The Best Mechanical Keyboards for Work and Play

Jaina Grey Eric Ravenscraft

There are few things as polarizing as PC keyboards. There are message boards and subreddits filled to the brim with opinions dissecting every aspect and component, from the virtues and vices of different switch mechanisms to the plastic used in the key caps.

There's good reason for that. You probably spend a lot of time on your keyboard, along with a (hopefully) comfortable mouse. You might as well make those hours as pleasant as possible, especially now that so many of us are working from home. Whether you own a great laptop or a game-ready desktop PC, we've tested dozens of mechanical keyboards from all ends of the price spectrum. These are our top picks for gaming--and all the other stuff.

Updated May 2023: We added the Monsgeek M2 and GMMK 2 96%, and updated links and prices throughout.

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Mechanical keyboards (often loud, clickety-clackety keyboards) are defined by their switches, and there are dozens of different kinds out there. They all feel a little different, and without touching them yourself, it's tough to know which kind is right for you. Manufacturers like Logitech and Razer use their own proprietary switches, which further complicates things.

No matter who makes them, switches typically come in one of three varieties:

Everyone has a favorite switch type, but you usually have to choose before you get your keyboard. If you decide that you want to try a different switch for more click or more clack? You have to get a whole new keyboard. The Logitech G Pro X solves that problem by offering key kits so you can customize each and every key on your keyboard, choosing from three different switch types: GX Blue Clicky switches (for a crisp click and thicker keystroke), GX Red Linear (for a quieter, smoother, but still satisfying keystroke), or GX Brown Tactile (with a soft stroke and tactile feedback).

Personally, I like Blue and Red switches for different purposes. During testing, I used Blues for my W, A, S, and D keys (for movement in games), and Red switches on other letters for a smooth typing experience. I also tried Brown switches for the spacebar and shift keys, just to mix it up. That level of customization makes the G Pro X stand out as the best overall mechanical keyboard. No matter what you prefer, you can create your own bespoke typing and gaming experience.

Budget gaming keyboards used to be the province of random Amazon sellers with all-capped names and were clad in candy-colored plastic. Logitech's G413 couldn't be further from that aesthetic. Here, you get the same understated black chassis, the same mechanical switches, and even the same Lightsync RGB lighting that you get on more expensive Logitech models. It's an excellent pick if you're not interested in a decked-out gaming keyboard, or you're just getting started.

If you're not familiar, a 60 percent keyboard has 60 percent of the keys normally found on a regular-sized keyboard. The numpad and arrow keys are chopped off, and you're left with the bare essentials. The Razer Huntsman Mini is my favorite of this size for gaming. It feels every bit as responsive and quick as a full-size keyboard, but it takes up a lot less desk space. There's just something very neat and orderly about it. Plus, like the larger Huntsman Elite above, the Mini is compatible with Razer's key cap kits so you can customize your color scheme. I like the mercury white with pink key caps.

WIRED Staff

Simon Hill

Will Bedingfield

Boone Ashworth

If you're interested in customizing your mechanical keyboard but aren't sure where to start, the NZXT Function (8/10, WIRED Recommends) strikes the perfect sweet spot. The company's builder tool lets you pick the kind of switches, key caps, and even cable color for your keyboard, and the company will put it all together for you.

You can leave it at that, but if you want to customize the board further, it will ship with tools to remove and replace every key cap and switch, along with spares of each. The Function also comes with some nice features, like a left-side volume wheel, RGB LEDs (naturally), and software to remap or customize every button with macros to maximize your productivity.

Mechanical keyboards are super satisfying to type on. They just feel better than standard membrane keyboards. The mechanical switches responsible for such a tactile typing experience are varied--and rather than choose one switch for the Apex Pro keyboard, SteelSeries decided to allow them all.

Not only is it a colorful gaming keyboard with lots of bells and whistles, but similar to the Logitech above, it features mechanical switches that can be customized per key to give you a typing experience unique to you. Plus, it has a little LED display for system alerts, volume, and other fun stuff you can toy with using SteelSeries' included software.

A lot of keyboards claim to be designed for gamers because they have RGB lights or responsive switches, but SteelSeries' Apex 7 TKL puts its money where its mouth is. It features satisfyingly clicky mechanical switches and a sturdy aluminum frame. It even has the same LED display as its sibling, the Apex Pro, for system alerts. You can use it to see who's talking in Discord, or even get in-game information.

The software really makes this keyboard worthwhile. It can tie deeply into your games, triggering different lighting conditions based on in-game events--so your R key could flash when you need to reload, for example--for certain titles. You can also customize the functions of every individual key, record custom macros, and input third-party apps like Discord. While it can be intimidating to new users, if you want a high degree of control over your game, it's hard to top this.

WIRED Staff

Simon Hill

Will Bedingfield

Boone Ashworth

Logitech makes some of our favorite keyboards, and the MX Mechanical board puts all of the company's expertise into one highly refined package. Its understated design fits in perfectly in an office, and it's low-profile enough to be comfortable typing on all day. It can pair with up to three devices at once and swap between them at the push of a button. There are even a few convenient extra buttons just above the numpad to launch a calculator or lock your desktop.

