TechJunkie Expert Recommendations
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Using the top gaming keyboard is enjoyable. Each key press is instantly and flawlessly registered, allowing you to focus on the game itself rather than the mechanical act of pressing keys. It’s worth taking the time to get this important peripheral properly, with just the appropriate amount of RGB lighting to keep you pleased, along with your gaming mouse.
However, the plethora of settings and gaming keyboard preferences can be bewildering. You should think about things like media controls, volume wheels, keycaps, macro keys, and the actual switches that are being utilized. Additionally, the variety of colors and styles available for keyboard switches is enough to make the average person cry.
But, don’t worry, we’ve compiled a good list of the best gaming keyboards for this year, so every type of player can find the finest gaming keyboard suited for them.
The K100’s basic structure is very similar to that of the K95, featuring the same premium quality throughout, a similar overall layout, identical macro keys on the left side, an identical metal roll in the top right corner, identical media keys immediately below it, and identical double-shot keycaps. You get a comfy wrist rest that clamps on magnetically, just like previously, and the USB passthrough is simple to reach.
Additionally, the K100 boasts more of the gorgeous RGB lights that Corsair is aware we all adore. There are currently 44 zones available for you to program.
The switches themselves are the latest OPX optical-mechanical switches from Corsair. It’s important to note right away that the OPX switches are still digital devices and not the variable analog type used in keyboards like those made by Wooting, which can determine how deeply a key is pushed and respond by turning harder.
Corsair Axon Hyper-Processing Technology handles the tedious process of actually keeping the keyboard up and running in the background. Although it isn’t immediately clear what this new engine will gain from supporting a native polling rate of 4,000 Hz, it is nonetheless set by default to the more common 1,000 Hz. Even the illumination may be adjusted with the tiny iCue dial at the top of the board.
You may not know this newcomer to the competitive PC peripheral market named Mountain Everest. However, the Mountain Everest Max is a gaming keyboard that aims to compete with the big boys, especially at the enthusiast level, where Glorious has been establishing a reputation. Glorious has been bringing the once-specialized custom keyboard fun to the public by creating entirely modular gaming keyboards that can house any hot-swappable mechanical switches you can buy.
Yes, modular keyboards are nothing new; Glorious’ GMMK has been a reliable alternative for years, and Logitech has entered the market with hot-swappable switches. Although none have been sturdy enough to look good and perform well on a high-end board. The Everest Max, however, has an advantage over them all despite its expensive price.
Mountain, a young upstart in the competitive world of PC peripherals, may not have the most distinctive name for a keyboard and mouse manufacturer, but we have been satisfied with the items it has so far developed. The Everest Max is equally as good.
The G.Skill KM360 is one of the more affordable gaming laptops on this list and features the iconic Cherry MX Red linear switch right out of the box. The biggest, most feature-rich gaming keyboards may cost quite a bit if you want to purchase genuine Cherry switches. However, the G.Skill does away with that.
It is straightforward and mechanical, excellent for work and gaming, and it still has backlighting for improved sight in dimly lit spaces. The white LEDs on this G.Skill board are the brightest we’ve ever seen, but if you can’t live without your gaming board being lit up like a rainbow, you might be dissatisfied with the single-color option. Even if it is quite brilliant, the lack of rainbows has at least made the price more tolerable.
Although this TKL board is simple, it excels at what it does. It looks decent and is sturdy, well-made, and dependable. However, it neither has wrist rest, passthrough, nor media controls. But, it offers affordable functionality. Overall, it’s a straightforward and dependable alternative.
The Logitech G915 is a superb example of the wireless keyboard subgenre if you’ve got your heart set on one. We don’t think this accessory needs wireless connectivity; instead, we greatly prefer a wireless gaming mouse or headset. A wireless keyboard, however, can be useful in certain circumstances, such as when playing video games on the sofa or if you frequently move your keyboard between different devices and locations.
In comparison to wired mechanical keyboards with comparable capabilities, wireless functionality will cost you a little bit more. Although there is a somewhat less expensive TKL variant, we wouldn’t immediately advise it over the full-size model. For that considerable financial outlay, you receive a board that is sleek, strong, and brushed aluminum-plated. A volume dial that feels amazing to turn is one of the smart media controls at the top right corner of the keyboard. There are also a few macro keys on the left side of the keyboard. Within the Logitech G software, these can be customized to your liking for each app or game.
