For some gamers, having a computer equipped with a good keyboard can be as important as the internal components of said PC. Which may seem difficult to understand for the uninitiated, who considers it a mere accessory.
Is there really a difference between a gaming keyboard and a basic Microsoft or Logitech model?
In this article, following our selection of the best keyboards, we offer a buying guide to explain the different features and functions to consider when buying yours.
1
Logitech G915 - The best in all areas
- Most
- Its conception
- GL SHOCK switch
- Excellent Bluetooth performance
- The lessers
- Its wheel
- His price
- Indicated price:
The G915 is Logitech's first 9-series keyboard; he made himself desired and we were not disappointed.
It's a very discreet and incredibly thin gaming keyboard (22 mm thick) without compromising the gaming experience and performance that gamers have come to expect.
The G915 is made of 5052 aluminum alloy and its base is made of steel for added strength and durability. Like any gaming keyboard, it's RGB Lightsync backlit, but it's also customizable through Logitech's G Hub software.
However, this model does not shine only by its aesthetics since it is the first keyboard of the brand to be equipped with ultra-flat switches, half as high as the keys of standard mechanics. Which makes typing and gaming more comfortable, not to mention that you have the choice between 1 types of switches: GL Clicky (audible click and tactile response), GL Tactile (soft and tactile feedback) and GL Linear (linear typing).
You will also find media controls, a horizontal wheel to adjust the volume. Moreover, we regret that the function of the latter cannot be personalized via G Hub, on the other hand the 5 macro keys are.
Thanks to Logitech's Lightspeed wireless technology, response times are 1ms, which can be extremely fast during crucial moments of your games.
Note that the G915 is compatible with standard Bluetooth, so feel free to connect it to another device and switch from one device to another with the press of a single button, this function should appeal to streamers.
On the autonomy side, the G915 lasts 30 hours with the RGB backlight activated. It goes from 0% to 100% charge in about 3 hours, but it can be used while it's full.
2Mountain Everest Max - The Best Modular Keyboard
- Most
- Modular design
- Premium design
- OBS Studio integration
- The lessers
- His price
- Not compatible with Mac
- Indicated price:
With premium materials, exceptional build quality and true keyboard innovation, the Everest Max has everything to satisfy the most demanding gamers.
The Everest Max is great for gaming, with a full-size keyboard and RGB lighting. Dual aluminum bezels give the keyboard a premium feel, and the soft palm rest provides ergonomic support during long gaming sessions.
This keyboard has a modular design. On the sides of the keyboard, you'll find several USB-C ports, not for peripherals but for other Everest Max accessories. These come in the form of a combination media dock and display that attaches to the top right, and a number pad that you can place to the left or right of the keyboard.
The display dial is the standout feature, it gives you quick feedback on your PC's performance, lets you adjust the volume, change the RGB pattern and more, and when it's not is not used, it can also display graphics and logos. Equally interesting is the Numpad, with an extra row of customizable display keys.
With Base Camp PC software, you can go even further, like programming display keys to open certain games and apps, customizing per-key RGB lighting, and OBS Studio support for streamers lets you access quickly to streaming-specific macros at your fingertips.
There's very little rattling and excessive noise when typing, but you'll still get that characteristic click that gamers love.
The advantage of a customizable modular keyboard is that you can modify your configuration. If you want a single keyboard for work and play and use features like the display wheel and display keys, the Everest Max is something to consider.
3
SteelSeries Apex Pro - Best for Customization Enablement
- Most
- Adjustable keys
- Multiple profiles
- Mini watch OLED
- The lessers
- His price
- Incompatibility of its OmniPoint switches for certain keys
- Indicated price:
The SteelSeries Apex Pro keyboard features a quality design with a metal chassis crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum alloy.
In addition to a great look, the Pro model has a switch with an 8x faster response time than its competitors.
Its OmniPoint switches allow you to register the pressure exerted on the keys and this at any speed, thus making the keyboard as fast, or slow, as you wish.
