A great keyboard could make all of the distinction on your work setup. For those who primarily work on a laptop computer, switching from the built-in keyboard to a wired or wi-fi keyboard might be extra comfy and ergonomic whereas including performance like further keys and shortcuts into the combo. In case your each day driver is a desktop, a keyboard will likely be an important accent that may elevate your rig whether or not you are utilizing it to work a 9-to-5 with it or play AAA video games in your free time.
However the world of keyboards is huge, and we at Engadget have tried out dozens over time together with gaming keyboards, ergonomic keyboards, mechanical keyboards and extra. For those who’re simply beginning to consider the very best keyboard for you, otherwise you’re able to improve from an ageing peripheral, we gathered all of our high picks for the very best keyboards you will get proper right here.
Greatest keyboards for 2025
Connectivity: Bluetooth and Logi Bolt USB receiver | Dimension: Full-size format | Materials: Plastic chassis with low-profile scissor switches | Switches: Scissor switches | Sizzling-swappable: No | Backlight: Sure, good illumination with ambient gentle sensors | Software program: Logi Choices+
Logitech is aware of find out how to make a strong keyboard, and the Grasp collection has been a wonderful one over the previous few years. The MX Keys S is the newest full-sized version and it combines a low-profile design with comfy keys and useful customization instruments. It seems to be fairly modern in black, white or graphite, measuring slightly below 17 inches in width and solely 0.8 inches excessive off your desk. Its spherically-dished keys cradle your fingertips each time you press, and whereas I wouldn’t go to date to say they completely prevented me from placing any typos on this information, the form positively helps greater than different, flatter keycaps I’ve used.
It is a backlit keyboard with “good illumination,” which simply means the backlight will kick on when your arms strategy the board and modify relying on the lighting in your surroundings. I’ve an honest quantity of pure gentle in my house workplace throughout common working hours, so I opted to show the backlight off — when you do the identical, you may rise up to 5 months of battery life out of the MX Keys S (Logitech estimates 10 days with good illumination on). The keyboard has a built-in USB-C port for charging as effectively.
Along with the low-profile design that also features a quantity pad, the largest kickers for the MX Keys S are its vast compatibility and customizable options with Logi Choices+. This peripheral works with Home windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Linux and iPadOS, and it has three system pairing buttons so you may join it to as much as three units without delay and swap between them as essential. Logi Choices+ is free software program that many Logitech equipment use, and for the MX Keys S, it permits you to customise brightness ranges and period, set good actions (one-key shortcuts you program to your liking) and extra.
The Grasp Collection additionally features a “mini” model of this keyboard that nixes the quantity pad and $10 from the value tag. I’ve used that and luxuriate in it as effectively, however once you’re solely saving $10, the full-sized model looks like a greater worth. Can you discover cheaper wi-fi keyboards than both of those? After all. However Logitech’s experience on this house actually shines within the Grasp collection, and with the MX Keys S specifically because it stands out as a high-quality wi-fi keyboard with a bunch of additional options at an honest worth. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor
- Good construct high quality
- Snug typing expertise
- Logi Choices+ offers a ton of customization choices
- Works throughout all main OSes
- Not the most cost effective keyboard on the market
- Not an enormous worth distinction between the full-sized model and the mini mannequin with out the quantity pad
Connectivity: Bluetooth and Logi Bolt USB receiver | Dimension: Compact (75% format) | Materials: Plastic body with retro-style keycaps | Switches: Mechanical switches | Sizzling-swappable: No | Backlight: No | Software program: Logi Choices+
Logitech’s Pop Icon Keys takes a number of notes from the Grasp collection and interprets them right into a extra enjoyable (and cheaper) package deal. The $50 keyboard doesn’t embody a quantity pad, however as a substitute has a row on the proper facet that features 4 buttons you can customise utilizing Logi Choices+. I’ve mine programmed to activate macOS’ mission management, open the emoji keyboard and to maneuver web page up and down, respectively. However these aren’t the one buttons you may customise — 11 of the highest perform keys will also be programmed to your liking as effectively.
The Pop Icon keycaps have a slight indentation to them, although not as dramatic as these on the Grasp collection keys, and the typing expertise is a snug and quiet one total. Whereas this isn’t billed as a journey keyboard, it’s sufficiently small to suit into an ordinary work bag or backpack, so you might take it with you with out a lot problem.
