If you've ever been to an office or a lecture hall, you know the sound of dozens of people typing on keyboards can be as loud as a herd of buffalo and just as distracting. Thankfully, innovations have been made to reduce the noise of keyboards, from the development of near-silent switches to the addition of sound-dampening materials inside keyboard cases.
Most of the noise keyboards make comes from the operation of the switches themselves. Mechanical switches are typically the loudest, while scissor switches and rubber dome switches are quieter alternatives. Other factors, like the case materials and how heavily you type, also contribute to typing noise. If you're looking for more picks, check out our articles for the best keyboards for typing, the best keyboards for programming, the best low-profile keyboards, and the best gaming keyboards.
We test dozens of keyboards each year, and to maintain independence, we buy every unit ourselves. Our reviews go beyond subjective typing impressions or quick gaming sessions. Each keyboard is put through the same standardized test bench, so you can directly compare our results. We use specialized tools like a Mecmesin force tester to measure switch force curves and a Beagle 480 USB analyzer to capture input data for latency testing. Multiple teams contribute to each review in a process that can take days or even weeks from start to finish.
-
Best Quiet Mechanical Keyboard
OfficeProgrammingGamingMobile/TabletEntertainment / HTPCSize:Compact (75%)Connectivity:WirelessSwitch Type:MechanicalTyping Noise:See all our test resultsAverage Loudness:dBAIf you're looking for the best quiet keyboard for a shared office, the NuPhy Air75 V3 paired with Gateron 2.0 Blush Nano switches is an excellent choice. It's got great build quality, impressive portability, and flexible connectivity. NuPhy took its already-solid NuPhy Air75 V2 and made some worthwhile upgrades: it now features a gasket-mount design for a springier typing experience, a spot for an optional multifunctional knob in the top-right of the chassis, improved dampening, and lower latency. It supports both Windows and macOS compatibility modes, and you can toggle between wireless connection types. Bluetooth is more battery-efficient and supports multi-device pairing, while the 2.4GHz USB connection delivers enough raw performance for casual or competitive gaming.
The keycaps are flattened and tile-like with an unusual profile that might take some getting used to. That said, their design leaves plenty of surface area with standard key spacing to help minimize typos, and they're made of high-quality PBT plastic with a pleasant, slightly textured finish. One thing to keep in mind: the keycaps don't have shine-through legends by default, so even with full RGB backlighting, you won't be able to read the key labels in darker environments. NuPhy offers shine-through keycaps at an additional cost on its website.
As a sidenote, we'd like to clarify that this isn't the only mechanical keyboard that can be customized with silent switches. On paper, pretty much any mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable PCBs can be made much quieter with the right switches. If you're curious about silent switch options, you can find our picks in our Best Mechanical Keyboard Switches recommendation article.
-
Best Mid-Range Quiet Keyboard
OfficeProgrammingGamingMobile/TabletEntertainment / HTPCSize:Full-size (100%)Connectivity:WirelessSwitch Type:ScissorTyping Noise:See all our test resultsAverage Loudness:dBAIf you work in an open office, in a shared workspace, or at home with your family, the Logitech MX Keys S is a great option and the best mid-range quiet keyboard we've tested. It also has white backlighting that can increase or decrease in brightness according to the lighting conditions around you. This stylish full-size board is straightforward, making it nice and easy to use regardless of your tech knowledge. You can pop the USB receiver into your computer or pair it using Bluetooth with up to three devices simultaneously and start typing away. As a plus, the flat profile and solid plastic case do a great job of minimizing typing noise since the case doesn't have a lot of hollow space to add resonance.
This keyboard's flat profile also makes it comfortable to type on, as you don't have to strain your wrists upward to reach the tops of the keys. And on the topic of keys, there are rounded indents in the middle of each keycap to guide your fingers to the center and improve typing accuracy. If portability is a concern, Logitech also makes a smaller version called the Logitech MX Keys Mini. This more compact version doesn't include a wireless USB receiver, so ensure your device supports a Bluetooth connection.
