The Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards

Registering the key at the right time can be critical in gaming situations. Being unable to detect multiple key presses simultaneously can also mean missing out on a crucial movement or weapon switch. Picking the best budget mechanical keyboard can be tricky, but we have compiled a list to help you select the one that will solve the issue of choosing the best budget keyboard. It should perform extravagantly in gaming and be gentle if a lot of typing is required. Features like anti-ghosting and key rollover are essential for the best gaming keyboard. As a gamer, you don’t only need a keyboard that functions well; it should look aesthetically pleasing.

The keyboard having NKRO, mechanical switches, hot-swappable switches, double-shot keycaps, and PBT material-based keycaps with low prices are called the best budget gaming keyboard. Other details might concern some users, but we will discuss them in our quick shopping tips. Keyboard used to be made of PS/2 interface, but with time, USB-C has taken the world by storm and has become the most popular wired connection in PC accessories. Bluetooth-based connectivity has gained massive praise due to its low hassle and minimalist space on the desk. The keyboard that offers Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity with low latency is undoubtedly the best wireless keyboard, and this type of keyboard is needed for modern gaming. Let’s review some quick shopping tips before getting into the list of keyboards:

Our top picks

Quick Shopping Tips:

Switches: Linear (red), tactile (brown), and clicky (blue) are the main types of mechanical switches. They all feel different when used. Gamers prefer using linear switches due to their fast and smooth operation. Tactile gives better feedback which typists usually prefer. Linear combined with click function is the best for gamers as they provide feedback and put less stress on the fingers.

Footprint: Keyboards come in different sizes depending on the usage. There are four main layouts on a keyboard: full size, tenkeyless (TKL) 75%, and TKL 65% keyboard. Gamers prefer using the 65% keyboard as it takes up the least space on the tabletop and has all the critical keys that a gamer uses. They are easy to manage and, on top of it all, uplift the aesthetic.

Keycap Material: Keycaps come in different materials, mainly ABS, PBT, and Rubber. The most common and durable material is PBT. It is plastic-based and economical, thus decreasing the price of the keyboard. Double-shot PBT combines two different types of PBT material, mainly a translucent combined with a colored material, thus making it long-lasting and better for light to pass through.

Connectivity: It’s not as easy as selecting a wired or wireless keyboard. Wired keyboards have almost no latency and register keys as soon as they are pressed. Wireless keyboards have a bit of lag, but mostly in gaming situations, wireless keyboards are not used. However, a keyboard with a Wire+BT feature will always be the best for pro gamers who sometimes want to play casual laid back games.

The Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards: First look

The Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards: In-depth Review

When looking for low response rates and smoother typing experience, then Gateron Red Switches are the way to go. Cooler Master CK552 is the best budget mechanical keyboard with a sleek-looking design. Floating keycaps with a whole black look and aluminum brushed metal look on the base make it stand out in your gaming setup. First-person shooters require rapid response, and CK552 does the job through linear switches and a pooling rate of 1000Hz. If you are looking for a travel-friendly keyboard, you might need to consider that it has a fixed wire connection; thus, the wire cannot be replaced if it breaks.

The wire is also rubber-based instead of braided wire offered by other premium keyboards. It comes with ABS keycaps which are not superior to the double shot PBT keycaps. The switches are not hot-swappable, and it contains a higher bandwidth 32-bit ARM processor that allows them to process more macros and extend their length. The processor is fast, thus allowing the high pooling rate and low response rate of 1ms. The lightning effects also require processing which it can perform with ease considering the inclusion of a processor. The onboard memory is 512KB which can be utilized via the software allowing macros to stay stored even after powering off.

If gaming and typing are your things, then MSI Vigor GK50 Elite can ramp up your gaming setup as the best budget mechanical keyboard for typing. The stunning combo of black keys, metallic silver base, and RGB behind the keycaps will surely make your friends turn heads. There are many reasons why we consider this keyboard as the best cheap mechanical keyboard on our list. Smooth typing experience using the GK50 is purely dependent on the Kailh Box White Switches that, compared to a Cherry Red Switch, uses less operation force and tactile force. A lower pre-travel and total travel improve the overall response time. The switches installed on this keyboard produce a significantly louder click sound than other switches. If the sound bothers you, then be sure to consider this before making a purchase. The wire on this keyboard is not detachable or replaceable.

