It is very encouraging that mechanical keyboards are now experiencing a renaissance. They cost more, but they are more durable and better than the cheap, complete keyboards and keyboards of many laptops.
Keyboard manufacturers now cater to the needs of the main three classes of buyers: Mechanical Keyboard for Gaming, Mechanical Keyboard for Programming and Mechanical Keyboard for Typing.
For a good mechanical keyboard, you'll need to shell out a pretty decent amount of money, so let's pay attention to the main points to consider.
When choosing a mechanical keyboard, you need to pay attention to:
switch type
the presence of sound feedback (clicks)
tactile feedback (resistance)
the amount of effort required to actuate a key
Wireless mechanical keyboards
WIRELESS MECHANICAL KEYBOARD: ANNE PRO 2
Number of Keys: 61
Connection: wireless, wired
Switches: Gateron (brown, red, blue)
The Anne Pro 2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard is made of plastic but feels solid and well-built. The keycaps are made of PBT plastic, have a matte finish and feel durable.
The keyboard has no palm rests, no arrow keys, and the angle of the keyboard cannot be adjusted.
Each key is backlit separately, the keyboard has a full RGB spectrum with a good brightness range.
Connects via Bluetooth 4.0 or via a 1.8 m USB Type C cable.The battery capacity is 1900 mAh.
All keyboard keys can be programmed in the supplied software (ObinsKit). The keyboard can go into sleep mode, which significantly saves battery power.
The keyboard was tested with Gateron Brown switches, which give good tactile feedback when typing and don't sound too loud. The keyboard also comes with red and blue switches.
The keyboard is fully compatible with Windows. On MacOS, the keyboard's context menu button refused to work. You can also use this keyboard on Android and iOS devices, but please note that the functionality of the keyboard will be limited by the capabilities of these operating systems.
WIRELESS MECHANICAL KEYBOARD: BLITZWOLF BW-KB1
Number of Keys: 63
Connection: wireless, wired
Switches: Gateron (red, brown, blue)
The BlitzWolf BW-KB1 wireless mechanical keyboard is made of plastic and equipped with an aluminum plate for installing switches, which is recessed into the case. The body itself is made of textured plastic.
This is an open-type keyboard (you will see switches and stabilizers), so the RGB backlight looks especially bright (for some it's a plus, for some it's a minus). Overall, the build quality is very good and it is hoped that the keyboard will last a long time.
The aluminum board added weight to this keyboard and made it rigid. The keyboard has a stand with rubberized feet for a comfortable tilt.
The caps are made of ABS plastic, but they are textured, so they feel more pleasant, very similar to PBT. Replacing the keycaps is easy, just find keycaps for 65% of mechanical keyboards.
BlitzWolf BW-KB1 has really good stabilizers. They do not rattle even when large keys are pressed.
Red, blue and brown switches from Gateron are available for the keyboard, which in many ways duplicate the properties of switches from Cherry MX.
RGB backlighting is clearly visible due to the low profile of the keyboard. Effects are changed on the keyboard itself, without the need for software. The backlight settings are remembered and automatically loaded the next time you use the keyboard.
The keyboard connects using Bluetooth 5.0, and USB-C. Use the Fn + Tab combination to switch between operating modes.
The 1900 mAh battery lasts about a day with the RGB backlight on, or about 10 days with the backlight off.
The keyboard connects via Bluetooth to five devices and switches between them using the Fn + qwert key combination.
The keyboard has an IPX4 waterproof rating, which is able to protect it from excessive splashes of water.
BlitzWolf BW-KB1 is compatible with Winows and Mac. Use the combination FN + A / S to switch.
Mechanical keyboards for gaming
GAMING MECHANICAL KEYBOARD: METOO ZERO X51Â
Number of keys: 87, 104
Connection: wired
Switches: Cherry MX (black, blue, red)
Gaming mechanical keyboard Metoo Zero X51 has an ergonomic layout, the panel is made of aluminum. The caps consist of two layers of plastic, which was done so that the inscriptions are not stained and are always visible.
The keyboard uses Cherry MX switches, which are ideal for gaming with 50 million keystrokes.
When testing the keyboard, ghosting never happened, the essence of which is stopping the operation of some keys while simultaneously holding down a group of keys.
The keyboard is sharpened for Widnows and is connected via a USB connector, the cable length is 1.5 meters.
The keyboard has several functions associated with the Fn key. For example,
when you press Fn + F10 / F11 you can adjust the volume, pressing Fn + F12 you mute the sound
Fn + F5 opens the file viewer
Fn + F6 opens Internet Explorer
Fn + F7 opens the mail application
Fn + F8 opens calculator
Fn + Windows blocks the Windows button (this is useful to avoid accidentally minimizing the game)
Fn + End locks the Fn button
The keyboard has about 10 different backlighting functions that you can switch with the Fn + F9 combination.
