Best electronic keyboards 2023: 9 top keyboard options for every budget
The term 'best electronic keyboard' covers a lot of ground and can describe anything from professional workstations and arranger keyboards to consumer home and education models. As a result, this guide features everything from beginner-friendly keys that are easy on the wallet to all singing all dancing models perfect for the gigging musician.
Looking for the best electronic keyboard for your needs can be a very daunting task - especially with such an eclectic range of keyboards out there. Well, there's no need to worry, as we've explored what's on offer for you, resulting in this expert round-up of the best electronic keyboards right now.
We've decided to put the guide in price order, starting with the most budget-friendly option and working our way up to the most expensive. This makes it easier to find exactly what you are looking for. We've also included some convenient buying advice at the end of the article if you need a little more guidance. So without further ado, let's dive in.
Best electronic keyboards: The MusicRadar choice
While the Yamaha Genos (opens in new tab) is undoubtedly the best arranger/performer electronic keyboard out there, its mammoth price tag puts it beyond the reach of many. As such, in our view, the Korg Pa700 (opens in new tab) wins out in the mid-range to premium sector. This electronic keyboard is a stellar combination of quality sounds and the right amount of professional features you’d expect for the money.
At the more affordable end of the scale is Casio’s offering for the best electronic keyboard, the CT-X700 (opens in new tab). It packs in a ridiculous amount of features for the price but chiefly wins out due to the quality of sounds from its clever AiX sound engine.
Best electronic keyboards: Product guide & reviews
(Image credit: Yamaha )
1. Yamaha PSS-A50 Have fun creating with this EDM-focused mini arpeggiator Specifications Launch price: $99/£102/€70 Keys: 37 Mini Velocity Sensitive?: Yes Number of sounds: 42 Number of rhythms / styles: 138 arpeggios for both voices and drum kits Educational features: none Maximum polyphony: 32 Speaker wattage: 1.4W Bluetooth: No Connectivity: 3.5mm Headphone output, micro-USB port Weight: 1.2kg Dimensions: 506 x 201 x 54mm Today's Best Deals View at Thomann (opens in new tab) View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Tiny, lightweight and portable + Velocity-sensitive, premium keybed + Arpeggiator and Motion FX Reasons to avoid - Single mono speaker
Yamaha’s legendary PSS Portasound range from the 1980s has been reanimated in the shape of three new lightweight, sub-£100 models: the Yamaha PSS E30, F30 and A50. With cartoon FX and a quiz mode, the E30 is aimed at younger kids, and the F30 for more auto-accompaniment styles. Our pick of the bunch is the Yamaha PSS-A50.
Geared more towards portable synth-based, dance-oriented music making, the A50 drops the F30’s auto-accompaniment features in favour of a flexible arpeggiator and motion FX function. This electronic keyboard delivers real-time pitch bend, filter modulation and slowdown effects, all at the touch of a button. It’s packed with 138 different arpeggiator types, a portamento switch and 42 high-quality sounds sourced from Yamaha’s pricier E-series keyboards.
One of the biggest surprises from the Yamaha PSS-A50 electronic keyboard is its high-quality, velocity-sensitive keybed, taken from Yamaha’s Reface synth series, whose 37-note mini key format makes the unit incredibly lightweight and portable. Capable of running on batteries or USB power, all this means that the A50 makes a decent basic MIDI controller as well as a super-fun twist on portable keyboards.
(Image credit: Casio)
2. Casio LK-S250 Electronic Keyboard A brilliant educational keyboard designed with light-up keys Specifications Launch price: $169/£235/€177 Keys: 61 full size Velocity sensitive?: Yes Number of sounds: 400 Number of rhythms / styles: 77 Educational features: Step up Lessons, Key Lighting system, Chordana Play app Maximum polyphony: 48 Speaker wattage: 2.5W Bluetooth: No Connectivity: 3.5mm headphone output, 3.5mm audio input, 3.5mm microphone input, sustain pedal input, USB to host Weight: 4.3kg Dimensions: 947 x 351 x 109mm Today's Best Deals View at Andertons (opens in new tab) View at Thomann (opens in new tab) View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Illuminated keys + Super-light and portable + Compatible with Chordana Play app Reasons to avoid - Pro players will need more
This is a version of the range-topping Casiotone CT-S300 that replaces the pitch bend wheel with a key lighting system. The Casio LK-S250 Electronic Keyboard takes an illuminated approach to learning by lighting up the keys to show you what notes to play next as you learn its built-in library of 60 well-known songs.
A fun Dance Music mode with 50 different styles enables you to remix pre-programmed songs and add vocal samples by pressing different key combinations. You can also connect a media player to the audio input and play along with tunes through the newly redesigned speaker system.
Used in conjunction with Casio’s free Chordana Play app (Android, iOS), and featuring an input to which you can connect an optional microphone and sing along, the Casio LK-S250 Electronic Keyboard makes a fun and versatile learning tool for aspiring keyboardists of any age.
(Image credit: Casio)
3. Casio CTK-1500 Electronic Keyboard Best non velocity-sensitive budget keyboard Specifications Launch price: $174/£99 Keys: 61 full size Velocity sensitive?: No Number of sounds: 120 Number of rhythms / styles: 70 Educational features: ‘Step-Up’ lesson system and Voice Prompt, Casio Music Academy lesson voucher Maximum polyphony: 32 Speaker wattage: 2W Bluetooth: No Connectivity: 6.3mm headphone output Weight: 3.3kg Dimensions: 946 x 307 x 92mm Reasons to buy + Big-name board at a bargain price + Fun ‘Dance music’ mode Reasons to avoid - No sustain pedal input - Not velocity-sensitive
Casio celebrated its 40th anniversary as keyboard makers last year, and this full-size, entry-level offering, known as the Casio CTK-1550 in some territories, serves up a plentiful amount of features at a true bargain price.
Aimed squarely at younger players, the CTK-1500 electronic keyboard isn’t velocity-sensitive, and although the quality of a lot of the sounds won’t win prizes, this isn’t a huge deal for most young children. However, kids will love the dance music settings, and with the 100-song built-in lesson library, 120 tones and 70 rhythms, there’s more than enough here to keep newcomers occupied.
As with most Casio electronic keyboards, the CTK-1500 includes a voucher for £50 worth of free lessons from the Casio Music Academy. This is where budding players can learn to play up to LCM Grade 5 standard piano with online lessons.
