gaming keyboard lcd display free sample

For the last fifteen years or so, custom mechanical keyboards have been getting more and more wild. From artisan keycaps to super-specific switches to 3D-printed cases, we’ve seen it all. Well, we thought we had, until we saw this. The Finalmouse Centerpiece Keyboard features completely transparent mechanical keycaps and switches, resting on top of a fully-functional LCD screen. Why? Why the hell not?

The keyboard’s pre-loaded video skins react to the user’s typing, very much like a gaming keyboard, but the CG videos underneath can dynamically shift in real-time as they’re built in the Unreal game engine. New skins (free and paid) will be made available via a Steam app. The screen and video run on a CPU and GPU internal to the keyboard itself, with no resources taken from the attached PC. Up to three videos can be loaded and selected on the hardware.

How does it work? Finalmouse says that the screen uses a “Laminated DisplayCircuit Glass Stack.” What it looks like is a super-thin, transparent membrane beneath the switches that house hair-like electrical wiring, establishing the matrix circuit required for the keypresses to register. It’s a remarkable redesign of some fairly basic keyboard components, all sitting on top of the LCD screen.

Shockingly, Finalmouse’s video says the keyboard will cost $349 when it goes on sale early next year. That’s a lot for a standard mechanical keyboard, but it’s less than the price of a lot of custom, boutique builds — a GMMK Pro with all the trimmings comes in at the same price, for example. Note that in order to get that mesmerizing screen, you’ll have to give up a few of the premiums associated with high-end boards, like a dedicated knob, wireless options, and swappable switches.

But who cares? If you want to get those upvotes on /r/battlestations, you’ll need the coolest, most ridiculous keyboard around. And as of 2023, that’ll be the Centerpiece. Until someone finds a way to let you literally type on water, I suppose.

It offers also few other features, such as 18 fully programmable keys and backlighted keys. Logitech sells this as a gaming keyboard (and as I discoverd that is probably true)

Of course the LCD display got my attention. In games this can be used for displaying gaming stats. In windows it displays media stats, clock and CPU/RAM stats.

The main problem of course is the fact that the display is only 160x43 with only one shade (on or off) which makes very hard to resize the image nicely. I therefore added some way to crop the original image so only part of the image will be used and eventually resized to the LCD display.

The LCD display on keyboard is an interesting idea and I wish it is more common, so I can add it to other software (for example it can display progress bar during DVD-lab compilling etc.)

I put the Logitech on my "general" computer (browsing internet, reading e-mails etc. but not heavy typing) The G15 does look good and it is probably great for dark night gaming with the ability to control 18 customizable keys. However for general typing I am not quite sure.

Closeup of couple holding controllers playing action console games on green screen tv sitting on couch and eating popcorn. young gamers spending free time gaming online on chroma key mockup display.

If your device can provide 5V/1A power via the USB Type-C port.Then all you need is connecting Kwumsy keyboard to yourdevice"s USB Type-C port via USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable.

If your devicehas an HDMI port and 2 USB-A ports(One of the USB-A can provide 5V/1A):A USB Type-C to HDMI+2USB Type-A cable is included in the package. You need to connect Kwumsy keyboard USB Type-C port to a HDMI port of your device. The black head USB-A port and the red head USB-A port need to be connected to yourdevice"s USB-A ports. The red head USB-A needs a 5V/1A output from the device.

If your device cannot provide 5V/1A power through the USB-A port,or the monitor has no signal/unstable signal after connection. You must use a 5V/1A external power supply (an adapter) to connect to the Kwumsy keyboard"s USB TYPE-C port. For external power supply (an adapter), it is not included in the package.

If your phone has a USB Type-C full-featured port, then you only need to connect the Kwumsy keyboard to the phone"s USB Type-C port via a USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable.

Which are the best mechanical keyboards on the market? That was the question I tried to answer in our feature on whether mechanical keyboards are good for gaming, and how they became popular in the first place. I ended that piece with three keyboard recommendations, but the response to the article made it clear that you wanted to see more recommendations for different use-cases than we considered - particularly full-fat gaming keyboards with features like macro and media keys, programmable RGB lighting and game-state integration or quieter models that can be used in a busy office.

We"ve updated this article as of fall 2022 after testing more than three dozen new keyboards, adding new options for wireless and low profile models, modular keyboards offering deep customisation and high-end premium keyboards with unique features and eye-catching designs. Whether you"re looking for the ultimate gaming keyboard, a surprisingly solid budget offering or just something to code on, we"ve got you covered. Let"s take a look at the ten best mechanical keyboards on the market, all tried and tested by Digital Foundry.

Note: The pictures of each keyboard show either a UK or US layout, but I"ve linked to the appropriate regional layout wherever possible - so don"t worry if you see a keyboard with a different-sized Enter key than what you"re used to!

Click the links below to jump right into the category you"re most interested in. We"ve chosen keyboards for programming, gaming, building yourself and much more, so take a look. If you"re not sure, scroll on to browse our full selection of recommendations!Best full-size gaming keyboard: Corsair K95 Platinum XT

When it comes to mechanical keyboards, few can match Corsair"s high-end models for pure depth of features. The £190/$158 full-fat K95 Platinum XT keyboard has super-programmable RGB backlighting and edge lighting that can reflect in-game stats, plus dedicated macro, volume and media controls, a USB port and a plush wrist rest. The actual typing experience hasn"t been forgotten either, with a wide range of switches - including hard-to-find MX Speed options alongside more usual Cherry switches. The keyboard is well-built too, with an aluminium chassis and PBT keycaps that should provide excellent longevity. Of course, everything comes at a cost - and for the K95 Platinum XT, that includes a substantial footprint and a premium price tag.

