The best gaming keyboards are more than just peripherals with some flashy lighting. Cheap keyboards might do an adequate job, but there’s a lot of performance, features, and, yes, aesthetics, that only come with a great keyboard. And, while getting one is not going to make you an immediate master of the best PC games, it will certainly make the experience better in every way.
Similar to getting the best gaming mouse and the best gaming monitors, once you’ve upgraded to one of the best gaming keyboards, you’ll realize what you’ve been missing this whole time. These keyboards deliver accurate and quick responses, features you didn’t realize you needed or wanted such as Macros, and a level of comfort that will enhance any gaming session. Of course, they’re also pretty to look at, thanks to great RGB lighting, some of which can sync with other devices or with your gaming experience.
Improve your gaming experience, whether it’s comfort, features, or just solid performance that you’re looking for. These are the best gaming keyboards available right now, alongside our price comparison tool so you’re also getting the best price available.
The best gaming keyboard 2020 at a glance
- SteelSeries Apex Pro
- Razer Huntsman Elite
- Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo
- Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768
- Cooler Master MasterSet MS120
- Corsair K95 RGB Platinum
- Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard
- Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
- SteelSeries Apex 3
- Razer Ornata V2
1. SteelSeries Apex Pro
Taking magnetism to another level
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Beautiful aluminum build
Custom actuation settings
Quiet
Expensive
The SteelSeries Apex Pro’s svelte aesthetic and clever OLED display are just the appetizers. The SteelSeries Apex Pro gets our coveted 5-star rating for many reasons, the biggest of which are its stunning and solid build, custom actuation and comfortable – not to mention, quiet – magnetic switches. Performance-wise, it’s among the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested yet, which makes its $199 price tag worth the splurge.
Read the full review: SteelSeries Apex Pro
2. Razer Huntsman Elite
Light it up
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Fast key actuation
Tactile key switches
Expensive
If you have the need for speed, then the Huntsman Elite is your best bet, thanks to its new optomechanical switches. That sounds like a mouthful, but essentially, it means that Razer has managed to combine mechanical switches with optical sensors. This unthinkable allows the Huntsman Elite to take its actuation to the next level, and you would be hard-pressed to find a faster keyboard on the market. Switches aside, it’s also remarkably comfortable to type on. Plus, it’s covered with more RGB lighting than you can shake a stick at. Sure, it needs two USB cables for power and costs a small fortune, but with tech like this, it’s absolutely worth it.
Read the full review: Razer Huntsman Elite
3. Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo
The sci-fi keyboard
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Feels great to type
Gorgeous lighting
Expensive
The Roccat Vulcan 120 should be at the top of your gaming keyboard wish list, if you want one that looks and feels good. This svelte keyboard uses Roccat’s own Titan switches, rather than the Cherry MX switches found on most other keyboards on this list, and we can vouch for how superb they are. This gaming keyboard combines amazing tactile feedback with quiet and comfort. It really isn’t hard to see why this is one of the best gaming keyboards on the market today.
Read the full review: Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo
4. Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768
Shockingly good value
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Cherry MX Brown switches
Affordable
Plastic body
When you think Alienware, “value” isn’t the word that comes to mind. But, this time around, the Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 is a genuinely great deal. At under 100 bucks or quid, you’re getting the toughest gaming keyboard fitted with mechanical keys, dedicated macro keys and slick aesthetics. It’s not the most feature rich keyboard in the game, but at this price, it really doesn’t need to be. One of the best gaming keyboards in 2020, the Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768 gets the job done, and looks good while doing it.
Read the full review: Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard AW768
5. Cooler Master MasterSet MS120
The complete package
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: No
Compact design
Illustrious lighting
Included mouse is mediocre
Not everything has to be super high-end to be good, and the Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 is the perfect example. Though this one’s a keyboard and mouse set, the keyboard is the star of the show. Sitting at just under a hundred bucks, the MasterSet’s keyboard is affordable while being up there with its more premium ‘mem-chanical’ competitors in terms of quality. The switches on offer bring a ton of tactile feedback and deep travel. It’s quiet as well, so you can furiously pounding away during an intense late-night Overwatch match without worry. The Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 is, without a doubt, one of the best gaming keyboards under $100.
