E-gaming is becoming increasingly popular by the day, so are the gaming peripherals. Since you are already here, you must know the benefits of having the right inputs like a keyboard or a mouse for competitive gaming. Most gamers demand an excellent keyboard as a primary gaming accessory to sustain long hours of PC gaming.
A gaming keyboard means tight controls, more buttons & more uses, except mini gaming keypads. They are generally ergonomically designed to give you extended hours of gaming bliss. If you think that PC gaming is a luxurious hobby, think again, because it doesn’t have to be so.
There is no need to spend a large amount of money behind a gaming keyboard. When buying a gaming keyboard, $100 is a perfect fit for a beginner or a gamer who has been playing since the age of Pentium 2. You can get plenty of options within this price bracket. We have jotted down a few great gaming keyboards that available in the market at this price.
Once you reach the end of the detailed reviews on each of our listed products, it’ll be clear to you that you don’t always get something better out of spending more.
How can you make your buy more about the value and less about compromises? Considering all the factors that matter will enable you to make the most out of your gaming time can help you with this. Along with the list of the best gaming keyboards that fit your strict budget, we have added a buying guide for a better purchase experience.
Quick Picks
Best Keyboard for Gaming Reviews
Here are some of the best gaming keyboard options available out the lot that comes within the price range of $100:
#1 Logitech G610 Orion
- Performance driven gaming keyboard: Full size keyboard delivering a pure, fluid gaming experience
- Durable Cherry MX Red Mechanical Key Switches: Low noise switches deliver a more linear keypress for rapid fire...
- Customizable Lighting: Personalize individual key lighting brightness to keep track of spells and other commands
If you’re looking for an overall best gaming keyboard, then don’t look further. This backlit mechanical gaming keyboard gives you rapid-fire actuation because of it’s durable & low-noise Cherry MX Red switches (tested to 50 million keystrokes). There are easily accessible media controls, but they don’t come with the Red switch. Logitech G610 is the one-stop solution to all your gaming needs. It offers a polling rate of 1 ms.
You can customize the F keys with macros and also the brightness of the individual key light. All you need is the downloadable Logitech Gaming Software at their official website. It comes with a braided 6 ft wire and is has compatibility with Windows 10 and its later & previous versions. This high performing & compact gaming keyboard is powered with the best technologies and a minimalistic design.
Pros
- Cherry MX mechanical switches with 24- key rollover
- Programmable F- keys
- Easy to use
- Highly Responsive (1000Hz)
- Lightweight
Cons
- Logitech Gaming Software is a must-have
- No RGB; only white backlight
#2 Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma v2
- The #1 Best-Selling Gaming Peripherals Manufacturer in the US: Source - The NPD Group, Inc. U.S. Retail Tracking...
- Signature Mechanical Switch for Gaming: Razer Green switch technology provides a satisfying click sound with 50 G of...
- Tournament-Ready Design: A tenkeyless design with a detachable USB cable provides a portable form-factor for on-the-go...
With Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma Tenkeyless mechanical keyboard, you get all the gaming essentials in a sleek design. It comes with an ergonomic wrist rest made of plush leatherette, which is sure to give you the most comfortable gaming experience of your life. Razer’s green switches are almost equivalent to Cherry MX Blue switches that are clicky and tactile. What you have here is a tournament-edition keyboard, the keys of which are tested up to 80 million keystrokes, and it comes with a detachable USB cable. You will get god-level responsiveness as the keyboard is geared with the new Razer Instant Trigger Technology.
Pros
- Compact & portable
- Magnetic Wrist rest
- Braided (detachable) USB cable
- Excellent configuration software
Cons
- Noisy Keys (more than MX Blues)
- Pricey
#3 Corsair K68 RGB
- Connectivity Technology: Usb 2.0 Type-A
Are you quite clumsy while gaming? Then this spill and dust resistant gaming keyboard is an ideal choice for you. You can customize the per-key LED backlight in Corsair K68 with a good number of pre-set effects. Using their iCUE software, you can easily create more revamp and macro keys to suit your needs.
It’s durable Cherry MX Red switches (smoother & linear) deliver quieter clicks with speedy actuations. 100% anti-ghosting and full-key rollover features help you bring one step closer to an ultimate gaming experience.
This 104-key mechanical gaming keyboard offers an interruption-free gaming experience with a dedicated Windows lock mode, and its removable wrist rest gives you the much need comfort during your long hours of gaming.
Pros
- IP32 rated protection (spill and dustproof)
- 1 ms (1000 HZ) polling rate
- Grip-textured space bar
- Impressively tough built
- 100% anti-ghosting
- Superior software
- Authentic Cherry MX Red Switches
- Value for money
Cons
- Plastic wrist rest
#4 SteelSeries Apex 5 Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
- Hybrid mechanical gaming switches – The tactile click of a blue mechanical switch plus a smooth membrane
- OLED smart display – Customize with gifs, game info, discord messages, and more. OS-Windows, Mac OS X, Xbox, and...
- Aircraft-grade aluminum alloy frame – Manufactured for unbreakable durability and sturdiness
It is one of the most killer midrange keyboards that satisfy your gaming needs. Yes, it lives up to the hype. SteelSeries Apex 5 is a hybrid mechanical keyboard that gives you the best of both worlds- a blend of mechanical and membrane switches at a fair price point. The keyboard has a high-quality aluminum built with a magnetic pad to rest your wrist while playing.
There is good news for RGB fans- you can customize this keyboard’s keys with a wide range of pre-set effects using the SteelSeries configuration platform. The OLED smart display with a fully functional knob is a bonus.