Thankfully, a cheaper option is also available. The £156/$160 K70 RGB Pro offers its own advantages - namely an 8000Hz polling rate of interest to competitive, high-refresh-rate gamers and a detachable USB-C cable - but comes without the macro keys, USB passthrough and the added RGB lighting strip of the K95 Platinum XT. Given that you still get the same core features like a full-size layout, PBT keycaps and excellent RGB lighting, the K70 RGB Pro is a strong alternative - especially as more price drops are likely to come as the keyboard gets a bit older.Best compact mechanical keyboard: Fnatic Streak 65

The £95/$110 Fnatic Streak 65 is our new favourite compact keyboard, offering all of the functionality you need for competitive games in a small, convenient form factor that gives you plenty of space for your mouse and superior ergonomics. The keyboard uses Fnatic"s own silent, linear and low profile "speed" mechanical switches, allowing extremely rapid key presses and making double-taps easier. The layout is slightly wider than the 60 percent size Razer Huntsman Mini below, but adds dedicated arrow keys and four programmable keys - I think most people will benefit from these inclusions. As well as not taking up much desk space, a 22mm height and 420g weight means that this keyboard will fit in a bag or even the front pocket of a hoodie easily. The compact dimensions and aluminium frame contribute to a very sturdy feel too.

Beyond the form factor, Fnatic have done well to nail the details here as well. The stabilisers on larger keys are pre-lubed for silent and easy operation, the USB-C port is offset to the left to ensure the cable doesn"t interfere with your mouse and the legends on each keycap are inscribed with a legible font that feels more grown-up than those on most gaming keyboards. The switch housings are even transparent and two extra LEDs are embedded beneath the space bar to ensure that the customisable RGB lighting is evenly distributed throughout the board. I particularly liked the inclusion of a "competition mode", which sets to the lighting to dim orange and locks the Windows key.

None of these are dealbreakers, but considered together they represent the only minor forthcomings I have about recommending this narrow keyboard to a wide audience. Altogether, this new tiny Streak is every bit as easy to love as its bigger brothers and certainly among the best gaming keyboards on the market.Best 60% mechanical keyboard: Razer Huntsman Mini

The 60 percent size is a favourite of mechanical keyboard enthusiasts, but one that saw remarkably little attention from major gaming brands before 2020. Now, we"ve found enough great examples to dedicate a whole article to the best 60 percent keyboards, but for now let"s focus on one: the £83/$90 Razer Huntsman Mini.

Like other 60 percent boards, there"s no f-key row, no num-pad, no nav cluster and no arrow keys. That results in a beautifully clean keyboard that takes up minimal desk space, while still allowing access to the excised functions via a Function layer. As 60 percent is an aesthetic as much as a practical choice, it"s nice to see Razer offer both black and white colour options for the keyboard"s chassis and keycaps - and a completely standard layout that allows for custom keycap sets to be installed. Similarly, it"s great to see a removable USB-C cable, allowing fans to install custom-made cables to further customise their board.

As well as these unique switches, the Huntsman Mini also sets itself apart with its Synapse software, which allows you to set intricate custom lighting modes - something impossible on keyboards that can only switch between a few preset effects. You can also synchronise your lighting with other RGB-encrusted Razer peripherals or supported Razer Chroma games, which is a nice bonus.Best wireless keyboard: Logitech G915 TKL

The £143/$210 Logitech G915 TKL is the fusion of two growing trends from the very companies that promulgated them: dependable, low-latency wireless connectivity from Logitech and low-profile, laptop-like mechanical switches from Kailh. The combination is an impressive one, allowing the construction of an ultra-thin keyboard for gaming and typing that feels great to use and looks super clean on your desk - especially in this new compact form factor. There are three low profile switch types offered here right off the bat - clicky, tactile and linear - so you can opt for the amount of tactile and audible feedback that makes sense to you.

The Lightspeed wireless connection worked perfectly in our testing, providing the same wired feel as Logitech"s G Pro Wireless gaming mouse. Battery life was also strong, at around 40 hours with backlighting at max brightness - ten more hours than the full-size G915. (If you turn down the backlight, the G915 TKL manages over a thousand hours!) Bluetooth is also available, which adds more latency but allows the keyboard to work with devices like phones and tablets; it"s possible to switch between Bluetooth and Lightspeed connections with a press of a button which makes it a convenient companion for a smartphone, iPad or laptop without a full-size USB port.

If you prefer the feel of full-height mechanical switches, the £154/$230 Razer BlackWidow V3 Pro is your best bet. It sports a gorgeous full-size layout, a wrist rest, a convenient volume wheel and media keys, a long-lasting battery and your choice of 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth support. Razer"s software is more advanced than Logitech"s, so this might be a better choice if you want to set intricate or game-specific RGB lighting effects. Both clicky/tactile (Razer Green) and linear/silent (Razer Yellow) switch options are available; we used the clicky version in our testing and had a lovely time typing and gaming at maximum volume.Best quiet mechanical keyboard: Epomaker Lite

The $100 Epomaker Lite, aka the Skyloong GK61S Lite is a supremely quiet 60 percent size mechanical keyboard with a stylish look. The soft key feel is down to the keyboard"s unique "shallow gasket" design, which places a 2mm silicone pad between the keyboard"s metal plate and the PCB. This gives every key a soft landing, and together with sound absorbing foam drastically cutting the noise that normally accompanies typing on a mechanical keyboard. I"m a big fan of how this keyboard looks too, with keycaps in retro-inspired yellow or red colourways and a weighty aluminium chassis. The feature list is strong as well, with wired and wireless connectivity, hot-swappable switches and accompanying software for PC and Mac. The Lite has been great fun to use - the muted, raindrop-like sound it produces is brilliant - and it"s so rare to find something unique like this in the keyboard space.

