Best gaming keyboard 2018: the best gaming keyboards we've tested

If you have one of the best gaming PCs, packed with the best graphics card you could muster, the only thing you really need to complete your gaming experience is one of the best gaming keyboards. Trust us, we know that after dropping stacks on a high-end rig, it’s extremely tempting to just pick up a cheap keyboard, but after putting so much time, love, and money into your rig, you should pick something of comparable quality. This is because, more than any other PC component, the best gaming keyboards will go a long way to making you better at the games you play. Plus, there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about having your desk light up like a Christmas tree with RGB lighting. 

Membrane keyboards are not great for gaming, to say the least. The best gaming keyboards feature mechanical switches that allow for deeper and more accurate travel, so you no longer have to worry about hitting a wrong button and killing a teammate. And, don’t forget about RGB lighting – at this point it’s an absolute must for all of your gaming equipment.

Which brings us to this list of the 10 best gaming keyboards you can buy in 2018. Even if you’re on a tight budget, you’ll find something to love here, because here at TechRadar, we strive to find products that strike a balance between price and performance with all of our buying guides. You should be confident that every MLG typewriter on this list will perform admirably while still being affordable.

This beautiful keyboard has been lovingly engineered for a lightning-fast actuation point of 1.5mm and this alone makes the Logitech G413 Carbon a force of nature. This mechanical power-house is defined by its extremely affordable price tag in addition to its use of Logitech’s Romer G switches, which have time and time again proven to be all but equal contenders to the switches made by Cherry. It also manages to keep a low profile, thanks to its stealthy frame and its nigh silent keys.   

Read the full review: Logitech G413 Carbon 

Hoping to find a gaming keyboard that matches the rest of your Chroma-lit accessories? Then this is the one you want. Not only does the BlackWidow Chroma V2 carry an equal balance of comfort and performance, but it went a few steps further in the process. Complemented by the fact that Razer has tacked on five macro keys that can be assigned to virtually any in-game action, the BlackWidow Chroma V2 supports 16.8 million colors worth of LED lighting as well.

Read the full review: Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2

We have seen plenty of wireless gaming mice over the last few years, but not many wireless gaming keyboards. Until now. The Corsair K63 Wireless keyboard takes what made the wired version of the K63, and transfers it into the wireless version – without sacrificing much at all. Packing tight Cherry MX Red switches, full RGB lighting and convenient media controls, the K63 wireless shows us what wireless keyboards can be capable of in 2018.

Read the full review: Corsair K63 Wireless 

Following in the footsteps of Kingston’s first HyperX-branded gaming keyboard, namely the HyperX Alloy FPS, the HyperX Alloy Elite tweaks the company’s first winning keyboard to provide only a few subtle changes. For only $10 USD more than its predecessor, you’re getting media keys, a light bar and even a palm rest, all of which were previously absent. They’re also a series of delightful treats, making for a value proposition that shouldn’t be ignored.

Read the full review: HyperX Alloy Elite

Like the Corsair K70 Rapidfire before it, the K95 RGB Platinum is a gaming-first mechanical keyboard with plenty of versatility to get the job done, whatever that job may be. It even packs in 8MB of memory dedicated to storing the profiles of its six macro keys. This keyboard is not only backlit by up to 16.8 million colors, but it’s the perfect travel buddy too, made better by its military-grade aluminum finish, including the wrist rest.

Read the full review: Corsair K95 RGB Platinum

Creative has made a name for itself in the past by manufacturing sound cards and other audio tech. But as that market continues to shrink, Creative has taken a cue from the Corsairs of the world and dipped their toes into the PC peripheral game. And honestly, the Creative Sound BlasterX Vanguard K08 is a fantastic first entry. Forgoing the traditional Cherry MX switches that many gaming keyboards rely on, the Vanguard K08 opts instead for custom Omron switches, and this is what sets this keyboard apart from the pack. These switches have a shorter actuation point than many competing gaming keyboards, while still maintaining the reliability of a mechanical switch. Theoretically, it should mean that with this keyboard, you’ll be able to perform actions in-game faster than your competition. And that might make this one of the best keyboards for competitive gamers.

Read the full review: Creative Sound BlasterX Vanguard K08 

For too long there's been a divide between mechanical and membrane keys but now Razer has finally brought the two together with its 'Mecha-Membrane' Ornata keyboard. These new switches pull from everything Razer has learned over the years. The result is a grand typing experience with shorter keys, the tactile feel of the green switches from the Black Widow X Chroma and a loud audible click.

Lending it to fast response times, the Cherry MX Board 6.0 is defined by its Cherry MX Red switches, hence the make and model. However, because the keys are positioned fairly close together they're excellent for typing in addition to gaming. What’s more, housed in an eye-catching aluminum chassis, the MX Board 6.0 certainly doesn't feel cheap and its blood-red key lighting is deliciously ominous.

• This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the HyperX Alloy Elite 

Sporting Logitech's own Romer G switches, which aren't quite as squishy as Cherry's various switches, the G810 possesses a snappier feel than other gaming keyboards whether typing or gaming. And, with smart media keys that work equally well on both Windows and macOS, this board is a solid all-round offering. If you're fed up with the weird markings, LCD screens and strange parts that come with competing "gamer-focused" keyboards, the G810 might be for you.

Unlike most gaming keyboards in its class, the SteelSeries Apex M500 gets straight to the point, omitting unnecessary additives along the lines of RGB lighting and discrete media controls in favor of a compact design that wastes no space. Although the M500 neglects to let you choose your key switches beyond the standard Cherry MX Reds and Blues, these are damn fine options for a mechanical board in this price range.

Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article

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