12 best gaming keyboards

The gaming industry is developing at an incredible pace. Today, many users at least sometimes spend their free time in virtual worlds, while others even turn this occupation into their profession. And when choosing a keyboard for games, it is important to focus not only on the allocated budget, but also on your needs. What exactly should be considered and which models should you buy for certain tasks? We will tell you about this in this rating, where the best gaming keyboards are collected. We tried to find simpler models that will appeal to those who do not often have fun, and advanced solutions.

What to look for when choosing a gaming keyboard

The average user is unlikely to pay special attention to the choice of peripherals. When a computer serves as a multimedia center, this is really not too important, so you can limit yourself to design. There are many more criteria for gaming devices:

1. Button type... The choice is between mechanics and membrane technology. The first wins in terms of response speed and lasts much longer. The membrane, in turn, is significantly cheaper and quieter. True, the mechanics also have relatively quiet switches like Cherry MX Red, and they are much easier to press.
2. Additional keys... Not necessary, if not unnecessary, if you play exclusively in shooters, racing or strategy. But for MMO and MOBA, such buttons will allow you to record macros to quickly perform casting and other actions.
3. Secondary functions... A kind of extension of the second paragraph. But here we are talking about multimedia capabilities, like adjusting the volume and mute, flipping through tracks, opening applications, and so on. Note that these functions are usually accessed through the Fn key. But in more advanced keyboard models, a separate block can be allocated for them, as in HyperX Alloy FPS Elite (it was considered in the review).
4. Backlight... It's hard to find and buy a keyboard for gamers that doesn't have a backlight. In budget models, the glow is selected from several presets. Advanced devices allow you to flexibly customize the button illumination to suit your preferences.
5. Keycaps... Again, inexpensive peripherals are usually equipped with ABS plastic buttons. It's cheap, but wears out quickly and the keys start to shine. More expensive devices use a slightly rough PBT, which is more durable. Also, the buttons can be replaceable or silicone (usually on WASD, etc.).
6. Software... If it is provided by the manufacturer, then it is from here that the backlight, macros and profiles are configured. The software is necessary for advanced gamers and pros, but amateurs are unlikely to use it.
7. Appearance and design... Design is pure taste, so you must choose the appropriate option yourself. But the assembly of the device must be at its best. The keyboard must be stable and durable.
8. Layout... First, decide if you need a numeric pad, as some keyboards don't use it for the sake of being compact. Second, choose a suitable layout - ISO or ANSI. In the first, Enter is vertical and the left Shift is short. In ANSI, both of these keys are horizontal and long.Buy whichever solution is more convenient.

The best inexpensive keyboards for gaming under 42 $

As a rule, gaming devices are quite expensive, so few users can purchase them. Fortunately, there are several companies on the market that offer great products at very attractive prices. If you want to get a good gaming keyboard, you can cheaper 42 $! Of course, they cannot be compared with advanced premium models, but if you do not consider yourself a pro, or even spend a minimum of time playing games, then the capabilities of the budget periphery will be enough for you. The money saved can be spent on the project you are interested in.

1. Redragon Asura Black USB

Let's start, of course, with the most affordable model, which is represented by a gaming keyboard from Redragon. The color of the device and its box is dominated by black with the addition of red. The latter is known to be able to speed up any PC! If it's no joke, the "chopped" aggressive design, in which additional buttons are highlighted in a different color, looks great (especially for a price below 1,500).

Like any gaming peripheral, the budget Redragon gaming keyboard is backlit. Here it is monochromatic and can work in seven colors: green and light green, light blue and blue, purple, red and white.

In addition to purely gaming keys, there are also multimedia keys. They are located on the F1-F12 buttons and are activated, respectively, in combination with Fn. The device is of the membrane type, so smooth running and soft sound in place. At the same time, the device is able to handle up to 32 clicks, if for some reason you need it, of course. By the way, to work with additional buttons in Asura, no special software is required.

Advantages:

• eight additional buttons;
• multimedia capabilities;
• great appearance;
• stylish and aggressive design;
• readability of the Latin / Cyrillic alphabet;
• excellent price for its characteristics.

