By Robin Owens 7 days ago, Keyboards
What are the best mechanical keyboards in 2020?
If you are looking for the best mechanical keyboard, do not focus solely on its gaming specifications. First of all, the keyboard should have an ergonomic design and allow you to work on a PC for a long time without experiencing muscle strain.
The common feature of mechanical and gaming keyboards is mechanical switches. This guide will bring to your attention the best keyboards for typing and gaming.
Once you have acquired a modern peripheral, your gaming or typing experience gets more productive. It is like purchasing a great mouse or an HD monitor.
Once you’ve upgraded, you start realizing what you’ve been missing this whole time. In this article, I will review the best mechanical keyboards for typing and gaming. The models I have chosen are user-friendly, equipped with various helpful features and deliver great performance.
Interface: Bluetooth| Keyboard backlighting: No
⊕ Perfect wireless connection
⊕ Suitable for work and gaming
⊕ First of its kind
⊖ Not compact
⊖ Extra keys are not very useful
⊖ Lack of backlighting
The popularity of mechanical keyboards has increased in the past few years. Office workers and gamers widely use this accessory and are content with its performance. Logitech has recently introduced a great wireless mechanical keyboard that is ideal for desktop use.
The Logitech G613 performs well and has a wide variety of advantages over other similar models. The only significant drawback that it is not equipped with backlighting.
Interface: Wired| Keyboard backlighting: No
⊕ Affordable
⊕ Responsive key switches
⊕ Compact design
⊕ Great performance
⊖ No discrete media keys
⊖ Limited lighting options
The Logitech K840 is the best mechanical keyboard among the budget models. It has a sleek design and is very easy to use. The device is equipped with Romer-G key switches that are user-friendly and responsive.
Originally, these switches were meant for more expensive Logitech models, but then they were added to the more affordable K840. Taking into account its powerful performance, the Logitech K840 is one of the best mechanical keyboards for a great price.
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes
⊕ Ergonomic design
⊕ Convenient palm rest
⊕ Perfect for typing
⊖ Wrist rest is a little bit unstable
⊖ Сustomization on Windows only
The Razer BlackWidow Elite is the best mechanical keyboard for typing. Featuring two incline settings, the device can be perfectly adjusted to your needs.
Moreover, it comes with a very comfortable wrist rest. This model is virtually noiseless therefore it is a great choice for an open-office environment. Incorporating many inventive and helpful features, the Razer BlackWidow Elite is probably the best mechanical keyboard produced by this brand.
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes
⊕ Quiet
⊕ Spill-resistant
⊕ Affordable
⊖ No anti-grease coating
⊖ Wrist rest issues
⊖ Comes without a drainage system
The Corsair K68 is one of the best mechanical keyboards that is equipped with a comfortable wrist rest. However, many users admit that its connection to the accessory is quite weak. Although this model has one incline setting, the angle is perfect for typing.
A great advantage of this model is resistance to liquid spilling. Of course, the functionality of the Corsair K68 could be better, but in this price range, this is one of the most popular mechanical keyboards for typing or office work.
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes
⊕ Ergonomic design
⊕ Cherry MX switches
⊕ A braided cord can be disconnected
⊕ No external software is required
⊖ Limited customization
⊖ Backlighting is very bright
The HyperX Alloy FPS Pro is the best mechanical keyboard for gaming purposes. Its ergonomic design and responsive switchers allow you to use this peripheral without feeling any fatigue. However, some gamers are disappointed with the lack of macro keys.
The keyboard is equipped with powerful backlighting that enables you to use it even in dark rooms. This model has great functionality and great mechanical switchers, but its customization is limited. All in all, the HyperX Alloy FPS Pro will perfectly suit your gaming needs.
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes
⊕ Modern hybrid switches
⊕ RGB lighting
⊕ Excellent performance
⊕ Stylish design
⊖ Expensive
⊖ Buggy software
The Razer Hunstman Elite is one of the most popular mechanical keyboards for typing. It is fitted with a range of great features, such as an illuminated palm wrist, responsive optical switches and programmable wheel.
Moreover, it has mechanical switches lightspeed optical technology contributing to the faster and more comfortable typing experience. This model is expensive and not everyone can afford it. However, for all those who prefer quality to a cheap price, the Razer Hunstman Elite is the best mechanical keyboard.
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes
⊕ Metal chassis
⊕ Excellent performance
⊕ Convenient palm wrest
⊖ Lack of media keys
⊖ Not every key can be reprogrammed
The Logitech G513 is a perfect solution for gaming and typing needs. It is comfortable to use and its solid design can withstand even the most forceful typing. The keyboard performs fast and without any technical failures, and its mechanical switches deliver super-fast responsiveness.
