Gaming keyboard comparison

So, you're looking for a gaming keyboard? There are a lot of options available, and some key things to take into account; but the good news is you're likely to find multiple options to suit your needs. The best place to start is with your budget. This will determine whether you need to look for a cheaper gaming keyboard such as a membrane style, or a mechanical board with all the trimmings.

Next, have a think about the kind of genres you like to play. There are gaming keyboards to suit all-round gamers, FPS (first-person shooter) lovers, real-time strategy fans, MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) players and MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) aficionados. If you want a competitive edge, you should take a close look at the speedier end of mechanical keyboard switches.

Then there are a few personal preferences to bear in mind. Backlighting is important for some players and irrelevant to others. The feel of the keys is an important consideration, especially if you're flirting with investing in a more expensive keyboard. This can include the effort required to register a keystroke, through to form factor and even the construction material. Whatever your preferences, what follows is a handy breakdown of all of the essential info you should take into account before buying your first or next gaming keyboard.

How do keyboards work?

Keyboards are broadly broken down into two types: membrane and mechanical. When it comes to gaming keyboards, the latter is favoured, but both types have pros and cons. Keyboards are like mini computers, complete with their own circuitry and even processors that translate keystrokes into on-screen input.

On a membrane keyboard, there are three layers of plastic membrane on top of rubber circuits dedicated to each key. When you press a key, a bar beneath the key pushes through a hole in the keyboard shell and middle membrane. This connects the top and bottom membranes and creates an electrical circuit that sends an input to your computer. A piece of rubber makes the key bounce back into position.

Mechanical keyboards use individual physical switches beneath each key. When a key is selected, a signal is sent to the PC telling it which one has been pressed. In gaming terms, mechanical keyboards are considered better than membrane because they have a faster actuation point, which relates to how hard you have to press the key for it to be recognised. The faster the actuation point, the more responsive the keystroke, which gives you an edge when it comes to online gaming, even if it is just a millisecond. This is particularly important in faster-paced games such as shooters.

While slower in actuation than mechanical keyboards, membrane keyboards are quieter. For this reason, they tend to be favoured by streamers and players who are recording both in-game noise and microphone input, where the noise from keystrokes can be too loud and distracting. They're also generally cheaper, so if you’re a casual or offline gamer, a membrane keyboard offers versatility without breaking the bank.

How to compare keyboards: Mechanical vs Membrane

A lot of the decision making when selecting a new keyboard comes down to personal preference. There are the basic pros and cons of mechanical vs membrane keyboards as discussed. Then there’s the choice of brand, including some key contenders as well as attractive outliers. Price is also one of the most important considerations, but paying more doesn’t always guarantee better performance.

Wired keyboards tend to be faster than wireless, but wireless offers the versatility of playing from your lap or in front of a TV screen via Bluetooth. Form factors also play a part in distinguishing one board from another. Smaller shells allow more desk space, which is great for players with a minimal area to work with, or for players using lower mouse sensitivity on a large mouse mat.

Larger models generally include additional features, such as USB or audio pass-through, for connecting additional wired peripherals; dedicated media playback controls; and macro keys for programming simple or complex tasks to dedicated keys. In terms of design, the type of material the keyboard is made from, as well as ergonomic design are also factors to consider. For example, do you prefer attached or detachable wrist rests?

If you decide to go the mechanical route, the next thing to think about is switch type. There is a variety of mechanical keyboard switches that are ranked in terms of brand, noise, speed and feel. Then look at extra features such as "key rollover", which refers to the number of keys that can be pressed simultaneously, and RGB lighting. These tend to bump up the price without any performance advantage, but you might consider it's worth it for the experience they offer.

Types of mechanical switch

This is arguably the most contentious area when it coms to selecting a mechanical keyboard. Some players swear by particular core switches, others by competing models or proprietary alternatives, and others still believe it’s all down to personal preference. Regardless of where you fall, the key thing to remember is that there are three types of switch category: linear, tactile and "clicky".

Which keyboard is best for you?

Selecting a gaming keyboard is one of the most subjective decisions you can make when it comes to buying peripherals for your computer. There are a lot of options, and apart from your budget, it really comes down to personal taste.

As a general guide, we've listed our pick of the best gaming keyboards below, divided into four categories.

Key questions you should ask yourself before taking out your wallet

Given all the options available, you'll appreciate that purchasing a new gaming keyboard isn’t a simple process. To help streamline your decision making, following is a list of key questions you should consider before taking the dive.

Are you cramped for space?

There are two things to consider here. First, is your space limited due to a physical lack of desk area? Perhaps you have a small computer desk, or the area you want to use is covered with items you don't really want to move. Second, if you’re serious about gaming, you'll want to maximise the amount of desk space you have on your left or right side to give your mouse the most room possible to move. Is this something that will be hard to achieve?

If you answered yes to either or both of these stipulations, you probably need to go with a smaller gaming keyboard. Some models are branded as esports or shooter keyboards, but really you’re just looking for a smaller form factor. You could go as extreme as a tenkeyless keyboard or a gaming keypad. Or you might simply look for a design that ditches extras such as macro keys and/or media controls, in favour of a smaller footprint.

Wired or wireless?

Basically, you should be thinking about a wired gaming keyboard. They’re generally more responsive, particularly the mechanical models, and this is an important feature if you’re seeking a competitive edge. Wireless gaming keyboards offer greater versatility, but this is at the expense of responsiveness. They can be a great secondary option, budget permitting, if you want to play further away from your desktop, or on a TV. However, you could use USB extender cables and get the range without losing responsiveness, albeit with the added trip hazard.

Noisy or quiet keystrokes?

Jump back up to the "Types of mechanical switch" section to see which switches are louder and which are quieter. If you want a whisper-quiet keyboard, you’ll need to use a membrane. The linear mechanical switches designed specifically with gaming in mind are slightly louder. Tactile mechanical switches offer a good halfway point between gaming and general computer use, while clicky keys are for those who favour typing-like sounds over gaming advantages.

Multipurpose or gaming-specific?

In addition to the keystroke sound, it’s worth weighing up whether you want a gaming keyboard that only caters to gaming or one that's more multipurpose. Full-size keyboards are great for multipurpose use, as well as for gamers with larger hands. Certain switch types strike a balance between regular typing and pure gaming, the former being important for genres such as MMO games, for instance.

Ergonomic or regular?

Regular gaming keyboards are a dime a dozen, but those designed with ergonomic considerations in mind are starting to become more prominent. Bear in mind that features such as a wrist rest can increase the size of a keyboard, which is why some of these are removable. You can find split keyboards, where the keys are concentrated towards the sides; and there are products that are wave shaped, and which sometimes include mechanical switches.

Gaming keyboard versatility?

You may be seeking a gaming keyboard that offers a competitive edge or is a mix of typing and gaming, but there are other considerations here, too. For instance, macro keys are incredibly useful for easy access to pre-programmed simple or complex tasks. Dedicated media keys let the music-loving gamer control their tunes while playing. USB and/or audio pass-through may be handy if your PC towers are far away and you regularly use headphones or gamepads. There are even spill-resistant options for clumsy gamers who keep drinks too close to their keyboard.

How important is rollover?

For many gamers, this is an afterthought; for others it’s essential. If you play popular games, such as FPS, RTS and most other games that require basic input, this isn’t really a concern. However, if you like playing split-screen games or titles that require a lot of keys to be pressed simultaneously, rollover is important. Rollover ratings range from about 10 keys to unlimited (N-key).