The best mechanical keyboards of 2023

It’s exhausting to beat the tactility, sturdiness, or beauty of a mechanical keyboard, however there are a whole lot of choices on the market, and never all of them are created equal. Listed below are our high 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 finances to… not so finances.

Whereas there’s nothing unsuitable with extra typical membrane keyboards like Apple’s widespread 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 neighborhood of people that like to switch and customise them to get their appear and feel excellent, which implies they could be a enjoyable passion in addition to a easy PC accent.

A lot of the keyboards under use a 75 p.c format, which is a compact kind issue that maintains a perform row and arrow key cluster, like most laptop computer keyboards. It’s an ideal place to begin except you actually need an hooked up quantity pad or know you like a distinct format. Practically all of our suggestions additionally are available in different layouts, which we’ve linked the place attainable. 

Whereas any keyboard can be utilized for gaming, this information focuses on the very best keyboards for typing and normal workplace work, so enter latency and responsiveness weren’t main deciding components. Should you’re after a keyboard particularly for gaming, take a look at our information to the very best gaming keyboards.

Connectivity: USB / Keycaps: Double-shot PBT / Sizzling-swappable: Sure / Obtainable sizes: 60 p.c, 65 p.c, 75 p.c, TKL, 1800, Full measurement, 65 p.c Alice, 75 p.c Alice / Obtainable layouts: ANSI, ISO / Swap choices: Okay Professional Purple, Okay Professional Blue, Okay Professional Brown / Battery measurement: N/A / North- or south-facing switches: South-facing

The Keychron V1 is the very best entry-level wired keyboard. Beginning at simply $84 for a totally assembled mannequin, it’s one of many extra reasonably priced choices on this checklist, nevertheless it feels virtually as good to sort on as keyboards that value twice as a lot, and its construct high quality is gorgeous and durable. It sounds wonderful, with no discernible stabilizer rattle, and its 75 p.c format gives a pleasant mixture of compactness with out sacrificing too many necessary keys. 

For such a low value, the V1 is filled with options normally discovered on fanatic keyboards. It gives hot-swappable switches with south-facing RGB backlighting, and its switches and stabilizers really feel good and clean. It’s absolutely programmable: you’ll be able to remap each key utilizing the intuitive and highly effective VIA software program on high of QMK — which works on Home windows, Mac, and Linux and allows you to do all the pieces from shifting keys round to programming macros instantly into the keyboard itself.

The V1 comes with sturdy double-shot PBT keycaps. You get a selection of Mac and Home windows keycaps within the field, and a swap on the again of the keyboard helps 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 Okay Professional Brown switches, however there are additionally clicky and linear choices.

Should you just like the design of the V1 however don’t like its format, Keychron has over half a dozen different fashions within the V-series vary. There’s the extra compact V2 (which has a 65 p.c format that omits the devoted perform row), the much more compact V4 (with a 60 p.c design that omits the arrow keys totally), and bigger keyboards just like the tenkeyless V3, full-size V6, or Alice-layout V10.

Connectivity: USB, Bluetooth / Keycaps: Double-shot PBT / Sizzling-swappable: Sure / Obtainable sizes: 60 p.c, 65 p.c, 75 p.c, TKL, 1800, Full measurement / Obtainable layouts: ANSI, ISO / Swap choices: Okay Professional Purple, Okay Professional Brown, Okay Professional Banana / Battery measurement: 4,000mAh / North- or south-facing switches: South-facing

The Keychron Q1 Professional is a superb decide 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, glorious typing really feel, and is absolutely customizable. But it surely additionally contains Bluetooth to attach it to your laptop computer, cellphone, or pill.

That not solely makes it an ideal step up from Keychron’s V-series keyboards but additionally we predict the Q1 Professional is price selecting over the wired Keychron Q1. That’s as a result of it gives all the pieces the wired Q1 has plus the pliability of Bluetooth for a comparatively small $20 value premium. However when you don’t want wi-fi and also you’re pleased with a “good” moderately than “nice” typing really feel, then lots of the Q1 Professional’s most compelling options, like VIA programming, hot-swappable switches, and per-key south-facing RGB backlighting, are additionally out there on the V1 above and Keychron’s different V-series boards. 

Use the keyboard wirelessly, with its RGB lighting disabled, and the Q1 Professional can fortunately go for over a month without 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.

