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If you spend most of your day typing, you shouldn’t be stuck with the mushy keyboard on your laptop or a cheap, uncomfortable desktop keyboard. Mechanical keyboards allow you to customize their looks with different keycaps and get the typing feel you prefer by choosing different switches under the keys. And compact keyboards—which nearly match the size and layout of a laptop keyboard—take up less space on your desk. Of the dozens of keyboards we’ve tested, the 75% Epomaker TH80 Pro and the 65% Epomaker TH66 Pro are the best compact mechanical keyboards for most people’s needs. Camshaft Accessory For Bajaj
The Epomaker TH80 Pro provides the best typing experience and the most extra features—RGB, hot-swap, wireless, a knob, and programmability—for a surprisingly reasonable price.
The Epomaker TH66 Pro offers all the quality and features of the TH80 Pro in a slightly more compact layout that lacks the top row of function keys.
The Epomaker TH80 Pro and Epomaker TH66 Pro have all the keys that most people use and none that they don’t, hitting the same sweet spot of size and layout that most laptop keyboards do. Our picks feel wonderful to type on due to their thick PBT keycaps, lubricated stabilizers, and sturdy plastic cases. Both models are available with a variety of Gateron G Pro switches; we recommend the Brown switches if you’re not sure which kind you like best. Unlike many mechanical keyboards in this price range, the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro come with a host of extra features, including RGB backlighting, hot-swappable switches, a wireless connection via Bluetooth or USB dongle, a fun rotary knob, and full programmability through Epomaker’s software. Our picks also come with keycaps for Windows and Mac, and they automatically swap between operating system layouts when connected. But you have to pay quite a bit more to get a better small keyboard.
The V1 feels nearly as good to type on as as our top pick, and it has most of the same features. But the V1 lacks wireless, and the knob costs extra.
The V2 is virtually identical to the V1, but its 65% layout lacks the top row of function keys.
If our top picks are unavailable, we recommend the 75% Keychron V1 or the 65% Keychron V2 instead because they provide a similarly excellent typing experience and most of the same extra features. Like our top picks, the V1 and V2 offer RGB backlighting, hot-swappable switches, and Windows and Mac keycaps, and these models support the VIA software, which makes them even easier to program. But they’re not quite as compact as our top picks, they lack wireless, and you have to pay around $10 extra if you want the version with a cool rotary knob. The V1 and V2 are available with a few Keychron K Pro switch types; we recommend Brown switches if you’re not sure what you like. Keychron also sells barebones versions of the V1 and V2 if you’d prefer to bring your own switches and keycaps.
The Keychron Q1 Version 2 has a heavy-duty aluminum case and feels great to type on. But you can’t adjust the height, and it lacks a wireless connection.
The Q2 is similar to the Q1 Version 2 but has a 65% layout that does without the top row of function keys.
If you want a keyboard with a higher-quality aluminum case and don’t mind paying quite a bit more for it, we recommend the 75% Keychron Q1 Version 2 and the 65% Keychron Q2. Both models have heavy aluminum cases and provide an excellent typing experience. They have all the features you might expect from keyboards in this price range, including full programmability through VIA software, customizable RGB backlighting, an optional knob, and hot-swappable switches. Like our other picks, they work with Windows and Mac and come with extra keycaps for both operating systems. But the Q1 Version 2 and the Q2 are taller than our top picks and have a steeper, nonadjustable slope; they also lack a wireless connection, and their extra weight makes them less portable than our other picks. The legends on the included keycaps also have some typographical inconsistencies that are difficult to forgive on a $200 keyboard, but Keychron also sells barebones models if you already have keycaps and switches or want to buy them separately.
(We don’t recommend the first version of the Q1, which has cheap-feeling ABS keycaps. The Q1 Version 2 offers higher-quality PBT keycaps and other improvements on the design and typing feel.)
The 65% Keychron K6 feels better to type on than any other cheap mechanical keyboard, though its keycaps and case don’t look or feel as nice to type on as our top picks’.
The 65% Keychron K6 is the best budget mechanical keyboard. It’s much more pleasant to type on than any other cheap mechanical keyboard we’ve tested, even though its ABS keycaps, thin plastic case, and non-lubricated stabilizers can’t match the typing experience of our top picks. The K6 comes with keycaps for Windows and Mac, it can connect to up to three devices via Bluetooth, and it’s available with either Keychron or Gateron G Pro switches. (We recommend whichever Brown switches are cheaper.) If you can find the hot-swap model for around $65, it’s a good deal, but hot-swapping is not a must-have feature in a budget board. Our recommended version of the K6 has a white-only backlight; the model with RGB backlighting typically costs more than $80, and at that point you should get one of our top picks instead. The included cable is too short for some setups (though that’s easy to fix with a $6 extension cable), and the K6 is not fully programmable like our other picks. For the price, however, the K6 can’t be beat.
The Epomaker TH80 Pro provides the best typing experience and the most extra features—RGB, hot-swap, wireless, a knob, and programmability—for a surprisingly reasonable price.
The Epomaker TH66 Pro offers all the quality and features of the TH80 Pro in a slightly more compact layout that lacks the top row of function keys.
