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The 6 Best Budget And Cheap Keyboards - Spring 2023 Reviews

Updated
Best Cheap and Budget Keyboards

A good keyboard doesn't necessarily mean an expensive one. We've bought and tested over 190 keyboards and narrowed our recommendations down to these standout models, which are the best budget keyboards available. These keyboards offer a reliable build quality and a satisfying typing experience for various uses, all without breaking the bank.

The options below use scissor or rubber dome switches, so if you're interested in a keyboard with mechanical switches, check out our best budget mechanical keyboards article instead. Or, if you're looking specifically for a gaming keyboard with a low price point, there are our picks for the best gaming keyboards under $100. For other options within a wider range of price points, check out our best keyboards article.


  1. Best Budget Keyboard

    The Logitech Signature K650 is our recommendation for the best budget keyboard for most people. You can connect this wireless keyboard via Bluetooth or with the included USB receiver, and it uses a pair of AA batteries that can power this board for up to 36 months, depending on your daily usage. This keyboard uses quiet rubber dome switches, making it a great choice that won't bother others in shared workspaces, dorm rooms, and home offices. It also has a sturdy plastic body, and unlike more expensive mechanical options, there aren't any exposed moving parts, which means it's a bit more resistant to minor spills or food crumbs if you often find yourself eating or drinking in front of your computer.

    This keyboard also offers good built-in ergonomic features, including a built-in palm rest, low-profile keycaps, and feet that provide two incline settings. These features ensure you can type on this keyboard without angling your wrists too sharply, which can help keep you comfortable, especially when typing for long stretches at a time. It's a full-size keyboard board, so not only does it have all the keys you need, including a Numpad, but there's plenty of space between keys. The keycaps also have rounded tops, making it easier to differentiate between keys by feel, which can help you type faster and avoid typos.

    See our review

  2. Best Budget Gaming Keyboard

    If you're gaming on a budget, we recommend the HyperX Alloy Origins60. Smaller gaming keyboards have been making a big splash lately as they provide all the keys most gamers need, but they clear up extra space on your desk. This keyboard is an excellent choice if you have a smaller desk or you're the kind of player who needs all the space they can get for dynamic mouse movements.

    This keyboard has a sturdy aluminum frame and high-quality PBT plastic keycaps, giving it a premium feel despite its lower price point. It also offers outstanding performance, including extremely low latency and lightweight linear switches with a low pre-travel distance that provide a responsive in-game experience. With its companion software, this keyboard also offers plenty of customizability, allowing you to remap keys, record macros, and set custom profiles. For an added plus, you can adjust the full RGB lighting on a per-key level, unlike our best cheap gaming pick, the SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL below, which only allows you to customize zone backlighting.

    See our review

  3. Best Cheap Keyboard

    For a cheaper option, we recommend the Logitech K380. This keyboard comes in a range of attractive pastel colorways and is a popular model with students and professionals alike for mixing remarkable portability and functionality at an accessible price point. Compared to our best budget pick, the Logitech Signature K650 above, this is a full-size unit, so it's easy to use just about anywhere. You also don't need to worry about packing any charging cables since it uses two AA batteries that keep it powered for up to 24 months, depending on your usage.

    This keyboard connects wirelessly via Bluetooth, and you can pair it with up to three devices simultaneously and switch between them using hotkeys. While the standard version of this keyboard has both Windows and macOS legends printed on the keycaps, there's a dedicated Mac variant available. Considering its versatility and price, this is an outstanding portable board with great build quality. Just know that it may take a bit of time to adjust to the relatively small, circular keycaps when you first start using this keyboard.

    See our review

  4. Best Cheap Gaming Keyboard

    Many gaming keyboards come with steep price tags, so it can be hard to find a great unit at a lower price. We recommend the SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL. This keyboard has a compact TenKeyLess form factor, which means it doesn't have a Numpad and leaves you with more space on your desk for making sweeping mouse movements. The rubber dome switches on this keyboard are light to press, making them feel snappy and responsive in-game. The switches are also very quiet compared to the mechanical switches used on many higher-end keyboards, and they're a bit more resistant to minor spills and debris.

