I’ve tested hundreds of keyboards for Wirecutter since 2014. In that time, I’ve accumulated at least 15 of my own—this is too many mechanical keyboards! I’ve spent thousands of hours typing on all these different options to land on recommendations for people who need only one keyboard.

Mechanical keyboards can be more enjoyable to type on, more durable, and more customizable than typical laptop or desktop keyboards. If you spend all day typing, it’s very satisfying to customize the size, switches, keycaps, and layout to your exact needs.

Compact keyboards—with 75%, 68% or 65%, and 60% layouts—get progressively smaller by using space more efficiently than traditional keyboards and by ditching less frequently used keys and hiding those functions behind shortcuts. These smaller keyboards allow you to place your mouse closer to your body, which can reduce strain on your shoulders, neck, and back.

We recommend prebuilt keyboards that you can plug in and use immediately, but there’s a whole world of custom mechanical keyboards. Building your own opens up a ton of size, layout, switch, and programmability options, but such keyboards are less readily available and require more tinkering.

Mechanical keyboards bring with them a lot of jargon—layouts and switches and keycap profiles, oh my—and compact keyboards add complexity with their nonstandard layouts. Here’s a high-level overview of the terms you need to know to buy the right keyboard for your needs. For even more detail, see our explainer on how to shop for a mechanical keyboard.

Size:

• 75%: This layout is similar to most laptop keyboards—it has nearly all the same keys as tenkeyless models, but they’re all smushed together.
• 65% and 68%: Keyboards of this size ditch the function keys along the top but keep the arrow keys and a few keys from the navigation cluster.
• 60%: These boards include only the essential block of letters, numbers, and modifiers—they have no function keys, no arrow or navigation keys, and no numpad. Using a 60% keyboard requires retraining yourself to remember key combinations every time you need the arrow or function keys. You can find even smaller keyboards, but most people need the number row.

Switch options: Mechanical switches come in three main varieties: linear, tactile, and clicky. Linear switches feel smooth when you press them. Tactile switches have a noticeable bump partway through the keypress. Clicky switches feel similar to tactile switches but have an added click sound to match the tactile bump. If you don’t already have a preference, we recommend tactile Brown switches made by Gateron, Kailh, or Cherry because these popular, readily available switches are good for most tasks and quiet enough for most offices. We cover all the switch varieties in depth in our introductory guide to mechanical keyboards.

Build quality: Cheap keyboards can feel and sound hollow, may flex under regular typing pressure, and tend to have stabilizers that rattle or squeak. Higher-quality keyboards made of metal or thicker plastic feel sturdy and sound melodious with every keystroke.

Keycaps: Keycap profiles define the height and shape of the keycaps in each row. We prefer keycaps made of PBT because they tend to be more durable and develop less shine than keycaps made from ABS, a more lightweight plastic that’s prone to wear. We also like to see a variety of stylish keycap options because it can be trickier to find replacement keycaps for compact keyboards, which don’t usually have ANSI-standard keycaps.

Removable cable: A removable USB cable is preferable to a built-in one, because if the cable breaks it’s easier and cheaper to replace than the entire keyboard.

Programmability: Many mechanical keyboards allow you to record macros, remap or customize certain keys, and tweak the backlighting. Some keyboards give you switches on the bottom or back to alter the behavior of a few keys. Others offer onboard programming. And still others come with manufacturer-specific software or support VIA, a simple, user-friendly software option. For 60% models, full programmability is essential.

Backlight: If a keyboard comes with backlighting, we prefer it to be either a tasteful white or programmable RGB.

Hot-swap switches: On a hot-swappable keyboard, you can simply pull the switches out and snap new ones into place rather than having to desolder old switches and solder in new ones.

Wireless: We look for stable wireless connections that don’t cut out, lag, or cause double key entries, as well as keyboards that can still work in wired mode when the battery runs out.

We test each keyboard by using it for at least one day of work, which involves lots and lots (and lots) of typing. We pay attention to the quality of the cases and keycaps, and we explore each keyboard’s customization options. Finally, we use the finalists for several more days of constant typing, and we test any wireless and Bluetooth connections on Windows and macOS.

