To truly get the most out of your gaming session, you owe it to yourself to get the best gaming keyboard you can afford. While the best gaming PCs and the best gaming monitors are vitally important for a smooth gaming experience, so are the devices you use to interact with the game. You don’t want the keyboard or mouse to be what’s holding you back when playing against friends in the latest battle royale game. And, a typical peripheral will just not keep up in the fastest paced games.
There’s good reason there are so many gaming-focused peripherals. Getting every advantage can mean the difference between virtual life and death. The best gaming keyboards, in particular, offer a set of features to help. N-key rollover, ever quicker key actuation, and the ability to create and use macros, all contribute to a better gaming experience. They also provide better accuracy to give you an edge over the competition. Not to mention, they’re built to withstand all the punishment you can throw at it for years to come.
RGB lighting has become a staple of just about every gaming-centric keyboard out there, but the best gaming keyboards are more than fancy lights. They help minimize the wall between you and the best PC games for an even more immersive experience. Can you probably get by with any keyboard? Probably, but with all the features, build quality, and performance, it’s more than worth the upgrade. So, read on to find the most ideal one for you.
And, while you’re in the market for peripherals, pop in to see our best gaming mouse list as well to round out your rig.
- These are the best budget gaming PCs of 2020.
- These are our top picks for the best gaming desks.
Best gaming keyboards on Black Friday and Cyber Monday
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday coming soon, some of the best gaming keyboards on this list are bound to get some decent price cuts, much like the previous year. This means that you might be able to get the gaming keyboard of your choice for even less, saving you more money to use for something else on your shopping list.
Whether you’re buying one for your gaming PC or planning on gifting one during the holiday season, it would be wise to wait until these major deal events of the year. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday rolling around at the end of November, you won’t have to wait for long.
The best gaming keyboard 2020 at a glance
- SteelSeries Apex Pro
- Razer Huntsman Elite
- Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo
- Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768
- Cooler Master MasterSet MS120
- Corsair K95 RGB Platinum
- Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard
- Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
- SteelSeries Apex 3
- Razer Cynosa V2
1. SteelSeries Apex Pro
Taking magnetism to another level
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
The SteelSeries Apex Pro’s svelte aesthetic and clever OLED display are just the appetizers. The SteelSeries Apex Pro gets our coveted 5-star rating for many reasons, the biggest of which are its stunning and solid build, custom actuation and comfortable – not to mention, quiet – magnetic switches. Performance-wise, it’s among the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested yet, which makes its $199 price tag worth the splurge.
Read the full review: SteelSeries Apex Pro
2. Razer Huntsman Elite
Light it up
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
If you have the need for speed, then the Huntsman Elite is your best bet, thanks to its new optomechanical switches. That sounds like a mouthful, but essentially, it means that Razer has managed to combine mechanical switches with optical sensors. This unthinkable allows the Huntsman Elite to take its actuation to the next level, and you would be hard-pressed to find a faster keyboard on the market. Switches aside, it’s also remarkably comfortable to type on. Plus, it’s covered with more RGB lighting than you can shake a stick at. Sure, it needs two USB cables for power and costs a small fortune, but with tech like this, it’s absolutely worth it.
Read the full review: Razer Huntsman Elite
3. Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo
The sci-fi keyboard
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
The Roccat Vulcan 120 should be at the top of your gaming keyboard wish list, if you want one that looks and feels good. This svelte keyboard uses Roccat’s own Titan switches, rather than the Cherry MX switches found on most other keyboards on this list, and we can vouch for how superb they are. This gaming keyboard combines amazing tactile feedback with quiet and comfort. It really isn’t hard to see why this is one of the best gaming keyboards on the market today.
Read the full review: Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo
4. Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768
Shockingly good value
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
When you think Alienware, “value” isn’t the word that comes to mind. But, this time around, the Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 is a genuinely great deal. At under 100 bucks or quid, you’re getting the toughest gaming keyboard fitted with mechanical keys, dedicated macro keys and slick aesthetics. It’s not the most feature rich keyboard in the game, but at this price, it really doesn’t need to be. One of the best gaming keyboards in 2020, the Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 gets the job done, and looks good while doing it.
