The best mechanical keyboards of 2023

It’s exhausting to beat the tactility, sturdiness, or beauty of a mechanical keyboard, however if you happen to’re in search of one, it may be exhausting to know the place to begin. Listed below are our prime picks, together with each wired and wi-fi fashions starting from compact keyboards with laptop-style layouts to full-size keyboards full with numpads — from funds to… not so funds.

Whereas there’s nothing incorrect with extra typical membrane keyboards like Apple’s fashionable Magic-branded gadgets, many desire mechanical keyboards for his or her extra tactile typing really feel and superior sturdiness. There’s additionally a large fanatic group of people that like to change and customise them to get their feel and look good, which suggests they could be a enjoyable pastime in addition to a easy PC accent.

For this checklist, we restricted our suggestions to available, fully-assembled keyboards. That guidelines out any that it’s worthwhile to assemble your self or that are solely accessible in group buys or limited-edition runs. With one exception, we prioritized keyboards that provide hot-swappable switches so you may simply change them in the event that they break otherwise you simply fancy a change. 

We examined every keyboard’s typing really feel and sound (clearly), the standard of its chassis, keycaps, and stabilizers, how customizable the keymapping and lighting had been, and the power to make use of it throughout Mac and Home windows computer systems (similar to by providing keycap legends for both OS or with the ability to simply swap layouts with a change or shortcut). We additionally famous whether or not switches are north- or south-facing since this impacts backlighting and keycap compatibility.

Many of the keyboards under use a 75 % structure, which is a compact kind issue that maintains a perform row and arrow key cluster, like most laptop computer keyboards. It’s one of the best place to begin until you actually need an hooked up quantity pad or know you like a unique structure. Practically all of our suggestions additionally are available in different layouts, which we’ve linked the place attainable. 

Lastly, whereas any keyboard can be utilized for gaming, this information focuses on one of the best keyboards for typing and common workplace work, so enter latency and responsiveness weren’t main deciding components. For those who’re after a keyboard particularly for gaming, then keep tuned for our upcoming devoted information. 

The Keychron V1 is one of the best entry-level wired keyboard. Beginning at simply $84 for a completely assembled mannequin, it’s one of many extra reasonably priced choices on this checklist, but it surely feels virtually as good to sort on as keyboards that price twice as a lot, and its construct high quality is beautiful and durable. It additionally sounds superb, with no discernible stabilizer rattle, and its 75 % structure provides a pleasant mixture of compactness with out sacrificing too many vital keys. 

For such a low value, the V1 is full of options often discovered on fanatic keyboards. It provides hot-swappable switches with south-facing RGB backlighting, and its switches and stabilizers really feel good and clean. It’s absolutely programmable: you may remap each key utilizing the intuitive and highly effective VIA software program on prime of QMK — which works on Home windows, Mac, and Linux and allows you to do every thing from shifting keys round to programming macros immediately into the keyboard itself.

The V1 comes with sturdy double-shot PBT keycaps, with each Mac and Home windows legends, and a change on the again of the keyboard enables you to toggle between layouts immediately. You may get it with a quantity knob for an additional $10 (pictured) or save $20 and purchase a bare-bones model with out keycaps or switches. Our pattern got here with Keychron’s personal tactile Ok Professional Brown switches, however there are additionally clicky and linear choices.

For those who just like the design of the V1 however don’t like its structure, Keychron has over half a dozen other models in the V-series range. There’s the more compact V2 (which has a 65 % structure that omits the devoted perform row), the even more compact V4 (with a 60 % design that omits the arrow keys completely), and bigger keyboards just like the tenkeyless V3, full-size V6, or Alice-layout V10.

The Keychron Q1 Pro is a superb choose for anybody who’s ready to spend extra for wi-fi connectivity and a extra premium typing really feel. Just like the non-Professional Keychron Q1, it has a sturdy aluminum building, built-in quantity dial, wonderful typing really feel, and is absolutely customizable. Nevertheless it additionally consists of Bluetooth to attach it to your laptop computer, telephone, or pill.

That not solely makes it an excellent step up from Keychron’s V-series keyboards but in addition we predict the Q1 Professional is value selecting over the wired Keychron Q1. That’s as a result of it provides every thing the wired Q1 has plus the pliability of Bluetooth for a comparatively small $20 value premium. However if you happen to don’t want wi-fi and also you’re pleased with a “good” relatively than “nice” typing really feel, then lots of the Q1 Professional’s most compelling options, like VIA programming, hot-swappability, and per-key south-facing RGB backlighting, are additionally accessible on V-series boards. 

Use the keyboard wirelessly, with its RGB lighting disabled, and the Q1 Professional can fortunately go for over a month while not having to be recharged. However activate its backlighting, and that battery life drops to round per week. The reliability of the Bluetooth connection was flawless in my testing — I didn’t expertise any dropouts throughout a month of use.

