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Best Mechanical Keyboard 2024: Tested by our experts

In This Article

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 ourBest Gaming Keyboardround-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 overall mechanical keyboard

Most mechanical keyboards you’ll find are designed for gaming, but theLogitech MX Mechanicalis 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 affordableLogitech MX Mechanical Miniwhich ditches the number pad to achieve a more streamlined design.

Reviewer:Reece BithreyFull review:Logitech MX Mechanical Keyboard review

Wooting 60HE+

Best gaming mechanical keyboard

TheWooting 60HE Plusis a fantastic gaming keyboard that is well-built and looks great, while also offering powerful hall effect switches with rapid trigger and analog capabilities.

The 60HE Plus is a gorgeous keyboard that offers incredible build quality and comes in a range of colours, including black, white, grey, blue, pink and purple. At 970g, it’s quite heavy for such a small keyboard and feels premium even against top performers from SteelSeries and Razer.

You can choose between a pre-built 60HE Plus or a fully custom option, with the latter being the model we received. This comes with the hall effect PCB, a polycarbonate plate, a silicone sandwich pad and screw-in stabilisers, with the keycaps and case available at an additional cost.

The 60HE Plus has a 60% layout, meaning it doesn’t include a number pad, arrow keys or a function row. Likewise, there’s no volume roller or multimedia keys and there’s a single USB-C port for wired connectivity.

The 60HE Plus utilises Wooting’s Lekker45 switches or the slightly heavier Lekker60 switches. Both are hall-effect switches and benefit from smooth, linear actuation, making them ideal for gaming. Both analog and rapid trigger are snappy and feel sublime when gaming and the acoustics are excellent with no rattle or ping.

The software is lightweight too, and there are plenty of controls for remapping and changing the functions on the keyboard. There’s also some of the cleanest and brightest custom RGB lighting we’ve reviewed shining through and around each key.

Reviewer:Reece Bithrey

Full Review:Wooting 60HE Plus

Asus ROG Falchion RX Low Profile

Best low profile mechanical keyboard

Low profile keyboard are all the rage, with upstart brands like NuPhy and Keychron bursting on the scene. But, gaming peripheral stalwhart Asus ROG is here to show them how its done. TheAsus ROG Falchion RX Low Profileis our top pick for a low profile mechanical keyboard.

The low profile genre of mechanical keyboard brings a lot of colour and variety to the fore in terms of design, but the ROG Falchion RX Low Profile keeps things simple while still standing out. Its bright white keys and RGB give it, dare we say, Alienware-esque looks and its that futuristic style that we think is rather sleek. Being a 65% keyboard, and coming with a plastic keyboard cover, it’s impressively portable too, for those who’d like to take it on their commute.

The all-important performance adds up to a smooth and snappy keypress. Its a great hybrid keyboard for those who want something slim and portable for both productivity and gaming use. There’s strong connectivity here too, with Bluetooth and 2.4GHz options, and that’s paired up with up to 400 hours of battery life.

Reviewer:Reece BithreyFull review:Asus ROG Falchion RX Low Profile review

Keychron Q1 Max

Best enthusiast mechanical keyboard

Here at Trusted Reviews, we were already big fans of theKeychron Q1 Pro, but theKeychron Q1 Maxcraftily builds upon it in iterative fashion. It isn’t the cheapest but, for enthusiasts, we think it’s your best mechanical keyboard option.

The bread and butter of this peripheral, the keys, are consistent and speedy options, coming with a rounded bump half way down the press. The K Pro Brown switches you find here mimic the Cherry MX Brown, but we found them to be up to snuff with the pre-lubed nature added up to a comfortable and tactile click. For enthusiasts, this is a hot-swappable keyboard, providing connectivity through three or five pin mounting. This open-source approach means keyboard fans can customise this typing titan to their heart’s content.

Outside of the keys themselves, you’ll find a luxurious yet retro-looking shell. Despite the addition of wireless connectivity to this new “Max” model, it is far from portable but that adds to feeling like you truly have an impressive bit of kit on your desk, with an all-metal chassis. The connectivity on offer is in both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz dongle flavours.

Reviewer:Josh BrownFull review:Keychron Q1 Max review

Cherry KC 200 MX

Best value mechanical keyboard

Where better to go for a value keyboard than the brand behind the switches that many popular sets of keys either feature or mimic. It’s theCherry KC 200 MXthat provides the answer, coming in as our choice for the best value mechanical keyboard around.

The Cherry KC 200 MX manages to have a familiar and basic yet intriguing look, with a simple non-flashy layout but with a pleasing splash of brown (it looks better than that sounds) making it suit home and the office. It’s largely aluminium meaning its a sturdy option, with zero flex.

The keys themselves were Cherry MX2A Brown on our review model and we found them to be extremely comfortable and refreshingly refined. This is a keyboard made for the office but, with anti-ghosting and N Key rollover, it is a capable gaming option too, preventing unwanted keypresses.