Along with its sturdy aluminum case and wi-fi connectivity, the opposite benefit the Q1 Professional has over the V1 is its gasket-mounted building, which provides it a extra premium typing really feel. By successfully suspending its polycarbonate swap plate and PCB between gaskets, the keyboard has a considerable quantity of flex to it. Which may not sound preferable, nevertheless it provides 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 collection. Alternative swap plates are additionally out there in several supplies if you wish to additional customise how the Q1 Professional feels and sounds.

Keychron’s Q Professional lineup isn’t out there in fairly as many alternative sizes as the corporate’s wired Q or V collection, however as of this writing, it covers the most important bases. Sizes vary from the compact This autumn Professional by to the full-size Q6 Professional.

Different potential concerns are that the Q1 Professional’s battery life is barely nice when you 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 implies it’s not an ideal decide when you plan to make use of the keyboard whereas out and about. Lastly, there’s no 2.4GHz wi-fi USB dongle choice when you desire to not use Bluetooth.

Learn my assessment of the Keychron Q1 Professional.

Connectivity: USB, Bluetooth, 2.4GHz dongle / Keycaps: Dye-sub PBT / Sizzling-swappable: Sure / Obtainable sizes: 65 p.c, 75 p.c, 96 p.c / Obtainable layouts: ANSI, ISO / Swap choices: Gateron Professional Purple, Gateron Professional Brown, Gateron Professional Black, Epomaker Budgerigar, Gateron Blue, Gateron Professional Yellow / Battery measurement: 3,800mAh / North- or south-facing switches: South-facing

For a extra reasonably priced wi-fi mechanical keyboard, we actually just like the Epomaker TH80. The TH80 feels improbable to sort on, helps Bluetooth connections to as much as three totally different gadgets, and likewise features a 2.4GHz wi-fi USB dongle when you don’t wish to fiddle with Bluetooth pairing. We additionally like that it has separate Mac-specific keycaps within the field and that it’s comparatively mild and moveable in comparison with the Q1 Professional.

Extra lately, Epomaker has launched a Professional model of the TH80 known as the TH80 Professional, though it prices the identical at $99.99. The brand new mannequin is sort of similar to the unique TH80 however has a barely greater 4,000mAh battery and performance enhancements like the power to routinely acknowledge whether or not it’s related to a Mac or Home windows pc.

Just like the Keychron V1 and Q1 Professional, the Epomaker TH80 is a 75 p.c keyboard with hot-swappable switches and a quantity knob. It has a plastic case and metal swap 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 assessment pattern got here with linear Gateron Professional Yellow switches, however different linear and clicky choices can be found.

The Epomaker TH80’s format will 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 helps you to remap each key (apart from the Perform key) with various keys or macros. (In contrast, VIA helps you to transfer the perform key, too, or add further perform keys for various layers.)

The TH80 doesn’t have secondary capabilities printed on its keycaps, so that you’ll have to hold its handbook 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 costlier Q1 Professional.

Though the TH80 is available in our favourite 75 p.c format, Epomaker has a bigger model with a numpad in addition to a smaller 65 p.c mannequin. Should you’re on a tighter finances, the Royal Kludge RK84 is a little bit cheaper with out compromising an excessive amount of on typing really feel, although its software program is Home windows-only and its format is a bit more smushed.

We additionally actually appreciated utilizing the Iqunix L80 Cosmic Traveller. It’s costlier at $189, it’s not simply remappable, and it has a loud coloration scheme that gained’t be to everybody’s style. But it surely 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.

Connectivity: USB, Bluetooth, 2.4GHz dongle / Keycaps: Dye-sub PBT / Sizzling-swappable: Sure / Obtainable sizes: 1800 format / Obtainable layouts: ANSI / Swap choices: Kailh Cream / Battery measurement: 10,000mAh / North- or south-facing switches: South-facing

The $140 Ajazz AK966 is our decide if you’d like a wi-fi keyboard with a numpad and don’t wish to spend $210 on Keychron’s Q6 Professional. It makes use of an 1800 format, which implies it has many of the keys of a full-size keyboard, albeit in a format that squishes them collectively a little bit to scale back its general footprint. This bigger format 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 type 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 collection since Ajazz’s keyboard has a plastic case, nevertheless it 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 aren’t any secondary capabilities printed on its keycaps, so make sure to hold its handbook readily available so you recognize its keyboard shortcuts. It additionally has a quantity knob.

