The EVGA Z15 is a full-sized mechanical gaming keyboard with a hot-swappable printed circuit board (PCB). It's a feature-loaded model with outstanding gaming performance in terms of a higher-than-average polling rate and exceptionally low latency. It also features a very gamer-forward aesthetic with an aggressive font on the keycaps and a large metal EVGA logo on top of the board.
Our Verdict
The EVGA Z15 is a remarkable gaming keyboard. It has exceptionally low latency, and the stock Kailh Speed Bronze switches offer a short pre-travel and fairly light actuation force, so they feel responsive. However, if you don't like the stock switch options, this keyboard is hot-swappable, so you can replace these switches with your preferred switch, if you want. It feels well-built and comfortable to use, thanks to the included wrist rest, and the companion software allows you to program macros to any key and adjust the RGB backlighting.
- Outstandingly low click latency.
- Hot-swappable switches.
- Customizable RGB backlighting.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- ABS keycaps easily develop shine.
Since the EVGA Z15 is a wired-only unit, it isn't recommended for use with mobile devices and tablets.
The EVGA Z15 is a decent office keyboard, although it isn't designed for this use. It feels well-built and comfortable to use, thanks to the included wrist rest and incline settings. While the stock Kailh Speed Bronze switches are too loud to use in an open office environment, you can also get this keyboard with Kailh Speed Silver switches, which are quieter. Or, you can change the stock switches out since it has a hot-swappable PCB.
- Hot-swappable switches.
- Customizable RGB backlighting.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- ABS keycaps easily develop shine.
The EVGA Z15 is a very good keyboard for programming. It has a good build quality and feels comfortable to use thanks to the included wrist rest. You can use the companion software to program macros to any key and adjust the RGB backlighting to best suit your tastes. Unfortunately, its companion software is only available on Windows, so you can't make changes if you use macOS. Also, it's wired-only, so you can't use it in multi-device setups.
- Hot-swappable switches.
- Customizable RGB backlighting.
- All keys are macro-programmable.
- Wired-only design.
- ABS keycaps easily develop shine.
The EVGA Z15 isn't ideal for home theater PC setups since it's a wired keyboard. It lacks a trackpad, so you need a mouse on the side to navigate the user interface. On the plus side, it does have RGB backlighting, dedicated media keys, and a volume control wheel.
- Customizable RGB backlighting.
- Wired-only design.
- No trackpad or trackball.
- ABS keycaps easily develop shine.
Changelog
- Updated Jun 21, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update introduces new Backlight Features and Backlight Clarity test boxes. We've also added a new Switches test box, added additional test comparisons to our Hardware Customizability test box that we introduced with our last Test Bench. For an in-depth look at our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
- Updated May 31, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.1. This update adds several new tests addressing Hardware Customization, Macro Keys And Programming, and Wireless Mobile Compatibility. We've also added new objective evaluations to the Typing Noise test, and we've simplified several tests and removed several others that were no longer relevant. For an in-depth look at all our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
- Updated Nov 09, 2022: Updated the compatibility box to reflect that all default button assignments work as intended on all operating systems.
- Updated Nov 01, 2022: Updated text of the review to align with current guidelines. Added in a mention in the Build Quality section about product durability and issues reported by online users.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the EVGA Z15 in black with Kailh Speed Bronze clicky switches, but it's also available with Kailh Speed Silver linear switches. While it doesn't have any variants, the EVGA Z20 is a very similar board but has extra features, like dedicated macro keys, a USB and audio passthrough, and a time-of-flight sensor; however, it isn't hot-swappable like the Z15. You can see the label of our unit here.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The EVGA Z15 is a full-size, wired-only gaming keyboard. It has an exceptionally low latency, and the stock Kailh Speed switch options are very gaming oriented as they have a short pre-travel distance and a fairly light actuation force. This keyboard also has a hot-swappable PCB, which is a bit rare to find on a keyboard with such great base performance. While the overall external build quality feels good, users online have experienced a few issues related to the durability and connectivity of that board. Some of these issues range from switch malfunctioning, double keypresses, and the keyboard disconnecting after going to sleep, requiring you to restart your PC. However, we didn't experience any of these issues during testing.
For other options, see our recommendations for the best gaming keyboards, the best mechanical keyboards, and the best gaming keyboards under $100.
The EVGA Z15 and the EVGA Z20 are both fantastic wired gaming keyboards with very similar designs, but there are a few differences. The Z20 has dedicated macro keys, a USB and audio passthrough, and a unique time-of-flight sensor that you can program to perform certain functions when you approach or move away from your keyboard. It's available with linear or clicky Light Strike LK Optical switches. On the other hand, the Z15 is a hot-swappable board that lets you easily swap out the switches without needing to solder anything. It's also available with clicky Kailh Speed Bronze and linear Speed Silver switches.
The SteelSeries Apex Pro and the EVGA Z15 are both fantastic wired gaming keyboards. The SteelSeries uses proprietary OmniPoint linear switches, which let you customize the pre-travel distance of every key. Also, it has a small, customizable OLED screen that lets you access keyboard functions or display game stats, CPU operations, and gifs. Unfortunately, it isn't available with other switch types. On the other hand, the EVGA is available in more switch types. It's a hot-swappable board that lets you replace the stock switches with any type you prefer. It also has one of the lowest latencies we've tested.
The EVGA Z15 and the Corsair K100 RGB are both fantastic wired gaming keyboards. They both have fully customizable RGB backlighting, dedicated media keys, a volume control wheel, and all of their keys are macro-programmable. However, the Corsair keyboard has a USB passthrough and a programmable multi-function dial. It also has slightly lower latency, although the difference isn't significant enough to be noticeable. On the other hand, if you like the option of changing the switches whenever you want, the EVGA is hot-swappable.
The EVGA Z15 and the Razer BlackWidow Elite are both fantastic wired gaming keyboards. They both have dedicated media keys and a volume control wheel, and all of their keys are macro-programmable. The Razer is available with clicky Razer Green, tactile Orange, and linear Yellow switches, while the EVGA is available with clicky Kailh Speed Bronze and linear Speed Silver switches. Also, the EVGA is a better option if you like to easily swap out the switches for other ones whenever you want since the board is hot-swappable. While they both have incredibly low latencies, the EVGA's is lower and is among the lowest we've tested.
Test Results
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