An oldie but a goodie, the Japanese Filco Majestouch was among the earliest of mechanical keyboards to make waves in the US in the 2000s. Product reviewer Matt Jancer has used one without a numpad for six years, with a combination of Cherry MX Browns, Blacks, Reds, Silent Reds, or Blues. Jancer reports that it's weighted to keep it from moving under mad writing sessions and the typing experience is sublime. It's a classic--if you can find it in stock.

What's the point of having a mechanical keyboard if you can't see those meticulously engineered switches at work, right? That's the design philosophy behind the Vulcan 120 Aimo and its white-and-aluminum-clad cousin, the 122 Aimo. Both put Roccat's custom-built Titan switches on display with thin little key caps. The switches themselves are illuminated from below with delightfully bright and customizable RGB lighting.

Designed for gaming, Roccat's switches feel quick, responsive, and tactile. They help make the Vulcan 120 and 122 precision instruments designed for competitive play. Oh, did we mention the keyboard is incredibly loud? And we mean that in the very best way. It's clicky, clacky, and so satisfying to type on. Writing this article with it feels like typing up a thunderstorm.

WIRED Staff

Simon Hill

Will Bedingfield

Boone Ashworth

Have you ever wanted a keyboard that can talk to your refrigerator? You're in luck. The Das Keyboard 5QS is a formidable and well-designed gaming keyboard with all the usual bells and whistles, like RGB lighting and a customizable knob for additional controls.

It can also link up to your smart home devices. Using IFTTT shortcuts, you can train your keyboard to flash a certain key for reminders, dim your smart lights, or even let you know when someone leaves the garage door open. In an age with smart coffee mugs and Wi-Fi-connected juicers, why shouldn't something as functional as your keyboard give you a little more control over the devices in your life?

The Logitech G915 is built to be a gaming keyboard, but if you spend a lot of time in Photoshop, Premiere, Cinema 4D, Blender, or any number of other creative applications, then it'll be right up your alley. The raised mechanical keys are comfortable and provide satisfying travel without bulking up the board too much. The keys are at slightly higher risk of breaking if you pull on them, though, so don't do that. You can also easily swap between Logitech's Lightspeed wireless connection and Bluetooth, making it simple to switch to your laptop and continue working seamlessly.

The real star of the show is the set of five macro keys on the left side of the board. Along with the Logitech G Hub software, these keys can be programmed with automated actions and custom shortcuts, or even execute scripts. We're big fans of using gaming hardware for productivity, and these bonus keys are perfect for the job. There are enough to give you more options, without turning your daily driver into a tank that overwhelms your entire desk. You can also save even more space if you lop off the numpad with the G915 TKL, but you'll lose the macro keys as well.

In most ways, the Corsair K100 RGB is a fairly standard keyboard, with RGB backlights, a few programmable macro keys, and a volume roller. What sets it apart, however, is the control wheel in the top left corner. This dial can scrub through media, control the lighting on the keyboard itself, and control a number of other built-in functions.

The dial can also be customized. In my testing, this could be a little finicky in certain applications--I couldn't get it to properly scrub through the timeline in Premiere Pro, for example--but it's still a handy tool that you rarely get on other boards.

WIRED Staff

Simon Hill

Will Bedingfield

Boone Ashworth

If nothing else, Roccat knows how to show off. The Vulcan II Mini has satisfyingly clicky keys on a slim board. But its most notable feature is its Dual LED switches. While most keyboards with RGB LEDs have one light per key, this one has two. This has a very minor practical benefit, in that function keys can have a separate indicator for things like when mute is activated. Mostly, though, it just gives you twice the resolution for all those sweet rainbow effects.

Some of us must have a keyboard with a number pad, whether you have to do a lot of quick math or add a lot of timecodes or hex values as a designer. The sturdiest we found without breaking out a soldering iron is the Monsgeek M2. For $130, you get a gorgeous and hefty aluminum shell in this hot-swappable 1800 compact layout, so you get a nice numpad on the right.

Associate editor Parker Hall likes that it has three lights milled into the right side between the backspace key and the num lock key, making it easy to tell whether you've got caps lock on or not. This keyboard is compatible with Akko MDA/SAL profile keycaps, and options for cool caps are plentiful. You can buy switches from Monsgeek with the board, or supply your own. Hall's favorites are the Novelkey Kailh Box Pink ($33).

This keyboard from Glorious Gaming is a more affordable competitor to the M2 above. It's made of high-quality plastic rather than aluminum, but I've become a big fan of this hot-swappable board.

It comes with my beloved numpad, and also a set of GMMK's Glorious Panda switches ($25), which are among the best tactile switches I've used. Keycap options from GMMK are plentiful, or you can supply your own. The company's desktop app also allows you to add hotkeys, adjust the LEDs on the board, and set profiles for different tasks.

Gear Team

Julian Chokkattu

Julian Chokkattu

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Simon Hill

Adrienne So

Jaina Grey

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