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The best gaming keyboards for 2022

Although that powerful PC next to you seems like the most important aspect of a gaming setup, it’s your peripherals that you interact with regularly. Using a standard mouse or keyboard will get you started, but dedicated gaming gear will vastly improve your PC gaming experience.

Of course, it’s easy to recommend the most expensive keyboards as the best, but chances are that you aren’t looking to spend as much as $250 on a keyboard. These gaming keyboards balance features, performance, and value, primarily focusing on mechanical keyboards with the click-clack factor we all crave.

Logitech G513 Carbon

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PROS

  • Well-rounded gaming features
  • Comfortable tactile switches

CONS

  • No dedicated media keys

Why you should buy this: The Logitech G513 is a well-rounded, sleek-design mechanical keyboard with a great feature set.

Who it's for: Anyone that’s interested in a sleek and comfortable mechanical switch keyboard.

Why we chose the Logitech G513:

It might have come out in 2018, but the G513 keeps up well in today’s market with a well-rounded feature set that makes it an interesting contender. Although it doesn’t feature dedicated media keys, that’s the only drawback to an otherwise excellent design.

The Logitech G1513 also features a beautiful aluminum design, a thick-sleeved USB cable with a USB-Passthrough port, a choice of Romer-G linear and tactile switches, and a wrist rest that is oh-so-comfortable. In fact, the combination of the wrist rest paired with the tactile switches makes this one of the most comfortable gaming keyboards money can buy, and at the end of the day, that's one of the most important features when looking for a keyboard for long gaming sessions.

Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT

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PROS

  • Excellent gaming features for the price
  • Corsair's RGB lighting

CONS

  • Other key switches feel a bit better

Why you should buy this: It’s an affordable keyboard that comes with most of the expected gaming goodies.

Who it's for: Anyone who wants in on Corsair’s RGB lighting but doesn’t want to pony up big cash for a full mechanical board.

Why we chose the Corsair K55 RGB Pro XT: The K55 RGB Pro XT is a new option that comes in at a very friendly price. Although it isn’t mechanical, it features a membrane keyboard design that is surprisingly pleasant to type on, and it comes complete with all the features you otherwise generally want on a gaming keyboard: Per-key RGB lighting, macro support, a full layout, wrist rest, and media keys.

If you’re looking for an all-around keyboard that looks great, has most of the gaming features you’d expect, and doesn’t break the bank, the Corsair K55 RGB Pro XT is definitely one to shortlist.

Logitech G915 Lightspeed

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PROS

  • Best mechanical keyboard for gaming

CONS

  • More expensive than most options

Why you should buy this: It is hands-down the best sleek wireless mechanical gaming keyboard currently on the market.

Who it's for: The "money is no object" shopper who wants nothing but the best.

Why we chose the Logitech G915 Lightspeed: Logitech’s G915 Lightspeed mechanical keyboard offers everything anyone could ever want from a mechanical keyboard for gamers who are willing to invest a little more for an excellent design.

If you do choose to go down this route, it won’t leave you disappointed. From its sleek low-profile aluminum body to the low-profile >mechanical switches, excellent per-key RGB lighting, and perfectly good battery life (especially considering the vivid RGB), the G915 Lightspeed is a keyboard that will leave you happy for years to come.

Its battery life is excellent, lasting well over a week with the lighting on bright and 12-plus-hour days, typing action is superbly comfortable, and its gaming performance is as snappy as wired over the fast Logitech Lightspeed wireless connection. There’s no wrist rest, but that’s made up for by the low-profile design -- it simply doesn’t need one. The Lightspeed is also well-named for its effortless wireless keyboard response times, so you don't need to worry about any latency issues. And there’s a TKL (tenkeyless) version for fans of compact layouts.

Keychron K2 v2

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PROS

  • A low profile design with durable mechanical keys
  • Customization for keys, a more compact layout, and more

CONS

  • Potential latency with the wireless connection

Why you should buy this: It’s a budget-friendly, low-profile keyboard with wireless connectivity.

Who it's for: Gamers who prefer a more subdued aesthetic.

Why we chose the Keychron K2 v2:

Though not strictly a gaming keyboard, with mechanical switches and optional RGB lighting, the Keychron K2 v2 is surprisingly popular in the gaming community. It is Keychron's latest iteration of a low-profile mechanical keyboard, and it can be configured to suit your needs at a friendly price. It can function either wirelessly or via USB-C and comes with keycaps for both Windows and Mac versions.