The V1 feels nearly as good to type on as as our top pick, and it has most of the same features. But the V1 lacks wireless, and the knob costs extra.
The V2 is virtually identical to the V1, but its 65% layout lacks the top row of function keys.
The Keychron Q1 Version 2 has a heavy-duty aluminum case and feels great to type on. But you can’t adjust the height, and it lacks a wireless connection.
The Q2 is similar to the Q1 Version 2 but has a 65% layout that does without the top row of function keys.
The 65% Keychron K6 feels better to type on than any other cheap mechanical keyboard, though its keycaps and case don’t look or feel as nice to type on as our top picks’.
I’ve tested hundreds of keyboards, mice, and other accessories for Wirecutter since 2014. Since I began covering mechanical keyboards for Wirecutter, I’ve accumulated 11 mechanical keyboards and two macropads—and I chose the cases, switches, and keycaps and then assembled, soldered, and programmed most of them myself. This is too many keyboards! I’ve spent thousands of hours typing on all these different kinds of keyboards and switches to land on some reasonable recommendations for people who need only one keyboard.
Mechanical keyboards, called such because they have individual mechanical switches under each key, are more enjoyable to type on, more durable, and more customizable than the typical membrane, butterfly, or scissor-switch keyboards that come with laptops or desktops. If you spend all day typing, it can be satisfying to customize the size, switches, keycaps, and layout to your exact needs.
Most keyboards suck. Upgrading to a mechanical one might be the right move. Here’s how to find the perfect mechanical keyboard for your needs.
If you spend a lot of time typing, a mechanical keyboard can be a great quality-of-life improvement. We have recommendations for just about every budget.
Smaller keyboards allow you to place your mouse closer to your body, which can reduce strain on your shoulders, neck, and back. This is why we recommend tenkeyless keyboards, which lack a number pad but have all the other keys: They’re smaller than full-size keyboards, but they still have all the keys most people need.
But what if your keyboard could be even smaller? (Good news, it can!) A typical tenkeyless board measures about 14 inches wide, compact 75% and 68% keyboards measure around 13 inches across or less, and an even smaller 60% keyboard is yet an inch narrower than that. Compact keyboards get progressively smaller by not wasting space on the right side of the keyboard (which tenkeyless boards are guilty of) and by ditching less frequently used keys and hiding those functions behind shortcuts.
In this guide we recommend prebuilt keyboards that you can plug in and use immediately, but you can find a whole world of custom mechanical keyboards out there, especially compact models. Many of them involve buying a kit or all the components and then soldering and programming the keyboard yourself. That opens up a ton of size, layout, switch, and programmability options, but such keyboards are less readily available, tend to be more expensive, and require more tinkering.
Mechanical keyboards bring with them a lot of jargon—layouts and switches and keycap profiles, oh my—and compact mechanical keyboards are immersed in even more terminology due to their nonstandard layouts. Here’s a high-level overview of the terms you need to know to buy the right keyboard for your needs. If you’re curious to learn even more detail, see our explainer on how to shop for a mechanical keyboard.
Switch options: We cover all the switch varieties in depth in our introductory guide to mechanical keyboards, but here’s the TL;DR. Mechanical switches come in three main varieties: linear, tactile, and clicky. Linear switches feel smooth when you press them, from top to bottom. Tactile switches have a noticeable bump partway through the keypress, which lets you know that you’ve activated the key. And clicky switches feel similar to tactile ones but have an added click sound to match the tactile bump. For people who don’t already have a switch preference, we recommend Brown switches made by Cherry, Gateron, or Kailh because they’re popular, readily available tactile switches that are good for most tasks and quiet enough for most offices.
Build quality: Cheap keyboards with thin plastic cases and backplates feel and sound hollow when you type, and they can flex when you press too hard on them. A keyboard made of metal or thicker plastic is sturdier and doesn’t do that. Cheaper keyboards also tend to have stabilizers that rattle or squeak when you press larger keys like the spacebar, Backspace, Enter, and Shift, while higher-quality keyboards sound melodious with every keystroke.
Keycaps: Many keyboards come with keycaps made from ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), a lightweight type of plastic that’s prone to wear and can become smooth and shiny with use. Keycaps made of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) tend to be more durable and develop less shine. You’ll also encounter an assortment of keycap profiles, which define the height and shape of the keycaps in each row. Since half the fun of owning a mechanical keyboard is customizing it to your taste, we like keyboards that are available with a variety of stylish keycap options. You can always buy different keycaps and add them later, but compact keyboards are more likely to have nonstandard keycap sizes that are a little trickier to find replacements for.
Most keyboards in the US come with ANSI standard keycaps, and it’s easiest to find replacement keycap sets for boards that follow this standard. Many compact keyboards have a few nonstandard keycaps of different sizes. These are usually described in terms of a “u” width; 1u, for example, is the size of each of the number and alphabet keys on a keyboard, or 18 mm. A 2u key like the Backspace key is twice the size of those 1u keys. The most common change is a 1.75u right Shift key in place of the standard 2.75u right Shift key, and in the bottom row some keyboards have 1u modifier keys instead of the standard 1.25u size.
