My new favorite budget gaming keyboard proves the best gaming keebs don't have to be $200 enthusiast slabs of switches
The rise of the mechanical keyboard for gaming was a real turning point for the tippy tappy PC-connected peripheral. Suddenly typing feel and response was a big thingTM in gaming keyboards. Then the enthusiast gaming crew came in, deepening the rabbit hole for nerds like me to get lost in, and then the marketers and manufacturers got wind of it and now we have gaming keyboards that cost $500.
But fear not, that doesn't have to price you out of the market, because we've seen some astounding, and astoundingly affordable gaming keyboards appear in the past few years. My personal favorite was the keyboard I'm literally typing on right now, the Mountain Everest 60. A lovely little thing that sadly has been discontinued as Be Quiet! picked up the brand and subsequently released the best silent keyboard we've ever seen, the Light Mount.
So we needed to find a new budget champion, and our Reece has discovered one that actually surpasses the diminutive Mountain board in almost all respects: the bizarrely named Gamakay x NaughShark NS68. While I do not get why there is an attached material tag, or why it says "SHRAK", but it's a $40 Hall effect gaming keyboard that has everything you could possibly want in an affordable keeb.
The key sells are those HE magnetic switches, offering you access to the keyboard buzzphrase du jour, rapid trigger, offering you a dynamic actuation point for super quick switch response. Essentially, when you release a key it will be instantly be ready to hit again, no matter whether it's completed its full travel. It also means you can alter the actuation point of individual keys on your board in general yourself, from hair trigger to actually having to hammer it home to make your point. Y'know, for when you want to type angry.
You also get PBT keycaps, which are side printed instead of printed on top, configurable RGB, optional 8000 Hz polling, and a 65% layout. There are points where you can feel the compromises made to hit a price point, such as cheaper feeling plastic and a definite lack of polish on the software, but I'll take that when the overall package is so alluring.
A definite worthy addition to our pantheon of gaming keyboard greatness.
Quick list
- Best overall: Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
- Best budget: Gamakay x Naughshark NS68
- Best mid-range: Ducky Zero 6108
- Best rapid trigger: Wooting 80HE
- Best wireless rapid trigger: Keychron K2 HE
- Best silent: Be Quiet! Light Mount
- Best tenkeyless: Keychron Q3 Max
- Best low profile: NuPhy Air60 HE
- Best ergonomic: Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB
- Best membrane: Roccat Magma
The best gaming keyboards
Best overall
The best overall
The Strix Scope II 96 may have a ridiculous name, but it's still a dream to game and type on. Silky smooth switches and clever media keys make this the best gaming keyboard right now.
Best budget
The best budget
With incredibly responsive Hall effect switches, PBT keycaps, and, of course, a very reasonable price, Gamakay has absolutely knocked this keyboard out of the park. It also has rapid trigger, which is practically unheard of at its cost.
Best mid-range
The best mid-range
Gaming keyboards are soaring in price these days, but not all. We have a few budget picks in this guide, though for just a little more, you can score this fantastic Ducky. It's mechanical, lit up like the Fourth of July, and extremely sturdy.
Best rapid trigger
The best rapid trigger
Wooting's been doing Hall effect before Hall effect was cool, and it's come close to perfecting it here with the 80HE. That's primarily thanks to the easy-to-use software and profiles, but it's not bad to type on, either.
Best wireless rapid trigger
The best wireless rapid trigger
This keyboard not only delivers on the best that Hall effect tech and rapid trigger functionality have to offer, but it puts it in a rather dashing wireless package that feels and sounds great to type on, too.
Best silent
The best silent
If you find yourself gaming in a space with others, or just don't like a clacky keeb, the Light Mount is the quietest and most functional keyboard we've had the pleasure of using.
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Best tenkeyless
The best tenkeyless
With a superb build quality and delectable typing feel (seriously, that's not hyperbole), the Keychron Q3 Max is easily the most drool-worthy tenkeyless (TKL) keyboard we've tested.
Best low-profile
The best low profile
Fast, compact, Hall effect and affordable. Yep, the NuPhy Air60 HE has it all, including rapid trigger support and excellent software. And it's super low profile, to boot.
Best ergo
The best ergonomic
If you want to prioritise your health and posture while typing, you'd better opt for an ergo board. Luckily, that doesn't mean sacrificing any important gaming features, thanks to the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB's blend of both.
Best membrane
The best membrane
If instead of a mechanical board, you prefer the squishy flaoom of a membrane, this is for you. It's an eye-catching, surprisingly tactile membrane keyboard that doesn't break the bank.