Having the right tools at your disposal when PC gaming is critical, and the heart of your performance is your keyboard. If you want the very best gaming keyboard money can buy, you want the Corsair K95.
Our Pick
Corsair K95
Pricey, but tough to beat
You get so much with the K95. You get a choice of Cherry MX Speed or Brown switches, the former being better for gaming while sacrificing a little in everyday use. The K95 is also packed with RGB lighting, macro keys, and a really handy volume wheel. The K95 is also built with an aluminum frame, textured keycaps in places such as the space bar, and 8MB of onboard storage for lighting and macro profiles.
Who should buy the Corsair K95
The Corsair K95 is perfect for all types of games enthusiasts, from MOBAs to FPS, and is especially useful for anyone who travels around while playing games thanks to the onboard storage. However, it's more of a choice for somebody with a broad budget.
Is it a good time to buy the Corsair K95?
It has been on the market for a while now but there's no sign of an imminent replacement. The flip side is that it's now available at a bit of a discount over its list price.
Reasons to buy
- Cherry MX Speed Switches
- Onboard storage
- Textured keycaps
- Included wrist rest
Reasons not to buy
- Speed switches not great for typing
- Quite expensive
Why the Corsair K95 is the best
If there's a dream gaming keyboard, the K95 is the closest to it right now.
It's big and it's expensive, but if you're a PC gamer it ticks every box on your wishlist. That starts with the Cherry MX Speed switches, which are so utterly responsive it almost feels like you're cheating. They're probably not the best if you do a lot of typing, but for gaming, they're almost unbeatable.
The K95 is the closest thing to a dream gaming keyboard.
It's well made and thoughtfully designed, too. Sure, the font on the keys might not be your thing, but the fact Corsair included a detachable wrist rest, macro keys, a selection of textured keycaps, onboard memory for lighting and macro profiles, and that sweet scroll wheel for changing volume shows it is really thinking about the people who will be using the K95. It's from a brand you can trust, and you can expect first-rate reliability.
Alternatives to the Corsair K95
If you have different specific requirements in your gaming keyboard, the good news is there are some first-rate alternatives. The K95 might be the very best, but these alternatives are no slouch either.
Runner-up
Razer Blackwidow
A lower priced legend
Razer's Blackwidow keyboards are legendary, and the 2019 model continues the legacy. It runs Razer's own mechanical switches and they're fast, responsive, and have a super satisfying "click."
The Blackwidow oozes features. Besides the customary Chroma lighting system, the Blackwidow boasts HyperShift for adding secondary functions and macros to any key, serious anti-ghosting, and a build quality that should stand up to long fragging sessions for years to come. It's also an absurdly good price for such a quality keyboard.
Best TKL
SteelSeries Apex M750
Compact gaming bliss
If you travel about a lot or simply don't want a full-sized keyboard with numberpad, then this is for you. This version of the Apex M750 cuts that off but retains the most excellent QX2 linear switches for a smaller keyboard but without sacrificing performance.
It's built like a tank with an aluminum frame, so if you do toss it in a bag a lot it won't fall apart. SteelSeries' lighting system is pretty special as well. Besides looking good, it hooks up to Discord for customizable chat notifications as well as offering a similar feature in supported games with GameSense.
Best budget
Havit KB-395L
For when you type and game
Havit has released a solid low-profile keyboard with mechanical keys. That's a feat in of itself, but to have it combined with such a sound typing experience is icing on the cake.
The switches are still perfectly good for gaming with, but this is a keyboard that comes into its own for anyone who wants to combine their gaming with a ton of typing for work. It's almost crazy how good this keyboard is for its low asking price.
Best membrane
Razer Cynosa Chroma
A quiet gaming experience
Not everyone enjoys the added noise you get from mechanical switches, while still wanting something reliable for gaming. Razer's Cynosa Chroma is one of the best membrane keyboards around with a quiet sound and a soft, cushioned key press.
Naturally, this Razer keyboard comes with Chroma lighting, but it's also spill resistant and supports 10-key rollover with anti-ghosting. Thanks to the Synapse 3 companion app, you have additional features like being able to lock out the Windows key when gaming, and you can add additional functions or macros to any key using Razer Hypershift.
Best wireless
Logitech G613
The wireless quality you get from Logitech
There was a time a wireless gaming keyboard would be unthinkable. Not only is it now an option, but thanks to the Logitech G613 it's a great option with mechanical switches. Thanks to the company's Lightspeed technology, you get a one-millisecond report rate while being able to clack away on Logitech's Romer-G switches.
The wrist rest is permanently attached, and incredibly Logitech is claiming it possible to get a full year's battery life from the G613. For a pretty affordable price you get all that, macro keys and, most importantly, no wires.
Final thoughts
There are a lot of great gaming keyboards out there right now, and PC gamers are spoiled. If the price doesn't put you off, Corsair's excellent K95 has everything you could want from a high-end keyboard. If you have other requirements, or a lower budget, the options here from Razer, HyperX and Logitech also are well worth the investment.
Our Pick
Corsair K95
Pricey, but tough to beat
You get so much with the K95. You get a choice of Cherry MX Speed or Brown switches, the former being better for gaming while sacrificing a little in everyday use. The K95 is also packed with RGB lighting, macro keys, and a really handy volume wheel. The K95 is also built with an aluminum frame, textured keycaps in places such as the space bar, and 8MB of onboard storage for lighting and macro profiles.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Richard Devine is an Editor at Windows Central. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently you'll find him covering all manner of PC hardware and gaming, and you can follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
Rich Edmonds is a staff reviewer at Windows Central, which means he tests out more software and hardware than he cares to remember. Joining Mobile Nations in 2010, you can usually find him inside a PC case tinkering around when not at a screen fighting with Grammarly to use British words. Hit him up on Twitter: @RichEdmonds.
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