Get insider access
Preferred store
Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.
If you want to see more about how specific mechanical switches perform, we've recently launched reviews of keyboard switches!

The 5 Best RGB Keyboards - Winter 2024 Reviews

Updated
Best RGB Keyboards

Lately, many keyboards have some form of backlighting. RGB backlighting, differing from simple backlighting, uses a palette of over 16 million colors to help you customize the lighting atmosphere of your setup. While backlighting primarily makes keys easier to see in the dark, RGB backlighting is an easy way to tie your desktop aesthetic together. If you're choosing a keyboard for its RGB lighting, it's important to consider the number and location of its lighting zones, the quality of its companion software, as well as the range of customization features available to you.

We've tested over 215 keyboards, and below are our recommendations for the best keyboards with RGB lighting. This list mostly consists of wired-only keyboards, as RGB backlighting tends to quickly drain the battery on wireless keyboards, especially with custom effects. If you're only interested in wireless models, check out our picks for the best wireless keyboards. For other options, see our recommendations for the best gaming keyboards and the best keyboards overall.


  1. Best RGB Keyboard

    The Corsair K100 RGB is the best RGB keyboard we've tested for true RGB lighting fans. Note that its price tends to jump around a bit, but it's at its best value when it falls to around $200 USD or less. This keyboard has a whopping 44 RGB zones, including RGB strips along both sides and the top edge, as well as lighting that surrounds the programmable dial, which you can also use to toggle between lighting profiles or adjust backlighting brightness directly on the keyboard. You can program the lighting for each of these zones independently or customize lighting for any individual key using Corsair's iCUE software, which also allows you to sync the lighting with any other Corsair peripherals or pieces of hardware you may have in your desktop setup.

    This keyboard also has a few other standout hardware features, including dedicated media keys and a column of programmable macro keys on the left side of the board. It also supports a much higher-than-average maximum polling rate of 8000Hz and an effective update rate of 4000Hz. This helps it maintain extremely low and consistent split-millisecond latency, making it a standout choice for casual or competitive gaming in any genre. Not only that, but the Cherry MX Speed Silver switches are optimized for gaming, with an incredibly short pre-travel distance and a light actuation force.

    See our review

  2. Best Upper Mid-Range RGB Keyboard

    The keyboard with the best RGB lighting at an upper mid-range price point is the ROCCAT Vulcan II Max. Like our best pick above, this keyboard often goes on sale, so we recommend picking it up when it falls around $180 USD. This model is a full-size gaming keyboard with linear or tactile optical switches and unique RGB features. For starters, it has a transparent acrylic wrist rest, providing additional ergonomic support while you're typing, and it diffuses the colors from the additional RGB lights on the front of the board. This keyboard has 24 keys with an extra dedicated LED that lets you know when secondary functions are active. You can also fully customize the lighting on a per-key basis and sync your lighting effects using the software with other ROCCAT peripherals you own.

    If you have a smaller desk or don't need a numpad and are looking for a smaller alternative, this keyboard comes in a smaller Compact (65%) version called the ROCCAT Vulcan 2 Mini. The Mini is also considerably cheaper, although it doesn't include additional RGB lights on the front or an acrylic wrist rest like the full-size Max version.

    See our review

  3. Best Mid-Range RGB Keyboard

    If you're looking for a solid mid-range option with outstanding RGB, we recommend the NuPhy Halo96, part of NuPhy's Halo lineup. We've highlighted the largest 96% size option here since it offers the most RGB, but this keyboard is also available in smaller compact 75% and 65% layouts if you'd like more room on your desk for mouse movements while gaming.

    This wireless keyboard features a high-profile design with a strip of RGB lighting that encircles the case and RGB lighting for each key. The company also sells acrylic wrist rests that diffuse some of the RGB strip's light around the case. It's also available with several different switch types, though it also has a hot-swappable PCB to change out the switches more easily if the stock units aren't to your preference. Unfortunately, the stock keycaps don't have shine-through legends, making them hard to see in dark rooms, although you can buy shine-through sets from the manufacturer. Like the other options on this list, this keyboard comes with companion software allowing you to adjust the brightness, color, and effects of the RGB lighting.