(Image credit: Casio)
4. Casio CT-X700 Electronic Keyboard The best electronic keyboard on a budget Specifications Launch price: $174/£246/€182 Keys: 61 full size Velocity sensitive?: Yes Number of sounds: 600 Number of rhythms / styles: 195 Educational features: Step-up lesson system Maximum polyphony: 48 Speaker wattage: : 5W Bluetooth: : No Connectivity: : 6.3mm headphone output, Sustain pedal input, USB port, 3.5mm aux audio input Weight: 4.3kg Dimensions: 947 x 351 x 109mm Today's Best Deals View at Thomann (opens in new tab) View at Andertons (opens in new tab) View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Great spec for the price + Aux in and smartphone docking pad Reasons to avoid - No individual volume control for layered sounds - Slight complex user interface
The entry point for Casio’s latest CT-X lineup of portable electronic keyboards, the Casio CT-X700 benefits from the AiX (Acoustic Intelligent Expression) sound engine developed especially for the CT-X range, representing a big improvement over previous CT models.
Of the 600 AiX-generated tones, the dynamic piano, organ, string and synth sounds are the CT-X700’s strong suits, and there’s a large bank of world instruments to explore. You’ll also find 195 preprogrammed rhythms with variations and fills, 110 song demos, and 50 practice exercises on board.
You can layer dual voices and split the keyboard. There’s a decent six-track song recorder and 32 memory slots to store user settings as custom presets. The Casio CT-X700 electronic keyboard can be powered by mains, six x AA batteries or by USB, and an auxiliary audio input lets you jam along to streamed songs from a smartphone, resting your device on a specially-designed pad as you do so.
Read our full Casio CT-X700 review
(Image credit: Roland )
5. Roland GO:KEYS The best electronic keyboard if you want something quirky Specifications Launch price: $329/£281/€227 Keys: 61 full size Velocity sensitive?: Yes Number of sounds: 500 Number of rhythms / styles: 672 Educational features: 3-Month Skoove subscription Maximum polyphony: 128 Speaker wattage: : 2.5W Bluetooth: : Yes Connectivity: 3.5mm headphone output, Sustain pedal input, Micro USB to host port, 3.5mm Aux Audio Input Weight: 4.3kg Dimensions: 947 x 351 x 109mm Reasons to buy + Bluetooth capability + Compact and portable + Ivory-feel textured keys Reasons to avoid - Temperamental performance controls
The Roland GO:KEYS is a fun, compact and portable keyboard packed with over 500 high-quality sounds derived from Roland’s Juno DS engine. Offering fully wireless operation via battery power and Bluetooth audio / MIDI, the GO:KEYS lets you control MIDI devices wirelessly. Or, you can use it to stream your favourite music through the on-board speakers and then play along with those songs.
The Loop Mix function differs from conventional auto-arrangement methods, as you combine loops to build songs by simply playing notes on this electronic keyboard. Each key in the first octave triggers a different drum loop in your chosen style, next section up delivers a selection of bass lines, next up selects two different chord parts, and you can mix and match all of these while jamming out over the top.
Furthermore, you’ll find performance control strips switchable between either filter cutoff and note repeat FX, or pitch bend and modulation. Elsewhere on the Roland GO:KEYS electronic keyboard there’s a built-in 30,000-note song recorder with USB export, and all of this is backed up with Roland’s legendary build quality.
Read our full Roland GO:KEYS GO-61K review (opens in new tab)
(Image credit: Korg )
6. Korg EK-50L Electronic Keyboard The best electronic keyboard for performers who need volume Specifications Launch price: $549/£430/€420 Keys: 61 full size Velocity sensitive?: Yes Number of sounds: 790 Number of rhythms / styles: 290 Educational features: Yamaha Education Suite Maximum polyphony: 64 Speaker wattage: : 10W Bluetooth: No Connectivity: 6.3mm sustain pedal input, 3.5mm stereo audio input, 2 x 6.3mm line outputs, 3.5mm headphone output, USB A port for flash memory and controllers, USB Midi to host Weight: 8kg Dimensions: 994 × 392 × 132mm Today's Best Deals View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Beefed-up speakers + Updated sound set with 87 new presets + Great software bundle Reasons to avoid - Not a big upgrade on the cheaper EK-50
Korg’s ‘EK’ model designation stands for ‘Entertainer Keyboard’. While the EK-50 fills the gap at the lower end of the price spectrum for budding keyboardists, for a few quid more the new Korg EK-50L Electronic Keyboard sports a beefed-up speaker system with twice the power. It also has 24 new keyboard sets and 87 extra presets, giving it the same sound set as Korg’s pricier i3 EDM-oriented workstation keyboard.
With 790 onboard sounds and 290 accompaniment rhythms, including the new ‘contemporary’ presets, the EK-50L also enables you to layer up to three tones together at once for a massive sound. You can also download and import third-party style presets from the renowned, higher-end PA series of professional arranger workstations.
Elsewhere, plenty more pro features abound on the Korg EK-50L Electronic Keyboard. These include preset keyboard sets, proper audio line outputs, half-pedalling support (when using a compatible pedal), 40 user registration slots for storing user preset combinations, and a 12-track sequencer to record your songs. There’s also a USB port for playing MP3, WAV and SMF files, and for adding additional styles via a flash drive.
(Image credit: Roland)
7. Roland VR-09-B V-Combo Keyboard The ultimate Roland keyboard for the performing musician Specifications Launch price: $1,099/£647/€679 Keys: 61 Velocity Sensitive?: Yes Number of sounds: 245 Number of rhythms / styles: 52 Educational features: None Maximum polyphony: 128 Speaker wattage: N/A Bluetooth: No Connectivity: Output 1/4-inch, Stereo 1/4-inch, Stereo miniature phone type, sustain pedal, expression pedal, MIDI in/out, 8-pin DIN type, USB Type B Weight: 5.5 kg Dimensions: 1,008mm x 300mm x 106mm Today's Best Deals View at Andertons (opens in new tab) View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) View at Thomann (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Extremely lightweight + Full of iconic Roland sounds Reasons to avoid - Some players may need more than 61 keys
With Roland being one of the industry leaders in electronic instruments, there is no shortage of keyboards to choose from. Still, when it comes to a lightweight, affordable instrument that’s full to the brim with iconic sounds, our choice had to be the Roland VR-09-B.
This sleek 61 note keyboard is designed with the professional musician in mind, giving you access to a wide variety of voices suitable for any musical situation. With everything from pianos to synths, electric pianos to organs, you’ll never run out of sounds to experiment with - and each sound is easily adjusted via its neatly organized front panel.