You may join the Pop Icon keys to as much as three units without delay and swap between them simply, and the keyboard helps macOS, Home windows, Linux, Chrome, iPadOS, iOS and Android units. In addition to there being no possibility for a quantity pad configuration, arguably the largest draw back to this keyboard is the truth that it runs on two AAA batteries. Logitech estimates it’ll last as long as three years earlier than that you must change them, so possibly that’s a professional for some moderately than a con. I additionally recognize that, when linked to a Mac laptop over Bluetooth, you may nonetheless monitor the Pop Icon Keys’ battery life from the Bluetooth menu.
That is additionally an amazing worth for a strong wi-fi keyboard. Logitech itself makes even cheaper ones, however the Pop Icon Keys strikes an excellent steadiness between design and capabilities at this worth level. The largest query, when you select this keyboard, is which colorway you fancy essentially the most out of the 5 choices. — V.P.
- Low-cost!
- Compact design with a low profile
- Snug typing expertise
- Programmable keys with Logi Choices+
- Works throughout all main OSes
- Key journey could possibly be higher
- No quantity pad
Connectivity: Bluetooth and Logi Bolt USB receiver | Dimension: Full-size with built-in numeric keypad | Materials: Plastic body with fabric-covered wrist relaxation | Switches: Scissor switches | Sizzling-swappable: No | Backlight: No | Software program: Logi Choices+
Learn our full information to the finest ergonomic keyboards
The Ergo K860 from Logitech combines 4 useful ergonomic options in a keyboard that operates very like any customary board. The Alice break up shifts your elbows aside whereas preserving your forearms and wrists lined up. The tenting raises the keys upward within the center, rotating your palms subtly towards each other. The non-compulsory unfavourable tilt slopes the underside edge above the highest edge to maintain the backs of your arms straighter. And there’s a palm relaxation in-built, which some discover extra comfy throughout lengthy typing periods.
In contrast to different extra aggressively ergonomic boards, there’s no studying curve right here. Typing on the Ergo K860 feels so much like typing on an ordinary set of keys. The low profile, scissor-switch keys are springy and straightforward to hit. You even get a ten-key quantity pad, navigation keys and arrow buttons, all of which make it a full-featured and acquainted accent. You may program the keys with Logitech’s software program, however this may doubtless attraction most to those that simply desire a plug-and-play board for a Mac or PC setup. — Amy Skorheim, Senior Reporter
- Rotated, tented keys make typing comfy
- An ergonomic board with no studying curve
- Wirelessly connects rapidly to a few units
- Hotkeys work with MacOS and Home windows
- Wrist relaxation just isn’t detachable
- Takes up a number of house
Connectivity: Wired (USB-C) | Dimension: Cut up ergonomic format with 52 keys | Materials: Plastic housing | Switches: Kailh Choc low-profile switches (tactile, linear, or clicky) | Sizzling-swappable: Sure | Backlight: No | Software program: Oryx and VIA
Learn our full information to the finest ergonomic keyboards
For those who’re able to make a critical dedication to rising your ergonomics, I like to recommend the ZSA Voyager. I take advantage of it day-after-day and, though it’s not tremendous transportable, I introduced it with me after I labored away from my house workplace for every week. However at first, it took me a minimum of three weeks earlier than I used to be comfy typing on it. Not solely will that you must reprogram the keys (and bear in mind what they do), you’ll want to make use of your fingers differently than you’re used to. For one, your thumbs will do way over simply hit the spacebar. They’ll function the return, shift, management and even layer buttons, relying on the way you program the board.
However the ergonomic advantages are equally important. The totally break up board lets me open up my arms and chest. On days after I’m feeling significantly tight, I’ll put the 2 halves a full foot aside. Relocating the return, command and forward-delete key to the thumbclusters saves me from shifting my arms across the board and the layers perform permits for much extra performance than an ordinary keyboard.
That stated, it additionally provides to the safety of my laptop, making all of it however unattainable for different individuals to sort with the Voyager. It comes with magnetic knobs for the middle tenting function, however I want it got here with the choice to raise the center somewhat increased. I created further raise by including rubber bumpers to the board, however for the value, it’d be good to not must MacGuyver it. Nonetheless, each time I’m compelled to make use of a daily keyboard, I really feel like I am toiling within the typing pool at Sterling Cooper. — A.S.
