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Are you looking for the best gaming keyboard under $100? Computer gaming is a potentially expensive hobby, but it is not necessarily the case. It is entirely possible to work on a tight budget while creating an epic configuration that will give you thousands of hours of happiness. This is also true for keyboards. You can spend a fortune, but it is not obligatory. We’ve set a limit of $100 and selected the best keyboards you can get within that budget.
List of the best gaming keyboard under $100
SteelSeries Apex 5
The best gaming keyboard under $100 with mechanical switches that we tested is the SteelSeries Apex 5 Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. While it doesn’t use typical mechanical switches, it has hybrid switches that give you the tactile feedback of a mechanical and the soft touch of a rubber dome switch. They have a low pre-travel distance and offer a responsive gaming experience.
It is excellent for gaming and has the same features as other SteelSeries keyboards, but for less than $100. It has individually backlit keys, an OLED display and a scroll wheel. The SteelSeries Engine software is compatible with both Windows and macOS. You can also adjust the RGB lighting, set macros or reprogram each key, and it has built-in memory. The keys are easy to press, so your actions are quickly recorded.
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Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
More than $100 for a great gaming keyboard is to be expected if you’re even a little serious about your gaming performance. But the beauty of the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is that it manages to deliver fast performance without being the most expensive keyboard in town. True, there aren’t many features here that put it behind many of its feature-rich rivals, but it makes up for that by being small and boasting a removable one to make it perfectly portable for on-the-go gaming. This is the best gaming keyboard under $100 for most people.
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Corsair K63 Wireless
The best gaming keyboard under $100 with a wireless connection that we tested is the Corsair K63 Wireless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. This TenKeyLess mechanical model connects to up to two different devices at once, either via the USB receiver or Bluetooth. It has good ergonomics as it is a straight board with one inclination setting, but the wrist rest feels a bit cheap.
It is only available with linear Cherry MX Red switches, which require a bit of force to operate and do not offer tactile feedback. The pre-travel distance is also slightly longer than on other gaming keyboards, although the switches still feel very responsive and should not cause fatigue. The keyboard has a number of additional features, including special media keys and a Windows lock that prevents you from accidentally minimizing your game, and you can reprogram or set macros for each key.
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Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT
The best gaming keyboard under $100 with non-mechanical switches is the Corsair K55 RGB PRO XT. Unlike the other keyboards in this recommendation, this keyboard has rubber dome switches. They are heavier to press than typical mechanical keyboards and may not have the same tactile feedback, but they are still light to press and should please gamers.
It’s packed with gaming-oriented features; you can set macros on each key, and it even has six additional macro keys on the left side. It has full RGB lighting with individually lit keys that you can customize through the iCUE software, which is available for both Windows and macOS. The latency is also extremely low, which is great. The keyboard has one incline setting and there is a wrist rest, so it shouldn’t cause too much fatigue during long gaming sessions.
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Logitech G413
The Logitech G413 is the best gaming keyboard under $100 that you can get cheap. It’s a well-rounded keyboard that offers fantastic gaming performance and should satisfy most entry-level gamers. Despite its low cost, it’s still well-built with a plastic frame and a solid aluminum top plate, so you shouldn’t have any problems with its build.
The G413 only comes with proprietary Romer-G Tactile switches, which have a low pre-travel distance and offer good tactile feedback while not being too heavy to type on. Speaking of which, the keyboard offers good typing quality as the ABS keycaps feel nice and are stable. For gamers, it has very low latency so you will not notice any lag while gaming. It has backlighting with individually lit keys, but unfortunately it is only available in red.
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CyberPowerPC Skorpion K2
The Cyber PowerPC Scorpion K2 series is a fully mechanical gaming keyboard with a solid brushed aluminum chassis for a solid professional look with a fresh feel. It’s built with our custom Contact Blue switches, which are light, tactile, click mechanical keyboard switch. Available with 16 Million Color RGB, 104 Individual key backlights, and 100% anti-ghosting ensure accuracy during gameplay, so it doesn’t miss a keystroke even under the most extreme gaming conditions. Overall, this is one of the best gaming keyboards under $100.
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Razer Cynosa V2
The Razer Cynosa V2 is an inexpensive gaming gaming keyboard under $100 suitable for newcomers to the world of PC gaming. This membrane keyboard lacks the comfortable mechanical keys of its more expensive cousins, although it has just about everything you would expect from a full-fledged gaming keyboard. The Cynosa V2 features full RGB illumination, a programmable game mode to prevent you from accidentally turning off your game halfway through the session, discrete media keys, and even some convenient cable management. If you don’t want to drop $150 – or more – on a keyboard, this is one of the best gaming keyboards.
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SteelSeries Apex 3
Not all major gaming keyboards have mechanical switches, as this affordable Apex keyboard proves. The budget-focused SteelSeries Apex 3 can come with a few concessions, but it also has some impressive features that more than makeup for those compromises. One of those features is IP32 water resistance for spill protection – because who hasn’t accidentally knocked over a can of soda while gaming?
Another feature is the reactive and customizable 10-zone RGB lighting to make your gaming experience even more impressive. And if you absolutely hate those clicking sounds that mechanical keyboards like to make, you’ll really appreciate this keyboard’s whisper-quiet game switches. This is the best gaming keyboard under $100 for beginners.
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HyperX Alloy Origins
The HyperX Alloy Origins is compact and high quality, making it the best gaming keyboard under $100 for mainstream gamers who just want to get started with gaming. It’s comfortable with a first-class look and feel, from the keys to the frame and vibrant RGB backlighting. If you’re familiar with linear switches, you’ll feel right at home with this keyboard’s red switches. We have also tested the clickier version with HyperX aqua switches, which is available in the Amazon and HyperX store.
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HyperX Alloy Origins 60
The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 shows that mini keyboards can be just fine for gaming. This 60% keyboard doesn’t have a numpad, a function row, or arrow keys, but if you can live with learning a few keyboard shortcuts, it’s a great way to streamline your gaming experience while saving some desk space. Furthermore, the Alloy Origins 60 uses comfortable HyperX Red key switches and offers a full range of RGB lighting.
Admittedly, the Alloy Origins 60 may be a hard sell if you are not already attached to a mini keyboard design. For touch typists, many of their favorite keys will be missing, and the keys are a bit louder than you might expect. Still, this is the best gaming keyboard under $100 for most people.
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