How to select the right keyboard for you

It goes without saying that if you demand the look and feel only mechanical switches can provide, rather than those that are slim and stealthy, we suggest perusing our top 10 best gaming keyboards round-up instead.

Gamers more or less demand the actuation and clickety-clacks of mechanical keys, but not everyone wants to pester their co-workers with typewriter-loud volumes. That’s why many of the best keyboards are more suited for productivity environments, designed with first-rate professionalism in mind.

Note that the keyboards below were provided to TechRadar by UK-based keyboard re-seller The Keyboard Company:

Topre Realforce 87U Tenkeyless

Topre Realforce 104 UBS Silent variable

Filco Majestouch-2 Tenkeyless

Unicomp Classic 104

While many of the best keyboards below have not been given full reviews by TechRadar, please know that each one has undergone extensive testing prior to its inclusion on this list.

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Unicomp Classic 104

The ultimate keyboard for typing nostalgia Interface: Wired | Switches: Buckling spring Snappy buckling spring switch Retro design Can lead to tired fingers Big and bulky Remember IBM's legendary Model M keyboard? That's what the Unicomp Classic 104 sets out to imitate. Available in USB and PS/2 versions, it uses a buckling spring switch that takes more effort to depress than just about every other switch type. You're rewarded with a tactile response that recalls the classic mechanical keyboards of old, along with a noise that would drive your co-workers insane.

Topre Realforce 104UBS Silent variable

For a quieter Topre experience Interface: Wired | Switches: Topre electrostatic capacitive silenced (30, 45 and 50 grams) Smooth typing action Very quiet Typing can feel 'sandy' Expensive So long as you don't mind losing some of the "thock" sound associated with a regular Realforce keyboard, opting for a silenced model like the 104 UBS lets you reap real benefits. Hitting the 104 UBS's keys produces sound on a par with membrane keyboards, so it's perfect for busy offices or shared bedrooms. The "dampened" feel of Topre's silenced switches can feel a little bit like typing on sandpaper compared to non-silenced Topre, but we found that it's worth the trade-off if you want a much quieter keyboard.

Gaming Keyboards

While all keyboards offer the necessary keys for typing, sometimes typing isn't your main concern. Gaming keyboards are designed for competitive use, equipped for maximum specialization and control, optimized for specific styles of gameplay, and built to exacting standards of responsiveness and durability. They also appeal to the gamer aesthetic, with designs that impress and intimidate with pulsing backlighting and dramatic color schemes. Premium gaming models almost exclusively use high-grade mechanical key switches and sculpted keycaps, and offer numerous customizable features, like programmable macro keys, textured WASD keys, and swappable keycaps. There are others that let you tweak the color and intensity of the backlighting to make finding certain keys faster and to personalize the look of your keyboard. Anti-ghosting is an essential feature, allowing multiple keystrokes to be registered simultaneously—something standard keyboards can't do. Other extras include pas...

REVIEW OF GAMING

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