Major Gaming Keyboard Brands Ranked Worst To Best
With PC gaming taking up such a large portion of the industry, it shouldn't be a massive surprise that so many different computing brands are creating accessories and peripherals. One of the most diverse areas is the keyboard market, with gaming keyboards now becoming a big seller. For many people, keyboards are simply a way to type text onto a computer, and little thought is put into what brand or model to choose other than whether it is comfortable to use. But that is not the case for PC gamers.
These individuals want a lot more from their keyboards as they aren't just used for word processing, writing emails, and surfing the web. For them, the keyboard is one of the major inputs they use to play their game. So it is essential that they are accurate, responsive, and tactile. That's why they generally utilize mechanical keys rather than membrane switches and feature things like programmable buttons and ergonomic designs to provide the best gaming experience.
As there are so many choices available when it comes to gaming keyboards, deciding what brand and model to go with can be difficult. We've looked at all the major brands and ranked them to give you a better idea of the best and worst options on the market.
12. Mountain
Although Mountain is a fairly new player in the gaming keyboard market, the company has quickly made a name for itself due to its high-end products and innovative features. Created by a group of gamers who understand that personal tastes are different for each person, the brand has an emphasis on modularity. This means that each gaming keyboard has a whole host of customization options so that it can be tailored to your own unique style.
The end result of this is that when you buy a Mountain gaming keyboard, you can expect to get more than just a keyboard in the box. It will come with tools and software to allow you to change every element to better suit your needs. This kind of experience comes at a price, though, and Mountain products are not cheap, so they won't suit those on a tighter budget.
Mountain offers a decent range of keyboards, although all of them are on the premium end of the spectrum. The two standouts are the Everest Max and the Everest 60. Both have been lauded for their sleek design, responsiveness, and build quality, with the Everest Max packing in plenty of innovative ideas.
11. Glorious Gaming
Glorious Gaming began life in 2014 as a budget-price alternative to the bigger manufacturers, selling premium gaming keyboards at half the price of its rivals. The company doesn't just focus on keyboards — in fact, it got its start producing mousepads — but it has developed a reputation for producing high-quality products that can last for a long time and feel like a top-tier keyboard.
What really helps Glorious Gaming keyboards stand out is their modular nature. The design of keyboards such as the GMMK allows users to swap out practically every component, from keycaps to switches, without any soldering or complicated setup. This makes them the perfect choice for those who want to be able to fully customize a keyboard completely to their liking.
Don't expect the likes of this brand's keyboards to blow you away in terms of looks or additional features but as sturdy and reliable mechanical keyboards, they stand out among a crowded field. Few other brands are able to combine this level of customization and affordability into one package quite as successfully.
10. Kinesis
Out of all of the major brands that release gaming keyboards, Kinesis is arguably one of the least well-known. It simply doesn't have the same name recognition and brand awareness as many of its competitors. Despite not having as much fame, the brand does have an ace up its sleeve in terms of its philosophy toward ergonomics.
All of Kinesis' products focus on making the experience more comfortable and simple for the user. That has led to some interesting designs, with the brand's gaming keyboards featuring more compact forms, tenting to help reduce forearm stress, and unique designs for better hand alignment. In the case of the Freestyle Edge RGB, the keyboard has been split into two separate pieces so that the mouse can be placed in the middle as the right half is moved out of the way to provide better precision and dexterity.
For anyone who suffers from repetitive strain injuries or finds long gaming sessions uncomfortable, the Kinesis range of products should help to relieve pain. For those who want more advanced customization options or don't want to pay the admittedly high prices that Kinesis demands, other options might be a better fit.
9. SteelSeries
Danish computer manufacturer SteelSeries has become one of the most popular gaming peripheral brands of recent times. In large part, that's down to its brilliant range of gaming keyboards. One of the most reputable companies in a crowded market, it has several high-class gaming keyboards that should impress even the most picky users. For example, the Apex Pro features a OLED screen and adjustable switches as well as a media control button. Meanwhile, the Apex 9 TKL is often considered to be one of the best all-purpose gaming keyboards at an affordable price.
