The Best Mechanical Keyboards of 2023

The Logitech MX Mechanical Keyboard is like a supercharged version of its productivity-focused MX Keys counterpart. Outfitted with mechanical switches, typing with this keyboard not only feels more responsive, but it’s also better suited for anyone who uses the same computer for work and to occasionally play games and who doesn’t need anti-ghosting, a high polling rate, or other features that usually come with gaming keyboards.

The MX Mechanical comes in three options: clicky, tactile, or linear switches. These are not hot-swappable switches like the Nuphy Halo96, but that’s not a major disadvantage considering this is first and foremost an office keyboard. It’s also compatible with every type of computing device—Windows, Apple (macOS, iOS, iPadOS), Linux, ChromeOS, and Android—but the accompanying software only works with Windows and Mac.

Battery life is decent for a wireless mechanical keyboard, too. During testing, we managed eight to nine days of mixed-use (office work and gaming) with the backlight on before needing to recharge. According to Logitech, if you don’t use the backlight, the MX Mechanical’s battery can last for up to 10 months.

The Kinesis Freestyle Pro is an unusual keyboard because it’s split into two parts, which are connected via a cable. One half holds the left side of the keyboard (from Q to T on the top row of letters) while the other holds the rest (Y to P and other keys). This setup works surprisingly well because it allows you to tilt the two parts, which puts your wrists at a more natural angle.

The optional VIP 3 accessory kit further enhances this with a wrist rest and supports the angle of the keyboard to form a tent shape. Again, this can be a big plus if you have RSI (repetitive strain injury) or wrist issues, as it allows you to vary the angle by moving the stands to different positions quickly and easily.

The Freestyle Pro is fitted with Cherry MX brown switches, which have a nice positive feel and a clicky sound when you press them, but with less noise than the blue switches. The keyboard also allows you to record macros using the free SmartSet software, which can be assigned to any key. Compatible with both Mac and PC, this keyboard also includes swappable Windows and Mac keytops.

If you are someone that suffers from RSI (or don’t want to be someone who does), the Kinesys is worth the extra cost, as it’s the most adjustable and configurable keyboard we looked at by a considerable margin.

If you have limited space on your desktop, the compact tenkeyless Varmilo VA87M might be just what you’re looking for. It’s solidly built and has a straightforward design. The durable PBT keycaps come in a variety of colors or artistic finishes and you can pick the key switches you want to pair them with. Varmilo offers its own EC V2 switches, but also carries the popular Cherry MX range.

Key presses are satisfying, and it’s easy to type accurately at speed. We tested the EC V2 switches and there’s a definite click when keys hit bottom, which might not be so noticeable if you have a lighter touch. There’s no software for the Varmilo VA87M, which means you can’t program keys. There’s no macro support and no room for dedicated media keys, either. The backlighting is just white with a few levels of brightness and a breathing effect, but that’s it for customization.

The Mini-USB to USB-A cable is removable and there’s a channel on the underside for cable management. There are also fold-out feet to set the keyboard at an angle, though we accidentally collapsed them a couple of times. The Varmilo VA87M is an elegant compact keyboard that will last many years, but it is lacking a few features that might put gamers off.

Do you know how hackers in the movies have strange-looking keyboards with indecipherable buttons? That’s not what the Happy Hacking Professional Hybrid is. Instead, it’s the type of keyboard that a real hacker might use. It’s incredibly customizable and comfortable to type on. It’s a 60% keyboard, which means it’s lacking the number pad, arrow keys, and function row that are on larger models. The directional keys can be accessed by holding down the Function key and pressing the semicolon and apostrophe keys next to the return key, though.

The layout of other keys is worth noting, as it’s a bit unusual. The caps lock key is replaced by a large Control key, which makes sense if you’re hitting shortcuts like Control-C more often than typing in caps. The keyboard can also be configured to work with Windows, Mac, or Android devices by flipping the DIP switches on the base. These switches also allow you to change the function of the delete key between delete and backspace and the function of the command keys.

There are a few key shortcuts for switching between USB and Bluetooth and four Bluetooth connections. That’s where the real power of this keyboard lies. It can connect to up to five devices (one USB-C and four Bluetooth devices) at once. You can even switch between them with a couple of keypresses. That’s a remarkably useful feature for those who run several computers at once.

The keyboard uses Topre switches, which have a light feel but require a bit of force to press down. They are also quiet, with just a soft bumping noise when they hit the bottom of their travel. It’s a very different feel to the clicky blue switches of other keyboards, but it has decent travel and a positive feel.

The downside? Price. This is among the most expensive keyboards in its class. That said, if you regularly switch between computers (or between computers, a phone, and a tablet), then this is the one for you.

The HyperX Alloy Origins is a mid-priced mechanical keyboard that has lights to spare. The entire thing is illuminated by bright LEDs. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on your personal preference.

