The 8 Best Gaming Keyboards - Spring 2020
Reviews

The best mechanical keyboard for gaming we've tested so far is the SteelSeries Apex Pro. This mechanical keyboard features proprietary linear OmniPoint switches from SteelSeries. These are unique as you can customize the actuation force and pre-travel distance to your preference inside its software. This offers a wide range of settings, from 1mm of pre-travel and 34g of force, all the way up to 3.8mm and 50g of force.

The keyboard also features a nice and customizable OLED screen where you can set any image you want or show some in-game stats with compatible games. Fans of backlighting will be satisfied with the full RGB per-key illumination as well. This is a very well-built keyboard with a nice aluminum body and good ABS double-shot keycaps. It also comes with a magnetic wrist rest.

Unfortunately, some gamers might be disappointed by the lack of dedicated macro keys, but note that all keys are programmable inside the SteelSeries Engine software. The wrist rest is also a dust magnet, but can easily be cleaned. This is an overall unique keyboard that allows you to greatly reduce the actuation force, making it feel very responsive and fast.

The best TKL keyboard for gaming we've reviewed so far is the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition. This keyboard features Razer's linear optical switches, which are incredibly responsive due to their very low pre-travel distance. While these switches are great for gaming, general typing can be a bit more challenging, as these switches don't provide any tactile feedback, making it hard to tell if a keystroke was registered. Also, some people may find them a bit too sensitive, causing more typos than usual. The keyboard is decently comfortable to type on and there are two incline settings, but it doesn't come with a wrist rest.

One of the great features of this keyboard is its excellent build quality. The frame feels solid, with a mix of plastic and aluminum, and the doubleshot PBT keycaps feel great to type on. The stabilizers could be better, although rattling only happens on a few keys. This keyboard has full RGB backlighting and the keys are individually-lit. You can set a macro to any key through Razer's Synapse 3 software; however, there are no dedicated media controls or dedicated macro keys for MMO games.

With its linear switches, typing noise is fairly minimal and shouldn't be bothersome to others around you. There's onboard memory to store profiles if you need to move to another computer, and there's a cloud sync option as well, although it requires an account with Razer. Overall, if you like the smaller form factor of TKL keyboards, this one is a fantastic option.

The best wireless keyboard for gaming that we've tested so far is the Logitech G915 LIGHTSPEED. This is an incredibly versatile keyboard with great features and outstanding connectivity options. It can connect via its wireless unifying USB receiver or through Bluetooth, and it lets you pair to 2 devices at the same time for easy multitasking. It has dedicated media controls and macro keys for MMO games, as well as full RGB backlighting and profile switching buttons that are easily accessible. It operates on a built-in rechargeable battery, which is rated to last for 30 hours with its backlight at maximum brightness, although this is not something that we test for.

This keyboard features low profile proprietary switches and there are three different types to choose from: tactile, clicky, or linear. We tested the tactile variant, which provides feedback without producing a significant amount of noise, making it suitable for quiet offices. The typing experience is decent, but the short travel distance of these switches can lead to more typos. It's fairly comfortable to type on for long periods, and most people shouldn't be bothered by the fact that it doesn't come with a wrist rest, given the low profile nature of the keyboard.

Unfortunately, while it's great that there are dedicated macro keys, they're the only ones that can be programmed. On the bright side, the backlighting can be customized for each individual key and Logitech's G HUB software has a clean interface that's easy to use. So if you're shopping for a wireless keyboard that offers outstanding gaming performance and tons of customization options, you should consider this one.

The best gaming keyboard for MMO games we've tested so far is the Corsair K95 RGB PLATINUM XT. This is a large keyboard that you can get in three types of genuine Cherry MX switches: brown, blue, or speed. We reviewed the Cherry MX Blue variant, which offers tactile feedback along with audible clicks. These switches feel light and responsive, although they can get quite loud, so they're not the most ideal if you plan on using it for work in a quiet office. Ergonomics are good; it has one incline setting and comes with a plushy wrist rest.

Of course, the most important feature for MMO players is the column of dedicated macro keys. You can program them through Corsair's iCUE software, which is well-designed and offers plenty of customization options. It also allows you to customize the keyboard's full RGB backlighting, as well as create and save multiple profiles. There's onboard memory to save profiles too in case you need to switch computer, and if you regularly stream, this keyboard has full integration with the Elgato Stream Deck.

This keyboard has dedicated media controls, a USB passthrough, and it comes with extra textured keycaps for FPS players. It feels incredibly well-built, the keys are stable, and the doubleshot PBT keycaps will keep the key legends from fading over time. All in all, if you play MMO games often and you need the dedicated macro keys, you should check this keyboard out.

The best budget keyboard for gaming we've tested so far is the Redragon K552-RGB. This very affordable keyboard is surprisingly well-built and features mechanical switches, which is great at this price point. It comes in a variety of clicky, tactile switches, which might not be for everyone. It's also a TKL design without a NumPad, which provides more space for your mouse (see our recommendations for the best gaming mice).

Our unit has Outemu Blue switches, which have a small bump before actuation and require a bit more force to actuate. They provide a very satisfactory audible clicky feedback at each keypress, which can get pretty loud. This keyboard also has full RGB lighting, but since there's no official software, you'll need to make all customization changes directly on the board. On the upside, you can control the backlight of individual keys.

Unfortunately, no software support also means that you can't save different profiles. It also doesn't have a wrist rest, which would have made it a bit more comfortable to use. Nevertheless, this is very affordable for a mechanical gaming keyboard and it offers great overall value.

If you don't like mechanical switches, the best non-mechanical gaming keyboard we've reviewed as of right now is the SteelSeries Apex 3. This membrane keyboard uses rubber dome switches and comes at a very affordable price. The keyboard is very quiet and its typing quality is decent, but might feel mushy for some that are used to mechanical switches. It also features zone RGB lighting, although its rainbow effect is very good and you can't see the different zones.

The rubber dome switches have a noticeable bump before the actuation point, which requires quite a lot of travel; this is expected for membrane keyboards. It's compatible with SteelSeries Engine, where you can create different profiles and customize the lighting to your preferences. The board is very well-built for such a budget option, and it even comes with a nice wrist rest, which is very similar to the one included with the SteelSeries Apex Pro.

On the downside, it doesn't have any dedicated macro keys, but you can program all its keys, so this shouldn't be that much of an issue for most people. This is one of the best keyboards for gaming if you don't want a mechanical one.