If you can get on with the relatively restrictive 60 percent size layout, then this innovative indie keyboard is well worth a look.Best mechanical keyboard for coding or typing: Drop CTRL

The $149 Drop CTRL is the best-built and most cleanly designed mechanical keyboard for gaming we"ve tested. Available in a compact yet convenient TKL (tenkeyless, aka "no numpad") layout, the CTRL has a minimal footprint, with no extra keys for macros, media controls and the like; these functions are handled by a Fn layer. The keyboard comes in black or grey with six different switch options; I opted for the delightfully light and clicky Kailh Box Whites rather than alternatives from Cherry or Kailh. The switch mounts are hot-swappable, so you can fit any other standard MX-style switches in if you prefer.

The aluminium used on the top and bottom makes the keyboard extremely resistant to deck flex; it feels as well-built as an old IBM Model M but in a much more compact form factor. USB-C is also included, with a non-recessed port that means that pretty much any USB-C data cable can be used. The black and grey PBT keycaps provided with the board look great, and the entirely standard layout means that you can swap them for a set of custom keycaps in the colour or material of your choice without difficulty.

An RGB wave lighting effect is enabled by default, but there are several calmer presets available and you can use Drop"s configurator to make your own custom key layouts and lighting settings. This is a powerful option for advanced users, but lacks the accessibility of software from more prominent keyboard brands.

All things considered, the CTRL is a fantastic keyboard for gaming or programming with a nice clean aesthetic. For something a bit cheaper, more widely accessible and with easier (if more limited) software, consider our previous picks for this category - the HyperX Alloy Origins or Alloy Origins Core.Best value mechanical gaming keyboard: Xtrfy K4 TKL

The £78/$99 Xtrfy K4 TKL is one of the best mechanical keyboards on the market when it comes to gaming, and given its feature set and build quality it"s surprisingly affordable at less than £100. We like its high quality Kailh Red plate-mounted switches for fast-paced FPS games like Counter-Strike and Valorant, which provide a soft and linear feel ideal for quick taps or double-taps. They"re quite comfortable for typing too, with a good amount of feedback despite not having a tactile bump or click like Brown or Blue switches.

The bright RGB backlighting looks great too, especially as you can control all of the effects on the keyboard with no software required. As well as backlighting controls, you can also adjust the volume, access media controls or launch common programs using the Function (Fn) layer.

Xtrfy"s attention to detail is also impressive. For example, rather than using expensive but trendy PBT keycaps that would raise the price, the Swedish company has found a middle ground with thicker-than-normal ABS keycaps that provide more durability and a nicer feel than standard ABS caps. Each stabiliser is oiled to reduce noise, and combined with foam padding in the bottom of the chassis, the K4 TKL is actually reasonably quiet for a mechanical keyboard. The key legends are also neat and tidy, with even the secondary functions clearly visible. These small details are often ignored, so it"s great to see them taken care of here.

There are three colour schemes available for the K4 TKL: black, white and "retro". We tested the latter, and the off-white, grey and red keycaps provide a unique look that we really dig. If you"re after a well-made keyboard for gaming that doesn"t cost the earth, then the Xtrfy K4 TKL comes highly recommended. A full-size model, simply titled the Xtrfy K4, is also available.Best cheap mechanical keyboard: Redragon K551/K552

The Redragon K551/552 are some of the most popular budget mechanical keyboards available, thanks to their low price, good range of regional layouts and full complement of mechanical switches. The keyboards are available in a variety of switch configurations, from clicky Blues to tactile Browns and soft linear Reds, with the £45/$34 K551 being a full-size board and the £38/$33 K552 being the more compact TKL variant. (The K551-R and 552-R add RGB lighting, rather than single-colour.) Despite its low price, the keyboard feels reasonably well built, with an aluminium frame, plate-mounted switches and decent backlit ABS keycaps. There are few advanced features here; this is just a simple keyboard that delivers a great typing and gaming experience for the money.Best compact keyboard: Keychron K2

The best compact keyboard I"ve tested is the £81/$80 Keychron K2. Originally on Kickstarter, this 84-key mechanical keyboard comes with a choice with Brown, Blue or Red switches and - unusually - both macOS and Windows keycaps in the box. This keyboard has an 80 percent layout, so it misses out the numpad but still has arrow keys on the bottom right, F keys at the top of the keyboard and a single column of navigational keys on the right side. That provides considerable space savings compared to a standard or tenkeyless design, while still keeping the most important keys within easy reach. As you"d hope for such a portable keyboard, the K2 supports both Bluetooth and USB-C connections, so it can be used in both wired and wireless modes with a range of devices.

The Keychron K2 performed excellently in my testing, with a satisfying feel from the Brown Gateron switches, while the aluminium frame looks great and ensures this keyboard can survive quite a bit. This model also comes with full RGB backlighting, including a number of different effects. Given this keyboard"s long feature list and great build quality, it"s a surprise to find that it"s also among the most affordable keyboards in its category. The deluxe model with an aluminium frame and RGB costs $89 plus shipping. Swap the metal frame for plastic to save $10, and chop another tenner off the price by opting for white backlighting instead of RGB.Best mechanical keyboard for Mac: Das Keyboard MacTigr

The Das Keyboard MacTigr is an excellent choice for Macs, with a brilliant typing experience, plenty of nice touches and tank-like build quality... as long as you can look past its $219 list price.

