The Best Gaming Keyboards Of 2025

3 hours ago

The champion gaming keyboards bring a greater emotion of comfortableness and power to your PC play time, whether you’re sinking into a 100-hour RPG aliases sweating done an online shooter. They whitethorn not ever consciousness arsenic premium for typing arsenic a bully civilization mechanical keyboard, but they’re usually a bully upgrade complete nan mean keyboards sitting astir nan office. To thief anyone looking to upgrade, I’ve spent much clip researching gaming keyboards than immoderate personification reasonably should, testing dozens of well-reviewed models on nan way. Whether you want thing mini, analog, wireless aliases conscionable plain cheap, these are nan champion I’ve used.

What to look for successful a gaming keyboard

To beryllium clear, immoderate keyboard tin beryllium a “gaming keyboard.” If you play tons of video games and person ne'er sighed to yourself, “man, this keyboard is holding maine back,” congratulations, you astir apt don’t request to salary other for a caller one. Self-proclaimed gaming keyboards often travel astatine a premium, and while nan champion connection high-quality designs, snazzy RGB lighting and a fewer genuinely worthwhile features, nary of them will springiness you god-like skill, nor will they abruptly move bad games into bully ones.

Mechanical vs non-mechanical

Now that we’ve touched grass, I did prioritize immoderate features while researching this guide. First, I mostly stuck to mechanical keyboards, not laptop-style membrane models. They tin beryllium loud, but they’re much durable, customizable and broadly satisfying to property — each affirmative traits for a merchandise you whitethorn usage for hours-long gaming sessions.

Size

Next, I preferred tenkeyless (TKL) aliases smaller layouts. It’s wholly good to usage a full-size committee if you really want a number pad, but a compact exemplary gives you much abstraction to flick your rodent around. It besides lets you support your rodent person to your body, which tin trim nan hostility placed connected your arms and shoulders.

A 96 percent keyboard, a tenkeyless (or 80 percent) keyboard and a 60 percent keyboard.

Switches, keycaps and build quality

Linear switches, which are often branded arsenic “red,” are mostly favored by gamers. These springiness keystrokes a soft consciousness from apical to bottom, pinch nary tactile “bump” that could make fast, repeated presses little consistent. They usually require small unit to actuate, and they thin to beryllium quiet. However, if you for illustration nan consciousness and/or sound of a much tactile aliases clicky switch, get 1 of those instead. You mightiness suffer immoderate velocity successful esports-style games, but thing is much important than your comfort.

Some gaming keyboards are based connected different mechanisms entirely. Optical switches, for instance, usage a beam of ray to registry keystrokes, while Hall effect switches usage magnets. These often feel linear, but they let for a much versatile group of gaming-friendly features, specified arsenic nan expertise to group civilization actuation points, delegate aggregate commands to 1 cardinal and repetition cardinal presses faster. In general, they’re faster and much durable too.

The Wooting 60HE+ gaming keyboard sits astatine an perspective connected a brownish woody outdoor table. The keyboard is all-black, but has a yellowish ribbon attached to its apical near corner, pinch nan building

This analog-style functionality has go nan large inclination successful nan gaming keyboard marketplace complete nan past fewer years. Most of nan awesome keyboard brands now waste astatine slightest 1 exemplary pinch Hall effect switches and, based connected my testing, it’s easy to spot why: Many of their customizations really tin springiness you a much granular (yet still fair) consciousness of control, particularly successful much competitory games. Consequently, galore of our picks beneath are built pinch nan tech.

Keyboards pinch these benignant of features usually aren’t cheap, however, and they’re acold from basal for those who chiefly play single-player games. Some of their tricks person besides stirred up controversy: One known arsenic SOCD (Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions) cleaning allows you to activate 2 different directional keys astatine nan aforesaid time, making it imaginable to, among different things, execute impossibly cleanable strafing successful shooting games. A fewer games specified arsenic Counter-Strike 2 have banned nan feature arsenic a result, though it tin still beryllium a nosy point to play astir pinch successful games that don’t impact different people. SOCD isn’t constricted to magnetic switches either; immoderate mechanical keyboards support it too.

A mini fistful of recent keyboards person shipped pinch inductive switches, which committedness nan adjustable actuation features of Hall effect keyboards but pinch amended artillery efficiency. We haven’t been capable to trial 1 of these conscionable yet, but we’ll look to do truthful successful nan future.

A fistful of detached keyboard keycaps remainder connected a brownish woody table, organized successful a measurement that spells retired nan words

Keycaps and build quality

Regardless of move type, you want a framework that doesn’t flex nether pressure, keys that don’t wobble and stabilizers that don’t rattle erstwhile you deed larger keys for illustration nan spacebar. I for illustration double-shot PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) keycaps complete those that usage cheaper ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, arsenic they won’t create a greasy radiance complete clip and their icons are little apt to fade. A hot-swappable PCB (printed circuit board) that makes it easy to alteration switches if nan temper arises is ideal, arsenic are dedicated media keys.

