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Picking the Right Mechanical Switches
Which Switch Is Right for You?
The Best and Brightest
Logitech Pro X Keyboard
Best Under $100
Logitech G413 Mechanical Keyboard
Best Small Keyboard
Razer Huntsman Mini
There are few things as polarizing as PC keyboards. There are message boards and subreddits filled to the brim with opinions dissecting every aspect and component, mechanical vs. membrane, different switch mechanisms, and the plastic used in the key caps.
There’s good reason for that. You probably spend a lot of time on your keyboard, along with a (hopefully) comfortable mouse. You might as well make those hours as pleasant as possible, especially now that so many of us are working from home. Whether you own a great laptop or a game-ready desktop PC, we’ve tested dozens of keyboards up and down the price spectrum. These are our top picks for gaming, office work, and everything in between.
Updated November 2023: We added Razor Blackwidow V4, MX Keys S, OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro, DaVinci Resolve Editor Keyboard, the Das Keyboard MacTigr, and Logitech Pop Keys. We also added new tips and suggestions and updated prices throughout.
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Photograph: Ariel Zambelich
Picking the Right Mechanical Switches
Which Switch Is Right for You?
If you want to go with a mechanical keyboard, you’ll want to pay attention to your switch choices. There are dozens of kinds, and they all feel a little different. Without touching them yourself, it’s tough to know which is right for you. Manufacturers like Logitech and Razer use their own proprietary switches, which further complicates things.
No matter who makes them, switches generally come in one of three varieties:
- Clicky switches typically have very little resistance mid-stroke, followed by a sharp click as you press the key all the way down.
- Tactile switches behave similarly but have a less pronounced click after that mid-stroke resistance.
- Linear switches feel smooth, quick, and sensitive—like hair triggers on a game controller.
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Photograph: Logitech
The Best and Brightest
Logitech Pro X Keyboard
Everyone has a favorite switch type, but you usually have to choose before you get your keyboard. If you decide that you want to try a different switch for more click or more clack? You have to get a whole new keyboard. The Logitech G Pro X solves that problem by offering key kits so you can customize every key, choosing from three switch types: GX Blue Clicky switches (for a crisp click and thicker keystroke), GX Red Linear (for a quieter, smoother, but still satisfying keystroke), or GX Brown Tactile (with a soft stroke and tactile feedback).
Personally, I like Blue and Red switches for different purposes. During testing, I used Blues for my W, A, S, and D keys (for movement in games), and Red switches on other letters for a smooth typing experience. I also tried Brown switches for the space bar and shift keys, just to mix it up. That level of customization makes the G Pro X stand out as the best overall mechanical keyboard. No matter what you prefer, you can create a bespoke typing and gaming experience.
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Photograph: Logitech
Best Under $100
Logitech G413 Mechanical Keyboard
Budget mechanical keyboards used to be the province of random Amazon sellers with all-capped names and were clad in candy-colored plastic. Logitech’s G413 couldn’t be further from that aesthetic. Here, you get the same understated black chassis, the same mechanical switches, and even the same Lightsync RGB lighting that you get on more expensive Logitech models. It’s an excellent pick if you’re not interested in a decked-out gaming keyboard, or you’re just getting started.
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Photograph: Razer
Best Small Keyboard
Razer Huntsman Mini
A 60 percent keyboard has 60 percent of the keys normally found on a regular-sized keyboard. The numpad and arrow keys are chopped off, and you’re left with the essentials. The Razer Huntsman Mini is my favorite of this size for gaming. It feels every bit as responsive and quick as a full-size keyboard, but it takes up a lot less desk space. There’s just something very neat and orderly about it. Plus, like the larger Huntsman Elite ($179), the Mini is compatible with Razer’s key cap kits, so you can customize your color scheme. I like the mercury white with pink key caps.
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Photograph: NZXT
Best for Beginner Customizing
NZXT Function
If you’re interested in customizing your mechanical keyboard but aren’t sure where to start, the NZXT Function (8/10, WIRED Recommends) strikes the perfect sweet spot. The company’s builder tool lets you pick the kind of switches, key caps, and even cable color for your keyboard, and the company will put it all together for you.
