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Choosing the best keyboard can help you be more productive with everyday school or office work. In order to sort out the best keyboards for programming, the best keyboard for writers, and the best keyboard for music, we focused on design, wired vs. wireless connectivity, keyboard feel, and battery life. We also explored complementary features such as backlights and programmable hotkeys to access frequently used applications and perform certain functions.
Our top pick, the Logitech K400 Plus Wireless Keyboard is easy to use and features a built-in touchpad and a 10-meter wireless range, making it a great choice to command a variety of smart home devices, Android/Windows tablets and Chromebooks. And, when you’re ready to upgrade to a new unit, check out our best motherboard that we recommend.
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Easy to set up and compatible with a wide range of home devices, this multifunctional keyboard has a built-in touchpad, a great tactile response and customizable function keys.
This multifunction keyboard is one of the best smart TV and home device keyboards in its class thanks to a simple set up and built-in trackpad for convenience. It also has good wireless connectivity and a USB port to connect it to a PC or smart television. It’s a great keyboard for gaming and work as one of the best keyboards for programming Raspberry PI devices too. Read our guide on the best CPU fans to keep your computer temperature cool.
While it doesn’t have backlit keys or offer Bluetooth as some other wireless keyboards do, it has fully customizable F-keys and offers broad compatibility with Linux, Windows 7 and up, and Chrome operating systems. This keyboard’s ease of use definitely puts it in the running for the best smart TV keyboard.
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: The high quality look and feel of the original Apple Magic Keyboard with the convenience of a full 10-key numeric keypad, plus easy Bluetooth connectivity.
Read Full Review: Apple Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad Review
This Apple Magic keyboard has the look and feel of the original but adds upgraded key press mechanisms and a full numeric keypad. The latter is a great addition for work productivity, making this our pick as the best keyboard for writers and for business and finance applications on a Mac or iOS device.
The best keyboard for iPads and iPhones, this Apple keyboard has Bluetooth and a lightning cable, so you can use it wirelessly or as a wired keyboard with any Mac that has a USB port or any newer Mac using a USB- USB-C dongle. If you want a keyboard for your iPad mini, check this list of 11 of the bed iPad mini keyboards.
Award: BEST GAMING
WHY WE LIKE IT: This gaming keyboard features opto-mechanical switches promising unmatched clicking speed, plus a plush wrist rest and dedicated media keys (and colored LED lighting).
A popular choice among gamers, eSports aficionados and twitch streamers looking for the best keyboard for gaming, the Huntsman Elite has ultra fast and precise keys thanks to its optical-mechanical mechanism, which claims to preserve satisfying click feedback while shortening the keys’ travel distance to 1.5mm and increasing actuation speed. This combination of quality and speed makes it our pick as the best keyboard for WOW and other intensive gaming applications.
It also comes with programmable macro keys and a plush, leatherette magnetic wrist rest to help ward off carpal tunnel. Chroma RGB under lighting is standard and the keyboard comes with a 2-year warranty and claimed 100 million click lifespan.
Award: BEST COMBO
WHY WE LIKE IT: A solid choice for the best keyboard and mouse combo in terms of value for the money, this wired keyboard is fully backlit and ergonomically designed, plus features a six-button mouse.
Read Full Review: Redragon S101 Review
This splash proof, backlit keyboard and mouse combo is a great value for gamers and students as well. It features precise keys with good feedback, a full array of programmable function keys and 12 multimedia keys. It also comes with a 6-button gaming mouse that has some nice specs like teflon feet and an 8-piece weight tuning set for precise, customizable tracking.
The connection is via an included 5’ long USB cable, and while there’s no wireless, the cable is long and durable enough. It works with Windows 10, 8,7 and Vista, and has basic keyboard functionality with Mac OS, as well. Did we mention this a great gaming keyboard as well? If style is important to your setup, take a look at the best backlit keyboard.
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Award: BEST BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: A completely wireless keyboard at a bargain price with a built-in trackpad, making it a great choice for home theaters or road warriors.
Read Full Review: AmazonBasics Keyboard and Mouse Combo
This wireless keyboard is one of the best you can buy at this price point with a built-in trackpad. It offers easy set up, low profile keys and customizable hot keys for media and shortcuts.