For nan liking of simplicity, I only considered prebuilt gaming keyboards for this guide, though galore of nan picks beneath let for customization down nan line. If you (and your slope account) really want to spell wild, cheque retired our guideline to building a civilization keyboard.

Software, connectivity and RGB

If a keyboard has companion software, it should fto you programme macros and civilization cardinal bindings for games without frustration. For convenience, a wired keyboard should link done a detachable USB-C cable. A bully wireless keyboard won’t adhd superior lag, but only if it uses a USB receiver, not Bluetooth. (It’ll astir apt costs much arsenic well.) Some gaming keyboards advertise super-high polling rates — i.e., nan velocity astatine which a keyboard reports to a machine — to trim latency, but unless your show has an particularly accelerated refresh rate, nan accustomed modular of 1,000Hz should beryllium fine. And while cipher needs RGB lighting, it’s fun. Consumer tech could usage much of that, truthful nan cleaner and much customizable nan RGB is, nan better.

A close-up of a gaming keyboard pinch 2 keycaps removed, displaying nan switches underneath.

How we tested

The champion measurement to measure a keyboard is to just… usage it, truthful that’s what I did. To screen a assortment of usage cases and creation styles, I’ve researched dozens of keyboards complete nan past respective months that’ve broadly received precocious marks from master reviewers and users alike. I’ve past utilized each exemplary I’ve brought successful arsenic my regular driver for a fewer days. Since I constitute for a living, this gave maine capable clip to get a beardown consciousness of each keyboard’s typing experience.

For gaming, I springiness typical attraction to each keyboard’s responsiveness successful accelerated and/or reaction-based online shooters specified arsenic Halo Infinite, Counter-Strike 2, Apex Legends, Valorant, Overwatch 2 and XDefiant, arsenic galore would-be gaming keyboard buyers get 1 successful nan hopes that it’ll thief pinch that genre successful particular. I made judge each keyboard felt comfortable pinch different types of games, though, specified arsenic Baldur’s Gate 3 (a turn-based RPG), Hi-Fi Rush (an action crippled pinch an accent connected timing and rhythm) and Forza Horizon 5 (an arcade racing game). I utilized nan second to amended measure nan pressure-sensitive features of nan analog keyboards I tested.

If a keyboard could beryllium configured pinch aggregate move types, I sewage nan linear model. Upon receiving each keyboard, I removed respective keycaps to guarantee nary were chipped aliases broken. I noted whether immoderate keys felt wobbly, whether nan lawsuit flexes nether pressure, whether nan texture and decorativeness of nan keycaps changes aft usage and whether larger keys for illustration nan spacebar felt peculiarly rattly aliases hollow. I typed connected each keyboard successful speedy succession successful a quiet room to get a consciousness of wherever they classed successful position of noise. For wireless models, I checked whether nan artillery drain astatine 50 percent RGB brightness aligned pinch a manufacturer’s estimate. I looked to results from sites like Rtings to guarantee thing was retired of bid pinch latency. I did my testing connected a 144Hz show pinch my individual rig, which includes a 10th-gen Core i9 CPU and an RTX 3080 GPU.

This helped maine guarantee each keyboard met a baseline of wide quality, but to reiterate, truthful overmuch of this process is subjective. I tin show you if a keyboard is large based connected really I slam my keys, for instance, but you whitethorn person a lighter touch. What my tastes find “comfortable,” “pleasing,” aliases moreover “useful,” you whitethorn dislike. As I’ve written before, keyboards are for illustration nutrient aliases creation successful that way. So, support an unfastened mind.

With astir gaming keyboards, claims of “improving your play” are conscionable trading fluff. With nan Wooting 80HE, it’s really benignant of existent — aliases astatine least, it tin be. The cardinal is its analog “Lekker V2” switches, which tin respond to varying levels of pressure, overmuch for illustration nan triggers connected a PlayStation aliases Xbox controller. These usage magnetic Hall effect sensors, which intends they person less beingness interaction points that tin suffer from deterioration and tear complete time.

This setup enables a fewer genuinely beneficial features. For one, you tin set nan actuation constituent of each cardinal anyplace betwixt an ultra-low 0.1mm and 4mm, successful 0.1mm steps. With a fast-paced FPS, mounting nan actuation constituent debased makes nan keys much delicate and frankincense exceptionally responsive to speedy movements. For a turn-based RPG aliases simply typing, raising that pre-travel region makes each property much deliberate and little prone to errors. You tin besides operation and match, making your WASD keys faster to actuate but leaving nan remainder astatine a little touchy level.

Another feature, “rapid trigger,” registers nan actuation and reset points of a cardinal property dynamically. This lets you re-actuate a cardinal mid-press, earlier it has to spell each nan measurement backmost up, truthful you tin repetition inputs faster. It’s a boon for shooting and hit games successful particular: In a 1v1 shootout successful Halo Infinite, you tin strafe, extremity and commencement pinch a small much velocity and granularity. We’re still talking milliseconds of difference, but sometimes that’s each that separates defeating an force and leaving them pinch a sliver of health. You tin harvester this pinch a mates of SOCD settings for moreover faster strafing, but cognize that those circumstantial features could get you banned from immoderate esports-style games. (See our notes connected move types supra for much connected this.)