A major advantage of SteelSeries keyboards is that they can directly integrate with the SteelSeries Engine software. This allows users to quickly and easily customize almost every aspect of their gaming keyboard by remapping keys, creating custom macros, and even syncing lighting effects between a variety of different SteelSeries accessories. This gives it an edge over many other brands that don't offer this option to gamers.
8. Logitech
Logitech has been around for a very long time. The company was founded in 1981 and has expanded into a worldwide brand that produces a wide range of computer peripherals, accessories, and gadgets. As such a huge company, it offers a wide range of different keyboards that are aimed at different users. That means there's a Logitech gaming keyboard for pretty much any gamer at every price point.
Almost every keyboard in the brand's collection is durable, comfortable, and high-quality. They may not have some of the advanced features of other keyboards from more specialized manufacturers, but few people have any real complaints about Logitech's offerings. Both the Logitech G715 and the Logitech G PRO X Keyboard have received widespread praise for their robust and tactile feel, with reviews also pointing out that they are ultra responsive. Even the wireless Logitech G915 LIGHTSPEED has low latency and responsive keys. They might not win any awards in the looks department, but there is little doubt that Logitech keyboards are functional and well-built.
7. Asus
ASUS is probably better known for its other products outside of the world of gaming keyboards, with the company selling everything from laptops to graphics cards. Yet, in recent times the brand has begun to establish itself as an influential and important player when it comes to top-quality gaming keyboards.
It is safe to say that ASUS is definitely not a budget brand when it comes to gaming keyboards. Its product range starts off at over $100 and features some of the most expensive models on the market. But with that price comes a degree of sturdiness and premium finish you'd expect for your money. ASUS promises its keyboards will last tens of millions of keystrokes and will keep users comfortable with ergonomic designs that include wrist rests and adjustable keycap heights.
The best example of this is the ASUS ROG Azoth, a high-end gaming keyboard that has been described by Digital Trends as "beating enthusiast keyboards on the feature front and mainstream keyboards on the quality front." With features such as in-built MacOS support and expansive customization options, ASUS packs more into its offerings than most of its rivals.
6. Keychron
Among the leading gaming keyboard brands, Keychron is another company that is relatively young compared to many of its rivals. Formed in 2017 by a group of enthusiasts with decades of experience in the industry, the company now produces more than a dozen different gaming keyboards and almost 100 custom variants. That's good news for those who like plenty of choices, with Keycrhon having gaming keyboards that range in price from just $50 all the way up to $200. However, the vast majority of its products are aimed at more casual gamers who want an affordable gaming keyboard that won't break the bank.
The brand often focuses on compact design to take up as little space as possible and wireless connectivity to help get rid of additional cables. They are also famed for their long battery life, with many keyboards lasting for hundreds of hours before needing to be charged. Keychron is also known for its ability to constantly release new models to keep up with the latest trends and ensure that its customers won't be left behind. All of this, combined with its commitment to supporting open-source firmware such as QMK, ensures this brand is a trusted and quality supplier of gaming keyboards.
5. Corsair
Corsair Gaming has gone through a variety of names since its formation in 1994, which is one reason why it is commonly known simply as Corsair in the gaming community. The brand designs and manufactures a range of computer hardware, ranging from power supplies and graphics cards to peripherals such as gaming keyboards. Over the last three decades, Corsair has grown to become one of the biggest brands in PC gaming, and for good reason.
Its signature models, such as the K70 RGB Pro and the K100 RGB are both highly rated, winning plaudits for their quality builds, responsiveness, and ergonomic design. You can expect Corsair keyboards to not only be comfortable to use over extended periods but also to look stylish at the same time. Almost all of their impressive range of keyboards feature wrist rests and adjustable feet along with customizable RGB lighting.
