You get a lot of features with a gaming keyboard, one of which is RGB razzle-dazzle, lighting up your rig like a nightclub. But not every keyboard with good lighting is worth buying, and if you don’t want your play to suffer, then you should go for a keyboard that doesn’t cut corners in the performance department, either. If bank balance isn’t an issue, you can go for the best mechanical gaming keyboards that money can buy or even build your own. However, for those who want the best bang for their buck, these budget gaming keyboards are top-notch.

  • Editor's choice
    Logitech K845

    The Logitech K845 has exceptional build quality and performance and offers TTC or Cherry MX Red/Brown switches, all for an accessible price. It doesn’t have RGB, but the per-key white backlighting has five lighting effects. It’s a full-sized keyboard, so you'll have access to all 104 keys, including a numpad. With two incline angles, you can also set it for your most comfortable typing experience, whether it’s for gaming or some work on the side.

  • Best value
    G.Skill KM250

    G.Skill, the company that makes high-end memory modules, also dabbles in gaming keyboards, and they’re no slouch. You won’t get a better-value keyboard than the G.Skill KM250. Even at less than $50, you get nearly everything: hot-swappable Gateron mechanical switches, PBT pudding keycaps, per-key RGB lighting with various modes, a detachable USB-C cable, and even a clickable media dial.

  • Premium pick
    Cooler Master CK552

    Cooler Master CK552 is for those on a budget who still want the most from their keyboard, like RGB lighting with various effects and a full-sized keyboard with a premium finish. You can pick between blue, red, or brown Gateron switches, and it comes with replaceable ABS keycaps. The keyboard has a brushed aluminum metal plate for a clean, premium look, and it connects to the Cooler Master software, where you can tweak the lighting, set macros, and even remap keys.

  • Best full-sized
    Keychron K10

    The Keychron K10 is a good pick if a full-sized keyboard is a priority. It uses Gateron red or brown mechanical switches and includes ABS keycaps. You also get wireless connectivity via a Bluetooth 5.1 chipset, which can connect with up to three devices at a time. The latency over wireless isn’t great, so it’s best to use this keyboard with the included detachable USB-C cable when gaming.

  • Best wireless
    Royal Kludge Rk96

    You can’t beat Royal Kludge RK96 in terms of wireless connectivity. This 96-key, hot-swappable keyboard has Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, which makes it the perfect portable keyboard if you game on your laptop. It’s a compact full-sized keyboard, so it lacks only a few navigation keys but has the rest, including the numpad (in a much smaller form factor). It also has two built-in USB 2.0 pass-through ports and a magnetic wrist rest.

  • Best membrane
    Razer Cyanosa V2

    If a mechanical keyboard isn’t your thing, and you prefer to type in silence, you can’t go wrong with the Razer Cyanosa V2. It has a full-sized gaming keyboard's features but uses membrane instead of mechanical switches. This model has amazing per-key RGB that can be tweaked using Razer’s Synapse 3 software. Here, you can also set macros to the “Sleep Mode,” “Game Mode,” and media keys that sit next to the volume buttons.

  • Best compact
    HyperX Alloy Origins 60

    The HyperX Alloy Origins is one of the best 60% gaming keyboards out there, with all the features you’ll ever need. It's missing a lot of keys, but It uses an aluminum backplate and PBT doubleshot keycaps for full marks in the build quality department. The RGB lighting can be customized through HyperX’s NGENUITY software along with any macros. It also includes HyperX Red Linear switches that are great for gaming.

  • Best tenkeyless
    Glorious GMMK TKL

    The Glorious GMMK TKL is a great option if you want a tenkeyless (TKL) keyboard for your setup. You'll get all the good stuff: Gateron brown switches, superb build quality, fully customizable per-key RGB lighting, and hot-swappable switches. The keyboard has textured ABS double shot keycaps for better grip and is powered by a detachable USB-C cable. With the Glorious software, you can map macros and even create up to three profiles.

Getting the best typing experience at a great price

You might think that a high-end keyboard with a triple-digit price tag is the only way you can get the best gaming performance, but that’s far from the truth. These budget gaming keyboards are proof that you can get many expensive keyboard features at a fraction of their price.

The Logitech K845 is the perfect pick for most people. It’s extremely durable, and the lack of RGB lighting is a plus point for people who prefer to keep things minimalist. At its core, this is a mechanical keyboard that does everything you want it to without any hassle. If you want to go even cheaper, you can opt for G.Skill KM250. It’s a 65% keyboard, but if you don’t mind its compact form factor, you get various features like a media dial, PBT pudding keycaps, and the ability to hot-swap switches. At this price, you won't find a better entry-level keyboard than the KM250.

For those who want a more premium keyboard that barely enters the triple-digit pricing, Cooler Master’s CK552 is what you should go for. It gives you all 104 keys in a brushed aluminum frame, along with software support to customize your keyboard however you like.

If you don’t like to purchase items at full price, we’ve scouted the best keyboard deals going on right now so you can get the bargain of a lifetime.