Best Mechanical Keyboards Under $100

The mechanical keyboards available under different brands come in varying quality and have a lot of different features. But if you have a limited budget of $100, it can be tough for you to identify a keyboard that is suitable for you. The features you desire, and the quality you expect purely depend on your usage and your personal preferences. 

We decided to try and identify the best keyboards under $100 available in the market, and we were able to find some great keyboards. We tested them mainly on the criteria of performance, durability, usability, and features.

Top 14 Mechanical Keyboards Under $100

The keyboards on the list are not numbered in chronological sentences. These are just overall the best mechanical keyboards under $100 that you can get, each and every one has its pros and cons, this is why we advise reading our guide to what to look for and read descriptions under each mechanical keyboard.

Keychron K3 is an Ultra Slim keyboard, which is just 22 mm thick, and the low-profile Gateron mechanical switches are 35% slimmer. This 75% layout keyboard is great for multitasking needs, as it can connect to 3 devices at a time, and you can easily change the OS compatibility (Win/Android/Mac/iOS) using a toggle switch. Similarly, you can switch between wired and wireless modes using another similar toggle switch. The keyboard has a unique Mac layout with Mac multimedia keys. 

The Keychron K3 has Gateron switches which are specially redesigned for a lower profile to keep the keyboard thin, without any lack in functionality or performance. The keyboard is made of durable re-enforced aluminum with a plastic base and has 2 level adjustment rubber feet to adjust the angle and height of the keyboard. The adjustable white backlights add to its elegance, with an option to choose static backlight modes.

Additional Features:

• Two-level adjustable feet – to adjust to 6-degree or 9-degree angle
• Curved profile keycap
• Ultra-slim design
• Slimmer than a US quarter, at just 22 mm thickness
• Gateron low profile mechanical switch – 35% slimmer
• Bluetooth connectivity with up to 3 devices simultaneously
• Bluetooth on/off toggle slider button
• Mac/Windows toggle slider button
• Reinforced aluminum body
• Floating keycap design
• White backlight with modern keycap legends

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The manufacturer’s claim is that the Razer Huntsman Tournament edition has the fastest keyboard switches, and as we used it extensively, we found that they are lightning-fast with just 1mm actuation, which is 15-30% shorter than other linear switches and a 40 mg actuation force.  We extensively used this keyboard with Alexa, and it worked really well, and it is also compatible with other apps like Philip Hue, Razer hardware, and other gears from over 30 technology partners. You can remap the keys using Razer Hyeprshift to execute complex commands easily.

We also found that the keycaps are of elite quality, with Doubleshot PBT textured keycaps that are oil-resistant. 5 mini LED lights are provided to indicate activation of locks like Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, etc. Using the onboard memory, you can save certain settings related to RGB light effects and macros. It supports up to 16.8 million colors on individually backlit keys. 

Additional Features:

• 15-30% shorter actuation distance
• Oil resistant keycaps
• Compatible with Alexa (Amazon certified)
• Compact form factor
• More responsive keystrokes
• Textured Doubleshot PBT keys
• Detachable Type-C cable
• Onboard memory
• Linear Optical Switches
• ANSI US Layout
• Chroma RGB Lighting
• Ultimate Personalization & Gaming Immersion
• Fully Programmable Macros

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What a great keyboard this one has been for us, and we are able to say this after spending a lot of time with this. We were impressed with its highly accurate performance, owing to its fully anti-ghosting keys, that never let you down. With its all-metal design, it gives you a sense of confidence while using it in all types of conditions. It comes with fully original Redragon brown switches with fast and linear actuation. It is a great keyboard for the purpose of gaming, with its gaming mode on, the windows keys get disabled while playing games.

The Redragon K556 can be customized with a professional manufacturer software, using which you can adjust macro-settings, as well as change and customize the RGB light effects. The keyboard offers 6-themed backlights -18 lighting mode with 4 brightness levels to choose from, along with a 9-color single backlit mode. With this keyboard, you also get 8 spare switches of 4 different types and a keycap puller. The keycaps are designed with reduced height for a shorter travel time. The keyboard has a matte-finish texture, which makes the keyboard scratch-proof. 

Additional Features:

• All-metal design
• Aluminum frame
• Fully anti-ghosting
• Splash-resistant design
• 18 Backlit Modes
• Pro-gamer mode
• Professional software for macro setting and light effects
• 12 multimedia keys
• Adjustable input speeds
• Interchangeable arrow keys and WASD keys
• Laser engraved chiclet keycaps
• 8 Spare Switches including blue, brown, red, and black switches (2 each)

Corsair and Cherry is an unmatchable combination, and the Red switches used in this keyboard works flawlessly with the patented triangular gold cross contacts. The red switch is very smooth and direct, with just about 2.0 mm pre-travel. The gold plating  This keyboard performs at par while gaming due to its 100% anti-ghosting feature with full key rollover. The keyboard is made for comfort and convenience, with features like Windows key lock and dedicated multimedia keys for on-the-fly control while you are immersed in an intense gaming session, or preparing an important presentation for your office. 