Want a full-size keyboard or TKL? Want RGB, or are you happy with just white backlighting? Do you want low-profile red, blue, or brown switches? The K2 can be configured to do all those things, and all variants offer Bluetooth wireless connectivity. The 75% layout also saves on space while retaining everything you need for gaming and uses a durable aluminum frame.

The Keychron K2 is also not an expensive keyboard, offering a lot of value. The only real concerns here are the latency of the wireless connection, but in practice, unless you’re playing ultra-competitive online games, we haven’t noticed wireless connectivity to be an issue.

Corsair K70 RGB TKL – Champion Series

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PROS

  • 8,000Hz hyper-polling
  • Distraction-free tournament mode

CONS

  • No wrist rest is included

Why you should buy this: With 8,000Hz polling, MX Speed-Silver switches, PBT keycaps, and more, this is among the best TKL keyboards currently on the market.

Who it's for: The shopper who wants a high-quality TKL keyboard for competitive gaming.

Why we chose the K70 RGB TKL Tournament Edition:

Corsair's latest mechanical keyboard is dedicated to the competitive scene. This model comes with Hyper Axon 8,000Hz polling, which, paired with the speedy Cherry MX Speed Silver switches, makes it one of the fastest, if not the fastest, TKL gaming keyboard money can buy. It also features PBT double-shot keycaps designed to resist wear even with harsh use.

The durable aluminum frame and RGB lighting are great competitive features, but we especially like the "tournament switch," which switches to static background lighting and disables macros for maximum focus and accuracy. The keyboard also uses a detachable USB-C capable to manage connections.

With Corsair’s aluminum chassis, excellent RGB ecosystem, fast responses, and dedicated modes, the K70 RGB TKL Tournament Edition offers a surprising number of features for its price and is sure to make TKL fans who have been waiting for the latest Corsair keyboards happy.

Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed

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PROS

  • High-quality compact performance

CONS

  • Compact keyboards aren't for every gamer

Why you should buy this: With a 65% layout, wireless connectivity, RGB lighting, and excellent switches, this is one keyboard that can do it all.

Who it's for: Small keyboard fans who want dedicated arrow and delete keys paired with wireless connectivity

Why we chose the Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini:

Razer's Blackwidow V3 Mini Hyperspeed is a small keyboard that can do it all. This board has a 65% layout, which is a smidge bigger than the super-compact 60% keyboards, but this added 5% adds arrow keys, a dedicated delete key, page up/down, and insert, making it a whole lot more practical for everyday use.

Meanwhile, Razer decided to pull out all the stops and stick every good bit of tech into the V3 Mini Hyperspeed, which includes, you guessed it, excellent wireless connectivity and the company's superb Razer Yellow switches, which have some of the most enjoyable typing action.

SteelSeries Apex 3

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PROS

  • IP32 water resistance
  • Magnetic wrist rest

CONS

  • Limited mapping options

Why you should buy this: The water resistance and magnetic keyboard make it great for dealing with spills.

Who it's for: Gamers who don't want to worry about spill damage.

Why we chose the SteelSeries Apex 3:

This SteelSeries keyboard comes with IP32 water resistance, an excellent feature for preventing damage from any accidental spills while gaming. Combine that with the magnetic wrist rest that's easy to detach and clean, and it's a great setup for gamers who never want to ruin a keyboard by knocking over a nearby drink.

This model also features gaming switches designed to be as quiet as possible while rated for 20 million keypresses, although SteelSeries offers several versions including "clicky" options. There is also 10-zone RGB lighting for some inventive color schemes, as well as dedicated media buttons.

Keychron Q1

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PROS

  • Range of customizable elements
  • Aluminum case is durable
  • Works with Mac and Windows
  • Key mapping software compatibility

CONS

  • No Bluetooth
  • No height or angle adjustment

Why you should buy this: It's a wonderfully manufactured, customizable keyboard that doesn't cost a fortune.

Who it's for: Custom keyboard lovers looking for something great without breaking the bank.

Why we chose the Keychron Q1:

Keychron's Q1 comes into the keyboard market as perhaps a slightly unusual player, but it might be one of the best keyboards ever made. From its milled aluminum frame and hot-swappable lubed switches and stabilizers to the RGB lighting, internal damping, and included premium coiled cable, there's a lot to love about the Q1. Its 75% layout also bodes well for many different workloads, offering a great balance between a small size for gaming, yet enough keys to deal with most everyday tasks.