You can set up to five profiles and two levels depending on your usage. During your gaming sessions for example, you will have a slow actuation for special attacks and a faster response with movement keys.
However, note that some keyboard commands do not use OmniPoint switches. Its main part yes, but the Fn keys, arrows and numpad do not have this function.
The Apex Pro has RGB lighting, a premium magnetic wrist rest, and a USB port.
It also features the mini OLED display that is also found on previous SteelSeries keyboards. Its clickable metal wheel as well as its media keys will be used to adjust or modify various parameters.
4Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro - The Best TKL Keyboard
- Most
- Compact design
- Titan Switch Optical Keys
- Good performance
- The lessers
- Price
- Keys a little too square
- Indicated price:
The Vulcan TKL Pro is the flagship keyboard that offers a high level of performance with a surprisingly small footprint.
This model has a design without a numeric keypad, thus allowing it to be much more compact than the competition. You also have a padded and removable magnetic wrist rest for longer sessions.
It is also very practical, especially if you want to lower the DPI for better control in online shooters. You should also appreciate the inclusion of the Titan Switch Optical, capable of harnessing the speed of light with firmware that recognizes every keypress.
Overall, the TKL offers everything you'd expect from a high-end gaming keyboard, including responsive keys that produce the satisfying click and an AIMO lighting engine.
5Mad Catz STRIKE 4 - To the best touches
- Most
- Concave key caps
- Cherry MX Switches
- Eye-catching design
- The lessers
- Lack of macro keys
- RGB lighting
- His keyboard
- Indicated price:
Since its strong comeback in the PC peripherals market in 2018, Mad Catz has continued to release high-quality gaming accessories, and one of them is the STRIKE 4.
This sleekly simple mechanical keyboard features typical Mad Catz aesthetics with matte black bottom detailing and advanced features that should boost your performance.
The keys are its strong point, with a pleasant feeling that is reinforced by their concave design. Underneath, you will find Cherry mechanical switches, however it almost looks like a membrane/mechanical hybrid with the performance of a standard mechanical.
Mad Catz has integrated an RGB LED under each key for lighting control with 16,8 million colors and 18 preset LED effects.
Thanks to the FLUX driver for PC, customize the lights according to the game and the keys, remap the latter or even create macros.
Also note that it embeds anti-ghosting technology but like most of its competitors.
Also find it on Material.Net.
6ROG Strix Scope TKL Deluxe - The Best TKL Keyboard
- Most
- Compact design
- Stealth mode
- Cherry MX Switches
- The lessers
- His price
- No numeric keypad
- Indicated price:
The Asus ROG Strix Scope TKL Deluxe is Rog's flagship mechanical keyboard dedicated to gaming, Republic of Gamers. It is devoid of a numeric keypad, which allows it to have a compact design. This gives you more room to maneuver the mouse, which is especially handy if you want to lower its DPI.
Asus made the left CTRL key larger to avoid accidentally pressing the Windows key.
Its most interesting feature is the inclusion of the Stealth Key, a hooded character. It allows you with a single touch to hide all active windows and mute the sound for better focus. Once your game is over, press the Stealth key again to restore your windows and audio.
Its Cherry MX keys are responsive and produce the click that any gamer appreciates, the Aura RGB lighting per key and the Quick-Toggle switch are used to quickly switch between media inputs and function keys, which is ideal for games and telecommuting.
You even get a padded palm rest in case of long sessions, but using it hides the lower RGB strip.
7Corsair K65 RGB Mini - A 60% stylish keyboard
- Most
- Compact design
- Its fluidity
- Its iCUE software
- The lessers
- Bad marking of the keys
- Lack of folding feet
- Indicated price:
The K65 RGB Mini is Corsair's first 60% keyboard and is not called the K60 as that name has been used before. You could blame Corsair for being a little late to the party, but the K65 has it all, even a compact design. Which matters a lot when you're running out of space.
