The Best Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (Review) in 2020
If you are passionate about gaming, you need to make sure that you have the best gaming equipment assembled for your PC. The keyboard is one of the components that a gamer interacts most with when playing a game. It is also a component that will contribute to the experience you get when playing a game.
The mechanical gaming keyboards we are going to discuss here can add a personal touch to your gaming experience to a point that you would almost label your stock keyboard as underperforming.
Types of Gaming Keyboards
There are three types of gaming keyboards. They include the membrane, mechanical and scissor keyboards.
- Membrane: The membrane keyboard comes with simple technology. It has a rubber membrane closing the contact on the typing plate under the keys. They are relatively cheap compared to the mechanical and scissor keyboards. This is because of their drawbacks and the technology used in them. The best membrane keyboards often lag making them not among the best gaming keyboards. This is caused by the technology used in them, not the brand.
- Scissor: This technology is common in laptops. The keyboards are known for their deep embedment of keys. If you have bought a gaming laptop, this would be the keyboard to give you that extra comfort when gaming.
- Mechanical: Mechanical keyboards use the oldest technology associated with the ancient IBM systems. They are, by far now, the most attractive keyboards for gamers. They are also quite affordable given the features and capabilities that they come with.
Best Mechanical Keyboard for Gaming
With a brief on gaming keyboards, their types and what you need to pay attention to when shopping for a gaming keyboard, we are now going to look at the ten best keyboards for gaming that we have today.
#1 – SteelSeries Apex 7 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Key Type: Mechanical | Switch Type: Red Mechanical Switches | Illumination: Full RGB | Size: 5.5 x 17.2 x 1.6 inches
Apex 7 is a new mechanical gaming keyboard from SteelSeries. It features a host of new and neat touches to impress any gamer who uses it. It also comes with an OLED smart display that can deliver information from games and apps to the gamer. SteelSeries has a good reputation with the build quality of all their products. This means that the Apex 7 mechanical gaming keyboard has not been left behind.
It is made from Series 5000 aircraft-grade aluminum and comes with a deep and wide wrist pad that makes sure that gamers are rarely fatigued even over long gaming sessions. This keyboard ticks all the boxes you need when you are looking for the best gaming keyboard we have today.
#2 –Razer Huntsman Elite Gaming Keyboard
Key Type: Mechanical | Switch Type: Opto-Mechanical Key Switches | Illumination: Chroma RGB | Size: 9.22 x 17.64 x 1.42 inches
The Razer Huntsman Elite keyboard is known for its combination of the best qualities of multiple mechanical switches with lightspeed optical technology to make sure that gamers get a fast keyboard and a comfortable typing experience. Razor has a reputation with amazing mechanical switches that is visible on all of their products including iPad covers and laptops. The Razer Huntsman Elite keyboard introduces the company’s first optomechanical switch. That’s a mouthful to be sure, and the way Razer’s new key switch blends together mechanical elements with freaking lasers is breathtakingly complex. The keyboard is extremely fast and offers the best gaming experience you will get anywhere today.
#3 – Corsair K95 RGB Platinum Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Key Type: Mechanical | Switch Type: Cherry MX | Illumination: Full RGB | Size: 18.3 x 6.7 x 1.4 inches
Corsair is one of the brands that can be credited with bringing the RGB keyboards into the gaming keyboards world. The K95 Platinum comes with an integrated light bar elevating gaming keyboards to a new level. It also comes with over sixteen million color options that cover the entire keyboard. This keyboard is made even better by its cherry speed switches, an 8MB memory for storing profiles and a military-grade aluminum frame. The only downside with this keyboard is the price which is a bit expensive for a keyboard and its iCUE software which is a bit difficult to use.
The Corsair K95 RGB Platinum Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is the best when it comes to shortcut buttons. It gives you a volume wheen, media controls, gaming modes, and lighting toggles all within an easy reach. This keyboard will give you an amazing gaming experience that you are not likely to get with many common keyboards.
#4 – HyperX Alloy Elite RGB – Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Key Type: Mechanical | Switch Type: Cherry MX | Illumination: Full RGB | Size: 17.48 x 6.65 x 1.53 inches
If you want the best Cherry MX switches and a whole set of choices on switches then Hyper X Alloy Elite RGB is the right keyboard for you. The Alloy Elite RGB delivers a premium experience in keeping with its premium price. With top-notch Cherry MX keys, a gorgeous design and stellar in-game performance, there is a lot to recommend in this keyboard. If you can live with a single noticeable drawback – software that’s more convoluted than it should be – the Alloy Elite RGB is an easy recommendation.