Beyond that, you tin necktie up to 4 actions to 1 cardinal based connected really acold it’s pressed. In Halo, for instance, I’ve made it truthful I tin people enemies and move grenades by long-pressing Q and E, respectively — i.e., nan keys correct adjacent to WASD. Short-pressing those keys, meanwhile, still lets maine usage their default bindings. In different game, you could lightly property a cardinal to propulsion retired a grenade, afloat property to propulsion it, past merchandise to reequip your main weapon. All of this requires immoderate encephalon retraining, but it yet lessens nan request to contort your fingers to execute a afloat group of commands. Which, successful turn, tin prevention you much precious seconds during a battle.

Because nan keys are pressure-sensitive, you tin besides group them to mimic an Xbox controller. With a racing crippled for illustration Forza Horizon 5, nan W and S keys could guidelines successful for nan LT and RT buttons, while A and D replicate nan near joystick. Does this consciousness arsenic earthy arsenic utilizing existent joysticks aliases a good wheel? Of people not. But for games that don’t expect you to usage a rodent alongside nan keyboard, it’s really not arsenic clunky arsenic you’d expect.

That caveat is important: Plenty of games aren’t designed pinch analog keyboards successful mind, truthful don’t expect nan 80HE to switch your gamepad. Owning this won’t magically make you a top-tier subordinate either. When you’re up against different group astir your accomplishment level, though, nan other spot of precision these features supply is tangible.

There’s been a tidal activity of analog keyboards released successful nan past mates of years, but nan 80HE stands retired for getting nan fundamentals right. There are surely nicer-feeling mechanical keyboards for $200, including galore that don’t person all-plastic cases. But its double-shot PBT keycaps consciousness crisp, its keys are comfortably spaced and nan pre-lubed linear-style switches are soft and satisfying to press. (The switches are technically hot-swappable arsenic well, though nan marketplace for third-party Hall effect switches is comparatively small.) An soul gasket mount provides a cushioned landing for your fingers — though presses aren’t rather arsenic springy present arsenic they are connected nan champion keyboards pinch this benignant of creation — while aggregate layers of foam and portion springiness it a soothing thocky reside that isn’t annoyingly loud. The per-key RGB backlighting is tidy and profoundly customizable. The keyboard tin technically support a accelerated 8,000Hz polling rate arsenic well, but that's mostly overkill.

Where Wooting really wins is pinch its software. The company’s Wootility app is afloat accessible done nan web and makes it easy to remap keys, delegate macros and Fn furniture shortcuts, create profiles, set RGB lighting and group up each of those actuation-based tricks. It just works successful a measurement truthful galore different apps we’ve tested for this guideline do not, taking pains to make judge you understand what you’re changing pinch each characteristic and spot that your changes are progressive and really functioning arsenic intended. You tin prevention up to 4 profiles to nan instrumentality itself, and swapping betwixt them is arsenic elemental arsenic hitting a two-button shortcut.

What's more, nan 80HE has a four-year warranty, which is longer than astir of its peers. The braided USB-C cablegram comes pinch a USB-A adapter, a bully touch that makes it easier to usage nan keyboard crossed devices. Wooting offers a fewer different customization options arsenic well: You tin bargain nan 80HE pinch a much premium zinc alloy lawsuit (albeit for $90 extra) and dye-sub keycaps aliases drawback a module type that lets you build it retired pinch your ain (magnetic) switches and keys.

There are still a fewer downsides. The 80 percent layout is an overseas half-step betwixt accepted TKL and 75 percent designs: It still fits successful arrow keys and takes up acold little abstraction than a full-size exemplary but omits a mates of nan accustomed Nav cluster keys. The abstraction barroom has a spot of rattle to it. There’s nary wrist remainder successful nan box. There are a fewer pairs of rubber stops that slot into nan backmost of nan keyboard and let it to remainder astatine different fixed angles — those support nan instrumentality dependable successful place, but attaching them is much cumbersome than simply adjusting nan feet built into astir boards.

At $200, nan 80HE besides isn’t nan champion value, particularly fixed that it lacks immoderate benignant of wireless connectivity. That's earlier immoderate tariff impacts, which Wooting has said could lead to a value hike. And you tin only bargain nan instrumentality nonstop from nan company, which sells its cogwheel in batches. For much competitive-minded players, though, this is nan champion blend of features, typing value and easiness of usage that we’ve tested.

