Different Keyboards We Like
{Photograph}: Eric Ravenscraft
Logitech Professional X TKL for $200: Logitech makes nice keyboards, and the G Professional X TKL is among the many finest gaming keyboards. It has vibrant RGB LED-backlit keys, a alternative of clicky, tactile, or linear switches, and it makes use of Logitech’s Lightspeed wi-fi adapter for aggressive gaming-level response time. The construct high quality of this keyboard is slick and classy. It is minimal and does not take up a lot area in your desk, and it has a delicate metallic rim across the edge that provides it slightly aptitude that the majority plain keyboards lack. The quantity wheel within the higher proper is clean and straightforward to achieve, and alongside the highest are useful media controls so you possibly can pause your music once you lastly get right into a recreation after an extended queue. For my tastes, the extra clicky-clacky a keyboard, the higher, and the Black Clicky switches have served me effectively. Every keypress looks like I am sending tiny thunder all the way down to my recreation. Nonetheless, for those who choose one thing softer, you possibly can select one other change sort. The one factor I dislike is the dearth of a numpad—sure, I am a type of weirdos preferring having a numpad.
Logitech Professional X 60 for $180: The Professional X 60 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has just about all the advantages of the Professional X TKL in a smaller, extra compact package deal. It retains the quantity wheel, Sport mode change, and Bluetooth/Lightspeed buttons by transferring them to the sides of the keyboard, whereas slimming the entire thing all the way down to a 60 p.c format.
Logitech Pop Keys for $100: The Pop Keys (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is a vibrant line of wi-fi keyboards that are available all kinds of colour palettes which might be pleasant. It additionally makes use of Logitech’s system for pairing with as much as three units, making it easy to take it between your PC and laptop computer, or from residence to work and again.
{Photograph}: Eric Ravenscraft
Logitech MX Keys S for $128: The MX Keys S can pair with three units, making it simple to swap between computer systems. Its low-profile chiclet-style keys are comfy, and it makes use of proximity sensors to activate the important thing backlight when your fingers get close to, so it is simpler to see at midnight with out losing battery once you’re not utilizing it. It helps each Mac and Home windows layouts, and the keys are tastefully labeled in a manner that it is clear irrespective of which one you are utilizing on the time. Battery life can be improbable, lasting effectively over every week with regular use, although it will get fairly a bit longer for those who disable the backlight.
Logitech MX Mechanical for $170: With an understated, low-profile design, you possibly can pair the MX Mechanical with as much as three units directly and swap with the push of a button. There are even just a few handy further buttons simply above the numpad to launch a calculator or lock your desktop.
Turtle Seaside Vulcan II TKL Professional for $150: The Vulcan II TKL Professional has two LEDs per key, giving it a greater decision for lighting results. It options Corridor impact switches, which ought to minimize down on put on and tear. They’re nonetheless satisfyingly clicky, and the quantity knob has a comfortably grippy texture. I choose any keyboard with a quantity wheel to at least one with out.
{Photograph}: Eric Ravenscraft
Corsair K65 for $160: This 75 p.c keyboard has among the softest, most comfy keys of any board I’ve examined. It is light-weight sufficient to toss in a bag, however sturdy sufficient to be your desktop keyboard. It may well join through USB-C, Bluetooth, or a wi-fi dongle that may be saved in a slot on the rear. A trendy steel quantity knob adorns the top-right nook, and each keycap and change could be swapped out utilizing the included removing software.
Razer Huntsman Mini for $89: A 60 p.c keyboard has 60 p.c of the keys usually discovered on a regular-sized keyboard. The numpad and arrow keys are chopped off, and also you’re left with the necessities. The Razer Huntsman Mini is one among my favorites of this dimension for gaming. It feels each bit as responsive and fast as a full-size keyboard, nevertheless it takes up loads much less desk area. There’s simply one thing neat and orderly about it. Plus, just like the bigger Huntsman Elite, the Mini is suitable with Razer’s keycap kits, so you possibly can customise your colour scheme.
