Gamers rarely think about their keyboard and how it affects their game. Ask most gamers what is required for a keyboard to be considered a gaming keyboard, and they’ll probably mention clicky keys, mechanical keyboards, and RGB. But there’s a lot more than that going on under the hood of a gaming keyboard. Things like switch type, actuation distance, and even the number of keys should all go into the decision-making process when buying a new keyboard, but most gamers just go with the brand they’ve used in the past, oblivious to what they are missing out on.
This holiday season, we’ve decided to help you choose the perfect keyboard for the gamer on your shopping list. We will walk you through some of the jargon associated with keyboards so you can hit the stores and websites armed with the knowledge you need to make an informed choice. And if that isn’t simple enough, we’ve listed a few of our favorite boards that will look good - and perform well, too - on any gamer’s desk.
Keyboard Size And Layout
After reigning supreme for decades, many gamers have started trading their full-sized 104-key keyboards for something more compact. Tenkeyless, 75%, 60%, and other size keyboards offer different layouts and key combinations, but what do all the names mean?
Full-sized Keyboard - This is the standard 104-key keyboard that has been around for years. Although there are some slight variances in the actual number of keys and how they are laid out (a 96% keyboard gets rid of a few keys and scrunches everything together to save space), the most basic layout has an alphanumeric keyboard with a row of 12 function keys along the top. To the right of the basic layout are the four arrow keys and the home cluster (home, end, insert, delete, page up/down). On the far right of the board is the 10-key pad (there are actually more than ten keys, but who’s counting?), also known as the number pad or Numpad. Higher-end keyboards can pack in additional functionality, like multimedia keys, macro keys, and LED screens across the top and sides of the keyboard.
Tenkeyless, or 80% keyboard - Since we are gaming and not doing data entry, our right hand is planted on the mouse, leaving little purpose for the redundant keys on the number pad. To reduce the keyboard's footprint and free up extra space for mouse movement, the 10-key pad is cut off, hence the name Tenkeyless. This leaves us with 87 keys. Somehow, even though less material is used to manufacture the keyboard, the price is often the same or more than a full-sized model.
75% Keyboard - A variant of the Tenkeyless, the 75% keyboard further reduces the board's footprint by eliminating any extra space between the keys. One of the Alt keys is removed, the right shift key is usually smaller than usual, the home cluster is aligned vertically, and a few keys, like the scroll lock and print screen keys, are removed to fit the remaining 80-84 keys into a tight rectangular layout.
65% Compact Keyboard - A compact keyboard tightens the belt another notch. This time, the whole row of function keys and the insert/delete keys are on the chopping block. These keyboards will usually assign secondary functions to some of the other keys to maintain functionality.
60% Compact Keyboard - Take a 65% keyboard, rip off the arrow keys and remaining home keys, and you now have a 60% compact keyboard. At this point, you are almost down to the keys on an electric typewriter. You do know what a typewriter is, right?
Other Sizes - As if we haven’t gone through enough size options, even more keyboard sizes are available. These are very niche, the most common being the 40% mini that removes the number row and some punctuation keys. But let’s face it, if you’re looking for one of these boards, this guide isn’t really for you, is it?
Switches
Most people type away on their keyboard, never knowing what makes them click (literally). You just press a key and a letter appears on the screen, or your character walks forwards or backward. Some gamers swear by mechanical keyboards, but what does that really mean? Well, it’s all about the switches.
Membrane Switches - Membrane switches are found in laptops, office equipment, and budget keyboards. A molded rubber membrane lays on top of the keyboard’s circuit board, with each key sitting atop a raised bubble in the membrane. When you press a key, you effectively push the bubble down so that the switch contacts the circuit board and registers a keystroke. The bubble returns to its original position when you lift your finger off the key.
Although membrane switches generally have faster actuation due to the short distance they have to be pressed down, they feel mushy and imprecise. The rubber also wears out more quickly than a mechanical switch, making the keyboard less reliable.
The primary benefit of a membrane keyboard is the price. You can grab one of these keyboards for a fraction of the cost of a mechanical keyboard.
Mechanical Switches - When people talk about mechanical keyboards, the mechanical part is the switch. Unlike a membrane keyboard, where all of the keys are placed on a single rubber sheet, each key in a mechanical keyboard has its own switch. The switch is made of three parts: the base, a spring, and a stem. When you press a key, the stem is pushed down, allowing the two pieces of the switch to make contact and register a keystroke.
The spring has a dual role in a mechanical switch. Not only does it return the stem to its starting point when you release the key. The spring also determines the force needed to press the key. This gives mechanical keys a more consistent feel and actuation across the entire keyboard.
