Mechanical keyboards offer more tactile keystrokes and more customisation options than ever, which is why they’ve rocketed in popularity over the last few years.
If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your PC setup, you may have given thought to switching over to a mechanical keyboard. But with so many different brands throwing their hats into the ring, and such a large variety of board designs and mechanical switch types, it can be an overwhelming process.
Thankfully, we’re here to help with our roundup of all the best mechanical keyboards that are on the market right now. Our expert team tests a vast array of keyboards every year, be they fantastic all-rounders that will get you through your university essays, or specialist options that will help improve your gaming performance.
Since everyone will be looking for specific price points, specifications and features, we have included a wide range of options so you can find your best fit. This also includes mini mechanical keyboards, in case you’re wary about desk space, to beastly keyboards that can be customised to your heart’s content.
Every keyboard on this list has been extensively tested by our expert team. We put a particular focus on how each respective switch feels to use, both during day-to-day use and while gaming, as well as the usability and quality of the accompanying software and the build quality.
And if nothing on this list takes your interest right now, make sure to bookmark this page as we will be updating this list every time another fantastic mechanical keyboard comes through our doors. For a more specific gaming view, we also recommend that you check out our Best Gaming Keyboard round-up as well.
Best mechanical keyboards at a glance
How we test
We use every keyboard we test for at least a week. During that time, we’ll check it for ease of use and put it through its paces by playing a variety of different genres, including FPS, strategy and MOBAs.
We also check each keyboard’s software to see how easy it is to customise and set up.
Logitech MX Mechanical
Best mechanical keyboard for the office
Pros
- Great build quality
- Responsive, tactile switches
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Expensive
- Lack of software-based customisation may not please some
Most mechanical keyboards you’ll find are designed for gaming, but the Logitech MX Mechanical is built for general office work instead. There are no flashy RGB lights and the design is simple yet elegant, and so won’t draw unwelcome attention from colleagues.
You’re given the option of three types of switches: Clicky, Linear or Tactile Quiet. We tested the latter of the trio, and were impressed with the low-profile form, short key travel and the soft tactile bump. It’s a great all-rounder switch that makes typing more comfortable, while also being decent enough for light gaming.
The MX Mechanical offers dual wireless connections via Bluetooth and the bundled Logi Bolt USB receiver. Once paired, you can swap between up to three devices by a press of a button. We found this to prove useful when using multiple PCs during your workflow, whether it’s a Windows system, Mac or Chromebook.
We also found the battery life to be excellent, with Logitech suggesting it can keep on chugging along for 15 days with the backlight turned up to maximum brightness, or up to 10 months with it deactivated. And while the keyboard is expensive compared to other office-optimised keyboards, you do have the option of purchasing the slightly more affordable Logitech MX Mechanical Mini which ditches the number pad to achieve a more streamlined design.
Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full review: Logitech MX Mechanical Keyboard review
Keychron Q1 Pro
Best enthusiast mechanical keyboard
Pros
- Ridiculously sturdy construction
- Smooth and tactile switches
- Powerful software
Cons
- Expensive
- Connectivity options are a bit limited
The Keychron Q1 Pro is a wondrous keyboard for those who are serious about their keypresses. It’s, admittedly, rather pricey but you are getting what you pay for, with a top-quality enthusiast keyboard pick.
We love the Q1 Pro for its robust and solid construction along with its smooth and tactile switches. It is a weighty device but that just makes it feel all the more premium. Its look is both colourful and classy.
The typing experience is stunning, with a reliable keypress that is speedy and offers lavish tacility in the form of a rounded bump during the press. This keyboard is hot-swappable too, meaning you can customise the switches to your liking if you fancy it. It is extremely easy to do with the Keychron Q1 Pro.
Strong connectivity is a big boost for this keyboard too, allowing for Bluetooth or a USB-C wired connection. The Keychron can be paired with up to three devices, with speedy switching possible. You can use it wirelessly for hours on end too, coming in at up to 300 hours with the backlight off and 100 hours with it on.