Other outstanding features include the SuperNATURAL Synth engine, organ drawbars, built-in rotary effect and the extremely fun D-Beam controller. So if you are looking for a feature-packed, performance-ready instrument, then the Roland VR-09-B V-Combo keyboard is the one for you.
Read our full Roland VR-09-B V-Combo review
(Image credit: Korg)
8. Korg Pa700 Electronic Keyboard The best electronic keyboard for a more premium performance Specifications Launch price: $1,499/£1,170/€907 Keys: 61 full size Velocity Sensitive?: Yes Number of sounds: 1,700 Number of rhythms / styles: 370 Educational features: None Maximum polyphony: 128 Speaker wattage: : 25W Bluetooth: : No Connectivity: : 6.3mm headphone output, Sustain pedal input, Assignable foot pedal input, 6.3mm line output, MIDI In/Out, USB to host, USB to device, 6.3mm L/R audio input, video output for external display, Micro SD card slot Weight: 9.9kg Dimensions: 1030 x 378 x 132mm Today's Best Deals View at Andertons (opens in new tab) View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Seven-inch colour touchscreen + Room-filling speakers + Upgradeable styles Reasons to avoid - Heavy
This mid-range offering from Korg’s premium Pa line of arranger keyboards offers a respectable trade-off between features and cost. As such, the Korg Pa700 Electronic Keyboard provides plenty of pro functions to sink your teeth into, at a price that just tiptoes into the four-figure bracket.
Behind the excellent seven-inch colour TouchView display you’ll find a whopping 1,700 high-quality sounds and 370 factory styles to get you going, but the Korg Pa700 Electronic Keyboard has a stellar trick up its sleeve in the form of upgradeability. You can download and import more styles from the higher-end Pa series models, as well as third-party ones shared online, via a USB flash drive port.
Elsewhere, Defined Nuance Control adds authentic articulations to acoustic instrument sounds, enabling your performances to sound more lifelike. The Style Creator converts MIDI files into new styles, there’s an onboard mp3 player with voice remover, and you’ll also find a KAOSS Automatic MIDI FX generator with over 65 factory presets.
(Image credit: Yamaha)
9. Yamaha Genos Yamaha’s best electronic keyboard for arrangers with deep pockets Specifications Launch price: $5,999/£3,799/€3,100 Keys: 61 full size Velocity sensitive?: Yes Number of sounds: 1,652 Number of rhythms / styles: 550 Educational features: None Maximum polyphony: 256 Speaker wattage: : n/a Bluetooth: : No Connectivity: 6.3mm headphone output, 3 x assignable foot pedal input, USB to host, 3 x USB to device, 6 x line output, co-ax display output , 2 x Aux Audio Input, 2 x MIDI In, 2 x MIDI Out, combo 6.3mm/XLR microphone input with 48V phantom power, Wi-Fi Weight: 13kg Dimensions: 1234 x 456 x 138mm Today's Best Deals View at Thomann (opens in new tab) View at Thomann (opens in new tab) View at Gear 4 Music (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Amazingly realistic sounds + Advanced arrangement features Reasons to avoid - No built-in speakers - Very expensive
Yamaha’s successor to the well-loved Tyros line of high-end arranger keyboards, the Genos justifies its eye-watering price tag by sounding unlike any other keyboard on the market. Apart from the price, the main thing that sets it apart from the other keyboards on this list is the absence of any built-in speakers - you have to plug it in to an optional speaker set, PA or mixing desk, or just use studio headphones.
This indicates that the Yamaha Genos is the best electronic keyboard for professional songwriters, producers, composers and performers, and this is borne out by the sheer quality and quantity of the thousands of onboard sounds. Meanwhile, the sophistication and versatility of the 550 styles available for your built-in backing band improves greatly upon those found in the Tyros.
With a wealth of advanced features such as assignable knobs and sliders, voice harmony and vocoder functions, audio recording, and super articulation presets, the phrase ‘bells and whistles’ could have been coined to describe the Yamaha Genos electronic keyboard. It’s as fitting an example of the adage ‘you get what you pay for’ as you’ll ever find.
Best electronic keyboards: Buying advice
(Image credit: Future)
So you’re in the market for a new electronic keyboard, but which type should you go for? The answer to this depends on your needs as a player. Home keyboards are great for newcomers in that they’re relatively inexpensive, lightweight and portable. They come with a range of sounds, onboard rhythm and backing band features, and often include a basic sequencer so that you can record a performance and jam over the top.
Workstation keyboards are more expensive as they’re designed to produce a full, studio-grade track without the need for a separate computer or DAW (digital audio workstation). These are the best electronic keyboards for studio or live performance scenarios, have advanced onboard sequencer capabilities, and are bristling with studio-quality sounds and professional features. Unsurprisingly, they have four-figure price tags to match.
Similarly, arranger keyboards are primarily aimed at performers who want to replicate a full band sound, making them the best electronic keyboards for those who want to perform as a ‘one-person-band’. Like home keyboards, arranger keyboards offer accompaniment styles that react to chord changes and other user interactions, but these tend to be way more flexible and sophisticated, featuring more styles than entry-level instruments.
Electronic vs Digital: what’s the difference?
Aside from the types of keyboard listed above, the best digital pianos are electronic keyboards designed to replicate the sound and feel of an acoustic piano. As such, they don’t usually offer the same degree of tonal variety and breadth of features, such as auto accompaniment and preset styles, found on other electronic keyboards.
Most digital pianos have 88 weighted keys, so these are much bigger and heavier than the kind of portable keyboards listed in our guide to the best electronic keyboards. That’s why we’ve excluded keyboards that are marketed as digital pianos, since these are slightly different and are covered in a separate guide.
We go into more detail on the digital piano vs keyboard debate in this article.
Best electronic keyboards: what to look for
If you’re now shopping for an electronic keyboard, it’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with the basic features, as well as the more pro-level features you’ll find on the more expensive models. Let’s take a look at these now, starting with the actual keys…
Keys
When it comes to the number of keys, we’ve made 61 keys the optimum criteria for our round-up of the best electronic keyboards. This five-octave span is the most common size for this type of keyboard, giving plenty of scope for two-handed playing.
In terms of key size, most of the instruments in our electronic keyboards guide employ the full-size piano key format. Full-size keys are usually the best type to learn on, as it means your skills will be easily transferable should you ever find yourself sitting in front of a regular piano.
Headphone socket
If you don’t want to bother anybody else while playing, a headphone socket is a must on your electronic keyboard. This means you can keep your musical noodling to yourself without annoying the neighbours.