Disadvantages:

• on a sunny day, the backlight is almost invisible.

2. A4Tech B314 Black USB

Perhaps the excellent combination of price and quality in A4Tech keyboards is their main advantage and the reason for the extreme popularity of the Chinese brand's peripherals. This also applies to the B314 model, built on the basis of membrane keys with several opto-mechanical switches. The latter were developed by the manufacturer itself, and among their advantages are a lightning-fast response time of 0.2 ms, durability and resistance to mechanical stress. True, such switches are used only on the WASD buttons, which are most often active in shooters. The best price for the B314 membrane gaming keyboard is roughly 28 $, which is a very advantageous offer.

Advantages:

• attractive appearance;
• backlight with multiple modes;
• simplicity of setting up macros;
• 9 additional customizable buttons;
• reasoned cost.

Disadvantages:

• poor quality software;
• after idle time, the backlight starts blinking.

3. A4Tech Bloody B318 Black USB

The next line is taken by another good keyboard for games from A4Tech. In terms of appearance, we have in front of us an almost complete copy of the previous device. First of all, the older model is slightly smaller. Another change is highlighting. If in B314 it is divided into three zones, then here it is one-color.

In addition to WASD, the B318 also has opto-mechanical switches on the QERF keys. Thus, this keyboard for gaming PC is suitable not only for fans of shooters, but also for fans of MOBA games.

Like the younger model, A4Tech B318 has double protection against water. The first is organized through drainage holes that drain the liquid, and the second is at the electronics level, which prevents its failure if the user accidentally spills tea or other drink directly on the buttons. The tenacious anti-slip feet on the bottom are also pleasing.

Advantages:

• 8 optical-mechanical buttons;
• acceptable quality of materials and workmanship;
• bright blue / green / turquoise backlight;
• the keyboard has improved water resistance;
• design and ergonomic wrist rest.

Disadvantages:

• quite noisy space;
• not very convenient additional buttons.

4.Qcyber Dominator TKL Black USB

The Russian brand Qcyber just takes and puts your HyperX on the blades. Yes, maybe we exaggerated a little, but the high-quality Dominator TKL keyboard really surprises with the assembly and characteristics, as for the price tag in 46 $... An alternative to this model from the premium segment can be called the Alloy FPS Pro from Kingston, which, although better, is definitely not 2-2.5 times as much as you need to overpay for it.

As the name implies, there is no digital block here. Like its competitor from HyperX, the Dominator TKL has a skeleton design. Simply put, there are no bezels here, and the buttons are mounted directly to the base. This solution has both pros and cons. For example, compactness is an important advantage. But what will definitely delight you is the doubleshot keycaps. That is, it is simply impossible to "kill" the inscriptions on them.

Advantages:

• doubleshot keycaps with Cyrillic;
• worthy analogue of Cherry MX;
• very high quality assembly;
• compact size and lightness;
• very attractive cost.

Disadvantages:

• noisy space;
• shifted to the right F1-F12.

Best gaming keyboards price - quality

You don't have to pay a lot of money to get quality peripherals, and an affordable keyboard doesn't have to be good enough. This category contains the four best devices that fully justify their cost. Moreover, both users with a modest budget and gamers who are ready to spend an amount above the market average on the purchase of gaming peripherals will be able to choose a suitable model here.

1. A4Tech Bloody B820R (Blue Switches) Black USB

The first in the rating of keyboards with the best cost / quality ratio is a device from the company A4Tech you already know. But if the devices of this brand, which we reviewed above, had only a small part of the mechanical buttons, then in the Bloody B820R model, the mechanics are used on all keys.

The Blue Switches used by the manufacturer are rated at 100 million clicks, and their response height is only 3 mm. The keyboard case is made of brushed aluminum. It has drainage holes to drain any moisture accidentally on the device.

Advantages:

• functionality;
• replaceable keycaps and key included;
• resource and speed of switches;
• excellent equipment;
• very stable;
• flexible configuration via software;
• customizable RGB lighting.

Disadvantages:

• the location of the Cyrillic alphabet.