Removable cable: A removable USB cable is preferable to a built-in one, because if the cable breaks it’s easier to replace just the cable rather than the entire keyboard.
Programmability: Many mechanical keyboards allow you to change the default behavior of certain keys and have them perform other actions. The simplest way is to use switches on the bottom or back of the keyboard that alter the layout or behavior of a few keys. For example, you can switch between Windows and Mac layouts, swap the Caps Lock key to Ctrl, or disable OS-specific keys like the Windows or Command keys. Other keyboards offer onboard programming, in which you press certain keys to record macros and customize the backlighting. Still others come with manufacturer-specific software or support VIA, which you can use to record macros, remap or customize certain keys, and futz with the backlighting.
For compact keyboards that still have all the keys most people need—75% and 65%/68% keyboards—basic customizability is fine. But for 60% models, the ability to program your keyboard entirely to your liking is essential, and ideally you can do that with software like VIA that’s straightforward and easy to use.
Backlight: Although backlighting can be a nice addition, it isn’t a requirement for typing or coding. If a keyboard does come with backlighting, we prefer it to be either a tasteful white or programmable RGB—though customizable backlighting tends to cost more.
Hot-swap switches: Changing the switches on most mechanical keyboards requires desoldering all the old switches and soldering in new ones. On a hot-swappable board, in contrast, you can simply pull the switches out and snap new ones into place. Until recently this feature has been found only on expensive, high-end mechanical keyboards. But the ability to trade out switches at any time without having to break out a soldering iron is a nice bonus.
Wireless: Wireless mechanical keyboards are becoming more common, and it’s a feature that many people want. 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. As we narrow down the contenders, we use the finalists for several more days of constant typing and test any wireless and Bluetooth connections on Windows, macOS, and Chrome OS.
The Epomaker TH80 Pro provides the best typing experience and the most extra features—RGB, hot-swap, wireless, a knob, and programmability—for a surprisingly reasonable price.
The Epomaker TH66 Pro offers all the quality and features of the TH80 Pro in a slightly more compact layout that lacks the top row of function keys.
Of the compact mechanical keyboards we’ve tested, the 75% Epomaker TH80 Pro and the 65% Epomaker TH66 Pro provide the best typing experience and the most extra features for their surprisingly reasonable prices. Both feel wonderful to type on thanks to their solid construction, thick PBT keycaps, and smooth lubricated stabilizers. And our picks come with all the fancy features typically reserved for much more expensive models, including RGB backlighting, hot-swappable switches, wireless connectivity via Bluetooth or USB dongle, a big red knob that controls volume by default but can be remapped to other functions, and the ability to reprogram keys through Epomaker’s software. The TH80 and TH66 come with keycaps for Windows and Mac, and swapping between the two operating system layouts is automatic.
We recommend the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro with Gateron G Pro Brown switches because they provide a satisfying tactile bump without making too much noise for a shared space, but we like that both boards are available with a wide variety of other Gateron G Pro switches.1 Our picks also have hot-swap sockets that support both three- and five-pin switches, so you’ll be able to change out the switches for new ones at any time without needing to solder.
The thick plastic cases of the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro feel sturdy and sound pleasant during typing, despite not being as high-quality as the rock-solid (and extremely heavy) cases of our upgrade picks. Our picks also look clean and modern, while other keyboards in this price range tend to sport big, ugly logos and other questionable design decisions. In our tests the pre-lubed stabilizers in the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro felt smooth and sounded quiet; lower-quality mechanical keyboards have loud stabilizers that rattle and make the entire board feel cheap.
The TH80 Pro is a couple of inches narrower than a typical tenkeyless keyboard, which makes a huge difference on a desk. The TH66 Pro is just barely narrower; the width difference compared with the TH80 Pro isn’t noticeable, but the TH66 Pro does save vertical space by ditching the top row of function keys. Both keyboards have a gentle slope that’s better for your wrists than the steep upward slope at the back of some other keyboards. (And if you need feet, the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro each have feet in the back with two height options. In our tests, both keyboards were sturdy and didn’t flex or scoot around on the desk at either height setting.)
Our picks come with MDA-profile PBT keycaps that are some of the best-looking and best-feeling keycaps we’ve tested. The TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro have thicker keycaps than the Keychron V1 and V2 do, so typing on our picks produces a richer, more melodious “thock” sound. The keycaps feel smooth—not gritty, like many PBT keycaps—and in our tests, after weeks of typing, they didn’t develop any surface wear. The dye-sublimated legends lack shine-through, which means you can see the RGB backlight only around the keys rather than through them. These keyboards also don’t have alternative functions printed on their keycaps; as a result, the keys look cleaner and less cluttered, but you’ll have to memorize the locations of those alternative functions to use them.
The TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro have nonstandard keycap layouts—they each have a 1.75u Shift key and 1u Alt, Fn, and Ctrl keys in the bottom row, in contrast to the typical 2.75u right Shift and 1.25u bottom-row keys. These nonstandard keys can be a bit trickier to find compatible replacements for, but as compact keyboards have gotten more popular, more keycap sets that accommodate these nonstandard keys have surfaced.