The Logitech G gaming software can be switched to prioritize macro functionality, in which case pressing the Fn key will return F1–12 to their original functions. Macro functionality has been moved to a secondary program of the Function keys. Fantastically responsive GL key switches developed by Kailh are concealed beneath that fashionable appearance. You can choose between linear, tactile, or clicky, and if you really want to raise a fuss, we suggest clicking. It fits all of this in while maintaining a very small overall footprint, making it one of the more streamlined boards available today. For better or worse, the wired Cherry MX 10.0 beats it there.
With the Keychron K2, wireless gaming keyboard affordability is redefined. It has distinguished itself as a fantastic entry-level keyboard that can open doors to a larger universe of mechanicals in the eyes of generalists. You can purchase a decent-sized gaming keyboard with Gateron mechanical switches for a reasonable price, along with fantastic wireless connectivity. It has a straightforward layout with grey ABS keycaps and a somewhat smaller 84-key layout that only omits the numpad.
Additionally, the overall construction quality is respectable, and the triple-device connectivity makes transferring between devices or locations throughout the working day a breeze. Having said that, there are times when it seems like a cheap keyboard. The switches aren’t the best available, but given the price, they’re still quite amazing.
There are lots of common lighting effects and four different lighting levels for backlighting. Although it’s lovely and sharp and contrasts the darker keycap coloring nicely, cycling through all the presets to get to the static illumination style is a touch annoying. Overall, though, this is a fantastic option if you’re looking for an entry-level mechanical keyboard, especially if you work from home and use numerous devices. That’s not even taking into account its wireless connectivity, which really seems like the cherry on top of the Keychron K2’s already outstanding performance.
In the realm of mechanical gaming keyboards, Ducky is well-known. It has maintained its no-nonsense design philosophy (which it calls “Quack Mechanics”) even in an era of flashing, flashy keyboards.
The Ducky One 3 Fuji is a shining example of a more stylized and vivid Ducky at its best. However, even dear ol’ Ducky is leaning into the bizarre and amazing a little more. For evidence, look no further than the One 3’s gorgeously colorful design. The Fuji keyboard is Ducky’s most recent flagship model, and it is available in a variety of colors and designs.
The Ducky’s keycaps are all composed of durable PBT plastic. PBT material has a slightly longer lifespan than ABS plastic, is more resistant to stains, and prevents the rubbing away of its color-matched legends. The Ducky keeps impressing, from the top-notch keycaps to the rest of the board. Cable lines for the included (and detachable) braided USB Type-C to Type-A cable are located on the Ducky’s blue underside. Of course, the cord on the One 3 Fuji matches the rest of the device’s pink components exactly.
There are also four DIP switches that provide a few hard-coded shortcuts for different keyboard modes, but I was unable to make them function. I tried unplugging them and giving them some time before trying again, but I was completely unsuccessful. Despite this, the One 3 has no flex at all and is constructed like a tank.
The Wooting Two HE has a respectable appearance, but it doesn’t stand out much from the mechanical gaming keyboards we’ve grown accustomed to. In fact, some people today take the word “extra” to a whole new level, making it appear a touch more boring than most. But this one has a secret weapon: analog action. This implies that when you press a key, let’s say the W key, the keyboard will measure the entire range of motion for that key rather than just sending an on/off signal to your computer. This is especially helpful in games like Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA V, or Mass Effect that regularly combine gameplay that works best with both analog and digital inputs.
The Wooting Two HE achieves a highly accurate analog movement over every key on the keyboard using magnets and the Hall effect. Additionally, because every key is analog, there are a ton of fascinating ways you may leverage the analog capability to your advantage. However, the Wooting Two HE measures analog input differently than the Wooting One and Wooting Two.
The newer HE board employs the Lekker switch, created by Wooting alongside well-known switch manufacturer Gateron, and depends on the Hall effect (thus Wooting Two ‘HE’) to provide analog input, as opposed to the older Wooting boards, which depended on optical Flaretech switches.
The keyboard has a two-year warranty and is sturdy and well-made. Since the board itself can be hot-swapped, you can replace a switch if it malfunctions. With magnetic Lekker switches, there aren’t actually that many mechanical moving components, which has a few advantages. One of them is that there are fewer moving parts overall, which means fewer things are likely to break. If you want a gaming keyboard with a ton of customization, the Wooting Two HE is analog at its finest.
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