you’ve certainly press it appropriately. They’re nonetheless fairly noisy, however not fairly as a lot as blue ones.
Best mechanical keyboard: Fnatic Streak / miniStreak
Key options: Mechanical (pink, blue, brown Cherry MX switches), RGB, USB passthrough (Streak solely), devoted media keys
You’ll most likely have heard of Fnatic from their esports endeavours somewhat than their {hardware} manufacturing chops, however the Streak (and by extension its accompanying compact cousin, the miniStreak) is definitely one the perfect mechanical keyboards I’ve ever used. Fnatic will rave about it being the world’s thinnest mechanical board, however actually, it’s only a pleasure to make use of and comes with the comfiest wrist relaxation on the planet.
Their respective designs are surprisingly tasteful for an esports firm, too, that includes the naked minimal of logos and extra branding to maintain all the pieces good and clear and by no means embarrassing to have in your desk. There are a couple of nods to the extra esports-inclined amongst us, such because the detachable magnetic RGB header plate on the very high of the keyboard you possibly can see within the image above (however not in on a regular basis use as a result of it’s dealing with away from you) that you should utilize to insert your individual gamer tag platers and different such gubbins, however total its clean, rounded corners and plain, aluminium chassis are fairly inoffensive.
The removable wrist relaxation, although, is the Streak’s essential attraction. Soft, plush and really straightforward on my previous, weary bones, it may be lifted up and re-positioned into certainly one of three grooves on its accompanying base, permitting you to pitch it as close to to the keyboard as you want whereas nonetheless supplying you with the pliability to have it a bit additional away relying on the dimensions of your arms. It’s immensely sensible and quite a bit comfier than the exhausting plastic rests you are likely to see on different mechanical keyboards, and simply makes utilizing the Streak really feel like an absolute dream.
Even higher, it’s one of many most cost-effective RGB keyboards round, too.
Read extra in our Fnatic Streak / miniStreak review.
UK worth:
Fnatic miniStreak: £90 from Amazon UK
Fnatic Streak: £120 from Amazon UK
US worth:
Fnatic miniStreak: $100 from Bestbuy
Fnatic Streak: $130 from Bestbuy
Runner up: HyperX Alloy Elite
Key options: Mechanical (Red, blue, brown Cherry MX switches), LED (RGB mannequin additionally obtainable), USB passthrough, devoted media keys
Until the Fnatic Streak rode into Castle Shotgun, the HyperX Alloy Elite would have been my high gaming keyboard choose. That’s to not say it’s now not a very good mechanical keyboard, after all. Aside from the big HyperX brand within the high proper nook, that is nonetheless a really engaging keyboard that retains issues good and understated in its total design.
The sharp, angular corners is probably not to everybody’s style, however all of its keys are sensibly laid out, and its devoted media keys and quantity curler are literally extra accessible and simpler to make use of than these discovered on the Fnatic Streak. This specific mannequin is the pink LED model, however it’s additionally obtainable in a costlier RGB mannequin with full rainbow apparel if that type of factor floats your boat. Still, for these after a extra tasteful tackle LED backlighting, the common pink mannequin of the Alloy Elite definitely doesn’t disappoint.
The Alloy Elite solely comes with a plastic removable wrist relaxation, however its textured floor was nonetheless completely comfy for on a regular basis use and its pair of fold-out toes gave it simply the correct quantity of elevation for fast and correct typing. It additionally comes with eight replaceable textured key caps for the WASD and 1234 keys within the field when you favor a special grip in your favorite gaming keys.
Read extra in our HyperX Alloy Elite review.
UK worth:
£96 from Amazon UK
US worth:
$110 from Amazon US
Best RGB keyboard: MSI Vigor GK80
Key options: Mechanical (pink, silver Cherry MX switches), RGB, USB passthrough, devoted media keys
The MSI Vigro GK80 is a superb mechanical keyboard in its personal proper, however certainly one of its stand-out options is its extremely customisable RGB lighting. You’ll must obtain MSI’s corresponding Mystic Light software program to take advantage of it (very similar to any keyboard with RGB lighting), however MSI go one step additional than most RGB keyboards on the market, as you not solely get a large number of additional buttons to assist configure it to your liking, however you additionally get particular RGB sport modes for Overwatch, League of Legends and CS:GO. That’s along with its 14 separate RGB profiles which you could sync throughout all of your suitable MSI peripherals and parts.
