Best Gaming Keyboard: Finding the best gaming keyboard for your needs can be hard, but we’re going to make it easy. The most important things to think about are the latency (how quickly a keyboard responds), switch types (how a key feels when you press it and how loud it is), and the overall comfort and feel. From there, you can choose if you want extra features like RGB backlighting, media controls, or software customization options that help you make your board feel just right for you. Most gamers look for mechanical keyboards because they tend to have lower latency, more features, and better build quality. Because of this, most of our recommendations are mechanical keyboards.
We’ve tested more than 185 keyboards, and here are our recommendations for the best mechanical and non-mechanical keyboards for gaming. If you’re looking for a keyboard that isn’t just for gaming, check out our recommendations for the best keyboards or the best mechanical keyboards. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a gaming keyboard but have a limited budget, check out our suggestions for the best budget gaming keyboards.
1. SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless
The SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless is the best gaming keyboard we’ve tried so far. This wireless unit has a feature that lets you change the pre-travel distance. This means that you can set how sensitive your key presses are or even assign two inputs based on how far down you press your key. You can customise each key individually within a pretty wide range to best suit your needs. For competitive gaming, you might want a nearly instant actuation point, while for general typing, you might want a longer pre-travel distance.
You can connect this board to a USB receiver or up to three devices using Bluetooth. With RGB turned on, the battery life is about 20 to 30 hours. This may not seem like much, but a competitive gaming keyboard usually has the same features. If you are willing to turn off the RGB lighting, you can get up to 150 hours more out of the battery. If you are still worried about the battery, there is also the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini, which only works when it is plugged in. Or, check out the SteelSeries Apex Pro if you’d rather have a full-size version of this keyboard.
PROS
- Feel very well-built.
- Adjustable pre-travel distance.
- Very little waiting time.
CONS
- The battery life isn’t very long.
- There isn’t a wrist rest included for better support.
Also, Read- 5 Best Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Review And Guide
2. Logitech G715
At an upper mid-range price point, our recommendation is the Logitech G715. It’s a playful keyboard with a plush, cloud-shaped wrist rest, pastel-colored accents, and a nice “underglow” effect from the frosted RGB lighting strip around the unit. Although this board doesn’t have the same degree of customization as our top pick, the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless, its very low latency and overall gaming performance are just as fantastic. Additionally, it’s a great out-of-the-box unit that requires minimal tweaking or programming to get it to feel just right.
Whether you use it in a wired mode with the included USB-A to USB-C cable or wirelessly with its USB receiver, it delivers a responsive in-game experience with no noticeable delay, even if you’re playing competitively. You can get this unit with your choice of Logitech’s own GX switches in the usual offerings of linear Red, tactile Brown, or click Blue Blue, so you can pick the switch feeling you prefer.
PROS
- Feels well-built.
- The wrist rest that comes with it is comfortable and a great ergonomic addition.
- Both Windows and macOS can run the G HUB software.
- With RGB backlighting, key legends are easy to read at night.
CONS
- Macro programming is limited to the F1-F12 keys.
3. Corsair K70 RGB TKL
The Corsair K70 RGB TKL is a good choice for a price in the middle. The K70 RGB TKL is a great gaming keyboard that is also well made. It has a hard plastic chassis, durable PBT keycaps, and ergonomic kickstands that open sideways so you don’t accidentally break them if you bump your board. This keyboard has a maximum polling rate of 8000Hz, which means it sends your keystrokes to your computer much more often than most gaming keyboards. This feature adds to the keyboard’s near-millisecond latency and makes gaming very smooth and responsive, especially when combined with the Cherry MX switches, which are easy to press. You can get this keyboard with either the classic Cherry MX Red switches or the Cherry MX Speed switches. Both switches feel very light and smooth, but the Speed switches have a slightly shorter pre-travel, which makes them very easy to press.
This keyboard is part of a larger line of Corsair K70 keyboards that come in different sizes and have some small differences. We recommend the TKL size because it gives you the most room on the side to move your mouse. However, you might prefer a larger board like the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2, which costs a little more but comes with a wrist rest.
PROS
- The backlighting is full RGB.
- All of the keys can be set up to do macros.
- Built very well.
-
No included wrist rest.
-
Keys may feel too sensitive for some.
4. Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
We recommend the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition if you want a cheap model that doesn’t skimp on performance. This keyboard is an older model from Razer’s top-of-the-line Huntsman line. It has very low latency and gaming-focused optical switches, which work together to make gaming very smooth and responsive. The Razer Optical switches have a linear feel, a very short pre-travel distance, and an actuation force that is as light as a feather. Even though these switches are great for gaming, you might make more typos when chatting with friends because even a light touch can make a keypress.
But since it’s a cheap model, it doesn’t have some of the extra features you’d find on something like the Corsair K70 RGB TKL, which was mentioned above. For example, the Razer doesn’t have media keys, a volume wheel, or a polling rate that is higher than average. So, if you don’t mind that the board is less fancy, it’s the best value for your money.
PROS
- Light and very responsive typing.
- Excellent build quality.
- Full RGB backlight.
- Remarkable lateness.
-
No wrist rest.
5. SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL
The SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL is a good choice if you want to save money. Its TenKeyLess design gives you a lot of room on your desk for sweeping mouse movements. Most of the keyboards on this list use mechanical switches, but this one uses rubber dome switches. These switches are pretty easy to press, and compared to most mechanical switches, they are very quiet. This type of switch is also less likely to be damaged by small spills and pieces of dirt. But they have more pre-travel, which makes them feel less responsive.
This keyboard’s latency is higher than that of more expensive options, so we don’t recommend it for high-stakes competitive play, but it’s fine for any kind of casual gaming. It also has some extra features that are hard to find at this price, like the ability to set macros to any key, dedicated media keys, and a volume wheel. It has RGB lighting, but none of the keys are individually lit. This means that you can only change eight zones. If you want a more traditional shape, the SteelSeries Apex 3 is a full-size version of this keyboard. It’s almost the same except for the size, but it has a wrist rest and is usually only a little bit more expensive.
PROS
- All of the keys can be set up to do macros.
- The switches with rubber domes are easy to press.
- Backlighting in RGB.
CONS
- For competitive gaming, latency is not the best thing.
- Backlights can only be changed by zones.
- Lack of a place to rest your wrists.
