The Best Mechanical Keyboards 2022: hotswappable, 60%, wireless
We find the best mechanical keyboard for gaming!
Mechanical keyboards have slowly but surely taken over the majority of gamers’ desks, with membrane now firmly taking a back seat. Finding the best mechanical keyboard for your needs can sometimes be tricky for first-time buyers, especially now that mechanical keyboards have become all the rage.
In this article, we are not only going to showcase the very best mechanical keyboards out there but we will also go over what makes them the better option and why these durable boards can potentially improve your gaming performance.
Esports has popularised these types of boards to no end, with many large gaming peripheral companies getting on board and competing to bring you their idea of the best keyboards.
With that in mind, let’s have a rundown of our top selections.
Our Top Picks
Our 5 Best Mechanical Keyboards
In-depth Review
SteelSeries Apex Pro
SteelSeries Apex Pro
The SteelSeries just pips the Corsair K95 to the post as the best mechanical gaming keyboard on our list. This keyboard is packed with premium features and with its aircraft-grade aluminum, this is one durable board.
Visually, Steelseries has done a superb job. The Apex Pro is visually epic, with some Vibrant RGB illuminating every key. As mentioned, this is incredibly well built and the aluminum body beneath the floating keycaps is a lovely touch, adding both weight and aesthetics. The included magnetic wrist rest may be a bit of a dust magnet but it’s comfy and helps with the overall ergonomics of the board nicely. Unlike other premium boards, the feet will fold away if you push the board back but this is a minor grip at best.
As you would expect from a premium board such as the Apex Pro, this is packed with features. Lighting aside, this comes with dedicated media keys including a volume bar, an OLED display, USB passthrough, and you can change the amount of pre0travel distance or actuation force for a more responsive gaming experience or accurate typing one.
The keyboard is available in plenty of different switch options which are known as OmniPoint, meaning “all points”, so there is something for everyone with this mechanical keyboard. Regardless of which switch you use, typing is highly satisfying, with minimal typos occurring. The responsive nature of this mechanical keyboard combined with the ability to set your preferred actuation point made this one of the best keyboards I have ever used for gaming.
Overall the SteelSeries Apex Pro mechanical keyboard is a great option but not just for gamers. This versatile keyboard ticks a lot of boxes and you can fully customize this with SteelSeries reliable software.
Shurikey Gear Hanzo EC V2 001 Mechanical Keyboard
Shurikey Gear Hanzo EC V2 001 Mechanical Keyboard
Of course, we had to include a mechanical keyboard with a TKL form factor. It’s a nice middle ground between the classic full-size keyboard and the diminutive 60% board size. The Shurikey Hanzo really impressed us with its excellent retro color schemes and delightful electrocapacitive key switches that provide gentle tactile feedback. Additionally, the Hanzo utilizes Bluetooth for its wireless connection and you can connect it to three different devices at a time which is very convenient, especially if you tend to rotate between PCs, laptops, or phones.
It’s the visuals for us when it comes to this board, all the color schemes have a retro new-age industrial vibe to them and it’s some of the most unique designs we’ve seen when it comes to keyboards as of late. The Hanzo is definitely one of the best wireless keyboards we’ve tested here at WePC, unfortunately, it’s slightly marred by the ABS keycaps, even though they’re doubleshot, PBT keycaps would help elevate this board slightly more. The only downsides are the lack of RGB lighting and the included cables feel pretty cheap. However we still totally recommend this keyboard.
If you’re curious, read our full Shurikey Gear Hanzo EC V2 001 Mechanical Keyboard Review for all the juicy details.
Mountain Everest 60 gaming keyboard
Mountain Everest 60 gaming keyboard
When we first tried the Mountain Everest 60 we were blown away by the DIY custom-build levels of refinement. It features silicone pads, soundproofing foam, and it’s easily upgraded further should you wish Additionally, it features Mountain’s all-new switches. they come pre-lubed and the stabilizers are clipped from the factory. All of this results in an out-of-the-box experience that we’ve never experienced before and we can’t wait to see what they do next. Additionally, it’s hot-swappable, so if you don’t dig the switches that come with the board, you’re free to change them out for any 3 or 5-pin Cherry style switches. Nice job, mountain, you’ve done well here.
