5 Highly-Rated Gaming Keyboards That Won't Break The Bank

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No matter how many gamers you see talking about running the latest AAA titles at native 4K, no upscaling or frame generation, 240 FPS, on the most powerful graphics cards for a gaming PC (we're exaggerating a bit, but you get the point), never let anyone tell you that gaming has to be expensive. The PC hardware industry has taken advantage of this misconception to charge gamers a fortune; you've seen the gamer-oriented products dripping in RGB lighting and sporting a fat sticker price. The Steam Deck OLED alone proves you can have an amazing experience without maxing out your credit card. We've demonstrated that it's not hard to find some of the best cheap graphics cards and budget accessories to build a great gaming setup. Keyboards — an item gaming brands often charge heavily for — are no exception.

Since we're using the phrase "won't break the bank," we're going to assume a budget-to-mid-range price keyboard. We have carefully curated a list of keyboards that sit under an acceptable price threshold while still maintaining high user reviews. We'll take a closer look at each and provide you with Amazon links to buy them directly. Without further ado, here are our recommendations for affordable gaming keyboards.

The RK Royal Kludge R65 is a wired mechanical gaming keyboard that features a 65% design with 66 keys and PBT keycaps. The 65% and 75% keyboard sizes are some of the more popular options for gamers thanks to their smaller, lighter form factor and focus on gaming-first controls versus a full productivity spread. The R65, in addition to looking pretty slick with multi-colored hot-swappable cream switches, includes a nifty volume knob and RGB backlighting. Mechanical keyboards are really popular, but they're also notoriously loud. Thankfully, RK and other brands are moving towards gasket-mount designs with multiple layers that help absorb sound, as seen on the R65. The removable Type-C wired connection is a plus since it lets you use your own cable.

Build aside, the R65 supports Windows, macOS, Linux, as well as Android and iOS. Keys can be reprogrammed with QMK/VIA; if that jumble of letters makes no sense to you, don't worry. QMK is an open-source computer input firmware known for being highly customizable, and VIA is a browser-based alternative. Basically, the point is that this keyboard can support a wide range of devices and be programmed to taste without proprietary software. Couple that with the hot-swappable keys, and you could use it for decades even if Royal Kludge went out of business.

The Royal Kludge R65 retails for $59.99 on Amazon. It earns a 4.6-star average based on over 1,300 reviews. Reviews seem to agree it sounds great, and the keycaps feel good on the fingers, making for a solid typing experience. For only about $5 more, you can get a tri-mode version that includes a 3,750mAh battery and support for 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired modes.

The Epomaker x Aula F75 might be a bit of a mouthful when you tell your friends, but the 75% 80-key keyboard deserves a unique name. It's leaning heavily into that early computing feel with thick, boxy buttons and muted pastel colors. Again, we've got a completely hot-swappable keyboard with several layers of sound-dampening material and support for full RGB backlighting. The multimedia control knob is here too, if you weren't a fan of the R65's general aesthetic. The F75 also features a 3-mode connection scheme and has a bigger 4,000mAh battery to support long wireless gaming sessions. Finally, there is a huge range of colorways to choose from — seven, to be exact.

What we like about the F75 is that you can choose between three types of switches that all cost the same — a rarity in this industry, where most keyboard manufacturers use switch options to jack up the price. The yellow Crescent, green Reaper, and blue Ice Vein switches have varying lengths of travel and required force to press the key, allowing you to choose a firmer (or lighter) one depending on your gaming needs. Or you could choose switches based on how they sound. It's up to you.

On Amazon, the Epomaker x Aula F75 retails for $79.99, the upper limit of what we consider "not breaking the bank." It earns a 4.6-star average with over 4,000 reviews. Users praise the sound and the smooth typing experience, thanks in part to factory-lubricated keys. Just be warned that the official software only supports Windows, though this doesn't mean it won't work on macOS and Linux.

If you haven't recognized any of the brands so far, then prepare for another: Redragon. This is one of the many mechanical keyboard brands out there making affordable models for people who don't want to pay $200 just to type. The Redragon K673 Pro is a 75% keyboard with the length of a 65% keyboard, including a full 81 RGB-backlit PBT keys. So you get a smaller form factor that still has the FN row keys and a multimedia knob. Plus, the knob is programmable to do a lot more than just turn up the volume — provided you use the Redragon software. The convenient socket on the right side stores the 2.4GHz receiver dongle for one of its tri-mode connections; it also supports Bluetooth and wired mode. Switches are hot-swappable, and the gasket design, like many competitors claims to dampen a great deal of sound.