The most beautiful backlight function is the “Single Star”, when the key you press is highlighted and goes out after a few seconds. Another interesting backlight mode is called “Ripple” (ripple), when the light will spread to the sides of the pressed key.
All backlight modes are aesthetically pleasing, which is pretty impressive for a keyboard in this price range.
GAMING MECHANICAL KEYBOARD: GK61
Number of Keys: 61
Connection: wired
Switches: Gateron (blue, red, brown, yellow, black, silver, green)
The GK61 mechanical gaming keyboard is a 60% mechanical keyboard that features hot-swappable optical switches, greased gimbals, RGB backlighting, and three levels of programmable layers.
The keyboard is made of thick plastic and an aluminum plate, it is quite sturdy and can even survive a fall. It has four rubberized non-slip feet.
Unfortunately, you won't be able to manually adjust the angle of the keyboard, but the keyboard itself is at a slight angle, so you will most likely be comfortable using it.
Despite the optical switches, the keyboard doesn't feel empty. If you add filler to the inside of the case, you can reduce this sound to a minimum.
RGB lighting reflects off the aluminum plate and looks good in dim lighting.
The USB Type C port is located in the upper left corner of the keyboard and is recessed into the case, so not every USB-C cable design will be compatible with it.
The keycaps are made of ABS plastic using a double injection method, so the inscriptions on them will never be erased. ABS is not a bad option for gaming, but over time, these caps become smoother and more slippery.
Fortunately, the GK61 has a standard 60% layout and you can easily replace the caps with better quality PBT plastic, which is less slippery and has better lettering.
The caps themselves are located inside the walls of the case, the switches are not visible, and the keyboard looks elegant.
Keyboard stabilizers are factory-lubricated and sound better than their cheap counterparts.
The keyboard has optical switches from Gateron, which come in a wide range of colors, giving you the widest choice of tactile feedback and sound.
Customization of macros and RGB lighting is possible using software. The keyboard has 3 layers for programmable macros. Windows key lock is available.
GAMING MECHANICAL KEYBOARD: WOMIER K87
Number of Keys: 87
Connection: wired
Switches: Gateron (black, red, silent red, brown, blue, yellow)
The Womier K87 mechanical gaming keyboard is synonymous with RGB backlighting, as it not only shines the keys, but the entire body. The keyboard has 146 LEDs, 46 of which illuminate the keyboard case.
You can choose from 18 different backlight modes, each of which can be customized to your liking.
The keyboard case is made of matte acrylic, which diffuses light and muffles the sounds of the keys.
The Womier K87 keyboard is equipped with hot-swappable Gateron switches, giving you the freedom to experiment with different colors. You can even install Cherry MX switches if you suddenly get bored with Gateron.
The keycaps for this keyboard are made of double ABS plastic. This means that the lettering will never wear off, but the plastic will begin to slip over time. On the other hand, nothing can stop you from changing them to PBT plastic caps later.
Keys rattle a little, especially space, backspace and enter. The rest of the keys sit firmly and have minimal wobble.
Here are some Fn key combinations that you might find useful:
FN + Up Arrow – Increase Backlight Brightness
FN + Down Arrow – Decrease Backlight Brightness
FN + Del – change backlight mode (18 modes)
FN + Home / End / Ins / Pg Up / Pg Down – change the backlight mode (18 modes)
FN + Ins – side lighting effects control
FN + Backspace – press and hold for three seconds to return to factory settings
FN + Left Arrow – Decrease Backlight Effectiveness
FN + Right Arrow – Increase Backlight Efficiency
For comfortable play, order red switches because they have less actuation force and more responsiveness.
GAMING MECHANICAL KEYBOARD: MOTOSPEED K87S
Number of Keys: 87
Connection: wired
Switches: Outemu (blue, red)
The Motospeed K87S mechanical gaming keyboard uses quality ABS plastic keycaps, which is better than some PBT models.
The metal plate is in champagne gold color, which makes the keyboard look elegant.
The keyboard has a tilt-adjusting stand with two non-slip rubber feet.
The keyboard is equipped with Outemu switches, which feel almost indistinguishable from Cherry MX. You have a choice between blue and red. The blue switch has a tactile response and a distinct click. Red switches operate smoothly and gently.
In addition to the backlighting of the main board and keys, the Motospeed K87S has bright and independent side lighting. The backlight is adjustable from the keyboard, there is no software interface for customization, but this does not make the keyboard feel worse.
Overall, this keyboard does not offer anything new in terms of performance and functionality, but its great looks and high build quality give it an edge over keyboards in the same price segment.
Mechanical keyboards for typing
MECHANICAL KEYBOARD FOR TYPING: KEMOVE SNOWFOX 61
Number of Keys: 61
Connection: wireless, wired
Switches: Gateron (blue, brown, red)
The Kemove Snowfox 61 mechanical keyboard for typing has two distinctive features: the ability to hot-swap switches (no need to solder) and the ability to connect via Bluethooth.
