The perfect keyboards for 2025

Typing, gaming, coding or simply searching — how your fingers join together with your keyboard can change the entire really feel of your setup. Whether or not you’re searching for one thing whisper-quiet and compact or a thunderous mechanical board that sings with each stroke, the most effective keyboards make an actual distinction in consolation and efficiency.

Some individuals need a minimalist board that lives neatly subsequent to their laptop computer or slips right into a journey bag. Others want a full-size mannequin with a numpad, devoted macros and a construct that stands as much as lengthy classes. Immediately’s keyboard market is extra numerous than ever. You’ll discover boards designed for elegant workspace minimalism, gaming keyboards with aggressive RGB-lit setups and ergonomic keyboards constructed to scale back pressure if you spend hours typing. Wi-fi fashions provide flexibility and tidy desks, whereas wired choices nonetheless lead when velocity and reliability matter most.

Whether or not you’re upgrading your first desktop, constructing a pro-level gaming rig or just searching for a board that works higher day after day, we’ve discovered the keyboards price your money and time.

Desk of contents

What to look for in a keyboard

Greatest keyboards for 2025

Logitech

Connectivity: Bluetooth and Logi Bolt USB receiver | Dimension: Full-size format | Materials: Plastic chassis with low-profile scissor switches | Switches: Scissor switches | Sizzling-swappable: No | Backlight: Sure, good illumination with ambient gentle sensors | Software program: Logi Choices+

Logitech is aware of how you can make a strong keyboard, and the Grasp sequence has been a superb one over the previous few years. The MX Keys S is the most recent full-sized version and it combines a low-profile design with snug keys and useful customization instruments. It appears fairly glossy in black, white or graphite, measuring just below 17 inches in width and solely 0.8 inches excessive off your desk. Its spherically-dished keys cradle your fingertips each time you press, and whereas I wouldn’t go up to now to say they completely prevented me from placing any typos on this information, the form positively helps greater than different, flatter keycaps I’ve used.

It is a backlit keyboard with “good illumination,” which simply means the backlight will kick on when your arms strategy the board and regulate relying on the lighting in your atmosphere. I’ve a good quantity of pure gentle in my residence workplace throughout common working hours, so I opted to show the backlight off — should you do the identical, you may rise up to 5 months of battery life out of the MX Keys S (Logitech estimates 10 days with good illumination on). The keyboard has a built-in USB-C port for charging as nicely.

Along with the low-profile design that also features a quantity pad, the most important kickers for the MX Keys S are its extensive compatibility and customizable options with Logi Choices+. This peripheral works with Home windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Linux and iPadOS, and it has three machine pairing buttons so you may join it to as much as three gadgets directly and change between them as mandatory. Logi Choices+ is free software program that many Logitech equipment use, and for the MX Keys S, it lets you customise brightness ranges and period, set good actions (one-key shortcuts you program to your liking) and extra.

The Grasp Sequence additionally features a “mini” version of this keyboard that nixes the quantity pad and $10 from the worth tag. I’ve used that and luxuriate in it as nicely, however if you’re solely saving $10, the full-sized model looks like a greater worth. Can you discover cheaper wi-fi keyboards than both of those? After all. However Logitech’s experience on this house actually shines within the Grasp sequence, and with the MX Keys S specifically because it stands out as a high-quality wi-fi keyboard with a bunch of additional options at a good value. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor

Professionals

Good construct high quality
Snug typing expertise
Logi Choices+ gives a ton of customization choices
Works throughout all main OSes

Cons

Not the most affordable keyboard on the market
Not an enormous value distinction between the full-sized model and the mini mannequin with out the quantity pad

$130 at Amazon

Logitech

Logitech’s Pop Icon Keys takes a variety of notes from the Grasp sequence and interprets them right into a extra enjoyable (and cheaper) bundle. The $50 keyboard doesn’t embrace a quantity pad, however as a substitute has a row on the precise facet that features 4 buttons you can customise utilizing Logi Choices+. I’ve mine programmed to activate macOS’ mission management, open the emoji keyboard and to maneuver web page up and down, respectively. However these aren’t the one buttons you may customise — 11 of the highest perform keys will also be programmed to your liking as nicely.

