The best Budget Mechanical Keyboards, from well-known brands usually cost more than $100. And people who like mechanical keyboards are willing to pay a lot more for limited-run, high-end custom kits. Check out the Rama Works U80-A, the endgame keyboard of one of our keyboard reviewers.
But not everyone wants to spend hundreds of dollars on a keyboard, especially if they also need to buy other accessories. There are a lot of mechanical keyboards on the market that cost less than $100 or even less than $80 and give you a satisfying typing experience with clicks. And if you get a less-than-perfect keyboard, these mechanical keyboard mods can help you make it better. Below we mentioned the best Budget Mechanical Keyboards.
Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards
MSI Vigor GK50 Low Profile
Specifications
Backlight | RGB |
Type | Full-size |
Size | 17.1 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches (435 x 141 x 34mm) |
Weight | 1.5 pounds (700g) |
Mechanical keyboards with low-profile switches can be expensive, but the MSI Vigor GK50 Low Profile along with the full-sized switch version on this page offers one of the best budget mechanical keyboard experiences and is on sale right now for about $45. It works as well as expensive keyboards and is especially good at typing. Its Kailh Choc switches have a low profile and make loud clicks that remind me of typewriters.
It’s not the best keyboard out there. In fact, we found that the stiffer shift key and spacebar made it harder for us to use it quickly while gaming. On top of that, the software that goes with it doesn’t download properly right now, so you can’t change the RGB color or do other customizations. Thus, this product is one of the Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards available right now.
Pros
- Typewriter-like typing
- Braided cable
- Good price
Cons
- Software won’t download
- Stiff spacebar key can be annoying when gaming
- No wrist rest
Aukey KMG14
Specifications
Backlight | RGB |
Type | Tenkeyless |
Size | 14.1 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches (357 x 138 x 36mm) |
Weight | 2.3 pounds (1.1kg) |
The only clicky budget mechanical keyboard we tried that didn’t make me want to “accidentally” spill something on it was the $50 Aukey KMG14. The clicks are still clear, but they are closer to the “pleasant pinging” end of the spectrum than the “unbearable clacking” end. Given how much it cost, pretty much everything else about the keyboard was also a pleasant surprise. Still, this product is one of the Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards available right now.
Aukey put RGB backlighting and full n-key rollover on the KMG14. It also had double-shot ABS keycaps, which is strange because this mechanical keyboard is so cheap. Still, the KMG14 comes with a keycap puller that makes it easier to switch out the keycaps for something a little more stylish. This was a nice touch, and it’s something we wish other companies who make keycaps that don’t look as good had thought to include.
Pros
- Satisfying–but not deafening–clicky switches
- Ergonomic design well-suited to touch typing
- RGB backlighting
Cons
- Still a bit loud for intense gameplay
- Heavy for a TKL board
- Not as durable as other options
MSI Vigor GK50 Elite
Specifications
Switches | Kailh Blue (clicky) |
Backlight | Per-key RGB |
Type | Full-size |
Size | 17.1 x 5.3 x 1.5 inches (435x135x38 mm) |
Weight | 1.8 pounds (800.5g) |
The MSI Vigor GK50 Elite is a great keyboard for typing, as is the low-profile version on this page. It’s a cheaper alternative to popular typing clackers like the Hexgears Impulse, which costs $100 at the moment. The Vigor GK50 Elite has the same great Kailh Box White switches as the Impulse. This keyboard can also come with Kailh Blue switches, which make it loud and clicky no matter what.
The plastic keycaps on this keyboard aren’t fancy, but they did a great job of keeping fingerprints off when we tested them. MSI also gave it a premium top plate, but the cable is made of rubber and doesn’t have much reinforcement to make it last longer. But even though it’s simple, this is still a well-priced keyboard that makes typing a pleasure.
Gamers won’t be able to use high-end features like extra macro keys or built-in memory. Also, the Vigor GK50 Elite is only available with tactile switches that click when pressed. Pressing these switches quickly and often can be tiring. Overall, this product is one of the best Budget Mechanical Keyboards available right now.
Pros
- Sturdy metal top plate
- Keycaps fight off grease
Cons
- Clicky switches can get tiring when gaming
- Questionable cord durability
Havit KB487L
Specifications
Switches | Outemu Red |
Backlight | None |
Type | Tenkeyless |
Size | 15.7 x 7 x 1.9 inches (398 x 177 x 48mm) |
Weight | 2.3 pounds (1kg) |
The Havit KB487L doesn’t fit neatly into any other category, but it’s such an interesting keyboard that we had to put it here. It has the standard TKL shape, but instead of a group of shortcut keys on the right, it has a number pad. This leads to a design that lets you “have your cake and eat it too” because it has the space-saving benefits of a TKL keyboard but doesn’t force spreadsheet users to use the number row.