Speaker output
Built-in speakers are an essential feature for this type of electronic keyboard. As a rule of thumb, the higher the power output of the amp that powers the speakers, the louder the sound. So if you're looking for a room-filling sound without having to plug into an external portable PA system, higher-powered speakers could be important for you.
If not, the average home keyboard comes with a pair of speakers each with an output of between 2-5W or so, which should be perfectly adequate for home use.
Velocity sensitivity
A velocity-sensitive electronic keyboard will respond dynamically to your playing, so that soft playing results in quiet notes and harder playing creates louder sounds. Without it, sounds stay at the same volume no matter how hard you play, so velocity sensitivity is vital if you want to add any degree of expressiveness to your playing.
Maximum polyphony
An electronic keyboard’s maximum polyphony is a measure of how many notes can occur at once without notes cutting off abruptly as you play. You may not think of this as an issue, only having a maximum of ten fingers in play at any time, but on keyboards such as these that feature sophisticated auto-accompaniment features, every sound the keyboard is making counts towards this number.
So that includes drum and percussion sounds, bass and auto chord voices, as well as anything you might happen to be playing on top! So the higher the maximum polyphony, the more complicated the arrangements that your keyboard will be capable of handling.
(Image credit: Future)
Rhythms / styles
Auto-accompaniment has come a long way from its cheesy, muzak-flavoured early days. Reaching untold levels of sophistication, today’s home keyboards now offer a crazy number of genres and styles, providing a number of different variations that work for different parts of a song, such as intro, ending and fill sections.
The greater the number of rhythms and styles on offer, the more versatile your ‘backing band in a box’ will be. Entry-level electronic keyboards can still deliver a healthy helping of cheese, but high-end arranger workstations can make you sound like a professional studio artist simply by lifting a finger.
Power source
Most of the keyboards on this list can be run on both mains and battery power, giving you the best of both worlds when it comes to portability and flexible choice of setup location. However, some can also be powered from your computer via a USB connection, something else to bear in mind if you ever want to use your keyboard as a MIDI controller with your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).
Also, if you’re intending to rely solely on mains power, check that a compatible power adapter is included in the price, as they don’t always come with one in the box
Sound engine
The technology behind the sounds found in today’s home keyboards continues to improve apace, to the point where a good deal of what was ridiculously high-end tech five years ago has now filtered down to the more affordable end of the spectrum.
A case in point is Yamaha’s AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) sound generation technology. Once the preserve of their high-end digital pianos, AWM is now found in their E series range of budget home keyboards, but is showing its age a little compared to newer tech like Casio’s AiX system.
Sustain pedal input
An acoustic piano can feature up to three foot pedals, but only one of them is absolutely essential when starting out, and that’s the sustain or ‘damper’ pedal. For this reason, most keyboards now offer a sustain pedal input, in order to achieve a realistic acoustic piano sound, but often don’t include a compatible pedal in the price.
Auxiliary audio input
An audio input will enable you to plug an external sound source (such as an MP3 player or a smartphone connected to a music streaming service) into your electronic keyboard so that the sound of it will come out of the onboard speakers, and you can play along to your favourite songs.
Bluetooth Audio / MIDI
Some models of electronic keyboard now offer Bluetooth capability. Together with companion smartphone apps, Bluetooth enables you to stream music from your mobile device through the keyboard’s speakers as you play along. It also enables you to record MIDI data of your performance over Bluetooth into the companion app or a third-party DAW for evaluation and editing.
Audio interface
If you plan to do any kind of computer-based audio recording with your electronic keyboard, you’ll ultimately need a way of getting the sound from your keyboard into the computer. This is where an audio interface comes in, a box that sits between your instrument and computer and converts the sound your keyboard produces into a format of data that can be stored and played back by your DAW.
This usually means having to connect up an external box, but some electronic keyboards now feature USB audio interfaces built-in, negating the need for that extra box when connecting to a DAW-based system. While not essential, this kind of functionality does come in handy if you want to keep cable-related faff down to a minimum.
Educational features
A huge sector of the marketing demographic for these types of keyboards is education, as the vast majority of keyboard players start to learn as children. To that end, a lot of home keyboards are targeted mainly at beginners, and will offer some sort of onboard educational system, such as onboard songs to learn, illuminated keys that tell you what notes to play, built-in music lesson functions or bundled subscriptions to online piano lesson services.
Layer / Split
Other common features include extra keyboard modes such as layer or split. Layer mode layers two sounds together so they can be played simultaneously, while split mode enables two different sounds to be played from the upper and lower regions of the keyboard - useful for combining a bass part in the left hand with a piano or organ sound in the right, for example.
Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.
Related buyer's guides
The Best Gaming Keyboards of 2023
What to Look For in a Gaming Keyboard in 2023
Chances are high that you have used a keyboard at some point in your life. So, what separates a gaming keyboard from the keyboards that come packaged with your computer? There are a few important things to consider with a keyboard meant for gaming.
First, gaming keyboards generally have higher build quality than standard keyboards. A keyboard you pick up in your local electronics store is meant for general daily use, while a gaming keyboard should be built to withstand years of constant key-mashing and heavy use.
A huge factor in keyboard design is the difference between mechanical and membrane keys. Mechanical gaming keyboards have individual switches for each key and are generally preferred among hardcore gamers and even hardcore typists.
There are so many options out there for mechanical key switches, and they are usually color-coded based on their unique feel. Your preferences may vary, but if you don’t have much experience with the various kinds of switches don’t worry. There are plenty of guides online to help explain keyboard terms.
Many mechanical keyboards give you the option to swap the keys out for different ones. On top of that, you have to consider the build quality of these switches, and how long they will last. Most keyboards come with information on how many presses the keys are rated for. High-quality key switches are a key aspect of choosing the right keyboard.
The form factor is another important attribute of gaming keyboards. In recent years, smaller keyboards such as TKL and 60% boards have become popular among gaming fans. “TKL” stands for “tenkeyless,” and refers to a keyboard without a number pad. A 60% board is 60% of a full-size keyboard and is even smaller. They’re lightweight, cost-effective, and removing things like the number pad can free up precious desk space for mouse movement.
A huge factor in buying a gaming keyboard is cost. Luckily, there are boards available at a wide range of price points. Some top-of-the-range keyboards may seem excessive, but most manufacturers offer scaled-down versions of their products to fit any budget.
Last but not least, there are aesthetics. As we all know, half the reason to build a high-powered gaming PC is to have enough LED lights that it can be seen from space. As a result, most keyboards designed for gaming come with built-in RGB lighting.
