Best Gaming Keyboards In 2022

Your gaming keyboard choice is one of the most important decisions you can make for your setup. If you thought choosing a mouse or headset was hard, then you’re in for quite the task with gaming keyboards. Between key switches, mechanical vs membrane keyboards, and all the extra features that keyboards tend to come with–such as multimedia keys and RGB lighting–there is a lot to consider. That’s why we’ve tested and narrowed down the field of only the best gaming keyboards you can buy in 2022. For details on the differences between various keyboard switches, scroll down below the list. Our list of the best gaming keyboards includes wireless and wired options as well as keyboards with different form factors and switches.

Looking to complete your gaming keyboard and mouse combo, or just want more gaming peripherals to shop for? Check out our picks for the best gaming headset and best gaming mouse. And if you are trying to find something new to play, we have a roundup of the best PC games to play in 2022. We also have a list of the best Steam Deck games, if you’ve managed to get your hands on Valve’s new handheld.

Editor’s Note: Article updated on July 22, 2022

Keyboard switches, explained

Different types of switches will appeal to different and whether you’re going with a Cherry MX switch like Cherry MX Red or Cherry MX Blue, there are plenty of keyboards worth your time. It can get confusing quickly, especially if you can’t test these keyboards yourself and truly tell the difference with your own fingers. Thankfully, it’s easy to understand exactly what you’ll be getting if you understand the terminology.

First off, linear versus tactile switches keys. Linear means there is no physical feedback mechanism to indicate when a keystroke is registered. It’s smooth, relatively quiet, and preferred for rapidly tapping on keys. Tactile means there is a bump or click to indicate you’ve hit the actuation point; it’s louder, but some prefer having physical feedback for keystrokes. It really comes down to preference. Actuation point is the distance at which a keystroke is registered; a shorter distance means you don’t have to press the key down as far, but can lead to errant inputs. Actuation force is, well, the force needed to press the key down. Of course, there are all the quality-of-life considerations to think about, too, like multimedia keys, whether you want a programmable key row and such.

While Cherry has been the long-time dominant manufacturer of mechanical switches, some gaming peripheral brands have started making their own proprietary mechanical switches for their keyboards, namely Razer and Logitech. For a brief overview of the most common mx switches, see below:

Cherry MX Red Switches: LinearCherry MX Blue Switches: Tactile and ClickyCherry MX Brown Switches: Tactile with a BumpCherry MX Speed Switches: Linear with a very short actuation pointRomer-G Linear Switches: LinearRomer-G Tactile Switches: Tactile with a BumpRazer Yellow Switches: LinearRazer Orange Switches: Tactile with a BumpRazer Green Switches: Tactile and ClickySteelseries OmniPoint Adjustable Switches: Linear with adjustable actuation point

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