Can you imagine the frustrations of gaming with an unresponsive keyboard? This problem and others such as keypress repeats, sticky keys, and jammed keys are some of the gamers’ worst nightmares. So, we have compiled this guide to the best gaming keyboard under 100 to help you.
In it are the top five picks that will make your gaming experience better on a shoestring budget. The keyboards in this list are from extensive research and interviews with seasoned gamers. You will also find the buying guide for the best keyboard and answers to frequently asked questions. Let’s get to it.
Top 5 Picks for a Better Gaming Experience
SteelSeries Apex 5 Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
SteelSeries Apex 5 Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
This gaming keyboard is among the best owing to its remarkable features. For starters, it comes in a metallic frame made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, making it sturdy and durable. Its magnetic wrist rest provides comfort, enabling long stainless gaming hours.
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The keyboard also has an RGB backlight that illuminates it to enable use in low-light environments. This backlight is also adjustable to give you a comfortable combination. Its dedicated multimedia control lets you easily adjust the volume, rewind, pause, or skip the game.
This keyboards hybrid mechanical switch combines the advantages of a membrane keyboard to give you a quick response time. Its USB connectivity means you can use it without worries of lagging. This peripheral’s versatility also makes it efficient for gaming since you can use it on game consoles and Windows. The SteelSeries Apex 5 gaming keyboard is water resistant, eliminating the risk of damage from liquid spillage.
HK GAMING GK61 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
HK GAMING GK61 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
HK GAMING GK61 is a mechanical keyboard that will change your gaming experience with its optical switches, which give it an ultrafast 0.2ms response. The switches are also hot-swappable without the need for a solder. This gaming keyboard has fade-resistant keycaps made from ABS plastic, making it ideal for heavy and extended use, which clocks 100 million keystrokes.
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The keyboard is compact and portable, with a mini 60% layout, making it ideal for intense esports competitions. It has multimedia keys, enabling easy control of the game’s settings. In addition, the HK GAMING GK61 has n-key rollover and anti-ghosting mode, making it ideal for first-person shooter (FPS) or massively multiplayer online (MMO) games.
This keyboard is plug-and-play, making it easy to use even for beginners. It also comes with over 16 million colour combinations and adjustable brightness, making it suitable for gaming in a poorly lit room. The keyboard is multipurpose as you can use it on various devices and at home or office work.
Redragon S101 Wired Gaming Keyboard
Redragon S101 Wired Gaming Keyboard
Redragon S101 is a steal, considering its remarkable features, like great built quality and durability, making it long-lasting. It also comes with ergonomic features, making it comfortable to use. This gaming keyboard also has 25-conflict-free (n-Key rollover), which registers the keypresses accurately regardless of the number of keys you press simultaneously.
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It also has an inbuilt anti-ghosting feature that prevents registering an incorrect key if you press it by mistake while simultaneously pressing the same multiple keys. The key caps are sturdy plastic, making them ideal for gaming. Gaming with this keyboard is quiet, thanks to the keypads, also designed to deliver tactile feedback.
Regarding connectivity, this membrane keyboard has a gold-plated USB connector that is corrosion-free for longevity and reliability. This keyboard also comes with seven RGB lighting effects and adjustable brightness making it ideal for gaming even in poorly lit rooms.
Dacoity Gaming Keyboard
Dacoity Gaming Keyboard
This full-sized gaming keyboard also has outstanding features, making it hard to ignore if you are shopping for a keyboard on a budget. Dacoity gaming keyboard comes in an ergonomic design complete with a wrist rest, making it comfortable during long gaming sessions. It also has a 7° typing angle with soft-feel keys for maximum hand comfort.
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Thanks to its water metallic aluminium alloy panel, you can be certain of longevity when you buy this gaming keyboard. In addition, the keyboard is water resistant, protecting it from damage caused by accidental spillage. This keyboard can withstand 50 million keystrokes, and none is lost thanks to its 19 anti-ghost keys.
Dacoity is undoubtedly built for gaming, considering its interchangeable WASD keys, which you can swap with the arrow keys. Although this keyboard isn’t RGB backlit, it has an adjustable backlight, which can help light up your gaming session.
Logitech G PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Logitech G PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Logitech G Pro is an ultraportable tenkeyless mechanical gaming keyboard from a reputable brand. This keyboard was built for intensive gaming if its signal processing speed, performance, and precision are anything to go by. It has durable blue click switches with a rating of 70 million key presses, making it ideal for long-term use.
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This keyboard comes with an angle adjustment, making it comfortable to use. Its rubber feet make it stable, which is necessary during gaming sessions. Logitech G PRO is also responsive, thanks to its low latency. With its high build and sturdy ABS keycaps, you can use this keyboard before replacing it.
It also has a single key RGB backlight that illuminates the keyboard for easy use in poorly lit areas. In addition, Logitech G PRO comes with a LIGHTSYNC feature which you can use to highlight the keycaps. The feature also comes in handy when programming the static light pattern to meet tournament requirements. This keyboard has a detachable Micro USB, providing a secure connection. You can also detach it easily to fit the keyboard in your backpack.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Gaming Keyboard Under $100
Build Quality
Gaming can take a toll on the keyboard due to repeated key presses. Therefore, it’d be best to consider the build quality when choosing a budget-friendly gaming keyboard. The keycaps should be made from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) or Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) plastic. These materials offer a good balance of abrasion, impact, chemical, and heat resistance.
Size
When shopping for a gaming keyboard, you will find full-sized or tenkeyless (without a numeric key). The choice will depend on your preference, the size of your desk, and the position of other peripheral devices, like a mouse. The full-sized keyboard would be ideal if you have ample space and want numeric keypads. But a tenkeyless keyboard will be most suitable for a small-spaced gaming setup.
Extra Features
Some gaming keyboards have ergonomic designs,anti-ghosting, key rollover, backlight, and software customization. Considering these factors would be best for a better gaming experience. For instance, anti-ghosting will prevent the keyboard from registering the nearby key when you press multiple keys simultaneously.
Customer Reviews
You can’t tell how good a gaming keyboard is before trying it, so you should consider reviews of other customers when choosing the peripheral device. In doing so, you will learn if the gaming keyboard functions as described by the seller.
FAQs
What features make a keyboard under $100 ideal for gaming?
The gaming keyboards under 100 are ideal for gaming due to their outstanding features and pocket-friendly price tags. In most cases, the keyboards have similar quality and features to high-end ones. This means that you can enjoy gaming using them in your setup.
How long should a gaming keyboard under $100 last?
Performance-wise, these budget-friendly gaming keyboards should last around ten years. The gaming keyboards in this guide will serve you for this duration or more, depending on how heavily you use the one you choose. Note that maintenance and frequent cleaning will also determine its lifespan.
What are the common types of gaming keyboards?
You will have mechanical and membrane keyboards when shopping for this gaming PC peripheral. The type of switch the keyboard uses to register a key press differentiates the two. A mechanical keyboard has plastic key switches under each keycap. In contrast, a membrane keyboard has a flexible plastic key printed sheet below the keys. Hybrid mechanical keyboards combine the two features and are the most preferred by gamers due to more accuracy and speed.
Conclusion
A gaming keyboard is essential in a gaming PC setup because choosing the wrong keyboard can ruin your gaming experience. Unfortunately, there are many brands available in the market. This guide to the best gaming keyboard under 100 gives you reviews of the top five picks and a buyer’s guide to help you choose the right one. Use the information you have read here when shopping for a keyboard, and enjoy your gaming sessions.
