You'll know you're having a great holiday season if you've just received or built a cool new gaming rig. However, you can't take full advantage of all that power without a great keyboard and mouse combo.
What makes the best gaming keyboards so great can be baffling to many. Do you need a mechanical keyboard? What about the Hall effect? Quick trigger?
Don't worry, I'm here to help you choose the right keyboard for your needs.
Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is the best overall, if you can afford it
PROS
- Professional level performance
- Extremely customizable
- Incredible build quality
CONS
- Incredibly expensive
- Razer Synapse may be buggy
- Gamepad emulation is spotty
The Razer Hunstman makes some bold claims right off the bat, promising pro-level esports performance, along with a host of features aimed at gaming enthusiasts.
Fortunately, for the most part, the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro has the capabilities to back up its boast. The version I use is Tenkeyless, although it also comes in full-size and mini sizes.
The brushed aluminum top case provides a solid feel, while features like the dedicated Macro buttons, Media dial and Rapid Trigger provide a great all-round experience.
Rapid Trigger may be controversial in professional gaming spaces, but the ability to fine-tune trigger points is a big deal for fans of competitive gaming.
Additionally, the Huntman V3 Pro is quieter than several of its Razer predecessors, making it a more practical choice for general productivity tasks. If only it were a little cheaper.
The Corsair K65 Plus Wireless is perfect if you want a keyless system
PROS
- Versatile and customizable
- Fast and responsive
- Comfortable writing action
CONS
- Expensive
- Need a wrist rest
- Heavy
The Corsair K65 Plus Wireless looks quite modest with its subdued black and gray color palette, although it hides plenty of great features beneath the surface.
This keyboard is a great option for those who prefer smooth typing. The responsive Corsair MLX Red Linear switches are very responsive and smooth. Not only that, thanks to a sound-deadening layer, they also prevent the loud clicking found on many other mechanical keyboards.
Many features have been packed into the small chassis. The media controls are lovely and the prominent media dial at the top left is a welcome addition.
Macro recording can be activated via key combinations or modified more granularly using Corsair's iCue software. Overall, I've found iCue to be one of the most stable and easy-to-use software peripherals compared to several rivals, which is a nice plus.
Despite its small size, it's a solid and heavy beast, so what it lacks in portability it makes up for in build quality.
The Keychron K3 Max is ideal for those who want to keep a low profile
PROS
- Small and portable
- Low latency
CONS
- Lacks some features
- The software is complex
Despite its small size, the Keychron K3 Max is surprisingly sturdy thanks to its solid aluminum base. Combined with its ability to connect to up to three different devices via Bluetooth, this makes it an excellent candidate for a “roaming” keyboard.
It lacks dedicated media keys or Macro buttons, but the impressive 1000Hz polling rate arguably makes up for it. Although it is not designed specifically as a gaming keyboard, it can perform the task well and can also be a great productivity keyboard thanks to its quiet switches and nice, smooth actuation.
The only real drawback is the software. While it is powerful, getting the most out of it requires genuine programming knowledge, making it less user-friendly for most.
That said, it's probably one of the best keyboard options for those who need or want to take work and gaming with them wherever they go.
You can purchase the Keychron K3 Max on the company's website, where it is usually on sale.
Get the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 if you want the best fast shooter
PROS
- Comfortable for typing and gaming
- Great customization
CONS
- Expensive
- The software may have bugs
Although most people vaguely familiar with gaming keyboards have at least some familiarity with mechanical switches, Hall effect switches on keyboards are a relatively new development.
Hall effect switches allow for extensive customization of actuation points, enabling this keyboard's standout features: Rapid Tap and Rapid Trigger.
These features can greatly improve response time, which can make a big difference in fast-paced competitive games like valorant either Counterattack 2.
Another cool feature is the OLED smart display, which can be used to check and change keyboard settings on the fly without needing to dig into other software. Or it can be set to show a funny gif if you prefer.
The Nyxi Striker is perfect for those who want a retro (or just distinctive) look and feel.
PROS
- Affordable
- Stylish retro design
CONS
- Only available in the US.
- All-plastic construction
Those who know the Nyxi name will primarily associate it with its excellent line of third-party controllers, such as the Nyxi Wizard for Nintendo Switch.
However, they have produced a pretty impressive retro-style keyboard that makes for a surprisingly good entry-level mechanical keyboard.
The Striker clearly takes design cues from the Nintendo GameCube, with the purple plastic and font options, but this is by no means a bad thing. It makes it stand out in a sea of black and gray, even before you start playing with the RGB lighting.
The Striker is reasonably versatile, with its full-size design and quiet switches making it suitable for office productivity tasks, while its Red Linear mechanical switches mean it can hold its own in many gaming scenarios too.
Of course, for the price, it's not perfect. It lacks the fancy features of some other keyboards on this list and is constructed entirely of plastic, making it less durable than some aluminum models. However, for less than $100, you could certainly do a lot worse.
You can purchase the Nyxi Striker on the Nyxi Website.