The Pop Icon keycaps have a slight indentation to them, although not as dramatic as these on the Grasp sequence keys, and the typing expertise is a cushty and quiet one general. Whereas this isn’t billed as a journey keyboard, it’s sufficiently small to suit into an ordinary work bag or backpack, so you may take it with you with out a lot problem.

You’ll be able to join the Pop Icon keys to as much as three gadgets directly and change between them simply, and the keyboard helps macOS, Home windows, Linux, Chrome, iPadOS, iOS and Android gadgets. In addition to there being no choice for a quantity pad configuration, arguably the most important draw back to this keyboard is the truth that it runs on two AAA batteries. Logitech estimates it’ll last as long as three years earlier than you must exchange them, so possibly that’s a professional for some slightly than a con. I additionally admire that, when linked to a Mac laptop over Bluetooth, you may nonetheless monitor the Pop Icon Keys’ battery life from the Bluetooth menu.

That is additionally an awesome value for a strong wi-fi keyboard. Logitech itself makes even cheaper ones, however the Pop Icon Keys strikes an excellent stability between design and capabilities at this value level. The largest query, should you select this keyboard, is which colorway you fancy probably the most out of the 5 choices. — V.P.

Professionals

Low-cost!
Compact design with a low profile
Snug typing expertise
Programmable keys with Logi Choices+
Works throughout all main OSes

Cons

Key journey might be higher
No quantity pad

$50 at Amazon

Logitech

Learn our full information to the best ergonomic keyboards

The Ergo K860 from Logitech combines 4 useful ergonomic options in a keyboard that operates very similar to any commonplace board. The Alice cut up shifts your elbows aside whereas retaining your forearms and wrists lined up. The tenting raises the keys upward within the center, rotating your palms subtly towards each other. The non-compulsory unfavourable tilt slopes the underside edge above the highest edge to maintain the backs of your arms straighter. And there’s a palm relaxation inbuilt, which some discover extra snug throughout lengthy typing classes.

In contrast to different extra aggressively ergonomic boards, there’s no studying curve right here. Typing on the Ergo K860 feels rather a lot like typing on an ordinary set of keys. The low profile, scissor-switch keys are springy and straightforward to hit. You even get a ten-key quantity pad, navigation keys and arrow buttons, all of which make it a full-featured and acquainted accent. You’ll be able to program the keys with Logitech’s software program, however it will probably attraction most to those that simply need a plug-and-play board for a Mac or PC setup. — Amy Skorheim, Senior Reporter

Professionals

Rotated, tented keys make typing snug
An ergonomic board with no studying curve
Wirelessly connects rapidly to 3 gadgets
Hotkeys work with MacOS and Home windows

Cons

Wrist relaxation isn’t detachable
Takes up a variety of house

$150 at Amazon

Photograph by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Learn our full information to the best ergonomic keyboards

When you’re able to make a critical dedication to growing your ergonomics, I like to recommend the ZSA Voyager. I take advantage of it day by day and, regardless that it’s not tremendous moveable, I introduced it with me once I labored away from my residence workplace for every week. However at first, it took me no less than three weeks earlier than I used to be snug typing on it. Not solely will you must reprogram the keys (and bear in mind what they do), you’ll want to make use of your fingers differently than you’re used to. For one, your thumbs will do excess of simply hit the spacebar. They’ll function the return, shift, management and even layer buttons, relying on the way you program the board.

However the ergonomic advantages are equally important. The absolutely cut up board lets me open up my arms and chest. On days once I’m feeling notably tight, I’ll put the 2 halves a full foot aside. Relocating the return, command and forward-delete key to the thumbclusters saves me from shifting my arms across the board and the layers perform permits for much extra performance than an ordinary keyboard.

That stated, it additionally provides to the safety of my laptop, making all of it however unattainable for different individuals to kind with the Voyager. It comes with magnetic knobs for the middle tenting function, however I want it got here with the choice to elevate the center somewhat greater. I created additional elevate by including rubber bumpers to the board, however for the worth, it’d be good to not need to MacGuyver it. Nonetheless, at any time when I’m compelled to make use of an everyday keyboard, I really feel like I am toiling within the typing pool at Sterling Cooper. — A.S.