A great keyboard for office use and programming, this keyboard works with any Windows 10, 8,7, Vista, XP or 2000 applications. And it includes a built-in trackpad, so it’s ideal for use from your couch or if you hit the road often and can’t stand your laptop’s keyboard. With a keyboard this nice, you’ll definitely want the best keyboard stand too.
Award: BEST DURABLE RESISTANT
WHY WE LIKE IT: This well designed keyboard for gaming features an integrated palm wrest and is IP42 rated making it dust and splash resistant.
Read Full Review: Corsair K55 RGB Review
This full size keyboard is a good value considering its IP42-rated dust and splash resistance plus attractive key font and dynamic RGB lighting. You can also set it to be one color backlighting or turn off the backlighting as well. If splash resistance is a priority you may find this the best keyboard for gaming in its price range.
It’s compatible with most recent Windows machines and connects via an included USB cable. Despite its low cost, it’s rated highly for durability. It is a membrane keyboard, and while this can be an advantage for those looking for a quiet keyboard for programming or work, dedicated gamers often prefer the feel of mechanical keyboards and its associated “clicks”.
Award: BEST FULL SIZED WIRELESS
WHY WE LIKE IT: This slim, full size wireless PC keyboard has foldable feet for comfortable typing, plus low profile keys,fast access hot keys and a full numeric keypad.
Read Full Review: HP Wireless Elite Keyboard v2 Review
This keyboard is great for writers working from home or those needing to control multiple devices; it uses HP’s 5-link wireless and has a 2.4GHz signal that allows it to work up to 30 feet away. A full size wireless keyboard, it has a full number pad and easy to use hot keys.
While it’s not splash resistant and lacks some of the features of high end wireless keyboards, it does come with four settings for height adjustment, which helps ease wrist strain, making it a real contender for the best keyboard for writers using a windows PC or laptop. However, it doesn’t have a built-in trackpad. Which is why our top pick is, well, our top pick and best wireless keyboard on the list. If you’re just looking for a keyboard to go with your iPad, take a look at the 6 best iPad covers with keyboards.
In order to bring you the top performing and best keyboards for gaming, productivity and general computer use we focused on keyboards that represented the best value or quality in their respective classes.
For gaming keyboards, we only considered models with backlighting, a full set of media keys and short travel keys. Splash proof keyboards got some extra credit but this wasn’t considered mandatory.
When considering the best keyboard for programming and general productivity, a good number pad and macro keys were again a must, as were reliable connectivity and broad compatibility. For multiple device keyboards and wireless keyboards, we looked for a built-in trackpad so as to allow the keyboard to take over mouse functions as well.
For wireless keyboards, we looked for easy setup, 2.4 GHz or Bluetooth 4.0 or above and a way of easily recharging the battery.
We also gave preference to keyboards that were compatible with a variety of operating systems including Mac OS, Linnux, Windows and Chrome OS.
Durability was a factor as well, and a 1 or 2-year warranty was a bonus.
For our picks for best keyboard and mouse combo we looked at value for the money, durability, and smooth, reliable tracking, only considering those with a laser mouse or an optical mouse with at least 1000 dpi resolution.
The right keyboard is one of the best computer accessories you can buy. The best computer monitors make everything look great, but you still need to type in the info. The best computers need the best gear. Period. If you want to get extra fancy, the best backlit keyboard is a great choice.
Depending on what you’re looking for, a number of brands consistently rank near the top. When it comes to the best keyboards for mobile devices and general use, Logitech is often a go to brand, offering good value for the money. Razer and Corsair make some of the most highly rated keyboards for gaming, while most Mac users prefer Apple branded keyboards.
If your work involves a lot of numbers, as with budgets, spreadsheets, or some programming tasks, look for a keyboard with a number pad. In general, the best keyboard for work will have a “just right” feel to the keys, with adequate click distance and resistance, but not overly stiff keys, and with snappy, consistent key return. Other features that may make the best keyboard for work include programmable macro keys, a built in wrist rest, or built in trackpad.
Some gaming keyboards like the Razer Hunstman Elite (our #3 pick) are optimized for super fast click response for the sake of executing gaming commands in an eSports setting, and many of these adaptations, like optical-mechanical keys, can translate to faster typing.
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