The 2022 Best Mechanical Keyboards

It’s hard to beat the tactility, durability, or good looks of a mechanical keyboard, but if you’re looking for one, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are our top picks, including both wired and wireless models, ranging from compact keyboards with laptop-style layouts to full-size keyboards complete with numpads, from budget to… not so budget.

While there’s nothing wrong with more typical membrane keyboards like Apple’s popular Magic-branded devicesMany prefer mechanical keyboards due to their superior durability and tactile typing experience. There’s also a sizable enthusiast community of people who like to modify and customize them to get their look and feel just right, which means they can be a fun hobby as well as a simple PC accessory.

We restricted our recommendations to fully assembled keyboards that are readily available. You can’t assemble them yourself, or if they are limited edition or available only in groups. One exception: keyboards with a built-in keyboard are prioritized. Hot-swappable SwitchesYou can replace them easily if they fail or you simply want a new look. 

We tested each keyboard’s typing feel and sound (obviously), the quality of its chassis, keycaps, and stabilizers, how customizable the keymapping and lighting are, and the ability to use it across Mac and Windows computers (such as by offering keycap legends for either OS or being able to easily swap layouts with a switch or shortcut). Because this affects keycap compatibility and backlighting, we also checked whether the switches face south or north.

These keyboards use a 75 per cent layout. It is compact and maintains a function row as well as arrow key clusters like many laptop keyboards. It’s the best place to start unless you really want an attached number pad or know you prefer a different layout. Nearly all of our recommendations also come in other layouts, which we’ve linked where possible. 

Finally, while any keyboard can be used for gaming, this guide focuses on the best keyboards for typing and general office work, so input latency and responsiveness weren’t major deciding factors. If you’re after a keyboard specifically for gaming, then stay tuned for our upcoming dedicated guide. 

The Keychron V1This is our top pick for the best entry level wired keyboard. Starting at just $84 for a fully assembled model, it’s one of the more affordable options on this list, but it feels almost as nice to type on as keyboards costing twice as much, and its build quality is lovely and sturdy. The keyboard sounds great, as there is no noticeable stabilizer rattle. Its 75 percent layout allows for a good mix of compactness and key access without losing any important keys. 

For such a low cost, the V1 packs many features normally found on enthusiast keyboards. The V1 features hot-swappable switches that can be used with south-facing RGB backlighting and switches and stabilizers that feel smooth and comfortable. It’s fully programmable: you can remap every key using the intuitive and powerful VIASoftware on top QMK — which works on Windows, Mac, and Linux and lets you do everything from moving keys around to programming macros directly into the keyboard itself.

The V1 features durable PBT keycaps with both Mac and Windows legends. A switch at the back allows you to toggle between layouts immediately. For an additional $10, you can purchase the V1 with a volume knob (pictured), or you can save $20 by purchasing a barebones model without keycaps and switches. Our sample came with Keychron’s own tactile K Pro Brown switches, but there are also clicky and linear options.

If you like the design of the V1 but don’t like its layout, Keychron also sells the Compacter V2This layout is 65 percent smaller than the one shown and does not include the dedicated function row. Even smaller V4The 60 percent design omits all arrow keys. The Tenkeyless V3 is not yet available as of this writing, and there’s no full-sized option (which would include a number pad), though at the rate Keychron is launching new models, that may not be the case when you read this. 

Keychron’s Q-series keyboards have impressed us by offering the quality and features of expensive, limited run boards on an off-the-shelf model. Yes, they’re still expensive by the standards of PC accessories, but their sturdy aluminum construction, exceptional typing feel, and customizability mean they’re competitive with keyboards several times more expensive. That makes them fantastic upgrade picks over Keychron’s V-series but not the first option most people should consider, especially since many of the Q-series’ most compelling features, like VIA programming, hot-swappability, and per-key south-facing RGB backlighting, are also available on V-series boards. 

The Q-series’ full aluminum case and gasket-mounted design make it feel much more substantial than the plastic keyboards I’ve tested. It suspends its switch plate/PCB between two gaskets. This allows the keyboard to flex more as you type. It’s more customizable than the V1, too; Keychron sells replacement switch plates in different materials that change how it feels and sounds.

