PC gaming is a potentially expensive hobby, but it doesn't have to be. It's perfectly possible to work on a tight budget and still create an epic setup that'll give you thousands of hours of gaming bliss.
This is true of keyboards, too. You can spend a fortune, but you don't have to. We set a limit of $100 and selected the best keyboards you can get within that budget.
Razer Ornata
The Razer Ornata is a curious beast. It has a clicky feeling like a mechanical keyboard, but it isn't one. It's a Mecha-Membrane, which Razer says combines both a mechanical and a membrane keyboard switches. The keycap is specially designed to be shorter, to reduce the time it takes to see a response.
As such, you get a keyboard that still has a satisfying click and great key action but that is a little quieter than a fully mechanical keyboard. It supports Razer's Chroma lighting system, has a number pad and an included wrist rest so you don't get tired during those longer sessions.
Best of all, it's available for $99.99.
Corsair Strafe
The Corsair Strafe is available with blue, brown and red Cherry MX switches. Sporting USB pass-through for attaching your mouse and freeing up a port on your PC, this particular keyboard packs a punch for the price.
Corsair has also thought about the different titles owners of this keyboard will enjoy by including textured and contoured keycaps for FPS and MOBA setups. Throw in the included anti-ghosting functionality, and it's quite the keyboard for both typists and gamers — especially at its competitive price of $70.
If you're looking for a tenkeyless setup instead, the Corsair K65 is a similarly good choice.
Cooler Master MasterKeys S
For a great tenkeyless gaming keyboard, Cooler Master's MasterkeysS should be on the list. It's solid as a rock and highly portable, made only better by the removable USB cable. It's also fairly understated in appearance, which can't be said of all gaming keyboards.
You get a Cherry MX Blue switches with "strategically placed" green switches that require more force to assist in eliminating accidental presses. There's also anti-ghosting and a bundle of replaceable key caps in the box. With these, you can highlight certain keys in red to stand out for easy location when you're in the middle of a raid.
Both tenkeyless and full-sized models are available right now under $80.
HyperX Alloy FPS Pro
Coming in well under budget at $80 is the Alloy FPS Pro from HyperX — the gaming arm of Kingston. It is built like a tank, subtle in looks and strong where it counts. Despite having a full number pad, it's still incredibly compact, perfect for throwing in a bag and taking to a LAN party.
With steel construction, the Alloy is going to take all of the gaming-related hammerings you can throw at it. Those Cherry MX Red switches will give you just the feeling you're looking for.
100 percent anti-ghosting means you'll never miss a crucial moment, and FPS fans, in particular, will love the optional textured keycaps, because keeping your fingers where it matters can be the difference between a W and an L.
HAVIT HV-KB395L
This more affordable keyboard is a delight to type on. HAVIT opted to go with low-profile Kailh Blue switches, which are like Cherry MX Blue but have a much shorter travel and actuation — it feels as though you're typing on a premium laptop. It's a blast when typing and is also rather capable at gaming, and the audible and tactile feedback with each press is a joy.
There are some missing features, including the lack of media controls on the function keys and no dedicated macro keys for gamers. But as a mechanical typing experience, you could do a whole lot worse. It's also just $79.99, or $59.99 for the tenkeyless version.
Updated May 30, 2018: An excellent keyboard from HAVIT joins our lineup.