- Ergonomic, totally break up board
- Programmable thumb cluster minimizes hand journey
- Low profile, mechanical keys make typing straightforward
- Compact measurement and intelligent key mapping preserve your arms within the house place
- Takes a pair weeks to relearn find out how to sort
- Heart tenting could possibly be increased
Connectivity: 2.4 GHz wi-fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and USB-C wired | Dimension: 75% format | Materials: Aluminum high case with PC plate | Switches: Gateron Jupiter switches | Sizzling-swappable: Sure | Backlight: South-facing RGB LED | Software program: QMK/VIA
Learn our full information to the finest mechanical keyboards
The Keychron Q Max collection doesn’t come low-cost, however it has nearly all the pieces we wish out of a high-end mechanical keyboard. Its full aluminum case is exceedingly sturdy, hefty and funky to the contact. Whereas its PBT-coated keycaps are on the taller facet, they’ve a beautiful texture and are sculpted in a method that lightly hugs your fingertips. There are a number of swap choices out there, all of that are hot-swappable, whereas a double gasket-mount design contained in the keyboard provides every press a cushioned but springy really feel by default. Mixed with a number of layers of froth, these presses have a delightfully poppy and even sound.
We examined the tenkeyless Q3 Max, however Keychron provides a number of different measurement and format choices as effectively. Every can join over a wi-fi dongle, Bluetooth or USB-C and contains further Home windows- and Mac-specific keycaps within the field. There are nonetheless issues to nitpick — there’s a faint little bit of rattle to a few the bigger keys; you may’t modify the keyboard’s top; and Keychron’s one-year guarantee is fairly brief — however when you simply wish to purchase a mechanical keyboard that delivers a premium expertise from the bounce, this may get you there. – Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter
- Excellent typing really feel and sound
- Premium aluminum case
- Crisp PBT keycaps
- Sizzling-swappable
- Dependable wi-fi efficiency
- Tons of format choices
- Knob!
- A bit dear
- Keycaps aren’t shine-through and could also be too tall for some
- Heavy
- Slight rattling with some stabilizers
Connectivity: USB-C wired | Dimension: Tenkeyless (80%) format | Materials: Plastic body | Switches: Keychron mechanical switches | Sizzling-swappable: No | Backlight: Crimson LED | Software program: QMK/VIA
Learn our full information to the finest mechanical keyboards
We advocate the Keychron C3 Professional if you wish to spend as little as doable for a pleasant mechanical keyboard. It’s a stellar worth at slightly below $50, with factory-lubricated switches, a gasket mount, a number of layers of inside foam and different touches we don’t often see on this worth vary. The stabilizers keep away from any aggressive rattling, and there’s not one of the pinging noise you get from many cheaper circumstances. All of this helps really feel comfy for typing, whereas the tactile Brown switches in our take a look at unit sound pleasantly clacky.
As with every funds keyboard, it’s a must to make some sacrifices. It solely works wired, for one, and the ABS keycaps really feel slicker and cheaper than the very best PBT caps. Whereas the case doesn’t exhibit any critical flexing, it’s nonetheless made from plastic. You additionally have to pay $10 further to get a model with RGB backlighting and hot-swappable switches — the bottom mannequin remains to be an amazing purchase for these trying to get into the interest on a budget, however it saddles you with a red-only backlight and prevents you from simply popping in new switches down the highway. – J.D.
- Cheap
- Great typing expertise for the cash
- Programmable with software program
- Shine-through keycaps
- ABS keycaps are a bit slick
- Wired solely
- RGB lighting and hot-swappable swap value somewhat bit further
Connectivity: USB-C wired | Dimension: 80% format | Materials: Plastic or zinc alloy case choices | Switches: Lekker Corridor-effect analog switches | Sizzling-swappable: Sure | Backlight: Per-key RGB with customizable LED bar | Software program: Wootility
Learn our full information to the finest gaming keyboards
The Wooting 80HE is our favourite keyboard for players due to its magnetic Corridor impact switches, which might reply to various ranges of stress. This allows you to customise the actuation level of every particular person key, so you might make them extra delicate throughout quick-twitch capturing video games or extra deliberate once you simply wish to sort. One other function referred to as speedy set off permits you to repeat inputs sooner, with out having to attend for a given key to return to a set reset level. That may be an actual boon for, say, strafing forwards and backwards extra exactly throughout a 1v1 shootout in Overwatch. You can too tie a number of instructions to 1 key: In Halo Infinite, for instance, you might make it so calmly urgent W makes you stroll extra stealthily, whereas urgent all of it the way in which down makes you run at full pace.