Professionals

Ergonomic, absolutely cut up board
Programmable thumb cluster minimizes hand journey
Low profile, mechanical keys make typing simple
Compact measurement and intelligent key mapping preserve your arms within the residence place

Cons

Takes a pair weeks to relearn how you can kind
Heart tenting might be greater

$365 at ZSA

Photograph by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Learn our full information to the best mechanical keyboards

The Keychron Q Max series doesn’t come low cost, but it surely has nearly all the pieces we would like out of a high-end mechanical keyboard. Its full aluminum case is exceedingly sturdy, hefty and funky to the contact. Whereas its PBT-coated keycaps are on the taller facet, they’ve a stunning texture and are sculpted in a means that lightly hugs your fingertips. There are a number of change choices accessible, all of that are hot-swappable, whereas a double gasket-mount design contained in the keyboard offers every press a cushioned but springy really feel by default. Mixed with a number of layers of froth, these presses have a delightfully poppy and even sound.

We examined the tenkeyless Q3 Max, however Keychron presents a number of different size and layout options as nicely. Every can join over a wi-fi dongle, Bluetooth or USB-C and contains additional Home windows- and Mac-specific keycaps within the field. There are nonetheless issues to nitpick — there’s a faint little bit of rattle to a few the bigger keys; you may’t regulate the keyboard’s peak; and Keychron’s one-year warranty is fairly brief — however should you simply need to purchase a mechanical keyboard that delivers a premium expertise from the leap, it will get you there. – Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter

Professionals

Very good typing really feel and sound
Premium aluminum case
Crisp PBT keycaps
Sizzling-swappable
Dependable wi-fi efficiency
Tons of format choices
Knob!

Cons

A bit dear
Keycaps aren’t shine-through and could also be too tall for some
Heavy
Slight rattling with some stabilizers

$189+ at Keychron

Photograph by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

Learn our full information to the best mechanical keyboards

We advocate the Keychron C3 Pro if you wish to spend as little as potential for a pleasant mechanical keyboard. It’s a stellar worth at just below $50, with factory-lubricated switches, a gasket mount, a number of layers of inner foam and different touches we don’t often see on this value vary. The stabilizers keep away from any aggressive rattling, and there’s not one of the pinging noise you get from many cheaper circumstances. All of this helps really feel snug for typing, whereas the tactile Brown switches in our take a look at unit sound pleasantly clacky.

As with all finances keyboard, you must make some sacrifices. It solely works wired, for one, and the ABS keycaps really feel slicker and cheaper than the most effective PBT caps. Whereas the case doesn’t exhibit any critical flexing, it’s nonetheless fabricated from plastic. You additionally must pay $10 additional to get a version with RGB backlighting and hot-swappable switches — the bottom mannequin continues to be an awesome purchase for these trying to get into the interest on a budget, but it surely saddles you with a red-only backlight and prevents you from simply popping in new switches down the street. – J.D.

Professionals

Cheap
Super typing expertise for the cash
Programmable with software program
Shine-through keycaps

Cons

ABS keycaps are a bit slick
Wired solely
RGB lighting and hot-swappable change value somewhat bit additional

$42 at Amazon

Jeff Dunn for Engadget

Learn our full information to the best gaming keyboards

The Wooting 80HE is our favourite keyboard for avid gamers due to its magnetic Hall effect switches, which might reply to various ranges of stress. This allows you to customise the actuation level of every particular person key, so you may make them extra delicate throughout quick-twitch capturing video games or extra deliberate if you simply need to kind. One other function known as rapid trigger helps you to repeat inputs sooner, with out having to attend for a given key to return to a hard and fast reset level. That may be an actual boon for, say, strafing backwards and forwards extra exactly throughout a 1v1 shootout in Overwatch. You can even tie a number of instructions to 1 key: In Halo Infinite, for instance, you may make it so calmly urgent W makes you stroll extra stealthily, whereas urgent all of it the best way down makes you run at full velocity.

Does everybody want all of this? After all not. Any keyboard could be a “gaming keyboard,” and nothing right here will magically make you good at video games. However for extra hardcore varieties searching for any additional little bit of granular management, they will make a tangible distinction.

