Best Wireless Mechanical Keyboards

How Do We Choose?

What factors do we use to determine which are the best wireless mechanical keyboards? There are a handful of elements that impact the gamer’s experience.

Form Factor

The build of the keyboard can follow one of several options.

A Full keyboard has over 100 keys (including the number pad, typically to the right of the main keyboard).
A Tenkeyless or 80% keyboard has all the keys of a Full keyboard, minus the number pad.
A 60% keyboard has no number pad, and also no F-row, so no pre-dedicated Function keys.
There is also an option to have a 65% keyboard, (which is just the 60% layout, but with the retention of some dedicated arrow keys and a few navigation keys).

None of the keyboards on our list have a form factor lower than 60%. We’ll be looking at the variety of these form factors and discovering the strengths and weaknesses of each type.

Switches

Switches are a whole language to gamers. The switches under each key on the keyboard give both a tactile and an audible response when pressed. But the resistance required to press the key, and the sound it makes when you press it, differ both by switch-maker and by color.

Each color has its own characteristics. We’ll tell you which switches are options for each keyboard, and what they mean.

Features

Anti-Ghosting

Ghosting is what happens when you press two or more keys together and only one of them is registered by the keyboard. Anti-Ghosting is the ability of a keyboard to allow for multiple inputs, either singularly or in a recognized order.

RGB

RGB simply means Red Green Blue. An RGB keyboard has programmable backlighting. This is important in a gaming keyboard because certain combat situations require ordered attacks, which need certain color combinations or sequences.

Media Keys

These are dedicated keys on the keyboard that allow you to playback, pause, and change the volume of media. That might seem like a trivial thing, but it’s useful for immersion into the game-world, clue-gathering, etc. The gamer whose keyboard has dedicated media buttons is a couple of finger-taps away from seeing and hearing everything in immersive clarity.

N-Key Roll Over, or NKRO

NKRO is an evolution of anti-ghosting. N here is a number, and will often be written with the number in – eg 6KRO, to show how many keys can be pressed together before any of them are ‘locked out’ or not processed by the keyboard.

Things To Consider

Size Does Matter

When choosing your wireless mechanical keyboard, don’t kid yourself. Size matters. Are you going to be happy gaming on a 60% model, all cute and cut-off but delivering above the expectations of its size? Does the 80% or Tenkeyless speak to you – not full, but still big enough to have decent battery life and a robust construction?

Or are you an out-and-out Full-sizer, with all the potential ergonomic benefits that brings, but all the potential clunkiness too? Identify your happy place among the keyboard sizes, and narrow it down to perfection from there.

Wireless

How cord-free do you want to go? Do you want a keyboard that can be used wired if the need arises, or are you all about the freedom? If the latter, it makes sense to make sure you’re not solely relying on Bluetooth to empower that wireless freedom – check out models with their own bespoke wireless connection in addition to the Bluetooth. Because at the point your keyboard can’t communicate with the game, it’s more or less a sandwich platter.

RGB

RGB backlighting is not just pretty. It’s there to help gamers plan moves, attacks, even combinations of keystrokes that can help them out of tight spots during their game. You can get a wireless mechanical keyboard without RGB backlighting, sure. Just know that without it, you’re losing that ability to elevate your gameplay through backlighting.

Switches

You’re going to have a preference when it comes to switches. Everybody does – it’s that innate feeling that one particular type of switch feels ‘right.’ While it’s probably not worth abandoning an otherwise perfect keyboard for, if you can find the wireless mechanical keyboard of your dreams, check to make sure it’s available with the kind of switch response you’re looking for.

All about the click? Generally speaking, go blue, and Gateron blue at that. Want the tactility but could do without the noise? Everything from a Razer Orange to a Gateron Brown is your friend. Find the switches that work best for you – and don’t be afraid to chase them to the keyboards in which they live.