Best Affordable Mechanical Gaming Keyboards

You don't have to spend vast amounts of money to enjoy a solid typing and PC gaming experience. There are mechanical keyboards on that won't decimate your bank balance, and the picks in this round-up use Cherry MX or equivalent switches, so you know you're going to enjoy a quality typing experience, regardless of the price.

Related: Best mechanical keyboards for gaming on Windows 10

So why would you spend more on a mechanical keyboard? The price is usually inflated due to branding, demand, and extra features. The latter can be anything from RGB LED lighting that enables you to alter the ambiance of your room to macro keys that can be configured to achieve various functions with little effort on your part. If you simply want a decent keyboard with solid switches, these affordable options will do just fine.

Razer Blackwidow Tournament Edition

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Razer Blackwidow

Razer is considered by many of its fans to be one of the best options for mechanical keyboards. But just because it's a big brand that can be expensive, it doesn't mean you absolutely have to spend a fortune when it comes to picking up a basic entry into clicky keys. Cue the Blackwidow Tournament Edition.

Priced at $72, the keyboard is slightly more costly than other options on our list, but you're investing in one of the most popular mechanical keyboard ranges in the market. The Blackwidow is known as a trusty companion for gamers and the tournament edition slices off any optional extras for a capable input machine that's super portable.

There are other configurations of the Blackwidow Tournament, including full size (with number pad) and backlighting, but you'll need to shell out more cash for these variants. This particular model features Razer's own Green Switch and is a great entry into the world of mechanical keyboards.

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AULA Mechanical Keyboard

AULA Keyboard

The AULA Mechanical keyboard sports Blue Cherry MX switches that are ideal for typing and those long gaming sessions. It's an affordable, no-frills option too — for $48.90 you're getting solid switches without macro keys, backlighting, and other optional features. Some consider said extras mandatory when looking at keyboards, but if you're not fussed, you can certainly save some money here.

But that's not to say this particular model doesn't have a few tricks up its sleeve. The molded keycaps are double-shot injected with 100 percent anti-ghosting so you could sit on the keyboard and have each and every key press should register just fine (we don't recommend you do this.) There's even a gold-plated USB connector.

The AULA Mechanical Keyboard offering also comes in white with RGB lighting.

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MechanicalEagle Z-77

MechanicalEagle Z-77

The MechanicalEagle Z-77 is another compact option for those looking to save money on peripherals. An added bonus of this $34.99 keyboard is that the company has thrown backlit keys into the mix, along with Outemu Blue switches that are similar to Cherry MX offerings.

There's full anti-ghosting support and the usual function keys, though like other options in this price range you'll not be able to take advantage of macro keys. You can pick up the Z-77 in black or white, both look rather futuristic by being flush with the backplate to offer increased amounts of ambient lighting.

What makes this keyboard, in particular, interesting is the ability for the switches themselves to be easily abstracted from the board and replaced with compatible parts. This is great for those who wish to throw in another type of switch or replace a faulty/damaged key. Not something one would expect from a keyboard that costs less than $40.

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HAVIT HV-KB390L

HAVIT HV-KB390L

The Havit HV-KB395L comes from a brand that isn't well-known, nor is it considered among giants like Razer, SteelSeries, Ducky, and others. But this keyboard offers a solid typing experience and works wonders in-game, all at a more affordable price.

Havit has released a solid low-profile keyboard with mechanical keys. That's a feat in of itself, but to have such a sound typing experience is icing on the cake. But that's not all, it's all wrapped up in a package that only sets you back $59.99, which is considerably less than more premium alternatives.

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Corsair K66

Corsair K66

Corsair K66

The K66 by Corsair is a mechanical keyboard without all the frills. There aren't any LEDs, the design is simple and everything else takes a backseat in favor of performance. This allows for a tactile feedback typing experience for less than $60.

The switches used are Cherry MX Red and Corsair has made sure important features made it through to production, including dedicated multimedia buttons, 100 percent anti-ghosting support, and macro programming.

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Have a mechanical keyboard in mind that didn't make our list? Sound off with your affordable options in the comments!

Updated April 04, 2018: We updated the list to offer only the best affordable mechanical keyboards on the market.

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.