The design of the Mountain Everest 60 is quite low-key, with a brushed aluminum frame and matte black top case. Even with the RGB it wouldn’t look out of place in a corporate office full of professionals, and it boasts excellent build quality so we are confident that it’ll last in the long run too.
It also expands on Mountain’s concept of modularity and you can purchase an additional Numpad for the days where you just absolutely have to deal with Microsoft excel. It’s also compatible with Mountain’s modular media bar so this keyboard can go from 60% to full-size at a moment’s notice.
If you’re curious, read our full Mountain Everest 60 modular mechanical gaming keyboard review for more information on this game-changing keyboard. Spoiler alert: we gave it a really high score
Logitech G915
Logitech G915
Logitech has a wide range of amazing products but none more so than the Logitech G915 wireless mechanical gaming keyboard. This may be one of the dearest keyboards to exist but you are paying for quality, features, and, mostly, convenience.
This keyboard is incredibly low profile with low profile keycaps too. The design is one of the best but I am a sucker for the low profile boards. Aside from the ultra-thin design, we see some impressive features under the hood too. With this mechanical keyboard, you get Logitech’s well known Lightspeed technology, Bluetooth, onboard profiles, programmable G-keys (macros), and dedicated media controls. That’s a lot of positives from this board and guess what, the build quality is amazing too.
This is of course wireless, which utilizes the Lightspeed technology making this perform as if it were wired. Furthermore, they advertise a 30+ hour battery life, which isn’t too shabby.
For typing, the keyboard remained comfortable, easy to use, and there were little to no errors during testing. The low profile design could be something to get used to for some but it’s just a really sleek mechanical keyboard. This comes in a variety or Romer-G switches from clicky to linear, with the linears being the best for gaming.
This mechanical keyboard is one of the best if not the best wireless option available and while it may be expensive, the competition doesn’t really come close. The G915 is absolutely superb.
Redragon K552 KUMARA RGB
Redragon K552 KUMARA RGB
The Redragon K552 RGB is the only board on this list that is fully mechanical. While it doesn’t feature the highly coveted Cherry MX switches, it still bears the title of being mechanical and is a solid option.
The actual switches on this board are called Greetech Blue and are the off-brand equivalent to Cherry MX Blue switches. These are tactile switches requiring approximately 80g of actuation force.
Another bonus is the keyboard’s RGB backlighting, with a few lighting modes, brightness settings, and breathing speed, that are all customizable.
For those wanting to stick their toe in the world of mechanical keyboards, there are few other options at this price point. The Redragon K552 gives you 87 keys with double-shot injection keycaps all for an incredibly low cost.
Yes, you’re going to deal with a tenkeyless design and lack of programmable macros, but this board is a great choice for those who prefer mechanical boards. The lovely compact design and heavy metal base show that this keyboard means business.
Final Word
Our featured selections are some of the very best mechanical keyboards in their respective categories. Hopefully, finding the best for your needs is now a simplified process, giving you more time in-game.
Of course, the best mechanical keyboards out there bring a hefty price tag along with them for their premium features, build-quality, and engineered switches. We have tried our best to select products to cover various gamer’s needs with each board offering excellent performance.
The best out there at the moment is the SteelSeries Apex Pro mechanical gaming keyboard. Not only is this packed with all the features you’ll ever need but you can also adjust the actuation force on your switches, making it more responsive if you desired.
Every selection will bring you joy regardless of if you are typing or gaming. Choosing the best mechanical keyboards just got a whole lot simpler. What mechanical keyboard do you currently have? Head over to the WePC community to let us know what your using and the switches you prefer.