-
Best Budget Quiet Keyboard
OfficeProgrammingGamingMobile/TabletEntertainment / HTPCSize:Full-size (100%)Connectivity:WirelessSwitch Type:Rubber DomeTyping Noise:See all our test resultsAverage Loudness:dBAThe Logitech Signature K650 is an overall good budget board that's perfectly suited for less tech-savvy people. While it has little customization software and doesn't feel as high-quality as the pricier options on this list, it has a few ergonomic features to keep you comfortable while you type. The built-in wrist rest does a nice job supporting your wrists, while the deep-set keys mean the tops are right beneath your fingertips without straining your wrists upwards. It uses rubber dome switches, which are among the quietest switches you can get. They feel a bit mushy, but they're nearly silent during use.
This keyboard connects wirelessly using either the included USB receiver or via Bluetooth. You can pair the keyboard with one device per connection style and switch between them using a dedicated key in the function row. As an added plus, there's also a row of dedicated media keys to help you skip through playlists or adjust the volume of any media you're listening to while you work.
-
Best Cheap Quiet Keyboard
OfficeProgrammingGamingMobile/TabletEntertainment / HTPCSize:TenKeyLess (75%)Connectivity:WirelessSwitch Type:ScissorTyping Noise:See all our test resultsAverage Loudness:dBAThe best quiet keyboard we've tested is the Keychron B33/B36 on a tight budget. It comes in both TenKeyLess and full-size layouts, so you can choose the version that suits your needs. Their scissor switches are deep, comfortable, and remarkably quiet. Typing on these keyboards feels natural, and the keys provide a good amount of feedback. The keystrokes can feel a little mushy if you're coming from a tactile mechanical keyboard, but otherwise, typing on these keyboards feels great. They also give you plenty of connectivity options, including a 2.4GHz receiver, Bluetooth with up to three devices, or wired. Wired mode also delivers very good latency, which comes in handy for occasional gaming.
If you're looking for something even cheaper, the Dell KB216 is another good option. This is a wired-only model which gives you less flexibility. Its all-plastic construction feels a bit flimsy and looks very plain, but it has a similar low-profile design compared to our more expensive picks above. While it doesn't offer any ergonomic typing angle adjustments, it sits flat on your desk, and you don't need to angle your wrists sharply to reach all the keys comfortably. Unfortunately, the typing experience is also a bit mushy-feeling, but, most importantly, its rubber dome switches are very quiet. There aren't any clicking or rattling sounds while typing, which can be an issue on other keyboards at this price point.
-
Best Quiet Ergonomic Keyboard
OfficeProgrammingGamingMobile/TabletEntertainment / HTPCSize:Full-size (100%)Connectivity:WirelessSwitch Type:Rubber DomeTyping Noise:See all our test resultsAverage Loudness:dBAIf you'd like to prioritize ergonomics but still need your keyboard to be as quiet as possible, we recommend the Logitech Wave Keys. While its design isn't as extreme as some ergonomic keyboards, it has a gentle curved key layout that tents upwards a bit towards the middle and produces a more neutral typing posture. It does a good job of limiting how steeply you need to angle your wrists while typing. This design, combined with its relatively lightweight and extremely quiet rubber dome switches, can help limit fatigue and your risk of strain over long periods.
The overall design is quite compact, but it does have a comfortable integrated wrist rest. This adds to the total footprint and means it isn't a super portable option, but it's still easy to move between spots in your home or between hotdesks in the office, as it connects wirelessly with a USB receiver or via Bluetooth with up to three devices at once. Keep in mind that its compact design spaces the keys slightly closer than most standard keyboards. While this might take some adjustment, the ergonomic layout ensures comfortable typing once you're accustomed to it.