It's quite likely that as a consequence of that length reduction, the K673 Pro uses a smaller 3,000mAh battery compared to the 4,000mAh cells we typically see in this size range. Battery life may be impacted accordingly.

Redragon sells five colorways for this model on its website, but on Amazon, you can find a full nine for the Redragon K673 Pro, which retails for $64.99. We like how some of these colorways are the muted pastel kind, while others are more colorful and playful, and some are the classic all-black gamer keyboards with RGB backlighting. Amazon reviews give it a 4.6-star average across almost 1,500 reviews. Compliments go to its sound, typing experience, and the helpful software that allows for so much RGB customization.

If you didn't recognize the other brands we mentioned, then you will likely know SteelSeries, a mainstay in gamer-oriented headsets, mice, and — you guessed it — keyboards. The SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL keyboard is a solid offering, though it's important to note that it's not a mechanical keyboard — it's a membrane. That may explain why it supports IP32 water and dust resistance and quieter key presses — both features you won't easily find in mechanical keyboards. However, this model boasts 20 million key presses, which is atypical for membranes, which generally max out at 10 million.

That aside, this tenkeyless keyboard (a full keyboard with the numpad removed) has shot-through RGB backlighting and a clickable volume roller. SteelSeries Engine, the customization software, gives you full control of lighting and allows it to synchronize with other SteelSeries products. Another small, unsung feature we don't see often is the cable router, which lets you choose where the cable exits. The keyboard supports Windows, macOS, and even Chromebooks and consoles like Xbox and PlayStation — though the software is only available on Windows and macOS.

Reviews are high for the SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL on Amazon. Even across 13,000 reviews, it maintains a 4.6-star average. It retails for $49.99. Perhaps the only downside we can think of, aside from the fact that this is a wired-only keyboard, is that smaller brands (Royal Kludge, Epomaker, Redragon) are able to offer mechanical keyboards in this price range, whereas SteelSeries has gone with the cheaper membrane variety. It never ceases to amaze how smaller companies like Keychron and 8BitDo make some of the best budget-friendly mechanical keyboards. That said, if you have other SteelSeries devices, we recommend the Apex 3 TKL.

It would be unthinkable for the dominant peripherals manufacturer Logitech not to dip its toes in gaming hardware. And it does; Logitech's new Pro gaming keyboard and mouse are great examples. As for non-bank-breaking options, we have the Logitech G213 Prodigy. As with the SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL, this is a membrane keyboard imitating a mechanical one while keeping membrane's unique advantages, like quiet presses and water resistance. The RGB backlighting can be customized to certain profiles or to match content. Bear in mind, the G213 Prodigy is also a wired-only keyboard with no support for 2.4GHz or Bluetooth.

Similar to the SteelSeries, we recommend this Logitech keyboard to anyone who already owns other Logitech gaming peripherals since you'll be able to manage all your devices from one place: Logitech G Hub software. There, you'll be able to customize keys and macros for specific games and sync them to your profile so those settings work across multiple devices. Logitech's software certainly has its flaws — trust us — but when it does work, it's incredibly easy and convenient.

Amazon reviews for the Logitech G213 Prodigy are high at a 4.5-star average across almost 7,000 reviews. Despite retailing for $59.99, users find the typing experience and quality to be well above the price point. Those who love RGB will be plenty satisfied with the implementation here. If you've owned and enjoyed other Logitech devices in the past, then chances are you'll like this option.

There are a plethora of budget and mid-range keyboards out there, making it quite challenging to narrow things down to even just five options. We've kept things simple for those who want a brief glimpse at that variety and ensured they're all high-quality options you can trust. For consistency's sake and to show comparable models, we set a few ground rules.

First, we're looking at keyboards with strong Amazon ratings (4.5 stars and above) and at least 1,000 reviews. We've focused primarily on smaller keyboard form factors like 60% or 75% with the assumption this is a gaming-first keyboard; if you need a full keyboard for productivity work, these may not be for you. Selected keyboards also had to cost less than $80; gaming keyboards tend to sell for a premium, and anything above $80 goes beyond what can be reasonably considered budget or mid-range (i.e., won't break the bank), even when it comes to mechanical keyboards. Note that although these keyboards retail for no more than $80, most of them were on sale for even less at the time of writing.

Mechanical keyboards are ideal for gaming due to their more responsive and pressure-sensitive analog switches, faster polling rates, and customizability. Having said that, we in no way want to imply that a person needs a mechanical keyboard to game. The SteelSeries and Logitech membranes are not inherently inferior; they simply have trade-offs you have to account for — as do mechanical options. Gaming tends to be a primarily Windows affair (good luck gaming on a MacBook Pro) but several of the keyboards on this list offer wide compatibility with macOS, Xbox, and Linux.