Read the full review: Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768
5. Cooler Master MasterSet MS120
The complete package
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: No
Not everything has to be super high-end to be good, and the Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 is the perfect example. Though this one’s a keyboard and mouse set, the keyboard is the star of the show. Sitting at just under a hundred bucks, the MasterSet’s keyboard is affordable while being up there with its more premium ‘mem-chanical’ competitors in terms of quality. The switches on offer bring a ton of tactile feedback and deep travel. It’s quiet as well, so you can furiously pounding away during an intense late-night Overwatch match without worry. The Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 is, without a doubt, one of the best gaming keyboards under $100.
Read the full review: Cooler Master MasterSet MS120
6. Corsair K95 RGB Platinum
The Rolls Royce of RGB gaming keyboards
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
A $159 price tag on a gaming keyboard might a tad too steep, but the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum, one of the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested in the last year, really does give you a lot of ounce for your bounce. We’re not talking the more trivial bells and whistles like fancy RGB lighting either – although since we are on the subject, this one’s got a whole lot of them, not to mention its integrated 19-zone light bar and the 16.8 million color options, to boot. By bang, we actually mean its 6 dedicated macro keys, 8MB on-board storage and aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum frame.
Read the full review: Corsair K95 RGB Platinum
7. Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard
Low profile. High performance
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
You might be thinking that if you’ve seen one of the best gaming keyboards, you’ve seen them all: big, garish hunks of metal with bright RGB lighting. Well, the Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard will surprise you. While it definitely has the RGB lighting (honestly, how could it not?), it leaves the rest of the cliches in the past where they belong. Appealing and responsive, this keyboard is only as big as it needs to be, and is thus extremely comfortable to type as well as game on. There are no multimedia buttons, but we’d happily make that trade any day for a keyboard this good at such a low price.
Read the full review: Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard
8. Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
The Razer Huntsman, but smaller and faster
Interface: Wired, wireless | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Shelling out more than $100 for a great gaming keyboard is to be expected if you’re even slightly serious your gaming performance. But the beauty of Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is that it manages to deliver fast performance without being the most expensive keyboard in town. True, there aren’t a lot of features here, which puts it behind many of its feature-rich rivals, but it makes up for that by being small and boasting a removable to make it perfectly portable for on-the-go gaming.
Read our full review: Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
9. SteelSeries Apex 3
The Apex of value
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: No
Not all great gaming keyboards have mechanical switches, as this affordable Apex keyboard is proving. The budget-minded SteelSeries Apex 3 may come with a few concessions, but it also boasts some impressive features that more than make up for those compromises. One of those features is its IP32 water resistance for protection against any spills – because who hasn’t accidentally knocked over a can of soda while gaming? Another is its reactive and customizable 10-zone RGB illumination to make your gaming experience all the more impressive. And, if you absolutely hate those clickety clacking noises that mechanical keyboards love to make, you’ll really appreciate this keyboard’s whisper quiet gaming switches.
Read the full review: SteelSeries Apex 3
10. Razer Cynosa V2
The best in its class
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Razer may have its share of pricey products, but it’s also got a knack for making quality budget-friendly devices. And, if there’s anything the Razer Cynosa V2 proves, it’s that you don’t have to spend an obscene amount of money on peripherals to get the best. Among the best gaming keyboards we’ve played on this year, this one’s the best in its class, improving on its predecessor’s design while adding more functionality, solid key customizability and a brand-new set of media keys. Even if you’ve never been a fan of membrane switches, this one might just make a convert out of you, especially for that price.
Read the full review: Razer Cynosa V2
TechRadar’s PC Gaming Week 2020 is celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with articles, interviews and essential buying guides that showcase how diverse, imaginative, and remarkable PC games – and gamers – can be. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2020 page to see all our coverage in one place.
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