You can leave it at that, but if you want to customize the board further, it will ship with tools to remove and replace every key cap and switch, along with spares of each. The Function also comes with some nice features, like a left-side volume wheel, RGB LEDs (naturally), and software to remap or customize every button with macros to maximize your productivity.
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Photograph: Logitech
An Affordable Beginner Option
Logitech Pop Keys
Part of the appeal of getting into customizing your keyboard is making it a reflection of your personality or just brightening up your office. The Logitech Pop Keys (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is a shortcut to that kind of expression. This small, wireless, mechanical keyboard comes in a variety of vibrant color palettes that are absolutely delightful. It also uses Logitech’s stellar system for pairing with up to three devices, making it simple to take it between your PC and laptop, or from home to work and back.
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Photograph: Razer
A Starter Gamer Keyboard
Razer BlackWidow V4 75%
The Razer BlackWidow V4 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has a sturdy metal casing, hot-swappable switches, and Razer’s robust Synapse software for customizing your keyboard. If you’re interested in mechanical keyboards but you’re not sure you want to dive head-first down the Reddit rabbit hole of keyboard enthusiasts, this is a great board to start with that gives you flexibility to tweak it later without too much commitment.
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Photograph: Das Keyboard
Best for Apple Users
Das Keyboard MacTigr
Apple has a lot of really nice chiclet-style keyboards, but if you’re a fan of old-school mechanical keyboards, then the Das Keyboard MacTigr (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is gonna be for you. It has a dedicated Mac layout, smooth, responsive Cherry MX Red switches, and a particularly luxurious volume knob. It doesn’t come with backlighting or any special colors—it’s matte black or nothing—but it has dual USB-C ports, which is really nice.
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Photograph: Filco
Timeless Classic
Filco Majestouch 2
An oldie but a goodie, the Japanese Filco Majestouch was among the earliest of mechanical keyboards to make waves in the US in the 2000s. Product reviewer Matt Jancer has used one without a numpad for six years, with a combination of Cherry MX Browns, Blacks, Reds, Silent Reds, or Blues. Jancer reports that it’s weighted to keep it from moving under mad writing sessions, and the typing experience is sublime. It’s a classic—if you can find it in stock.
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Photograph: Amazon
Best for Work
Logitech MX Keys S
For all the fancy mechanical keyboards I’ve tested, the Logitech MX Keys S is still my daily driver. It can pair with three devices, making it easy to swap between computers. Its low-profile chiclet style key are comfortable, and it uses proximity sensors to activate the keys’ backlight when your hands get near it so that it’s easier to find in the dark, without being distracting or wasting battery when you’re not using it.
It supports both Mac and Windows layouts, and the keys are tastefully labeled in a way that it’s clear no matter which one you’re using at the time. Battery life is also fantastic, lasting well over a week with normal use, though it gets quite a bit longer if you disable the backlight.
★ Alternative: We also like the MX Mechanical ($170) for its understated, low-profile design. Like the MX Keys, you can pair it with up to three devices at once and swap with the push of a button. There are even a few convenient extra buttons just above the numpad to launch a calculator or lock your desktop.
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Photograph: Monsgeek
For Custom Keys With a Numpad
Monsgeek M2
Some people must have a keyboard with a number pad, whether to do a lot of quick math or to add a lot of time codes or hex values as a designer. The sturdiest we found without breaking out a soldering iron is the Monsgeek M2. For $130, you get a gorgeous and hefty aluminum shell in this hot-swappable 1800 compact layout, so you get a nice numpad on the right.
Associate editor Parker Hall likes that it has three lights milled into the right side between the backspace key and the number-lock key, making it easy to tell whether you’ve got caps lock on or not. This keyboard is compatible with Akko MDA/SAL profile keycaps, and options for cool caps are plentiful. You can buy switches from Monsgeek with the board or supply your own. Hall’s favorites are the Novelkey Kailh Box Pink ($33).