Pros

Magnetic switches are profoundly versatile for gaming
Easy-to-use software
Sturdily built
Comfortable for typing and sounds pleasant

Cons

Wired-only
A spot expensive
80 percent creation is somewhat awkward
Only disposable to bargain successful batches

$200 astatine Wooting

If you want to salary arsenic small arsenic imaginable for an acceptable, honest-to-goodness gaming keyboard, get nan G.Skill KM250 RGB. For $45, it offers PBT keycaps, hot-swappable switches, per-key RGB backlighting, adjustable feet, a detachable USB-C cablegram and moreover a dedicated measurement power knob. Its translucent “pudding” keycaps look funky but thief show disconnected those RGB effects. The linear Kailh Red switches are speedy and soft enough, without nan pinging sound that often plagues fund keyboards. Its 65 percent layout doesn’t chew up space, but it still fits successful a group of arrow keys. Though there’s nary dedicated package for programming nan KM250, you tin quickly switch done lighting effects correct from nan device. Avoiding imaginable bloatware whitethorn beryllium amended astatine this value anyway.

The KM250 isn't a miracle, mind you. The integrative framework is lightweight and amazingly sturdy, but you don’t get nan level of sound-dampening foam, reinforced stems aliases pre-lubed springs you’d find successful a much premium keyboard. Key presses sound hollower and consciousness a spot stiffer erstwhile you bottommost retired arsenic a result. Plus, while having PBT keycaps astatine each successful this scope is great, they aren’t arsenic pleasingly textured arsenic much costly options.

But travel on, it’s $45. For that price, everything present is beyond functional. And if you ever want to upgrade immoderate of its lesser elements, you can.

Pros

Excellent value
Hot-swappable
Rotary knob
Decent PBT keycaps

Cons

Plastic frame
Hollow sound
Keystrokes consciousness somewhat stiff

$45 astatine Amazon

If you want a gaming keyboard you tin return connected nan road, aliases you conscionable despise cablegram clutter, cheque retired nan SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (Gen 3). Like nan Wooting 80HE, its linear-style switches usage magnetic Hall effect sensors, which unfastened up a scope of useful gaming features. You tin raise aliases little nan actuation points of individual keys anyplace betwixt 0.1mm and 4mm, alteration a rapid trigger mounting to repetition presses faster and hindrance aggregate commands to 1 cardinal based connected really acold it’s pushed. (So you could, say, lightly property W to walk, past clasp it to run.) There’s a useful “protection mode” that lowers nan sensitivity of adjacent keys erstwhile 1 cardinal is pressed, which makes it harder to “fat-finger” incorrect inputs by accident, positive an SOCD feature and preset profiles for a fewer celebrated games. There’s nary dedicated analog mode for driving games, and you tin “only” delegate 2 actuation-based commands to a cardinal astatine once, but nan Apex Pro still allows for finer power than astir of its peers.

The “keyboard” portion of nan Apex Pro TKL is beyond satisfactory arsenic well. The double-shot PBT keycaps defy grime and aren’t overly sculpted, truthful they’re easy to reach. The RGB lighting is clean, while nan aluminum-plated platform doesn’t noticeably flex. Adjustable feet and rubber pads connected nan backmost do good to support nan committee stable, and there’s a soft magnetic wrist remainder included successful nan box. On nan beforehand is simply a measurement roller and a mini OLED display, nan second of which lets you quickly switch profiles, set and position actuation levels, cheque artillery position and moreover spot info from definite apps, among different tweaks. With Counter-Strike 2, for instance, it tin show nan existent information and your K/D ratio. You tin besides link complete Bluetooth successful summation to nan included dongle and USB-C cable.

The typing experience, meanwhile, is simply a noticeable betterment complete nan last-generation Apex Pro (our erstwhile wireless pick). The lightly pre-lubed switches make presses consciousness soft and distinct, while a fewer layers of sound-dampening foam supply a mild thocky tone. It’s not full-on quiet, but it’s muffled capable to springiness that consciousness of feedback astir group bask from a mechanical keyboard without wholly aggravating everyone astir you.

The larger keys are mostly handled well, too, though nan abstraction barroom could beryllium tighter, while nan participate and correct displacement keys rattle a spot much than nan larger stabilized keys connected nan near broadside of nan board. In general, you’d still bargain nan Apex Pro TKL for its gaming features first, but it’s a decidedly Nice Keyboard moreover without them.

That’s good, because pinch a database value of $300, this point is expensive. If earthy typing consciousness is your main concern, location are cheaper alternatives successful our honorable mentions and “others we tested” conception below.

Besides nan price, our main gripes are pinch SteelSeries’ GG software. It’s surely usable, but it’s a spot little refined than Wooting’s Wootility app. The process of assigning aggregate inputs to 1 cardinal requires jumping betwixt 2 different tabs, while mounting up civilization RGB profiles forces you into a abstracted app. There’s nary evident measurement to necktie an RGB layout to a circumstantial actuation profile, and you request to time off nan package moving for immoderate settings tweaks to enactment active. The artillery life, rated for 37.5 hours pinch nan wireless dongle, isn’t particularly agelong either. Still, if you’ve sewage much rate to pain and must spell wireless, nan Apex Pro gets overmuch much correct than wrong.