Reviewer:Sean CameronFull review:Cherry KC 200 MX review

Corsair K70 Max

Best Hall effect mechanical keyboard

TheCorsair K70 Maxoffers an interesting take on the keyboard formula, a combination of mechanical andHall effectsolutions. 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 BithreyFull review:Corsair K70 Max review

Corsair K65 Plus Wireless

Best 75% mechanical keyboard

Corsair has boosted its 65% K65 range by, well, offering a 75% option and the results are remarkably impressive. Despite the slightly confusing name, the 75%Corsair K65 Plus Wirelessis an excellent all-rounder of a mechanical keyboard that won’t take up too much room on your desk.

The design of the 75% Corsair keyboard is largely unstated but refined in a way that makes it a particularly classy gaming keyboard pick. Specifically, we’re talking about the pop of silver against the largely black chassis. You’ll also find a handy volume dial for your convenience too. It may not be a full-size keyboard but Corsair still, thankfully, fits in a function row and full-size arrow keys.

Corsair has gotten all clever with this keyboard, to provide you with a top-quality typing experience without an overly burdensome sound. This keyboard features sound-dampening foam, meaning it Linear Red switches provide a pleasingly tactile keypress but with a reduced sound as they bounce off the soft surface.

For battery, the K65 Plus Wireless can manage up to 200 hours. You’ll also find use for Corsair’s powerful iCUE app, letting you customise the RGB lighting in per-key fashion and allow you to toggle polling rate, N Key rollover and more.

Reviewer:Josh BrownFull review:Corsair K65 Plus Wireless review

Cherry MX-LP 2.1

Best 65% mechanical keyboard

The Cherry MX LP 2.1 is a stylish, thoughtfully designed compact keyboard that’s the perfect companion for gaming, coding and working.

As it’s a 65% keyboard, if you aren’t used to using smaller keyboards then the Cherry MX LP 2.1 may take a bit of practise. Having said that, its low profile RGB speed switches offer an impressively smooth typing experience while being wonderfully quiet too, making this perfect for office use.

At first glance the slim ABS keys initially appear uniform in size, shape and status but you’ll notice a slight slope that guides you towards the centre for comfortable typing.

Some keys have core commands mapped to them by default however this can be customised simply by connecting the keyboard to the simple, albeit basic, Cherry Keys software.

Hook up your keyboard with a USB-C cable to unlock all possible customisation options, including options to change lighting and assign macros to more than just the Function keys. If you connect your keyboard wirelessly then you’ll only be able to set macros to the top row of keys or assign pre-set instructions and shortcuts.

Overall, we found the Cherry MX LP 2.1 to be a genuinely enjoyable keyboard to use, thanks to its tactile and silent keys, housed in a stylish and compact design.

Full review:Cherry MX LP 2.1

Reviewer:Josh Brown

Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL

Best for customisation

A beast of a machine, the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL is a powerful, well made keyboard that boasts heaps of customisation options.

Aside from its tenkeyless (TKL) layout that ditches the number pad for more desk space, the Huntsman V3 Pro TKL sports a conventional layout alongside a few handy extras including media controls and a multi-functional dial in the top right corner.

You’ll also find secondary functions on certain keys too for macro recording and controlling the brightness of the keyboard’s RGB lighting.

Rather than using hall effect, which detects keystrokes by using magnetic sensing over mechanical switches, the Razer instead opted for second-gen optical Analog switches. Hailed Rapid Trigger, these switches allow for snappy inputs and boast a zero debounce time.

It’s worth noting that while the switches inside the Huntsman V3 Pro TKL feel smooth and light, they are quite loud which means this is a better suited keyboard for use in a gaming den rather than an office.

Pair the Huntsman V3 Pro TKL with the companion software Razer Synapse and you’ll be able to customise and configure the keyboard to your liking.

Synapse is neatly organised and lets you do anything from enabling a mode to prevent accidental keypresses to setting keys with controller-like inputs for both analogue and rapid trigger functions.

You can also select from a range of preset functions if you don’t want to program the keyboard yourself, however it’s worth noting that we found programming is actually just as easy to enable.

The RGB lighting is also customisable either via Synapse, or with Chroma Studio you can create your own patterns.

If you’re looking for a well made keyboard that offers some of the most powerful and versatile customisation options available on a gaming keyboard then you’d be hard pressed to find a better option than the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL.

Full review:Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL

Reviewer:Reece Bithrey

We also considered…

A excellent heavy hitter for reasonable money

A mini office keyboard with mechanical switches

A fantastic all-round gaming keyboard

One of the best gaming keyboards is now even smaller

We’ve reviewed

1,884

Peripheral

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.

This is a subjective question, but for what it’s worth, there are a pair of brilliant Asus keyboards featured in the list above.

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Comparison specification

Hannah joined Trusted Reviews as a staff writer in 2019 after graduating with a degree in English from Royal Holloway, University of London. She’s also worked and studied in the US, holding positions …

Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.

Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.

Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.

We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.

Why trust our journalism?

Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.

Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.

Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.

We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.