⌨️ The list in brief
1. Best overall
2. Best budget
3. Best office
4. Best compact
5. Best ergonomic
6. Also tested
7. FAQ
8. Glossary
The best mechanical keyboard offers a sublime typing experience. You won't just find them sleek to use, you'll actually want to type on these keyboards. They feel good and happen to sound pretty great. And, of course, they're great for gaming, too.
The best mechanical keyboard is the Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless. The combination of lubed key switches, PBT keycaps and a hot-swappable PCB makes for a sublime typing experience. For a cheaper alternative, I recommend the G.Skill KM250.
The supreme feel of mechanical keyboards comes down to their key switches. There are tons of different types of mechanical switches. The key switch spectrum is vast and caters to a variety of tastes. From loud and tactile, to quiet and spongy, each has a different feel. Our guide to mechanical key switches can help you determine which might suit you best.
With a growing collection of keyboards and key switches at his fingertips, Jacob is the best man to help you find your perfect keeb. A mechanical aficionado at heart, Jacob has years of experience in tip-tapping away at the latest and greatest to guide you to typing glory.
The quick list
The best overall
The Strix Scope II 96 is excellent for typing. Not only is it a mechanical dream to use, but it's also our pick as the best gaming keyboard.
The best budget
I'm not sure how G.Skill did it, but the KM250 includes mechanical switches, a hot-swappable PCB and a quality backlight. All for a wonderfully low price.
The best office
If you want a keyboard that looks like any other at the office, but, secretly, is a monster mechanical. Then, look no further than this Das Keyboard 6 Professional.
The best compact
Mountain has taken all it's learnt from its first keyboards and created the best-feeling, most usable 60% gaming keyboard I've ever used. It's solid, reliable, responsive, and offers the best typing experience around.
The best ergo
If you're ready to take the leap into the world of weird ergo boards, you'll find no better option than the Moonlander.
Recent updates
This guide was updated on May 24 to include new entries for multiple categories.
The best mechanical keyboard
✅ You want the smoothest typing experience: With lubed switches out of the box, you'll find no equal to the ROG Strix among gaming keyboards.
✅ You want high-quality: With PBT keycaps and gorgeous switches, the ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless oozes premium.
❌ You want speed or analog features: As fast as most other mechanical keyboards, nowadays you can find faster keyboards than this using Hall effect or optical switches.
For gamers that type, or typists that game, there's no better mechanical keyboard than the Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless.
The switches in the ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless are mighty. They're an in-house design, and available in either linear or tactile form. The tactile NX Storm switches are probably the pick for a typist, though we tested the more gamer-focused linear NX Snow option.
Either switch will net you the ROG Strix Scope's best feature: lube. Not one of the usual things we'd find on a gaming keyboard, but a drop of lube on every mechanical key switch makes a surprising amount of difference to the typing experience. Each key press is smooth, consistent, and every thwack produces a glorious clack.
This keyboard really does sound fantastic, and that's a combination of the switches and the PBT keycaps. Just note, this board is available with ABS plastic caps as well, which aren't as durable and usually aren't as lovely on the ears.
You are able to swap out any of the NX Snow switches on this keyboard for keys of your choosing. However, if you don't replace them with lubed switches, or lube some new ones yourself with a paintbrush, I will be extremely disappointed in you.
The Scope II 96 is nearly a full-size board—it importantly retains a full numpad—though it's been squished down into a more compact chassis. As a result, the delete key is further away from your pinky than normal. It takes some getting used to, but I've been tapping away on it for a while now and I feel I've got typing on the Scope II 96 down to a fine art.
A superb typing experience and a cleverly compact form factor make the Scope II 96 a fantastic option
Read our full Asus ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless review.
The best budget mechanical keyboard
✅ You're looking for the best on a tight budget: With features galore and many unexpected additions for this sort of price tag, we've not seen anything better for less.
❌ You want the best typing experience out of the box: Without some of the more high-end materials in used in the casing of this keyboard, the typing experience can be a little hollow.
The G.Skill KM250 RGB is the best mechanical keyboard on a budget, and it's no contest, really. For a small sum it offers mechanical switches, per-key RGB, hot-swappable keys, and discrete media controls.
If you're after a good compact board, you could find your match here and save heaps of cash. A simple and small frame with Kailh linear mechanical switches, the addition of RGB lighting does mean it at least looks the part of a pro-tier gaming keyboard.
It is obviously lacking sound dampening and lubed stabilisers like some, but those are compromises I'm willing to make. Not the least bit because the chassis is a good investment.