Keycaps installed above the switches are not double shot PBT, thus making the words on top of the keycap not as bright as its contenders. If you use your keyboard mostly in dark conditions, consider this drawback. Overall built quality and material used on this keyboard are on a point. The switches are easy to replace, and the short keycaps make the keyboard look sleek on a tabletop. Ergonomics are essential in typing as they may lead to injury or cramps during long-term usage. It allows storage of hotkeys that remain stored after shutting down the computer. Octagonal-shaped caps make the whole keyboard look like an expensive piece of art.

Suppose you consider that numeric pad or otherwise known as the tenkey, a vital part of your keyboard. In that case, MSI Vigor GK50 Low Profile has a unique low-profile design and takes less space on your desk than the best low-profile budget mechanical keyboard with tenkeys making it the full-size type keyboard. The overall built quality of the keyboard speaks premium. The main highlight of this keyboard is the mechanical switch. It is made at a low profile with an audible click, pleasing and satisfactory to use. It’s an excellent choice for a gaming setup and would look great on a tabletop. There is no USB pass-through so connecting multiple peripherals would not be possible compared to some other keyboards available in the market. The hotkeys are fixed and cannot be changed; thus, there is no macros option.

There is also no onboard processor or storage for the keyboard to keep any customizable key functions. This low-profile keyboard can register a press with just 1.3mm movement, brilliant for low response time. The switch doesn’t compromise on the force required and gives a similar feel to a full-sized mechanical switch-based keyboard. Octagonal-shaped keycaps are also a highlight of this keyboard. The total travel length of 3mm has led to another advantage over the ELITE version of this keyboard. It has brighter RGB lighting causing the alphabets to light up better.

HyperX is a division now owned by HP. They have produced some of the most significant computer gaming accessories. It consists of the best Red Cherry MX mechanical switches and a solid frame that guarantees long-lasting performance. HyperX Alloy FPS Pro provides you quality performance at low-price , which is why we call it the best budget TKL mechanical keyboard. The TKL layout allows the keyboard to be manufactured in a smaller frame, thus occupying smaller space on your tabletop and more space for the mouse. You will notice that alongside all the high-end features that any best cheap mechanical keyboard contains, it lacks a few things that some of its competitors offer. The lighting is static and cannot be changed from red to other colors.

HyperX has an image of using red light as an indicator in their products, but here, as a gaming keyboard, users might need to use it with their RGB lit computer chassis or mouse. This keyboard has two premium features that distinguish it from others. It comes with a detachable USB cable that improves the keyboard’s reliability and easily replaces it during time-tested conditions. The keycaps are made from PBT material and molded in a standard keyboard key shape. The keyboard provides n-KRO and 100% anti-ghosting to ensure that your gaming experience remains uninterrupted.

Logitech produces the world’s highest reliable products, especially mice and keyboards used to control significant critical components through DCS systems. Logitech K845 is one and only item that we entitle it as the best budget mechanical keyboard for productivity that provides you with performance and aesthetics that speak genuineness and firmness. Their products are industrial grade and top-performing. It comes in full size with TTC Red Switches that are not too loud and are comparable in performance to Cherry Red MX switches. Logitech is known to make the cheapest mechanical keyboard at any point in time. They offer exceptional quality for the price tag. K845 is a perfect choice for productive work as it has silent keys, but since they are TTC Red Switches, the noise they produce is not by design but due to the manufacturing process.

It has a rough sliding noise rather than a clicky sound and represents why Cherry Red MX switches remain on top. We do miss RGB on the keyboard of this stature. With 104 keys, this keyboard offers a white backlit keycap with 5 patterns that can make your workstation look aesthetically catchy. The keys are made of excellent shape and allow long-term usage. Logitech didn’t go with any bling to their looks and kept it standard, looking to make sure that all the minimalists love this tech. It guarantees 50 million clicks on a single key that is outstanding for the available price.

Havit stormed the Chinese market due to its reasonable prices and high quality. Havit KB487L is the cheapest mechanical keyboard that offers you almost everything you expect from the best budget mechanical keyboard for work and play. It comes in funky colors that would look great on any tabletop, whether it matches other equipment. The mix of orange, white, and black keycaps made with PBT are of the highest possible quality in the market. The keyboard is for people who do not prefer the backlit keys and want a solid keyboard for a professional environment. Being the best budget mechanical keyboard, it has an unexpected layout that might bother some people. With the 2mm actuation distance, you should expect a bit of delay in the response time.