These can get very intricate and downright outrageous at times. Sure, if you’re only interested in pure efficiency, RGB may not be a topic that concerns you. But in the world of gaming keyboards, this is important. Many of the top brands in keyboards put as much focus into RGB as they do into making great keyboards, so thankfully, this is a scenario where you can have your cake and eat it too.
With all of these topics covered, let’s talk about some of the best keyboards available today.
Pros ✓ Top of the line
Top of the line ✓ Multiple switches to choose from
Multiple switches to choose from ✓ Offers every premium feature you'd ever want on a gaming keyboard Cons ✗ Very expensive, arguably overkill
Very expensive, arguably overkill ✗ Keys are quite loud
Razer crafts some of the most popular gaming peripherals on the market, so it should come as no surprise that one of its keyboards has claimed the top spot on our list. The Huntsman V2 isn’t just packed to the brim with features—it’s also one of the slickest looking keyboards money can buy.
This keyboard is Razer pulling out all the stops. It gives you top-quality mechanical keys with subtle but effective RGB lighting, as well as all the extras like dedicated media buttons and onboard memory to store unique pr
ofiles. It even comes with a magnetic wrist rest that clips onto the bottom of the board.
The Huntsman V2 is offered with either Clicky Optical Switches or Linear Optical Switches, giving you a chance to customize its performance based on your personal preferences. Regardless of which you choose, you’ll benefit from sound-dampening foam that gives the keyboard a premium feel during intense gaming sessions—even if they’re still a bit loud.
Throw in an 8000Hz polling rate and Doubleshot PBT keycaps, and the Huntsman V2 is clearly a feature-complete keyboard. Premium features like this come at a premium price, so naturally, the Razer Huntsman V2 is among the most expensive on this list. You don’t get the best gaming keyboard without paying for it.
Best Gaming Keyboard Overall Razer Huntsman V2 The gold standard: a keyboard with all the bells and whistles. If you have the cash to shell out and want the best, the Razer Huntsman V2 is for you.
Pros ✓ Compact design
Compact design ✓ High-quality build for an excellent price
High-quality build for an excellent price ✓ Keys have great feel and sound Cons ✗ Tied to Ngenuity software which controls all RGB and macros
Tied to Ngenuity software which controls all RGB and macros ✗ Ngenuity application is only available through Mircosoft store and must always be running
A hundred dollars is still a lot to spend on a keyboard, but that’s about the price point you want to hit if you’re looking for something great without completely breaking the bank. For that, you’ll want the HyperX Alloy Origins Core.
Even at just under $100, you get your money’s worth with this compact tenkeyless (TKL) package. First of all, it looks fantastic. The RGB lights under the keys create some seriously cool backlighting, and there are plenty of effects to play around with to get the most out of the lights.
The board is built on an aluminum body, with HyperX’s own mechanical switches. If you can splash out the extra few bucks the aqua switches are a particularly great blend of tactile and smooth, as well as being rated up to 80 million clicks.
Overall the Alloy Origins Core is just a great deal, a very high-quality keyboard for a reasonable price. There’s a reason this keyboard has become so popular, and it would be wise to consider if you don’t want to pay Huntsman V2 prices.
Best Gaming Keyboard Under $100 HyperX Alloy Origins Core A top-notch keyboard with excellent mechanical keys and customizable RGB, The Alloy Origins Core is a fantastic deal at a great price.
Pros ✓ Great value for the price
Great value for the price ✓ Surprising amount of extra features Cons ✗ Membrane keyboard, not as nice and won't last as long
For a gaming keyboard under fifty dollars, it’s rare to get as many features as you do with the Corsair K55 RGB Pro. It’s a full-size keyboard with dedicated macro keys and media keys. Throw in some nifty RGB and you have a great starting point for any PC gamer. You might not see many of these features on boards double that price.
Obviously, there is a reason why this board is cheaper than the others on this list, the primary one being that this is a membrane keyboard, not a mechanical one.
Membrane keys can often feel mushy and less responsive. They are not the preferred style for most gaming enthusiasts, but that doesn’t mean they don’t work. For a starter keyboard, this is an excellent choice.
Best Gaming Keyboard Under $50 Corsair K55 RGB Pro An excellent entry-level keyboard, and a great option for gamers on a budget.
Pros ✓ Small form keeps the desk clean and clear
Small form keeps the desk clean and clear ✓ Plenty of extra features
Plenty of extra features ✓ Long battery life Cons ✗ Though miniscule, wireless still has lag compared to wired
Wireless is often a dirty word in gaming peripherals. Anything that might bring more lag into the equation is quickly eliminated. However, wireless is convenient and cool, and none do it better than Logitech with the G915 TKL.
Maybe your PC is a bit far away, maybe you are planning to hook your PC up to your living room TV, or maybe you are just allergic to cables on your desk. For whatever reason you would like to go the wireless route for your keyboard, this should be your first port of call.
Were it a wired board, the G915 would be a top contender in the TKL market. The build quality is top-notch, the design is subtle but still very attractive, and still you get RGB keys and dedicated media buttons. Battery life is of major concern with any wireless devices, but with the G915 you get a pretty impressive thirty hours of use with full RGB before the board needs to be charged.
As a mechanical RGB board with best-in-class wireless connectivity, you couldn’t do much better than the G915 for a clean wireless setup.
Best Wireless Gaming Keyboard Logitech G915 TKL Wireless is always nice, and the G915 TKL pushes the boundaries of what a wireless gaming keyboard can do.
Pros ✓ Great mechanical switches
Great mechanical switches ✓ Compact, sleek design
Compact, sleek design ✓ Very reasonable price Cons ✗ TKL does mean no keypad
TKL does mean no keypad ✗ Ngenuity Software is still in beta and shackled to the Microsoft store
A board so nice we chose it twice, the HyperX Alloy Origins Core is the best TKL gaming keyboard around. We’ve talked a lot about the tenkeyless form factor here because these boards are all the rage these days; they save on desk space, increase mouse space, all the while keeping most of the functionality of a full-size keyboard.
TKL boards just omit the number pad that would normally be at the right side of a full-size keyboard. There are many contenders for the top spot in this category, but from our research, the HyperX Alloy Origins Core ekes out the win here.
This really is a premium keyboard, with many tech experts and reviewers naming it as one of their favorites of the last year. As a TKL board, it is sleek and doesn’t take up too much room. The mechanical keys are top quality and are rated to last 80 million presses. The cable is a detachable USB-C type for even more flexibility.
This keyboard comes with gorgeous RGB lights with dedicated software (which is unfortunately shackled to the Windows store) to customize the lighting to your liking. It is among the best-built keyboards in terms of reliability, and as mentioned before, it all comes at a pretty reasonable price tag.