The Q series offers a dizzying array layout options. We believe the 75 percent is the best. Q1 v2As of the writing of this article, it starts at $170.10 to fully assembled a model. This is the perfect size. The v2 model addresses some minor fit and finish issues that were present in the original Q1, but these are also incorporated into other layouts. The tactile Gateron G Pro Brown switches are present in our sample, but clicky and linear options are also available.

There is more to the Q1 than just one. 65 percent option, plus larger layouts like TenkeylessOder Full size. You can even choose a more esoteric layout option like 40%, 60 percent?, Alice(Not to mention standalone) Number pad). You can choose to have the volume knob or not. There are also barebones options available for those who wish to provide their own switches and keycaps. The ISO versions — for UK and European layouts — are only available barebones, though Keychron sells ISO keycap sets separately.

The wireless mechanical keyboard option is the best, according to us. Epomaker TH80. It feels fantastic to type on, supports Bluetooth connections to up to three different devices, and also includes a 2.4GHz wireless USB dongle if you don’t want to mess around with Bluetooth pairing. It also has Mac-specific keycaps and lets you switch between Windows and Mac layouts using a keyboard shortcut. 

The Epomaker TH80 75 percent keyboard has hot-swap switches, volume knob and is similar to the Keychron V1 & Q1. It has a plastic case and steel switch plate, and while it doesn’t feel quite as premium as Keychron’s Q-series keyboards, it’s got nice crisp PBT keycaps in MDA Profile, smooth stabilizers, and a typing feel that’s on par with the slightly cheaper wired-only Keychron V1. The review sample was equipped with the linear Gateron Pro Yellow switches. However, there are many clicky and linear options.

The Epomaker TH80’s layout can be remapped with software that works on both Mac and Windows computers. It’s not as slick or powerful as the VIA app used by Keychron’s boards but still lets you remap every key (aside from the Function key) with alternative keys or macros. VIA allows you to add or move function keys in different layers.

The TH80 doesn’t have secondary functions printed on its keycaps, so you’ll need to keep its manual to hand to remind yourself what they do. It has per-key RGB lighting with south-facing LEDs, but the battery life is severely impacted by wireless backlighting. I got just two and a half days of use over Bluetooth with the keyboard’s RGB lighting set to maximum, compared to eight work days with the backlight off before I had to plug it in to recharge.

Epomaker offers a 75 percent layout for the TH80, which is our favorite. Version larger with a numpadAs well as the aforementioned, smaller 65 percent model. If you’re on a tighter budget, the Royal Kludge RK84, $80This is a slightly more affordable option that doesn’t compromise on typing feel. However its software is Windows only and the layout is a little less smushed.

The app was also very useful. Iqunix L80 Cosmic Traveler. It’s more expensive at $189, it’s not easily remappable, and it has a loud color scheme that won’t be to everyone’s tastes. But it feels phenomenal to type on, with plate-mounted, Cherry-style stabilizers that don’t have a hint of rattle and up to 200 days of battery life over Bluetooth with the backlight off.

The $140 Ajazz AK966This is our choice if you are looking for a wireless keyboard that also has a numpad. The 1800 layout means that it contains most of the keys of full-size keyboards, but in a smaller layout to reduce its footprint. This larger layout also corresponds to a larger 10,000mAh battery, which here is rated to offer up to 1,200 hours on a single charge (though, once again, you’re going to want to disable its RGB lighting to get this sort of longevity — with RGB on rated battery life drops to around 50 hours). 

The AK966 has a nice crisp typing feel and stabilizers that feel smooth and don’t rattle. Its construction isn’t quite at the level of Keychron’s Q-series since Ajazz’s keyboard has a plastic case, but it feels noticeably nicer to type on than the cheaper Epomaker TH80 and Keychron V1. The AK966’s keycaps are PBT, with legends that are nice and clear. There are no secondary functions printed on the keycaps. Keep your manual handy to learn its keyboard shortcuts. You can also adjust the volume.