Both the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro come with manuals and are straightforward to pair via Bluetooth or to use with their included wireless dongles. Both keyboards automatically swap between Windows and Mac modes—changing the order of the OS keys and the behavior of the function keys in the top row—when you connect them to a device. If you’d like to remap any of the keys, change the knob’s behavior, or customize the RGB backlight, Epomaker offers software for the TH80 Pro and the TH66 Pro. The software isn’t as intuitive as VIA, and you need to plug in the keyboard (rather than relying on wireless) to use it, but we were able to use the software to remap keys on both Windows and macOS with no issue.
The TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro each come with a removable braided USB-C cable. Neither keyboard has any cable-management channels on the underside of the case, but few compact keyboards do. We tested the Bluetooth connections and USB dongles on a Windows laptop and a MacBook, and we also tested the Bluetooth connection on an Android phone; the connections were solid, and device switching worked smoothly on all devices. Luckily, you always have a wired connection to fall back on if you have issues with the wireless options. The TH80 Pro has a small slot underneath to store the USB dongle; the TH66 Pro has no such storage.
Both boards come with extra keycaps for macOS and a few fun accent keycaps, four extra switches in case you need to replace any, and a double-sided wire keycap puller and metal switch puller to swap things out. Epomaker offers a one-year warranty that covers factory defects.
The TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro both use built-in batteries rather than replaceable AA or AAAs. All batteries wear out over time, and these can’t be replaced, so eventually the keyboards will no longer hold a charge and won’t be able to work wirelessly. You can always use them in wired mode, though, and in our experience most mechanical keyboards have lackluster battery life anyway. Several Wirecutter staffers told me they thought they wanted a wireless mechanical keyboard, but after they bought one they ended up defaulting to the wire because it’s more convenient than worrying about whether their keyboard is charged when they need it.
Not everyone uses the Delete key frequently, but I sure do, so it was a problem for me that the TH66 Pro’s delete key is hidden beneath a layer as Fn + PgDn by default. I was able to remap that key to the delete function with Epomaker’s software.
The TH66 Pro’s top row has north-facing switches, which means the LED slot in the switch faces toward the back of the keyboard. This is a very specific issue that doesn’t affect many people, but north-facing switches aren’t compatible with Cherry-profile keycaps, so this design can present a problem if you want to swap out the keycaps later. (All of the switches in the TH80 Pro are south-facing, so this isn’t an issue on that keyboard.) If you need a 65% keyboard with south-facing switches, consider the Keychron V2 instead.
The V1 feels nearly as good to type on as as our top pick, and it has most of the same features. But the V1 lacks wireless, and the knob costs extra.
The V2 is virtually identical to the V1, but its 65% layout lacks the top row of function keys.
If our top picks are unavailable, we recommend the 75% Keychron V1 or the 65% Keychron V2. These models feel similarly excellent to type on thanks to their sturdy cases, durable PBT keycaps, and smooth stabilizers. Like the Epomaker TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro, the Keychron V1 and V2 have RGB backlighting, hot-swappable switches, and Windows and Mac keycaps, and they’re even easier to program than our top picks because they support VIA. But the V1 and V2 aren’t quite as compact as our top picks, they lack wireless, and you have to pay around $10 extra for the fun knob.
We recommend the V1 and V2 with Keychron K Pro Brown switches, though they’re also available with clicky K Pro Blue and linear K Pro Red switches if you prefer. Like our top picks, these models also have hot-swap sockets that support both three- and five-pin switches if you want to change things up. The V1 and V2 are available with a programmable knob, but unlike our picks, these keyboards charge you $10 extra for it. Keychron also offers two different cases for the V1 and V2, called Carbon Black and Frosted Black; I particularly love the translucent Frosted Black option, as it looks very cool with the RGB backlight. In addition, Keychron sells barebones versions of the V1 and V2 if you’d prefer to bring your own switches and keycaps. (Keychron sells a variety of switches, and I’ve personally had good experiences buying switches from NovelKeys, KBDfans, and 1upkeyboards.)
The V1 and V2 have plastic cases—similar in quality and feel to those of the TH80 Pro and TH66 Pro—that feel sturdy and provide an enjoyable typing experience. I don’t love the large bezels that surround the keys because they take up more desk space and each keyboard’s bottom edge sometimes digs into my palm and thumb, but this design choice doesn’t seem to bother other people who have used these keyboards. Although the stabilizers of our runner-up picks don’t feel quite as pillowy as those of our top picks, they’re still lubricated, smooth feeling, and not inclined to rattle.
At 12.93 by 5.85 by 1.18 inches, the Keychron V1 takes up a bit more room on a desk than the Epomaker TH80 Pro, but both keyboards are still significantly more compact than a tenkeyless keyboard. The Keychron V2 measures 12.99 by 4.85 by 1.05 inches; it’s a bit wider than the Epomaker TH66 Pro but still notably more compact than keyboards with larger layouts. Like our top picks, both the V1 and V2 have flat profiles with gentle slopes, and sturdy feet with two height options if you prefer a steeper angle.