★ Alternative: The GMMK 2 96% is the more affordable competitor, made from high-quality plastic rather than aluminum. It comes with my beloved numpad and also a set of GMMK’s Glorious Panda switches ($25), which are among the best tactile switches I’ve used. Keycap options from GMMK are plentiful, or you can supply your own. The company’s desktop app also allows you to add hotkeys, adjust the LEDs on the board, and set profiles for different tasks.
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Photograph: SteelSeries
Ultra-Customizable Lighting
SteelSeries Apex Pro
Mechanical keyboards are super satisfying to type on. They just feel better than standard membrane keyboards. The mechanical switches responsible for such a tactile typing experience are varied—and rather than choose one switch for the Apex Pro keyboard, SteelSeries decided to allow them all.
Not only is it a colorful gaming keyboard with lots of bells and whistles, but similar to the Logitech above, it features mechanical switches that can be customized per key to give you a typing experience unique to you. Plus, it has a little LED display for system alerts, volume, and other fun stuff you can toy with using SteelSeries’ included software.
★ Alternative: The Apex 7 TKL ($130) has the same LED display as its sibling but adds ultra-customizable software, specifically for games. It can trigger different lighting conditions based on in-game events—so your R key could flash when you need to reload, for example—for certain titles. You can also customize the functions of every individual key, record custom macros, and input third-party apps like Discord.
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Photograph: Roccat
See Your Switches
Roccat Vulcan 120/121/122 Aimo
What’s the point of having a mechanical keyboard if you can’t see those meticulously engineered switches at work, right? That’s the design philosophy behind the Vulcan 120 Aimo and its white- and aluminum-clad cousin, the 122 Aimo. Both put Roccat’s custom-built Titan switches on display with thin little key caps. The switches are illuminated from below with delightfully bright and customizable RGB lighting.
Designed for gaming, Roccat’s switches feel quick, responsive, and tactile. They help make the Vulcan 120 and 122 precision instruments designed for competitive play. Oh, did we mention the keyboard is incredibly loud? And we mean that in the very best way. It’s clicky, clacky, and so satisfying to type on. Writing this article with it feels like typing up a thunderstorm.
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Photograph: Corsair
For Fans of the Wheel
Corsair K100 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
In most ways, the Corsair K100 RGB is a fairly standard keyboard, with RGB backlights, a few programmable macro keys, and a volume roller. What sets it apart, however, is the control wheel in the top-left corner. This dial can scrub through media, control the lighting on the keyboard, and control a number of other built-in functions.
The dial can also be customized. In my testing, this could be a little finicky in certain applications—I couldn’t get it to properly scrub through the timeline in Premiere Pro, for example—but it’s still a handy tool that you rarely get on other boards.
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Photograph: OnePlus
For Stylish Mechanical Keyboard Die-Hards
OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro
When I reviewed the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommends), I hated it—but for very specific reasons that others would love it for. It’s heavy, which makes it bad for people who shift in their seat a lot, but great for people who sit still and don’t want their keyboard wandering. It runs QMK-compatible firmware that lets power users customize the keyboard, adding shortcuts or adjusting the lighting, but it’s not particularly user-friendly if you’re not used to it. It also comes with tools to swap out keycaps or switches. For power users, it’s a fantastic keyboard, but if you want something simple that you don’t have to wrestle with too much to get working how you want it, this might not be the one to go with.
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Photograph: Das Keyboard
Smart Home Compatible
Das Keyboard 5QS
Have you ever wanted a keyboard that can talk to your refrigerator? If so, you’re in luck. The Das Keyboard 5QS is a formidable and well-designed gaming keyboard with all the usual bells and whistles, like RGB lighting and a customizable knob for additional controls.
It can also link up to your smart home devices. Using IFTTT shortcuts, you can train your keyboard to flash a certain key for reminders, dim your smart lights, or even let you know when someone leaves the garage door open. In an age with smart coffee mugs and Wi-Fi–connected juicers, why shouldn’t something as functional as your keyboard give you a little more control over the devices in your life?
