A great gaming keyboard is ergonomic and versatile. Some may use controller thumbstick-like analog mechanical switches for precise input, whereas most others use standard mechanical switches with binary input. Some take up a larger portion of your desk, whereas others are only about 60% of the size of a full-sized keyboard. Many modern gaming keyboards include some form of integrated RGB lighting, though there are a few in the wild that don’t include any lighting. You may prefer your keys with a satisfying click after each keystroke, or you might prefer the smooth silence of linear keys.
In any case, you should be able to use your PC keyboard all day long for both gaming and non-gaming tasks, and not feel any discomfort in your fingers or wrists while doing so or any time thereafter. There are a ton of different keyboards out there, but you shouldn’t have to spend all day trying to find the best designed PC gaming keyboard that suits your exact needs and also matches the style you’re going for. I’ve compiled a list of my top 10 favorite gaming keyboards, and since there’s something for everyone, there’s probably something for you too.
1. SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL
SteelSeries is famous for producing durable, high-quality gaming peripherals that also manage to look snazzy and tasteful. The Apex 3 TKL (short for tenkeyless, or 80% of the size of a full-sized keyboard) should be an instant contender for any PC gamer looking for a compact gaming keyboard that can sustain long periods of play over many years. Its switches are rated to sustain over 20 million “whisper quiet” keypresses, it comes with eight RGB zones that can sync to games via onboard software, and it’s rated for IP32 water resistance, meaning you can spill your drink all over the keys, worry-free. Not to mention, it’s a steal at $44.99.
2. Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro
If you’re looking for a full-sized gaming keyboard instead of a TKL, you’re probably looking at the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro. It admittedly looks a lot like the Logitech G915 Lightspeed keyboard featured just below, and this is thanks to its five macro keys on the left side of the keyboard – and the multi-function volume roller and media control buttons on the top right. It’s even more versatile, thanks to three additional macro buttons to the left of the macro keys (where your hands would grip onto the edge of the board) as well as the easily reconfigurable Razer Command Dial and wrist rest with RGB LED underglow that lights up the entire desk thanks to Razer Chroma RGB lighting software. It’s a bit spendy for a gaming keyboard at $229.99, but its possibly one of the most well-rounded, feature-complete gaming keyboards around.
3. Logitech G915 Lightspeed
A fantastic wireless competitor to the previously mentioned Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is Logitech’s G915 Lightspeed wireless keyboard. It gives up a bit of the latter’s versatility in favor of not being bound to one spot. The lack of a need for a wired connection lets you use it more comfortably in a more compact gaming space, with a sit-stand desk, or from a greater distance – like on the couch, for instance. Its RGB lighting system, Logitech Lightsync, is a little less impressive than Razer Chroma, but it can also easily connect to the full suite of Logitech Lightsync accessories, like the G560 gaming speakers.
4. Razer Huntsman Mini
Razer’s Huntsman Mini 60% keyboard is known as one of the strongest compact gaming keyboards on the market. RTings gave it a 9.5 for gaming, highlighting its high build quality and macro-programmable RGB-lit LED keys. Granted, the fact that it’s a 60% keyboard by default means it provides insufficient wrist cushioning in comparison to larger and more feature-complete keyboards like the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro. It also lacks extra control functions and macro buttons, meaning what you see is exactly what you get. For an MSRP of $119.99, the Huntsman Mini is still an extremely well-designed, compact, and visually appealing PC gaming keyboard that will fit perfectly on a smaller desk.
5. ASUS ROG Azoth
ASUS ROG Azoth fits between the Razer Huntsman Mini and some of the larger keyboards we’ve mentioned so far. It’s a 75% TKL board with a number of unique features that you won’t find on other popular gaming keyboards. For instance its three-layer dampening system should make typing on it a cushier, smoother experience than clacking away on a non-cushioned keyboard. It’s also wireless in 2.4 GHz mode, with support for ROG SpeedNova and out of the box support for MacOS. If you’re a primary Mac user who also plays games on a Mac, this may be the absolute best keyboard of the bunch at an MSRP of $249.99.
6. HyperX Alloy Origins 60
HyperX Alloy Origins 60 is a competitive wireless alternative to the previously mentioned Razer Huntsman Mini. Much like the latter, it also contains programmable keys and fully-backlit keys. It’s also famously durable, with reviewers saying great things about its build quality across the board. The main difference for the end user is the Alloy Origins 60’s lower MSRP ($99.99), a wire-free experience, and its integration with HyperX NGENUITY, which can control lighting across other HyperX products. If you already own other HyperX products with controllable RGB through that software, this is probably the keyboard to get. Just know that it only works out of the box with Windows.
7. Wooting Two HE
The Wooting Two HE analog keyboard is a lot more like a video game controller in terms of input responsivity. Its analog mechanical switches are designed to react to the amount of pressure applied to them, allowing you to, for instance, walk slowly through an environment in a video game based on how far you press your finger into – presuming you’re like me and you never rebind the keys – the W key. Like many of the other keyboards on this list, it also features RGB backlighting, however, you can switch on Tachyon mode to turn that off and push the Wooting Two HE’s latency to below 1ms. That’s a great pitch for a full-sized gaming keyboard that sells for an MSRP of $194.99.
8. Corsair K70 RGB Pro
The Corsair K70 RGB Pro keyboard is comparable to the Logitech G915 Lightspeed or the Razer BlackWidow V4, with some key variations including 8000Hz polling speed and one feature in particular that stands out: Tournament Mode. By flipping the Tournament Switch on the back of the keyboard, you can immediately (temporarily) turn off all RGB lighting and macro profiles, setting the keyboard to do exactly what the keybindings in your game of choice tell it to do. It’s a bit spendy at $169.99, however, it’s catered directly to gamers who play competitively in certain games – then also play games with custom macros on the side – and want to be able to support both playstyles on the same keyboard.
9. HyperX Alloy Origins Core
The HyperX Alloy Origins Core is a lot like the HyperX Alloy Origins 60 we mentioned earlier. The main difference here, despite it retaining the same basic keyboard design, is its expansion to a TKL layout. To be fair, this is the option I’d personally prefer, since I’m not a huge fan of 60% keyboards. The good news is that it’s just as snazzy at the Alloy Origins 60 thanks to the signature HyperX branding and RGB backlighting with NGENUITY integration.
10. Logitech G413 SE
Easily the most minimalistic gaming keyboard on the list, the Logitech G413 gets rid of all the flashy RGB LED lights, macro buttons, and extra doohickeys in favor of a very simple PC gaming experience that (theoretically) puts build quality over everything else. Reviewers are a bit lukewarm across the board, with The Verge saying “the Logitech G413 TKL SE definitely feels like a $69.99 keyboard,” though some users love its low latency and its “what you see is what you get” personality. Still, as a Logitech G gaming keyboard, it has its place. It’s likely a great gaming board to place on a desk with little to no RGB lighting, where an RGB-backlit keyboard with tons of extra macro buttons and gaming features would look tacky.