The software is a delight as well, offering powerful features. The RGB lighting is eye-catching, and you can have a good tinker with it. The VIA software allows you to program four function layers along with the ability to map these functions onto keys for added convenience.
Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full review: Keychron Q1 Pro review
Roccat Pyro
Best value mechanical keyboard
Pros
- Properly sturdy build quality
- Quick linear switches are ideal for gaming
- Affordable price
- Great backlighting
Cons
- Lack of USB passthrough
- Grooved plastic may not please some
- Cherry MX clones may not be the choice for purists
The Roccat Pyro may be a gaming keyboard, but it’s still a great value mechanical keyboard for any use case, especially considering its price undercuts the Logitech MX Mechanical.
Underneath, it’s got some TTC Red switches, which we think are some of the best Cherry MX Red clones out there. During testing, we found them to have a light and snappy keypress thanks to a 45cN force which made rounds of CS:GO a joy, as well as general working an absolute delight. Alongside this comes creature comforts such as anti-ghosting and full NKRO which helped to make keypresses as accurate and precise as possible.
The general construction of the Pyro is also something to behold, with it having practically no deck flex or bend in the chassis whatsoever, even under harsh pressure. We found it to be rather durable, with a metal top plate also helping it to look rather sleek too. There’s also some vibrant RGB lighting here.
Connectivity here is nice and easy, with a single USB-A-ended wired cable. The additional software on offer, the Roccat Swarm, is one of the best out there. We found it to offer a functional user experience with plenty of easy customisation, ranging from mapping keys to programming macros and fiddling around with RGB lighting. The Logitech G Pro Keyboard is another affordable mechanical keyboard option worth considering, but we still think the Roccat Pyro still has the edge in terms of value.
Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full review: Roccat Pyro review
Asus ROG Azoth
Best mechanical keyboard for esports
Pros
- Incredible construction
- Gorgeously smooth typing feel
- OLED display is a fun addition
Cons
- Very expensive
- Software is a little bit fiddly
The Asus ROG Azoth is an incredible gaming keyboard and our top pick for participating in esports.
The ROG Azoth has a 75% layout that offers all the benefits of a TKL keyboard in a more compact form, giving you more desk space. The build quality is excellent with its weighty frame and the metal top housing and plastic case ensures there’s no deck flex. The textured PBT keycaps are also of higher quality than common ABS ones and are resistant to shine after extended use.
There’s even a snappy multi-function OLED display in the top-right corner comparable to that on the SteelSeries Apex Pro. The screen illuminates key data like battery percentage, media playback settings and controls for the vibrant RGB lighting.
When it comes to connectivity, the ROG Azoth has a USB-C port for wired connections and charging, along with support for Bluetooth and a 2.4GHz receiver.
The keyboard comes with Asus’ own NX Red switches, which we found to be light and smooth with a 45cN actuation force. The switches are pre-lubed and there’s a small vial of switch lubricant in the box, along with an entire kit that allows you to lubricate the switches yourself.
The ROG Azoth is also a hot-swappable keyboard, meaning you can swap the switches out for others if you prefer.
We found typing on this keyboard to be responsive, comfortable and a little bouncy by design. The NX Reds work well for gaming due to their light keypress, and moving between multiple devices is easy with a physical switch on the topside of the keyboard.
The keyboard has a great battery life and is capable of lasting weeks or even months between charges, though you’ll find it lasts the longest with the RGB and OLED display turned off.
The ROG Armoury Crate software can be fiddly and slow to load, plus the ROG Azoth itself is expensive, but it’s nevertheless one of the most impressive gaming keyboards we’ve tested and our favourite choice for esports.
Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: Asus ROG Azoth
Corsair K70 Max
Best Hall effect mechanical keyboard
Pros
- Gorgeous looks
- Powerful and snappy switches
- Software provides good functionality
The Corsair K70 Max offers an interesting take on the keyboard formula, a combination of mechanical and Hall effect solutions. The results are fantastic.