-
Best Quiet Gaming Keyboard
OfficeProgrammingGamingMobile/TabletEntertainment / HTPCSize:Compact (75%)Connectivity:WiredSwitch Type:MagneticTyping Noise:See all our test resultsAverage Loudness:dBAOur best for a silent gaming keyboard is the NuPhy Air75 HE. You can think of this as the gaming-oriented variant of the NuPhy Air75 V3 we mentioned above. It trades wireless connectivity for much-improved raw performance and Hall effect switches that open up many options aimed at gamers. While its low-profile design might need some getting used to, this is an outstanding all-around gaming keyboard. It delivers exceptionally low latency and supports a maximum polling rate of 8000Hz, resulting in a highly consistent in-game experience. It also has excellent build quality with pre-lubed switches and stabilizers that keep the keys firmly in place. NuPhy's web-based software is among the best in the industry. It lets you customize actuation and reset points, and supports advanced analog features such as dual-action key mapping and Rapid Trigger. These settings can help you register faster and more consistent follow-up inputs, which is especially useful for counter-strafing in FPS games. If you want to optimize your desk space as much as possible, you can also get the NuPhy Air60 HE, which has a 60% profile that omits the F-row, navigation, and arrow keys for a much smaller footprint.
Another good silent keyboard option is the Keychron K5 Max. It's another low-profile keyboard with excellent gaming performance, though not quite as exceptional as the NuPhy's. It uses regular mechanical switches instead of Hall effect ones, so you won't be able to adjust the actuation. While its polling rate is limited to 1000Hz, it delivers excellent latency performance and can even be used wirelessly. It's also available in many different layouts depending on your needs
Notable Mentions
- Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad: The Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad is a popular choice for a quiet keyboard. However, due to its metal chassis, it makes a bit more noise than the Logitech MX Keys S. See our review
- Logitech Pebble Keys 2 K380s: The Logitech Pebble Keys 2 K380s is a small, lightweight, and extremely portable keyboard. It's typically around the same price as the Logitech Signature K650 and is a solid choice for on-the-go professionals looking for a quiet option for coffee shops or shared workspaces. However, due to its compact size, typing feels much more cramped than all our primary picks. See our review
-
NuPhy Gem80:
The NuPhy Gem80 differs greatly from the other picks on this list since it's an enthusiast-geared mechanical keyboard option only available as a barebones kit. This means you must buy and install keycaps and switches yourself. It's loaded with an array of acoustic treatments and layers of dampening material. That said, this keyboard is nearly double the price of the NuPhy Air75 V3 once you add all the elements.
See our review -
Logitech G515 RAPID TKL:
The Logitech G515 RAPID TKL is another great alternative if you're looking for a quiet gaming keyboard with Hall effect switches. While it doesn't quite match the performance of the NuPhy Air75 HE, it's still excellent, and it's readily available at many brick-and-mortar stores, which could make it easier to find.
See our review
Recent Updates
Apr 17, 2026:
We added the NuPhy Air75 V3 as our top pick and replaced the Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT with the NuPhy Air75 HE, which is our new quiet gaming keyboard pick, with the Keychron K5 Max being mentioned in the text as an alternative. The Logitech MX Keys S is our new mid-range pick. We also replaced the Dell KB216 with the Keychron B33/B36 as our new cheap pick; the Dell now serves as an even cheaper alternative in the text.
Apr 18, 2025:
We've checked current pricing and aren't updating our picks at this time. However, we're closely monitoring developments as trade conditions continue to evolve. If you find unusual pricing or availability issues with our picks, we encourage you to let us know in the comments.
Jan 14, 2025:
We've removed the Microsoft Surface Keyboard from our recommendations because it's been discontinued, and the remaining stock is too expensive. Additionally, we've introduced a new 'Best Quiet Ergonomic' category, with the Logitech Wave Keys as our pick.
Oct 17, 2024:
We've reviewed the article and confirmed that all picks are in stock and remain the best options in their categories; no changes have been made to the lineup in this update.
Jul 19, 2024: We've removed the Microsoft Bluetooth Keyboard as our cheap pick as it's recently gone up in price. Our new pick is the Dell KB216, a similar option that uses a wired instead of a wireless connection.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best silent keyboards. 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.