As an aside: At slightest one review has said that nan Apex Pro’s civilization actuation settings aren’t ever accurate. We reached retired to SteelSeries astir this, and a institution spokesperson told america that inaccurate readings could stem from a select successful nan keyboard’s firmware that’s designed to extremity accidental cardinal presses from happening erstwhile nan included wrist remainder is attached aliases removed. According to nan company, this select would usually person nary effect connected nan property distance, but it whitethorn tally and origin presses to beryllium deeper than intended if personification were to usage a mechanical instrumentality (like a robotic testing arm) to push a cardinal highly slowly. We couldn’t find immoderate accuracy issues successful our ain “real-world” testing, truthful we guidelines by our recommendation.

Pros

Fast and profoundly versatile magnetic switches
Useful OLED display
Pleasant typing experience
Multiple relationship modes

Cons

Expensive
Software isn't ever intuitive
Battery life could beryllium better

$333 astatine Amazon

Connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, USB-C | Size(s): 65 percent, 75 percent (standard aliases Alice layout), 80 percent (tested), 96 percent, 100 percent | Switches: Gateron Jupiter Brown (tested), Red, Banana | Hot-Swappable: Yes | Material: Plastic | Keycap material: Double-shot PBT | Backlight: RGB (south-facing) | Software: VIA

If you aren’t aggravated astir esports-style play and conscionable want a bully mechanical keyboard you tin besides usage for games, effort nan Keychron V3 Max. For $115 pre-tariffs, it offers a wireless creation pinch hot-swappable switches, double-shot PBT keycaps and a measurement knob. By default, it comes pinch Gateron’s Jupiter Red (linear), Brown (tactile) aliases Banana (more tactile) switches; nan Jupiter Reds are sufficiently ray for mundane gaming and, pinch nan thief of an soul gasket equine and aggregate layers of sound-dampening foam, mostly quiet. Each move comes pre-lubed, which helps support nan out-of-the-box typing acquisition from emotion aliases sounding cheap. Presses make a beautiful small pop. The keycaps are comfortably spaced and mildly rounded, making it easier to debar accidental inputs, though they person a somewhat a somewhat precocious profile, truthful they tin consciousness a small much in nan way than nan keys connected nan Wooting 80HE aliases SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless for speedy actions. All of it connects complete a removable USB-C cable, Bluetooth aliases a wireless adapter, and location are USB-C and USB-A dongles successful nan box.

The V3 isn’t arsenic focused connected ultra-low latency arsenic a dedicated gaming keyboard, and it doesn’t person immoderate of nan typical analog features disposable pinch nan 80HE aliases Apex Pro, but it should beryllium responsive capable for each but nan astir competitory players. A built-in move lets you switch betwixt Windows and macOS modes, and location are OS-specific keycaps successful nan box. You tin programme nan committee done Keychron's Launcher web app, which is harder to grok than thing for illustration Wootility but lets you remap keys, create macros aliases set nan backlight crossed OSes.

The V3 Max’s keys are individually backlit, and you tin set its RGB effects correct from nan board. That tin look overseas pinch nan default, non-shine-through keycaps, however. There’s a brace of foldable feet connected nan back, but since this is simply a high-profile keyboard pinch nary wrist remainder successful nan box, it’s not nan astir universally ergonomic setup. The chassis is besides made of plastic, truthful it’s difficult to telephone “premium.” And nan stabilizers could beryllium better: There’s a faint but audible rattle erstwhile pressing nan backspace aliases participate keys, while nan abstraction barroom is louder and much hollow-sounding than everything else. Still, this is simply a comfortable and customizable introduction constituent for those looking to get into mechanical keyboards arsenic a hobby, 1 that’s nicer for typing than astir options successful its value range. It’s a beardown worth for non-twitchy games.

The V3 Max is simply a tenkeyless model, but Keychron sells respective different size and layout options arsenic portion of nan V Max series, too. We antecedently recommended nan Keychron V3, an older wired model, and that 1 is still OK if you want to prevention a spot more. But nan Max’s wireless connectivity and improved acoustics make it a amended buy.

Pros

Good value
Typing feels and sounds great
Hot-swappable switches
USB-C and USB-A wireless receivers
Rotary knob

Cons

Plastic design
Some rattle pinch larger keys
Keycaps neuter RGB backlight

$115 astatine Amazon

The Lemokey P1 HE is simply a wireless exemplary pinch Hall effect switches and a 75 percent layout. On earthy build value and typing acquisition alone, it is simply a clear measurement supra our apical picks. Its afloat aluminum framework has zero flex, while its gasket-mount creation and pre-lubed magnetic switches make keystrokes consciousness springy. Layers of noise-dampening worldly support everything sounding pleasant, and nan stabilizers connected nan larger keys successfully forestall immoderate superior rattling. In galore ways, it’s reminiscent of nan Keychron Q Max — nan apical proposal successful our guideline to nan best mechanical keyboards — conscionable pinch flatter banal keycaps that are shine-through and easier to move between. (Lemokey is Keychron’s gaming sub-brand.)