The HyperX NGENUITY software (available for Windows 10) allows you to control the color, pattern, and brightness of the lights right down to each individual key. There are also a number of lighting effects like the explosion: press a key and a wave of red flame spreads through the keyboard. The fade effect is rather fun, too. Each key you press lights up, then slowly fades out in your chosen color.

The Hyperx switches have a soft, slightly squishy feel that would work well for gaming. It takes little force to press a key, so you can hammer away at the fire button for as long as you want without straining anything. The keys are well-spaced and have a slight indent, so it’s easy to find a key by touch.

The thin base of the keyboard is made of aluminum, so it should stand up to heavy use. It’s also the only keyboard we’ve seen that uses a USB-C connection. A USB-C to USB-A cable is included, so it can still be used with an older computer, but it’s good to see a keyboard manufacturer moving with the times. There are no extra USB ports, though, which means you can’t plug a thumb drive or flash card reader into the keyboard.

The NGENUITY software allows you to disable individual keys, which is useful if you keep hitting the wrong key dropping out of a game mid-firefight. Every key can also be reassigned to another key and these are saved to the keyboard itself, so the reassignment will survive when you change computers. Any key can also be set to trigger a macro or mouse function, which is useful if you work in a program like Premiere, as it makes use of combination key and mouse commands.

Do you need a screen on your keyboard? Steelseries seems to think so. Its Apex Pro TKL has a small monochrome OLED display on the top right corner that can be used to display whatever you want. How useful that will be is debatable.

The Apex Pro is unusual in being somewhat adjustable. The Steelseries Engine app, which is available for macOS and Windows, allows you to adjust the actuation point of the keys. This can be adjusted from 0.4mm (so you barely need to press the key to register) to 3.6mm. The idea is to set it low for gaming so you can fire with a gentle touch and to set it high when you need to press keys down fully for typing.

This doesn’t change the feel of the keys, though. They remain rather soft and easy to press compared to the stiffer blue switches in other keyboards. There’s hardly any resistance, so it feels more like a laptop keyboard than most mechanical ones.

The LED lighting of the Apex Pro is similarly configurable, with an RGB LED under each key that can be controlled via the Engine app. This offers a good selection of patterns and effects. The LEDs are also very bright, so you can create some almost blinding effects if you want. Fortunately, they can also be turned down for a more subtle look.

Given that Cherry is the manufacturer of the ever-popular Cherry MX key switches, we were excited to try out a full keyboard from the brand. The aluminum MX Board 3.0 S has an angular, low-profile design and feels reassuringly solid. This is a full-sized keyboard and, as you’d expect from Cherry, there’s a choice of MX switches. We tested the silent Red switches and they are a pleasure to type on and very quiet, as promised. There’s also RGB backlighting, dedicated media controls, and the option to program keys and record macros.

There’s no wrist rest with this keyboard, and strangely there are no fold-out feet either, so it sits flat on your desktop. We didn’t run into any issues using this keyboard for work or gaming, but nothing stood out as especially good, either. The lighting is relatively subdued compared to some of the best gaming keyboards, but we appreciate the fact you can change colors and effects with the function keys on the board.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the software. It was difficult to find the right software in the first place, as Cherry’s website is confusing. The interface can only be described as sparse and, while we found macro recording and key programming options, we could not find any way to change the RGB lighting. Deficiencies in the software and the lack of any height adjustment make this a tough sell, particularly when you can get the same excellent Cherry MX switches in a lot of other boards.

The Das Keyboard Professional S is a rather expensive but high-quality keyboard that forgoes the fancy features of others. There are no blinking lights, complicated apps, or strange keys. Instead, you get a solid keyboard with blue or brown Cherry MX switches for a soft or clicky experience. We tested the blue switch version.

It shares a lot with its design inspiration, the classic IBM Model M keyboard. The Model S is a heavy, dense keyboard that feels like it could take a lot of use and keep on working. The Model S professional has a thick plastic case, which does make it a little quieter than other Cherry MX blue-equipped keyboards. It's still not very quiet, though. The keys produce a very audible click and bump as you type.

This larger case design also means that the keys are not as isolated as they are on other models—the top of the case here is just a few millimeters below the tops of the keys themselves. That’s more about aesthetics than usability, though. The keys are still nicely separated and easy to navigate by touch.

This 104-key keyboard has all the standard keys, although the function keys above the main keyboard are more heavily branded as media keys, which is a little confusing. The labels for the media functions of the keys are larger than the function key labels, but you have to hold the blue Fn key to use them. Most other keyboards make the largest icon the one that happens when you press the key on its own, not a secondary function. You do get used to it fairly quickly, but it seems somewhat backward.

On the left side of the keyboard are two USB 2.0 ports, useful for plugging in thumb drives without having to reach behind the computer.