2. Logitech G G213 Prodigy RGB Gaming Keyboard Black USB

The review continues with the Logitech G213 Prodigy keyboard with high-quality RGB-backlit keys. The device has a standard layout with two-story Enter and long left Shift. In the right corner of the keyboard there are several multimedia buttons, as well as two keys for turning on / off the game mode and backlight, respectively. The latter can be configured within 5 zones using a proprietary application.

The keyboard supports from 7 to 15 simultaneous keystrokes (depending on their registration in specific columns and rows). The design of the periphery assumes protection from moisture, but you should not spill tea or beer on it, since there are no drainage holes here, which implies a completely manual cleaning of the device. The G213 Prodigy also features a non-removable wrist rest that blends harmoniously with the overall design.

Advantages:

• setting up highlighting and macros;
• very fast response;
• the presence of a wrist rest;
• recording macros (only on F1-F12);
• the presence of a multimedia unit;
• convenience from playing and typing;
• excellent appearance.

Disadvantages:

• the backlight brightness can only be adjusted via software;
• profiles are not stored in the G213 memory.

3. Razer Cynosa Chroma Black USB

If you ask a gamer which gaming keyboard is better, then he will almost certainly remember some model from Razer. But the problem is that the Californian manufacturer asks for their devices the price corresponding to their quality.And if you need good peripherals, but you are not ready to give a lot of money for it, then Razer is not suitable. More precisely, it would not have fit if it were not for the Cynosa Chroma model.

You can get the Cynosa Pro for about a thousand less. The design and capabilities of this modification are similar, but the backlight has only one green color.

The recommended cost of this device is quite modest, as for an American brand, 70 $... For this amount, you will get the most simple keyboard without additional buttons or twisted design. But it provides multimedia functions and setting the backlight in the proprietary software. Also in Razer Synapse, you can configure macros and set short commands to link to Fn.

What we liked:

• low noise level;
• advanced software;
• the ability to record macros without using software;
• attractive cost;
• comfortable membrane buttons;
• well-developed moisture protection;
• full Chroma support.

4. HyperX Alloy FPS Pro (Cherry MX Red) Black USB

Since we mentioned the HyperX Alloy FPS Pro compact gaming keyboard above, then we will complete the second rating category with this device. This model uses a steel frame with a plate inside. The design is very rigid, and due to its compact size, it feels more coherent than the model with a digital block.

In terms of ergonomics, the TKL keyboard is traditionally better if you are right-handed. But in the event that you need a digital block, you will need to purchase it separately. Alloy FPS Pro is convenient not only for playing, but also for typing. Fortunately, the device is quite quiet. To make it even less noisy, you can buy rubber rings for the buttons.

Advantages:

• silent switches Cherry MX Red;
• compact size;
• great build;
• excellent appearance;
• 6KPRO support;
• high level of reliability;
• detachable cable;
• reasonable cost.

Disadvantages:

• software missing.

Best premium gaming keyboards

Premium peripherals are a separate category of keyboards that are not aimed at all consumers. The cost of keyboards of this class is quite comparable to entry-level video cards and even higher. However, this price tag is explained not only by the "gamer" prefix. Gaming devices are better assembled and designed for constant increased loads. They are flexibly customizable to the needs of the user and are perfect for both playing and typing large amounts of text. It is also worth adding to this the presence of many additional, often very useful options in the gaming peripherals.

1. Corsair K68 RGB (CHERRY MX Red) Black USB

Standard Cherry MX switches are not protected from dust and moisture. Corsair decided to fix this feature with the release of the K68 RGB model. The keyboard is perfectly assembled and allows you to individually adjust the backlighting of each button. To do this, you need to install the proprietary CUE utility, where there are also other settings.

The company's model range also includes the K68 keyboard with only red backlighting. But now it is available only in a couple of three stores and is not cheaper, so it is better to buy a more advanced version.

The Corsair keyboard scores highly in reviews for its user-friendly buttons. Buyers are also pleased with the presence of a separate multimedia unit and a removable wrist rest. There are high quality rubber pads on the bottom of the device. But for some reason they are not on the folding legs, which somewhat disturbs the stability of the keyboard.

