Tried and tested: the best computer keyboards

The right keyboard can light up your office and make you more productive than ever. We’ve put them to the test and here are five of the very best on offer.

Silent, clacky, colourful or glowing: keyboards come in so many styles, it could take some research to find the best fit for your fingers

HYPERX ALLOY ORIGINS 65

A sturdy, customisable and compact mechanical keyboard

$159, amazon.com.au

PROS

– Solidly aluminium build

– Bolder, brighter backlighting

– Customisable switches

CONS

– Not a wireless model

– Size limits function keys

– Black option only

Whether you’re a gamer or a person who likes to bash out emails with aplomb, this new compact mechanical keyboard from HyperX could suit your needs. The Alloy Origins 65 is named for its size, being 65 per cent as small as a standard keyboard. Despite this, it’s incredibly well built, with a solid body made from aircraft-grade aluminium and keys with plenty of travel that can be customised with red or aqua switches depending on your key travel and sound preference. Their rainbow backlighting is also brighter than most, double-shot keycaps are designed to stand up to quick-fire gaming, and their feet let you customise the angle on which they sit.

VERDICT: ★★★★

GTEK CYBORG 3000

A full-featured, inexpensive mechanical keyboard

$189, jbhifi.com.au

PROS

– Cherry MX red switches

– Full-sized keyboard

– Cheaper than rivals

CONS

– Magnetic cover can move

– No wireless connection

– Wrist rest doesn’t connect

There’s a lot to like about this budget-friendly, full-size mechanical gaming keyboard, and buyers who take a risk on its little-known brand should be happy they did. The GTEK keyboard uses reputable Cherry MX red switches beneath its keys, which should add to its longevity, and its bright RGB lighting can be controlled by the keyboard itself, without extra software. All keys are generously sized, though they can give off a small echo. The biggest compromise in this keyboard is its plastic construction, including a cover that attaches magnetically but can lift accidentally and a wrist rest that doesn’t attach.

VERDICT: ★★★½

CHERRY MX BOARD 3.0 S

A quiet, comfortable and colourful touch typist’s dream

$349, jbhifi.com.au

PROS

– MX Red Silent switches

– Full-sized keyboard

– Solid, metal construction

CONS

– For PCs only

– Software unlocks features

– Not wireless

This keyboard exudes quality, from its stylish metal construction to the sound (or, rather, the lack of sound) that comes from its mechanical keys. The Cherry MX Board 3.0 S is a high-performance keyboard with a full set of keys, including number pad, a stylish design that keeps it from moving on your desk, and customisable illumination. But, best of all, its silent red switches give the keys plenty of travel without sound you will hear across an office floor. Added software will let users customise their experience, though it’s for PC users only.

VERDICT: ★★★★½

LOGITECH POP KEYS

The most adorable mechanical keyboards on the market

$98, officeworks.com.au

PROS

– Colourful, retro look

– Connects to three devices

– Designed for Macs and PCs

CONS

– Keys make plenty of noise

– May challenge touch typists

– Emoji keys limited use

This is, without argument, the cutest and most Instagrammable keyboard on the market. Logitech’s POP Keys take inspiration from typewriter keyboards of the past and bring modernity with plenty of shortcut keys, a row of customisable emoji buttons and, most importantly, the ability to connect to connect and switch between three devices, such as a phone, tablet and desktop computer. Plus, the POP Keys do all this while running from AA batteries and in a cute range of colours, including signature Daydream Mint. There are just two things holding them back: the keys are noisier than you might expect, and the round keys are unforgiving for touch typists.

VERDICT: ★★★½

APPLE MAGIC KEYBOARD

The Mac’s top keyboard has some magical additions

$279, apple.com/au

PROS

– Touch ID for quick entry

– Low-profile, quick keys

– Simple, wireless set-up

CONS

– Still uses Lighting cable

– Compatible with 2020+ Macs

– No backlighting

Apple’s latest Magic Keyboard is a full-sized, number pad-toting, multimedia-controlling, low-profile classic. The new model, compatible with Mac machines from 2020 onwards, features a Touch ID fingerprint scanner to deliver quick access to your saved passwords, as well as a row of function keys to control everything from the screen brightness to the computer’s sound and its media playback. This model is also wireless, features a slender profile, can be recharged as you use it, and comes in black (unless you buy it with a colourful 24-inch iMac). Fans of keys with plenty of travel may not approve but it’s touch typist-friendly.

VERDICT: 4.5/5 stars

Originally published as Tried and tested: the best computer keyboards