The Q1 Professional’s full aluminum case and gasket-mounted design make it really feel far more substantial than the plastic keyboards I’ve examined. By successfully suspending its polycarbonate change plate and PCB between gaskets, the keyboard has a considerable quantity of flex to it. Which may not sound like a lot, but it surely offers the Q1 Professional a way more satisfying typing sound in comparison with what are often known as tray-mounted keyboards just like the Keychron V-series. Alternative change plates are additionally accessible in numerous supplies if you wish to additional customise how the Q1 Professional feels and sounds.

However there are some potential downsides to the Keychron Q1 Professional that you need to be conscious of, relying in your wants. Most vital is that, in contrast to the wired Q-series and V-series, you may solely get a wi-fi Q Professional-series keyboard within the Q1 Professional’s compact 75 % structure as of this writing. There’s presently no wi-fi mannequin of the bigger Keychron Q6, for instance, or the smaller Keychron Q2. That’ll change as Keychron releases new Q Professional boards, but when getting a particular structure is extra vital to you than Bluetooth, then you definitely’re higher off with Keychron’s wired Q-series range, with 16 totally different structure choices, in the intervening time.

Different potential concerns are that the Q1 Professional’s battery life is barely nice if you happen to flip off its RGB lighting. It’s additionally very heavy in comparison with a number of the different wi-fi keyboards on this checklist, which suggests it’s not an excellent choose if you happen to plan to make use of the keyboard whereas out and about. Lastly, there’s no 2.4GHz wi-fi USB dongle possibility if you happen to desire to not use Bluetooth.

READ MY REVIEW OF THE Keychron Q1 Professional

For a extra reasonably priced wi-fi mechanical keyboard, we actually just like the . It feels incredible to sort on, helps Bluetooth connections to as much as three totally different gadgets, and in addition features a 2.4GHz wi-fi USB dongle if you happen to don’t wish to fiddle with Bluetooth pairing. We additionally like that it has separate Mac-specific keycaps within the field and means that you can change between Mac and Home windows layouts with a easy keyboard shortcut, and it’s comparatively mild and transportable in comparison with the Q1 Professional.

Just like the Keychron V1 and Q1 Professional, the Epomaker TH80 is a 75 % keyboard with hotswap switches and a quantity knob. It has a plastic case and metal change plate, and whereas it doesn’t really feel fairly as high-end as Keychron’s Q-series keyboards, it’s acquired good crisp PBT keycaps in MDA profile, clean stabilizers, and a typing really feel that’s on par with the marginally cheaper wired-only Keychron V1. Our evaluate pattern got here with linear Gateron Professional Yellow switches, however a spread of linear and clicky choices is on the market.

The Epomaker TH80’s structure may be remapped with software program that works on each Mac and Home windows computer systems. It’s not as slick or highly effective because the VIA app utilized by Keychron’s boards however nonetheless enables you to remap each key (except for the Operate key) with various keys or macros. (Against this, VIA enables you to transfer the perform key, too, or add further perform keys for various layers.)

The TH80 doesn’t have secondary features printed on its keycaps, so that you’ll have to preserve its guide readily available to remind your self what they do. And whereas it options per-key RGB lighting (with south-facing LEDs), maintaining the backlighting on in wi-fi mode completely tanks its battery life. I acquired simply two and a half days of use over Bluetooth with the keyboard’s RGB lighting set to most in comparison with eight workdays with the backlight off earlier than I needed to plug it in to recharge. Both approach, you get a lot better battery life out of the dearer Q1 Professional.

Though the TH80 is available in our favourite 75 % structure, Epomaker has a in addition to a . For those who’re on a tighter funds, the Royal Kludge RK84 is a bit of cheaper with out compromising an excessive amount of on typing really feel, although its software program is Home windows-only and its structure is a bit more smushed.

We additionally actually preferred utilizing the Iqunix L80 Cosmic Traveller. It’s dearer at $189, it’s not simply remappable, and it has a loud colour scheme that received’t be to everybody’s tastes. Nevertheless it feels phenomenal to sort on, with plate-mounted Cherry-style stabilizers that don’t have a touch of rattle and as much as 200 days of battery life over Bluetooth with the backlight off.

The is our choose in order for you a wi-fi keyboard with a numpad. It makes use of an 1800 structure, which suggests it has a lot of the keys of a full-size keyboard, albeit in a structure that squishes them collectively a bit of to cut back its total footprint. This bigger structure additionally corresponds to a bigger 10,000mAh battery, which is rated to supply as much as 1,200 hours on a single cost (although, as soon as once more, you’re going to wish to disable its RGB lighting to get this kind of longevity — with RGB on, rated battery life drops to round 50 hours). 

The AK966 has a pleasant crisp typing really feel and stabilizers that really feel clean and don’t rattle. Its building isn’t fairly on the stage of Keychron’s Q-series since Ajazz’s keyboard has a plastic case, but it surely feels noticeably nicer to sort on than the cheaper Epomaker TH80 and Keychron V1. The AK966’s keycaps are PBT, with legends which are good and clear. As soon as once more, there are not any secondary features printed on its keycaps, so you should definitely preserve its guide readily available so you already know its keyboard shortcuts. It additionally has a quantity knob.