Advantages:

• silicone pad against dust and moisture;
• almost as quiet as MX Silent Red;
• flexibly customizable RGB backlighting;
• separate multimedia buttons;
• functional branded software.

Disadvantages:

• only one type of Cherry MX switches;
• stripped down opportunities against the background of flagships.

2. Logitech G G910 Orion Spectrum USB

One of the most comfortable keyboards according to real customer reviews. In the G910, Logitech uses its own Romer-G mechanical switches for increased durability and reduced travel.In addition to the 113 main buttons, there are also 9 programmable keys (5 on the left and 4 above the F1-F4). In the right corner of the device there is a block of multimedia buttons and a volume control wheel. On the left are the M1-M3 keys to select the desired profile and MR to record them.

A distinctive feature of the Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum keyboard is a fold-out platform in the central upper part where you can install your smartphone or tablet. Using proprietary software Arx Control, the user will be able to monitor various game parameters on the display of a mobile device or control computer components (processor temperature, graphics card load, and so on). There you can also display multimedia buttons, information about macros, and other functions / information.

Advantages:

• soft and smooth key travel;
• long warranty for 3 years;
• quality of materials and workmanship;
• block of additional buttons;
• will appreciate the flexibility of setting the backlight;
• easily switch profiles.

Disadvantages:

• impressive dimensions;
• not everyone needs a smartphone holder.

3. SteelSeries Apex M750 Black USB

We decided to put the Apex M750 in the second place in the TOP of premium keyboards. This model is one of the best in the range of SteelSeries, and it is regularly used in competitions by esportsmen. The device is equipped with proprietary QX2 switches, for which a resource of 50 million clicks is declared. The keyboard body is made of 5000 series aluminum, which is renowned for its durability.

One of the best reliability keyboards from SteelSeries is offered in regular and stripped-down formats (no number pad). The second option costs about 35 $ cheaper and called the Apex M750 TKL.

If you have devices from SteelSeries, then through the application you can synchronize the backlight with them. Macros are also configured there. Tactilely, the M750 is comparable to its Cherry MX Red competitors, but this model is noticeably quieter. The rest of the device does not stand out in any way, and we can additionally note only a couple of spare rubber feet, with the help of which the height of the keyboard is adjusted and the good stability of the device on the table is ensured.

Pros:

• stroke and resource of switches;
• flexible backlight setting;
• a wide range of settings for your own preferences;
• materials and build quality;
• Anti-Ghosting on all buttons;
• convenient proprietary software.

4. Razer BlackWidow Elite Black USB

What should be the best mechanical gaming keyboard? We believe the true ideal can be summed up in just 3 words - the Razer BlackWidow Elite. This is a new model of the brand, which was presented at the IFA exhibition in the fall of 2018. The appearance of the device immediately recognizes the "family features" of the series. The lower part of the keyboard case is made of plastic, but the base, which folds down at the bottom, is made of a sheet of durable metal.

Functional and reliable, Razer's keyboard also retains a comfortable stand. It clings to the case with magnets, and its upper part is made of artificial leather, under which there is a soft filler. The keyboard layout is standard (ANSI), the buttons have easy-to-read characters and customizable RGB backlighting. The F10-F12 has a game mode and a brightness setting. There are media control buttons in the right corner.

Advantages:

• the presence of a USB port and 3.5 mm jack;
• the keyboard is very stable on the table;
• stylish lighting and Chroma effects;
• comfortable wrist rest;
• three lifting levels (43, 48 and 55 mm).

Disadvantages:

• external stabilizers for large buttons;
• keycaps are made of ABS plastic.

Which gaming keyboard is better to buy

Among inexpensive peripherals, the best options for gaming keyboards are offered by A4Tech. In the price category 42–70 $ you can take mechanics from the domestic brand Qcyber or good membrane models from Logitech and Razer. All devices performed well in the premium category of keyboards, so choose according to your taste. And if you are looking for a great compact solution then buy the HyperX Alloy FPS Pro.