Since our reviewer rarely used the shortcut cluster or number pad, people didn’t notice a difference in everyday use. However, anyone who is used to a more traditional layout is likely to be confused by the change. Currently, this product is one of the best Budget Mechanical Keyboards available right now.
Havit also gave the KB487L durable PBT keycaps that feel good and have a unique black, white, and orange color scheme. This makes the KB487L stand out in a sea of keyboards that are all the same color on the front. This looks and feels nothing like a cheap mechanical keyboard.
Pros
- Attractive design with distinctive keycaps
- Unique layout that bridges the TKL and full form factors
- Responsive linear switches that are great for gaming
Cons
- Lack of switch options
- Unique layout won’t be for everyone
Logitech K845
Specifications
Switches | TTC/Cherry MX Tactile/Linear |
Type | Full-sized |
Size | 17.13 x 5.0 x 1.38 inches (435 x 127 x 35 mm) |
Weight | 1.72 pounds (780g) |
The K845 from Logitech has replaced the K840 as our budget productivity pick. It costs about $10 more, but the keys have white backlighting that you can set up in one of five patterns and change the brightness of in three ways (plus off). For $59.99 on the street, you can buy a full-sized mechanical layout with an aluminium top plate and your choice of TTC switches in red (linear), blue (clicky tactile), or brown (tactile).
You can choose one of the 845ch models, which have Cherry switches and cost $20 more (red or blue). The company sent us an 845 with TTC blue switches, which we liked better than the Cherry MX blue switches on our daily driver Das Keyboard. The top plate of the Logitech K845 is made of aluminum, which gives it a nicer look and feel than you might expect from a keyboard in this price range. Thus, this product is one of the Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards available right now.
Pros
- Under $60 starting price
- Minimalist design suitable for any desk
- Newer model has (white) backlighting
Cons
- No RGB
- Not as solid and substantial as higher-priced options
Redragon K615 Elise
Specifications
Switches | Low-profile tactile blue |
Backlight | RGB (18 preset modes) |
Type | 60% |
Size | 11.5 x 4.2 x 1 inches |
Weight | 11.42 ounces (323.8g) |
Redragon is known for making devices that are surprisingly powerful and well-built for very low prices. This is also true of the Redragon K615 Elise, which costs just $35 and sometimes much less; we found it on sale on Amazon for just $21. Thus, this product is one of the Best Budget Mechanical Keyboards available right now.
The K615 is a small wired mechanical gaming keyboard with RGB lighting, low-profile tactile Blue switches, and a solid feel helped by a metal band that goes all the way around the device. It even comes with a USB-C cable that you can take off and feet that you can flip up to raise the back of the keyboard for a better typing or gaming angle.
Pros
- Shockingly low price
- Solid feel
- Swappable low-profile switches
- Removable USB-C cable
Cons
- RGB Lighting isn’t easily customizable
- No software
What is the most budget friendly mechanical keyboard?
The Keychron K10 is the best mechanical keyboard under $100 you can buy. It can connect to up to three devices using Bluetooth and is completely wireless. You won’t have to worry about charging it often because the battery lasts up to 70 hours with the backlight on and up to 240 hours without it.
Why use a mechanical keyboard?
In the early days of computers, typewriters were used to make the first mechanical keyboards. Mechanical keyboards were the most popular type of keyboard until the middle to late 1980s. In the 1990s, however, computer prices fell and people became more interested in having quiet offices. Mechanical keyboards have come back into style around the world in the last ten years, and there are good reasons for this.
FAQs
What is a mechanical keyboard?
The key switch quality is what makes a mechanical keyboard stand out. Rubber dome membrane keyboards are slower, less responsive, and don’t feel as good when you press on them. Because of this, they are better for typing, gaming, or a mix of the two. Most mechanical keyboards are also made with better materials and to a higher standard.
What keyboard should you buy budget friendly?
The Logitech K380 is the best cheap keyboard we’ve tried so far. This keyboard strikes a good balance between a low price and a lot of features. It’s a favourite of both students and professionals because it’s portable, can be used with or without a cord, and is easy to use.