The 75% Epomaker TH80 Pro and the 65% Epomaker TH66 Pro provide the best typing experience and the most fancy features for a reasonable price. Both feel wonderful to type on thanks to their solid construction, thick PBT keycaps, and smooth lubricated stabilizers. They also offer extra features such as RGB backlighting, hot-swappable switches, wireless connectivity, a rotary knob, and the ability to reprogram keys through Epomaker’s software. Our top picks come with keycaps for Windows and Mac and can automatically swap between the two operating-system layouts.

You can customize them without a soldering iron. Both boards are available with a variety of switches, and we recommend starting with Gateron G Pro Brown switches if you don’t already have a preference. These two models also have hot-swap sockets that support both three- and five-pin switches, so you can change out the switches without needing to solder.

They provide a wonderful typing experience for the price. The thick, white plastic case on each model feels sturdy, sounds pleasant, and looks clean and modern. In our tests the pre-lubricated stabilizers in the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro felt smooth and sounded quiet. Both keyboards have a flat profile with a gentle slope, and they each have sturdy feet with two height options.

The included keycaps look and feel better than most we’ve tested. The MDA-profile PBT keycaps on these Epomaker keyboards are thicker than those of our runners-up, Keychron’s V Max keyboards, so typing on the TH80 Pro or TH66 Pro produces a richer, more melodious “thock” sound. The keycaps feel smooth, and after months of heavy typing, we’ve found that they’ve developed minimal surface wear. Note that both Epomaker models have nonstandard right Shift and bottom-row keys; you’ll need to look out for those if you want to replace your keycaps.

They’re fully programmable. You can make changes to the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro using Epomaker’s software. It isn’t as intuitive as VIA, but we were able to use it to remap keys, change the knob’s behavior, and customize the RGB backlight on both Windows and macOS.

They support three connection types: wired, wireless USB dongle, and Bluetooth. The wireless connections were solid in our testing, and device switching worked smoothly on a variety of devices. The TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro each come with a removable braided USB-C cable, and you always have that wired connection to fall back on. The TH80 Pro has a small slot underneath to store the USB dongle; the TH66 Pro has no such storage.

They work on Windows and Mac. When you connect either keyboard to a device, it automatically swaps to the appropriate operating system, changing the order of the OS keys and the behavior of the function keys in the top row. The TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro also come with keycaps for Windows and macOS, as well as other fun extras.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The built-in batteries aren’t replaceable, but you can use these keyboards in wired mode. All batteries wear out over time, so eventually these keyboards will no longer hold a charge. Several Wirecutter staffers told me that, even though they thought they wanted a wireless keyboard, they ended up defaulting to the wire rather than worrying about whether their keyboard was charged.

The TH66 Pro’s top row has north-facing switches that aren’t compatible with Cherry-profile keycaps, which can present a problem if you want to swap out the keycaps later. (All of the switches in the TH80 Pro are south-facing.) If you need a 65% keyboard with south-facing switches, consider the Keychron V2 Max instead.

If our top picks from Epomaker are unavailable, we recommend the 75% Keychron V1 Max or the 65% Keychron V2 Max. These models feel nearly as excellent to type on as our top picks due to their sturdy cases, durable PBT keycaps, and smooth stabilizers. Both keyboards have RGB backlighting, hot-swappable switches, wireless connections, and Windows and Mac keycaps. And they’re even easier to program than our top picks because they support the VIA software utility. But compared with the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro, the V Max models are more expensive, less compact, and less aesthetically flexible.

These keyboards support hot-swap, but their black cases aren’t as pretty. We recommend the Gateron Jupiter Brown switches, and these models have hot-swap sockets that support both three- and five-pin switches so you can change them later. But the V1 Max and V2 Max are available only with black cases and keycaps that are gray, black, and red—if you prefer the lighter aesthetic of a white case, stick to our top picks.