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Photograph: Best Buy
For Double the LEDs
Roccat Vulcan II
If nothing else, Roccat knows how to show off. The Vulcan II Mini has satisfyingly clicky keys on a slim board. But its most notable feature is its Dual LED switches. While most keyboards with RGB LEDs have one light per key, this one has two. This has a very minor practical benefit in that function keys can have a separate indicator for things like when mute is activated. Mostly, though, it just gives you twice the resolution for all those sweet rainbow effects.
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Photograph: Logitech
For Creative Automation
Logitech G915 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard
The Logitech G915 is built to be a gaming keyboard, but if you spend a lot of time in Photoshop, Premiere, Cinema 4D, Blender, or any number of other creative applications, it’ll be right up your alley. The raised mechanical keys are comfortable and provide satisfying travel without bulking up the board too much. The keys are at slightly higher risk of breaking if you pull on them, though, so don’t do that. You can also easily swap between Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless connection and Bluetooth, making it simple to switch to your laptop and continue working seamlessly.
The real star of the show is the set of five macro keys on the left side of the board. Along with the Logitech G Hub software, these keys can be programmed with automated actions and custom shortcuts, or even execute scripts. We’re big fans of using gaming hardware for productivity, and these bonus keys are perfect for the job. There are enough to give you more options, without turning your daily driver into a tank that overwhelms your entire desk. You can also save even more space if you lop off the numpad with the G915 TKL, but you’ll lose the macro keys as well.
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Photograph: Blackmagic
For (DaVinci Resolve) Video Editors
Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve Editor Keyboard
If you’re a video editor—and specifically, if you use DaVinci Resolve as to edit—then this highly specialized keyboard is one of our favorites. It’s a full-size QWERTY keyboard, but the keycaps have common Resolve shortcuts printed directly on them. There are a couple of additional collections of buttons to make quick work of assembling video timelines, and a giant dial to scrub through your timeline. Like the DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor, which we also like, this model also comes with a free copy of Resolve Studio, which normally costs $300, making this keyboard’s $600 price tag a lot more palatable for editors.
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Illustration: Daniel Megias/Getty Images
What to Look for in a Keyboard
Picking the Right Keyboard
There are so many factors to choose from when picking the right keyboard for your needs that it can get overwhelming. Not everyone has the same needs, and many aspects of a keyboard can seem universally desirable to some while being utterly polarizing to others. To help cut through the noise, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Mechanical, or no? If you like big, clicky keyboards with raised keys that make a statement, mechanical keyboards might be for you. This is also a rabbit hole that many nerds have lost themselves in, so it can be overwhelming to dive into the nuance of all the different styles in this sub-group. If you’re more a fan of the flat, chiclet-style keyboards found on more low-profile keyboards (and laptops), you can save yourself a lot of time by skipping the mechanical keyboard rush. On the other hand, if you do want mechanical, there’s a whole swath of keyboards you can ignore out of hand.
- Wireless or wired? Wired keyboards have the advantage of never dying and never needing to be charged up. The disadvantages are, well, obvious. If you need a wireless keyboard to take with you to the office and back home, or just want more flexibility on your desk, then make sure to check a keyboard’s battery life, what kind of batteries it uses (rechargeable is usually better), and what kind of system it uses for recharging.
- Wireless connectivity options. Some wireless keyboards use a USB dongle to connect to your PC or laptop, which often have more reliable signal strength, while others use Bluetooth to connect to a wider range of devices. Bluetooth keyboards in general are pretty great these days, so it’s not a huge sacrifice, but pay attention to how you need to connect the keyboard to your devices when making a purchase.
- Number of device connections. Similarly, some wireless keyboards can remember multiple devices they connect to and swap between them with the press of a button. If you have a desktop, a laptop, and a work computer you want to use one keyboard with, it’s a good idea to check how many devices your keyboard can remember when making your choice.