Read the full review: Cooler Master MasterSet MS120
6. Corsair K95 RGB Platinum
The Rolls Royce of RGB gaming keyboards
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Hypnotic disco lighting
Handy media and shortcut keys
Classy aluminum build
Awkward software
Rubber palm rest gets grungy quickly
A $159 price tag on a gaming keyboard might a tad too steep, but the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum, one of the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested in the last year, really does give you a lot of ounce for your bounce. We’re not talking the more trivial bells and whistles like fancy RGB lighting either – although since we are on the subject, this one’s got a whole lot of them, not to mention its integrated 19-zone light bar and the 16.8 million color options, to boot. By bang, we actually mean its 6 dedicated macro keys, 8MB on-board storage and aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum frame.
Read the full review: Corsair K95 RGB Platinum
7. Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard
Low profile. High performance
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Fully programmable keys
Thin, sleek design
No multimedia buttons
You might be thinking that if you’ve seen one of the best gaming keyboards, you’ve seen them all: big, garish hunks of metal with bright RGB lighting. Well, the Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard will surprise you. While it definitely has the RGB lighting (honestly, how could it not?), it leaves the rest of the cliches in the past where they belong. Appealing and responsive, this keyboard is only as big as it needs to be, and is thus extremely comfortable to type as well as game on. There are no multimedia buttons, but we’d happily make that trade any day for a keyboard this good at such a low price.
Read the full review: Havit Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard
8. Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
The Razer Huntsman, but smaller and faster
Interface: Wired, wireless | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Fast switches
Removable cable
Not many extra features
Shelling out more than $100 for a great gaming keyboard is to be expected if you’re even slightly serious your gaming performance. But the beauty of Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is that it manages to deliver fast performance without being the most expensive keyboard in town. True, there aren’t a lot of features here, which puts it behind many of its feature-rich rivals, but it makes up for that by being small and boasting a removable to make it perfectly portable for on-the-go gaming.
Read our full review: Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
9. SteelSeries Apex 3
The Apex of value
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: No
Affordable
Great RGB lighting
Empty No mechanical switches
No USB passthrough
Not all great gaming keyboards have mechanical switches, as this affordable Apex keyboard is proving. The budget-minded SteelSeries Apex 3 may come with a few concessions, but it also boasts some impressive features that more than make up for those compromises. One of those features is its IP32 water resistance for protection against any spills – because who hasn’t accidentally knocked over a can of soda while gaming? Another is its reactive and customizable 10-zone RGB illumination to make your gaming experience all the more impressive. And, if you absolutely hate those clickety clacking noises that mechanical keyboards love to make, you’ll really appreciate this keyboard’s whisper quiet gaming switches.
Read the full review: SteelSeries Apex 3
10. Razer Ornata V2
Mecha-membrane with a few selling points
Interface: Wired | Keyboard backlighting: Yes | Programmable keys: Yes
Dedicated media keys
Very comfortable wrist rest
Quiet
Not great for light typists
Expensive for a non-mechanical keyboard
Although the Razer Ornata V2’s mecha-membrane keys aren’t as comfortable to type on as other mechanical switch keyboards, this gaming keyboard does have a few selling points that really set it apart from its rivals. Some of the notable design elements here, which are typically seen in more expensive products, are the dedicated media keys, a volume wheel that has a really nice texture to it, and an incredibly comfortable wrist rest. Plus, those mecha-membrane switches are incredibly quiet, making them perfect for late night gaming when you’ve got a roommate. This is definitely one of the best gaming keyboards we’ve tested in 2020.
Read the full review: Razer Ornata V2
Bill Thomas, Gabe Carey and Michelle Rae Uy have also contributed to this article