The included Kailh switches are not bad but combined with the plastic chassis you do end up with quite a hollow-sounding typing experience. However, you could choose to buy some luxury-feeling switches and stuff them into the KM250 instead. It's easy to do, as the switches just pop right out. Just be careful not to bend the pins on the switches (or, if you do, slowly bend them back, it's usually fine).
Having changed out the linear Kailh Red switches for a set of Halo True heavy tactile switches in our review unit, the difference in the sound is clear. It's not the ultra rich-sounding experience of using the Mountain Everest 60 or Asus ROG Azoth, but it now feels great to type on, dampening or no. It's also at most half the price, even if you include fancy new switches.
The board layout itself is pretty standard 65%. You do get all the key, uh, keys you need, and plenty of spacing between them for swift typing without typos. There's also a discrete volume wheel.
I'm honestly genuinely impressed with the package as a whole, and if you want a proper mechanical keyboard experience without paying enthusiast money, the G.Skill KM250 is an outstanding option.
Read our full G.Skill KM250 RGB review.
The best office mechanical keyboard
✅ You want thoughtful touches: Where the 6 Professional wins is with the fact it’s a great all-rounder, and offers thoughtful features including a dual USB-C port hub and a volume dial.
❌ You want software support: While the 6 Professional provides a fantastic overall experience, the lack of software for configuration means it is a little dated on that front.
Das Keyboard doesn't do frills. That's why its 6 Professional is our pick for the best office mechanical keyboard. Passing up flashing lights and rapid-fire switches, this practical keyboard is a dab hand for workplace duties.
You'll be the envy of all when you're bashing out a spreadsheet on this bad boy. The Cherry MX switches in the Das Keyboard are a very well known quantity. We've been using them for years. They're dependable and consistent, and admittedly a little bit boring.
Though there are some standout features. The large volume wheel is a dream, and the pair of USB-C passthrough ports is something we're yet to see elsewhere. That means you can plug in your mouse and another device into your keyboard and cut down on the lengthy cable runs behind your PC.
Backlight controls are located on the upper right of the board. There's not much to fiddle with here, however. There's a simple white LED behind each switch, which shines through the ABS keycap atop, and you can dim these to your liking with the button on the board.
Our biggest complaint with the Das Keyboard is that it doesn't move the dial for mechanical keyboards. It's not that different from a Das manufactured many years ago, and some PBT keycaps or more exciting upgrades wouldn't go amiss.
That said, you don't buy a Das Keyboard because you want a gaming keyboard. It fulfils a purpose, and that's being a straightforward mechanical to replace your godawful OEM membrane. While I'd personally rather buy the Topre RealForce R2 for an office keyboard, it's absurdly expensive. The Das Keyboard is a much more sensible pick for sensible people.
Read our Das Keyboard 6 Professional review.
The best compact mechanical keyboard
✅ You need a numpad and a space-saver You can save heaps of room by trimming down your gaming keyboard, but you can still opt for the additional numpad.
❌ You're stuck in your ways: Compact keyboards are great for gaming, but to become a speedy typist requires relearning some tricks.
The Mountain Everest 60 is the best compact gaming keyboard. It's not only a diddy collection of clacky keys, it's one of the most practical compact keyboards on the market.
The Everest 60 isn't your everyday compact keyboard. It's modular. You can purchase a numpad for the side and snap it into place on either side of the keyboard. That solves one issue with compact keyboards: my precious alt-codes are still alive and well.
Though more importantly it allows you to do something few have the courage to: move your numpad to the left-hand side of the keyboard.
I know, it's a brave new world with the numpad on the opposite site, but it's clearly the way God intended for it to be. For gamers, anyways, it means you have a numpad at your disposal and more room to whip your gaming mouse around.
Though as with any compact keeb, there is a downside to fewer overall keys. It's just not always as convenient as a full-size board. Also the tiny right shift key does take some getting used to, but the addition of the cursor keys makes a huge difference to the overall utility of the Everest 60.
The Everest 60 also oozes quality. It's easily the best typing experience I've had, and all from a compact design I'm usually not that fussed on.
A silicone layer within the keyboard base adds weight and dampens rattle from the keys sitting above. Great if you're a heavy typist. There are also two layers of foam, on either side of the PCB, to again improve the aural experience. Mountain has used genuine Cherry stabilisers on the board, too, but has made sure they're lubed properly for the Everest 60 to ensure there's no rattle.
There are a few switches to choose from: Tactile 55 (denoting the 55cN force needed for actuation), Linear 45, and Linear 45 Speed (which have a shorter travel and actuation point). I've been using the Tactile 55 in my sample with no complaints.
