Best gaming keyboard for 2021: Razer, SteelSeries, Logitech, and more

When it comes to PC gaming, the perfect for your gaming mouse is absolutely a great gaming keyboard. There are few things you use more than plastic keys, and if you were thinking of picking a

best gaming mouse

Where

best gaming headset

was tough, then you're ready for any task with gaming keyboards. Between key switches, mechanical or membrane keyboards and all the extra features that keyboards tend to offer, such as media keys and the RGB lighting, there's a lot to consider. That's why we've tested and narrowed down the best gaming keyboards you can buy in 2021.

Different types of switches will appeal to different people and whether you opt for a Cherry MX switch like Cherry MX Red or Cherry MX Blue, there are plenty of keyboards worth your time. It can get confusing fast, especially if you can't test these keyboards. yourself and really tell the difference with your own fingers. Fortunately, it's easy to figure out exactly what you'll get if you understand the terminology.

First, the linear switch keys compared to the tactile keys.

Linear

means there is no physical feedback mechanism to indicate when a keystroke is registered. It is smooth, relatively quiet, and preferred for typing keys quickly.

Touch

means there's a bump or click to indicate you've reached the actuation point; it's louder, but some prefer to have physical feedback for keystrokes. It's really a matter of preference.

actuation point

is the distance at which a keystroke is registered; a shorter distance means you don't have to press the key as far, but can lead to erroneous entries.

actuation force

is, well, the force required to press the key. Of course, there are also all the quality of life considerations to take into account, such as media keys, whether you want a programmable key row, etc.

While Cherry has long been the dominant manufacturer of mechanical switches, some gaming peripheral brands have started making their own proprietary mechanical switches for their keyboards, namely Razer and Logitech. For a brief overview of the most common mx switches, see below:

Cherry MX Red Switches: Linear

Cherry MX Blue Switches: Tactile and Clicky

Cherry MX Brown switches: tactile with a bump

Cherry MX speed switches: linear with a very short actuation point

Romer-G Linear Switches: Linear

Romer-G Tactile Switches: Tactile with a Bump

Razer Yellow Switches: Linear

Razer Orange Switches: Tactile with a Bump

Razer Green Switches: Tactile and Clicky

Steelseries OmniPoint Adjustable Switches: Linear with Adjustable Actuation Point

Quick Look: Best Gaming Keyboard

Best Quiet Mechanical Keyboard:

Logitech G512/G513

Best RGB lighting:

Origins of HyperX Alloy

Best high-end gaming keyboard:

Razer Huntsman Elite

Best keyless gaming keyboard:

Razer Hunter

Best build quality in a gaming keyboard:

Corsair K68

Best premium wireless keyboard:

Logitech G613

Best high-end keyboard for serious people:

Steelseries Apex Pro

Looking to complete your gaming keyboard and mouse combo, or just want to buy more gaming peripherals? Check out our picks for the

best gaming headset

best gaming mouse

, and the

best Nintendo Switch accessories

.And while you shop, be sure to take advantage of all the great

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Best gaming keyboard: high-end

Razer Huntsman Elite

Good

Razer's own switches are some of the best on the market

Solid and heavy build quality

Excellent media buttons

Comfortable wrist support cushion

A low actuation point means a slightly faster input register...

The bad

...but may lead to typos or input errors

The Razer Huntsman Elite is a fantastic full-size mechanical keyboard, thanks to Razer's excellent internal switches, solid build quality, and comfortable wrist support. The Huntsman Elite pairs its mechanical switches with optical sensors that enable inputs fast, and its keys feel great for both typing and gaming. Optical sensors pick up your input before you've fully pressed the key, which makes keystrokes faster, but also more likely to create typos if you're not used to it. This is especially true when typing quickly, but luckily I haven't noticed it much while playing first-person shooters like Rainbow Six Siege and Valorant .

The build quality is also quite impressive. Its heavy and substantial chassis makes it feel like a brick, although its size is compact enough for a full keyboard. It uses the full surface and has distinct, clickable media buttons. to pause, play and skip. They are extremely easy to navigate and tap thanks to their distinct shape and size, which I have found useful for pausing podcasts, YouTube videos and music while playing games that required more attention.