This gaming keyboard keeps a good balance between functionality and appearance. It has a high profile mechanical keys and a metal frame that gives it an amazing industrial appearance. It gives you a full complement of keys with three buttons on the top left and discrete media controls on the right of the keyboard. It also comes with a USB pass-through port, eight extra keycaps, and a keycap puller. This is one keyboard that will definitely give you an amazing gaming experience.
#5 – Razer Cynosa Chroma Gaming Keyboard
Key Type: Membrane | Switch Type: Razer Hypershift | Illumination: Chroma RGB | Size: 18.24 x 6.07 x 1.22 inches
The Razer Cynosa Chroma is one of the cheapest and ideal gaming keyboards for those who would not want to spend a lot of money on a gaming keyboard. It costs around £ 65, and comes with programmable macro-lighting with responsive, soft membrane keys that make it stand out. Razer enthusiasts are keenly familiar with the Synapse technology right now, a piece of software that allows you to fully customize your RGB lighting performance and sync it up to other Razer peripherals. This also applies to the Cynosa Chroma keyboard, which comes with up to 104 customizable keys that are all enhanced by the RGB lighting. By default, this keyboard cycles through a variety of different color schemes, all of which are very noticeable and shiny between the keyboard’s small frame.
The customizable RGB lighting that comes with this keyboard remains a joy, making it possible to pursue a fabulous neon extravaganza – or a relaxing assortment of shifting colors that help your gaming setup feel more alive.
#6 – Vulcan 100 Aimo RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Key Type: Mechanical | Switch Type: ROCCAT Titan Switches | Illumination: AIMO | Size: 6.3 x 18.19 x 1.26 inches
The Vulcan 100 AIMO looks very modern due to its anodized aluminum plate. This reinforces the Vulcan’s structural integrity and makes sure that the keyboard is protected from wear and tear. Because of this, the keyboard lasts a good long while. It comes with an amazing skeletal design, RGB backlight boasting over sixteen million colors and a premium mechanical construction. It is an expensive gaming keyboard at $ 150 but we can not complain about this because you get what you pay for.
This keyboard comes in two versions, the Vulcan 80 Aimo which is a cut-back version without the individual key lighting, and the Vulcan 120 Aimo – essentially the Vulcan 100 with a plastic wrist rest added on. One of the most amazing features with this keyboard is the fact that half of the keyboard looks as if it is missing. This is because each of its keys protrudes out of a metal board which would be hidden using a protective cover in other keyboards. However, this is a smart design that makes sure that you will not have the frustration of dust particles and debris spilled over your keyboard. This is definitely an amazing keyboard that will not let you down.
#7 – Logitech G513 RGB Backlit Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Key Type: Mechanical | Switch Type: Romer G mechanical switches | Illumination: Full RGB | Size:5.1 x 17.5 x 1.4 inches
The Logitech G513 RGB Backlit Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is a compact keyboard that is made from a rigid plastic frame with an aircraft-grade 5052 aluminum that serves as its top plate. It comes with a frameless design that features floating keycaps making it very easy to clean debris on the keyboard. It also comes with a per-key customizable RGB lighting system. This is one of the features that make it stand out from most gaming keyboards. It is as bright and vibrant as the illumination that the company has integrated into its higher-end peripherals, and the new LightSync tech helps synchronize lighting effects across your entire gaming setup.
The keyboard comes with a leatherette palm rest and a padded memory foam to make one comfortable when using the keyboard. The keyboard is heavy – in terms of weight – to make sure that it remains in place when it is being used. One of the things that makes this keyboard not very ideal for gaming is the omission of dedicated media buttons. This, however, does not limit the keyboard and still gives one amazing gaming experience.
#8 – Redragon S101 PC Gaming Keyboard
Key Type: Mechanical | Switch Type: Mechanical | Illumination: None | Size: 7.2 x 17.9 x 0.9 inches
Just like its name, the Redragon S101 PC Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo come with its own mouse in the package. The keyboard is beautifully designed and comes in black and red color. It comes with a few sections that light up, but unfortunately, the keys are not backlit which would have made this keyboard even much better. It has WASD keys and arrow keys that can be swapped. They are also interchangeable by holding the FN key and the W key. This keyboard has a variable speed control for typing. This function is activated and deactivated by holding the FN key and the Q key
The mouse is great, especially with its speed and precision. It has extra buttons which are easy to reach and feel good – not too stiff and not too soft. You would find it comfortable to use and your wrist would be okay even after hours of intense gaming.