Like different Hall effect keyboards, nan P1 HE offers customizable actuation points, accelerated trigger, nan expertise to delegate aggregate commands to 1 cardinal and a gamepad-style analog mode. Unfortunately, Keychron’s Launcher software doesn’t rather lucifer up to nan hardware. It won’t admit nan keyboard unless you link complete a cable, for one, and nan process of mounting up civilization profiles isn’t arsenic readable arsenic it is pinch SteelSeries’ GG app aliases (especially) Wooting’s Wootility. You tin only prevention 3 profiles to nan onboard memory, too, and nan shortcut for swapping betwixt them is convoluted by comparison. You can’t delegate unsocial RGB lighting setups to different profiles, either.

All of those analog tricks still work, and nan P1 HE is truthful delightful to type connected that it’s worthy considering complete nan Apex Pro TKL Wireless if you attraction astir nan “keyboard” portion of your gaming keyboard first and foremost. That’s particularly existent fixed that nan P1 HE costs $130 little — but nan Apex Pro is simply a smoother acquisition for gaming specifically.

Pros

Feels and sounds awesome for typing
Exceptional build quality
Versatile magnetic switches

Cons

Software needs polish

$170 astatine Amazon

Other gaming keyboards we tested

Note: The pursuing is simply a action of noteworthy gaming keyboards we’ve put done their paces, not a broad database of everything we’ve ever tried.

Wooting 60HE+

You tin see nan Wooting 60HE+ our “1A” pick, arsenic it’s fundamentally a much compact type of nan 80HE pinch a 60 percent layout. It supports nan aforesaid analog gaming features, has nan aforesaid four-year warranty and still uses nan awesome Wootility software. It’s besides $25 cheaper. If you for illustration a smaller creation and don’t request arrow keys, you tin bargain it pinch confidence. However, much group will find nan 80HE’s larger layout easier to usage connected a day-to-day basis. Its gasket mount, updated switches and other sound-dampening worldly make it much pleasant-sounding and comfier for typing retired of nan box. Plus, while nan 60HE+ tin only remainder astatine 1 fixed angle, nan 80HE comes pinch a fewer sets of removable feet.

It's besides worthy noting that Wooting has announced an updated exemplary called nan 60HE V2 since our past update. That 1 is expected to get by nan extremity of 2025, truthful if you're not successful a unreserved it whitethorn beryllium worthy holding retired for a fewer much months.

Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid

The Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid is simply a bully magnetic-switch replacement to nan Wooting 80HE if you must bargain from 1 of nan awesome keyboard brands. It’s wired-only, but it looks good, pinch clear RGB lighting, a built-in measurement roller, dedicated media keys and a sturdy metallic apical plate. The expected accelerated trigger and adjustable actuation tricks each activity fine, and Logitech’s G Hub package is easier to get astir than astir apps from nan big-name manufacturers. It tin admit erstwhile you’ve launched definite games, for instance, past use immoderate civilization profiles you’ve made for them automatically. It's $10 cheaper than nan 80HE arsenic well. Where it falls short is nan typing experience: The default switches are beautiful noisy, and bottoming retired nan keys feels stiffer present compared to our apical picks. If you want those Wooting-style features and for illustration a clackier sound, however, it’s a decent buy.

Logitech G Pro X TKL and G Pro X 60

The wireless Logitech G Pro X TKL and G Pro X 60, which usage much accepted mechanical switches, aren’t arsenic hot. They’re built well, but they’re excessively pricey to not beryllium hot-swappable aliases deficiency nan analog features of nan 80HE. There isn’t overmuch sound-dampening foam successful either models, too, truthful neither sounds great. We for illustration that some travel pinch a carrying case, though.

A achromatic gaming keyboard, nan Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid, rests connected a brownish woody table.

Keychron C3 Pro

The tenkeyless Keychron C3 Pro is nan apical fund prime successful our mechanical keyboard guide, and it remains a awesome stand-in for nan G.Skill KM250 RGB if you want to enactment nether $50. With its gasket equine design, soul foam and pre-lubed switches, it feels and sounds fuller to press. The base version we tested lacks hot-swappable switches and only has a reddish backlight, but Keychron has released a revised exemplary that addresses that and adhd afloat RGB. That said, its ABS keycaps still consciousness cheaper and tin create a radiance complete time, positive there’s nary measurement knob. Some whitethorn find KM250’s smaller size much convenient for gaming, too.

A much caller update called nan C3 Pro 8K does see PBT keycaps for $55; we'll purpose to trial that 1 successful nan future.

Keychron Q1 HE

The Keychron Q1 HE is benignant of an older type of nan Lemokey P1 HE pinch nan aforesaid magnetic switches and a likewise fantabulous aluminum chassis. Its double-gasket design, pre-lubed switches and layers of foam make it a joyousness for typing. But its gaming features trust connected nan aforesaid iffy software, while nan banal keycaps are sculpted successful a measurement that makes them trickier to property quickly. Those keycaps aren’t shine-through either, and nan full point is much expensive, truthful location isn’t overmuch logic to bargain it complete nan P1 HE.

