Best Mechanical Keyboards to Buy Under $100 in 2024

Suggested Article: Best Mechanical Keyboards to Buy Under $200

Fortunately for you, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best mechanical keyboards under $100. As part of this buyers guide, we’ve made sure to include various designs that address a wide range of use-cases, meaning at least one of the options should be a suitable fit for your setup.

Our Recommendations

1. MSI Vigor GK50 Elite

👑 The best budget mechanical keyboard under $100.

To start things off, we have a budget-friendly option from MSI, the Vigor GK50 Elite. This full-sized mechanical keyboard has been a staple within the GeekaWhat offices for a number of years. During this time, it has proven to be a reliable option due its comfortable and durable design. The double-shot PBT keycaps and clicky Kailh Box switches provide plenty of feedback, making it a great choice for anyone doing lots of typing. On top of this, the aluminium frame gives this keyboard a strong foundation that feels solid no matter how heavy-handed you get while typing away. As a gaming-oriented keyboard, the GK50 Elite includes a healthy dose of RGB lighting on each of the keys, but in a way that’s more subtle compared to most gaming keyboards, making it a viable choice for office environments.

Key Specs

Things We Like

Affordably priced: As one of the cheapest mechanical gaming keyboards on the market, the GK50 Elite is a great choice for anyone on a tight budget.

Great typing experience: Thanks to the unique octagonal keycaps and clicky switches, this keyboard feels very comfortable during extended periods of typing.

Things We Don’t Like

No wireless connectivity: Due to its lower price point, the GK50 Elite only offers a wired connection with a cable that doesn’t detach. Therefore, this keyboard isn’t very portable.

Takes up a lot of desk space: Though full-size keyboards ensure users all the traditional inputs are present, they take up a lot of space that could be used to free up space for the mouse or other desk accessories.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the MSI Vigor GK50 Elite on:

2. Corsair K65 RGB Mini

👑 The best compact mechanical keyboard under $100.

On the other end of scale, we have the K65 RGB Mini, a compact design from Corsair. With a 60% layout, this keyboard is tailored towards gaming, as the reduced form factor frees up space for greater mouse movements in the heat of action. However, these designs also act as a strong alternative to 100% layouts for those looking to take their keyboard with them on the go.

Looking at Corsair’s offering in particular, the K65 RGB Mini is a versatile design that gives consumer plenty of ways to fit the keyboard to their specific needs, whilst keeping the same strong foundations. For example, users can choose between clicky, tactile, or linear switches, allowing the typing experience be tailored to individual preferences. In addition, the RGB lighting is fully customisable via the iCUE software, which lets gamers match the lighting effects to the rest of their setup.

Key Specs

Things We Like

Lots of custom RGB lighting: With access to Corsair’s industry-leading iCUE software, users are given plenty of ways to brighten up this keyboard.

Compact form factor: As a 60% mechanical keyboard, the K65 RGB Mini will have no issues fitting on any desk, or inside most backpacks, letting you take it wherever its needed.

Things We Don’t Like

Fairly pricey: This keyboard sits very close to the $100 limit, even exceeding it in some cases. Whilst the K65 RGB Mini can often be found on sale, there is a risk of having to go over budget for this design.

Not ideal for typists: The smaller form factor of this keyboard comes at the cost some key inputs such as the arrow keys. As a result, this design is less than ideal for workstations or anyone that needs to do a lot of typing.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the Corsair K65 RGB Mini on:

3. NZXT Function MiniTKL

👑 The best TKL mechanical keyboard under $100.

If the functionality and typing experience of a full-size keyboard appeals to you, but so does the portability and reduced form factor of a 60%, then a 75% or TKL keyboard like NZXT’s Function MiniTKL is an ideal compromise. These designs offer all the necessary inputs to navigate through most tasks and applications while reducing the toll on desk space. NZXT’s offering takes the TKL format one step further by closing any gaps between keys to create a tightly packed design. In an attempt to make the most of the included space, the Function MiniTKL includes multimedia controls on the side, including a scroll-wheel to adjust audio levels. It’s clear that this keyboard was made with functionality in mind, but this design still manages to maintain the minimalist design that NZXT are well-known for, leading to a strong visual and practical appeal for this mechanical keyboard.

Key Specs

Things We Like

Minimalist aesthetic: Like most of NZXT’s products, the Function MiniTKL possesses a minimalist black and white appearance. Such a design makes this keyboard a solid choice within a modern working environment, or as a base for a more custom-built keyboard.

Hot-swappable design: It’s rare for keyboards from an established PC gaming manufacturer to include the ability to hot-swap switches, but NZXT have bucked the trend with the Function MiniTKL to offer consumers a greater range of personalisation.

Things We Don’t Like

ABS keycaps: Whilst this can easily be worked around due to this designed being hot-swappable, but the default ABS keycaps on this keyboard will be more likely to show wear and tear over time compared to double-shot PBT options.