#9 – Alienware Low-Profile RGB Gaming Keyboard AW510K
Key Type: Mechanical | Switch Type: Cherry MX, Various | Illumination: Full RGB | Size: 6.14 x 18.3 x 1.15 inches
The Alienware AW510K keyboard comes with the latest generation low-profile Cherry MX keys for better control with quick and smooth triggering. It’s one of the best gaming keyboards from Dell. It is fully customizable with AlienFX RGB lighting which allows you to choose from up to 16. 8 million colors per key. It also comes with a slim profile for enhanced ergonomics and the new generation iconic Alienware design.
The keys are fully programmable for macros and key assignments and has N-key rollover. The Alienware Low-Profile RGB Gaming Keyboard comes with a durable 5000 Series aluminum construction for complete robustness and reliability. It has an integrated USB pass-through and dedicated audio control with a sound roller for fast and accurate adjustability. This keyboard will give you a powerful gaming experience that most keyboards can only dream of.
#10 – HAVIT Backlit Wired Gaming Keyboard
Key Type: Mechanical | Switch Type: Kailh Low Profile Blue Switches | Illumination: RGB | Size: 5.02 x 13.9 x 0.8 inches
The HAVIT Backlit Wired Gaming Keyboard comes with a minimalistic design, plain surfaces, and rounded clean edges. It comes with a USB cable which is removable and connects to a common micro-USB connector at the rear right side of the keyboard. The keyboard comes with some advanced functions that are accessible through a keystroke combination using the Function key. This is, however, limited to just backlighting control as nearly all of the combinations involve switching between different backlighting effects and tweaking their playback speed, color, or the number of backlit keys. You can also disable the Win key using Fn + Print Screen combination. They call this the gaming mode.
The keyboard comes with two rear legs that have a fixed setting – you can not change the setting, which might be a downside to some gamers. However, the tilt is quite reasonable. The rear legs have a rubber anti-slip pads whose grip is very good especially putting in mind that this is a low weight keyboard.
What to look for when choosing a Gaming Keyboard
Everyone wants to have an amazing experience when gaming. The keyboard is one of the components that might have a direct effect on the experience you get when gaming. What are some of the things you need to pay attention to when choosing a gaming keyboard?
Ergonomics
Productive gaming goes hand in hand with the comfort one gets from the accessories they use, the keyboard comfort key among them. The most marketed and expensive keyboard will not bring any great moments to your gaming life if it is not comfortable to use. This is why the best gaming keyboards come with certain features and perks to give you amazing gaming experiences. You will get features such as wrist stands that make sure that your wrists do not freeze after hours of gaming.
Another important feature is smart ket locations. This basically means having rubberized keys and the absence of some keys that are not important. An example of such a key is the WIN key next to the CTRL key which can be accidentally pressed during gaming – this leads to the main gaming window being minimized. It is very important to make sure that the choice of your gaming keyboard meets these requirements and gives you exactly what you need.
Manufacturer
It is very important to note that the bigger percentage of most products’ prices is taken up by the manufacturer’s brand but not the quality of the product. This is also common with gaming keyboards. However, most brand name hardware items are of great quality today. Always make sure that you know the brand well before buying a gaming keyboard from them.
Keyboard Illumination
Most gaming keyboards come equipped with bright backlighting with about sixteen million colors. To get a better experience, look for the keyboards that have a dynamic illumination. For example, if you are playing a racing game and your car hits something, the keys turn red. It is also important to note that the price gets higher with more illumination.
Special Software
There are some gaming keyboards that come with special software to facilitate your gaming experience. This does not really affect the price of the keyboards, but the gaming experience. For example, these keyboards will allow you to reprogram the keys and save different configuration profiles. This gets very useful when one keyboard is used by several people.
Other important features to pay attention to include Key Rollover and Anti-Ghosting, and Customization and Macro Buttons.
Conclusion
Gaming is one sport that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Due to this, most gamers always look for an amazing experience which might be difficult to find. However, with these keyboards manufactured with the sole purpose of giving gamers the experience they want, there is no limit to how much fun one should have when gaming. Getting the right gaming keyboard is key to having an amazing experience while gaming.