The fact remains that there simply aren"t a lot of dedicated mechanicals for MacOS, which is arguably why the MacTigr exists in the first place. The best way to actually describe the MacTigr is that it"s a "thoughtful" keyboard - Das has put every effort in to make it as functional and as lovely to use as possible. You"ll find a twiddly volume wheel with tactile-feeling multimedia playback buttons, as well as an entire function row to play with, complete with additional keys for things like sending your Mac to sleep or adjusting screen brightness on the fly. Did I also mention you get a pair of USB-C passthrough ports on the back of the board? It seems Das really has thought of everything.

Keeping in with that pleasant user experience theme, it"s also a keyboard that offers a smooth and light keypress with Cherry MX Low Profile Red switches. The MacTigr also comes with full N-Key rollover so you can push down as many keys as you want, which is critical for some game genres and otherwise ensures no key presses go unregistered. The keyboard is also supremely built and should last for decades, which is nice.

And of course, there"s the $219 asking price. This is up there with some of the most expensive and therefore premium mechanicals out there, and it arguably doesn"t seem like you get much outside of the keyboard for that money - especially given the existence of Keychron"s Mac-friendly keyboards such as the K2, our pick as the best compact mechanical keyboard out there. While these keyboards may be better value though, the MacTigr remains the superior choice.Best retro mechanical keyboard: Durgod Fusion

Okay, okay, so this isn"t really a retro keyboard. Instead, it"s a modern keyboard with a retro aesthetic, with colourways and design language that evoke memories of the 80s. The £140/$152 Durgod Fusion is a compact keyboard - a 65 percent, if you want to be specific - with both wired (USB-C) and wireless functionality, accessible via a chunky switch in the upper right. A built-in battery provides up to 40 days of use, thanks to the lack of LEDs on the keyboard, and you have the choice of standard Bluetooth 5 or lower-latency 2.4GHz wireless via a USB dongle hidden under the Durgod logo. That makes it a good choice for a wide range of mobiles, tablets and computers. I did have some issues connecting via the wireless dongle in my testing, but that was solved by a firmware update to the keyboard and shouldn"t affect retail units.

The keycaps are made from durable double-shot PBT, while the switches beneath come in seven different flavours of Cherry MX from clicky Blues and tactile Browns to quiet Silent Reds. The typing experience is generally excellent and the compact layout makes sense - although it may require some mental effort if you"re used to a larger keyboard with F keys or a numpad. The build quality is impressive too, given the reasonable price, but the small frame means that the keyboard is still portable if you want to put it in a backpack or simply carry it into another room.

Another nice 65 percent keyboard with retro sensibilities is the $140 Epomaker B21. This one is covered in knobs, with one on each corner to control your computer"s volume and the keyboard"s lighting brightness, and the F keys have been replaced by media controls, a calculator button, three profiles and a Mac/Windows toggle. I don"t think these are necessary more helpful than F keys, depending on the workload, but they certainly contribute to a unique design. There are round corners and soft colours everywhere here, and if you like the look this Bluetooth and USB-C combo keyboard certainly does the job.Best optical mechanical keyboard: Wooting Two HE

The £158/$182 Wooting Two HE is something special: an analogue mechanical keyboard. That"s an interesting prospect for gaming, as their pressure-sensitive keys allow you to steer into corners or creep around a level with the same fine-grained control you only normally only get with a wheel or controller. You can adjust the actuation point of the keyboard in software too, anywhere from 0.1 to 4.0mm, making a trade-off between speed and control that normally demands switching to an entirely different keyboard with different mechanical switches inside. You can also trigger up to four different effects as a single key is pressed and released - eg selecting a grenade with a light touch, throwing it when you bottom out the key and swapping back to your weapon as the key is released. All of this requires some setup and tweaking, but the result is something special.

The Two HE is a solid keyboards even if you use it entirely digitally, with a clean "floating keys" design, programmable RGB backlighting and a comfortable full-size layout with four extra keys. The use of an advanced Hall Effect sensor also means that key presses should be registered faster than traditional switches, especially when combined with the keyboard"s "tachyon mode" that strips out nonessentials like RGB effects for a lightning-fast response. For more on this special keyboard, check out our full Wooting Two HE review!Best modular keyboard: Mountain Everest Max

The €250 Mountain Everest Max is a modular keyboard in the strictest sense of the word, offering novel customisability and a multi-part design. The centrepiece is a TKL (tenkeyless, ie no numpad) keyboard, to which three additional components can be joined: a numpad with four Stream Deck style LCD keys, a multi-function LCD wheel and media controls piece, and a palm rest. There"s flexibility in the way in which these pieces come together too - the numpad can be positioned to the right as standard or on the left, an alternative that combines easy access to numeric inputs while leaving loads of room to the right of the keyboard for your mouse. The volume wheel part can also be placed on the top left or top right, according to your preference. The smaller pieces connect via USB-C and magnets, and can be freely swapped around in just a couple of seconds. The Everest Max offers all of the components in one box, along with a handful of extra switches (all of the switches here are hot swappable, so you can install your own switch of choice) and magnetically attached discs that angle the keyboard (as an alternative to flip-out feet). You can also get the base model Everest Core, which is just the TKL keyboard, or even the Everest Core Barebones which comes without switches or keycaps at a lower price.