The OSA-profile doubleshot PBT keycaps that come with the V1 and V2 are similarly smooth and comfortable to type on in comparison with our top picks’ keycaps. But the V1’s and V2’s keycaps are slightly thinner than those of our top picks, and we found that they produced a higher-pitched and less luxurious sound during typing. It’s a very small difference—they’re still durable PBT keycaps, and they don’t feel or sound brittle like many cheap keycaps do.
If you pay close attention to the doubleshot legends, you may notice some inconsistencies in the letter size and spacing. Most people don’t notice the differences unless they have them pointed out (and in our experience, even some people who had it pointed out couldn’t tell that anything was amiss). But if you get hot and bothered about font weights and kerning, you may want to consider a different keyboard. The function-row keys of the V1 have alternate functions printed on them, unlike those of the TH80 Pro, so this keyboard is a better option if you don’t want to memorize what all those keys do. The V1 and V2 also have nonstandard right Shift and bottom-row keys that you’ll need to look out for if you replace your keycaps.
One of the best features of the V1 and V2 is that they’re both fully programmable through the easy-to-use VIA software. At the time of our testing, neither keyboard was automatically recognized by the software. Until both of them are, you need to download the appropriate JSON file from the V1 or V2 page of Keychron’s website, open VIA, go to the Settings tab, turn on Show design tab, go to the Design tab, and drag the JSON file into this window; then the keymap should appear in the Configure tab. From there you can remap keys, record macros, and customize the RGB backlighting. Our runner-up picks have a convenient switch on the back left to swap between Windows and Mac layouts, and they come with keycaps for both operating systems.
Keychron includes a removable braided USB-C–to–C cable and a C-to-A adapter with both the V1 and V2. Neither keyboard supports wireless. Like our top picks—and most compact keyboards—neither the V1 nor the V2 has any cable management on the underside of the case. Also in the box, you’ll find extra keycaps for Windows and macOS, a wire keycap puller, and a metal switch puller, as well as a small screwdriver, a hex key, and some spare screws. Both models are covered by Keychron’s one-year warranty.
The Keychron Q1 Version 2 has a heavy-duty aluminum case and feels great to type on. But you can’t adjust the height, and it lacks a wireless connection.
The Q2 is similar to the Q1 Version 2 but has a 65% layout that does without the top row of function keys.
If you want to spend more for a mechanical keyboard with a higher-quality aluminum case, we recommend the 75% Keychron Q1 Version 2 and the 65% Keychron Q2. Both models have heavy aluminum cases and feel awesome to type on thanks to their PBT keycaps and lubricated stabilizers. And they have all the features you might expect of a keyboard in this price range, including full programmability through VIA, customizable RGB backlighting, an optional knob, and hot-swappable switches. The Q1 Version 2 and Q2 work with Windows and Mac and come with extra keycaps for both operating systems. But our upgrade picks lack a wireless connection, they have a steeper slope and a nonadjustable height, and their included keycaps have some inconsistencies that are tough to forgive in a $200 keyboard.
Keychron offers the Q1 Version 2 and Q2 with Gateron G Pro Brown, Blue, and Red switches, and both models have hot-swap sockets that support three- and five-pin switches. You can choose from a few different color cases and keycaps (black, silver, and blue, as well as a white version of the Q2), and spend $10 extra for a delightful knob, if you like. Keychron also sells barebones models of the Q1 Version 2 and Q2, if you prefer to bring your own keycaps and switches. (We don’t recommend the first version of the Q1, which shipped with cheap-feeling ABS keycaps. The Q1 Version 2 has higher-quality PBT keycaps and makes other improvements to the design and typing feel.)
Both keyboards have top-notch build quality, and they’re the heaviest compact keyboards I’ve tested due to their solid aluminum cases. The Q1 Version 2 weighs 4.34 pounds, nearly double the Epomaker TH80 Pro’s 2.25 pounds, and the Q2 weighs 3.51 pounds, nearly double the TH66 Pro’s 1.79 pounds. That extra weight keeps the Q1 Version 2 and Q2 from scooting around during typing, but it is a drawback if you ever want to take your keyboard with you; these models are best suited to living on a desk. Our upgrade picks have lubricated stabilizers that provide the smooth and rattle-free typing experience we expect from keyboards in this price range.
At 12.89 by 5.71 by 1.41 inches, the Keychron Q1 Version 2 takes up a bit more desk space than the Epomaker TH80 Pro but not quite as much as the Keychron V1. Similarly, the Keychron Q2 sits between the Epomaker TH66 Pro and Keychron V2 in size at 12.89 by 4.76 by 1.33 inches. Next to our other picks, the Q1 Version 2 and Q2 are taller and have a steeper slope, and they lack height-adjustment options. If you prefer a keyboard with a flatter slope, these aren’t the keyboards for you. The Q1 Version 2 and Q2 also have large bezels surrounding the keys, and this design combined with the extra height meant that I was almost always resting my thumb and the edge of my palm along the front edge of the keyboard.