The Corsair K63 keyboard has large font keycaps which give a clear indication of the individual keys. The keyboard is made compatible to work with CUE, which is a power-packed Corsair Utility Engine for sophisticated macro programming, as well as to customize the lighting effects and animations. The TKL design of the keyboard is great to be used on a smaller desk or to save desk space for other important stuff. The per-key red LED backlight makes the keyboard more appealing to use. 

Additional Features:

• Gold contact Cherry MX mechanical switches
• Fully programmable with CORSAIR Utility Engine (CUE)
• Windows Key Lock mode for gaming
• Large font keycaps
• Vivid dynamic lighting control

Probably the best keyboard for gaming in this price range, as it is made tournament ready, and equipped with multi-award-winning Razer Green switches, which are known for accuracy and responsiveness with a click sound on keypress. The TKL design keyboard comes with a detachable USB cable. Hence you can replace it with a longer or shorter cable as per your requirement. Using the Razer Hypershift software, the macros can be fully programmed and remapped to execute complex commands. The keyboard assures 80 million keystrokes, and also offers a 2-year manufacturer warranty.

The keyboard fully syncs with other Razor peripherals, Philips Hue, and 30 other apps, for an immersive user experience. The LED per key backlit supports 16.8 million colors. The compact and portable are great to be used on smaller desks. This comes with a detachable magnetic wrist rest which makes it very convenient to use, along with the ergonomic keycaps and sleek design. It can be easily carried in a laptop bag. 

Additional Features:

• 80 million keystrokes
• Detachable wrist rest
• Tournament ready keyboard
• Programmable macros
• Razer instant trigger technology (ITT)
• Compatible with Philips Hue, and gear from 30+ partners
• Click sound with 50 G of actuation force

The RK Typewriter style mechanical keyboard is going to instantly glam up your room due to the true RGB LED-backlit Light Up design with a single-color and multi-color options. It has a unique typewriter-based design with rounded and elevated keys. It has 168 pre-loaded backlit modes and 7 color sidelight options. The keyboard is tough and durable as it is made of top-grade aluminum alloy with a matte finish, which makes it scratchproof as well. It is a full-sized keyboard with 108 keys and supports all OS, including Windows, Linux, and MAC.   

This typewriter-styled mechanical keyboard is also great with performance, with capabilities including all non-conflict keys for anti-ghosting. The keyboard has a collapsable and detachable ABS palm rest to keep stress off your wrist and arms and offers an inclined angle for maximum comfort and support. The clicky blue switches are made to provide decent tactile and clicky feedback.

Additional Features:

• Retro design
• Ergonomic ABS palm rest
• 168 LED-backlit modes
• 7 color dynamic sidelight rim
• Collapsible wrist rest
• 6 ft USB Cable Length
• Vintage steampunk round keycaps

This is one of the few 60% keyboards which I personally like, firstly, because this has almost all the features a keyboard should have, secondly because of compatibility, and I will term it as a user-centric product. It appeals to audiences like teenagers and gamers due to the 2 funky color themes with coral sea graphics or izakaya graphics. The RGB offers a full spectrum backlight, which comes with 4 brightness levels, 19 lightning effects, and 9 selectable colors, and you can also switch the backlight option on and off very easily. 

The connectivity of this keyboard is really good with wired USB-C, as well as 2.4G wireless which has a range of 10 meters. The keyboard is equipped with Gateron switches, which are low-cost, yet high-speed switches, and also offer great feedback and operate smoothly. The XVX profile oil-resistant keycaps are engineered for convenient use by enhancing the touch area to improve the overall user experience.  The 1850 mAh battery offers a long life of 10 hours due to its compact size. Also, XVX MK61 60% mechanical keyboard is a fully programmable keyboard and you can create custom profiles.

Additional Features:

• Unique XVX Profile Izakaya Keycaps
• 50 million keystrokes
• 1850 mAh battery – 10 hours 
• 10-meter wireless distance
• Full 61 key NKRO/Anti-Ghosting
• Compatible with XBOX, PlayStation, and PC 
• Available in 2 funky color themes: Izakaya Red | Coral Sea

Razer Ornata Chrome Hybrid Keyboard isn’t really a mechanical keyboard per se. We decided that it should still be on this list since it’s quite good for gaming purposes and there aren’t that many mechanical keyboards under $100

This is another keyboard from the house of Razer purely made for gaming, with the mecha-membrane switches and tough design along with other benefits. The hybrid switches used in the Razer Ornata keyboard offer faster actuation with a soft touch and mid-profile keycap design. The keyboard also allows for inter-device synchronization using the Razer Synapse software. It can also be synced with many popular games, as well as light customizing apps like Philips Hue, and 30 other similar apps. Using the Macro Support Razer Hypershift you can remap the keys and keypress combinations for faster commands.