There are multiple types of mechanical switches. Cherry’s MX switches are very popular, but several manufacturers have started making their own variations of the Cherry switch since their patent expired several years ago. Switches are generally referred to by their color (blue, red, brown, etc.), and although each manufacturer has their own design and color coding, they all have similar properties:
- Clicky (aka Cherry Blue) - As you press the key, a small bump on the slider provides tactile feedback and an audible click at the actuation point.
- Tactile (aka Cherry Brown) - The slider provides the same tactile bump as a clicky key, but there is no audible click. Sometimes called silent switches, the keypress still creates noise as the key bottoms out, but it is far less than the sound made by a clicky switch.
- Linear (aka Cherry Red) - No bump, no click. Just a smooth, precise keystroke. A downside to a linear switch is that the lack of feedback means you can inadvertently activate a keystroke by resting your fingers too heavily on the keys.
- Speed - Speed switches are linear switches that have a shorter actuation distance. Faster presses equal speed.
- Optical - Instead of using metal contacts to register a keypress, optical switches use a beam of light to register the position of the stem. This allows for custom actuation points using a single switch. Some manufacturers also use optical switches to program multiple keystrokes depending on how far the key is pressed. Some software can even use an optical switch as an analog device, similar to how a trigger works on a game controller.
Best Full-Sized Gaming Keyboards
SteelSeries Apex 3 ($39.99) - Some gaming keyboards cost less than $50, but finding a decent one at that price is tricky. Thankfully, the SteelSeries Apex 3 has a low price tag and still offers some of the bells and whistles of more expensive boards. The Apex 3 does use membrane switches, but SteelSeries turns this negative into a positive by using a membrane that grants IP32 water and dust resistance. The Apex 3 also has RGB lighting, dedicated multimedia controls, and a magnetically attached wrist rest. This is about as good as it gets without going mechanical.
Razer BlackWidow V3 ($99.99) - The Racer BlackWidow is synonymous with gaming keyboards, and the V3 is Razer’s latest refinement of the board. The BlackWidow utilizes Razer mechanical switches and comes with either their green (clicky) or yellow (linear) variants. The BlackWidow also sports per-key RGB, five onboard memory profiles, a removable wrist rest, and onboard multimedia controls. The BlackWidow V3 Pro ($229.99) also incorporates Razer’s Hyperspeed Wireless for 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity for a hefty price increase.
Wooting Two HE ($194.99) - The Gateron x Lekker analog switches on the Wooting Two HE allow you to set the actuation and reset point on each individual key from .1mm to 4mm. The switches also offer full analog input and dynamic keystrokes, making the Wooting Two HE an alternative to using a controller.
Best Tenkeyless Gaming Keyboards
Full-sized keyboards are great when all you need to do is type, but the last time I used a 10-key pad while gaming was before mice were invented. That extra space could be better served for mouse movement, making the tenkeyless keyboard the perfect compromise for someone who still needs to get some work done when they aren’t gaming.
SteelSeries Apex3 TKL ($42.95) - Like the full-sized Apex 3, the TKL version is a budget-priced board that still competes with lower-end mechanical keyboards.
Corsair K70 RGB TKL ($114.99) - The K70 RGB TKL packs in all the features of the full-sized K70 in a smaller footprint. The K70 TKL comes with a choice of Cherry MX Red/Speed/Silent or Corsair OPX switches and tops them off with a nice set of PBT double-shot caps. The TKL also has a full set of media buttons and a volume scroll wheel, enough onboard memory to store up to 50 lighting and keybinding profiles, and a tournament-mode switch on the back to set the K70 to its default settings easily.
Razer Huntsman V2 TKL ($159.99) - The Huntsman V2 TKL matches the 8000Hz polling rate of the Corsair K70 TKL and then raises the bar by using Razer optical switches for blazing fast actuation times.
Best Compact Gaming Keyboards
For some people, gaming is a hobby. For others, it’s a lifestyle. If you fall into the latter group, your keyboard has one purpose and one purpose alone. There’s no need for compromise; you just want a high-quality, small-footprint design that is good for gaming. Who cares about actual typing, right?
Roccat Vulcan II Mini ($999.99) - Using Titan II optical switches with 1.4mm actuation, the Vulcan II Mini is a keyboard made for gaming. Like many 65% keyboards, the Vulcan Mini uses secondary key functions to emulate a full-sized board. Roccat has added a gaming mode that grants access to additional functions through an Easy-Shift button (the capslock key by default).
SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini ($179.99) - A wireless 60% layout keyboard, The Apex Pro Mini utilizes OmniPoint 2.0 magnetic switches for accurate and immediate actuation. Like optical switches, the OmniPoint 2.0 switches provide adjustable actuation from .2mm to 3.8mm and dual actuation points. The magnetic switches are also guaranteed for 100 million presses.
