However, the keyboard does have one major disadvantage. Despite claiming "gaming-grade anti-ghosting technology", the keyboard doesn't offer as high a key rollover count as we'd expect. For example, with Q and W held down, you can't press down 0, H, J, comma or period. This means the keyboard only has a rollover count of two (2KRO), and six is the standard for a good gaming keyboard. Sadly, this is often a downside to choosing membrane over mechanical, and is worth bearing in mind if you are a fast typer or play games that require a lot of simultaneous key presses (like rhythm games or co-op games with two players on a single keyboard). However, mechanical switches are expensive to produce and often sound louder than their non-mechanical counterparts. By comparison, non-mechanical keyboards tend to feel softer, cost less to produce and don't sound as loud. While both options have their objective strengths and weaknesses, it often comes down to personal preference. As well as performing well in games, the K3 is also one of the few Mac-friendly keyboards on the market, with both Mac and Windows keycaps available. If you ever have occasion to use a Mac, you'll no doubt appreciate the hotkeys along the top row of the keyboard and the alternate Mac modifier keycaps. The keyboard should be used via USB-C for competitive gaming, but Bluetooth is also available with around 30 hours of battery life - so you can use it comfortably with the iPhone and iPad, in addition to a wide range of other computers and mobile devices. The optical sensor built into each switch ensures key presses can be registered in an instant, equalling the responsiveness of much more expensive gaming keyboards like the Razer Huntsman TE we featured in a previous version of this article. Keychron's optical switches are also hot-swappable, making it easy to replace a broken switch or change to an entirely different feel later on. (If you're not sold on optical switches, then you can get regular Gateron low profile switches instead for a slightly lower cost, but note that these aren't hot-swappable.) I particularly enjoyed the feel of this keyboard with the Rose Glacier switches installed, which provide a much more noticeable tactile response than standard MX Brown tactile switches - great for typing, but also ideal for RTS and other genres where key accuracy is critical.

I've exhaustively tested each of the keyboards on this list - and many more that didn't make the cut. I've been reviewing gaming keyboards since 2010, from the rebirth of the mechanical keyboard to the uniquely aesthetic examples with novel switches and crazy features hitting the market as we continue into the halcyon days of 2023. It can be hard to keep up with the rapid pace of innovation in this unassuming space, so let me be your guide. In short, there are two major keyboard layouts in the world: ANSI for the US, China and some other regions, and ISO for the UK, much of Europe and most other countries. ANSI features a wide left Shift key and a wide Enter key, while ISO instead uses a thin left Shift key and a tall Enter key. If a keyboard's layout looks unfamiliar, this might be why. Overall, the Halo96 is a fantastic board, especially when paired with the acrylic/aluminium wrist rest shown above. This looks almost like glass, diffusing the edge RGB throughout the wrist rest and making the keyboard comfier to use too. Of course, it goes without saying that while there are certainly better and worse keyboards on the market, choosing the right keyboard is also a very personal experience. We've tried to consider a range of viewpoints and value judgements, but my number one choice might be one you wouldn't even consider.It depends! Mechanical keyboards feel better to type or game on for many people, and are sometimes described as faster or more responsive. While membrane keyboards harden over time, mechanical keyboards provide a consistent experience for decades. Mechanical keyboards are also available in many different switches, each of which has their own characteristics - loud versus quiet, tactile versus linear, long travel versus short travel and so on. Watch the latest DF Weekly, where Digital Foundry staff discuss the hottest gaming technology news.

Mechanical keyboards are defined by their switches. The most common options are MX switches, originally made by Cherry and now made by a range of manufacturers. Each switch is described by its colour; the three most popular are as follows: Overall, it's easier to list off what the Corsair K100 can't do than what it can do. If you have the desk space for a full-size-and-then-some keyboard and you'll actually use its many many features, then the K100 is worth every penny of its premium asking price. All in all, the Keychron K3's compact size, excellent switches and overall aesthetic makes it one of our favourite keyboards for gaming or typing. This keyboard is also uniquely in-demand here at Digital Foundry's Bristol office, and disappearing on many occasions because someone fancied using it for work. If that's not a tacit recommendation, I don't know what is!While the keycaps are a big improvement, the Elite 2 doesn't include some add-ons provided with the original Elite. There are no replacement keycaps for WASD and a palm rest doesn't come in the box, although it's clear that the frame is still engineered to accept one. I personally used neither of these, but if you do want a palm rest you might consider a third-party option instead. In terms of extra features, this tenkeyless keyboard has a rare volume wheel in the upper right and a button that's set to play/pause by default. This can be customised in the SteelSeries GG software, which also allows different lighting modes and key assignments.