The Everest Max is extremely convincing as a full package, and thanks to its LCD keys and the Base Camp software it can function as a mini Stream Deck alternative for controlling scenes in OBS. I found the software package a little flaky as it"s still under active development, but I didn"t encounter any serious bugs and the possibilities here are powerful indeed - with comprehensive controls for lighting, key binding, macros, the LCD wheel and multiple profiles. The keyboard itself is a pleasure to use too, especially with that left-handed-style layout with the numpad on the left and the multi-function wheel in the upper right. Having quick access to volume controls as well as lighting selections, a clock, PC stats and even an APM (actions per minute) counter is entirely novel and I"d love to see this on more boards in future - it"s much more powerful than the OLED screen on the likes of the SteelSeries Apex Pro, which includes some similar functions but is much clumsier to use and is mostly relegated to showing a custom graphic in my experience.

So: a very interesting keyboard and I"m curious to see how the package develops further over time! I"d love to see more add-ons available that really push the boundaries of what the mechanical keyboard is capable of - and the LCD keys built into on the numpad make this a really canny pick for streamers and content creators already.Best ergonomic keyboard: Ultimate Hacking Keyboard

The $320 Ultimate Hacking Keyboard is a split-design ergonomic keyboard, similar to the Ergodox but with a much smaller footprint and the ability to use it both joined up (for portability) and split apart (for ergonomics and having a mug of tea in the middle). If you"re already used to a 60 percent keyboard for your work, then this split layout should be ergonomically superior while including some useful functions not found on standard compact keyboards like built-in mouse controls, two extra keys below the space bar and easily accessible arrow keys.

Based on my testing, the chief advantages of the UHK over the Ergodox are two-fold: the closer-to-standard layout is easier to learn and the keyboard is more easily programmable, thanks to an excellent UHK Agent software. It is trivial to change layouts on the fly, with the small LED display in the upper left of the keyboard reminding you which layout is active. Windows, Mac and Linux are all well supported, with preset layouts for Qwerty, Colemak and Dvorak.

A wide range of case colours, mechanical switches, key legends and accessories are also available - including click-into-place add-ons like thumb keys, touchpad, trackpoint or trackball. A palm rest is also available, adding more options for tenting, tilting and otherwise positioning the keyboard in an ergonomically optimal way. Sadly, key backlighting is not offered currently, something that is possible with the Ergodox Glow. Regardless, the UHK is a well-designed ergonomic keyboard worth considering for anyone that relies on a keyboard for work.Best mechanical keyboard for laptops: Epomaker NT68

The best mechanical keyboard for laptops we"ve tested is the £102/$91 Epomaker NT68. It"s designed to perfectly cover the keyboards on most 15-inch laptops, immediately upgrading the typing experience to something with bags more tactile feedback, key travel and comfort. The 65 percent size keyboard comes with a stand, which can fold around the keyboard to protect it during travel, prop up the keyboard or prop up a smartphone or tablet. You have the option of USB-C and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, suitable for a wide range of devices including your computer at home. Software is available to change the lighting and other keyboard settings, but most things can be accomplished with Function keys, accessible via a Fn button in the lower left corner between the Ctrl and Win modifiers. Both Mac and Windows are supported, with Mac and Windows keycaps in the box, and the switches are hot-swappable - so you can use a wide range of replacements with different characteristics. I used Epomaker"s own Chocolate Brown switches, and found them pleasantly tactile with a deep "thock" sound when typing. A separate low profile variant of the keyboard is also available, if you prefer. Given the moderate price point and the flexibility of this keyboard, it seems a great value for mobile typists.

With that, our recommendations come to an end. Of course, even if we chose 200 keyboards we"d still not scratch the surface of the many options available - so if we didn"t cover your favourite keyboard, it"s nothing personal. If you think we"ve missed a good option though, feel free to get in touch with me @wsjudd.

I hope you"ve found this article useful, and I look forward to the feedback. If you haven"t read it before, I"d also encourage you to check out our feature on how - and why - mechanical keyboards become popular in the first place.

Last month, Logitech sent over a brand new, fairly expensive mouse and keyboard combination that the company is marketing to gamers. If purchased together, at full MSRP, the G19s and G602 (review here) would cost the average consumer a whopping $280. And that"s before tax and/or shipping. But is the recently-refreshed combination really worth all that cash?

The Logitech G19s is easily the most feature-packed keyboard that"s ever entered my home, thanks to its built-in LCD screen and programmable macro buttons; however, the average customer isn’t likely to find a convincing reason to spend $200 for Logitech"s latest refresh of the G19s gaming keyboard.

That’s not to say that the device isn’t equipped with its fair share of bells and whistles but, while the G19s certainly isn’t running low on style or panache, it feels like Logitech skipped out on pretty much every major feature I’d expect to see in a keyboard with such a steep price.

Where are the mechanical switches? Why would I want powered-USB ports, as opposed to a wireless device, when the G19s doesn’t even include the headphone jack needed to plug in a headset? And why does the keyboard rely on an application that slows down my CPU boot and shutdown times?

Enough with the rhetorical questions, though. Let’s dig into the Logitech G19s bit-by-bit and see what consumers should expect from a brand new unit, what we liked about the company’s latest gaming keyboard and the various reasons why we still aren’t quite sold on the Logitech G19s.

Just as you might expect, the Logitech G19s has all the usual buttons you"d expect to find on a QWERTY, Windows-ready keyboard. The device also includes the usual suite of media keys, plus a rolling input for volume control , along with a handful of buttons mean to select/toggle various features and functions of the Logitech G19s.

Each input on the keyboard is coated in a UV-protective coating, to keep the keys from fading after a few weeks/months of heavy usage, and the folks at Logitech thoughtfully decided to make both the arrow and WASD keys a lighter shade of gray. It may not seem like much but, between those and the LCD backlighting behind every key, you shouldn"t ever really have an issue getting your hands lined up properly on the G19s.