Best Low-Profile Gaming Keyboards
If portability is a concern, a thinner, low-profile keyboard may be something to consider. The smaller footprint means a low-profile keyboard will take up less space in a backpack, and the lower height of the keys eliminates the need for a wrist rest. The downsides? Well, there really aren’t any.
Logitech G915 Lightspeed ($179.99)- The G915 is Logitech’s take on a low-profile keyboard. Logitech has created a cult following over the years, and fans of the brand will find the same quality and features found in other Logitech boards. Gamers can connect to multiple devices and quickly toggle between Logitech’s Lightspeed Wireless and Bluetooth at the touch of a button. And like most other boards on this list, a G915 TKL variant is available for $159.99
Keychron K7 ($84.00) - Not only is the K7 cheap (in price, not quality) for a low-profile keyboard, its 65% layout and 22mm thickness makes it the ultimate choice for portability. The K7 (along with the larger layouts of the K1, K3, and K5) also offers something many other low-profile keyboards don’t - hot-swappable switches for better customizability.
Razer Deathstalker V2 ($199.99 - $249.99) - Featuring Razer low-profile optical switches (linear or clicky), the Deathstalker V2 incorporates Razer’s years of gaming knowledge into a slim and sleek keyboard. The Deathstalker V2 is a full-sized wired keyboard, while the V2 Pro adds Razer’s Hyperspeed wireless to full-sized and tenkeyless variants.
Best Ergonomic Keyboards For Gaming
There are plenty of ergonomic keyboards to help with the strain of regular typing, but there aren’t many options targeted directly at gamers. There are a few keyboards - and other options - that stand out from the crowd.
Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB ($199.99)- Getting used to the layout of an ergonomic keyboard can be a non-starter for many gamers, so Kinesis has found a more straightforward way to reduce the strain on your wrists. Instead of curving the keys to fit the natural angle of your hands and wrists, they split a 75% keyboard right down the middle. This allows you to angle each half of the keyboard as you see fit while keeping the key layout unchanged. This also means the Freestyle Edge has the welcomed side effect of giving you more mouse space since you can simply move the right half of the keyboard out of the way during gaming.
Cloud Nine ErgoFS ($189.99) - Similar in design to the Kinesis Freestyle Edge, the ErgoFS splits a full-sized keyboard in half (the $169.99 ErgoTKL is a tenkeyless variant). The C989 has two rows of macro buttons along the left side and a “smart wheel” within easy reach of your left thumb for added functionality.
Keycrhon Q10 ($215.00) - The Keychron Q10 gives you the ergonomic goodness of an Alice layout in a 75% build. There is also an extra row of Macro keys along the left side for added game functionality.
Razer Tartarus V2 ($74.99) and Tartarus Pro ($129.99) - Not a true keyboard in the traditional sense, the Razer Tartarus is an add-on pad that provides greater functionality, precision, and ergonomic comfort than a regular keyboard. The wrist and palm rest give excellent support, and the keys are laid out ergonomically for gaming purposes. There is also a thumbpad and scroll wheel for additional functionality. The Tartarus V2 uses membrane switches, with the Tartarus Pro uses optical switches that can be configured with adjustable actuation points, dual-function half and full-presses, or full-analog mode.
Best Customizable Keyboards
Finding the perfect keyboard can be challenging. Most retail boards are built with a single switch type, and some use cheap keycaps to reduce costs. Customizable keyboards may cost you more, but you will have a final product built specifically for you, not the masses.
Keychron Q-Series ($159.00 - $195.00) - The Q-Series runs the whole gamut of keyboard sizes, from the full-sized Q7 to the Q1 (75%), down to the Q9 (40%) and everything in between. Each board can be purchased as either a barebones kit (case only, no caps or switches) or a fully-assembled unit. The assembled unit comes with PBT-Double Shot keycaps and your choice of pre-lubed Gateron Pro switches (options vary by model), creating the perfect gateway into the world of keyboard customization without diving headfirst into a DIY project.
The full lineup features a CNC aluminum body, a double-gasket design (the Q1 has a single gasket), hot-swappable switches, and QMK/VIA support. The aluminum body, gaskets, and case foam give the keyboard a fantastic sound without the ping or tinny sound of mass-produced retail boards. The pre-lubed Gateron switches on my Q1 provide a buttery smooth feel and an accurate and predictable response no matter how heated the gameplay gets.
Glorious MMGK Pro ($169.99) - A barebones 82 key, 75% aluminum keyboard case, the Glorious MMGK is an excellent foundation for a custom build. If you’re a novice to the DIY scene, Glorious has a configuration tool to help you pick some or all of the necessary parts to complete the build, including extras like lube, o-rings, and a stabilizing kit. Or, skip Glorious’ curated parts picker and grab your favorite components to create the perfect board.
