The best mechanical keyboard in 2019

The membrane keyboard is dead, the era of the best mechanical keyboard has arrived, and personally I couldn't be happier. I've never been a fan of membrane boards, with their thin sheet of fragile material stretched directly across a suffering PCB, and the first time I got my hands on a proper mechanical deck, all those years ago, it was love at first type. Now, we are absolutely spoiled by a proliferation of incredible mechanical keyboards, loaded with all kinds of wild switches, from the deadly silent to the aggressively clicky, and the idea of typing on a non-mechanical board sounds like going back to the Dark Ages to my ears. Plus, with Amazon Prime Day coming up in early July, we'll likely be treated to some tasty deals on some of the best mechanical decks, so keep your eyes peeled.

Of course, all the best mechanical keyboards also come with a range of switch options, which means you need to know what you're looking for before you start shopping around. If you want something quiet and linear, consider something like Cherry's MX Reds, or if you prefer clicky, loud, and tactile, maybe a Cherry Blue or Razer Green. If you want a middle option, a switch that's quiet but still provides a noticeable bump of feedback every time a key actuates, think about a Cherry/Kailh Brown or a Razer Orange.

A gaming keyboard is useless without an awesome rig to plug it into, however, so check out our best gaming PC roundup. And find it an appropriate life partner, take a look at our best gaming mouse guide. 

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1. Razer Huntsman Elite

Switch: Razer Opto-mechanical | Size: Full size | Backlights: 16.8 million color RGB | Passthroughs: No | Media Controls: Dedicated | Wristrest: Detachable magnetic

Razer's proprietary opto-mechanical switches, which are currently only available on their Huntsman and Huntsman Elite boards, are an interesting and well executed blend of technologies, an artful mix of traditional mechanical switch design and the optical sensor not unlike the one probably lurking inside your mouse. Instead of using the contact of metal leaves inside the switch to register a keypress, the opto-mechanical switch actuates when a beam of light passes through the stem as it descends. This  means there's virtually no actuation delay whatsoever, making the opto-mechanical one of the most responsive switches on the market. 

The rest of the board shares the thoughtful design of its switches, allowing users to change the backlighting under each key individually and sporting dedicated media keys and onboard storage, all in an attractive aluminum plate design. Other than its lack of an option for USB passthrough, an unfortunate oversight, it has all the features you want out of a mechanical keyboard while taking full advantage of one of the best switches ever developed.

2. HyperX Alloy Elite

Switch: Cherry MX Red, Brown, or Blue | Size: Full size | Backlights: Full RGB | Passthroughs: Yes | Media Controls: Dedicated | Wristrest: Detachable

Another board that's packed with features and aesthetically delightful, HyperX's Alloy Elite RGB is a premium option for less thank you'd expect. It's got a full suite of dedicated media keys including a large scrolling volume wheel, a detachable wrist rest, and a unique set of additional quick access keys that allow you set things like brightness or toggle on Game Mode with a single key press. Available in a range of the top Cherry switches, from loud, clicky Blues to whisper quiet Reds, the HyperX can be configured to suit almost anyone's typing/gaming style. It's loaded with the seeminglyi requisite full RGB package, but still possesses a certain elegance that I find appealing with its matte black design and the option to replace the WASD and first four number keys with silvery keycaps. 

The Alloy Elite RGB is also a rugged, durable board, with a solid steel frame built to withstand your worst mid-match tantrums or mischievous pet's antics. It's a comfortable full-sized board that's designed for convenience and to meet all your needs without packing in unnecessary extras that would artificially inflate its price.

3. Alienware Pro Gaming Keyboard 

Switch: Cherry MX Brown | Size: Full size | Backlights: Full RGB | Passthroughs: No | Media Controls: Dedicated | Wristrest: Sold separately

Alienware has something of a mixed reputation when it comes to manufacturing PCs, but its peripherals have largely been a success, mixing smart design choices with high build quality. Their Pro Gaming Keyboard is no exception, a modestly priced deck that makes excellent use of Cherry MX Brown switches to find a happy middle ground between spamming keys in frenetic gameplay and a satisfying typing experience.

