The ultimate keyboards for gaming, office work, or anything requiring absolute precision, budget mechanical keyboards balance quality and affordability to give you the finest user experience imaginable. Truly among the best keyboards on the market, budget mechanical keyboards deliver on three main keyboard priorities; precision, style, and most importantly - RGB lighting.
From the clickiness of blue switches to the silent silky-smooth linearity of red switches, we've compiled our absolute favourite keyboards of the year, ranging in an array of sizes and packed with features.
The best budget mechanical keyboards at a glance:
• The best budget mechanical keyboard: Corsair K60 RGB PRO Mechanical Keyboard - View at Amazon
• The best budget mechanical keyboard under £40: Redragon Mechanical Keyboard - View at Amazon
• The best budget mechanical keyboard under £100: RK ROYAL KLUDGE M75 Keyboard - View at Amazon
• The best budget 60 percent mechanical keyboard: Newmen GM610 Keyboard - View at Amazon
A must for gamers, and a life-changing addition to anyone's excellent PC gaming setup, mechanical keyboards aren't just pretty, they boost productivity and give you the edge in performance compared to standard membrane keys.
Choosing from the best brands of the year, including Corsair, Redragon, RK Royal, Logitech and more - our picks all cost less than £100, so any upgrades you make aren't going to break the bank.
Best budget mechanical keyboard
A true gaming keyboard through and through, the Corsair K60 RGB PRO mechanical keyboard is perfect for long hours of MOBAs, FPS combat, and sauntering through alien RPG worlds at 3 AM. Equipped with a sturdy, ergonomic and alluring design that keeps us coming back time and time again, the Corsair K60 PRO knocks it out of the park compared to its budget mechanical keyboard competition.
With complete customisable lighting, and sensational silent switches that glide with precision - the K60 is the perfect keyboard for gamers, writers and programmers alike.
If we were to nitpick, the K60 lacks any sort of versatility when it comes to connectivity, so there are no wireless or Bluetooth modes for multiple-device connectivity. This gives the K60 the edge in terms of speed and accuracy but doesn't make it as comfortable to use as other choices.
That being said, the K60 is a brilliantly cheap keyboard that you can't afford to ignore.
Pros
- Stunning aluminium frame design
- Great customisable RGB lighting
- Perfectly silent keystrokes
Cons
- Lacking wireless functionality
Best budget mechanical keyboard under £40
At perhaps the best value of all, the Redragon full-sized mechanical keyboard has plenty to offer budget shoppers when it comes to sheer performance and customisation but doesn't knock it out of the park with its aesthetics.
Redragon's budget keyboard boasts a huge array of programmable keys, customisable RGB lighting, and red switches for that seamless, slick typing we truly love. While the overall feel doesn't quite exceed the heights of reputable brands like Corsair, there is a certain charm to Redragon's mechanical keyboard that we cannot ignore.
Well-liked in the gaming community for its speedy keystroke actuation, as well as its oh-so-gorgeous glowing array of RGB lighting that's adjustable, the Redragon mechanical keyboard delivers more than enough for its price.
As for overall build quality and design, however, there are some issues that the Redragon simply misses the mark on. For one, we find the font and size of the lettering on the keyboard somewhat unappealing, and the keys to be on the brittler side.
For some, this mechanical keyboard is a sincerely wonderful choice for their build and will serve well as a great keyboard, at its price, you really cannot deny how good this keyboard really is.
Pros
- Great value mechanical keyboard
- Excellent array of programmable keys
- Reliable precise typing
Cons
- Not aesthetically brilliant
Best budget mechanical keyboard under £100
A gorgeous TKL mechanical keyboard with a few tricks up its sleeve, the RK ROYAL KLUDGE M75 oozes with style and perfection, giving gamers a truly beautiful mechanical keyboard to toy around with.
Built to a particularly excellent standard of quality, the RK ROYAL KLUDGE M75 is precise, accurate and durable - so you're not likely to find yourself without a keyboard when you need it most.