However, the click sound would be more significant than others with shorter total travel and actuation distance. There is no removable cable that could be a drawback for people who are frequent travelers and use this keyboard for professional gaming competitions. This keyboard does the job and performs unexpectedly high in terms of price to performance ratio. The unique feature of having a numeric keypad despite being a TKL keyboard gives it a massive edge over many manufactured keyboards. Braided cable and the flat rubber pads on the keyboard make it stick to its place for rough usage. The 60% keyboard allows more space for the movement of a mouse than most gamers require. If RGB lighting bothers you, this keyboard is for you, and you don’t like dull letters on your keycaps.

On first use, the EVGA Z15 has a minimal design that makes it the best compact budget mechanical keyboard that looks stunning with slightly offset keycaps, allowing the light to shine right through them. The inclusion of a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M33 Processor enables the keyboard to have multiple premium features rarely seen at this price point. It has earned the best cheap mechanical keyboard title due to its unbelievable price/features. It gives the keyboard capability of offering a 4,000Hz polling rate with a 0.25 ms response time. 1.1mm actuation length allows the user to register a keypress within the minimum time possible for a full-scale switch. Trading off on features is the primary source of headache when looking for a budget option for tech. The companies always have some trick up their sleeve. EVGA used ABS keycaps instead of double shot PBT; thus, it might deteriorate with time. Excessive use may lead the keys to start shining.

You can hot-swap Kailh mechanical switches. Despite the drawbacks, it’s the only keyboard up till now on our list that offers a pass-through option and a headphone jack. If you are a gamer, then low response time and high polling rate should be the factors that you consider before making a purchase. As a gaming keyboard, it offers excellent features for typists. The easily detachable magnetic palm rest is an addition that will provide the ergonomics a typist requires for long typing sessions. It comes with dedicated multimedia keys and a volume scroll wheel made with high quality to last as long as your gaming setup. It’s the best investment you can make to your setup without breaking the bank.

Redragon has been around since 1996, producing some of the top-selling mice and keyboards in China, and now recently have gone global with products reaching more than 30 countries. Redragon K552 KUMARA RGB comes with style and quality at the same time that is why it is loved for being the and we proudly present it the best tenkeyless budget mechanical keyboard. The price is unbelievably low for the aesthetics and performance that it outputs. It comes with Outemu blue key switches that are clicky and are meant to produce sound. They are ideal for gamers looking for short response times with audible feedback. Though being on top of its price range, we noticed some minor drawbacks. The mechanical switches on the keyboard are very loud and can be annoying in office settings, even though they may be ideal for professional gamers.

The non-removable cable might not be a complete deal-breaker for some people, but it should be considered while making a purchase. It is made from plastic instead of a braided wire that tends to last longer, but despite the drawback, it’s an excellent deal for its price. The whole keyboard has a minimal footprint, and Redragon has cut off the bezel to a minimum, ensuring that the 60% TKL design is utilized correctly. The complete black look and the way the RGB shines right through the keycaps make it perfect for a gaming setup. It is the cheapest mechanical keyboard on our list in terms of aesthetics. The company logo is aggressive, giving it the sleek look required for a battle station. Durable metal, ABS keycaps, NKRO, and anti-ghosting will stand you on top in any FPS game like Fortnite, Call of Duty, or CS: GO.

Final Words

When paying within a budget, you should consider that the manufacturer has found some workarounds to make the product come within the specific price range. Manufacturing the best budget mechanical keyboard is not an easy task. The workaround might not matter to you much, or some of it may be critical to you. To ensure you know everything about the products, we have featured some of the top brands in keyboard manufacturing and a few underdogs that have gained massive respect in the gaming community due to their beyond-expectation price/performance ratio. If you are a gamer, we recommend that you go for a keyboard with blue switches as they tend to be more tactile with furious feedback.

Also, always look for low response time with anti-ghosting and NKRO features on a keyboard if you are a gamer. It will have a massive effect on the performance of your game. A slight miss of key or delay could lead to a defeat in any high-intensity online gaming session. However, if you are in an office environment where quietness is preferred, and many keys are pressed, go for white or red switches, preferably a low-profile mechanical switch, as they are quiet and more ergonomically designed. We hope you will find the right product as this is the whole purpose of our review.

Frequently Asked Questions