    The latency on this keyboard is a little higher than on more premium options, so it isn't a great fit for high-level competitive play, but it's more than suitable for casual gaming in any genre. It also has some surprising extra features which are normally found on more expensive options, including a volume wheel and the ability to set macros to any key. It also has RGB lighting with eight separate zones you can customize using the companion software. If you're interested in a full-size alternative with a Numpad, there's a full-size version of this board called the SteelSeries Apex 3. The full-size version is typically a bit more expensive; however, it includes a wrist rest for added comfort.

    See our review

  5. Best Cheap Office Keyboard

    The Microsoft Bluetooth Keyboard is the most straightforward keyboard on this list. It's a solidly-built full-size option without unnecessary features, making it our recommendation for any workplace. This keyboard connects wirelessly with Bluetooth, which means you can use it with any mobile device, tablet, PC, or TV that supports a Bluetooth connection. However, you can't pair it with multiple devices at the same time.

    Thanks to its rubber dome switches, and soft-touch covering that goes all around the keyboard, it's nearly silent to type on, so you won't bother anyone else working around you. It's also satisfying to type on as the rubber dome switches have good tactility, so you'll always know when you've registered a key press.

    However, this keyboard is large and not very portable, so it isn't a great candidate for carting between different workspaces or hotdesks. It also doesn't have any incline options or an included wrist rest. If your workflow involves longer typing sessions, check out the slightly more expensive Logitech K650, which is very similar but has a built-in wrist rest.

    See our review

  6. Best Cheap Keyboard For Mobile Devices

    If you work off iPads, tablets, or even your mobile phone, we recommend the Logitech K480. It's a compact unit that's very similar in design to our best cheap pick, the Logitech K380, but features a built-in device tray so you can prop your mobile devices up at a nice viewing angle while in use. It connects with Bluetooth and pairs with up to three devices at once, and you can switch between devices using a small dial in the corner. It comes with two AAA batteries for power, which can last up to two years before you need to replace them.

    This keyboard uses rubber dome switches which provide good tactile feedback to help you avoid typos and missed keystrokes. They're also extremely quiet to use, so if you work in libraries, coffee shops, or co-working spaces, you won't bother anyone around you. As with any cheap keyboard, there are a few downsides, like a lack of backlighting and a cramped typing experience compared to more expensive, full-size options. That said, it's still a decent-feeling board that's great if you need something to work with while you're on the go using mobile devices.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • Logitech G413: The Logitech G413 is a cheap mechanical gaming keyboard and a great alternative to the SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL if you're looking for a full-size keyboard instead. While it does use mechanical switches, it doesn't have as many other features as the Apex 3 TKL. Its price fluctuates, so you'll have to monitor it to ensure you're getting the best deal. See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Apr 14, 2023: We've expanded the scope of this article to include more price options, adding a new 'Best Budget' category with the Logitech K650 as our pick. We've also added a new 'Best Budget Gaming' category with the HyperX Alloy Origins 60 as our pick.

  2. Feb 14, 2023: We've reviewed this article and refreshed our text in several entries. We've also replaced the EVGA X12 with the SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL as our pick for the 'Best Cheap Gaming' keyboard. Lastly, we've added a special mention of the Logitech K650 in our 'Best Cheap Office Keyboard' category.

  3. Dec 16, 2022: Text updated for clarity and accuracy; no changes to picks.

  4. Oct 18, 2022: Updated the text of the Microsoft Bluetooth Keyboard entry for clarity and accuracy.

  5. Aug 19, 2022: Re-categorized the article to better reflect current market conditions and user needs; altered the intro for readability.

All Reviews

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best budget keyboards for most people. We factor in the price, feedback from our visitors, and availability.

If you would like to do the work of choosing yourself, here is the list of all our keyboard reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no keyboard is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.