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 area in your desk, and it has a delicate metallic rim across the edge that offers it a bit aptitude that the majority plain keyboards lack. The amount wheel within the higher proper is easy and straightforward to succeed in, and alongside the highest are useful media controls so you may pause your music while 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. Nevertheless, when you choose one thing softer, you may 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 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 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 colour palettes which can 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 straightforward 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 the hours of darkness with out losing battery while 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 unbelievable, lasting effectively over every week with regular use, although it will get fairly a bit longer when you disable the backlight.
Logitech MX Mechanical for $170: With an understated, low-profile design, you may pair the MX Mechanical with as much as three units without delay and swap with the push of a button. There are even a number of handy further buttons simply above the numpad to launch a calculator or lock your desktop.
Turtle Seashore 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 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 will probably join through USB-C, Bluetooth, or a wi-fi dongle that may be saved in a slot on the rear. A classy metallic 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 in all my favorites of this dimension for gaming. It feels each bit as responsive and fast as a full-size keyboard, nevertheless it takes up quite a bit much less desk area. 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 may customise your colour 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 best way 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 absolutely to its resting place. Even outdoors the advantages of the Corridor impact switches, that is one other nice keyboard in step with the sort that Keychron is thought for, so it is value a glance even when you do not wish to pay that a lot consideration to each side of your keys.
{Photograph}: Eric Ravenscraft
NZXT Operate 2 for $140: The unique NZXT Operate was an effective way for anybody concerned with mechanical keyboards to leap in with out getting overwhelmed. The follow-up Operate 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) improves on it in nearly each manner. It upgrades the keys to optical switches and comes with a spare set of switches which have a bit extra (or rather less) resistance, so you may customise particular keys primarily based in your wants. I discovered this significantly helpful for video games like Overwatch 2, the place I might like to chop down on these fat-finger ultimates which can be so embarrassing. The Operate 2 retains lots of my favourite options from the primary mannequin. It has the identical left-side quantity curler, tremendous gentle keycaps, and handy buttons alongside the facet of the keyboard. In case you’re concerned with 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 sturdy 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 too click on to mute. Nevertheless, it is the buttons round it which can be most fascinating. To the left, there are two programmable macro keys you need to use to customise totally different instructions on your video games (or your work). Under, on the navigation keys, are six profile shortcuts. Maintain Fn and press one in all 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 should pull off that hair set off. All of this may be personalized within the Razer Synapse app. We have examined plenty of keyboards with totally 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 machine, 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 metallic casing, hot-swappable switches, and Razer’s sturdy Synapse software program for customizing your keyboard. It is also earned our prime marks when you’re searching for a mechanical keyboard particularly for gaming. The 75 p.c structure is sufficiently small that you could depart loads of room on 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 just miss activating a capability by that nearly imperceptible fraction of a second.
SteelSeries Apex Professional for $200: Somewhat 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 personalized per key to offer you a typing expertise distinctive to you. Plus, it has a bit LED show for system alerts, quantity, and different enjoyable stuff you may 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 commonplace keyboard, with RGB backlights, a number 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 a bit finicky in sure functions—I could not get it to correctly scrub via the timeline in Premiere Professional, for instance—nevertheless it’s nonetheless a useful software you not often get on different boards.