The 80HE isn’t the one keyboard to supply this set of tips, but it surely stands out for getting the remainder of the bundle proper as nicely. Wooting’s Wootility software program is best-in-class, making it notably simple to tweak settings and customise the RGB lighting. It can save you a number of management profiles on to the machine. And whereas the all-plastic case isn’t the highest-quality factor on the market for $200, the inventory {hardware} nonetheless feels and sounds nice, with crisp PBT keycaps, {smooth} pre-lubed switches and a pleasingly thocky tone. – J.D.

Professionals

Magnetic switches are deeply versatile for gaming
Straightforward-to-use software program
Sturdily constructed
Snug for typing and sounds nice

Cons

Wired-only
A bit costly
80 % design is considerably awkward
Solely available for purchase in batches

$200 at Wooting

Jeff Dunn for Engadget

Connectivity: 2.4 GHz wi-fi, Bluetooth, and USB-C wired | Dimension: Tenkeyless (TKL) format | Materials: Aluminum prime plate with plastic base | Switches: OmniPoint 2.0 adjustable mechanical switches | Sizzling-swappable: No | Backlight: Per-key RGB | Software program: SteelSeries GG

Learn our full information to the best gaming keyboards

If you’d like the Wooting 80HE’s gaming-friendly options in a wi-fi keyboard, we just like the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless (Gen 3). It presents many of the identical adjustable actuation and fast set off instruments because the 80HE, plus a “protection mode” that makes it tougher to hit close by keys by chance and preset profiles for some standard video games. The typing expertise is a plus as nicely, with crisp and easy-to-reach PBT keycaps, a sturdy aluminum prime plate and smooth-feeling switches which are sufficiently muffled. There’s a magnetic wrist relaxation within the field, and the entire thing can join over a wi-fi dongle, Bluetooth or USB-C.

Our principal points with the Apex Professional contain SteelSeries’ GG app. A lot of the expertise with these analog-style keyboards comes all the way down to software program, and GG is a bit much less refined than Wootility throughout the board. At $270, the Apex Professional is certainly on the upper finish of the worth spectrum, too. Nonetheless, the app is simple sufficient to grok over time — particularly in comparison with different gaming fashions we’ve used — and the board as an entire will get rather more proper than unsuitable. – J.D.

Professionals

Quick and deeply versatile magnetic switches
Helpful OLED show
Nice typing expertise
A number of connection modes

Cons

Expensive
Software program is not all the time intuitive
Battery life might be higher

$237 at Amazon

What to search for in a keyboard

Design

Dimension

The very first thing you’ll need to think about in the case of your subsequent laptop keyboard’s design is measurement. There are a variety of various keyboard layouts to select from, however the commonest are full-sized, tenkeyless and people smaller than tenkeyless.

Full-sized keyboards, or 100%, embrace a perform row on the prime and an entire numpad with arrow keys on the precise facet, together with all the remainder of the alphanumeric keys you’d anticipate on an ordinary QWERTY format. Tenkeyless, or 80 %, removes the quantity pad however retains the arrow keys and the perform row, decreasing the general width measurement of the board by a good quantity. Compact keyboards preserve issues extremely easy by together with solely the alphanumeric keys and modifiers like Alt, Shift, Ctrl and others they usually come in several sizes like 60 %, 65 % and extra. These are the most well-liked sizes on the market, however you could find loads of different designs that embrace completely different mixes of keys together with the usual letters and numbers all ought to have.

Except for measurement, there are two different huge classes that you may use to outline a keyboard: ergonomic and mechanical. Ergonomic keyboards are designed with, you guessed it, higher ergonomics in thoughts, making an allowance for the place you must place your fingers, arms and forearms to keep up correct posture. Individually, mechanical keyboards use mechanical switches (of which there are a lot of varieties) that differ significantly from the membrane or scissor-switch keyboards you’ll discover dominating most wired and wi-fi choices extensively accessible at the moment. We’ve guides to the most effective ergonomic keyboards and greatest mechanical keyboards, however we’ll summarize what you must find out about each right here.

Ergonomic keyboards

When you take care of discomfort from working at a pc all day, ergonomic keyboards may help. These specifically designed boards re-orient the keys, permitting you to carry your elbows farther aside and keep a straighter line out of your forearms to arms. Some individuals discover this refined change extra snug.

