is a reviewer covering laptops and the occasional gadget. He spent over 15 years in the photography industry before joining The Verge as a deals writer in 2021.
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The mechanical keyboard world has undergone a renaissance. Thanks to increased competition and commoditized tech, features that used to be exclusive to limited-run DIY boards in the $300-plus range just a few years ago are now available in prebuilt boards in the $100 to $200 range — sometimes less. The DIY kit builds, limited-run group buys, and boutique boards made by artisans are still innovating and pushing boundaries, and they’re great if you’re looking for something extra adventurous or very specific. But if you just want a great keyboard for not much money, no assembly required, your options are better than ever.
Here are a bunch of keyboards under $200(ish) we like, including boards we’ve been sent for review and some we’ve bought ourselves.
We’re not picking a “best,” because these are all bangers. Nor is this a comprehensive list: there are so many great keyboards in this price range it’d be impossible to test them all. These are just ones we like. They’re all affordable, feature-rich keyboards that are a great upgrade for most people — excellent for simply typing away and more than capable for gaming.
What we’re looking for (and what we prefer): Typing feel and sound Collapse Switches, keycaps, and case and switch plate material all influence how a mechanical keyboard feels and sounds. Obviously, preference plays a big role here: some people like light switches and some like heavy ones; some like loud boards and some like quiet. But most people look for boards that aren’t actively annoying to them or the people around them. Build quality and construction Collapse Plastic cases are totally fine, especially if you’re shopping for mechanical keyboards under $60 or need something lightweight for travel. But an aluminum chassis feels nicer and makes the keyboard less likely to slide around on your desk. It also affects the typing sound and feel, and typically for the better. Most of the boards on this list have layers of foam within the case to dampen and deepen the typing sound and reduce echo and ping, and many use gaskets to isolate metal case components from each other while offering a softer typing feel. This combo is a big reason cheaper keyboards have gotten so good. That used to be something you had to mod yourself, but now even big brands like Razer mimic it. (And you can still mod most prebuilt boards plenty if you’re the tinkering type.) Size and layout Collapse Many of our picks are 75 percent layout or smaller, which saves space on your desk and brings your mouse hand closer to your body for better ergonomics. The 75 percent layout maintains arrow keys, some function keys, and a whole F row, while a 65 percent ditches the F row (you can still use them with a modifier key and number row). If you insist on a number pad, you can shop for similar full-size or 1800-layout options — though your selection will be more limited. Or you can get a wireless numpad and even use it to the left of your keyboard (now we’re talking). Connectivity Collapse Most of the boards we recommend are wireless “tri-mode” boards, which means they work wired, via Bluetooth, or with a 2.4GHz USB adapter. A wired connection is the simplest and can have the fastest polling rate for gaming. Bluetooth lets you use the keyboard with multiple devices, while 2.4GHz dongles offer an alternative to Bluetooth and can have a much higher polling rate. Customizability Collapse All mechanical keyboards come with removable keycaps. Replacing the keycaps is an easy way to customize your board, but we also looked for keyboards with hot-swap sockets. These sockets let you remove and replace the key switches without having to solder, so you can easily experiment with totally different typing experiences. We also look for the ability to remap key assignments and set up custom layers and shortcuts. VIA software support is ideal for the plug-and-play simplicity of its web-based interface, though decent proprietary software can be acceptable.
The Toyota Corolla of keyboards
Here's what typing sounds like on the Keychron V1 Max with Gateron Jupiter Brown tactile switches(opens a new window) Here's what typing sounds like on the V1 Max with Gateron Jupiter Brown tactile switches:
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