A plushy wrist rest keeps your hands in a convenient position perfect for taping keys with accuracy. Many gamers consider the G513 Tacticle to be the best mechanical keyboard for trouble-free usage.
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: No
⊕ Cheap
⊕ High-quality design
⊕ Great functionality of blue switches
⊕ Backplate made of aluminum
⊖ Only the blue switch is customizable
⊖ A USB cable issues
There are many high-quality keyboards on the market that is why the competition is constantly growing, especially among the budget models. The Redragon K552-N is one of the best mechanical keyboards the price of which doesn’t exceed $50. Even though this peripheral is quite cheap, it is packed with numerous advanced features.
Its low-key board looks very attractive and makes the overall design compact and neat. The Redragon K552-N features a sturdy keyboard platform made of aluminum that is built for long-lasting performance.
The peripheral has responsive blue switchers and other secondary function keys for a wide range of applications. For such a low price, this model is a must-have peripheral both for gaming and office work.
| Image | Name | Features | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Logitech G613
Our Choice |
CHECK PRICE→ | |
 |
Logitech K840
Compact |
CHECK PRICE → | |
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Razer BlackWidow
Professional |
CHECK PRICE → |
It is often the most important factor while choosing the best mechanical keyboard for typing or gaming. The majority of brands use a full-size keyboard layout that comprises of 104 keys. This includes the Numpad cluster, keys for navigation, function keys, etc. Such models are perfect for users who are actively involved in typing and often deal with numbers. Even if you do not have particular preferences, a full-size keyboard layout will suit your gaming and typing needs.
For many, 80% form factor keyboards are too big for their workplace, so they prefer 75% form factor peripherals that have even more compact designs and take less desk space. There are not many differences between these keyboards, but 75% peripherals lack several keys. Some keys are very close to each other with little space between them. The 75% form factor devices have a special row of function keys and a navigation key cluster on the far right column. So, if free space is your priority, this is the best mechanical keyboard for typing or other needs.
Although this model lacks some keys, it doesn’t compromise on functionality and performs as good as 80% form factor peripherals.
Another important aspect to consider while deciding on what mechanical keyboards for typing to buy is a layout. To make the right choice, you should know that three common keyboard layouts are regarded today as standard ones. They are different, and each type is meant for a different region of the world. The first one is ANSI (that refers to American National Standards Institute). This layout is widely used by the residents of the countries that are located in North America and some parts of Western Europe. ISO (that literary stands for International Organization for Standardization) is a common type of layout for the majority of European countries. It has one extra key if we compare it with the ANSI type. And the third type is JIS (Japan Industrial Standards). It is meant for use in Japan and contains a range of additional characters. All these standard layouts are widely used by people from around the world, but the most common one is ANSI, and ISO takes the second place.
The third decisive factor to which you should pay attention to, especially while choosing the best mechanical keyboard for typing, is a kind of switch the peripheral is equipped with. The advantage of a mechanical keyboard is that each key has its individual switch. This feature contributes to the durability and long-lasting performance of your accessory. So, the keyboards can come with three different types of switches: Clicky, Tactile and Linear.
Tactile switches have the advantage over the Linear switches, as they produce a slight bump to let the user know that key has been pressed. The switchers are silent, but the keys produce some noise when being pressed. Most mechanical keyboards for typing are equipped with Tactile switches.
Clicky switches are also a popular choice for many computer users. Their functionality is somewhat similar to Tactile switches, but still, there are some differences. You will hear a distinct sound (not a slight one like with Tactile switches) when the key is pressed. You may also notice some delay in the activation after pressing the key, so many manufacturers do not equip their best mechanical keyboards for gaming with Clicky switches.
I’ve mentioned the main aspects that should be taken into account when purchasing a mechanical keyboard. Additionally, I recommend you read as many reviews of the product you are interested in as possible. It will provide you with extra information concerning the model, its main advantages and drawbacks. This process might take you much time, so check out the models that I’ve described in this guide, as they are definitely worth your attention.
In my opinion, the best mechanical keyboard for typing is the Razer BlackWidow Elite. It features an ergonomic design fitted with a convenient palm rest. Moreover, the keys are very responsive. Many office workers prefer this model over the others, as it offers a great trouble-free typing experience. You will surely feel comfortable while using the Razer BlackWidow Elite.
The good thing about a mechanical keyboard is that you do not need to press a key to the bottom to activate it. So, yes, it offers faster typing experience and saves your time.
We can name three main types of mechanical keyboards. These are standard 84 keys peripherals, the AT keyboard that also contains 84 keys and an updated accessory that comes with 101 keys. The layouts of these keyboards are different, so you need to choose the most comfortable one that will perfectly suit your needs.
The best mechanical keyboard costs 10-20 times more than an average membrane keyboard. The reason for this is simple. A mechanical peripheral consists of many parts that are more durable and ensure great functionality.
