Are you tired of your membrane keyboard and want something… different? Entering the world of mechanical keyboards is complicated. There are dozens of models, the give and take of different switches (the mechanics of the keys that don’t only belong to different brands, but each one also has its feel and sound) and the price goes from 40€ up to whatever you want to spend.
Additionally, it’s not the most recommended thing to start in the area of mechanical keyboards with one that costs more than 150$. And not everyone likes the firmness of this type of keyboard, its weight or the sound it makes. Therefore, following we tell you which are the 5 best cheap mechanical keyboards to begin to get the pulse of this type of accessory. You can use it with your gaming laptop or gaming desktop.
Corsair K66
It is difficult to find a “brand name” keyboard that is mechanical and economical, but Corsair has a beastly variety of keyboards and this K66 is the most distinct in this list of 5 cheap mechanical keyboards. It’s big, since it has a full form factor, but it is also one of the cheapest keyboards with original Cherry MX switches.
Specifically, this unit has Cherry MX Red switches, which are linear and one of the most appreciated by competitive gamers. This depends on preferences, of course, but they are fairly rapid and ideal for gaming. It includes a number pad, controls for volume and a multimedia keyboard, as well as a layout in Castellano, which makes it an ideal keyboard to play and to work. We can find it for less than 80$.
Ajazz AK33
This is the smallest mechanical keyboard you will see in this list. It has 82 keys, which means it lacks some, and clearly you can forget about keys dedicated to multimedia. The Ajazz AK33 is a fairly interesting keyboard for writing and for gaming. As you can see in the gallery, it is very portable, since it fits just about anywhere. On the other hand, it includes three color LED lighting, removable USB cable and Zorro Black switches.
There are many imitations of the Cherry MX and the Zorro switches are fairly high quality. These mechanical Blacks are in between Cherry’s MX Brown and Black, and although they are somewhat stiff, and therefore not very good for typing, some gamers like them for the forcefulness. They cost around 50$. Admittedly, it has an Anglo-Saxon disposition which, though it lets us play, will probably tie us up if we want to type.
Magicforce by Qisan
Qisan’s keyboards feature Outemu switches that are a nice Cherry MX copy, meaning that the experience while typing is quite pleasant. Whereas the Ajazz keyboard has a fairly compact size despite having 82 keys, the Magicforce goes down to 68. This is achieved by getting rid of the function keys, giving the keyboard a compact design despite the direction keys being somewhat apart.
In addition to being good-quality and one of the best cheap mechanical keyboards, it has a removable cable and a floating-key design, and it is made of plastic to reduce costs. We can buy this keyboard in its Blue or Brown variants on Amazon for less than 40$. It has the US layout.
Eagle z-77
Lastly, we have one of the cheapest mechanical keyboards with good-quality switches that is ideal for gaming. We are talking about the Eagle z-77, a mechanical keyboard with 87 keys (US layout) that lacks the numpad and dedicated keys for multimedia control. What makes it so special then? Its switches. It features Outemu Blue switches, which some gamers enjoy, although we have already said that they are clicky.
The keyboard has an aluminum plate under the keys (which makes them be a bit louder than necessary), but it feels very nice. Despite being compact, it highlights the arrow keys, and it features anti-ghosting technology and multicolor backlight by zones (each key row displays one color).
We can find the keyboard on Amazon for less than 40$ It is one of the best low-cost mechanical keyboards that we can even use as a secondary keyboard if we already have a high-end one.
Krom Kernel TKL
The Krom Kernel TKL is one of the best cheap mechanical keyboards for gaming as well as typing. It lacks the number pad in order to guarantee a more compact body, but maintaining the direction keys separate from the rest. It includes a Spanish layout (with the enter key of the correct size and with ñ), as well as RGB back lighting on each key, something very difficult to find in a keyboard of this price range.
The important thing in a mechanical keyboard is the switches and this Krom Kernel TKL has Otemu Red switches, ideal for gaming. The price is from 50$ and you won’t find a better mechanical keyboard with quality switches and lighting at this price.