Aesthetically, the M75 is just astonishingly cool - we can't deny it. Subtle, cute and adorned with control knobs and even an oddly retro LCD screen for keeping an eye on the time, the M75 is just awesome.
If we were to criticise it, we'd undoubtedly note that this TKL keyboard is particularly expensive compared to the rest of our picks - but at less than £100, we still think it's worth it.
Pros
- Stunning design and build quality
- Solid performance and red switches
- Fantastic additional features
Cons
- A small TKL keyboard might not be as practical for those who need a number pad
Best budget 60 per cent mechanical keyboard
This tiny 60 per cent mechanical keyboard is the perfect choice for those limited on desk space, as well as cash. Newmen's GM610 wireless keyboard is convenient, cool and affordable, making it absolutely ideal for those who like to lounge in their chair whilst browsing the internet, rather than being hunched over a desk.
Comfortable and aesthetically retro, whilst also having plenty of wireless technology to keep you up with the times, the Newman GM610 looks and feels ergonomic and convenient for slightly cramped setups.
While we're not a fan of the GM610's font style and keycap design that looks a little busy, we can certainly see the appeal - and with some well-adjusted RGB lighting, we see ourselves overlooking this minor design flaw. When concerning the best 60 per cent keyboards, the GM610 budget mechanical keyboard is simply excellent.
Pros
- Good space-efficient design
- Great value
- Solid type-feel
Cons
- Aesthetically not for everyone
Best budget TKL mechanical keyboard
It wouldn't be a true roundup without a proper Logitech keyboard on the list, and Logitech's G413 mechanical keyboard is an absolute steal at its price.
For those who prefer formal, neat aesthetics and tactile switches that aren't too loud - the G413 is the perfect choice for you. Whilst not having all the bells and whistles of other mechanical keybaords, the G413 does exactly what a keyboard is supposed to do, and we can't fault it for that.
One of the best keyboards for typing (we're looking at you, writers), the G413 is small thanks to its TKL design, but ideal for its portability and subtlety. There is also RGB backlighting should you want it, but it doesn't quite strike you as much as other mechanical keyboards on the market.
All-in-all, this wonderful TKL mechanical keyboard is outstandingly cheap and will last you a lifetime of gaming, browsing and keyboard mashing.
Pros
- Solidly manufactured
- Great brown switches for a tactile feel
- Perfect for writing and office jobs
Cons
- Dull black aesthetic
Mechanical vs. membrane keyboard: what's the best?
You might be wondering what the actual difference is between a mechanical and a standard keyboard and whether it's worth the upgrade, allow us to fill you in on the details.
A mechanical keyboard uses a spring design and individual switches rather than a silicon mat, giving the keyboard an unbeatable level of accuracy that's excellent for gaming. Mechanical keyboards are easier to repair, more accurate and customisable, so you get years upon years of use out of them.
Whilst being pretty much superior to standard keyboards in every way, they're undoubtedly more expensive, so you'll need a little more cash if you're interested.
Are mechanical keyboards worth it?
Mechanical keyboards are incredibly pin-point accurate and offer users a phenomenal array of customising options and designs to choose from. While a standard membrane keyboard is useful for its price, they won't last nearly as long nor perform as well in the long run.
For boosting productivity and overall enjoyment of your PC experience, a mechanical keyboard is a must.
What are mechanical keyboard key switches?
Key switches are the types of keys a mechanical keyboard has, with there being three main designs a mechanical keyboard can have:
Red: Red switches are the most popular thanks to their linear design that is largely silent - they're quick, accurate and require the least amount of pressure to actuate (or press).
Blue: Blue switches are sort of the opposite of red switches, they're tactile and click during key actuation, letting the user know they've successfully pressed the button. This is incredibly useful for programmers and even gamers, plus they sound particularly satisfying.
Brown: Brown switches are a combination of red and blue switches - they're quick and linear, whilst also having a clicky sound - so they're perfect for those who don't want to miss out on either switch type.
Ryan Houghton is a tech writer and reviewer for What's The Best, specialising in PCs and gaming. He is a keen PC gamer and an avid reader.
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