    See our review

  4. Best Budget RGB Keyboard

    The Razer Huntsman Mini is the best RGB mechanical keyboard if you're on a budget. It has excellent build quality, with a high-grade plastic body, an aluminum top plate, durable double-shot PBT keycaps, and outstanding RGB backlighting that shines brightly through the key legends. You can adjust the lighting's brightness using the keyboard, but you'll need to install Razer's Synapse 3 companion software to set up custom lighting profiles.

    The Razer optical switches in the board provide an incredibly light and responsive typing experience, especially when your fluid keystrokes are combined with the keyboard's extremely low latency, making it a stellar option for fast-paced games. You can buy the keyboard with Clicky switches that provide audible, tactile feedback or smooth, lightning-quick Linear Optical switches. However, unlike our mid-range pick, the NuPhy Halo96, it doesn't have a hot-swappable circuit board that lets you easily change out switches later.

    See our review

  5. Best Cheap RGB Keyboard

    The Razer Cynosa V2 is the best cheap RGB keyboard we've tested. While most keyboards at this price point only have zone lighting or can only display one color at a time, the Cynosa V2 has full RGB backlighting and a frosted backplate to diffuse and soften the light shining between the keys. You can use Razer's Synapse 3 software to customize effects and colors, and the keyboard itself has built-in hotkeys to adjust brightness.

    Unfortunately, this keyboard lacks gaming features. The slightly high latency makes the board best suited for casual rather than fast-paced gaming. The rubber dome switches require a bit of force to actuate, so they don't feel as snappy and responsive as the optical switches in our best budget pick, the Razer Huntsman Mini. Build quality also lags behind pricier units, with cheap ABS plastic keycaps that easily collect oil from your fingers and a thin, somewhat flimsy-feeling all-plastic chassis.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • Corsair K95 PLATINUM: The Corsair K95 PLATINUM is a gaming keyboard with an underglow effect from the lighting strips in the frame. However, it has fewer independent RGB zones than the Corsair K100 RGB. See our review
  • Logitech G715: The Logitech G715 has excellent RGB lighting, including an RGB strip around the frame, creating a nice underglow effect. However, it doesn't have nearly as many customizable zones as the Corsair K100 RGB, and its color mixing isn't great. See our review
  • Dygma Raise: The Dygma Raise has very customizable RGB lighting with a strip around the entire keyboard and wrist rests, creating a satisfying glow around the keyboard. Its compact size, eight-button thumb cluster, and fully split design are unconventional and may be too intimidating if you're looking for a standard keyboard. See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Feb 02, 2024: We've confirmed all our current picks for pricing and stock availability. We haven't changed our recommendations with this update, but we've added text to our entry for the 'Best RGB Keyboard' with more detail on the location of some of the Corsair K100 RGB's backlighting zones.

  2. Dec 07, 2023: We've audited this article for relevance and continued availability of all products. We haven't altered our lineup, as all picks continue to represent the best picks available.

  3. Sep 18, 2023: We've confirmed all our picks for availability and relevance. We've added notes to our two top picks about current price trends and when these keyboards are at their best values.

  4. Jul 18, 2023: Minor in-text adjustments to improve clarity of information.

  5. May 19, 2023: Replaced SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL with NuPhy Halo96 [Halo65, Halo75] as 'Best Mid-Range RGB Keyboard'. Replaced Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition with Razer Huntsman Mini as 'Best Budget RGB Keyboard'. Replaced Razer Cynosa Chroma with Razer Cynosa V2 as 'Best Cheap RGB Keyboard'.

All Reviews

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best RGB membrane and best RGB mechanical 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.