Keyboards are essential to any PC setup, but once you start getting particular about typing comfort and features, their prices can rise quickly. (Some elite gaming and productivity mechanical keyboards cost $150 or more.) Replacing a worn-out keyboard with a decent new one for minimal money is an exercise in compromises, but you can land a value champ if you know what to look for. At PCMag, we’ve been testing keyboards for decades, evaluating then on myriad features such as connectivity, typing comfort, supporting software, layout, and ergonomics, so you can trust our advice on what’s essential and what’s not. Our current favorite budget keyboard for productivity is the Dell Wired Collaboration Keyboard, and for gaming, the Corsair K55 RGB Pro. Below, check out those and other top picks for different scenarios, followed by detailed buying advice on how to land the best budget keyboard.
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Best Cheap Wired Keyboard for General Use
Dell Wired Collaboration Keyboard (KB525C)
- Easy on the wallet
- Surprising amount of functionality and customizability for the money
- Includes dedicated video call controls
- Supports USB-C and USB-A wired connections
- Near-silent key switches
- Membrane key switches are slightly uncomfortable
- Plain design
The Dell Wired Collaboration Keyboard is a low-profile, compact keyboard that has dedicated video meeting butttons compatible with both Zoom and Microsoft Teams. This keyboard is comfortable and quiet, and it packs more than a few shortcut keys, including a Microsoft Copilot button, which automatically pulls up Microsoft’s AI service on devices that support it. Membrane key switches muddle the typing experience, which might be a minor annoyance for some people, but overall, this keyboard is almost certainly a far better productivity aid than whatever came bundled with your PC.
For PC users who don’t mind wired connectivity (a USB cable) instead of wireless, the Dell Wired Collaboration Keyboard is an excellent daily driver that’ll meet day-to-day typing needs.
Number of Keys
109
Interface
USB Wired
Key Switch Type
Rubber Membrane
Key Backlighting
None
Media Controls
Shared With Other Keys
Passthrough Ports
None
Palm Rest
None
Best Cheap Wireless Keyboard for General Use
Cherry Stream Wireless Keyboard
- Low-profile design
- Comfortable typing feel
- Rated 36-month battery life
- 128-bit AES encryption
- Customization software is barebones
- Limited Mac support
- Uses AA batteries
The Cherry Stream Wireless Keyboard costs slightly more than its wired counterpart, but it’s still a remarkable productivity keyboard for the price. A 36-month battery life will keep battery swapping to a minimum, while 128-bit AES encryption ensures everything you type will remain safe, if you or your employees work in a common space and handle sensitive data. It’s a little bulky, and certainly plain, but it’s a Cherry worth picking.
If you’re looking to cut the cord from your daily-driver keyboard without spending a bundle, the Cherry Stream Wireless provides all you need.
Number of Keys
115
Interface
RF Wireless
Key Switch Type
Cherry SX Scissor
Key Backlighting
None
Media Controls
Dedicated
Passthrough Ports
None
Palm Rest
None
Learn More
Best Cheap Mechanical Keyboard
Keychron C1
- Inexpensive for a true mechanical keyboard
- Color scheme will appeal to retro-tech geeks
- Available in a choice of mechanical switches
- Windows/Mac keycaps included
- Stabilizer placement makes some keys wobble
- No software utility
An inexpensive mechanical keyboard with a retro color scheme, the Keychron C1 delivers the minimum required of a wired mechanical keyboard for a sweet price. Gateron G Pro Brown switches provide satisfying key presses, something you can’t take for granted on budget boards. Some of the keys wobble a bit, and you don’t get a customization or control software app, but the C1 remains an excellent value for an 87-key board.
If you’re longing for a compact mechanical keyboard but strapped for cash, the Keychron C1 is well worth a look whether you’re working with Windows or macOS.
