Looking for some recommendations for your next (or first) mechanical gaming keyboard? Our guide to the best includes options of all sizes, whether you want a smaller keyboard, or a big one with all of the features.
Buying the right gaming keyboard for your PC or console can give you the advantage over your competitors and just make gaming more fun. But how do you know that you’re getting the best one? With specs like high polling rates and variable actuation points — and with prices all over the place — the realm of gaming keyboards isn’t the easiest nut to crack.
Whether you’re a seasoned PC gaming vet, or shopping for your first-ever gaming keyboard, we’ve rounded up what we think are the best mechanical gaming keyboards currently available, each offering a wealth of keycap customization options. If you like to tinker with tech, some of our keyboard picks are compatible with aftermarket parts, allowing budding modders to change out switches with relative ease.The best gaming keyboards
The Wooting 60 HE and 2 HE are exceptional gaming keyboards that offer excellent build quality paired with some unique features you won’t get from other models at this price point. While both models share some similarities, size isn’t one of them; the 60 HE is a small 60% keyboard that trims away the arrow keys, the number pad, and the function keys, whereas the 2 HE is a full-size model.
Many gaming keyboards use mechanical switches, and for good reason. They feel better to type on than membrane-style switches, and they can last longer, too. In case this is your first experience buying a keyboard with mechanical switches, you’re likely to see terms like linear, tactile, or clicky thrown around a lot when discussing switch types. These terms describe the response you feel (and sometimes hear) when pressing each key.
Linear is the switch of choice for gaming, providing little resistance so there’s nothing in your way when you’re quickly executing key presses. Tactile switches offer a slight amount of resistance, along with a noticeable “bump” feel in the key whenever it’s pressed. Finally, clicky switches feel very similar to their tactile counterparts, but provide an audible “click” whenever a keystroke is registered.
If you aren’t sure which switch is right for you, you can either head out to your local electronics store to test out different switches yourself, or order a keyswitch sample kit from Amazon.
Both keyboards feature a layer of sound-dampening foam to cut down on the audible “pinging” sound you get while typing, which is something you won’t get in most keyboards at this price. I also like that Wooting uses durable PBT keycaps, as they tend to look nicer after prolonged use than their cheaper ABS counterparts. While some may deride their lack of dedicated media controls to adjust volume or skip music tracks, they make up for it with RGB lighting, a detachable USB-C cable connection, and one interesting inclusion: magnets.
Wooting keyboards use magnets to activate Hall effect sensors with the company’s Lekker switches. Compared to a standard mechanical switch that can only exist in two states (on or off), each Lekker switch is fully analog, allowing you to assign a different input based on how far the key is pressed. This is done within the browser-based Wootility software.
For instance, you can register one action to trigger with a gentle press of a key, while pushing a bit harder can execute a different command. Additionally, Lekker switches reset the moment you release them, enabling you to quickly change directions while strafing. These features help the 60 HE feel more responsive to your inputs than most other keyboards.
Unlike other options in this list, there may be a bit of a wait involved with buying a Wooting keyboard; orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. At the time of writing, the 2 HE and 60 HE are available for purchase on backorder, with the 60 HE expected to be in stock by late June, and the 2 HE coming a bit later in early July.
We have another recommendation if you like the concept of having keys with customizable actuation points, but would prefer something that’s somewhat less expensive. It’s the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini, which is typically available for around $140.
Like the Wooting models, the Apex Pro Mini features durable, wear-resistant PBT keycaps, and the keys aren’t unreasonably loud to press, even though this keyboard lacks sound-dampening foam.