Hall effect switches use magnets to register an input and allow for the modification of actuation point, a handy customisability feature. It’s a great feature to give serious gamers an added boost, alongside a 8000Hz polling rate, while still offering the pleasing typing experience of mechanical.
This keyboard offers a high-end feel, with little deck flex in sight. There is also some sound-dampening foam used to aid with any disturbances you may typically cause to your housemates or family members. The keypress itself is supremely snappy, an ideal choice for competitive players. The ability to adjust actuation point means you can get high for games like CS:GO where every nanosecond counts.
The Corsair iCUE software allows you to customise the look of the RGB in this keyboard to your heart’s content but, despite the deep set of features, it remains easy to use.
Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full review: Corsair K70 Max review
Corsair K65 Pro Mini
Best 65% mechanical keyboard
Pros
- Sturdy and sleek construction
- Smooth optical switches
- Vibrant RGB lighting
Fancy a top-notch mechanical keyboard experience but don’t want it taking up a lot of your desk? The Corsair K65 Pro Mini is our favourite pick for a 65% small-form-factor set of keys.
Like many quality Corsair keyboard, the K65 Pro Mini is stunningly well built. Along with its low height and width, it offers a sleek chassis which still manages to remain sturdy. The keys offer a hybrid design, using mechanical key switches with optical sensors for recording an input. The result is supreme speed, in the form of a super high 8000Hz polling rate.
The typing experience on the Corsair K65 Pro Mini is both smooth and snappy. Optical OPX switches bat away any sugestions that optical options don’t feel as good as fully-fledged mechanical picks. The OPX switches are excellent, and a great option for gaming or regular typing sessions.
The onboard RGB lighting is both lush and sharp, backed up by powerful Corsair iCUE software. It offers a range of RGB customisation as well as plenty of macro options as well. It’s all delightfully simple too, despite the range of features on offer.
Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full Review: Corsair K65 Pro Mini review
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro
Best mechanical keyboard for customisation
Pros
- Customisable Command Dial
- Immensely comfortable wrist rest
- Brilliant RGB backlighting
Cons
- A little pricey
- Semi-mandatory accompanying app
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro may wear the clothing of a gaming keyboard, but it’s hiding a plethora of features that are more substantial than that moniker suggests. Our reviewer noted that the standout feature may be the incredible wrist support; a leatherette cushion attaches with a strong magnet on the front and is bespoke to the keyboard – unlike the generic, one-size-fits-all wrist rest that could be paired with the BlackWidow V3.
Another bespoke aspect of this laptop is the Command Dial – a small, circular knob that lives on the top-left side of the keyboard. It’s set up with eight modes that can change the zoom level on a page, adjust the brightness of the keyboard’s RGB lighting, swap between opened apps, and switch tabs in a browser, just to name a few. Despite the keyboard’s branding, this feature is virtually useless when it comes to gaming, but it pushes the BlackWidow V4 Pro well past what most gaming keyboards are capable of.
The keyboard also comes with RGB capabilities. Each key is backlit, with the lighting patterning varying from extreme to subtle. Every key is housed in a transparent keycap for maximum glare and our reviewer noted that the rim light surrounding the entire perimeter of the keyboard, including the wrist rest, was a lovely touch.
Overall, the BlackWidow V4 Pro looks the part for a Razer gaming keyboard. If you are looking for even more customisation options, we recommend checking out the Asus ROG Azoth or Razer Huntsman V2 Analog. But if you’re after a gaming device that has some fantastic productivity features and oodles of personalisation, then this keyboard is definitely for you.