Number of Keys
87
Interface
USB Wired
Key Switch Type
Gateron G Pro Brown
Key Backlighting
None
Media Controls
Shared With Other Keys
Passthrough Ports
None
Palm Rest
None
Learn More
Best Cheap Gaming Keyboard
Corsair K55 RGB Pro
- Dedicated macro buttons and media controls
- Detachable wrist rest
- RGB lighting
- Cheaper than similarly sized keyboards
- All-plastic design
- Rubber-dome switches
- Zonal, not per-key, RGB illumination
- Takes lots of desk space
Graphics cards, fast monitors, $70 AAA games: PC gaming can get plenty expensive, and premium gaming keyboards hit your wallet at least as hard as other upgrades you might consider. But the Corsair K55 RGB Pro can keep gamers competitive while keeping their checkbooks in the black. With dedicated macro buttons, a detachable wrist rest, and RGB lighting, the K55 RGB Pro certainly looks the part. It’s not a mechanical board, but it does offer a comfortable-enough typing experience, whether you’re playing games or just surfing the web. Its plastic body gives away its budget roots, but it’s a reliable gaming keyboard for just about any situation.
If you’re a gamer looking to spend more money on games and less money on gear, the budget-friendly Corsair K55 RGB Pro will provide everything you need.
Number of Keys
120
Interface
USB Wired
Key Switch Type
Rubber Membrane
Key Backlighting
RGB Zonal
Media Controls
Dedicated
Passthrough Ports
None
Palm Rest
Detachable (Separate)
Learn More
Best Cheap 60 Percent Gaming Keyboard
Roccat Magma Mini
- Inexpensive for a keyboard with a 60 percent layout
- RGB lighting
- Resists spills
- All-plastic design with membrane switches
- Shortcuts take some getting used to
- Larger-than-necessary footprint
- Customization options take some getting used to
A gaming keyboard for those who prefer their peripherals lean and mean, the 60 percent Roccat Magma Mini sports some fine aesthetics, namely vibrant RGB trim that wraps all around the chassis. Its all-plastic build and membrane rather than mechanical key switches keep it from being a stellar gaming keyboard. But it’s a great choice if you’re on the hunt for a cheap way to game while saving as much desk space as possible. (Lighting up the perimeter is a bonus, if that’s your kind of thing.)
For gamers who prefer fewer keys and smaller footprints, the Roccat Magma Mini is an economical choice whose RGB lighting will dress up any desktop.
Number of Keys
61
Interface
USB Wired
Key Switch Type
Rubber Membrane
Key Backlighting
RGB Zonal
Media Controls
Shared With Other Keys
Passthrough Ports
None
Palm Rest
None
Learn More
Best Cheap Ergonomic Keyboard
Logitech Wave Keys
- Simple and effective ergonomic design
- Compatibility across multiple operating systems
- Long battery life
- Lightweight
- Reasonably priced
- Build quality is a little flimsy
- No backlighting
Compact and pleasing to the eye, the Logitech Wave Keys is sculpted with a rise near the center, providing a comfortable typing experience and more important, an intuitive one. Anyone who has used an ergonomic keyboard or mouse will tell you that these devices have a learning curve, but the Wave Keys might be one of the most accessible models you can grab. It’s a little pricier than most other keyboards in this roundup, but it’s well worth the price of admission.
If you’re looking for an entry-level ergonomic keyboard that’s easy to use and easy on your wallet, the Wave Keys is an excellent choice, especially if you can find it on sale. If its $60 asking price is too much, you may want to consider its older cousin, the classic Logitech K350, which is still for sale.
Number of Keys
99
Interface
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz Wireless
Key Switch Type
Rubber Membrane
Key Backlighting
None
Media Controls
None
Passthrough Ports
None
Palm Rest
Integrated
Learn More
Best Keyboard for the Very Tightest Budgets
Amazon Basics Low-Profile Wired USB Keyboard
- Cheaper than a McDonald’s meal (depending on the day)
- Media control and Fn Lock keys
- No software to fuss with
- Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock indicators
- Flimsy typing feel
- No pop-out feet to add tilt
- Likely much shorter lifespan than mechanical keyboards
The Amazon Basics Low Profile Wired USB Keyboard is as bare-bones as they come, but it’s also the cheapest acceptable typing device we’ve tested, coming in under $20 (with its oft-fluctuating price going as low as $12). While it’s far from exceptional, its low-profile design isn’t an eyesore, and it comes with a few shortcut keys to boot. If you’re pinching pennies, this Amazon Basics keyboard does exactly what it’s supposed to for less than the cost of a fast-food dinner for two (or maybe one, depending on what you order).
For users with the tightest of budgets who want a keyboard that’s good enough for everyday computer needs, the Amazon Basics Low Profile Wired USB Keyboard won’t wow, but it will get the job done.