Although it includes Mac keycaps in the box, with a key combination to let you hop between Windows and Mac layouts, Ajazz’s software — for customizing the AK966’s layout, configuring its lighting, or recording macros — is only available on Windows. We don’t think that’s a dealbreaker, given its 96 percent layout includes basically every default key you’d want as standard, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you can’t live without dedicated keys for Home, End, or Print Screen or if you’re used to customizing particular keyboard shortcuts. The keyboard is also only available with linear Kailh Cream switches, so if you prefer clicky or tactile switches, you’ll have to buy them separately. That’s also not a dealbreaker since the board is hot-swappable.

$30 less than the KeychronV1’s price and half the cost of our top pick, this is the perfect choice. $55 65 Percent LTC NimblebackIt is a punch above its weight. It’s very full-featured for its price, with shine-through RGB lighting and hot-swappable switches, and it even has a built-in USB hub, with a pair of USB Type-A ports to plug extra accessories into your computer.

As you might expect, given the price difference, the LTC Nimbleback’s construction It isn’t as solid as the Keychron V1, and it doesn’t feel as nice to type on as any of the picks above. Its switches feel slightly less smooth and more scratchy with each press, there’s a slight rattle to the stabilizers on larger keys like the space bar, and it sounds a bit hollow overall. It’s also made of plastic, and while it isAlthough it can be reprogrammed, the companion software for Windows is not available. But the LTC Nimbleback’s typing feel holds its own against more similarly priced competitors, including the $68 Keychron K6.

You can choose from clicky, linear or tactile switches for the LTC Nimbleback (we had it with the latter). If the model listed here looks a little too small for your liking, then there’s also a full-size version available for $75. 

If you’re after the tactility of a mechanical keyboard but prefer a low-profile design that’s similar to a traditional laptop keyboard, there is an increasing number of options available to you. We think that the following are our favorites. $110 NuPhyAir75It is the best. It is comfortable to use, works well on Windows and Mac, and can be connected via Bluetooth or the included 2.4GHz wireless USB dongle. We used the keyboard with linear Gateron Red low-profile switches, but it’s also available with tactile or clicky options.

Contrary to the more costly Logitech MX Mini, it’s also hot-swappable, which we think gives the NuPhy Air 75 a slight edge. Hot-swap sockets aren’t quite as important on low-profile keyboards, given there simply aren’t as many low-profile switch options out there — and there are several different mutually incompatible low-profile switch types — but it’s still a nice feature to have, and NuPhy sells compatible switch.

There’s one very good reason to consider the more expensive Logitech MX Mini, and that’s battery life. In my testing, the Nuphy Air75 ran dry after around a week of use, while Logitech’s had enough juice for two, even with backlighting on (this extends up to a lengthy 10 months with backlighting off). Logitech’s low-profile mech is also available with a larger full-size layoutThis is great if you have a numpad. 

They’re very much a niche option, but plenty of people swear by split keyboards, which are designed to let you type with your hands further apart, and your shoulders in a more neutral position. We recommend the following: Kinesis Freestyle Pro. 

It doesn’t have hot-swappable switches, which means you’re stuck with the Cherry MX Brown or Cherry MX Silent Red switches that it comes with unless you’re willing to do some soldering. But at $179, it’s relatively affordable by the often exorbitant prices of split keyboards (the ErgoDox EZ Original starting at $324For example, it is possible to do this while you are at the ZSA Moonlander is $365), and it has a layout that’s much closer to a traditional keyboard than a lot of other ergonomic options. It means there’s less of a learning curve if you’re coming from a standard keyboard layout. 

That’s not to say there aren’t hot-swappable ergonomic options out there. The experience was great. ZSA Moonlander. ZSA’s Oryx configurator software offers a ton of options to create highly customized layouts, and optional accessories like an angled stand and tripod mounting kit mean you can tailor the keyboard to your exact needs. It also offers hot-swappable switches, which we normally consider an essential part of a modern keyboard, but we don’t think that justifies the price premium for most people. The Moonlander keyboard is $365 and takes some getting used to. ZSA allows you return the keyboard. Within 30 days of the time you receive it.) 

The ZSA Moonlander is the best choice if you need the most customizable ergonomic option. The Kinesis Freestyle Pro will satisfy most people who want an ergonomic keyboard that has a familiar layout.

Jay Peters provides additional reporting.