Keychron Q1 HE for $240: The Keychron Q1 HE (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is without doubt one of the finest boards we have examined that makes use of Corridor impact switches. You possibly can customise the actuation level to both make keys extra delicate—so you do not have to press all of them the best way down for keystrokes to register—or much less delicate, to keep away from these fat-finger moments that may break aggressive video games. Keychron even has rapid-trigger settings that mean you can press a key a number of instances with out the important thing having to return totally to its resting place. Even exterior the advantages of the Corridor impact switches, that is one other nice keyboard in step with the sort that Keychron is understood for, so it is price a glance even for those who do not wish to pay that a lot consideration to each facet of your keys.
{Photograph}: Eric Ravenscraft
NZXT Perform 2 for $140: The unique NZXT Perform was a good way for anybody inquisitive about mechanical keyboards to leap in with out getting overwhelmed. The follow-up Perform 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) improves on it in virtually each manner. It upgrades the keys to optical switches and comes with a spare set of switches which have slightly extra (or rather less) resistance, so you possibly can customise particular keys primarily based in your wants. I discovered this notably helpful for video games like Overwatch 2, the place I might like to chop down on these fat-finger ultimates which might be so embarrassing. The Perform 2 retains lots of my favourite options from the primary mannequin. It has the identical left-side quantity curler, tremendous mushy keycaps, and handy buttons alongside the aspect of the keyboard. In case you’re inquisitive about mechanical keyboards however are intimidated by phrases like “actuation drive,” this can be a nice board to get began with.
Razer Huntsman V3 Professional TKL for $200: The Huntsman V3 Professional TKL is a strong keyboard for many who prefer to tweak their gaming setup. It makes use of Razer’s analog optical switches, that are satisfyingly clicky. On the highest proper, there is a media knob that controls the quantity, which you can even click on to mute. Nonetheless, it is the buttons round it which might be most attention-grabbing. To the left, there are two programmable macro keys you should utilize to customise totally different instructions in your video games (or your work). Under, on the navigation keys, are six profile shortcuts. Maintain Fn and press one among them, and you may swap between a number of preset profiles, tailor-made to particular gaming wants like FPS mode, Racing mode, or Excessive-Sensitivity mode when you should pull off that hair set off. All of this may be custom-made within the Razer Synapse app. We have examined a number of keyboards with totally different customization choices, however this one is especially good for avid gamers who swap profiles loads. The keyboard connects utilizing a USB-C cable, included with the system, and it additionally comes with a magnetic wrist relaxation.
Razer BlackWidow V4 75% for $190: The Razer BlackWidow V4 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has a sturdy steel casing, hot-swappable switches, and Razer’s sturdy Synapse software program for customizing your keyboard. It is also earned our prime marks for those who’re searching for a mechanical keyboard particularly for gaming. The 75 p.c format is sufficiently small that you would be able to go away loads of room in your mouse, making these flicks to land a headshot that a lot simpler in aggressive video games. The 8,000-Hz polling charge additionally helps minimize down on the instances that you simply miss activating a capability by that nearly imperceptible fraction of a second.
SteelSeries Apex Professional for $200: Moderately than select one change for the Apex Professional keyboard, SteelSeries determined to permit all of them. Not solely is it a colourful gaming keyboard with plenty of bells and whistles, nevertheless it additionally options mechanical switches that may be custom-made per key to provide you a typing expertise distinctive to you. Plus, it has slightly LED show for system alerts, quantity, and different enjoyable stuff you possibly can toy with utilizing SteelSeries’ included software program.
Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for $284: In most methods, the Corsair K100 RGB is a reasonably customary keyboard, with RGB backlights, just a few programmable macro keys, and a quantity curler. What units it aside, nevertheless, is the management wheel within the top-left nook. This dial can scrub by media, management the lighting on the keyboard, and management a number of different built-in features. The dial may also be custom-made. In my testing, this could possibly be slightly finicky in sure purposes—I could not get it to correctly scrub by the timeline in Premiere Professional, for instance—nevertheless it’s nonetheless a useful software you not often get on different boards.
