The 5 best mechanical keyboards of 2022

Features

• Form factor – Tenkeyless 
• Connection type – Wireless (Bluetooth) or Wired (USB-C to USB-A)
• Available switch types – Blue (clicky), Brown (tacticle), or Red (linear)
• Hot swappable switch sockets – Yes

I've raved about the Keychron K8 series as the ideal entry point to the mechanical keyboard hobby in my review of the product. It remains one of the best boards out there for those just starting out. It offers a lineup of features typically only found in far more expensive boards from other manufacturers, including RGB lighting, hot swap switch sockets, stable Bluetooth connectivity, and an epic battery life. 

The version I've featured here is the model with a plastic case, RGB backlighting, and hot swap sockets. These sockets allow mech key beginners to use the board as a platform to experiment with the massive variety of mechanical keyboard switches on the market today, all with slightly different tactile characteristics, sound profiles, and features. The extremely customizable lighting also allows it to be as flashy or as subdued as you'd like. 

I chose the “tenkeyless” K8, which doesn't include the right-side number pad, for its excellent balance of providing every key you might need for serious text editing while also saving some space that would be taken up by a full-sized board. Thankfully, if you'd prefer more space-saving at the cost of a few more keys, or you'd rather have a full-sized board, Keychron's got you covered with very similar models in 60%, 100%, and even non-standard 65% and 75% form factors. 

Features

• Form factor – 60%
• Connection type – Wired (USB-A)
• Available switch types – Purple (clicky), Red (linear), or Analog
• Hot swappable switch sockets – No

Razer's reputation for quality-built products has waxed and waned over the years. However, the company has recently been on a streak of releasing high-quality, well-built, and reasonably priced peripherals that have brought back a huge following in the gaming community, as well as those outside of it that appreciate the low costs and excellent customizability offered. 

More: Razer Blackshark V2 Pro headset review: A potent weapon for the right gamer | Razer Pro Type Ultra, Click Mini, and Glide XXL review: Gaming the office system

The Huntsman Mini is the latest entry in the Huntsman gaming keyboard line, opting for the diminutive 60% form factor. This means that the text editing cluster and arrow keys found on tenkeyless and full-sized boards are not included. While most of these keys are still available by using the included “fn” modifier key, they're far less convenient to access. For this reason, this keyboard is the only one on the list I'd strongly recommend exclusively for gamers that don't intend to do heavy text editing on the same PC they game on. 

As long as you fall into that category, the Huntsman Mini provides a huge number of feature in a small package, including RGB lighting, doubleshot PBT keycaps (something usually reserved for pricey replacement keycap sets), storage for up to five onboard profiles, and optional analog switches. Unlike the standard mechanical switch types, analog switches can provide gradually increasing levels of input to the connected PC. This means the depth you press your W key to will mimic how far forward you press the analog stick on a game controller. This adds extra sensitivity and control to supported games, and can be a huge boon to the right gamer. It's almost hard to believe Razer managed to stuff all of this into a board this small and price it at less than $150 for the analog option and less than $100 for the Clicky and Linear versions. 

Features

• Form factor – Full-sized+ 
• Connection type – Wired (USB-A)
• Available switch types – Corsair OPX (linear optical) or Cherry MX Speed (linear mechanical)
• Hot swappable switch sockets – No

Corsair has been in the mechanical keyboard game for longer than just about anyone else on this list. It's K100, K70, and K65 lines were some of the best available mech key options, gaming or otherwise, for several years, until the market diversified. Today, their full-featured units remain some of the best on the market for gaming-focused users. 

If the Razer Huntsman above is a compact, precision-tuned sports car, the K100 is a Rolls Royce, throwing every single feature a gamer, or non-gamer for that matter, could want into a single board. Its left-side row of additional, customizable macro keys; onboard volume and media controls; and unique iCue wheel provide far more control options than any standard keyboard layout ever could. Better yet, these features are all packed in a case that could be used to demolish a wall, thanks to its sturdy metal casing and rock-solid quality. 

While some FPS-focused gamers might not have a use for all of this “extra-ness,” MMORPG players, flight and racing sim fans, and MOBA fanatics will likely love the extra controls and lightning-fast mechanical or optical switch options. The only reason not to use this board is if your desk or mousing area can't handle its ample footprint. 

Features

• Form factor – Low profile tenkeyless 
• Connection type – Wireless (Bluetooth) or Wired (USB-C to USB-A)
• Available switch types – Blue (clicky), Brown (tactile), Red (linear) “Banana” (early bump tactile), or “Mint” (heavy early bump tactile)
• Hot swappable switch sockets – Yes

The nearly ubiquitous presence of laptops and Chromebooks in school classrooms means that many of us are now learning to type on their very flat included keyboards. This has created a whole class of user that continues to prefer that same low-profile typing feel, even when using a discrete keyboard. To fill this niche, many manufacturers have begun creating low-profile mechanical keyboards. Unfortunately, most of these offerings are either limited to a single, permanent switch or, at best, one of the three standard switch types: Blue (clicky), Brown (tactile), or Red (linear). 

Keychron once again makes its way onto our list by creating a board that offers the low-profile form factor, but still includes the rare benefit of having hot swap sockets built in. This means that you can choose a wide variety of switches, like the “Banana” and “Mint” options mentioned above, or any of the growing number of low-profile mech key switches being produced. 

The K1 SE combines this unique flexibility with nearly all of the benefits of the K8 mentioned above, including RGB lighting, wireless connectivity options, and a surprisingly sturdy build quality for its very reasonable price point. The result is a rare product that requires very few compromises to achieve the slim, low-profile form factor many typists now prefer. 

Features

• Form factor – Tenkeyless or 65%
• Connection type – Wired (USB-C to USB-A)
• Available switch types – Halo Clear (tactile), Halo True (light tactile), Kaihua Speed Silver (linear), Cherry MX Blue (clicky), Cherry MX Brown (tactile)
• Hot swappable switch sockets – Yes

Drop (formerly Massdrop) is a company that began its life specializing in the type of group buys that continue to power much of the production in the modern mechanical keyboard hobbyist community. However, it has grown over the years to produce many popular products of its own across the audio and mechanical keyboard spaces. Two of the most well-known of these in-house products are the Drop ALT and Drop CTRL mechanical keyboards. 

The CTRL is a familiar tenkeyless option while the ALT is a non-standard 65% board with a unique layout that manages to maintain almost all of the keys you'll need for heavy text editing, without taking up much more space than a 60% board. Both feature exceptional build quality, including their machined aluminum cases; bright, built-in, per-key RGB lighting, unique RGB edge lighting; excellent shine-through keycaps; and reliable hot swap switch sockets. Both units are also extremely customizable upon initial purchase, with flat and high-profile case options in Black or Space Gray colorways, as well as the widest selection of available switches of any board here. 

More importantly for hobbyists, the boards are a joy to work on, with just a few well-machined screws giving you access to the simple-but-flexible internal workings. This makes them a great platform to experiment with things like replacing key stabilizers, adding sound dampening, or even tweaking the internal lighting. Switch collectors will also love the included cap and switch puller, which are some of the nicest and most effective I've ever tested. These aren't the cheapest options on the list, but they might be the best for those that are certain they're going to dive a little deeper into the hobby. Drop even offers replacement cases for those that want to change the look of their boards entirely.