If you’re serious about gaming, then you definitely need to invest in the best peripherals, particularly your gaming keyboard. Cheaply made budget keyboards just won’t cut it. We also tend to avoid recommending wireless keyboards due to latency and battery issues. What you need is a state-of-the-art, beautifully lit, spring-activated mechanical keyboard for the ultimate gaming experience. You don’t even have to spend too much money on one, as we’ve found these three awesome but cheap gaming keyboards for you. Save as much as $60 when you get the Razer BlackWidow Ultimate, Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition, and Corsair K70 RGB Rapidfire gaming keyboards at Best Buy and Walmart.
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate — $50, was $110
The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate may not be the flashiest gaming keyboard on the block, but if it’s a no-frills device you’re after that delivers where it truly matters, this one’s definitely hard to beat. And for just $50 on Walmart, a huge $60 off its normal retail price of $110, it’s practically a steal.
For a company renowned for its undeniably cool aesthetic, the BlackWidow Ultimate is kind of plain-looking. It doesn’t exactly look bad, but we’ve grown so accustomed to Razer’s distinct visual flair that this keyboard’s lack of it is a bit disappointing. If it wasn’t for the green LED backlighting (if you want Razer’s Chroma lighting you’ll have to spend $50 more for the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition) and serpentine logo we wouldn’t have known that the company is behind this. It even feels a bit flimsy, more akin to a plastic toy than a premium gaming keyboard.
But what it lacks in flash it more than makes up with performance. Playing games with this was a complete and utter delight. The keys are extremely responsive and tactile, thanks to Razer’s proprietary Green switches, which have a fantastic 50g actuation force. Whether you’re playing a single-player RPG or a fast-paced shooter like Overwatch, you’ll be amazed by how well this keyboard works. What’s more, with a foreseeable lifespan of 80 million keystrokes, you’re bound to keep playing until Armageddon. And with an IP54 rating, you wouldn’t have to worry about spilling your Coke or Mountain Dew on the BlackWidow Ultimate. Get it for just $50 on Walmart today.
Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition — $100, was $130
The Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is specifically designed for e-sports. It’s sleek, lightweight, and compact, which comes in handy if you’re a professional gamer who frequent gaming tournaments. Kudos too to Razer’s decision to switch to PBT keycaps, which adds durability and results in a whisper-quiet gaming experience. While the original Huntsman’s satisfying clickiness will be sorely missed, we do like our gaming sessions to not sound like we’re also battling our keyboard. Another notable upgrade is the textured matte finish, which creates a pleasant sense of friction against our fingertips.
Those aren’t even the best parts. Featuring linear optical switches, the keys actually do feel faster. Your fingers barely have to push the keys for them to respond, and even when you press multiple buttons at the same time, you won’t notice any delays from the Huntsman. And with a touted lifespan of 100 million clicks and removable, replaceable keys, you’re sure to keep playing to your heart’s content. Unlike the BlackWidow Ultimate, the Huntsman comes with Razer’s Chroma RGB lighting, which is fully customizable on the Chroma Studio for more dynamic and immersive gameplay. Lastly, there’s the added convenience of not requiring users to log in to Razer Synapse to access the saved profiles on the keyboard which, if you know Synapse’s penchant for logging users out, makes this small but valuable inclusion a godsend.
Feature-rich and prettier than the BlackWidow Ultimate, the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition is currently on sale on Best Buy for just $100 instead of $130.
Corsair K70 RGB Rapidfire — $110, was $170
Serious input lag can cost gamers points – sometimes even the match itself. That’s why it’s paramount to find a gaming keyboard that won’t betray you in the most crucial of times, especially when you’re pressing multiple keys in a frenzy. The Corsair K70 RGB Rapidfire certainly lives up to its name. This full-sized mechanical keyboard features Cherry’s MX Speed RGB switches, and trust us when we say that it’s crazy fast. And since some PCs and games couldn’t handle ultra-fast input, Corsair equipped the Rapidfire with a report rate switch, which adjusts how fast the Cherry MX Speed switches respond. This feature essentially controls how many times the keyboard updates the PC with input information, to get the fastest speed possible without causing issues.
Sporting an aircraft-grade anodized brushed aluminum frame, the Rapidfire will surely stand the test of time. It comes with a detachable “soft-touch” palm rest where you can place your hands in case they grow weary. At the heart of this keyboard is the company’s Corsair Utility Engine (CUE) software, which provides all the customization options you could ask for, including setting the lighting system, creating macros, assigning commands to specific keys, and more. Speaking of lighting, the Rapidfire supports 13 different lighting effects and 16.8 million colors. And what’s really cool is you have the ability to “stack” lighting effects and not just use presets. For example, you can assign a static green color for a specific move and assign additional lighting effects and colors for other special abilities. On top of all that, you can choose a “background” lighting effect. We particularly like the Rain preset with its dimmed colors and a medium raindrop speed.
The Corsair K70 RGB Rapidfire is one of the best cheap gaming keyboards we’ve ever come across. You read that right, it’s cheap. For the very affordable price of $110 instead of the usual $170 on Best Buy, you get a premium performing gaming keyboard that looks equally high-end to boot.
Looking for more? Head over to our curated deals page for more gaming keyboard and gaming mouse deals.