Our upgrade picks come with the same OSA-profile doubleshot PBT keycaps as the Keychron V1 and V2, so they feel smooth, sculpted, and comfortable to type on. Unfortunately, they also share the same inconsistent-looking legends on the modifier keys, a flaw that’s less forgivable on a $200 keyboard than on a $100 one. If this visual inconsistency bothers you, consider getting the barebones version of the Q1 Version 2 or Q2 and adding your own switches and keycaps instead. The Q1 Version 2 and Q2 have nonstandard 1.75u right Shift keys and three 1u bottom-row keys each; if you’re buying your own keycaps, make sure the set includes these keys.
The Q1 Version 2 and Q2 are easy to program through the VIA software. Like our runner-up picks, neither of our upgrade picks was automatically recognized by the software at the time of our testing. In the interim, you can download the keymap file from Keychron’s Q1 Version 2 or Q2 page and follow Keychron’s instructions to load the file, after which you’re free to reprogram the keys, macros, and backlighting. To swap between Windows and Mac layouts, use the physical switch on the back left of the Q1 Version 2 or Q2; both keyboards come with extra keycaps for Windows and macOS.
Neither of our upgrade picks supports wireless, but both models come with a removable braided USB-C–to–C cable and a C-to-A adapter. In the box, Keychron also includes a wire keycap puller, a metal switch puller, a screwdriver, and a hex key, as well as spare screws, feet, and dampening foam. Both the Q1 Version 2 and Q2 are covered by Keychron’s one-year warranty.
The 65% Keychron K6 feels better to type on than any other cheap mechanical keyboard, though its keycaps and case don’t look or feel as nice to type on as our top picks’.
If you want the cheapest compact mechanical keyboard that doesn’t suck, we recommend the 65% Keychron K6. 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 for some desk setups (though that’s easily remedied with a $6 extension cable), and it’s not fully programmable like our other picks. But you can’t beat it for the price.
The K6 is available with either Keychron or Gateron G Pro Brown, Blue, and Red switches. (In my experience, Gateron G Pro switches feel a little better to type on, but typically they also cost a bit more. For a budget keyboard, I recommend getting whichever option is cheaper.) Keychron also offers a hot-swap version of the K6 that’s compatible with three- and five-pin switches—if you can find that model for around $65, go for it. Our recommended version of the K6 has a white-only backlight; the model with RGB backlighting typically costs more than $80, and at that price you should get one of our top picks instead.
The K6’s plastic case is unassuming, in a good way. It’s sturdy, with no flex, wobble, or ping, and it doesn’t have any of the ostentatious logos characteristic of budget boards. Keychron also offers a version of the K6 with an aluminum frame, but we don’t recommend it because for the price of that model, you may as well buy one of our top picks instead. In our tests, the K6’s stabilizers rattled a bit when we pressed the keys—the K6 didn’t match the smooth, quiet ride our top picks provided—but the noise wasn’t like the unpleasant racket emitted by the stabilizers of our previous budget pick, the Qisan Magicforce.
At 12.32 by 4.09 by 1.46 inches, the Keychron K6 is even more compact than the Epomaker TH66 Pro, our top pick with a similar layout. The K6 is a bit taller and doesn’t sit as flat as the TH66 Pro, but it isn’t so tall as to be unwieldy, either. Like our top picks, the K6 has sturdy feet in the back with two height options, and the board didn’t flex, wobble, or scoot around at either height in our testing.
The K6’s OEM-profile ABS keycaps have shine-through legends and are comfortable enough to type on, but they’re of notably lower quality than those of our top picks. Typing on the K6’s thinner keycaps produces a higher-pitched sound, and the keycaps will show more wear over time and use. But compared with other budget mechanical keyboards with even thinner, more brittle keycaps and hideous legends, the K6’s keycaps feel and look just fine. The K6 has a few nonstandard keys—a 1.75u Shift and three 1u keys in the bottom row are the main ones—that you’ll need to watch out for if you decide to replace the keycaps.
Like our other picks, the K6 comes with Windows and Mac keycaps, and it has a switch on the left side to swap between layouts for the two operating systems. The K6 isn’t fully programmable, though; you can find a list of its default key combinations on Keychron’s website. Make sure you’re comfortable with the combinations for all your most-used keys before you buy. For example, the delete function is F1 + [, which I find particularly inconvenient.
The K6 comes with a USB-C–to–A cable that plugs into a recessed port on the left side of the keyboard. This included cable is shorter than the cables that come with our other picks—it’s too short to reach across my desk—and it’s difficult to replace with any ol’ cable due to the recessed port. If the included cable turns out to be too short for your setup, you can get a USB 2.0 extension cable for about $6. (I tested this cable with this keyboard, and it worked perfectly.) Alternatively, the K6 can connect to up to three devices via Bluetooth, and the connection was reliable in our testing. In addition to the included Windows and Mac keycaps, Keychron includes a wire keycap puller in the box. The K6 is covered by a one-year warranty.
If you can’t find our top picks: The Keychron K6 Pro is another good 65% mechanical keyboard with PBT keycaps, hot-swap switches, and support for Bluetooth and VIA. It feels nearly—but not quite—as nice to type on as our top picks, but it’s often $10 to $20 more expensive depending on how you configure it. The K6 Pro also lacks a fun rotary knob and is a bit tall compared with the Epomaker TH66 Pro or the Keychron V2. And like our budget pick, the Keychron K6, the K6 Pro has an included cable that’s a bit short for some desk setups.