The keyboard is highly durable, with an estimated 80 million clicks, and is also backed by a 2-year warranty. The keyboard comes with a detachable magnetic wrist rest that supports its ergonomic design. You can execute 10 commands at a time without error, owing to its 10-key rollover feature. The backlighting has 16.8 million colors, with interactive in-game effects to enhance your gaming experience. 

Additional Features:

• Dedicated gaming mode
• 10-key rollover 
• Anti-ghosting 
• Compatible with Xbox One 
• Fully programmable keys with on the fly macro recording
• Ergonomic detachable wrist rest 
• 16.8 million colors
• Programmed using Razer Synapse software

Almost all is good with this keyboard in terms of performance, design, build quality, and features. I found it great on all fronts. The keycaps are unique, known as pudding keycaps that are translucent, which makes it look really appealing with exposed LEDs for a truly luminous display. It has three conveniently placed dedicated keys on the left for brightness, profiles, and Game Mode. On the right, there are 4 multi-media buttons with a metallic volume control roller. The keyboard has a light bar for vibrant light effects placed towards the upper part, which is a signature of HyperX keyboards.

It has a USB 2.0 port for easy connectivity with other devices, and all these features make this keyboard highly convenient for users. The HyperX Alloy Elite 2 keyboard is loaded with HyperX Red switches which makes a good balance between responsiveness and accuracy and also offers a short actuation distance. The keyboard frame is made of durable steel, which makes it durable and stable during use. The keyboard can be customized using NGENUITY to configure gaming mode and macros and set up per-key lighting and keys. 

Additional Features:

• Quick access buttons
• 7 media and special buttons
• Volume control roller
• Solid steel frame
• Dedicated media keys
• Custom profiles and game mode
• Advanced customization with NGENUITY Software
• Signature light bar with vibrant light effects
• Multi-platform compatibility – PC, PS4, and Xbox One

Logitech G910 is a feature-rich gaming keyboard, and the feature which I liked most about it is the smartphone dock which lets you place your phone and sync it with your game. Your smartphone will start displaying game information and statistics through the Arx Control app through G HUB for in-game connectivity. The keycaps are UV protection coating to fight against oils and abrasions. The keyboard also has adjustable feet and palm rest to position your wrist conveniently. It has dedicated media controls to adjust on the fly without any interruption during the game.

One of the outstanding features of the Logitech G910 keyboard is the 9 programmable G-keys, specially made for the purpose of gaming. These keys can be programmed for custom macros and in-app commands using Logitech G-Hub. The performance of the keyboard is really great with Romer-G tactile switches especially made for Logitech keyboards. It has 1.5mm actuation and low force 45g actuation, which makes it 25% faster. The dual contact points inbuilt in the Romer-G switch makes it highly accurate and eliminate the chances of error.

Additional Features:

• 9 programmable G-Keys
• Large palm rest
• Dedicated media controls
• Smartphone dock – place mobile devices to display in-game display information
• 113 Key Anti-Ghosting
• Create animations or light effects using LIGHTSYNC technology
• 1. 5mm actuation
• 70 million keystrokes
• Dual contact redundancy
• Adjustable feet

This keyboard gives you the best of both worlds with its hybrid mecha-membrane blue switch, which gives tactile and clicky feedback and is highly smooth at the same time. It is based on a metal frame where the aircraft-grade aluminum alloy is used which makes this keyboard highly durable and sturdy. The keyboard has a smart OLED display that can be customized with gifs, game info, discord, and other messages and information. 

The SteelSeries Apex 5 Hybrid keyboard comes with a premium magnetic wrist rest which provides full palm support, and comfort during long sessions of work or gaming. The 3-way cable routing is very handy to organize the keyboard cable the way you want. The dynamic RGB lighting is backed by per-key LED illumination with millions of color options as well as reactive typing effects. The dedicated multimedia controls are very thoughtfully placed, with a clickable metal roller to adjust volume, and perform multi-media actions like rewind, skip, pause and play. 

Additional Features:

• Premium magnetic wrist rest – full palm support
• Aircraft-grade aluminum alloy frame
• Highly durable and sturdy
• Customizable OLED smart display
• Dedicated multimedia controls
• Three-way cable routing

The Nuphy Air 75 keyboard is a truly innovative product in terms of seamlessly designed low-profile structure and connectivity options, among other great features it possesses. It is built using an evolved aluminum alloy reverse stamping process which made the unibody design possible. Due to this technique, the frame looks seamless with mechanical switches hidden under the upper surface. The Nuphy Air 75 also boasts of the world’s thinnest PBT keycaps and has a slightly spherical design that enhances its overall finger contact area. Overall the design gives a harmonious feel with everything perfectly complementing each other. 