The devoted soft-touch wrist relaxation is one other spotlight. Unlike different mechanical keyboards, this doesn’t connect to the principle keyboard itself. Instead, you possibly can place it wherever you want in your desk, its agency grippy underside preserving it in place always. This makes it rather more versatile than most different keyboard wrist rests on the market, however for me, the grooves on the Fnatic Streak nonetheless have the sting – if solely as a result of I don’t must hold re-positioning it each time I want to maneuver my keyboard.
The GK80 is definitely one of many costlier keyboards on the market for the time being, however at the least it comes with a number of extras to assist justify the value. These embrace 4 steel caps for the WASD keys (you additionally get common textured rubber ones as effectively), plus an additional area bar, again area, an additional eight regular-sized key caps and two Ctrl/Alt-sized caps in case you ever want a alternative. Even higher, you possibly can pop all of them contained in the wrist relaxation for straightforward transportation to ensure they don’t get misplaced.
Read extra in our MSI Vigor GK80 review.
UK worth:
£160 from Scan
US worth:
$149 from Amazon US
Runner up: Asus ROG Strix Flare
Key options: Mechanical (pink, brown Cherry MX switches), RGB, USB passthrough, devoted media keys
Another somewhat tasteful tackle each mechanical keyboards basically and RGB variations, the Asus ROG Strix Flare is one other improbable mechanical keyboard that’s worthy of your consideration. Its plain chassis cuts a fantastic, refined profile in your desk, and its elegent, twin matt and brushed completed design that sheers diagonally down the precise facet of the keyboard helps give it a little bit of character that’s each refined and understated.
It additionally doesn’t go overboard with its plentiful provide of RGB LEDs – of which there are loads. Not solely have you ever bought them on the keys themselves, however there are additionally two strips beneath the keyboard in addition to one other couple shining out of the highest, clear cut-out that can be utilized for slotting in 3D-printed gamer tags or the bundled plastic ROG brand (as proven above).
Again, you’ll must obtain Asus’ Armory software program to start out customising the ROG Strix Flare all the way down to a per-key lighting stage, however you get loads of choices when you achieve this. The underglow strips are additionally surprisingly subdued for individuals who favor a extra delicate method to their rainbow-coloured mild exhibits, and I didn’t discover them notably distracting when enjoying video games both.
Read extra in our Asus ROG Strix Flare review.
UK worth:
£140 from Amazon UK
US worth:
$180 from Amazon US
Best membrane keyboard: Roccat Horde Aimo
Key options: ‘Membranical’, RGB, devoted media keys
Okay, so this technically isn’t fairly a correct honest-to-goodness membrane keyboard, however it’s arguably the perfect kind of membrane keyboard you’re going to search out for enjoying video games. While the time period ‘membranical’ is horrible and against the law towards the English language, it does type of seize what the Horde Aimo really is – a midway home between a full-blown CLACKY mechanical keyboard and a quieter, much less ear-grating membrane keyboard.
It’s not totally silent, however it’s definitely quite a bit much less sociable than any of the opposite mechanical keyboards on this checklist – particularly, you should utilize it inside ear shot of one other human being with functioning ear lobes and never run the chance of getting one thing thrown within the normal path of your head. Each key nonetheless presents a lovely diploma of precision and tactile suggestions as effectively, and the delicate RGB lighting doesn’t stand up in your face, both.
What actually separates the Horde Aimo from the remaining, nevertheless, is that good, chunky media bar alongside the highest, full with revolving quantity knob. It’s a splendidly tactile little bit of design, and it may be used for all kinds of capabilities relying on which media key you press alongside it. It additionally has built-in help for Microsoft’s fancy Surface Dial peripheral. The solely factor the Horde Aimo doesn’t have, sadly, is USB passthrough help. But hey, that is nonetheless a fantastic keyboard in its personal proper, and doesn’t demand too a lot of your hard-earned kilos/{dollars}, both.
Read extra in our Roccat Horde Aimo review.
UK worth:
£80 from Overclockers
US worth:
$90 from Amazon US