They feel nearly as great to type on as our top picks. Both of these Keychron models have sturdy plastic cases and smooth, lubricated stabilizers that are similar in quality to those of our top picks. They also offer a flat profile with a gentle slope, as well as sturdy feet with two height options. They take up a bit more room on a desk than our top picks due to their large bezels, but they’re still notably more compact than keyboards with larger layouts.

The keycaps are thinner, but they’re still durable and have a comfy shape. In our tests, Keychron’s OSA-profile doubleshot PBT keycaps produced a higher-pitched, less luxurious sound during typing than the keycaps included with our top picks. It’s a very small difference, though—they’re still durable PBT keycaps, and they don’t feel or sound brittle. The keycap legends have some subtle inconsistencies in letter size and spacing. Like our top picks, the V1 Max and V2 Max also have nonstandard right Shift and bottom-row keys, so you’ll need to keep that in mind if you decide to replace your keycaps.

These models are fully programmable in the easy-to-use VIA software. At the time of our testing, the VIA software didn’t automatically recognize these keyboards, but Keychron includes accurate step-by-step instructions for both models on their respective product pages. Once the keyboard appears in the software, you can quickly and easily remap keys, record macros, and customize the RGB backlighting.

They support three connection types: wired, wireless USB dongle, and Bluetooth. The wireless connections on our runners-up were solid in our testing, and we appreciate the inclusion of both USB-A and USB-C dongles. Each model comes with a removable braided USB-C cable, so you always have that wired connection to fall back on. Both keyboards have convenient slots on the back to store the two dongles when you’re not using them.

They come with keycaps for Windows and Mac. Both the V1 Max and V2 Max have a convenient switch on the back left for you to swap between Windows and Mac layouts, and they come with keycaps for both operating systems. Keychron also includes in the box some useful tools for swapping switches and keycaps.

The 65% Keychron K6 is the cheapest decent compact mechanical keyboard—you can’t beat it for the price. With its ABS keycaps, plastic case, and non-lubricated stabilizers, the K6 can’t match the typing experience of our top picks. But it still feels great to type on, and it doesn’t make the most egregious quality trade-offs typical of cheap mechanical keyboards. The K6 comes with keycaps for Windows and Mac, and it can connect to up to three devices via Bluetooth. The included cable is too short, though, and this keyboard is not fully programmable.

It isn’t as customizable as our picks. Our budget pick has a white-only backlight, and hot-swap costs extra. It’s available with Keychron or Gateron G Pro Brown, Blue, and Red switches. Keychron also offers a hot-swap version that’s compatible with three- and five-pin switches—if you can find that model for around $65, go for it, but if you have to spend more than that, you’re better off with one of our top picks.

It isn’t as pleasant to type on as our top picks, but it’s great for a budget keyboard. The K6’s plastic case is sturdy, with no flex, wobble, or ping. Keychron also offers an aluminum-frame version, but our top picks from Epomaker are better for that price. The K6’s stabilizers rattle—they don’t match the smooth, quiet ride of our top picks—but the sound isn’t as bad as the unpleasant racket that our previous budget pick, the Qisan Magicforce, emitted. The K6 is a bit taller than the TH66 Pro, but it isn’t so tall as to be unwieldy. Like our top picks, the K6 has sturdy feet in the back with two height options.

The thinner ABS keycaps feel and sound cheaper, and they will wear out sooner. The K6’s OEM-profile keycaps are comfortable enough to type on, but they’re of notably lower quality than those of our top picks. Compared with other budget mechanical keyboards with even thinner, more brittle keycaps and hideous legends, the K6’s keycaps feel and look just fine. Like our top picks, the K6 has a nonstandard right Shift and bottom-row keys, so you’ll need to watch out for that if you decide to replace the keycaps.

It isn’t fully programmable. You can find a list of our budget pick’s default key combinations on Keychron’s website. Before you buy, make sure you’re comfortable with the combinations for all your most-used keys; for example, the delete function is F1 + [, which I find particularly inconvenient.