If you want a budget board with more keys: The Keychron K14 is nearly identical to our budget pick, the Keychron K6, but with the addition of an extra column of keys along the right side. (It has a standard right Shift key, but its bottom row still has nonstandard 1u keys.) If you want that extra column of keys, this model is the way to go.
If you catch a good sale: The 75% Keychron K2 Version 2 is a good budget keyboard, and Keychron offers versions with hot-swap Gateron G Pro switches, white or RGB backlight, and a plastic or metal frame. Just like our budget pick, the K2 Version 2 falls short of our top picks in its case and keycap quality, and its USB-C connection is limited by a short cable. We decided not to name the 75% K2 Version 2 as a budget pick alongside the 65% K6 because it frequently costs about as much as our top picks—if you’re paying that much, we recommend the Epomaker TH80 Pro or Keychron V1 over the K2 Version 2. But if you find this keyboard on sale for around $65 or less, it’s a great option.
If you want replacement keycaps: Keychron sells a selection of PBT keycap sets for compact keyboard layouts—we tested some, and they felt quite good for the price. They also have OS keys for Windows and macOS. This is a great starting point if you want to swap out the keycaps on your compact mechanical keyboard, though you should be sure to double-check the layout of your keyboard against the keycaps provided.
For our next update, we’re testing the Drop Sense75, Cooler Master CK720, and Keychron S1 against our picks. We’re also testing the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%, the Asus ROG Azoth, a wireless 75% board with hot-swap and a small OLED display, and the Asus ROG Falchion Ace, a 65% keyboard with a touch panel on the side.
We also plan to test the recently announced Drop Alt V2, which has hot-swap support for both 3- and 5-pin switches, upgraded stabilizers, and VIA support.
In the 60% category, we’re testing the VIA-compatible Keychron V4, which is from the same series as our runner-up picks, the Keychron V1 and V2. We’re also testing the Corsair K70 Pro Mini Wireless, the Ducky One 3 Mini, the HyperX Alloy Origins 60, the Kinesis Gaming TKO, and an updated version of our former 60% pick, the Anne Pro 2.
The Vortex Tab 75 provides a solid, satisfying typing experience and can connect via Bluetooth, but unlike our top picks it lacks hot-swap switches, a backlight, a knob, and full programmability, and it usually costs around $40 more.
The Vortex Race 3, the predecessor of the Tab 75, lacks wireless support and has a nonstandard Esc key.
We don’t recommend the original version of our upgrade pick, the Keychron Q1, because it ships with cheap-feeling ABS keycaps.
Although the Epomaker EP84 costs about as much as our top pick, it has worse build quality than the TH80 Pro and lacks a knob and a wireless connection.
The Vissles V84 has cheaper ABS keycaps and lower-quality Outemu switches.
The Epomaker AK84S we tested felt cheap, and the ABS keycaps it came with were hideous.
Despite having a cute design, a decent price, replaceable batteries, and a rock-solid wireless connection, the Logitech Pop Keys suffers due to its unique circular keys, which just aren’t a great fit for a mechanical keyboard. After weeks of using it, I still struggle to type accurately on it. (The nonmechanical Logitech K380 also has circular keys, but I can adjust to those in a matter of hours.) It is possible to swap out the circular keycaps for DSA-profile square keycaps—the Pop Keys is not compatible with Cherry or OEM-profile keycaps—but it has a handful of nonstandard keycaps, notably a 6u spacebar, that make it both difficult and expensive to find a compatible set. Here’s hoping Logitech will reconsider the circular keycaps for its next mechanical keyboard.
The low-profile Keychron K3 felt mushy, shallow, and unpleasant to type on in our tests, even compared with other low-profile boards we tried. We also encountered wireless-connection issues, and this keyboard had worse battery life than other wireless options.
The 65% Ducky One 2 SF was our previous pick in this category, and it remains a solid keyboard that provides a delightful typing experience and customizable RGB backlighting. But it costs more than our new picks and lacks hot-swap switches and full programmability.
The Ducky One 3 SF is an updated version of the One 2 SF with the addition of hot-swap, but this model is even more expensive, and it isn’t fully programmable.
Although the 65% Leopold FC660M and its Bluetooth sibling, the Leopold FC660MBT, offer a good typing experience, they’re more expensive than our picks, and they lack hot-swap. They also lack volume controls—which most people use frequently—and there’s no easy way to add such controls because the boards are not fully programmable.
The Leopold FC660C, former Wirecutter editor Nathan Edwards’s favorite compact keyboard, is similar to the FC660M but has Topre switches rather than the Cherry MX switches found in most of our picks. This makes the FC660C delightful to type on—it’s the keyboard I use when I’m not testing new ones—but it’s bonkers-expensive, it lacks the newer features of our picks, and it’s not compatible with most third-party keycap sets.
