Introduction
Mechanical keyboards are an essential tool in a gamers repertoire these days, especially since they can improve tactile feedback and can include some useful features that improve gameplay.
For beginners, you want something that isn’t overly complicated but still packs a punch in terms of usability and overall experience.
In this article, we’ll highlight the best mechanical keyboards that you can get as a beginner and why we think so.
You can check out the TL;DR section immediately below or read the full reviews just below that.
Out-of-the-Box Awesomeness: 7 Beginner-Friendly Mechanical Keyboards That Level up Your Gaming Experience
TLDR: Don’t want the full reviews? Check out our snapshot summary here
Continue scrolling down for a full selection of mechanical keyboards if you didn’t find what you were looking for here.
1. Havit Mechanical Keyboard (KB487L) – Best No-Frills Mechanical Keyboard for Beginners (Cheap and No Fuss)
- 【Compact Keyboard with Numpad】Unlike bulky full-sized layout, this 85% keyboard saves more desk space but keep the...
Product Review:
This mechanical keyboard offering from Havit is perfect for beginners, especially because it’s priced at the lower end of the spectrum and still offers a clean experience.
It’s not overly plastered with gimmicks and doesn’t have RGB lighting (only the Numpad is backlit) to distract you from your gaming
It has a unique layout as you get both the arrow keys and the Numpad in the same space in favor of the insert, home, and end keys — we think this is a smart move as things like insert and home aren’t typically used in gaming scenarios.
We also like the rather understated color palette with some orange to highlight the beauty of its simplicity.
In terms of technical features, you’ll be happy to know that it comes with red switches which are much quieter than some other variations; this is great for people who don’t want to annoy others around them or want to keep their gaming experience quiet.
The key caps and body of the keyboard are designed with durable plastics meaning they should be resistant against wear (the numbers and letters won’t rub off) and Havit also certifies the keys to be suitable for up to 50 million presses meaning it should last a long time.
There’s not too much to write home about but that’s a good thing; it’ll work straight out of the box and give you an easy-to-use experience for both gaming and productivity, all whilst saving you from forking out an arm and a leg.
Summary:
Great space-saving design with quiet keys and a durable build. Perfect for those who want a no-frills experience.
2. Corsair K60 RGB – Best Full-Sized Beginner Mechanical Keyboard
- A sturdy brushed aluminum frame with black anodization delivers a stylish, modern look and years of battle-tested...
Product Review:
Most mechanical keyboards are designed with space-saving in mind these days, however, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a market for people who still prefer to have a full-sized keyboard.
And in fact, that’s just what Corsair has done with the K60 — it’s a full-sized masterpiece of a keyboard that offers a great gaming experience straight out of the box.
It’s also fully backlit with each keycap being fully adjustable meaning you can light it up specifically how you want it for your setup.
We also note the fact that the K60 uses a beastly, brushed aluminum frame which makes it incredibly durable but also gorgeous to look at.
Corsair also makes note that the K60 also uses genuine Cherry Viola switches which are on the top end of the market in terms of durability and cross-compatibility with custom keycaps.
All of this may seem daunting for a beginner but you’ll be happy to know that Corsair has a simple-to-use software program that gives you full control over your keyboard customization meaning it takes seconds to optimize to your liking.
However, if you’d rather not mess with your keyboard then you’ll also be happy to know that it also works without making use of the software.
Summary
Perfect for those that want a full keyboard experience in an extremely durable body with convenient gaming optimizations such as N-key rollover.
3. Keychron K2 Mechanical Keyboard – Most Efficient Beginner Mechanical Keyboard
- The Keychron K6 is a compact 65% layout RGB backlight Bluetooth wireless mechanical keyboard made for Mac and Windows. The K6...
Product Review:
If you need something extremely clean, lean, and efficient, then there’s no better option than the Keychron K2.
It uses an ultra-compact 65% key layout making it extremely portable and easy to fit on the smallest of desks.
In fact, we dare say that the K2 is not just designed for gaming but can also be suitable in the workplace too — it definitely wouldn’t look amiss with its understated grey color palette.
It also uses Gateron brown switches which are known for providing lots of tactile feedback which can be useful for typists but also can be great to heighten awareness of your keypresses in-game too.
It’s this kind of cross-compatibility between work and leisure that makes the K2 so versatile as a keyboard for a beginner.
If you really want to kick this keyboard into gaming mode then you may be surprised to know that this keyboard also offers 15 RGB color choices meaning you can blend it in with your gaming rig in the heat of the moment; it also helps improve visibility if you’re working in the dark too.
Lastly, you might also be pleased to hear that this keyboard can be used in both a wired and wireless mode depending on your preferences — this can really come in handy depending on your setup or if you need lots of versatility.
Summary:
An understated efficient keyboard with some surprising features hiding underneath the bonnet.
4. Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 – Most Gaming Potential Mechanical Keyboard for Beginners
- Aircraft grade anodized brushed aluminum frame, built to withstand a lifetime of gaming. Keyboard Connectivity : Wired
Product Review:
If you need a mechanical keyboard that delivers an awesome experience straight out the box with tons of handy features, then the K70 MK.2 might just be the best choice.
Not only is it a full-sized keyboard, but it also doubles as a multimedia station with all the quick-access hotkeys along the top that allow you to control audio and media playback.