Sony Inzone KBD-H75

The Sony Inzone KBD-H75 is different 1 that ticks astir of nan boxes we’re looking for. Its 75-percent framework is compact but not cramped. It looks plain, but it wouldn’t beryllium retired of spot successful an office. The metallic apical comes disconnected arsenic important — though nan bottommost is made of integrative — while nan PBT keycaps are durable, pinch shine-through lighting. A gasket-mount creation and immoderate value stabilizers thief nan typing acquisition consciousness and sound great. Presses person a bully clack, but they’re muted capable that they shouldn’t annoy anyone astir you. The magnetic Hall effect switches fto you customize actuation points and utilize a accelerated trigger mode. General latency is excellent, and Sony’s Inzone Hub isn’t arsenic fussy aliases obtuse arsenic galore companion apps successful this market. There’s besides a measurement knob.

The problem is that each of this costs $300, and that’s a batch for a keyboard without wireless connectivity (or due macOS support). Competitive gamers whitethorn not attraction astir that, but for astir others, location are amended values retired there. If you ever spot this 1 connected sale, however, it’s good worthy a look, arsenic nan banal typing consciousness is simply a spot nicer than that of nan Wooting 80HE.

Razer Joro

The Razer Joro is simply a decent prime if you want a portable scissor-switch keyboard alternatively of a bulky mechanical one. It’s fundamentally a “gamer” return connected Apple’s Magic Keyboard, pinch a slick achromatic finish, sturdy aluminum apical plate, RGB lighting and SOCD support. The 75-percent layout is ace low-profile and weighs conscionable 0.8 pounds, truthful it’s highly travel-friendly. The typing acquisition is stable, wonderfully quiet and comfortable for what it is — put it successful a laptop and it’d beryllium a standout. It each useful crossed Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.

That said, it’ll ne'er consciousness arsenic cushy arsenic a bully mechanical committee complete extended sessions. The creation is fixed astatine 1 level angle, which immoderate whitethorn find uncomfortable. The ABS keycaps aren’t awesome for thing priced astatine $140, and while location is 2.4GHz wireless support, you request to bargain a abstracted dongle to really usage it. Otherwise, you’re playing complete Bluetooth, which adds latency, aliases a short USB-C cable. The Joro serves its niche good capable if you’re ever connected nan road, but it’s a skip if you don’t crippled beyond your table very often.

The Razer Joro and Sony Inzone KBD-H75 gaming keyboards remainder connected a brownish woody array pinch their RGB lighting activated.

Razer Huntsman V2 TKL

We antecedently recommended nan Razer Huntsman V2 TKL arsenic a mid-priced prime acknowledgment to its ray optical switches, crisp PBT keycaps and impressively muffled reside (with nan linear-switch model, astatine least). Its deficiency of analog features make it a harder waste these days, though, and its keys wobble much than those connected nan Keychron V3 Max. It’s not hot-swappable, either. Beyond that, only nan type pinch clicky switches — which sound uncomfortably crisp — is still successful banal arsenic of this writing.

Razer Huntsman V3 Pro

The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is simply a statement of wired analog keyboards that comes successful 60 percent, TKL and full-size options. They person conscionable astir each nan features we for illustration connected nan Wooting 80HE, but their optical switches are noisier and much hollow-feeling.

The Razer Huntsman V2 TKL gaming keyboard + wrist remainder sits connected a ray brownish woody table.

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%

The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is Razer’s top-of-the-line wireless keyboard. It’s afloat hot-swappable, pinch heavy textured PBT keycaps, a robust aluminum apical lawsuit and a nifty OLED display. The tactile Razer Orange switches successful our trial portion consistently consciousness tight, nan larger keys don’t really rattle and nan RGB backlight shines done beautifully. It’s a bully keyboard — but it's conscionable not luxurious capable to warrant its $300 value tag, particularly since it lacks immoderate benignant of analog-style functionality. The banal switches are a small excessively sharp-sounding for our liking arsenic well.

Razer Huntsman Mini

The Razer Huntsman Mini is simply a good prime if you want a 60 percent keyboard and don’t request Wooting-style package tricks, pinch textured PBT keycaps, a sturdy aluminum apical sheet and nan aforesaid accelerated optical switches we praised pinch nan Huntsman V2 TKL. The 60HE+ is overmuch much versatile, though, while nan KM250 RGB is simply a much appealing value.

A achromatic keyboard pinch pinkish RGB lighting and a black-and-white OLED display, nan Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, rests atop a brownish woody table.

ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless

The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless (phew) is simply a beardown replacement to nan Apex Pro TKL if you want to spell wireless. It’s a joyousness to type on, pinch superb sound dampening, pre-lubed ROG NX switches, an impressively sturdy lawsuit and stable, PBT-coated keys. It’s hot-swappable, its artillery life standing is overmuch higher than nan Apex Pro TKL Wireless (90 hours pinch RGB on) and it has a multi-function cardinal that puts volume, media and RGB controls successful 1 place. At $170 aliases so, it's usually overmuch cheaper than our SteelSeries prime arsenic well.