The Logitech G19s also features a full-color LCD panel built directly into the device, which can be used to display everything from game stats to the headlines from your favorite RSS feeds. It can even play your favorite YouTube videos, provided they aren’t locked to the browser; however, the frame rate does take a pretty significant dive.

Less exciting features include a pair of powered USB ports can be found on the upper-edge of the keyboard and molding on the bottom of the G19s that is intended to help you manage the wires from your headphones and/or mouse. Assuming you haven"t spent close to a $100 on the G602 wireless gaming mouse that Logitech is hoping consumers will pair with the G19s and/or several hundred dollars on one of the many wireless gaming headsets currently available to PC gamers.

While I’ll always have a soft spot in my heart for the distinctive clicking sound produced by many of the world’s top mechanical keyboards, I’ll admit to being pleasantly surprised by just how little noise the G19s has created since showing up at my apartment last month. Not pleased enough to overlook the lack of mechanical switches under the keys, but we"ll dive into that later.

The keyboard’s UV coated keys may take a bit more force to register an input but they also feel like they’ll continue to hold up under the hours and hours of daily usage that they’ve seen in the last few weeks. The backlit keys also make it easy to see what I’m doing, regardless of the current light level in my home office.

The programmable keys that line the left side of the keyboard are also handy for certain games and other tasks; especially if you’re playing an MMO or other game where macro inputs are both more efficient and (sometimes) the difference between life and death/rage quits. I also find them surprisingly useful in my day-to-day life, though I suppose not everyone is slapping the same footer paragraph onto a handful of new articles each business day.

Best of all, each of the twelve keys can be programmed three times, toggled via a set of keys in the upper-left corner of the device, and the ability to alter the backlight behind your keys makes it easy to remember which macro configuration is currently enabled. Advanced coders will also be happy to know an emulator for the Logitech G19s" built-in LCD screen comes bundled with the software, making it a bit easier to program and test your own applets for the device.

That’s how much Logitech wants customers to pay for the Logitech G19s. Two hundred dollars for a new keyboard that, while certainly pleasing to the eye, seems to value outward appearance more than usefulness or general functionality. I mean, it doesn’t even include mechanical inputs.

There are at least two different Das keyboards for significantly less, and I bet the Control and Alt buttons on those don"t start to wear out after just one month"s worth of usage. I wish I could say the same for the Logitech G19s.

I think it’s also worth pointing out that just about everything that currently sets the G19s apart from other keyboards are features that require you to take your eyes off your monitor. I don’t know about you guys, but taking my eyes off my screen is the last thing I want to do in the middle of a game; much less reflex-focused games like Call of Duty, Dota 2 or League of Legends.

While the keyboard’s YouTube applet quickly became a personal favorite – if only because it gave me a chance to say, “Hey, look what this thing can do…” whenever friends come over – there’s no discernible way to alter the button combination that queues the videos. It’s an all-or-nothing setting that either plays any/every YouTube URL that hits your clipboard, or the keyboard ignores any/all attempts to push video to the G19s’ 2-inch screen.

And don"t even get me started on how ridiculous of an idea it was to include a movie-viewing applet on the device. I don"t have anything against watching a movie or TV show while gaming, but I see little point in watching something unfolding slowly enough to look like a PowerPoint presentation of itself.

Watching Curren$y videos on the keyboard’s diminutive LCD screen is entertaining once or twice, but not something I’d ever do outside of the rare occasions when I can show the feature to a friend that’s yet to see the new toy on my desk. The same can be said for just about every other applet currently available for the G19s.

I mean, nobody really needs anything more than the $10-$20 keyboard/mouse combo that used to come standard with any new computer, but the whole idea is that it’s fun to pack a few extra features into an otherwise boring device that many of us use on a daily basis.

DISCLAIMER: As mentioned at the top of this post, the Logitech G19s review you just read is based on time spent with a keyboard provided to me (free-of-charge) by a representative of the popular peripheral manufacturer; however, Logitech did not retain any say in the contents of this review.

Have you had a chance to spend any time with the latest iteration of the Logitech G19s? Disagree with our analysis of the popular peripheral manufacturer’s latest premium gaming keyboard? Think you’ve discovered something (like a new applet) that would change our mind about the Logitech G19s?

The Good: Excellent hardware quality; backlit keys with dimmer/off switch; 18 programmable shortcut keys; Windows-key disable switch; LCD display panel shows system status, works with programmable plugins; two USB ports with cable management; media controls.

This keyboard has more smarts than my first computer. It"s made specifically for gamers, but most of the features apply to just about anyone who does a lot of keyboard work.

The first thing you"ll notice about the G15 is the flip-up, backlit monochrome liquid-crystal display at the top of the keyboard. This GamePanel is designed to display a range of things, but primarily it gives gamers real-time information about the status of their system without having to stop a game and Tab out to Windows.

The display has a default setting that moves between CPU load (if you have a hyper-threaded system, you get two sliding CPU bars to monitor both "virtual" processors), and memory load. This was really handy. Several times while playing games over the course of the review period, I thought my on-line connection was getting laggy when in fact my free memory had dropped to almost nothing due to glitches with various programs running in the background. The GamePanel monitor gave me the heads-up that it was time to reboot to speed things up again.

Logitech says the drivers will also track your Internet ping, but I couldn"t find an option to make this work on the evaluation unit, for some reason. The GamePanel also displays things like ammo and health levels in games that are compatible with it (although I had a pre-retail sample for review, and wasn"t able to find any compatible games at press time to test this feature).

