The 8 Best Gaming Keyboards - Summer 2020
Reviews

The best mechanical keyboard for gaming we've tested so far is the SteelSeries Apex Pro. It's a full-size keyboard that features unique omnipoint switches, allowing you to customize the actuation point and the actuation force to suit your taste. This means that you can set a shallow actuation point to increase the responsiveness for gaming, or set a higher one to improve typing accuracy for productivity tasks. These switches are linear, so they don't provide any tactile feedback when typing and they don't cause much noise. It comes with a very comfortable wrist rest that attaches magnetically and it has one incline setting.

In addition to its great typing quality, this keyboard has an incredible number of features. It has full RGB backlighting with individually-lit keys, dedicated media controls, and an OLED screen that you can customize to show anything you want. There's a USB passthrough that you can use to charge your mobile devices, or you can use it to plug in another peripheral such as your mouse, giving you greater control of the cord so you can move the mouse freely. You can reprogram or set a macro to any key, but unfortunately, it doesn't have any dedicated macro keys for MMO games.

In terms of customization, SteelSeries' Engine software offers tons of options and it's available for Windows and macOS. You can customize the backlight and the OLED screen, reprogram keys or set macros, and you can save as many profiles as you want. There's onboard memory as well, which makes it easier to carry your settings over to a new computer. This keyboard works on Linux, you just won't be able to customize it due to the lack of software support. Nonetheless, this is a feature-rich keyboard that should satisfy casual and serious gamers alike.

The best TKL keyboard for gaming that we've tested so far is the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition. It features proprietary Razer Linear Optical switches, which have a low actuation point, are easy to press, and provide an excellent gaming experience.

This keyboard is designed to be a gaming keyboard and that's exactly what you get with it. It has full RGB backlighting, excellent build quality, and every key can be set to a macro. The Razer software is highly customizable but it's only available on Windows. Since you can save up to five profiles on its onboard memory, macOS or Linux users can create a profile on Windows and switch computers. There's also a key directly on the keyboard that allows you to set macros without using the software.

Unfortunately, since the keys are so easy to press, they're very sensitive and don't provide a good typing experience, so for most people, this isn't a good choice for office use. However, if you choose to type on it, it doesn't cause any fatigue when typing for a long time. Overall, this is the best TKL gaming keyboard we've tested so far.

The best wireless keyboard for gaming that we've tested so far is the Logitech G915 LIGHTSPEED. It's a full-size keyboard that's packed with features such as dedicated macro keys, multi-device pairing, and full RGB backlighting. It's a superb wireless mechanical gaming keyboard that features three low profile proprietary switches: tactile, clicky, or linear. We tested the tactile variant, which provides feedback without producing a significant amount of noise.

One of this keyboard's most impressive features is the outstanding connectivity options. It can connect via its wireless unifying USB receiver or through Bluetooth, and it lets you pair to two devices at the same time for easy multitasking. This keyboard also comes with the G HUB software, which allows you to save up to three different profiles, for a total of 15 macros. To switch between the profiles, you can use the M1, M2, and M3 buttons at the top of the keyboard.

Unfortunately, while it's great that there are dedicated macro keys, only those keys 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. Overall, this is the best wireless keyboard for gaming we've seen so far.

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.

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 in case you need to switch computers, and if you regularly stream, this keyboard has full integration with the Elgato Stream Deck. It also has dedicated media controls, a USB passthrough, it comes with extra textured keycaps for FPS players, and it has a plushy wrist rest.

Unfortunately, the clicky switches we tested had a high actuation force, which could get tiring to use, and they're loud. Luckily, 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, then this is the best MMO gaming keyboard we've tested.

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, it's very affordable for a mechanical gaming keyboard, making this the best budget keyboard for gaming.

If you don't like mechanical switches, the best non-mechanical gaming keyboard that we've reviewed as of right now is the SteelSeries Apex 3. This membrane keyboard uses rubber dome switches and has a good build quality despite its budget price. The keyboard comes with a nice magnetic wrist rest, which is very similar to the one included with the SteelSeries Apex Pro. It's compatible with SteelSeries Engine, where you can create different profiles and customize the 10-zone RGB backlighting to your preferences.

One thing to keep in mind with membrane keyboards is that the rubber dome switches have a noticeable bump before the actuation point, which requires quite a lot of travel. On the positive side, the keys are very stable and don't wobble at all, but they do feel a bit mushy. If you are someone who likes to type long messages or chats while gaming, the typing on this keyboard is decent. However, it can be difficult to tell if a keypress was registered at times, as the tactile feedback is not as obvious.

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. Overall, for its budget price, this membrane keyboard is one of the best non-mechanical keyboards for gaming that we've tested so far.