It can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth, but its included cable is short. Our budget pick can connect to up to three devices via Bluetooth; in our testing, the connection was reliable. It also comes with a USB-C–to–A cable. That included cable is short—it was too short to reach across my desk—but you can get an extension cable cheap.

Like our other picks, it works with Windows and Mac. The K6 comes with keycaps for both operating systems, and it has a switch on the left side for you to swap between layouts. Keychron also includes a wire keycap puller in the box.

If you want to spend more for a keyboard with a higher-quality aluminum case, get the Keychron Q1 Max or Keychron Q2 Max. Our upgrade picks feel great to type on and have a ton of extra features: They can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or USB dongle, they’re fully programmable in VIA, and they have RGB backlighting, hot-swappable switches, and a rotary knob. But both models have tall keycaps and cases with steep slopes that you can’t adjust.

They come in tasteful colors and allow customization. Both Q Max keyboards are available with Gateron Jupiter Brown, Red, and Banana Switches—no clicky-switch option—and both models support hot-swap for easy upgrades. Keychron offers black and white cases and keycaps to choose from, or you can order a barebones model if you prefer to bring your own keycaps and switches.

These keyboards provide a top-notch typing experience, but they’re very tall. The Q1 Max and Q2 Max both come with heavy, aluminum cases, and their lubricated switches and stabilizers glide smoothly. But compared with our top picks, our upgrade picks have taller cases with steeper slopes, and they lack height-adjustment options. If you—like me—prefer a keyboard with a more neutral slope, we recommend passing on the Q Max series.

The KSA-profile keycaps are also uncomfortably tall. Their height got in the way of the rotary knob on the Q1 Max, too—I found myself accidentally hitting the Page Up key when I was adjusting the volume. (The Q2 Max’s offset knob doesn’t have the same problem.) We haven’t yet seen any surface wear on the included PBT keycaps, but the legends have inconsistencies similar to those of our runner-up picks, a flaw that’s less forgivable on a $200 keyboard. The Q1 Max and Q2 Max also have nonstandard right Shift and bottom-row keys, as our other picks do.

They’re easy to program in VIA. The software didn’t automatically recognize the Q1 Max and Q2 Max at the time of our testing, but after following the step-by-step instructions on each model’s product page, we were able to quickly and easily reprogram the keys, macros, and backlighting.

They can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or an included USB dongle. Both models, however, lack convenient storage for that USB-A dongle when you aren’t using it. Keychron also tosses in a USB-C–to–C cable with a C-to-A adapter, as well as other tools for customizing the keyboards.

They support both Windows and Mac. Using the physical switches on the back of either keyboard, you can swap between OS layouts and connection types. Both models come with extra keycaps for the two operating systems.

Keychron’s one-year warranty for these models is very limited. If your keyboard has an issue, the company says that it “will only replace the defective parts of the keyboard, not the whole keyboard.” This is disappointing service for such expensive keyboards.

If you prefer an even more compact layout, the Keychron V4 is the best 60% keyboard. The V4 is identical in build quality and features to our runner-up picks with two exceptions: It lacks a wireless connection, and it isn’t available with a rotary knob. Otherwise, the V4 has everything we look for, including a sturdy case, durable PBT keycaps, smooth stabilizers, RGB backlighting, hot-swappable switches, and keycaps for Windows and Mac. It’s also fully programmable in VIA, which is essential for a 60% keyboard, as it has only the core block of letters, numbers, and modifiers. You have to use shortcuts in place of arrows, navigation, and function keys.

It occupies less desk space, but its 60% layout takes getting used to. This model is about an inch narrower than our runner-up picks because it forgoes arrow keys, navigation keys, a function row, and a rotary knob. The 60% layout isn’t for everyone—it requires you to retrain yourself to remember key combinations every time you need the arrows or functions.

It’s fully programmable in the easy-to-use VIA software. Full programmability is essential for 60% keyboards because they rely heavily on shortcuts, and everyone has different preferences for those shortcuts. As with our runner-up picks, you can quickly and easily remap the V4’s keys, record macros, and customize the RGB backlighting in VIA.