You no longer need to stress about the cable interrupting the game or having a cluttered desk- thanks to the three-way cable routing that this model features.
Pros
- Perfect response time
- Smart multi-media key
- Comfortable wrist pad
- Reprogrammable key (all keys)
- Excellent in-game performance
Cons
- Dull Backlighting
#5 Logitech G613 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Keyboard
- Lightspeed: Wireless technology for super-fast 1 ms report rate
- Romer G mechanical switches deliver quiet, precise mechanical performance and 70 million click life for incredible feel...
- 6 programmable G keys put custom macro sequences and in app commands at your fingertips. 1 Customize G key profiles...
There aren’t many wireless gaming keyboard options currently available in the market as gamers mostly prefer the wired ones. This wireless option’s feature list is not as vast as it’s wired alternatives in the price range. However, if a wireless board is what you need to unclutter your gaming station, the Logitech G613 Wireless mechanical gaming keyboard can do that without compromising the typing feel & actuation accuracy. It is one of the most affordable gaming boards on our list. You can move around quickly with this gaming keyboard and even enjoy casual gaming sessions on your couch.
The game mode accessible key and the 6 G-keys placed in a single column give it an edge as a gaming keyboard. The design of this model is simple and less distracting, and it comes in grey hues. At this price range, the wrist rest is a nice touch to this unit but is not removable.
Pros
- Dedicated rows of media control
- The column of 6 G-keys
- Game-mode toggle switch
- Romer-G switches
- Easy to use configuration software
- Non-distractive design
- 1 ms report rate
- Battery life
Cons
- No lights
- Some have experienced connection lags
Buying Guide
![[Cover] Best Gaming Keyboards under $100](https://www.techlifeland.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Cover-Best-Gaming-Keyboards-under-100-1024x683.jpg)
There is no shortcut to making your purchase and expectation meet at one point. How will you choose your next gaming keyboard? It would be best if you remembered the crucial factors that can, together, have a significant impact on your overall gaming experience.
Membrane or Mechanical or Dome
Membrane keyboards work on electric waves that get activated every time the keys are pressed fully. Whereas spring-load switches at the bottom of individual keycaps are the mechanism behind mechanical gaming keyboards. Most gamers prefer mechanical switches over membrane alternatives but, not without reason.
The mechanical switches register multiple keystrokes simultaneously as opposed to membrane ones. This key rollover feature also makes mechanical options more long-lasting.
Moreover, mechanical switches differ according to the range of actuation and tactile or mushy feel. A highly responsive keyboard will have more sensitive switches requiring less force in every keypress, while others can come with a slight resistance in registering the keystroke. The second one may suit those who brush their key a lot while gaming more. Tactile aka clicky switches come with feel a little bumpy with feedback, conforming successful key actuation, but they are noisy. If you want to keep the volume low, some options have keys that mimic the cheaper membrane keyboards’ softer sounds.
Then there is the third type, known as dome keyboards. Compared to membrane alternatives, they are quite pricey but cheaper than wireless options. These hybrid button keyboards are gradually becoming popular among buyers. This switch sets a folding technique under the keycaps, and every keypress presses down on the membrane.
Polling Rate/ responsiveness
Polling rate- does this sound new? Want a perfect gaming keyboard? Then this term is worth adding to your dictionary. Polling rate defines your keyboard’s responsiveness, i.e., how quickly the delivery of the gaming keyboard gets reflected on your screen. Keep an eye out when you’re in the market for the options that offer multiple and customizable polling rates to match your gaming preference and how you play them. A 1000Hz (1 ms) report or polling rate is what you are looking at for the best intensive gaming experience.
Lighting
Keyboards with backlights, be it RGB or single glow color lights, look stunning as a part of your gaming set up. They are also beneficial to the eyes if you are playing in low-light and helps in keypress coordination at night without missing a single key.
Layout
Move to keyboard layouts when you are done sorting out the mechanics of the keyboard options you are looking at. When you aim at a blissful gaming experience, you must also concentrate on the number of keys that a keyboard has and know what they can do. Only then will you get a better understanding of the level of functionality the gaming keyboard offers. Usually, gaming keyboards comprise up to 104 keys. The more compact ones lack the Numpad.
Appearance
Since you are buying a keyboard exclusively for gaming, be it on a casual or a pro-level, you would want it to look like one. However, you keep this factor on the least priority as it only contributes to your gaming ambiance. Both flashy and elegant-looking gaming keyboards are available at all price ranges. Choose according to your preference.
Frequently Asked Questions — FAQs
The primary priority of any regular computing keyboard is its ergonomics to provide users with a smooth & comfortable typing experience. On the other hand, gaming keyboards are designed explicitly with blue or red switches under the keycaps to give you better reaction time and a speedy response – absolutely crucial for competitive advantage while gaming.
It depends on your needs. If you are an entry-level player, we would suggest you go for mechanical gaming keyboards within the budget of $50. They will give you a sense of what you might need to expect as you move towards the pro-level of gaming.
Conclusion
Every gamer would agree that exceptional gaming accessories offer an impeccable gameplay experience. One among them is a professional gaming keyboard. You can surely get a keyboard for $100 that will last you long hours of PC gaming. From the point of design or functionality, all the above-listed options aim at fulfilling the needs of an e-gamer.
Buying a regular keyboard is quite different from buying one for the sole purpose of playing video games. You can’t just blindly go for a keyboard that comes with average features.
If you are into competitive gaming on a professional-level, you must consider many points to get yourself an optimal gaming keyboard. The most important ones being, size, switch type, type of connection and design. When you are done, you will know which gaming keyboard is best aligned to your requirements.
Related Topics
- Best Gaming Keyboard Under $50
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