Every Huntsman Elite also comes with a padded wrist support that attaches magnetically to the bottom of the keyboard and syncs with its Chroma lighting patterns. It's not the best wrist support on the market, but it does provide support adequate for your wrists while you type and game for long sessions. The Razer Huntsman Elite is one of the best high-end keyboards out there, and if you're looking for a tactile switch gaming keyboard, it's hard to beat.

Switch Types:

Razer Linear Optical Switch, Clicky Optical Switch

Available in Tenkeyless:

Yes

See on Amazon

Best gaming keyboard: high-end

Best gaming keyboard for 2021: Razer, SteelSeries, Logitech, and more

SteelSeries Apex Pro

Good

Adjustable mechanical switches are impressive

Switches are smooth and relatively quiet

Very solid and compact construction (ignoring the wrist rest)

Lots of meaningful luxuries that make it feel upscale

Complete customization software

The bad

it is relatively expensive

The SteelSeries Apex Pro is a high-end keyboard that, in addition to looking and feeling the part in every way, sports a pretty innovative feature that currently only exists in perhaps another keyboard: adjustable mechanical switches. That's right - you can adjust the trigger point of each individual key on the master key to suit your preferences, which means you can program them to only activate on a full, concerted press (about 3 .6 mm) or the lightest of the keys (a little deep 0.4 mm).

Is it useful? It can be! A common example would be if you're a keyboard enthusiast who spends long periods of time both typing and playing PC games, like me. longer and deeper to improve accuracy and reduce slippage when typing, and much lighter actuation to increase response times in action games.SteelSeries Engine software makes it easy to create these profiles (which can be registered onboard the keyboard itself for hardware-side activation) and allows you to script automatic profile switching when a particular app becomes active (like Chrome or Apex Legends, for example).

However, it should be noted that the linear nature of the switches remains the same, and there are no other options if you prefer a clicky or tactile switch. That said, the way the keys respond may still resemble night and day depending on where you are on the actuation scale.

A slew of completely unnecessary but luxurious features include a small OLED display as well as a dedicated media playback and volume control wheel, both of which help navigate the built-in user interface, allowing you to customize every aspect of the keyboard without having to launch the software, however this is certainly not as efficient. The display can easily be customized to show 1-bit, 128x40 pixel gifs, and supports integration with a limited selection of programs like Discord , Dota 2, CS:GO, Mortal Kombat 11, and Tidal (if you use Tidal for any reason) to view vital information.

It features a USB connection, cable routing, macro keys, a soft rubber magnetic wrist rest, and exposed LED lighting for individual keys. The aluminum construction is incredibly durable, like you'd expect - it features an exposed keycap design and very compact trim, much like the HyperX Alloy Origins (although the lighting isn't quite as vibrant). Nonetheless, the SteelSeries Apex Pro has everything you'd expect from a premium high-end keyboard, and the adjustable switches are a significant customization feature (even if it seems like a ridiculous flex).

(Note: The more affordable Steelseries Apex 7 has all the features of the Apex Pro, but comes with more traditional SteelSeries-branded red, blue, or brown switches.)

Switch Type:

OmniPoint Adjustable Mechanical Switches

(Apex 7 available in SteelSeries Red, Blue or Brown)

Available in Tenkeyless:

Yes

See Steelseries Apex Pro on Amazon

Best Gaming Keyboard: Keyless

Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition

Good

Razer's own switches are among the best

Solid build quality with aluminum chassis

Detachable USB-C cable

A low actuation point means a slightly faster input register...

The bad

...but may lead to typos or input errors

Keystrokes can be loud, even for linear switches

There's something new about a compact keyboard without a keyboard; they're cute. If you have no use for the numeric keypad and/or want to have a minimalist desktop setup, they're definitely in your alley. If that's what you're into, there are a ton of options, as the tenkeyless is hugely popular among the PC gaming crowd, which was born out of the need for a small keyboard during LAN competitions at the narrow. But which one to choose? The Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is an easy choice.