The Drop Alt was our previous upgrade pick, and it’s still an excellent keyboard with an attractive design, full programmability, hot-swappable switches, and customizable RGB backlighting. But compared with the Keychron Q2, its stabilizers don’t feel as smooth; it also doesn’t come with Mac keycaps, and it’s compatible only with three-pin switches, not five-pin switches.
The Qisan Magicforce 68-key model is a decent entry-level mechanical keyboard that feels more pleasant to type on than most budget mechanical keyboards. But compared with the K6, its case feels hollow and cheap, its keycap legends are ugly (unless you’re lucky enough to snag one of the few with PBT keycaps), and it lacks warranty coverage.
The HyperX Alloy Origins 65 is a more compact version of one of our favorite mechanical keyboards for gaming, but its switch selection is more limited than that of our picks.
The Asus ROG Falchion and Asus ROG Falchion NX are expensive, and they lack features that our top picks have.
The Meko Push doesn’t feel as nice to type on as the Epomaker TH66 Pro or the Keychron V2, and it has cheaper ABS keycaps. It’s also too expensive to consider against our budget pick.
The Womier K66 and Womier K68 are so pretty—their acrylic cases really showcase the RGB backlighting and are genuinely delightful to look at on my desk. But both models had brittle-feeling ABS keycaps that sounded high-pitched and unpleasant to type on; their stabilizers rattled, too, and their cases flexed under typing pressure. Someone please make me a keyboard this beautiful that doesn’t suck.
The Cooler Master CK721 comes with lower-quality TTC switches and ABS keycaps, and it lacks hot-swap.
In our tests, the Epomaker NT68 had uneven feet and wobbled aggressively during typing. It also came with a teeny-tiny USB cable that seemed designed to plug into a nearby laptop, not a computer a couple of feet away.
The Ducky x Varmilo Miya Pro has all ANSI-standard keycaps, but it gives you no way to turn off the LEDs on the Page Up and Page Down keys (which indicate whether the top row consists of number or function keys)—even disabling the keyboard’s LEDs or turning the backlight all the way down doesn’t help. You can try to disguise this particular LED effect by cranking the backlight all the way up, but if you do so, one or the other key is conspicuously unlit.
The Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed is available with only clicky or linear switches and comes with cheap ABS keycaps. In addition, the stabilizers on the spacebar and modifier keys made a loud, unpleasant rattle in our tests.
The Vortex Cypher felt surprisingly hollow and cheap to type on. It has an ugly keycap font, too, and it doesn’t come with a manual.
The low-profile Keychron K7 has the same issues as the 75% Keychron K3 mentioned above: It feels shallow and unpleasant to type on, and in our tests it had an unreliable wireless connection and poor battery life.
The Ducky One 2 Mini isn’t programmable beyond DIP switches and macro recording, and it lacks Bluetooth support. The One 2 Mini has my preferred layout, but because 60% keyboards rely heavily on function layers for frequently used keys, easy programmability to customize those function layers to meet everyone’s preferences is essential.
Although the Vortex Tab 60 is a solid keyboard with PBT keycaps, it doesn’t come with a manual, and at the time of our testing, it was not as programmable as a 60% keyboard needs to be.
The predecessor to the Tab 60, the Vortex Pok3r, comes with lower-quality ABS keycaps. In addition, the default layer isn’t programmable, and the keyboard lacks wireless support.
The Razer Huntsman Mini is a well-made keyboard with quality PBT keycaps and RGB backlighting. But it’s available with only linear and clicky switches—no tactile options—and its programmability is too limited in Razer’s Synapse software. We’ll retest it if this changes with a firmware or software update.
The Fujitsu HHKB Pro Hybrid is a great Topre keyboard that’s fully programmable—and easy to program—and equipped with Bluetooth support. But the classic HHKB layout lacks keys in the bottom left and bottom right of the keyboard, and that’s too much for most people to get used to on an already restrictive 60% layout. Plus, it’s expensive. If you already love the HHKB layout, you don’t need us to tell you to get this keyboard, and if you’re not sure, you probably don’t want it.
The Fujitsu HHKB Pro 3 Classic is the same as the Pro Hybrid but is not fully programmable and doesn’t support Bluetooth.
The Keychron K12 has Bluetooth and hot-swappable switches, but it isn’t fully programmable.
The wireless Cooler Master SK622 and the wired Cooler Master SK620 are low-profile 60% keyboards. We experienced a strange pinging noise during typing, and these boards are not programmable enough for such a compact layout.
This article was edited by Signe Brewster and Caitlin McGarry.
Giacomo Coltorti, Double-Shot vs. Dye-Sub Keycaps: Explained, Switch and Click
livingspeedbump, Physical Keyboard Layouts Explained In Detail, Drop, December 16, 2016
Keycap Length And Things You Should Know, Dwarf Factory, April 19, 2021
Weyman, Keycap Size Compatibility, WASD Support, February 1, 2022
Jon Porter, The best mechanical keyboards to buy right now, The Verge, October 5, 2022
Kimber Streams is a senior staff writer and has been covering laptops, gaming gear, keyboards, storage, and more for Wirecutter since 2014. In that time they’ve tested hundreds of laptops and thousands of peripherals, and built way too many mechanical keyboards for their personal collection.
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