Its RGB lighting is excellent, with the ability to control and tweak effects with hotkeys, and not just through iCUE software. Using the latter, remap the keys and customize the effects, and these are saved, including the macro.
There is an optional radiating spacebar allowing the three LEDs to shine brighter than the standard bar.
There is a choice of Cherry MX Red or Speed switches. The highlight is the native 8Hz hyper polling. But be aware that this will impact your CPU.
The K65 is unfortunately quite a noisy keyboard, its USB-C port isn't quite in the center which is an annoyance and it doesn't have folding feet so there's only one angle .
8Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo - To the best build quality
- Most
- Excellent build quality
- Raised keys
- Its Titan Switch
- The lessers
- Lack of macro keys
- Lack of Mac software
- Her size
- Indicated price:
For more top-end choice there's the Vulcan 120 Aimo, it's very suitable for office use and has features we'd like to see introduced to other gaming keyboards.
The Vulcan 120 Aimo has a sturdy, fingerprint-resistant anodized aluminum frame, so it maintains a smooth appearance during long gaming sessions. Its raised keys give it a unique design and this makes it easy to clean. However, that's not the Vulcan 120 Aimo's most impressive feature.
Its major asset is the Titan Switch, a new switch exclusively developed by Roccat for use in its keyboards. It offers faster response times, up to 20% according to Roccat, without having to apply a lot of pressure to the key.
It is housed in a lighted transparent structure, a very responsive and lively system. This gives us a great insight into Roccat's technical prowess.
The Vulcan has several lighting modes, all adjustable via the dedicated FX button and the wheel placed at the top right. Associated with the Roccat software, it can be used to adjust, adjust the brightness, etc.
Here our only regret is that at this sale price we cannot take advantage of macros.
How to choose a gaming keyboard?
Gaming keyboards are not created equal, there are features to consider when looking for a keyboard to perfect your gameplay.
Diaphragm vs Mechanical
What is the most fundamental element? The keys, whether the keyboard is mechanical or membrane.
Membrane (soft) means that it has several layers of polyester on which there is a printed circuit, these create electrical contact when pressing the keys. This type of keyboard is quiet, somewhat waterproof and less expensive.
Mechanical means that it is operated by switches placed under each key. It has a very long battery life, is more comfortable and typing is faster than the membrane one. He is renowned for his precision and responsiveness. Models using high-quality Cherry MX mechanical switches are the most coveted by gamers.
The main disadvantage of mechanical keyboards is their expensiveness and size, they are bulkier than membrane models.
RGB lighting
Of course, the touch is only part of its charm, you probably also want it to be the most beautiful. Many gaming keyboards now come with a backlight, so you can see what you're typing even in the dark. Often it is possible to program specific colors or patterns for further customization.
There are two types of backlighting to consider: per key and per zone. The first lets you choose a color for each key and it usually has a range of RGB effects (RGB in Spanish for red, green, blue).
Additionally, it can highlight specific keys for the game being played. With, the second, customize the lighting only on areas.
Layout of keys and macro keys
The layout of the keys is also an important aspect of gaming keyboards. Many games rely on lightning-fast reflexes, and a split second can be the difference between a game's success or complete failure.
That's why gaming keyboards are optimized for maximum efficiency thanks to their ergonomic layout, programmable keys and numerous shortcuts. All this, so that everything you need is exactly where you need it and at your fingertips.
It is partly macro keys that is to say they are programmable, you assign long and complicated sequences. In this way, you can perform repetitive commands and complex maneuvers with a simple touch.
This saves you time and energy, and allows you to focus on your game strategy. It is even possible to create several profiles with separate macros, to adapt them for each specific game.
Many other factors can influence you in buying a gaming keyboard, such as its design quality, construction, configuration software, additional keys, etc.
If you're just a casual gamer then you might be perfectly happy with the most basic peripherals. However, for those who consider gaming more than a hobby, switching to a keyboard worthy of the name will significantly change their gameplay.
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