5 Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard

If you’ve heard friends, coworkers, or family members raving about mechanical keyboards, there’s a good reason for that. Mechanical keyboards are better than the traditional membrane-based keyboard in almost every way, Not only do they last longer because of better durability, but they’re more comfortable on the hands. Budget Mechanical keyboard keys typically require more travel, which helps keep problems like carpal tunnel away.

Since mechanical keyboards are better, they’re naturally going to cost more money than your standard membrane keyboard. Still, if you’re on a budget, there’s plenty of mechanical keyboards you can get without breaking the bank. Here are our five favorites.

Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard

 

1. HyperX Alloy FPS Mechanical Keyboard

If you’re looking for something under $100, this Alloy FPS mechanical keyboard from HyperX will be right up your alley. Sitting at around $80, this one comes with genuine Cherry MX switches, which produce an excellent sound and feel. Kingston — the maker of the HyperX Alloy — actually offers this one in blue, brown, and red switches, so you have a lot of choice here.

As you might expect out of a mechanical keyboard, the HyperX Alloy has excellent durability, due in part because of the steel frame. That said, you won’t have to worry about buying a new mechanical keyboard any time soon. And, as an added bonus, if you really want get into customization, keys can be swapped out for different types that you might need.

Buy it now: here

 

2. Corsair K70 LUX

Decidedly in second place on our countdown, Corsair’s K70 LUX is a must have. This one might not sit at under $100, but it has some notable improvements to it that are hard to pass up. For one, it has a wrist rest, which makes it a little more comfortable for longer use, such as for an 8-hour work day or long gaming sessions. Like the others, you have options of using genuine Cherry MX Blue, Red, or Brown switches. The keycaps themselves are made of ABS, so you get that nice, soft, comfortable touch. This one has a red LED backlighting, which makes it a little more geared towards gaming.

Made out of aluminum, the Corsair K70 LUX is an investment that will last you for years to come.

Buy it now: here

 

3. Corsair Strafe Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Corsair’s STRAFE mechanical gaming keyboard might be the last we’re looking at, but this one sits at number one place. Not only that, but it’s exactly $100. These also come with genuine Cherry MX switches, and you have the choice of using Brown, Red, or Blue. Also with ABS keycaps, keys are soft to touch and press. There’s a red LED backlighting, which helps with that “gaming” feel. This keyboard is fully programmable, which means that you each and every key can be reassigned to something else, all based on your customization.

Buy it now: here

 

 

4. Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro L

Coming in as our third contender, we have yet another choice from Cooler Master — the MasterKeys Pro L keyboard. Again, this one is equipped with genuine Cherry MX Blue switches, but you can choose to get it in Brown or Red as well. It has a nice, cool white LED backlighting, which makes it easy to use during darker hours. This one actually comes with something called ABS keycaps, which give the tops of the keys a softer feel, which is perfect for long gaming or typing sessions.

Buy it now: here

5. Cooler Master MasterKeys L

If you’ve never heard of Cooler Master before, then you’ve likely been living under a rock. This company is reputable as a maker of all sorts of computer products and accessories, this mechanical keyboard being one of them. The MasterKeys L is actually unique because it comes equipped with genuine Cherry MX keys with PBT keycaps. It’s almost unheard of to find this type of mechanical keyboard on the cheap, but Cooler Master has done it. Like other mechanical keyboards, this one is durable enough that you won’t have to worry about buying a new one for some time.

Like the option from Kingston, you can choose to get this one with Cherry MX Blue, Brown, or Red switches, with the Blue ones being the best for professional use.

 

Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard Verdict

As you can see, there are a lot of excellent budget mechanical keyboards out there. Any one of these keyboards will be leagues better than your traditional membrane-based keyboard.

Do you have a favorite mechanical keyboard? Let us know what it is in the comments below.