Lack of spacing between keys: In order to get more keys into a limited space, the Function MiniTKL cuts down the spacing between each input, which can lead to errors and takes some getting used to.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the NZXT Function MiniTKL on:

4. Royal Kludge RK68

👑 The best hot-swappable mechanical keyboard under $100.

Rounding things off, we have the Royal Kludge RK68, an extremely versatile design that is an ideal choice for gamers looking to customise their mechanical keyboard. This 65% keyboard possesses a strong starting base thanks to a sturdy plastic frame and double-shot ABS keycaps, but its true value comes from its modding ability. Along with a having an initial choice between clicky, tactile, or linear switches, the RK68 is fully hot-swappable, which allows users to change switch types without any issues. This results in a more personalised look and feel, making it great for those looking for a specific style. On top of this, the RK68 can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless, making it an ideal travel companion.

Key Specs

Things We Like

Wireless connectivity: With the choice of either a wired or wireless connection, the RK68 allows you to connect to multiple devices at once, making this design extremely versatile and portable.

Fully hot-swappable design: With the ability to hot-swap each of the switches, the RK68 is a great choice for anyone interested in modding their mechanical keyboard.

Things We Don’t Like

Requires additional funds: In order to make the most of the customisation benefits from this design, consumers will have to be willing to splash out on custom keycaps and switches, which can add up easily.

Lower build-quality: To allow for greater customisation options on a budget, the plastic frame feels slightly less robust compared to the mechanical keyboards with less customisation options.

Summary

Where to Buy

Buy the Royal Kludge RK68 on:

How Much Should You Spend on a Mechanical Keyboard?

Like most desktop PC peripherals, there are a plethora of mechanical keyboards on the market, all of which come at various price points. However, there are certain boundaries we’d recommend sticking to. For example, we wouldn’t recommended picking up a design for less than $30 at MSRP, as the build-quality and longevity of these keyboards are usually quite questionable. On the other end of the scale, we’d consider anything over $300 to be overkill, as a lot of the most luxurious designs can be found for well below this price point.

These recommendations will also vary depending on the type of mechanical keyboard you want to pick up. Wired keyboards can be found for as little as $50, while wireless keyboards have a slightly pricier point of entry. There are some exceptions to these rules, but sticking to these price guidelines will put you on the right track, leading to a sensible purchase that offers great value for money.

Mechanical vs Membrane Keyboards – What’s the Difference?

One aspect of a mechanical keyboard that can be quite confusing when browsing the web is the difference between a mechanical and membrane keyboard. Especially when looking at budget-friendly designs, you may stumble across membrane or ‘mem-chanical’ keyboards, which can often look more appealing than the mechanical offerings for the same price point. However, these are not the same as mechanical keyboards!

Mechanical keyboards refers to a design that includes individual switches for each input, whereas the switches on membrane keyboards are all connected by a single rubberised membrane. Because of this, mechanical keyboards are considered higher quality, as they are more responsive and tend to have greater longevity.

That being said, there are some benefits to picking up a membrane keyboard, mainly for those on a tight budget. For a fraction of the price compared to mechanical keyboards, membrane designs will often include premium features such as dedicated media controls.

Why You Can Trust Us

When putting together a list of recommendations for a buyers guide, the GeekaWhat team experiment the latest hardware to see how they compare to the rest of the market. During this process, we make sure to document our honest thoughts and opinions, as this is what gives our audience the best advice possible when looking for the perfect product for their gaming setup.

If you want to learn more about our editorial promise, or find out more about the GeekaWhat team, head over to the about us section.

How We Tested the Best Mechanical Keyboards Under $100

In order to test and evaluate the best mechanical keyboards under $100, there are a number of factors that we take into account, these are:

• Switches & keycpas
• Typing experience
• Connectivity
• Customisation options
• Aesthetic
• Value for Money

Conclusion

Best for Mechanical Keyboard Under $100: NZXT Function MiniTKL

If we had to pick one mechanical keyboard for under $100 to use alongside our custom-built PC, the NZXT Function MiniTKL would be the go-to choice. As a 75% keyboard with hot-swappable switches, the Function MiniTKL is incredibly versatile, making it great choice for those looking to use their PC for both gaming and productivity tasks.

GeekaWhat Rating:

★★★★★

Read our in-depth review of the NZXT Function MiniTKL, or Buy the NZXT Function MiniTKL on Amazon

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Get a Mechanical Keyboard for Under $100?

Yes. There are plenty of mechanical keyboards available for less than $100. In fact, they can be found for as low as $50, with a range of sizes available.

Are 65% Mechanical Keyboards Worth It?

Yes. 65% mechanical keyboards are a great choice for gamers or those with limited desk space, as the smaller design frees up more room for a mouse and other accessories.

Do I Need A Wireless Mechanical Keyboard?

No. Wireless connectivity can be useful for those looking to connect their keyboard to multiple devices at once, but most desktop PC users will prefer to save money and pick up a strictly wired design.

What Does TKL Stand For?

In terms of mechanical keyboards, ‘TKL’ stands for tenkeyless. This term is used to refer to 75% or 80% keyboards that remove the numpad from the traditional full-size keyboards.