Does everybody want all of this? After all not. Any keyboard is usually a “gaming keyboard,” and nothing right here will magically make you good at video games. However for extra hardcore sorts searching for any further little bit of granular management, they will make a tangible distinction.
The 80HE isn’t the one keyboard to supply this set of tips, however it stands out for getting the remainder of the package deal proper as effectively. Wooting’s Wootility software program is best-in-class, making it significantly straightforward to tweak settings and customise the RGB lighting. It can save you a number of management profiles on to the system. And whereas the all-plastic case isn’t the highest-quality factor on the market for $200, the inventory {hardware} nonetheless feels and sounds nice, with crisp PBT keycaps, {smooth} pre-lubed switches and a pleasingly thocky tone. – J.D.
- Magnetic switches are deeply versatile for gaming
- Simple-to-use software program
- Sturdily constructed
- Snug for typing and sounds nice
- Wired-only
- A bit costly
- 80 % design is considerably awkward
- Solely in the stores in batches
Connectivity: 2.4 GHz wi-fi, Bluetooth, and USB-C wired | Dimension: Tenkeyless (TKL) format | Materials: Aluminum high plate with plastic base | Switches: OmniPoint 2.0 adjustable mechanical switches | Sizzling-swappable: No | Backlight: Per-key RGB | Software program: SteelSeries GG
Learn our full information to the finest gaming keyboards
If you’d like the Wooting 80HE’s gaming-friendly options in a wi-fi keyboard, we just like the SteelSeries Apex Professional TKL Wi-fi (Gen 3). It provides a lot of the identical adjustable actuation and speedy set off instruments because the 80HE, plus a “safety mode” that makes it tougher to hit close by keys accidentally and preset profiles for some fashionable video games. The typing expertise is a plus as effectively, with crisp and easy-to-reach PBT keycaps, a sturdy aluminum high plate and smooth-feeling switches which can be sufficiently muffled. There’s a magnetic wrist relaxation within the field, and the entire thing can join over a wi-fi dongle, Bluetooth or USB-C.
Our fundamental points with the Apex Professional contain SteelSeries’ GG app. A lot of the expertise with these analog-style keyboards comes all the way down to software program, and GG is a bit much less refined than Wootility throughout the board. At $270, the Apex Professional is certainly on the upper finish of the value spectrum, too. Nonetheless, the app is simple sufficient to grok over time — particularly in comparison with different gaming fashions we’ve used — and the board as an entire will get rather more proper than flawed. – J.D.
- Quick and deeply versatile magnetic switches
- Helpful OLED show
- Nice typing expertise
- A number of connection modes
- Expensive
- Software program is not at all times intuitive
- Battery life could possibly be higher
What to search for in a keyboard
Design
Dimension
The very first thing you’ll wish to take into account on the subject of your subsequent keyboard’s design is measurement. There are a selection of various keyboard layouts to select from, however the most typical are full-sized, tenkeyless and people smaller than tenkeyless.
Full-sized keyboards, or 100%, embody a perform row on the high and a whole quantity pad with arrow keys on the proper facet, together with the entire remainder of the alphanumeric keys you’d anticipate. Tenkeyless, or 80 %, removes the quantity pad however retains the arrow keys and the perform row, decreasing the general width measurement of the board by an honest quantity. Compact keyboards preserve issues extremely easy by together with solely the alphanumeric keys and modifiers like Alt, Shift, Ctrl and others and so they come in numerous sizes like 60 %, 65 % and extra. These are the most well-liked sizes on the market, however yow will discover loads of different designs that embody completely different mixes of keys together with the usual letters and numbers all ought to have.
Apart from measurement, there are two different huge classes that you might use to outline a keyboard: ergonomic and mechanical. Ergonomic keyboards are designed with, you guessed it, higher ergonomics in thoughts, making an allowance for the place it is best to place your fingers, arms and forearms to keep up correct posture. Individually, mechanical keyboards use mechanical switches (of which there are various sorts) that differ vastly from the membrane or scissor-switch keyboards you’ll discover dominating most wired and wi-fi choices extensively out there right now. We’ve got guides to the very best ergonomic keyboards and finest mechanical keyboards, however we’ll summarize what that you must find out about each right here.
Ergonomic keyboards
For those who take care of discomfort from working at a pc all day, ergonomic keyboards can assist. These specifically designed boards re-orient the keys, permitting you to carry your elbows farther aside and preserve a straighter line out of your forearms to arms. Some individuals discover this refined change extra comfy.