The only main issue with Corsair keyboards is their price. Considering that none of them feature full aluminum casing, they are definitely on the expensive side and cheaper alternatives are available that can do pretty much everything Corsair's range does.
4. Roccat
Based in Germany, Roccat is an experienced computer accessory company that has been operating since 2006. Created by a former Razer executive, the brand features the same quality and reliability you'd expect from that company. Specializing in gaming equipment for PC players, it produces a wide range of peripherals, such as keyboards, headsets, and mousepads. In terms of its gaming keyboards, the company is probably best known for its Vulcan II Max model and the Magma RGB keyboard, both of which have been named among the very best gaming keyboards on the market.
Roccat keyboards are undoubtedly expensive but they are built to last and are robust enough to endure marathon gaming sessions. Perhaps the most impressive element of its most recent releases, though, is the Titan Switch Optical system it uses. This method utilizes light actuators, meaning that key presses are registered far more quickly and accurately than with traditional mechanical switches. It also allows the keyboard software to register double the number of clicks a second. Add in the great customer service offered by Roccat and its owner Turtle Beach, and it is a brand any gamer should consider for their keyboard needs.
3. Ducky
Like many of the top computer hardware and accessory companies, Ducky is based in Taiwan. It has quickly grown since 2008 when it was formed to become a major brand, producing a diverse range of mechanical keyboards. It promises innovation and unrivaled quality with all of its products and has definitely delivered on that. Ducky keyboards are well-regarded in the industry and are popular in the professional gaming scene.
One of the standout features of Ducky keyboards has always been their minimalist design, giving them a distinctive and clean design that sets them apart from their RGB light-heavy rivals. The latest model, known as the Ducky One 3, is a brilliant example of that. Like its predecessor, it isn't flashy but still manages to look great and pull off a quirky but colorful in a delightful manner.
But what really makes Ducky gaming keyboards so impressive is that they work so well. At a rather affordable price, the Ducky One 3 has been lauded for its impressive build quality, responsiveness, hot-swappable keys, and versatility.
2. Razer
In many ways, Razer has been one of the leading brands in the effort to develop better hardware for PC gamers. As one of the oldest and most established companies in this space, you can be fairly confident of the build quality, reliability, and customer support. Razer didn't get to its dominant position by releasing inferior products and it has maintained that to this day.
Featuring mechanical switches and customizable RGB lighting, most Razer keyboards look great and perform brilliantly as gaming peripherals. Just look at reviews for the likes of the Ornata V3, Huntsman V2, or the Turret to get an idea of why gamers love the brand. As an added bonus, the Razer Synapse software makes it easy to change settings, set up individual profiles, and customize the keyboard.
One of the major problems with Razer's gaming keyboards is that they are not particularly good at anything other than gaming. Common complaints deal with the fact that they are not up to scratch when it comes to general use, with the keys often being far too sensitive for tasks such as typing. Considering the high price of the company's products, users are unlikely to want to buy additional keyboards to use when not gaming. Of course, if you only plan to use a Razer keyboard for playing games, then this won't be a major drawback at all.
1. Wooting
Wooting is one of the smallest and most recent brands in the world of gaming keyboards. The company was initially conceived in 2015 by three Dutch gamers and by 2016, they had successfully launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund their first prototype. Where the company stands out is that all of its keyboard models support analog controls. This essentially means that each key of the keyboard isn't a binary command that is either pressed or unpressed. Instead, the keys can tell the difference between different levels of input, meaning that gamers can accomplish a lot more with the keyboard than is possible with most other alternatives currently available.
This approach also allows for a huge amount of customization, with users able to assign different commands to analog keys depending on how they are pressed. Easy-to-use companion software makes it simple to adjust travel distances and enable even more features and shortcuts, while the keyboards themselves have a reputation for responsiveness and accuracy. Priced competitively, both the Wooting 60HE and the Wooting Two HE provide exceptional value for money and have received rave reviews. There have been some reports of slow customer support, but the sheer quality of the Wooting gaming keyboards puts them among the very best.