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 greatest 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 trendy. It is minimal and does not take up a lot house in your desk, and it has a refined metallic rim across the edge that offers it slightly aptitude that the majority plain keyboards lack. The amount wheel within the higher proper is easy and simple to achieve, and alongside the highest are useful media controls so you’ll be able to pause your music whenever you lastly get right into a sport 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 seems like I am sending tiny thunder right down to my sport. Nevertheless, if you happen to desire one thing softer, you’ll be able to select one other change kind. The one factor I dislike is the dearth of a numpad—sure, I am a kind 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 bundle. It retains the quantity wheel, Recreation mode change, and Bluetooth/Lightspeed buttons by shifting them to the sides of the keyboard, whereas slimming the entire thing right down to a 60 p.c structure.
Logitech Pop Keys for $100: The Pop Keys (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is a vibrant line of wi-fi keyboards that are available in all kinds of shade 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 arms get close to, so it is simpler to see at nighttime with out losing battery whenever you’re not utilizing it. It helps each Mac and Home windows layouts, and the keys are tastefully labeled in a means that it is clear irrespective of which one you are utilizing on the time. Battery life can also be unbelievable, lasting effectively over every week with regular use, although it will get fairly a bit longer if you happen to disable the backlight.
Logitech MX Mechanical for $170: With an understated, low-profile design, you’ll be able to pair the MX Mechanical with as much as three units directly and swap with the push of a button. There are even a couple of handy additional 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 lower down on put on and tear. They’re nonetheless satisfyingly clicky, and the quantity knob has a comfortably grippy texture. I desire 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 a few of 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 could possibly join by way of USB-C, Bluetooth, or a wi-fi dongle that may be saved in a slot on the rear. A classy steel quantity knob adorns the top-right nook, and each keycap and change might be swapped out utilizing the included elimination device.
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 certainly one of my favorites of this measurement for gaming. It feels each bit as responsive and fast as a full-size keyboard, but it surely takes up quite a bit much less desk house. There’s simply one thing neat and orderly about it. Plus, just like the bigger Huntsman Elite, the Mini is appropriate with Razer’s keycap kits, so you’ll be able to customise your shade scheme.
Keychron Q1 HE for $240: The Keychron Q1 HE (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is likely one of the greatest boards we have examined that makes use of Corridor impact switches. You’ll be able to customise the actuation level to both make keys extra delicate—so you do not have to press all of them the way in which down for keystrokes to register—or much less delicate, to keep away from these fat-finger moments that may smash aggressive video games. Keychron even has rapid-trigger settings that can help you press a key a number of occasions 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 type that Keychron is understood for, so it is price a glance even if you happen to 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 an effective way for anybody eager about mechanical keyboards to leap in with out getting overwhelmed. The follow-up Perform 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) improves on it in nearly each means. 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’ll be able to customise particular keys primarily based in your wants. I discovered this notably helpful for video games like Overwatch 2, the place I would 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 facet of the keyboard. When you’re eager about mechanical keyboards however are intimidated by phrases like “actuation pressure,” 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 individuals 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 may also click on to mute. Nevertheless, it is the buttons round it which might be most attention-grabbing. To the left, there are two programmable macro keys you should use to customise completely different instructions in your video games (or your work). Beneath, on the navigation keys, are six profile shortcuts. Maintain Fn and press certainly one of them, and you’ll swap between a number of preset profiles, tailor-made to particular gaming wants like FPS mode, Racing mode, or Excessive-Sensitivity mode when you could pull off that hair set off. All of this may be personalized within the Razer Synapse app. We have examined quite a lot of keyboards with completely different customization choices, however this one is especially good for players who swap profiles quite a bit. 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 if you happen to’re searching for a mechanical keyboard particularly for gaming. The 75 p.c structure is sufficiently small you could depart 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 fee additionally helps lower down on the occasions that you simply miss activating a capability by that nearly imperceptible fraction of a second.
SteelSeries Apex Professional for $200: Slightly 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, but it surely additionally options mechanical switches that may be personalized per key to present you a typing expertise distinctive to you. Plus, it has slightly LED show for system alerts, quantity, and different enjoyable stuff you’ll be able to 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, a couple of programmable macro keys, and a quantity curler. What units it aside, nonetheless, is the management wheel within the top-left nook. This dial can scrub via media, management the lighting on the keyboard, and management a number of different built-in features. The dial can be personalized. In my testing, this could possibly be slightly finicky in sure functions—I could not get it to correctly scrub via the timeline in Premiere Professional, for instance—but it surely’s nonetheless a useful device you not often get on different boards.