Best TKL Gaming Keyboard HyperX Alloy Origins Core A top-notch keyboard with excellent mechanical keys and customizable RGB, the Alloy Origins Core is the best keyboard in an increasingly popular category.
Pros ✓ Modular switch design
Modular switch design ✓ Compatible with most third-party keycaps
Compatible with most third-party keycaps ✓ Available in both black and white designs Cons ✗ Bit expensive for the class
Bit expensive for the class ✗ Lighting software isn't the most robust
This diminutive class of keyboards has come a long way over the past few years. What used to be a niche market is now flooded with high-end products from big-name manufacturers. And despite the stiff competition from bigger brands, the GMMK 60% Percent Compact is about as good as a 60% board can get.
The GMMK comes with preinstalled mechanical switches, although the modular keyboard lets you easily swap them out for others without any soldering or technical know-how. If you’re averse to soldering, that alone is worth the price of admission.
You’ll likely be more than happy with the included switches anyway, as the Gateron Brown Tactile Mechanical switches offer enough tactile feedback for gaming while also being quiet enough not to annoy your roommate or wake up the entire house.
Its unique, modular capabilities immediately put it ahead of most of the competition, but Glorious didn’t stop there. The GMMK Compact also includes a built-in stand, RGB lights, a full aluminum top plate, and a layout that’s compatible with most third-party keycaps—giving you another way to customize your keyboard.
The GMMK is available in both black and white variants, and it’s reasonably priced at right around $100. Sure, you’ll find more affordable keyboards in this class, but few can offer the firepower of this tiny-but-mighty beast from Glorious.
Best 60% Gaming Keyboard GMMK 60% Percent Compact Its modular switch design makes it easy to customize the keyboard as you see fit, but it also comes with all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a $100+ product. At the end of the day, there's little to complain about with this little, pint-sized keyboard.
The 9 Best Gaming Keyboards in 2023 for All Budgets
To keep DiamondLobby free to read, this post may contain affiliate links. Learn more
Using a good gaming keyboard will have a direct impact on your in-game performance.
From quicker response time to how the buttons feel to the touch, the benefits of using a quality gaming keyboard are endless.
To help you find the best gaming keyboard for your needs, we researched the market and compiled a long list of great options. We then considered each individual keyboard’s:
Value for Money
Size
Connectivity
Type
Integrated Features
This allowed us to narrow down our list to the 9 best gaming keyboards, which you can read about below.
Our top value-for-money pick is the FNATIC Streak65 LP, a two-thirds-sized gaming keyboard with ultra responsive silent keys.
Let’s take a look at all of the options you have in more detail.
Why You Can Trust This Review
At DiamondLobby, our goal is to be as completely transparent and honest with our findings so you can shop with utmost confidence.
The products that we recommend today are what we believe to be the current best gaming keyboards on the market.
When picking the products for this guide and review, we factored in the price, a number of important aspects when it comes to keyboards, market availability, and community feedback.
Remember that there is no perfect keyboard, so don’t get tangled up too much into the details. You should pick the product that best resonates with your gaming needs.
How We Picked
When picking the gaming keyboards for our final selection, we considered the following:
Value for Money
You shouldn’t spend more money on a gaming keyboard than you need to. To prevent that, we carefully reviewed every aspect of every keyboard and made a decision based on our knowledge and expertise whether or not a particular product is worth its market price or not.
We will always strive to recommend you the best products while saving you as much of your hard-earned money as possible.
Keyboard Size
The three most common keyboard sizes are full-size (104 key), TKL (tenkeyless), which has 87 keys, and 60%, which has 68 keys.
There are some other less common keyboard sizes such as 75%, 65%, 40%, and even an individual gaming keypad, but we decided to stay away from those and focus on what is popular.
In our final selection today, you will find a number of full-sized, TKL, and 60 percent gaming keyboards to pick from.
Keyboard Connectivity
There are two main types of keyboards when it comes to connectivity; wired and wireless. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. While wired is a little bit more responsive, when going wireless you won’t have to deal with yet another cable.
To ensure we have plenty of great choices, we’ve included a number of great gaming keyboards that offer either wired or wireless connectivity.
Keyboard Type
There are two types of keyboards – membrane and mechanical. While membrane keyboards are more affordable, their more expensive counterpart, mechanical keyboards, offer better performance, feeling, and longevity.
During our research, we found some great products from both categories, which we decided to include.
Integrated Features
Most gaming keyboards offer a number of integrated features in the likes of RGB lights, wrist rest, additional USB ports, and more.
To accommodate with the needs of the gaming community, we’ve ensured that all of the products we recommend today feature at least one of the above.
Now, keep in mind that you don’t need to make use of them. If you don’t like RGB lights, you can turn them off. If you don’t want a wrist rest, you can take it off and store it away.
Best Gaming Keyboard for the Money
Type Mechanism Size Connectivity RGB Numpad Mechanical Linear 65% Wireless Yes No
Our number one recommendation for a gaming keyboard if you’re looking for bang for your buck is the Fnatic Streak65 LP.
We were hands on with the Streak65 in this video:
This high quality, super-low profile gaming keyboard offers ultra fast switches that boast just a 1mm actuation distance and require 45 gramforce for activation. In simple terms, this means the buttons are really easy to press and they don’t have to travel very far when you press them either, which is great for fast-paced gaming.
With a 65% size, the StreakLP gives you every button you need and nothing more – no frills. It’s no surprise that this keyboard was made by Fnatic – a leading organisation in professional esports.
You can pick this up on Amazon or on the official Fnatic website.
Best Overall Gaming Keyboard
Type Mechanism Size Connectivity Lighting Numpad Mechanical Tactile Full-Size Wired Yes Yes
Upon concluding our research, we found that the Razer Huntsman V2 is the best gaming keyboard that we came across.
The best price at the time of writing was $249.99.
Visually speaking, the Razer Huntsman V2 looks awesome. This full-size wired keyboard features a sleek and high-quality build design, which will last you for years.
With a nearly identical design, the Razer Huntsman V2 is a direct upgrade of its predecessor, the original Huntsman Elite.
One of the most notable features is its plush wrist rest. Thanks to its magnetic nature, you can easily put it in place and take it away in a split second.
If you like RGB lights, you definitely won’t be disappointed with going for this keyboard. With over 16.8 million colors and the ability to sync it with your entire setup, you have everything you need to make a memorable lightshow.