Ergonomic keyboards usually fall into two classes: Alice and break up keyboards. The previous is a single unit with an A-shaped hole within the middle of the keys. Cut up fashions are available in two separate items which you’ll organize as you want in your desk. Extra ergonomic options like tenting and unfavourable tilt could make typing really feel much more comfy, and are sometimes out there on each Alice and break up boards. Tenting raises the center of the keys up so your arms tackle extra of a “handshake” place. Damaging tilting lowers the highest of the keyboard to maintain your wrists angled downward as a substitute of again in direction of your forearms.
The best way the keys are organized on the keyboard could make typing simpler as effectively. Historically, keyboards are staggered, with one row of letters barely offset from the row beneath it. Columnar keyboards organize the keys in a grid of rows and columns. This fashion takes somewhat getting used to, however some individuals discover it permits them to sort sooner. You can too make the keys of some keyboards do extra than simply produce letters. Programmable boards allow you to map shortcuts and different capabilities, which can preserve you from reaching for the mouse fairly so typically, saving you time and presumably pressure as effectively.
Mechanical keyboards
Mechanical keyboards have blown up in recognition as extra individuals have been thrust into creating their very own workspaces at house. It’s straightforward to see why: In comparison with a conventional membrane keyboard, an excellent mechanical board is extra sturdy, extra satisfying to press and, most significantly, infinitely extra customizable. The perfect of them often include a worth premium, however even some cheaper fashions allow you to “hot-swap” between keycaps, switches and different supplies, letting you tinker with completely different typing sensations and sound profiles till you discover a mixture that finest expresses your preferences.
Would you like every press to really feel deep and full or quick and light-weight? Do you want them to sound loud and clacky or nearly completely muffled? Do you like your keycaps to look subdued {and professional}, full of RGB lights or written in an Elvish language from The Lord of the Rings for some cause? With the proper new keyboard, it’s all as much as you — the one issues actually holding you again are your creativeness and your pockets.
We’ve got a devoted shopping for information that digs deeper into the important thing features to contemplate when shopping for a mechanical keyboard, so we encourage you to have a look at that for a full rundown. To maintain issues high-level, essentially the most influential a part of your buy is your keyboard’s swap sort. These little mechanisms slot beneath the keycaps and usually have the largest impact on how your keyboard feels and sounds as you sort away.
You may broadly separate mechanical switches into three buckets: linear, tactile and clicky. Linear switches really feel {smooth} all the way in which down; they’re typically fashionable with players since they are usually gentle and quick to actuate. Tactile switches create a tangible “bump” sensation partway by means of a press; many individuals who spend all day typing want them as a result of they clearly verify every press with out (at all times) being all that loud. Clicky switches are functionally much like tactiles however make an audible “click on” sound to match the bump; your coworkers could hate them, however others love the full-throated sense of suggestions they supply. To be clear, simply because two switches fall inside the identical bucket doesn’t imply they really feel or sound precisely the identical. The one method to determine which swap works finest for you is to do your analysis and, ideally, attempt some out for your self.
Different keyboards have a mechanical-style really feel however are constructed on completely different mechanisms solely. The recent new development in gaming-focused keyboards, for instance, is Corridor impact switches, which use tiny magnets to register keystrokes and allow you to customise the sensitivity of every press. Optical switches, in the meantime, provide comparable performance by changing the bodily contact level of a typical mechanical swap with a beam of infrared gentle. Extra lately, we’ve seen a couple keyboards launch with inductive switches, which might work like magnetic switches however use inductive coils within the keyboard’s printed circuit board (PCB) to cater to all switches collectively and don’t require a sensor for every particular person swap. We contact on a few magnetic-switch keyboards in our picks beneath, however for a fuller breakdown of this form of tech, we advocate you try our devoted shopping for information to the finest gaming keyboards.
Connectivity
You’ve obtained two choices right here: wired or wi-fi. Wired keyboards usually have an connected cable that plugs right into a USB-A or USB-C port in your laptop (or docking station), though some include cables that may be eliminated. Wi-fi mechanical keyboards hook up with your machine both through Bluetooth or a wi-fi receiver dongle. There’s at all times the prospect of some latency with wi-fi keyboards, so preserve that in thoughts when you’re selecting one up to make use of primarily with a gaming PC. After all, you’ll solely have to fret about battery life with Bluetooth keyboards.