Though for a compact keyboard with fewer keys, the Mountain Everest isn't any less expensive. And the numpad accessory is extra. There are some bundles packaging the two together, and ones that include the colourful new PBT keycap range, which can make it a bit cheaper. But not by much.
Read our full Mountain Everest 60 review.
The best ergonomic mechanical keyboard
✅ You need ultra ergonomics: Everything about the Moonlander is about making the keyboard as comfortable as possible for your human fingers.
❌ You don't want to spend weeks learning how to type again: The columnar arrangement is great but tough to get to grips with if you're not already familiar.
The best ergonomic mechanical keyboard is the ZSA Moonlander. It does everything you could ask of it incredibly well, though always with one eye on the ergonomics of it all.
If you haven't tried an ergonomic split keyboard before, you might want to prepare yourself for a learning curve. Touch typists that haven't let their skills slip over the years will do better than most, but the ZSA still demands you come to terms with its special brand of layout. A columnar arrangement effectively means all the keys are arranged in a perfect vertical column, which, if you look at any regular keyboard, is really weird.
A columnar arrangement is good for your fingers though. Your fingers much prefer to move up and down in a straight line than side to side.
Once you're up-and-running on an ergonomic keyboard like this, it's truly a dream to use. Tilt it into place with the adjustable legs and it'll feel like a much more natural experience to type on than most flat slabs of keys we call keyboards.
The Moonlander isn't as well suited to gaming as some other ergonomic boards we've seen. Namely, the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB. Though for pure typing, it's gorgeous once you get going.
You can tweak the layout within the ZSA website or its own Keymapp program. This is especially important for gaming, as ZSA has made some unusual design choices to minimise the size of the keyboard. For example, by default there's no dedicated key for Left Control, so if you use this for crouching in FPS games, then you'll either need to remap the key in-game or change the Moonlander's configuration.
Beyond the usual alphanumeric keys, most others are mapped to a secondary layer, accessible via a shortcut layer key that switches between them. This takes some getting used to, but it's well organised and becomes snappy to use with time.
A boutique keyboard that isn't going to be a great fit for everyone, if you're looking for excellent ergonomics and don't mind a learning curve, you really won't find much better than the ZSA Moonlander.
Read our full ZSA Moonlander review.
Also tested
Cherry's latest MX2A switches make an appearance in this compact keyboard. They're good, but there are better keyboards all-round.
A sleek, low-profile gaming keyboard that doesn't let up on speed.
Almost the best new gaming keyboard around, but not close enough to be a solid recommendation.
An ultra-thin, wireless gaming keyboard with exclusive Cherry MX keyswitches, though that exclusivity comes at a price.
A highly customizable, wireless gaming keyboard that asks a little too much.
Other gaming keyboards need to convince you why they're better than a Ducky, not the other way around.
Best mechanical keyboards FAQ
Which keyboard switch type should I choose?
It's entirely up to personal preference with keyboard switches. If you love a noisy keyboard, go for the clicky kind. If you like a spongier feel, go for linear switches. Or, if you prefer some feedback with your keypresses, go for a tactile switch.
It's possible to order keyboard switch tester packs from some suppliers, so if you want to try some out before you fork out, it might be a good idea to grab one of those.
Check out our mechanical keyboard switch guide for a more in-depth look.
Jargon buster
Actuation Point
The height to which a key needs to be pressed before it actuates and sends an input signal to a device.
Clicky
A switch that delivers an audible click every time it's pressed, generally right around the point of actuation.
Debounce
A technique to ensure that only one input registers every time a key is pressed.
Housing
The shell that surrounds the internal components of a switch.
Hysteresis
The result of the actuation point and reset point in a switch being misaligned. This generally means you need to release the key further than usual would before it can be actuated again.
Linear
A switch that moves directly up and down, generally delivering smooth keystrokes without noise or tactile feedback.
Mechanical keyboard
A keyboard built around individual switches for each key rather than a membrane sheath mounted on a PCB.
Membrane keyboard
A keyboard on which all the keycaps are mounted on a membrane sheath; when a key is pressed, a rubber dome depresses and pushes against the sheath and PCB beneath, actuating the key.
Stem
The component of a switch on which the keycaps are mounted on a mechanical keyboard.
Switch
The physical component of a mechanical keyboard beneath the keycaps on a mechanical keyboard. The switch determines how a key is actuated, whether or not it provides audible or tactile feedback with each press, and more. You can read a detailed explanation in our complete guide to mechanical keyboard switches.
Tactile
A switch that provides a 'bump' of feedback every time it's pushed.
Tenkeyless
A keyboard that lacks the right-hand number pad.