It’s worth mentioning that the Huntsman V2 is a direct upgrade from its predecessor, the Huntsman Elite. This time around, the Huntsman V2 features doubleshot PBT keycaps, which are much harder and more durable than ABS.
As a result of this, the feeling of typing and gaming on the Huntsman V2 is a significant upgrade to the Huntsman Elite.
Another feature, which might come in handy is the USB 3.0 passthrough located on the left side of the keyboard, near the power cable. There, you can plug in and charge your phone, headset, speakers, and other.
If you’re a fan of the Razer Huntsman V2, you can buy this gaming keyboard from Microsoft, the official Razer website, or Amazon.
Best Budget-Friendly Gaming Keyboard
Type Mechanism Size Connectivity Lighting Numpad Membrane Tactile Full Wired Yes Yes
If you are looking for the best bargain when it comes to gaming keyboards, the Corsair K55 is a great choice.
The best price at the time of writing was $56.09.
The K55 by Corsair is a full-sized keyboard certified with IP42 dust and water resistance rating. Out of the 120 buttons (110 keys) spread out strategically throughout the 18.6″ (L) x 6.6″ (W) keyboard, 6 of which are fully programmable.
Thanks to the dynamic RGB backlighting across three different zones, you can make this keyboard part of your RGB gaming setup. Using the powerful Corsair iCUE software, you can customize the lighting to your preference and sync up the keyboard with the rest of your setup.
As you could guess, the keyboard features membrane keys, which are surprisingly quiet and responsive. I owned this keyboard for just over two years before upgrading to the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL, and have absolutely nothing bad to say about it.
The only real downside to this keyboard is that the RGB lights aren’t as advanced as in the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL for example, but it’s always important to remember that the K55 has been around since 2016 and costs just a fraction from that of the Apex 7 TKL.
For comfort, you can take advantage of the detachable palm rest, which is made out of soft rubber for reducing the stress on your wrists those long gaming sessions.
If this budget-friendly gaming keyboard satisfies all of your needs, you can buy it from the official Corsair website or from Amazon.
Runner Up
Type Mechanism Size Connectivity Lighting Numpad Mechanical Linear TKL Wired Yes No
If you are looking for a compact, comfortable, and performance-driven gaming keyboard, then the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL is a fantastic choice.
The best price at the time of writing was $100.72.
Aesthetically speaking, the Apex 7 TKL is easily in our top 3. Its sleek and high-quality build is enhanced by rich RGB illumination offering unmatched customization with over 16.8 million colors per key.
The design is further enhanced by aircraft-grade aluminum alloy built to last your lifetime while the linear red switches are guaranteed for 50 million keypresses. The 84 red switches are also responsible for providing you with consistently smooth movement without any bumps, allowing you peak level of performance.
You can also find this keyboard with brown switches and blue switches. If you aren’t a fan of the TKL, go for the full-sized Apex 7.
The Apex 7 TKL features a OLED smart display, which can be programmer to display a number of things such as a pre-set text, current Spotify song, or in-game information.
For comfort, you can use the premium magnetic wrist rest, which provides a supreme level of comfort and protection against RSI and other wrist-related issues. If you don’t want to use it, you can simply take it off in a split second.
Having used this keyboard myself, I have nothing but great things to say about it. The RGB is next level.
This gaming keyboard is available on Amazon and the official Steelseries website.
Other Great Gaming Keyboards
If you didn’t find a suitable keyboard from above, check out five other great gaming keyboards.
Corsair K95 Platinum
Type Mechanism Size Connectivity Lighting Numpad Mechanical Linear Full Wired Yes Yes
The Corsair K95 Platinum is another top-end gaming keyboard widely used by professional e-sports players in the likes of Overwatch’s iRemiix and CS: GO’s now retired FNS and DeadFox.
The best price at the time of writing was $170.92.
From an aesthetical standpoint, the K95 Platinum by Corsair really does look and feel great. As its frame is reinforced with aircraft-grade anodized aluminum, you can tell it was built to withstand a lifetime of gaming.
If you are big on RGB, the K95 is one of the top choices. It features per-key RGB backlighting and a 19-zone LightEdge across the top of the keyboard. This delivers dynamic and vibrant lighting effects with near-limitless customization and synchronization with the rest of your setup.
One of the most notable features is the integrated 8MB profile storage with hardware macros and lighting playback. This allows you to create, store, and access up to three customized profiles on the go.
The K95 uses 100% Cherry MX Speed RGB mechanical key switches, which are super fast, with just 1.2mm actuation while having the durability of gold contact Cherry MX mechanical key switches.
If you play video games that require programmable buttons, you can take advantage of the 6 programmable g keys for setting up in-game macros. It’s also worth mentioning that this keyboard is 100% anti-ghosting, making it ideal for pressing a large volume of keys at the same time without missing a single interaction.
If you’d like to make the Corsair K95 Platinum part of your gaming setup, you can buy this gaming keyboard from the official Corsair website and Amazon.
Cooler Master MK730 TKL
Type Mechanism Size Connectivity Lighting Numpad Mechanical Tactile TKL Wired Yes No
The Cooler Master MK730 TKL is another super reliable TKL gaming keyboard.
The best price at the time of writing was $109.73.
The MK730 by Cooler Master is the smaller, TKL version of the full-sized Cooler Master MK850. Though the design is more compact, allowing you to save desk space and increase portability when on the go, it still features a brush aluminum frame.
As part of the package, you will also get a removable magnetic wrist rest allowing you to rest your wrists during long gaming sessions.
The integrated On-the-Fly Controls let you modify your keyboard settings in real-time while the hybrid key rollover ensures all your rapid key pressing gets registered.
Besides those, the keyboard is also fully loaded with a number of useful features like the Cherry MX Switches for a higher level of responsiveness, durability, and tactile satisfaction. Those same switches are good for over 50 million keystrokes and are available on tactile, linear, or click.
The MK730 TKL also hosts RGB backlighting with a light bar to illuminate your keyboard in over 16.7 million different colors.
If you’re a fan of the Cooler Master MK730 TKL, you can buy this keyboard from Amazon and Newegg.
SteelSeries Apex Pro
Type Mechanism Size Connectivity Lighting Numpad Mechanical Tactile Full Wired Yes Yes
The SteelSeries Apex Pro is a top-of-the-line gaming keyboard widely used by eSports pro athletes mainly within the CS: GO, Fortnite, and Warzone community.
The best price at the time of writing was $189.51.
From a visual standpoint, the Apex Pro by SteelSeries is an RGB masterpiece. Made out of Aircraft-grade aluminium alloy, this keyboard is build to last you a lifetime.