The keyboard is connected to three devices, switching between which occurs by pressing the Fn + z combination.
The keyboard has a 3000mAh battery, which is approximately 50% more than the other wireless keyboards in this article. The manufacturer claims that this is enough for 15 hours of battery life with the backlight on.
The keyboard backlight is really bright and colorful (compared to the Anne Pro 2, it's a whole different level).
The keycaps are made of PBT and look solid.
The keyboard itself has a standard weight and size. It has rubberized feet and a stand that allows you to position the keyboard at an angle. The keyboard case does not flex.
The keys are configured using Kemove's own software. You may have problems downloading it from the official site, so feel free to write to the support team.
The keyboard connects seamlessly to Windows, has a Mac compatibility button, and connects perfectly to iOS and Android devices.
MECHANICAL KEYBOARD FOR TYPING: EPOMAKER SK64
Number of Keys: 64
Connection: wireless, wired
Switches: Gateron (black, blue, brown, red)
The Epomaker SK64 mechanical typing keyboard is made of thick plastic with an aluminum plate to hold the switches and generally reinforce the structure. The keyboard looks well-built and solid.
The SK64 comes with high quality PBT plastic keycaps, which gives the feel of an expensive product, which, coupled with a three-color keycap design, makes the keyboard aesthetically pleasing. The back of the case has rubber feet that prevent slipping.
Epomaker SK64 keyboard has one of the most unique layouts among 60% of keyboards. It has 64 keys and comes with dedicated arrow keys, which is more common on 65% of keyboards. Therefore, we get an improved layout in the most compact body and that's cool.
The keycaps are made of quality PBT plastic with sublimated paint, which means RGB backlighting does not shine through the key when typing. This is a rather strange decision, because only the edge of the button is illuminated, and the symbol itself is not visible.
The keyboard is equipped with hot-swappable Gateron optical switches that are available in a wide range of colors (brown, red, black and blue). The only gripe with optical switches is that they feel empty on the inside, and it takes some getting used to.
Epomaker SK64 features customizable RGB lighting that you can customize to suit your workspace aesthetics.
The GK61 connects to other devices using Bluetooth 5.0 or a 1.5m USB Type C cable.
Mechanical keyboards for programming
MECHANICAL KEYBOARD FOR PROGRAMMING: DURGOD K320
Number of Keys: 87
Connection: wired
Switches: Cherry MX (brown, silver, red, silent red, blue)
The Durgod K320 Mechanical Programming Keyboard offers two tilt level settings so you won't fatigue during long work sessions. The keyboard has several white backlit modes and programmable macros.
The Durgod K320 has excellent build quality. It's made of hard plastic that doesn't feel cheap or sag. The caps are made of soft-touch PBT plastic.
The keyboard has a wired connection (USB Type C) and a 1.8 m cable. The cable is removable, which allows it to be replaced in case of breakdown.
Durgod K320 has media control keys and Windows key lock, which can prevent accidental closing of the running program. Also, you can program each key on the keyboard using the bundled software (Durgod Zeus Engine).
For a comfortable keyboard experience, I recommend the Cherry MX Brown switch, which gives a good tactile response and doesn't require a lot of pressure to press. If you don't like brown switches, you can experiment with the whole color palette (by the way, silver switches and quiet red switches are only present on this keyboard).
The Durgod K320 keyboard is fully Windows compatible without a single comment. If we talk about Mac, then Scroll Lock and Pause Break will not work there. In addition, the Durgod Zeus Engine does not work on Macs, hence you will not be able to program keys.
MECHANICAL KEYBOARD FOR PROGRAMMING: KEYCHRON K1
Number of Keys: 87
Connection: wireless, wired
Switches: Gateron (brown, red, blue)
The Keychron K1 wireless mechanical keyboard has excellent build quality (aluminum body), but for some reason the keycaps are made of ABS plastic and slip a little.
The keyboard has a minimum slope of 2.5 degrees, which combined with a low profile makes it comfortable enough for long-term use.
You won't be able to adjust the backlight modes using the software, but the keyboard has a handy button on the top right side with which you can change effects and colors.
The keyboard connects to three different devices using Bluetooth 5.1 and USB-C (wire length 1.5m). The built-in battery capacity is 2000 mAh. Switching between devices occurs by pressing the button at the top of the keyboard.
The keyboard is equipped with Gateron switches. Available in red, brown and blue. The red switches will give you the most responsiveness when working with text, but if that's too much for you, you can lower the keyboard sensitivity with the brown and blue switches.
This keyboard is quiet enough and its clicks will not interfere with you or others (just do not take the blue switches).
Keychron K1 has good Windows and Mac compatibility.
What's not working: The Cortana button doesn't work on Windows, and the Siri button doesn't work on Mac. The F1 and F2 buttons do not work on both operating systems, and the Print Screen button only works on Windows.