However, it doesn’t person nan accelerated trigger aliases civilization actuation tricks of Hall effect keyboards for illustration nan Apex Pro TKL Wireless aliases Lemokey P1 HE, and ASUS’s Armoury Crate package is simply a spot of a mess. The Lemokey P1 HE's all-metal creation feels higher-end, too. But if you attraction astir typing acquisition much than other gaming-friendly features, this 1 is still worthy looking into.

ASUS ROG Azoth

The ASUS ROG Azoth is for illustration a smaller type of nan ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless pinch a fewer much enthusiast touches, specified arsenic a gasket-mounted creation — which gives keystrokes a softer consciousness — a programmable OLED show and a toolkit for lubing switches successful nan box. It’s exceptionally well-made by immoderate standard, not conscionable “for a gaming keyboard.” But its characteristic group still isn’t arsenic elastic arsenic nan Wooting 80HE aliases SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless, which makes its $275 database value a reliable ask. ASUS precocious released a caller exemplary called nan ROG Azoth X, though that 1 costs $300 and has a overmuch louder aesthetic.

Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard

The 75 percent Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard is overmuch amended than its bland sanction suggests, pinch high-quality PBT keycaps, soft linear switches (which are hot-swappable), wonderfully cleanable RGB lighting, a dependable wireless relationship and a rigid yet lightweight design. But it's reasonably loud, and astatine $200 location isn’t overmuch logic to return it complete nan Lemokey P1 HE, which has a higher-quality creation and much tin magnetic switches, aliases nan ASUS Strix Scope II 96 Wireless, which offers a likewise pleasing typing acquisition astatine a somewhat little price. It’s worthy considering if you spot it connected sale, though.

NZXT Function 2 and Function 2 MiniTKL

The full-size NZXT Function 2 and tenkeyless Function 2 MiniTKL are wholly coagulated midrange options pinch accelerated optical switches and nan expertise to switch betwixt 2 cosmopolitan actuation points, but they’re fto down by mediocre stabilizers connected nan larger keys.

A achromatic wireless keyboard pinch ray bluish RGB backlighting, nan Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard, sits connected apical of a brownish woody table.

NuPhy Air75 V2

The NuPhy Air75 V2 is simply a stylish wireless keyboard pinch a low-profile design. We've recommended it successful our mechanical keyboard buying guide, arsenic it's an fantabulous prime if you want thing that blends nan flatter, compact style of a laptop keyboard pinch nan much tactile consciousness of mechanical switches. The creation isn’t wholly perfect for gaming, though, arsenic nan wide keys tin make it a small excessively easy to fat-finger inputs by mishap and nan banal keycaps aren’t shine-through. This is different 1 that recently received a refresh, though. NuPhy besides sells a model with Hall effect switches. We'll purpose to trial those for a early update.

Corsair K70 Max

The Corsair K70 Max is different 1 pinch magnetic switches, but trying to programme its much precocious features done Corsair’s iCue package was a pain.

The NuPhy Air75 V2 mechanical keyboard rests connected a brownish woody table. Its keys are mostly achromatic and grey, pinch a yellowish abstraction bar, teal flight cardinal and reddish participate key.

Corsair K70 RGB TKL

The Corsair K70 RGB TKL is simply a decent if basal midrange model, but it’s besides connected nan noisy broadside compared to our apical picks and it’s saddled pinch middling software.

Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL

The Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL is different low-profile exemplary that mostly feels comfortable and well-built, moreover if it's wholly made of plastic. It’s a decent replacement to nan NuPhy Air75 series, arsenic it’s overmuch quieter pinch its GL Tactile switches and comes pinch shine-through keycaps by default. However, those switches aren’t hot-swappable, and nan committee can’t link to aggregate devices simultaneously complete Bluetooth. The low-profile style still isn’t nan champion for gaming either, positive nan banal keycaps aren’t rather arsenic grippy arsenic different PBT options we’ve used.

A achromatic gaming keyboard pinch ray bluish RGB backlighting, nan Logitech G515 TKL Lightspeed, rests atop a brownish woody table.

Recent updates

September 2025: We’ve taken a expanse to make judge our picks are still meticulous and added testing notes connected a mates caller keyboards successful nan Razer Joro and Sony Inzone KBD-H75.

February 2025: We've overhauled this guideline pinch caller picks: The Wooting 80HE is now our apical proposal overall, nan SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (Gen 3) is our caller "best wireless" action and nan Lemokey P1 HE slots successful arsenic an honorable mention. We've besides added notes connected respective much gaming keyboards we've tested since our past update, including Logitech's G Pro X TKL Rapid and G515 Lightspeed TKL, Razer's BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% and Alienware's Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard. Finally, we've made a fewer insignificant updates to our "What to look for successful a gaming keyboard" section.

June 2024: We updated this guideline pinch a caller “traditional mechanical keyboard” pick, nan Keychron V3 Max, positive a mates caller honorable mentions and much notes connected different gaming keyboards we’ve tried. Note that we’ve tested — and will proceed to trial — respective different keyboards that aren’t explicitly marketed toward gaming, but we’ll nonstop you to our wide mechanical keyboard buying guide for much info connected those.