One of the most notable features of this gaming keyboard as compared to the rest within our final selection is that it hosts OmniPoint adjustable switches. Those are faster and more durable than the Cherry MX Speed switches.
You can customize the OmniPoint switches to your liking with an actuation distance ranging from as little as 0.4mm all the way to 3.6mm, which even then is faster than the Cherry MX Speed key switches.
It’s also worth mentioning that OmniPoint switches are twice as durable as the Cherry MX Speed, allowing over 100,000 million key presses.
For comfort added comfort to your wrists, you can use the included premium magnetic wrist rest, which can be attached and detached in a split second.
The RGB illumination of this keyboard is truly unmatched. It features the same technology as the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL, allowing the customization of individual keys of up to 16.8 million colors.
If the above sounds like something you’re looking for, then you can get this gaming keyboard from Amazon and the official Steelseries website.
CORSAIR Strafe RGB MK.2
Type Mechanism Size Connectivity Lighting Numpad Mechanical Linear Full Wired Yes Yes
The linear CORSAIR Strafe RGB MK.2 mechanical keyboard is another top-end gaming peripheral widely used by pros in the eSports community.
The best price at the time of writing was $173.68.
The Strafe M.2 is the pride of Corsair when it comes to gaming keyboards. To compete with the market, they have gone above and beyond to create one of the best mechanical keyboards on the market.
Featuring Cherry MX mechanical switches with gold contacts, you can expect a very high level of performance and durability.
For an added level of comfort to your wrists, the Strafe MK.2 also comes with one of the best keyboard wrist rests that you can make use of.
Unlike most other RGB-enabled keyboards, the Strafe MK.2 features per-key RGB backlighting, which means you can customize every key as you see fit.
To customize the keyboard’s programmable keys and RGB lights, you can use the iCUE software provided by Corsair. There, you can also sync the keyboard with all other compatible gaming peripherals in your gaming setup.
The Strafe MK.2 also features an integrated 8MB profile storage space, allowing you to save a number of different profiles that you can change on the go.
Thanks to the dedicated multimedia and volume controls, you can adjust your in-game audio without interrupting your game.
If this gaming keyboard satisfies all of your needs, you can purchase it from Amazon and the official Corsair website.
ANNE PRO 2
Type Mechanism Size Connectivity Lighting Numpad Battery Life Mechanical Tactile 60% Both Yes Yes 8 hours
The ANNE PRO 2 is the only 60 percent gaming keyboard worthy of a recommendation in our final selection. It is also the only keyboard that can be used both wired and wirelessly.
The best price at the time of writing was $94.00.
Measuring just 11.18″ (L) x 3.82″ (W), the ANNE PRO 2 is the smallest mechanical gaming keyboard featured on our list. By category, it’s considered a 60% keyboard, which makes use of just 61 keys, almost half as compared to a full-sized keyboard.
The minimalistic design of this keyboard is perfect for gamers who travel or have little space on their gaming desk. If you play Warzone, as an example, you won’t need a keyboard any bigger than the ANNE PRO 2.
One of the most notable features of the ANNE PRO 2 is that it can operate both wired and wirelessly, though wired is the preferred choice due to the keyboard’s fairly small 1900 mAh battery. When idle, the keyboard can last for up to four weeks, whereas when in full use, it lasts just 8 hours.
The ANNE PRO 2, is also a step up from the original ANNE PRO. Some core improvements include the inclusion of an on/off switch, better battery life, stronger Bluetooth connection, and easier switching between multiple devices.
On the downside, it doesn’t come with a wrist rest, which can be an issue for some gamers who suffer from RSI or another wrist-related condition.
If this gaming keyboard is what you’ve been after, you can purchase it either from the Anne Pro website or Amazon.
Shopping Tips for Gaming Keyboards
Shopping for a gaming keyboard isn’t an easy process. You need to find the right size keyboard that provides the level of functionality that you need for the games you play.
After concluding our research, as a general guide as to what you should be looking for, take a look at the three tips we shared beneath.
The Size of Keyboard You Want to Buy Should Depend on Your Setup and Needs
The three most popular keyboard sizes include full-size, TKL, and 60%. Full-sized keyboards feature 104 keys, meaning you get everything including the numpad. TKL or tenkeysless keyboards host 87 keys. The difference between TKL and full-sized is that the numpad is missing from TKL, ultimately making the keyboard smaller in size.
The last most popular keyboard size is the 60 percent. This keyboard features all main keys on the left side of the keyboard up until the CTRL button on the right-hand side. This means that 60% keyboards don’t have arrow keys. They are much smaller in size and are often preferred by pro players because of their size and ease to carry around for LAN events.
Which one you go for should depend on your gaming needs and desk space. The size of the keyboard doesn’t impact its performance.
Mechanical or Membrane?
There are two different types of gaming keyboards; mechanical and membrane keyboards. Which one you pick is a personal preference. If you were to ask us, we’d always go with a mechanical keyboard (provided all other requirements are met by the keyboard).
The core difference between mechanical and membrane keyboards is that mechanical keyboards provide more direct feedback to the player, whereas the membrane keys feel more “mushy” when pressed down. They don’t offer the same speed and snappiness.
Both types are great for gaming. Keep in mind the mechanical keyboards are also more expensive. If you are on a budget, go for membrane. Our budget-friendly pick is a great membrane option.
Wired or Wireless?
Wired gaming keyboards are slightly faster in response time compared to their wireless counterparts. The difference between the two in response time, especially in high-end keyboards is almost unnoticeable and won’t really bring you any significant advantage.
Which one you go for solely depends on your needs. If you want one less extra cable, go for wireless. If you don’t particularly care, go for wired.
Picking the Right Gaming Keyboard for Your Needs
We reviewed a number of amazing gaming keyboards. We’d struggle ourselves if we had to pick one. To help you with choosing the right keyboard for your needs, we created three different scenarios alongside the best keyboard for each.
Scenario 1: If you are on a budget but would still like to get your hands on a decent gaming keyboard, we would recommend you the Corsair K55.
Scenario 2: If you are looking for a fine combination of RGB lights, performance, and size, we’d suggest that you go for the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL.
Scenario 3: If you are on the hunt for the best gaming keyboard we could find, then the Razer Huntsman V2 is a great choice.
Final Thoughts
Some other honourable mentions include Razer BlackWidow TE, Agon Tournament-Grade RGB Gaming Mechanical Keyboard, and Durgod Taurus K320.
We did not include those keyboards as part of our final selection because they either didn’t meet a certain part of our criteria, or there was a better option for the same price.