The display also has a clock, although it"s locked into an analogue display - you can"t set it for a numerical digital-clock-type display, but there are several styles of analogue clock available from the keyboard driver window.

And here"s something hard-core gamers will love: You can program plug-ins for the GamePanel in C or C++. That means gamers with some programming savvy can dream up all kinds of new uses for the display. Clans, for example, might want a real-time leaderboard for member"s scores, or an internal chat system.

The keys on the G15 are backlit in blue - another plus for gamers who like to play in darkened rooms to get the best screen contrast. There"s a dimmer control for the keyboard and LCD screen, and the backlighting can also be turned off. Once you get used to a backlit keyboard, I don"t think you"ll go back to unlit keys - games are just so much better in a darkened room, and your performance is just so much better when you can actually read the keys.

First of all, there"s a pad on the left side of the keyboard with three banks of six keys each. These 18 "G Keys" can be programmed with commands for a game, or macros - combinations of sequential keypresses. Programming is a simple matter of hitting a record key, then the particular key you want to program, and then the series of keypresses you want to activate at the touch of that single key - you can do this on the fly in the middle of a game, if you like. Plus, there"s a shift key with two settings to triple-up the functions of the keys.

If you don"t want to set your own macros, there are preset templates for many popular games that you can customize to match your personal preferences. The keyboard driver detects when a game is loaded and loads the matching profile (the name of the game profile comes up on the LCD screen, so you know it"s loading in the background). The drivers and nice and stable, and I had no problems with the software during several weeks of playing ... um, I mean "testing."

My only complaint about the pad is that I"d have preferred it to be removable. Not all gamers use the W-A-S-D keys for movement - I personally prefer the arrow keys - so not everyone wants shortcut keys on the left of the keyboard. Plus, the extra banks of keys make the G15 extra wide. A removable pad would have let you place the G keys where they"d be most comfortable for your personal gaming style.

On the up-side, there"s a key I was VERY happy with, one that addresses the bane of hard-core gamers. On modern keyboards, the Windows key calls up the Windows menu - which is death for a gamer in the middle of an intense firefight or aerobatic maneuver if it gets hit accidentally. The G15 has a simple slider switch. In PC mode the Windows key is enabled. In Game mode, it"s disabled. It"s a small thing, but one that shows this keyboard was really developed by gamers, for gamers.

Below the LCD screen is a set of buttons for manually scrolling through the LCD functions, as well as a backlit set of media control keys for volume and playback.

Along the top of the keyboard are two high-speed USB 2.0 ports. They make it easy to connect joysticks, high-resolution mice, USB headsets and other gaming peripherals. Plus, there are grooves for routing the cords from these peripherals out the side of the keyboard where they"ll stay out of the way.

Finally, Logitech even built handles into the top of the keyboard. They make it easier for people to carry the G15 to a LAN party. There"s a comfy wrist rest built in, and an adjustable tilt system to get the angle just right. And the LCD flips closed for transport so it won"t get broken.

And despite all these keyboard "extras," the price isn"t a killer. Gamers often have to pay through the nose for good peripherals, but the G15 has a suggested retail price of $79.99 (U.S.). That"s not much more than a plain backlit keyboard without any of the gaming frills.

You’ve tried RGB keyboards, but how about a keyboard with a built-in screen? Finalmouse just teased the Centerpiece, a mechanical monster that hides a screen behind its transparent keys. The screen is powered by a dedicated CPU and GPU, and it plays custom animations through Unreal Engine 5.

This is, frankly speaking, one of the most ridiculous ideas we’ve ever seen. But at just $350, the Centerpiece is sure to attain some level of popularity. Plus, it seems like a pretty effective keyboard, packing custom “autolubed linear” switches made in collaboration with Gateron. (These switches are based on Gateron’s Black Ink linear switch. The typing sound is similar to “soft marble raindrops,” whatever that means.)

It’s hard to see the keycaps in Finalmouse’s teaser video. But from what we can tell, this keyboard uses a 65% layout—it appears to lack a function row and numpad. The keycaps appear to be a bit flat, with legends printed on the shaft of each key, facing the user. If you can’t type without looking at your keyboard, you should probably skip this product.

Anyway, we’re not sure what kind of screen is beneath this keyboard (maybe it’s LCD, maybe it’s OLED). But Finalmouse says that it can save up to three video skins at a time. Each skin is processed locally, without using your computer’s resources (and the whole thing runs on a single USB-C cable). Interestingly, some skins are interactive—pressing on a certain key may trigger an animation, such as a wave of water or an explosion.

New video skins are available on “The Freethinker Portal,” which is a really awkward name for a mechanical keyboard app. Most of the skins appear to cost money, and interestingly, creators can sell their custom skins through the “Freethinker Portal.”

Because this keyboard uses transparent keys (which are backed by a bright screen), I assume that any dust, crumbs, or grease will stick out like a sore thumb. I’m also worried about repairability; how are you supposed to fix a keyboard that contains a display, a CPU, and a GPU?

The Centerpiece launches in early 2023 for $350. Customers also have the option to order this keyboard with Hall Effect switches, which provide an analog input method with customizable actuation. If you want a taste of Finalmouse today, check out the company’s boutique gaming mice.

Great keyboard, very low pressure switches. This keyboard is super heavy. The build quality is top notch. I wish it was RGB, but the red is fine. I love the volume control slider on the top. This is a top tier product at an affordable price. I don"t really like the software, but that doesn"t really affect the keyboard product itself.

