The Best High-End Keyboard for Gaming

Expensive, but so worth it.

By Josh Norem

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For some people, a keyboard ismore than just a slab to type out emails. It's an investment in a particular lifestyle. It's like buying a good couch or a comfy mattress - you're going to spend a lot of time using it, so you might as well get something really nice. Besides, gamers usually keep their keyboards through multiple PC upgrade cycles, so it pays to get something with all the features you want instead of skimping on things because of budget constraints. If you do it right, it could even be the last keyboard you ever buy.

Today, the best high-end keyboards for gaming all sport a similar design and feature set that's dictated by what is currently en vogue in the gaming world. That includes a healthy combination of most of the collowing: per-key RGB lighting, mechanical switches either from Cherry or made in-house, dedicated media controls and macro keys, USB and headset passthrough ports, and easy to use software to let you assign macros, customize your lighting, and even set up per-game profiles.

All the high-end keyboard manufacturers combine these features in different ways. To see which manufacturer created the perfect combination of form and function, we sampled several high-end keyboards currently available, put them through a rigorous testing regimen (which consisted of so, so much PubG), and compared their price tags and feature sets. Of course keyboard evaluations can be rather subjective, but based on our testing there are a few supremely good keyboards but one that was clearly the best.

The Best High-End Keyboard for Gaming

Corsair K95 Platinum

Corsair's flagship keyboard costs a pretty penny, but it is so worth it. Not only does it have all the high-end features we expect in a top-tier keyboard, but it has arguably the best RGB lighting available on a keyboard today thanks to Corsair's community of modders and tinkerers uploading their designs. Throw in dedicated macro keys, a sweet volume wheel, bonus textured keycaps, USB passthrough, and an optional wrist wrest, and you have a keyboard that has everything we want. It's not offered with Cherry MX Red switches, but the Speed and Brown switch options are fine for gamers and daily driving.

Also consider: In the market for a mechanical keyboard but don't have $200 to spend? Our complete breakdown of the best midrange mechanical keyboards is for you. It rounds up several excellent $90-$120 options.

More Great Options

Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2

Razer's top-of-the-line BlackWidow has been updated to Version 2, and now includes a wrist rest that's so comfortable we wanted to sleep on it. It's built like an Abrams tank and is also rocks Razer's proprietary switches, and there are three versions to choose from depending on your taste for clicky. We loved its lighting, the shape and spacing of its keys, and the Synapse software too.

The proverbial icing on the cake is the Chroma Apps selection, which integrates the RGB lighting with certain games and applications like Overwatch, Rocket League, and lots more. The only thing this keyboard is missing is a volume wheel and other dedicated media keys, but it's a bit less expensive than the Corsair K95 above so you're not paying for missing features.

Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum

Logitech's flagship G910 Orion Spectrum deserves a mention just because its lighting is different from all of the other RGB keyboards available, and it's a premium package from the industry's 800lb. gorilla. Unlike most RGB keyboards, the LED lighting doesn't spill out around the base of the keys, so just the keycaps are illuminated. This makes it easier to see the individual keys in low light, and is a more understated design, if that's important to you.

We like it though, and of course you can sync up the lights with your Logitech mouse, if you have one. Logitech's software is also the best on the market, with a clean and intuitive interface, and built-in presets that are automatically applied to any games on your system. It's all very slick, like the keyboard itself, and makes it fun and easy to use. The only annoyance is the ARX dock, which is a silly feature we doubt anyone uses.

 Das Keyboard 4 Professional - The RGB Hater Option

The Das Keyboard 4 Professional is more for people who work most of the time but also game. If that's you and you're fed up with RGB lighting, this is an excellent option high-end mechanical keyboard option. It's an extremely well-made board, featuring Cherry MX Brown switches, premium craftsmanship, and dedicated media controls just above the number pad, including a sweet volume wheel. In addition to the lack of RGB lighting this keyboard is also missing macro keys, and it costs the same as the RGB keyboards above, so you're paying for the quality of the understated design more than any specific features.

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