If you want a fun little screen on your keyboard: The Epomaker TH80-X has an LCD screen that you can customize in Epomaker’s software to display cool animations. Typing on the TH80-X feels and sounds similar to doing so on the TH80 Pro; aside from a few aesthetic differences, they’re similar keyboards. But the TH80-X has limited switch variety—it does have hot-swap, so you can change them later—and it doesn’t come with specific keycaps for Windows and Mac.

If you like linear switches: The 75% Cidoo V75 Pro and 65% Cidoo V65 feel wonderful to type on. I love their pillowy, thocky typing feel and their retro aesthetics so much that I was reluctant to swap each one off my desk to test anything else. (In fact, I’m typing this very section on the V65.) Both models have most of the same features as you’ll find in our upgrade picks—sturdy metal cases, PBT keycaps, hot-swappable switches, RGB backlighting, rotary knobs, VIA support, and wireless connectivity via Bluetooth or dongle—and they cost less. But the V75 Pro and V65 are available only with linear switches, and the V75 Pro is available only with a beige case; if you prefer different switches and aesthetics, stick to our upgrade picks.

If you want replacement keycaps: Keychron sells PBT keycap sets for compact layouts—we tested some, and they’re a good starting point for the price. They include OS keys for Windows and macOS, but be sure to double-check your keyboard’s layout against the keycaps provided.

If you need a number pad: The Epomaker EK21 is the best basic number pad. It feels great to type on, and it has PBT keycaps, hot-swappable switches, and an RGB backlight. The EK21 has three connection options—wired, Bluetooth, or USB dongle—and you can program macros across four layers using VIA.

If you want a fancier number pad: The Keychron Q0 Max has the same excellent build quality as our upgrade picks, and it has more buttons to customize than the EK21. It’s fully programmable in VIA, and it offers five extra macro keys and a rotary knob, so you can set it up as a macro pad of frequently used shortcuts. Like our upgrade picks, the Q0 Max can connect via wire, Bluetooth, or a wireless USB dongle.

Epomaker has released the $100 TH80 Pro V2, which we plan to test against our picks for our next update. The $100 Epomaker Galaxy70 is a variant of one of our tenkeyless keyboard picks, and we plan to test it soon.

We also plan to test the following models against our top picks: the $106 Epomaker Tide65 and $120 Tide75, the $135 Higround Base65, the $85 Keychron K3 QMK Wireless, the $100 Epomaker P75, and the crowdfunded Keychron K2 HE once it’s available at retail.

Against our upgrade picks, we’ll be testing the $140 Epomaker DynaTab 75X, the $220 Keychron Q1 HE, the $230 HyperX Alloy Rise 75 Wireless, the $180 Corsair K65 Plus Wireless Apple Special Edition, and the $300 Razer Blackwidow V4 Pro 75%.

Keychron has released the V4 Max, an updated version of our 60% pick. The $140 Logitech G Pro X 60 also looks like a promising 60% option.

We plan to test the $70 Lenovo Legion K510 Pro Mini Keyboard as a budget option.

75%

The Keychron V1 is the previous version of our 75% runner-up pick. It has many of the same features, but it lacks wireless, and the rotary knob costs extra.

The Keychron Q1 Pro was our previous upgrade pick. For the same price, the new Q Max models offer an improved typing sound and feel, and they support a 2.4 GHz wireless connection.

The Asus ROG Azoth didn’t feel as nice to type on as our picks, and the Armoury Crate software was excruciatingly slow and unreliable at the time of our testing.

The Corsair K65 Plus Wireless is expensive, plastic, and available exclusively with linear switches.

The Epomaker EP75 didn’t feel as nice to type on as our top picks. We also had issues with the Bluetooth connection.

Although the Epomaker EP84 Plus is an impressive budget option, it’s available only with linear switches and pink and purple keycaps.

The Keychron K2 Pro lacks a knob, its case is comparatively tall, and its included cable is too short to reach across most desks.