Though it consists of Mac keycaps within the field, with a key mixture to allow you to hop between Home windows and Mac layouts, Ajazz’s software program — for customizing the AK966’s structure, configuring its lighting, or recording macros — is barely accessible on Home windows. We don’t suppose that’s a deal-breaker given its 96 % structure consists of mainly each default key you’d need as normal, but it surely’s value taking into consideration if you happen to can’t stay with out devoted keys for Residence, Finish, or Print Display screen — or if you happen to’re used to customizing explicit keyboard shortcuts. The keyboard can be solely accessible with linear Kailh Cream switches, so if you happen to desire clicky or tactile switches, you’ll have to purchase them individually. That’s additionally not a deal-breaker for the reason that board is hot-swappable.

At lower than half the value of a number of the different keyboards on this checklist, the $55 65 percent LTC Nimbleback punches nicely above its weight. It’s very full-featured for its value, with shine-through RGB lighting and hot-swappable switches, and it even has a built-in USB hub with a pair of USB Sort-A ports to plug additional equipment into your pc.

As you would possibly anticipate given the value distinction, the LTC Nimbleback’s building isn’t as strong because the Keychron V1, and it doesn’t really feel as good to sort on as lots of the picks above. Its switches really feel barely much less clean and extra scratchy with every press, there’s a slight rattle to the stabilizers on bigger keys just like the house bar, and it sounds a bit hole total. It’s additionally fabricated from plastic, and whereas it is reprogrammable, its companion software program is barely accessible on Home windows. However the LTC Nimbleback’s typing really feel holds its personal in opposition to extra equally priced opponents, together with the $60 Keychron K6.

The LTC Nimbleback is on the market with clicky, linear, or tactile switches (we had the latter). If the mannequin listed right here appears a bit of too small in your liking, there’s additionally a full-size version available for $75. 

For those who’re after the tactility of a mechanical keyboard however desire a low-profile design that’s just like a conventional laptop computer keyboard, there may be an growing variety of choices accessible. Of those, we predict the $110 NuPhy Air75 is one of the best. It feels nice to sort on, is equally at house on Mac or Home windows, and connects both over Bluetooth or an included 2.4GHz wi-fi USB dongle. We used the keyboard with linear Gateron Pink low-profile switches, but it surely’s additionally accessible with tactile or clicky choices.

Not like the dearer Logitech MX Mechanical Mini, it’s additionally hot-swappable, which we predict offers the NuPhy Air75 a slight edge. Hotswap sockets aren’t fairly as vital on low-profile keyboards given there merely aren’t as many low-profile change choices on the market — and there are a number of totally different mutually incompatible low-profile change varieties — but it surely’s nonetheless a pleasant characteristic to have, and NuPhy sells compatible switches.

There’s one excellent cause to think about the dearer Logitech MX Mechanical Mini, and that’s battery life. In my testing, the Nuphy Air75 ran dry after round per week of use, whereas Logitech’s had sufficient juice for 2 even with backlighting on (this extends as much as a prolonged 10 months with backlighting off). Logitech’s low-profile mech can be accessible with a larger full-size layout (nice if you happen to want a numpad). 

They’re very a lot a distinct segment possibility, however loads of individuals swear by cut up keyboards, that are designed to allow you to sort together with your arms additional aside and your shoulders in a extra impartial place. Of those, we suggest the Kinesis Freestyle Pro. 

It doesn’t have hot-swappable switches, which suggests you’re caught with the Cherry MX Brown or Cherry MX Silent Pink switches that it comes with until you’re prepared to do some soldering. However at $179, it’s comparatively reasonably priced by the usually exorbitant costs of cut up keyboards (the ErgoDox EZ Original starts at $324, for instance, whereas the ZSA Moonlander is $365), and it has a structure that’s a lot nearer to a conventional keyboard than lots of different ergonomic choices. It means there’s much less of a studying curve if you happen to’re coming from a typical keyboard structure. 

That’s to not say there aren’t hot-swappable ergonomic choices on the market. We actually loved the ZSA Moonlander. ZSA’s Oryx configurator software program provides a ton of choices to create extremely personalized layouts, and elective equipment like an angled stand and tripod mounting package imply you may tailor the keyboard to your actual wants. It additionally provides hot-swappable switches, which we usually think about a vital a part of a contemporary keyboard, however we don’t suppose that justifies the value premium for most individuals. However at $365, the Moonlander is, by some margin, the costliest keyboard on this checklist, and its columnar structure and thumb clusters take lots of getting used to. (Although ZSA does assist you to return the keyboard within 30 days of when you get it.) 

For those who completely will need to have probably the most customizable ergonomic possibility accessible, then the ZSA Moonlander is a superb choose. However most individuals who simply desire a extra ergonomic keyboard with a well-recognized structure will probably be happy with the Kinesis Freestyle Professional.

Extra reporting by Jay Peters.

Replace March twenty first, 11:40AM ET: Up to date to swap Keychron Q1 v2 for newer Keychron Q1 Professional.