If you want everyone to know you’re busy, tapping away at your mechanical gaming keyboard is one way to do it. Aside from being notoriously clicky while typing, mechanical keyboards are the ultimate choice for PC users.

Once you’ve settled on your mouse, mouse pad, headset and cable organisers, it’s time to start thinking about that backlit keyboard that will complete your gaming set-up.

A mechanical keyboard is a popular and classic choice that features raised, spring loaded keys. Unlike membrane keyboards, which are commonly seen on laptops, typing on its keys tends to be much louder but more accurate, making it a much more efficient choice for first-person shooters such as Fortnite or Apex Legends.

You see, a mechanical keyboard uses high-quality mechanical switches (hence the name), instead of relying on cheap, rubber dome switches. Overall, they’re more responsive and durable, but heavier to cart around. However, they’re also built to last years, in comparison to membrane keyboards that tend to wear down faster.

Since we gamers are big on personalisation, an added bonus for mechanical keyboards is their customisation potential. It’s usually easy to remove its keys and replace them with colourful, nicer-looking ones.

But, keep in mind that mechanical keyboards can be harder to clean thanks to the raised keys, as well as heavier, louder and more expensive. The cleaning isn’t hard to solve if you have a cordless air duster, though.

Looks aside, figuring out which mechanical keyboard to take home is always a doozy. We think that the best place to start is to ask yourself whether you want a wired or wireless one.

Most options on the market tend to be wired, which isn’t a problem for most with stationary PC set-ups. But those of you who use a laptop with a limited number of USB ports might want to consider a wireless keyboard instead. Regardless of your preference, make sure you check on the keyboard’s compatibility with your computer before proceeding to checkout.

Next you’ll want to consider what size keyboard you want. Each keyboard size differs in its layout, and ultimately, the number of keys available. While a full-sized keyboard can save you from making this decision, you might want a smaller board due to limited desk space.

Most tend to agree that a tenkeyless keyboard is a perfect choice. It sports 87 keys, is compact and comfortable and typically includes all of the necessary keys you need to perform basic computer actions. However, tenkeyless keyboards notably lack a number pad, which may or may not be a dealbreaker for you.

Another popular size is known as a 60% keyboard. These keyboards are sometimes referred to as “mini keyboards” and are quite common in the wild thanks to their easy customisation capabilities. The only catch is that they tend to lack not just the numpad, but function keys, home cluster and arrow keys.

Once you’ve settled on your size, consider whether you want a tactile or linear keyboard. Generally speaking, tactile keyboards are those loud ones you hear office workers drumming their fingers against and are distinguished by the small bump you feel when you press down on its keys. Meanwhile, linear keyboards are named for the smooth, up/down movement it takes the press the switches. They’re much quieter than tactile keyboards and require less effort to press the keys.

Some gamers prefer softer, light touch keys, that allow them to glide over the board to enter any commands without a second thought. If you opt for a linear keyboard, you won’t need to press down hard on its keys, whereas you would have to if you’re using a tactile one.

From there, you might have noticed the word “Cherry MX Switch” included in the description of various keyboards you’ve been researching.

If this concept has you scratching your head, we’ve gone ahead and broken it down for you:

One of the last things you’ll want to pay attention to is your keyboard’s rollover capability a.k.a how many keys can your keyboard recognise at one time. Most keyboards tend to recognise a maximum of three key combinations at the same time, whereas when you’re gaming you might need to press four or more.

Other things you can keep in mind are whether that keyboard features any wrist rests that offer ergonomic support or if it comes with a mouse as a bundle. We always love getting more bang for our buck.

This mechanical keyboard has an insane 13,300 reviews on Amazon and we think that sums itself up as one of the best choices you can get your Cheetos-covered mitts on.

Not only is it full-sized, linear and with Cherry MX Red switches, but it also has an ergonomic wrist rest for you to lean on during cutscenes. Some reviewers have remarked that it’s a fantastic tactile choice with the right amount of resistance and the perfect typing angle.

Those who love to mix business with pleasure will appreciate a mechanical keyboard that features a brown switch, much like this Logitech one. While it’s all well and good to own a gaming-exclusive keyboard, it does ease the ol’ bank account to just get one that can do it all.

This full-sized mechanical keyboard is perfect for getting work done during daylight before switching over to RGB-lit gaming at night. Its tactile keys will let you tap away loud and proud at full speed.

Our Editor David reviewed this HyperX keyboard late last year and while it lacks some bells and whistles, this HyperX tenkeyless keyboard has everything you’d want from a gaming keyboard.

This sturdy board is made from aircraft-grade aluminium, which basically means it’s strong and heavy enough to withstand some aggressive tapping if you’re in the middle of a Halo Infinite match. This gaming keyboard features X1 Cherry Red switches which are perfect for letting your fingers slide from one key to another or if you’re just a trigger-happy son-of-a-bitch. However, you can also get a stiffer Blue or Aqua switch if you prefer.

We’re also a fan of its three adjustable angles, so you can type to your comfort and ditch that pesky carpal tunnel syndrome.

If you’d prefer a much more compact keyboard, you might want to consider something in the 60% mechanical range. Our king, David, also reviewed this particular keyboard earlier this year. Smaller than a tenkeyless keyboard, a 60% sized keyboard lops off the number pad and arrow keys as well as function-specific buttons.

While it might take some time to get used to navigating without arrow keys, this gaming keyboard is ideal if you have limited desk space. But don’t worry if there’s a game you’re playing that relies on arrow keys since you can use the letters J, K, L and I to move around. Although, you will have to get used to sitting your pinky on the function key.

On the plus side, this Razer board has linear red switches which make for a silent, effortless typing style that shouldn’t piss off anybody trying to watch TV nearby.

If you’d prefer a wireless mechanical gaming keyboard, you can grab this one by Redragon.

This wireless keyboard features brown switches, which are ideal for typing or gaming, so it’ll get plenty of use for both work and play. Its smaller size also makes it a great portable option. So if you like to do a lot of gaming on a laptop, but can’t stand its membrane keys, then connect this tenkeyless keyboard via Bluetooth, so you can transform into a stealthy sniper post-work.

It’s also just a refreshing spin on the classic black style in case you’re a fan of a lighter and brighter look.

Isabella Noyes is an E-Commerce Writer at Pedestrian Group, working across PEDESTRIAN.TV, VICE Australia, Refinery29 Australia, Business Insider Australia, Gizmodo Australia, Lifehacker Australia and Kotaku Australia.

Well, that was quite a lot of words to recommend that you pick the keyboard that you best like the look of, then get that one with switches that may or may not be good for typing, or gaming, or maybe both, perhaps, and only if the keyboard you like the look of doesn’t have non-Cherry switches, of which their are now multiple alternatives on the market, in which case you’re stuffed.

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