The KiiBoom Phantom 81 V2 is pretty, but it’s difficult to keep clean—despite coming with the largest microfiber cloth I’ve ever seen—and its switch variety is limited.

Despite offering a cute design, a decent price, replaceable batteries, and a reliable wireless connection, the Logitech Pop Keys disappoints, as it has circular keys, which aren’t a great fit for a mechanical keyboard. After weeks of using it, I still struggle to type accurately on it.

Compared with our upgrade picks, the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro is available with fewer switch and color options, and the version with linear switches and “Marble-mallow” keycaps was unpleasant to use.

The following models lack a combination of hot-swap, wireless, PBT keycaps, and other features that our top picks have: Drop Sense75, Epomaker EP84, HyperX Alloy Rise 75, Keychron K2 V2, Keychron Q1 V2, Razer BlackWidow V4 75%, and Vortex Race 3.

65% and 68%

The Keychron V2, the previous version of our runner-up, the Keychron V2 Max, lacks wireless connectivity, and its rotary knob costs extra.

The Keychron K14 is nearly identical to our budget pick—just with an extra column of keys along the right side—but it costs more.

The Keychron Q2 Pro was one of our previous upgrade picks. The newer Q Max version feels better to type on and has a 2.4 GHz connection.

The Alienware Pro Wireless Keyboard automatically installs software when plugged in, without any prompt or opportunity to consent.

Although the Cooler Master CK720 felt lovely to type on, it slid around easily, and its hard-plastic feet scratched my desk. I found its rotary knob difficult to use without hitting the Del key.

We love the Drop Alt V2’s flatter profile and RGB light bar, but it’s expensive for a keyboard that lacks wireless support. It’s also more confusing to program than our picks, and its Holy Panda X Clear tactile switches didn’t feel as nice to type on.

The HyperX Alloy Origins 65 didn’t feel as nice to type on as our top picks and offers a more limited switch selection.

The Keychron K6 Pro has no knob, a tall case, and a short included cable.

Compared with our budget pick, the Qisan Magicforce’s case felt hollow and cheap, its keycap legends are ugly (unless you’re lucky enough to snag one of the few units with PBT keycaps), and it lacks warranty coverage.

The Vortex Cypher felt hollow and cheap to type on. It has an ugly keycap font, too, and it doesn’t come with a manual.

The following models lack a combination of hot-swap, wireless, PBT keycaps, or full programmability, among other features: Asus ROG Falchion, Asus ROG Falchion Ace, Asus ROG Falchion NX, Cherry Xtrfy K5V2, Cooler Master CK721, Drop Alt, Ducky One 2 SF, Ducky One 3 SF, Ducky x Varmilo Miya Pro, Endgame Gear KB65HE, Keychron Q2, Leopold FC660MBT, LTC Nimbleback, Meko Push, and Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed.

60%

The Keychron Q4 Pro was one of our previous upgrade picks; we’re waiting for Keychron to launch the improved Max version in this layout.

The Anne Pro 2 is fully programmable but lacks hot-swap and can’t match the typing experience of the Keychron V4.

The Fujitsu HHKB Pro 3 Hybrid is a great Topre keyboard that’s fully programmable—and easy to program—and equipped with Bluetooth support. But it’s expensive, and the classic HHKB layout lacks keys in the bottom left and bottom right of the keyboard.

The HyperX 60 Alloy Origins has a rattly space bar and lacks hot-swap. It’s fully programmable, but the Windows-only Ngenuity software is not as intuitive as VIA.

The Keychron K12 Pro is comparatively tall and has a short included cable.

The Kinesis Gaming TKO is ridiculously complicated to reprogram.

The following models lack full programmability: Cooler Master SK620, Corsair K70 Pro Mini Wireless, Ducky One 2 Mini, Ducky One 3 Mini, Epomaker EP64, Fujitsu HHKB Pro 3 Classic, Keychron K12, Razer Huntsman Mini, Vortex Pok3r, and Vortex Tab 60.

This article was edited by Signe Brewster and Caitlin McGarry.