The keyboard is so essential to everyday life—especially for those whose work involves sitting in front of a computer—that it often goes unnoticed. With just a keystroke or two, you can open a new program, implement effects on Premiere Pro, or create a new file from a template on other editing software.

Recording macros is relatively easy, so long as you have the right software. Once you record your most-used tasks, you can sit back as the macro does the work for you. You don’t exactly need a special keyboard, but a few keyboards with dedicated macro keys and built-in software make the experience much more accessible.

If you’re the type of person who can memorize over a dozen hotkey and macro shortcuts, then, by all means, continue using your keyboard. But, take a look below if you want to know what else is out there.

The Corsair brand is a longstanding staple in the PC industry, known for its RAM modules, SSDs, and peripherals. The brand has long marketed its wares to the video game segment of PC enthusiasts, but their keyboards are perfectly capable of serving multiple functions.

While Corsair makes several keyboards below the $100 mark, the Corsair K100 RGB is their flagship keyboard. It is, of course (this should go without saying), also their most expensive.

If you can’t stand the over-the-top gamer RGB lights, you can shut them off via the software. The keyboard has fully-programmable per-key RGB lighting, PBT double-shot shine-through keycaps, and six macro keys—double-shot keys have legends that never fade away.

The other option is Corsair’s own OPX optical switches with just 1.0mm actuation distance. Either option you choose, it’s a very responsive and satisfying keyboard to use.

The K100 is bottom line, one of the best pre-built keyboards with dedicated macro keys available. It has high-quality components, terrific software, and a reputable hardware company makes it.

I own the Corsair K70 RGB MK.2, which is a similar model sans the macro keys. So, I know just how good these keyboards are. The K100 RGB retails for $229. It’s expensive, but it doesn’t get much better unless you build it yourself.

To the naked eye, the Corsair K55 RGB keyboard looks similar to the flagship K95. But, there are significant differences—not to mention the price difference of $150.

The most significant difference is that this keyboard is not made from aluminum. Instead, Corsair makes the frame from hard plastic. This keyboard also opts for rubber dome key switches instead of mechanical ones. This gives each keystroke a squishy feel that can be off-putting if you’re used to typing on a mechanical keyboard. Also, the RGB LED lights are not as good, and fewer of them lead to dim lighting.

To recap, this is a cheaply-made keyboard that looks a lot like its big brother, but acts nothing like it. However, it still maintains the same functionality for the macros, which is why we’re here.

For $50-$80, you could do much, much worse. The K57 costs slightly more ($80) because of its wireless functionality. As a starter keyboard, it’s not bad. Plus, you can still use the iCUE software to create macros and turn off the RGB lighting.

Technically, the Logitech G815 Orion Spark—from now on referred to as the G815 because it’s such a mouthful—is a mechanical keyboard, but it looks nothing like its contemporaries.

For one, this is a low-profile keyboard that resembles Apple’s keyboard offerings. That means it’s sleek, aesthetically pleasing, and thin. However, unlike Apple’s keyboard, the G815 uses Logitech’s proprietary GL low-profile key switches, maintaining that mechanical keyboard feel without the added bulk (typing on Apple’s keyboard often feels like tapping on cardboard, in my opinion).

Logitech markets the macro keys, referred to in their marketing as G-Keys, for gaming and streaming use. But, like all the other options on this list, the G-Keys have more benefits outside of gaming.

Logitech sells a wireless version of this keyboard—the G915—for $250 more, which is $70 more expensive than the G815. By far, this is the best-looking keyboard of the bunch.

Whereas Corsair is a legacy gaming brand with decades of peripheral-making experience, Durgod is a newcomer. The Zhuhai, a China-based company, earned the love of mechanical keyboard enthusiasts because their keyboards are made from quality components—not often seen in other keyboards—plus, they look great.

A quick Amazon search will present you with Durgod’s small selection. I recommend the Hades, which is a small sixty-eight key keyboard. This kind of keyboard is known as a sixty-five percent keyboard, or ten-keyless (TKL) because of the missing number pad.

Eschewing the number pad, function row, and other keys, the Hades keyboard has a small footprint and only has the essential keys. However, there are two distinct function keys to the right of the space bar that apply layers to the board, so you still have access to media controls and other keys.

Here’s the best part, though: The Hera Compiler, Durgod’s keyboard configuration software, allows users to tweak lighting hotkeys and create macros that they can quickly access through the function keys.

Macros have never been a part of my daily use, but I gave it a shot, and I’m slowly relying on them more and more. I created one Macro that opened the gaming platform Steam, and I made another one that put my computer to sleep.

For $120, the Durgod Hades is my personal favorite (full disclaimer, I own four mechanical keyboards). For many mechanical keyboard enthusiasts, this is a solid keeb—shorthand for keyboard—that holds its own against more expensive models. It’s small, has many features at an excellent price point, and the minimalist software is intuitive and uncomplicated.

The MK II ($149) has added some welcomed changes, like a detachable USB-C cable, tactile keys, brighter LCD panel, OBS/Twitch integration, configurable faceplates (although, this is an add-on but an excellent addition for anyone who wants a custom looking Stream deck), and a much-improved quality in the build and stand of the device.

On the r/ElgatoGaming Reddit page, several Redditors praise the Stream Deck for its compatibility with Adobe software. One user created Photoshop shortcuts on the Stream Deck while adding custom tool images for each key.

Red switches are fast and linear, meaning they go straight down with no resistance and have a smooth feel. Speed Silver switches are similar to Reds, but they’re much faster and smoother. They mostly appear in Corsair keyboards.

If you want to get a feel for each switch before committing to an expensive keyboard, you can purchase a key switch tester that comes with the most-popular switches.