Mechanical keyboard buying checklist
Open a section, slide each spec to what you want, and print your own keyboard wish list at the end.
Keyboards are named by how much of a full-size board they keep. Smaller boards leave more room for your mouse but drop keys you may use.
87 keys
Key count for the US (ANSI) layout.
A full board without the number pad. Your mouse sits closer, which is easier on the shoulder.
Mac keyboards have Command and Option where Windows boards have the Windows and Alt keys. Most keyboards work on both, but the printed keys differ.
Works on a Mac too, but Command is printed as the Windows key.
ANSI is the US layout with a wide, flat Enter key. ISO is used in the UK and Europe, with a tall Enter key and one extra key by the left Shift.
The usual US layout. The widest choice of keyboards and spare keycaps.
Standard keyboards are tall, so many people use a wrist rest. Low-profile ones are slim like a laptop keyboard, with shorter key travel.
Fits the widest range of switches and keycaps. A wrist rest helps over long sessions.
The switch under each key decides how a press feels and sounds. None is better, it is down to taste. Switch testers let you try several first.
A smooth press from top to bottom with no bump. Popular for gaming. Reds and yellows are usually linear.
How hard you press before a key registers, in grams (g) or centinewtons (cN), which are almost the same. Lighter is faster, heavier stops accidental presses.
The middle ground most switches sit in.
Mechanical switches close a metal contact. Optical switches break a beam of light. Magnetic (Hall effect) switches measure how far each key is pressed.
The widest choice of switches by far. Each key registers at one fixed point.
Hot-swap sockets let you pull switches out and push new ones in, no soldering. Handy for trying new switches or replacing one that fails.
Takes almost any standard switch. 5-pin sockets take 3-pin and 5-pin switches as they are.
How the keyboard talks to your computer. Bluetooth is handy for tablets and phones. A 2.4 GHz USB dongle is as quick as a cable for games.
Pairs with laptops, tablets and phones, usually up to three, and switches with a key. Bluetooth has a little lag.
How long a wireless keyboard lasts per charge. Makers quote it with the backlight off, and RGB lighting can cut it to a small fraction.
Weeks of normal use with the backlight low or off.
Detachable cables can be replaced if they fray and swapped for a longer or coiled one. Fixed cables cannot.
Swap or replace the cable any time. The same cable can charge other things.
The shell around the keys. Heavier cases stay put on the desk and sound deeper when you type.
A metal top plate under the keys keeps it rigid. The most common build.
How the plate holding the switches is fixed inside the case. It changes how firm or cushioned each press feels and how loud it is.
Held from above at the edges. A more even feel across the board.
Foam and silicone layers inside the case soak up echo, so typing sounds deeper and less hollow.
A foam layer under the plate or in the case.
The small bars under long keys like the spacebar, Enter and Shift that keep them level. Poor ones rattle on every press.
Lubed at the factory, so long keys sound close to the rest.
The plastic caps you touch. ABS caps turn shiny where your fingers rest. PBT caps are textured and stay matte for years.
Textured and resists shine. The best keyboards and spare sets use it.
How often the keyboard reports to the computer each second. Higher means less delay, but only top-level players feel the difference above 1000 Hz.
One report every 1 ms. The standard for gaming keyboards.
Actuation is how deep you press before a key counts. Rapid trigger resets a key the moment it starts to rise, so fast taps and strafes register sooner.
Every key registers at the same depth, usually about 2 mm. Fine for most games.
How many keys register when you press them together. Low rollover can drop a key in games or when you type fast.
Every key you press registers, however many. Look for NKRO.
Light under the keys helps you see them in a dark room. Lighting is the biggest drain on a wireless keyboard's battery.
Even white light that is easy on the eyes and the battery.
Software that changes what each key does, adds layers and records macros. QMK and VIA are open firmware tools that save settings on the keyboard itself.
Remap keys and lighting in the maker's app. Check it supports your Mac or PC first.
Dedicated controls for volume and music, so you do not need an Fn combo.
Play, pause and volume on their own keys.
Your wish list
KEYBOARD WISH LIST
by TechPP Insights
Your next keyboard should have these minimum specs
Your picks will print here.
Scan to make your own wish list
techpp.app
Choose at least one spec to print your wish list.
Setting up a desk? Monitor checklist, Mac to Windows keys or more tools
Comments
0Share your thoughts, questions, or feedback about this guide.