If you are in search of the best cheap mechanical keyboards then you have come to the right place because in this article you will be provided with all the useful information that will help you make the best purchase for yourself. With plenty of options in the market, it can sometimes become very hard to choose a high quality mechanical keyboard for yourself that suits your budget as well.
When you are choosing a keyboard you must always go for the most premium quality as it will provide you great performance in the long run. Things like construction quality, size, comfort, and build material should be overlooked.
To save your time it is highly advised to read this article so that you will be able to make the best purchase for yourself.
Things to consider before buying a mechanical keyboard
Before you spend your hard earned money it is very important to make sure that you are only spending it on a professional and durable keyboard that provides you with all the features that you are looking for in a gaming keyboard. This section will provide you with the most important factors to consider before buying a cheap mechanical keyboard:
Size
The first thing to consider while buying a mechanical keyboard is its size. If the size isn’t appropriate to your requirements then you should avoid buying such a keyboard. You must know if you want a full sized keyboard or a tenkeyless keyboard to have more space. A full size keyboard contains extra buttons and controls along with some fancy features that lead to very little space on the keyboard. Such types of keyboards are mostly used by professional gamers.
Most of the keyboard sizes range from 40% to 100%. The most average keyboard size that people prefer is 60%. Most of the 60% keyboards are similar to tenkeyless keyboards. However, if you want a smaller size than that then you should choose the 40%.
Comfort and wrist rest
Another important factor to consider is the comfort while using the keyboard. It should provide complete wrist rest so that you will be able to do gaming or work with ease. These factors are really important to consider if you are buying a keyboard for long term usage. Most of the high quality keyboards also come with full RGB customization.
Getting an uncomfortable keyboard will always leave you struggling to type properly or even continue gaming without breaks. This is a great inconvenience which is why choosing a good mechanical keyboard is very important.
Macro keys
Macro Keys are a very important asset to consider while gaming because they provide great convenience to the users ensuring a smooth gaming experience. The keycaps should come with a strong build design and must be easy to press on.
Price
Choosing a mechanical keyboard is only worth it if it suits your budget. You should never ignore the price while buying a mechanical keyboard. Therefore a good survey will help you choose the most suitable mechanical keyboard for yourself.
Best cheap mechanical keyboards 2021:
Following is a list of the best cheap mechanical keyboards 2021:
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Corsair K70 MK.2
If you are in search of a comfortable keyboard then your choice should be the Corsair K70 MK.2. This mechanical keyboard provides the best typing and gaming experience for the user. This low profile keyboard has gained immense popularity and the newer model also comes with better upgrades. It provides a great level of precision to its users which makes gaming a lot more fun and exciting.
The keycaps are nicely built which makes it easy to type on this keyboard for long hours. This is one of the reasons why people also use this keyboard in offices as well. The design of the new model is a lot different from the previous model as it doesn’t come in a thick aluminum body. It comes in a plastic body which is very durable.
The switches on this keyboard are also very smooth and silent. It also provides a neat appearance to the keyboard which is also very easy to clean. The keys are silent and do not produce unwanted click noise.
Many users have experienced the issue that the software usually slows down when you are initially using this keyboard. It doesn’t always occur but sometimes it does and can slow down the overall performance of the keyboard. The RGB lighting is perfect and comes in multiple different colors. It can easily be customized and easily syncs with the Corsair software.
The keyboard provides additional features which are hard to find in most other mechanical keyboards. Its design is very aesthetically pleasing. It comes with a brushed aluminum effect with illuminated keys that provides a neat and attractive look to the keyboard.
Pros
- The design of this keyboard is very attractive and aesthetically pleasing with brushes aluminum effect
- The RGB lighting can easily be customized and provides multiple colors
Cons
- Most people do not like the plastic build of this keyboard which provides a cheap look to it
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Logitech G Pro
Another professional mechanical keyboard is the Logitech G Pro. It is an 80% tenkeyless keyboard that is an ideal choice for playing esports tournaments. It comes with extra keys which provides additional features to the user.
Most people prefer the size of the keycaps but do not prefer the size of the keyboard because it is too large. It comes with a detachable cable which is pretty insignificant but quite fruitful for LAN users. However, this full size keyboard doesn’t provide any extraordinary specs as compared to other small sized keyboards. This is a drawback if you are someone expecting a unique gaming performance from this full size mechanical keyboard. Although it does provide some additional features apart from that, it’s quite similar to an average sized mechanical keyboard.
Its sleek and compact design provides enough space for other devices on the desk. This also makes it very easy to carry for the user especially if they have to travel frequently. Its durability is 70 million key presses.