We also love the scrolling wheel for volume control as it’s less cumbersome to use and much quicker to change the volume to the levels you really want without faffing on for too long.
Other than that, you have full RGB “per-key” adjustability meaning you can truly make the keyboard look exactly how you want it to; better yet, this is all really easy to do with the Corsair iCue system which has an intuitive layout.
For gaming, it also features Cherry MX red switches which are perfect for quiet, tactile responsiveness meaning you’ll always know when you’ve pressed your key down.
It also has an ergonomic design, especially with features like the attachable wrist rest and the adjustable risers on the back to give you the perfect angle for comfort.
Like most gaming keyboards, it also includes anti-ghosting which is especially useful in games where you’ll be pressing different keys in rapid succession, essentially preventing those fast presses from being “lost”.
You can also store different setup profiles which is great if you’re changing games a lot, or if you want to take it to a friend’s house and don’t want to lose your customizations.
Summary:
A behemoth of a mechanical keyboard that is surprisingly simple to use but offers tons of great features for the perfect gaming experience.
5. ASUS ROG Strix Scope TKL Electro Punk – For Something a Little Different + Privacy Features
- ASUS ROG Strix Scope TKL Electro Punk Edition Mechanical Gaming Keyboard comes in a stunning black-and-pink cyberpunk theme....
Product Review:
The Strix Scope TKL Electro Punk (what a mouthful) is a stunning keyboard in terms of design and color palette.
If you want something totally different from anything else that’s also really easy to use then this is probably the best choice.
ASUS is also very well-known for making high-quality gaming peripherals and you should expect no less with this either.
It’s got a solid aluminum frame for durability but also retains stylish qualities with the brushed texture.
We also make note of the German-made Cherry MX red switches that offer assured quality and longevity for even the most demanding gamers.
It also features a uniquely designed larger ctrl key which is especially useful for additional hotkeys in things like MMOs (sometimes the ctrl key is not the easiest thing to feel out).
You’ll also be happy to know that you get anti-ghosting which is mostly industry-standard these days for gaming keyboards.
Other than that, it’s extremely portable due to the layout it uses meaning you can take it to LAN parties or use it for laptop gaming quite easily.
For people concerned with privacy, you’ll also be happy to know that Asus has also included a “stealth key” which quickly shuts all apps and windows on your system — this is probably the most defining thing about the keyboard and is extremely useful.
Summary:
A great beginner mechanical keyboard that manages to stand out in a crowded market; bonus points for the “stealth” key which makes hiding your windows quick and easy.
6. Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition – For Serious Beginners
No products found.
Product Review:
If you need a keyboard that is both easy to use as a beginner, and can offer you some advanced features for your games then the Razer Huntsman (Tournament Edition) is a great choice.
It’s extremely impressive in terms of its overall build quality and for the fact that it manages to push the limit on keycap switch technology, thanks to the Razer Linear Optical switches that have 15-30% faster actuation than comparable switches.
Although this may seem like a small change, it actually makes a really big difference for games that need lightning-fast reactions and timings.
You might also be happy to know that Razer has given you a huge degree of flexibility with fully programmable macros meaning you can map out complex commands with just a few key presses; great, right?
Unlike some other keycaps, Razer also makes note of the oil-resistant PBT plastic it uses meaning the lettering shouldn’t rub off, even under the most sweaty and disgusting conditions.
They also cite that you’ll be able to program each individual key with precise color and that it can also be synced up to popular lighting systems such as Philips Hue for complete uniformity.
Another small feature they’ve included (which is extremely important) is the locking system for the connection port on the back — this stops it from getting disconnected in the heat of the moment to counter accidentally yanking it out and potentially losing an important game.
Other than that, there’s tons of bang for your buck even though it might be a tad more expensive than some of the other options here.
If you have longevity in mind and want to take your gaming to the next level then this is the best choice.
Summary:
The perfect mechanical keyboard for serious beginners who want to take their gaming to the next level.
7. Alienware Low-Profile AW510K – For Sleek and Slender Setups
- Item Package Dimension: 19.9999999796L x 8.99999999082W x 1.99999999796H inches
Product Review:
It’s very rare to find a mechanical keyboard that uses low-profile keycaps, mainly due to the fact that the switches are often too large to support a small keycap size.
With that said, Alienware has managed to pull out all the stops with the AW510K and has made use of specialized, custom Cherry MX low-profile switches to support this slender design.
For anyone interested in an ergonomic keyboard or wanting to keep their wrist comfortable then this might be the best keyboard to do the job for that.
Alienware also makes note of the fact that you can customize your lighting design with a full “per-key” RGB experience which means you can really make it feel like yours.
Similar to the K70 (above), you might also be happy to know that you have a scrolling volume control button in the top right; this is especially nice for accurate and smooth sound control for media playback and gameplay.
Also, if you’re not a fan of the white version then you’ll also be able to select the black option at the checkout depending on your preferences.
Other than that, you’ll also be enthralled to know that it features useful gaming features such as anti-ghosting to prevent keypress overlap which is great for games where you’ll be pressing things in quick succession.
Summary:
For a specific type of beginner who wants a low-profile, sleek keyboard with lots of customization.
Relevant Articles
Whilst you’re here, why not check out some of our other gaming product reviews or some of our gaming articles?
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