The Best Cheap Hot-Swap Mechanical Keyboards: A Comprehensive Guide

A mechanical keyboard can dramatically improve your gaming experience, making it more satisfying and improving your performance, but they tend to be quite expensive. If you’re looking to pick up one on the cheap, you have plenty of options—you just need to know what to look for, as there are plenty of crappy models out there that sound good on paper but don’t perform as well as their price would suggest.

What is a mechanical keyboard?

Every gamer knows that having a good keyboard makes a huge difference. There are various types of gaming keyboards out there and each offers something different for gamers. If you don’t have a good quality keyboard, then it’s time you get one. This is where mechanical keyboards come in. They offer great designs and durable keycaps. These are things that will make your experience all that much better when playing your favorite games. Gaming can be really frustrating if you don’t have quality equipment so why not invest in something like these? Keep reading to learn more about these keyboards and how they can improve your gaming experience immensely!

How do you choose a keyboard?

There are many different factors to consider when buying a keyboard. You should first determine what kind of typing you’ll be doing most frequently and ensure that your new keyboard can handle it well. If you type for hours at a time, consider a full-size or ergonomic keyboard. Alternatively, if you’re like me and don’t do much typing—maybe 10 to 15 minutes per day at most—you may want to consider getting a smaller tenkeyless (TKL) or even compact keyboard instead. These keyboards sacrifice number pad real estate for extra spacing between keys and can help reduce strain on your hands.

Features

There are tons of keyboards out there and not all have mechanical key switches. We’ll quickly go over what makes a keyboard a mechanical keyboard (and what other features to look for). For example, some keyboards have programmable macro keys that let you program sequences into your computer with a single button press. Programmable keyboards aren’t necessary for most users but can be helpful if you work in an office environment or rely on specific keyboard shortcuts frequently. There are also gaming-specific models with higher-quality key switches and thicker cases to stand up to intense use (or abuse) from enthusiastic gamers. If that sounds like you, keep reading—this guide will cover budget models as well as premium designs.

Layout types

There are two kinds of keyboards, a membrane, and a mechanical keyboard. Membrane keyboards are exactly what they sound like; they have a thin sheet of plastic that connects each key to its own switch, giving you an indirect method of input. Though these can be somewhat comfortable to type on, they’re often not as durable or responsive as their mechanical counterparts. Mechanical keyboards use specially-designed switches that connect your keypresses directly to your computer and require far less force for each press, meaning you can type faster without tiring out as quickly.

Size considerations

The size of a keyboard is important. Smaller keyboards can get into tighter places and be easier to bring on trips, but large keyboards often have more options for customizing your experience. If you’re not sure how big a keyboard you want, consider how you’ll use it. Do you plan to play games? Are you using it at home or taking it with you to work? Buy what fits your needs.

What do you need to know before deciding on a specific model?

Most people who buy mechanical keyboards use Cherry MX switches. There are lots of varieties available and each has different properties, including actuation force and feel (it's worth learning a bit about these first). All keyboards need to be plugged into an operating system to work, but hot-swappable models are usually equipped with USB hubs that can connect mice or other peripherals in addition to a device for controlling volume or launching applications. Some users replace all their peripherals with gaming-oriented models; others stick with a traditional setup but install a mechanical keyboard anyway. Either way, here's how to decide what suits you best.

Buying guide

When you’re looking for a new how to build a hot swap mechanical keyboard , whether it’s your first or last upgrade, deciding what makes a great keyboard can be tricky. However, one of your most important considerations will likely be price. This can be a make-or-break point for many potential buyers—especially if you’re shopping on a budget. While high-end keyboards tend to offer fancy features such as programmable keys and backlighting (among other things), that doesn’t mean they are right for everyone. It all comes down to how you plan to use your new purchase and what features are most important to you.