The Keychron Q1 doesn't cost a fortune and offers options for a full keyset or a bare board depending on your customization needs. In fact, between the build quality of the CNC-milled and anodized aluminum chassis, lubed Gateron switches, and premium coiled USB-C cable, we're wondering how Keychron isn't making a loss on these.

Research and buying FAQ

Generally, keyboards come in a standard 104-key layout complete with a number pad. But for gaming, it can be interesting to contemplate smaller keyboard layouts, sacrificing practicality in favor of a more compact keyboard. The primary reason you would want to do this is to clear up desk space for your mouse — having a wide-open space for your mouse next to a small keyboard allows you to play at lower DPI settings and make longer sweeps without running into your keyboard, thus increasing your in-game performance.

A full-size keyboard is a good option if it’s your only keyboard and it will need to double as a work keyboard. Another answer could be that 60% keyboard layouts are the best for first-person shooters, but as they make a lot of sacrifices to meet the compact footprint requirements, TKL (tenkeyless, or num-pad free) keyboards generally offer a more desirable balance of features.

Do keyboard switch types really matter?

In the world of gaming keyboards, switches are all the rave. Generally, mechanical keyboards always take the prize in this category, mainly for the feel of their mechanical actuation. Traditionally, there are three main types of switches: Linear, tactile, and clicky. Linear switches travel down with equal force along the stroke, whereas tactile switches have a distinct bump on the way down. Clicky switches have tactile travel but also offer a click halfway through the stroke to indicate that they have actuated and sent the signal to the PC.

But by now, there are more switch options than just Cherry MX Red, brown, and blue. These come in low-profile now too, and there is a new MX Speed Silver switch on the market, which is like a linear red switch but with a faster actuation point and lighter travel.

Meanwhile, a lot of keyboard manufacturers are coming out with their own switches, like Corsair’s OPX optical switch. Razer has its own, Logitech has the Romer-G switch on many of its keyboards, and there are third-party switch makers like Kailh and Gateron that provide switches also used in many of today’s keyboards.

Generally, we recommend linear switches for pure gamers and tactile switches for those who type a lot. If you’re only typing, a clicky blue switch can be very satisfying, though your environment might not be quite as appreciative of your click-clacking keyboard if you go down that route, generally leaving the choice between linear and tactile switches.

If your keyboard is still too loud, you can always consider o-rings to dampen the end of your keys’ travel and prevent the loud clacking when the keys bottom out.

Is RGB lighting on keyboards all the same?

Generally, all gaming hardware nowadays comes with RGB lighting, whether that’s something you care for or not. The best ecosystems, such as those from Corsair, Logitech, and Razer, have software that runs on your PC that allows you to get very nitpicky about your lighting effects and allow for support that can sync with other compatible RGB lighting in your setup. Cheaper keyboards may have similar systems but generally rely on on-keyboard lighting profiles that lack any significant customization options beyond a select few effect types and color options.

Additionally, the RGB lighting quality can also vary massively between keyboards. Some have very lackluster implementations that lack vibrancy and brightness, while others offer exactly that. This can depend on the keycap, switch type, and the color of the backplate underneath the switches.

Do keyboard ergonomics make a difference?

We don’t really suggest a truly ergonomic keyboard design for gaming, as the re-positioned keys can be awkward to use for gaming purposes. However, a good keyboard with the right switch type, elevation, and quality wrist rest can do miracles for your typing comfort.

Your posture is also important. Sit too low, and you’ll perch your shoulders up. Sit too high, and you’ll have to carry your arms. A wrist rest is easy to improvise with a towel, but wrist pain can take weeks to recover from. Do yourself a favor and adjust your seat, desk, and monitor to the correct height to ensure you don’t have to miss gaming sessions with your friends.

What is the best gaming keyboard for esports?

Part of this will always be personal preference, but performance can also make a difference. Faster response times and customization are great features for esports. Some players also like more compact 65% keyboards so they don’t have to make larger, more time-consuming movements with either hand, although this can also vary. Our Corsair K70 RGB TKL Tournament Edition pick is a great starting place. You’ll still want plenty of practice with any new keyboard before getting serious about competitive gaming, though.

Source:https://www.howtogeek.com/797812/how-to-move-a-window-to-another-monitor-on-windows-11/span class="p_10">Date: 17.03.2022г.

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