Razer's Huntsman keyboards have a sleek aluminum chassis and an overall no-frills design. The Tournament Edition is specifically the keyless version and it features a long, detachable braided USB-C cable, making it easy to pack if you need it. It also retains Razer Chroma RGB lighting although the backlighting isn't as vibrant as other Razer keyboards. What makes these keyboards special are the options you have for mechanical switches. Each of the Razer's switches (green, yellow, and orange) are tuned for competitive gaming with short actuation points and precise reset points; they're also consistently smooth to keystroke. I've used Razer Yellow primarily with the Huntsman TE , and it's my favorite setup when things get serious.

The quick response and short actuation point can also lead to more errant inputs, primarily when putting your hand on the keys; that's something to consider. And the Huntsman isn't designed for the courtesy of others around you, as full keystrokes can be very loud. If neither is a big concern, then the Razer Huntsman would be hard to ignore.

Switch Types:

Razer Orange, Green or Yellow

Available

do not

in Tenkeyless:

Yes

See on Amazon

Best gaming keyboard: wireless

Logitech G613

Good

Long battery life (AA required)

Fast input response that matches that of wired keyboards

Affordable, especially considering the few options available

Romer-G tactile switches work well

The bad

Not the best keyboard

The plastic wrist rest is attached which makes it a bit bulky overall

Wireless mechanical keyboards are hard to come by because there are so few options available. That's not the only reason we recommend the Logitech G613, though. Input latency is top of mind, but that's largely been remedied as seen with wireless gaming mice, and Logitech is adapting its "Lightspeed" technology found in its mice for the G613. It's also a fantastic budget gaming keyboard.

The G613 is a full-size keyboard in every sense of the word. It has an integrated plastic wrist rest, which is convenient but not detachable. There are six programmable macro keys on the left side of the keyboard and a suite of commands media on the top right as well. Most importantly, the G613 is one of the great mechanical keyboards because of its fast response and precise mechanical switches. It only comes with Romer-G tactile switches, which does not That's not too bad as they offer all the benefits of a mechanical switch, like smooth and consistent keystrokes.

Although you have to stock up on AA batteries, the G613 is quite efficient, lasting up to 18 months according to Logitech - it's so efficient we don't even talk about hours anymore. And only once did I have to change the batteries since I used it as my main keyboard for work in 2017. It would be pretty annoying to swap out batteries for a keyboard every few months, so that's key. One of the reasons the battery life battery lasts so long is that one common feature has been left behind: backlit keys. good backlight.

Considering its features and the fact that it's one of the few wireless mechanical keyboards on the market, the Logitech G613 is quite affordable, especially when it's on sale. Wireless gaming may not be as appealing as a wireless mouse (you're not constantly moving a keyboard and dragging a cord after all), but those who want to cut the cord without sacrificing keyboard quality have a great option here.

Switch Type:

Romer-G Touch

Available in Tenkeyless:

Nope

See Logitech G613 on Amazon

Best gaming keyboard: Build quality

Corsair K68

Good

Solid and sturdy construction that is also water resistant

Dedicated media keys are handy

Smooth keystrokes with multiple options for Cherry MX switches (for RGB models)

The bad

Nothing to say

The Corsair K68 is a solid keyboard all around - solid, of course, because it can take a beating. 'being water resistant, it's housed in a thick, sturdy chassis. turns out he can take showers. There's a protective membrane under the keys and protects the mechanical switches from damage, and any liquid it absorbs is channeled off the board.

These are some of the benefits specific to the K68, but it's a better performing product overall. We've only used it with the Cherry MX Red switches and, as expected, they work brilliantly, delivering smooth keystrokes and responsive. However, you have a few options when it comes to K68 models. There is a cheaper version that only comes with a red LED backlight and red switches, but you'll have to shell out a few extra bucks to get the RGB backlit version that also lets you choose between Cherry MX Red, Blue, or Speed switches. rubber.

There's nothing bad to say about the K68, really. destroyed so easily. It's also a budget gaming keyboard, especially if you can find it on sale.

Switch Type:

Cherry MX Red, Blue or Speed

Available in Tenkeyless:

Nope

See at Best Buy