Ergonomic keyboards sometimes fall into two classes: Alice and cut up keyboards. The previous is a single unit with an A-shaped hole within the heart of the keys. Cut up fashions are available in two separate items which you’ll organize as you want in your desk. Extra ergonomic options like tenting and unfavourable tilt could make typing really feel much more snug, and are sometimes accessible on each Alice and cut up boards. Tenting raises the center of the keys up so your arms tackle extra of a “handshake” place. Unfavorable tilting lowers the highest of the keyboard to maintain your wrists angled downward as a substitute of again in the direction of your forearms.

The best way the keys are organized on the keyboard could make typing simpler as nicely. Historically, keyboards are staggered, with one row of letters barely offset from the row beneath it. Columnar keyboards organize the keys in a grid of rows and columns. This type takes somewhat getting used to, however some individuals discover it permits them to kind sooner. You can even make the keys of some keyboards do extra than simply produce letters. Programmable boards allow you to map shortcuts and different capabilities, together with macros, which can preserve you from reaching for the mouse fairly so typically, saving you time and presumably pressure as nicely.

Mechanical keyboards

Mechanical keyboards have blown up in recognition as extra individuals have been thrust into creating their very own workspaces at residence. It’s simple to see why: In comparison with a conventional membrane keyboard, an excellent mechanical board is extra sturdy, extra satisfying to press and, most significantly, infinitely extra customizable. The perfect of them often include a value premium, however even some cheaper fashions allow you to “hot-swap” between keycaps, switches and different supplies, letting you tinker with completely different typing sensations and sound profiles till you discover a mixture that greatest expresses your preferences.

Would you like every press to really feel deep and full or quick and lightweight? Do you want them to sound loud and clacky or virtually totally muffled? Do you favor your keycaps to look subdued {and professional}, full of RGB lights or written in an Elvish language from The Lord of the Rings for some purpose? With the precise new keyboard, it’s all as much as you — the one issues actually holding you again are your creativeness and your pockets.

We’ve a devoted shopping for information that digs deeper into the important thing elements to think about when shopping for a mechanical gaming keyboard, so we encourage you to take a look at that for a full rundown. To maintain issues high-level, probably the most influential a part of your buy is your keyboard’s change kind. These little mechanisms slot beneath the keycaps and customarily have the most important impact on how your keyboard feels and sounds as you kind away.

You’ll be able to broadly separate mechanical switches into three buckets: linear, tactile and clicky. Linear switches really feel {smooth} all the best way down; they’re typically standard with avid gamers since they are typically gentle and quick to actuate. Tactile switches create a tangible “bump” sensation partway by way of a press; many individuals who spend all day typing want them as a result of they clearly affirm every press with out (all the time) being all that loud. Clicky switches are functionally much like tactiles however make an audible “click on” sound to match the bump; your coworkers could hate them, however others love the full-throated sense of suggestions they supply. To be clear, simply because two switches fall inside the identical bucket doesn’t imply they really feel or sound precisely the identical. The one means to determine which change works greatest for you is to do your analysis and, ideally, strive some out for your self.

Different keyboards have a mechanical-style really feel however are constructed on completely different mechanisms totally. The new new pattern in gaming-focused keyboards, for instance, is Hall effect switches, which use tiny magnets to register keystrokes and allow you to customise the sensitivity of every press. Optical switches, in the meantime, provide comparable performance by changing the bodily contact level of a typical mechanical change with a beam of infrared gentle. Extra just lately, we’ve seen a couple keyboards launch with inductive switches, which might work like magnetic switches but use inductive coils within the keyboard’s printed circuit board (PCB) to cater to all switches collectively and don’t require a sensor for every particular person change. We contact on a few magnetic-switch keyboards in our picks under, however for a fuller breakdown of this kind of tech, we advocate you try our devoted shopping for information to the best gaming keyboards.

Connectivity

You’ve bought two choices right here: wired or wi-fi. Wired keyboards sometimes have an connected cable that plugs right into a USB-A or USB-C port in your laptop (or docking station), though some include cables that may be eliminated. Wi-fi mechanical keyboards hook up with your machine both through Bluetooth or a wi-fi receiver dongle. There’s all the time the prospect of some latency with wi-fi keyboards, so preserve that in thoughts should you’re selecting one up to make use of primarily with a gaming PC. After all, you’ll solely have to fret about battery life with Bluetooth keyboards.

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