In terms of functionality, we found that this keyboard is at par with any other 75% mechanical keyboard, with features like Mac and Windows compatibility and being able to connect up to 4 different devices at the same time. Also, the wireless connectivity options are optimized to maximize the battery life, which can work up to 48 hours on a single charge. To add to its usability, the keyboard comes along with detachable magnetic pads that let you angle the keyboards appropriately at an angle of either 3.5-degrees or 6.5-degrees. The keyboard feets are designed in a way that you can place the keyboard above any laptop. You can purchase it with the NuFolio V2 case which is made of high-end fabrics to protect your keyboard and also act as a stand, large enough to accommodate a tablet as well as a smartphone.

Additional Features:

• Low profile design, 16mm thick
• Connectivity with 4 devices at a time
• N-Key rollover
• 21 RGB backlight affects
• 4 Sidelight modes
• Battery indicator LED
• Aluminum frame
• Ergonomic key designs
• Compatible with Windows and Mac OS
• Win and Mac OS dedicated keys
• Detachable magnetic foot pads for angle adjustability to 3.5-degree and 6.5-degree
• 2500 mAh battery – 48 hours of usage
• Partial and Full screenshot keys

While ordering the Durgod Taurus K320 keyboard, you can choose from one of the 5 Cherry MX switch options, which is considered an ultimate standard in the keyboard switch industry. With these switches, you can be assured of maximum reliability, performance, and durability. The keyboard can be height/angle adjusted at one of the 2 levels to provide maximum comfort and support to your wrists. It uses Doubleshot PBT technology for keycaps, where two layers of plastic are molded into each other so that the legends will last longer without fading away. 

The Durgod K320 TKL keyboard also offers features that will enhance your overall work and gaming experience. It supports DURGOD Zeus Engine software which can be used to reprogram the keys and set complex macros for convenient usage. All the keys except the Function keys can be customized to provide you maximum convenience and comfort. We particularly liked the customization options provided under Zeus software, which allowed us to enable/disable certain keys, record key combinations, remap keys, etc. 

Additional Features:

• Full N‐key rollover 
• 100% anti‐ghosting technology
• Windows key lock function programming
• Sturdy case
• Adjustable feet for height/angle adjustments
• Supports DURGOD Zeus Engine software
• All the keys except FN Key are programmable.
• Independent macro editor
• Independent profile editor.
• Windows key lock function programming.
• 5.2 ft cable length
• Compatibility with Mac and Windows

The Drop Entr mechanical keyboard Gateron Yellow switch version is what I would like to recommend to my readers, which is fast and linear. The keyboard is based on a hot-swappable PCB and is compatible with a lot of switches from Cherry MX, Gateron, Halo, etc. The keyboard is ergonomically created using CNC aluminum and has adjustable feet that offer an inclination of a 6-degree angle to supports the natural wrist position. The durable double shot PBT keycaps have a slight texture that is very comfortable and gives good feedback to the keypresses. 

The keyboard has N-key rollover support for maximum accuracy. One of the differentiating features of this keyboard is 2 USB ports, one on each side, so you can connect the wired USB connector in one of them, while the other one can be used to transfer data as well as to charge various devices and gadgets. The white LEDs are very decent and classy and make the keyboard visibility extremely good and soothing in darker conditions. The keyboard boasts plate-mounted Cherry-style stabilizers which enhance the overall experience of using the keyboard.

Additional Features:

• Two USB Type-C connectors (one on each side)
• Spare connector for data transfer and charging devices
• Anodized aluminum case 
• Plastic top cover
• Plate-mounted stabilizers
• Solid aluminum frame
• N-key rollover
• Shine-through keycaps
• Magnetic legs
• Hot-swappable switch sockets
• Fully programmable
• Compatible with Drop QMK firmware configurator
• Built-in LED diffuser with a light-blocking material 

Verdict: Which Is The Best Mechanical Keyboard Under $100?

In this article, we have covered a lot of mechanical keyboards under a budget of $100 that offer great performance, along with good features and durable build quality. All of these keyboards are good for gaming as well as general-purpose use, but specifically, we would like to recommend Razer Huntsman for the purpose of gaming, while Nuphy Air 75  & Keychron K3 is a great option for users who like to use a compact keyboard full of features. We have also included a few keyboards with hybrid switch options, that are a combination of mechanical as well as membrane keyboards to offer the best of both worlds.

Based on your individual preferences, I am sure you will be able to identify a great keyboard with a budget of $100.

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