5 of the Best Mechanical Keyboards for Work

Specs:

• Form factor: Compact (60%)
• Numeric keypad: No
• Switches: Gateron Red/Blue/Brown
• Ports: USB-C

The Keychron K2 is the best mechanical keyboard for Mac users, offering great value with excellent customer support, build quality, high-quality keycaps, and well-designed software. It’s also one of the more affordable models on this list, making it a great option for anyone looking to upgrade from a low-end unit.

On paper, there are a few things that make it stand out. But when you use the K2 yourself you’ll feel the difference immediately: the aluminum plate gives this board a very solid feel in comparison to its plastic counterparts; the keys are slightly smaller than competing models but have just enough travel to be comfortable (without being too squishy), and their tactile feedback feels much more precise than what’s offered by Cherry MX switches at this price point or below—which means your fingers won’t need as much adjustment time before they feel right at home on them again after switching over from another type of switch entirely.

Specs:

• Form factor: Full
• Numeric keypad: Yes
• Switches: HyperX Mechanical switches
• Ports: 1x USB 2.0

If you’re a gamer and looking for a keyboard with RGB lighting, look no further than the HyperX Alloy Elite 2. The Razer BlackWidow X Chroma V2 is one of most favorite gaming keyboards overall, but its price tag makes it a bit out of reach for most people.

This keyboard features fully customizable RGB backlighting and several different modes that allow you to choose from different color combinations. It also has five macro keys on the left side of your keyboard, which are great if you need to access certain shortcuts while playing games or doing work. The only downside? You can’t control these macros individually—you set them all up at once using an app on your phone, tablet, or PC.

Specs:

• Form factor: Full
• Numeric keypad: Yes
• Switches: Tactile Quiet, Linear, Clicky
• Ports: USB-A to C

The Logitech MX Mechanical is the company’s premier mechanical productivity board and is designed to replace the enduringly well-liked Logitech MX Keys. If you currently use Logitech peripherals, it’s a fine option, but keyboards like the Keychron K2 cost less and feel better to type on.

Although the gray-on-gray design isn’t very spectacular, the keyboard is wonderful with silent keys, lovely backlighting, and—most importantly—software that is compatible with macOS, which is still less common than you might think. It allows multiple customization options as well, which may be a good selling point for some users. However, there seems to be no option for macroprogamming.

Specs:

• Form factor: TKL
• Numeric keypad: Yes
• Switches: Clicky Tactile – Cherry MX Blue Switches / Soft Tactile – Cherry MX Brown Switches
• Ports: USB 3.0 & USB 2.0

For the best of both worlds, consider a hybrid gaming and work keyboard like the Das Keyboard 4 Professional for Mac. This mechanical keyboard is equally at home in your office and gaming setup, with features like chiclet keycaps that give it an aesthetic you’ll be proud to show off at your desk. It’s Mac-compatible and has a USB connection, so it works well with both PCs and Macs.

Specs:

• Form factor: TKL
• Numeric keypad: No
• Switches: Tactile, Linear Optical Switches
• Ports: USB-C

If you’re looking for the best gaming keyboard, Razer’s Huntsman Tournament Edition TKL Tenkeyless Gaming Keyboard should be at the top of your list. This mechanical keyboard has been designed with gamers in mind. It features Cherry MX switches and RGB lighting, which means that it will stay responsive even when you’re playing fast-paced games like Overwatch or Battlefield V.

The Cherry MX Brown keys are tactile (meaning they have a physical click) and linear (meaning they don’t require much pressure), so they can be used by people who want to type fast on their keyboards without worrying about typos or misspelling words while playing games on their PCs. The RGB LEDs give off a cool glow that makes this mechanical keyboard stand out from its competitors, which will help keep your office looking trendy at all times.