Though it contains 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 format, configuring its lighting, or recording macros — is barely out there on Home windows. We don’t suppose that’s a deal-breaker given its 96 p.c format contains mainly each default key you’d need as customary, nevertheless it’s price making an allowance for when you can’t stay with out devoted keys for House, Finish, or Print Display screen — or when you’re used to customizing explicit keyboard shortcuts. The keyboard can also be solely out there with linear Kailh Cream switches, so when you desire clicky or tactile switches, you’ll have to purchase them individually. That’s additionally not a deal-breaker because the board is hot-swappable.

Connectivity: USB / Keycaps: Not disclosed / Sizzling-swappable: Sure / Obtainable sizes: 65 p.c, 75 p.c, Full measurement / Obtainable layouts: ANSI / Swap choices: Blue, Brown, Purple (unbranded) / Battery measurement: N/A / North- or south-facing switches: North-facing

At lower than half the value of a number of the different keyboards on this checklist, the $55 65 p.c 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 Kind-A ports to plug additional equipment into your pc.

As you may anticipate given the value distinction, the LTC Nimbleback’s building isn’t as stable because the Keychron V1’s, 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 area bar, and it sounds a bit hole general. It’s additionally product of plastic, and whereas it is reprogrammable, its companion software program is barely out there 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 seems a little bit too small to your liking, there are additionally 75 p.c and full-size variations out there. 

Connectivity: USB, Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz / Keycaps: PBT Dye-sub / Sizzling-swappable: Sure / Obtainable sizes: 65 p.c, 75 p.c, 96 p.c / Obtainable layouts: ANSI / Swap choices: Gateron low-profile Purple, Gateron low-profile Brown, Gateron low-profile Blue / Battery measurement: 2,500mAh / North- or south-facing switches: North-facing

Should you’re after the tactility of a mechanical keyboard however desire a low-profile design that’s much like a conventional laptop computer keyboard, there’s an rising variety of choices out there. Of those, we predict the $110 NuPhy Air75 is the very 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 Purple low-profile switches, nevertheless it’s additionally out there with tactile or clicky choices.

Not like the costlier Logitech MX Mechanical Mini, it’s additionally hot-swappable, which we predict provides the NuPhy Air75 a slight edge. Sizzling-swappable sockets aren’t fairly as necessary on low-profile keyboards given there merely aren’t as many low-profile swap choices on the market — and there are a number of totally different mutually incompatible low-profile swap sorts — nevertheless it’s nonetheless a pleasant characteristic to have, and NuPhy sells appropriate switches.

There’s one excellent motive to think about the costlier 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 also be out there with a bigger full-size format (nice when you want a numpad). 

Connectivity: USB / Keycaps: Not disclosed / Sizzling-swappable: No / Obtainable sizes: Break up / Obtainable layouts: ANSI / Swap choices: Cherry MX Brown, Cherry MX Silent Purple / Battery measurement: N/A / North- or south-facing switches: North-facing

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

It doesn’t have hot-swappable switches, which implies you’re caught with the Cherry MX Brown or Cherry MX Silent Purple switches that it comes with except you’re keen to do some soldering. However at $179, it’s comparatively reasonably priced by the usually exorbitant costs of cut up keyboards (the ErgoDox EZ Unique begins at $325, for instance, whereas the ZSA Moonlander is $365), and it has a format that’s a lot nearer to a conventional keyboard than a whole lot of different ergonomic choices. It means there’s much less of a studying curve when you’re coming from an ordinary keyboard format. 

That’s to not say there aren’t hot-swappable ergonomic choices on the market. We actually loved the ZSA Moonlander, for instance. ZSA’s Oryx configurator software program gives a ton of choices to create extremely custom-made layouts, and optionally available equipment like an angled stand and tripod mounting package imply you’ll be able to tailor the keyboard to your precise wants. It additionally gives hot-swappable switches, which we usually contemplate a necessary 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 format and thumb clusters take a whole lot of getting used to. (Although ZSA does can help you return the keyboard inside 30 days of whenever you get it.) 

Should you completely will need to have essentially the most customizable ergonomic choice out there, then the ZSA Moonlander is a good decide. However most individuals who simply desire a extra ergonomic keyboard with a well-known format will probably be glad with the Kinesis Freestyle Professional.

Extra reporting by Jay Peters.

Replace August 4th, 11:19AM ET: Up to date with new format, so as to add extra measurement choices for Keychron, and to say Epomaker TH80 Professional.