Looking to up your game? Our list of the best gaming keyboards for Christmas and 2021 will keep you in the thick of the action
You might not think about keyboards very often but having a brilliant gaming keyboard can make all the difference.
From having extra displays to assignable keys, from the way they feel to extra lights. Keyboards are a peripheral you interact with every day when gaming on PC, so it’s important that they get the same attention and care that you would when picking out a graphics card.
With so many gaming keyboards out there it can be difficult to find the right one for you. Thankfully we’ve tapped our way through the hordes of keyboards and been able to tell you all about our top pick of the best gaming keyboards for Christmas and the New Year.
Best budget gaming keyboard - Razer Cynosa V2
This gaming keyboard marks a perfect entry point into keyboards, and will last you a lengthy time if you take care of it. This is a membrane keyboard, meaning it is considerably quieter than the mechanical keyboards you’ll find on most of the rest of this list, but that doesn’t mean it feels any less good to use.
With programmable macro keys and great plastic keycaps, it’s a joy to use as well as fulfilling most needs that any gamer might have. It’s not boring to look at either, with brilliant RGB lighting that’s just a feast for the eyes.
So if you’re looking for a gaming keyboard on the cheaper side, the Razer Cynosa V2 is definitely one of the best gaming keyboards you can pick up, especially with Christmas and 2021 approaching.
Best quiet gaming keyboard - Corsair K57 RGB Wireless
Gaming can be a loud hobby, but not all of us have the luxury of blasting sound out of speakers and clacking our keyboards in wild abandon. When you need something a little quieter, the Corsair K57 RGB Wireless is the one for you.
Not only are membrane keyboards quieter, they tend to be a little cheaper than purely mechanical options. The Corsair K57 RGB Wireless manages to be both quiet and great to use, with keys that feel as satisfying as any mechanical keyboard.
With macro keys, wireless functionality, and dedicated media buttons - this keyboard is perfect for any gamer who just needs to keep it quiet.
Best compact gaming keyboard - Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
Real life isn’t like TV, many of us don’t have palatial flats to live in with giant rooms ready to fill with our stuff. If, like many of us, you need to save space, the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is our choice for a gaming keyboard that’ll feel great to use whilst also taking up less desk area than its rivals.
The Razer Huntsman Tournament, despite its diminutive size, feels exceptionally well built. In addition it’s incredibly responsive as under the keys you’ll find Linear Optical switches. It’ll take a moment to get used to it, but once you are you’re not coming back.
With reprogrammable keys and a game key mode available right off the mark, this is definitely not just a great compact gaming keyboard - it’s a great gaming keyboard.
Best wireless gaming keyboard - Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro
Many gamers will turn up their noses at a wireless keyboard but listen, it’s 2021 (or will be soon) and it’s time to just accept - wireless technology is here to stay. And if you can game with a brilliant keyboard on a sofa instead of hunched over a desk, why not?
That’s why one of the best gaming keyboards for Christmas and 2021 is the Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro, With a solid build and a great hand rest that keeps it feeling comfortable for hours at a time, along with rock-solid performance, it’s as good as some of the best gaming keyboards out there.
The keys themselves feel sturdy and are extremely responsive, and with RGB lighting and reprogrammable keys, this wireless keyboard is feature-complete.
Best overall gaming keyboard - SteelSeries Apex Pro
What if money’s no problem and you just need the best, the absolute best gaming keyboard out there right now - either as a present for Christmas or an investment going into 2021. Our vote has to go to the SteelSeries Apex Pro.
There are many reasons why this gaming keyboard is probably the best of the best. It’s got a sturdy, solid build. It's comparatively quiet, despite being mechanical due to its magnetic switches.
It’s customisable both in terms of what the keys do but also in terms of the actuation point and the actuation force. It’s beautiful with individually lit keys and an OLED screen that again, you can customise - and it performs like a dream - you’ll never be waiting for an input when using this keyboard.
Basically, if you want this keyboard to do something, it’ll do it. Well, as long as you want it to do something a keyboard can do, that is. The SteelSeries Apex Pro is what we rate as the best overall gaming keyboard for Christmas and 2021, and if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one you’ll be a happy gamer - we guarantee it.