The Romer- G switches are highly responsive and are a better alternative to the Cherry MX switched which provides an excellent typing and gaming experience. The Logitech HUB software allows the user to personalize the setup and provide better control over ferries features of the keyboard including the DPI setting.
Pros
- This keyboard is an excellent choice for esports tournaments and esports athletes who regularly take part in such tournaments
- The design of this keyboard is very attractive and provides an aesthetically pleasing look to the user
- It is highly portable and the switches are very durable
Cons
- The function keys are limited on this keyboard
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Redragon K552-R Kumara
When it comes to getting the best RGB backlighting in an affordable mechanical keyboard your choice should be the Redragon K552-R Kumara. This high quality gaming keyboard is all you need to boost up your gaming performance. This mechanical keyboard is an ideal choice for long term use as it provides great durability to its users. It is highly responsive and provides precise tactile feedback.
It provides LED rainbow backlighting that comes with six multiple colors including adjustable brightness level. It comes with illuminated keycaps so that you can type easily even if you are working or gaming during the night. This mechanical keyboard comes in an ergonomic design that provides fast and reliable performance. You will hardly face any lags on this keyboard.
There is no software required to use this mechanical keyboard which is why it is greatly preferred by the majority of the users. By using the Redragon keyboard you won’t have to wait for the installation process or face incompatibility errors. The keys are raised which makes them very easy to clean.
However, some users have faced issues while using this keyboard when they are playing heavy games. Firstly when you are in the middle of the game the keyboard automatically locks up and switches to another mode. Sometimes the F key opens up a random folder in the computer. All of this gets annoying and becomes a great interruption during your gaming or work.
Also, the keys are closely placed together that it hardly leaves any extra space to allow the user to type easily. It becomes hard to access certain controls on the keyboard while playing games like Warcraft or Overwatch.
Pros
- The RGB lighting is amazing and can easily be customized on the keyboard
- It is a great choice for users with small hands as typing becomes a lot easier for them
Cons
- It doesn’t come with a wrist rest making it hard to continue gaming
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ROCCAT Vulcan 121
One of the most premium and highly attractive mechanical keyboards that you will come across is the ROCCAT Vulcan 121. It provides great quality performance to the users who like doing esports gaming tournaments.
It comes in a highly durable design and provides a sturdy look because of the anodized aluminum plate. The palm rest can be removable and the ergonomic design boosts the overall performance of this keyboard. It comes with AIMO intelligent lighting system providing long life LED lighting to the keyboard. This provides the best illumination especially during the night time.
The build quality is amazing and the ROCCAT Swarm software works exceptionally good which comes with plenty of customization options. It provides FN keys, Volume knob keys, macro keys, and media keys.
The wrist rest needs to be improved in quality and if you did it for a long time then it can also lead to breakage. Most people like its simple design which is not too fancy and provides a very minimalistic look. This is what makes it highly durable.
Pros
- Its minimalistic design is very popular and high in demand among the majority of the gamers
- The RGB lighting is amazing and comes with a brushed aluminum effect
Cons
- Some users do not like the wrist rest which required an upgrade
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Corsair K55 RGB keyboard
Another dynamic RGB Mechanical keyboard is the Corsair K55 RGB keyboard. It provides a great customization option at a very affordable price. It comes in a dust resistant design which is rated up to IP42 protection guard. It becomes very easy to clean this keyboard if you use it every single day.
It is a full size keyboard and is very lightweight as it comes in a plastic build. It provides a smooth typing experience as it requires zero effect to press the keys. One of the most ideal features of this keyboard is that it comes in three pre set configurations. The first half of the keyboard remains in the same color whereas the second and third half of the keyboard come in adjustable color options.
Another advantage of getting this keyboard is that it doesn’t require the installation of any external software. It comes with a build in memory for the macro functions and the LED mode. The software would have only be required if the features controlled by the board were to be controlled by it.
It provides a very comfortable wrist rest that provides great comfort to the user when they need breaks during long gaming hours or work. The majority of the users have found it to be very helpful for them in preventing wrist pain.
It does provide clicks sound which is often too loud and unwanted. Apart from that this keyboard is a very ideal and affordable choice for the users.
Pros
- It provides the best wrist rest eliminating wrist pain and fatigue
- This keyboard is highly responsive and provides fast performance
Cons
- The switches are poor in quality and require significant improvement
Final words
Searching for best cheap mechanical keyboards can be a very tiring job if you have no previous experience buying a mechanical gaming keyboard. This is why most of the users who read this article end up buying the most reliable and affordable mechanical gaming keyboard for themselves.