The other highlight of the AW768 is its crisp matte silver finish, a welcome break from the flat pallette of unrelieved black that seem to dominate the gaming keyboard landscape. And Alienware hasn't skimped on its typical predilection for a rainbow of spectacular color lighting: the AW768 comes with a robust suite of RGB options that can be activated or deactivated with a single press of the Alienware-logo-shaped button at the upper right of the board. In this price range, this is an excellent option for those who spend as much time typing as they do gaming and who don't want to burn their entire budget on peripherals.

4. Corsair K95 RGB Platinum

Switch: Cherry MX Speed, Brown | Size: Full size | Backlights: RGB | Passthroughs: USB | Media Controls: Dedicated | Wristrest: Detachable

At the higher end of the mechanical keyboard price pool sits the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum, an excellent, durable keyboard that's loaded with features on both the design and functionality side of the equation. The standouts are six dedicated macro keys on the left side of the rugged aluminum alloy frame, full individually programmable key backlighting as well as a 19 zone top edge lighting bar, and gold contact Cherry MX Red switches with a very high 1.2mm actuation point. These keys are ideal for spamming multiple times in fast paced, frenetic games and the entire board (which has a large, impressive footprint) is built to withstand the most furious play. 

It's also loaded with a number of other features, like dedicated media keys and a very comfy reversible wrist rest, but perhaps my favorite is the smart cable management system built into the underside of the deck. A USB cable for passthrough can tuck smartly into a dedicated channel underneath the keyboard so it stays smartly tucked away and doesn't add to the cable nightmare that inevitably develops around all of my PC setups.

5. Razer BlackWidow Elite

Switch: Razer Green, Orange, or Yellow | Size: Full size | Backlights: RGB | Passthroughs: Yes | Media Controls: Dedicated | Wristrest: Yes

Another excellent gaming keyboard offering from Razer, the BlackWidow Elite is a big, bold deck running Razer's clicky, tactile Green switches. It's one of my favorite boards for typing, but it's no slouch in gaming performance either. Naturally, being a Razer product, it comes with the requisite 16.8 million color RGB backlighting, for which each key is individually programmable, and Razer's distinctive three-headed snake logo is also brightly lit at the base of the deck. Even the media controls are lit, and include play/pause, fast forward, and rewind buttons as well as an excellent volume wheel that juts just slightly over the right edge of the keyboard, making it easy to adjust on the fly. 

My favorite pieces of the BlackWidow's architecture, however, are the subtle additional touches Razer has packed into it, stuff like a 3.5mm passthrough alongside the more ubiquitous USB passthrough so you can plug headphones directly into the keyboard. There's also a channel underneath the board that the braided cable fits snugly into so it's guided off to the right and out of the way, which is convenient because it's a massive cord. Even the indicator lights are brightly lit in white and placed under the upper navigation keys, which is good because the raised keycaps would make them difficult to see otherwise.

6. Logitech K840

Switch: Logitech Romer-G | Size: Full size | Backlights: No | Passthroughs: No | Media Controls: Function key integrated | Wristrest: No

Previously only available in high-end, much more expensive keyboards, Logitech's K840 delivers the company's excellent Romer-G switches for a significantly lower outlay. Designed in conjunction with Japanese electronics manufacturer Omron, the Romer-G is a lightly tactile switch with a short 1.5mm actuation point and a landing pad to soften each keypress. They're comfortable for typing and responsive for gaming, achieving a middle ground equivalent to something in the Cherry MX Brown range.

While this board isn't festooned with RGB lighting, the simple, sandblasted design is a refreshing change from the oscillating rainbow of colors that seems to come standard on most gaming decks these days. The K840 is a bit short on extras like passthroughs or dedicated macro keys, as you might expect at this price, but it's an excellent board that delivers a strong set of core features at a very appealing price, and with a fantastic switch. 

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