Reviewer: Callum Bains
Full Review: Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro Review
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023)
Best mechanical keyboard with an OLED display
Pros
- Astounding adjustability
- Intuitive accompanying app
- Little sacrifice for tenkeyless design
A full-sized keyboard isn’t for everyone, which is why SteelSeries decided to release a tenkeyless version of the flagship SteelSeries Apex Pro. A tenkeyless keyboard doesn’t come with a number pad and is best suited to small workspace areas, which is how the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL was born.
The real star of the Apex Pro TKL is the small OLED screen housed in the top right-hand corner. It’s roughly an inch long and is capable of running bespoke 128px x 40px images, text or animations, as well as displaying GPU, CPU and RAM metrics in real time. While it is a tad gimmicky, it adds a fantastic touch of personality and can display in-game stats, such as your lifetime K/D ratio on CS:GO. The OLED screen can also be paired with third-party apps like Discord to show a direct message or who’s speaking in voice chat, with our reviewer finding plenty of uses for the screen during testing.
Another huge benefit of the Apex Pro TKL is its Omnipoint 2.0 mechanical switches. They’re designed to be adjusted, with a level of customisation that is rarely seen in gaming keyboards. The sensitivity and actuation point of each key can be tuned to your liking, making this a fantastic pick for eSports gamers that want as much personalisation as possible.
Looking further at the keys themselves, RGB lighting can be adjusted through the accompanying app, Engine. The app is straightforward with a UI that is simple and easy to navigate. The RGB effects range from a sweeping wave, thrumming breath or steady glow presets, allowing you to make it as subtle or as extreme as you like.
If you’ve been on the lookout for a keyboard with a display, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL is a very easy recommendation. Not only does the OLED screen work with a variety of third-party apps, but it adds a wonderful touch of personalisation that can’t be found on most keyboards.
Reviewer: Callum Bains
Full Review: SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL (2023) Review
Asus ROG Claymore II
Best modular mechanical keyboard
Pros
- Premium build quality
- Modular design is ingenious
- Clicky optical switches feel decent
Cons
- High price
- Non-attachable wristrest
- Cheap-feeling keycaps
The Asus ROG Claymore II is a clever mechanical keyboard with an intriguing design-based party piece: it’s a modular keyboard.
This means you can chop and change the keyboard’s layout to include an additional number pad alongside the standard TKL keyboard, so you can use it in a multitude of configurations. For instance, if you wanted the number pad on the left hand side, then it attaches conveniently by a combination of magnets and plastic grooves. We found the attachment and setup process to be easy.
Alongside its ingenious design comes a choice of Asus’ own RX optical switches. You can either get them in Red or Blue flavours, with the former being a linear switch ideal for gaming, and the latter being a clicky switch that works well for typing. Our sample came with RX Blues, which we found to be great for both typing and gaming, given their mid-range force of 65g, optical setup and satisfying click. Just note, the audible click is loud, meaning this isn’t the best keyboard to use if other people are around. For that, consider something with quieter switches.
The Claymore II’s battery life is also good for a wireless mechanical board with loads of bells and whistles. It’s quoted to last for around 40 hours with the backlighting cranked all the way up, which beats off other premium boards such as the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro by almost four times. On the point of backlighting, the Claymore II’s is bright and sharp, and we thought it looked fantastic. The accompanying software, ROG Armoury Crate, is also functional, and gives you great customisation options regarding fiddling with the lighting, or programming macros.
Reviewer: Reece Bithrey
Full review: ASUS ROG Claymore II review
FAQs
Mechanical keyboards are traditionally said to help improve typing, given their more accurate and precise keypresses, and (depending on the switch you have) the feedback you receive with each input.
Measuring the ‘fastest’ mechanical keyboard is quite difficult, but with on-paper statistics, the likes of the Corsair K70 RGB Pro and Razer’s Huntsman V2 both feature above-standard polling rates, which means they report inputs more often than other keyboards to a host device, which could be seen to make them ‘faster’.
This is a subjective question, but for what it’s worth, there are a pair of brilliant Razer keyboards featured in the list above with the Huntsman V2 Analog and the BlackWidow V3 Mini.