Number of Keys
105
Interface
USB Wired
Key Switch Type
Rubber Membrane
Key Backlighting
None
Media Controls
Dedicated
Passthrough Ports
None
Palm Rest
None
Buying Guide: The Best Cheap Keyboards for 2024
How Much Money to Spend on a Cheap Keyboard?
What makes for a budget keyboard, price-wise? The sweet spot is around $50—but if that seems high, know that if you shop carefully, you can go as low as $20 and still come away with a usable typing experience. A low price doesn’t mean a keyboard can’t be a good performer, as our list of favorites demonstrates.
To keep these keyboards in budget territory, manufacturers must make some concessions. For example, an affordable wireless keyboard may use disposable AA or AAA batteries rather than an internal battery pack you recharge. Or you may not have a choice of key switches, the physical mechanisms under each key that determine travel time, sound, and overall typing comfort. (Most won’t be mechanical in this price range.) Also expect a lack of robust utility software, which allows for things like macro customization.
(Credit: Molly Flores)
As a result, a budget keyboard is not for everyone. Serious esports players will likely scoff at the lack of game-improving features and customization options, while productivity hounds may roll their eyes at the absence of macros or automated commands. And plenty of people who care about desk aesthetics will bemoan the less-than-stylish designs of most cheap options.
But if you’re shopping for a cheap keyboard because you’ve got a hard line capping your budget, most of these cons won’t be deal-breakers. On the contrary, you’ll be able to overlook many of them given a keyboard’s price. And if you shop carefully, you can find a few models that strike a perfect balance between cost and features.
What to Look for in a Budget Keyboard
Keyboards, whether cheap, mainstream, or elite, come in three main size classes: full-size, TKL (short for “tenkeyless”), and 60 percent. Full-size keyboards offer a complete layout: a 10-key numeric pad, a full row of function keys, dedicated buttons for secondary commands like Page Up and Page Down, and maybe a few shortcut keys that users can program themselves. Some models at this size may offer dedicated media controls and other creature comforts. The downside, of course: Full-size keyboards require more desk space.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
In the name of downsizing, TKL keyboards remove the numeric keypad (the ten keys in “tenkeyless”) along with roughly 20% to 30% of the rest of the board, letting you reclaim that desk space. Keep in mind that losing keys doesn’t always mean losing functionality. On some models, shortcut functions are moved onto other keys, as key combos.
Is TKL still too much keyboard to handle? You can trim all the fat away and opt for a “60 percent” design, which shrinks a keyboard even smaller than a TKL model. These smaller keyboards are favorites of programmers and the hard-core gaming crowd, but they do have a slight learning curve. Check out our 60 percent keyboard guide for everything you need to know about the category.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Once you’ve found the size of keyboard that suits you best, you can dig into the details. Today’s upper-end gaming keyboards, for example, mostly use mechanical key switches, which pair each key to its own spring-loaded switch. The traditional pace-setters among mechanical switches are from a company called Cherry, but you’ll find plenty of alternatives to them, each with a slightly different design tweaked to provide a specific feel and sound. Common alt-switch names to look for here include Kailh and Gateron.
If you see mechanical key switches in a budget gaming keyboard, they are likely to be from one of these lesser-known brands. More likely, though, in the under-$50 keyboard market you’ll have to settle for rubber-dome membrane switches, which use a sheet of springy material with domes molded into it to provide the bounce under the keys, versus individual springs on each key. These switches are less tactile and tend toward a softer feel, not delivering the loud click that many mechanicals do when pressed. But they get the typing done.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Budget productivity keyboards will almost exclusively rely on rubber-dome or scissor switches (a type of switch that isn’t strictly mechanical but usually has an X-shaped stabilizer under each key). You can find some budget models with dedicated shortcut keys and even wireless connectivity, but expect them to be limited in what they can do, versus a $100-and-up alternative. Although you’ll find exceptions, Bluetooth connectivity tends to give way in favor of a 2.4GHz wireless link requiring a USB dongle. And forget about rugged metal frames—most economy productivity keyboards are plastic and lightweight.
If you’re reading this and wondering if a cheap keyboard is worth the trade-offs, don’t count one out until you ask yourself whether a basic feature set isn’t exactly what you need. Keyboard makers do tend to pile on the features to pump up the price, and maybe adjustable polling rates, a volume roller, or a plush wrist rest aren’t worth an extra $50 to you.
It’s all about how you use your PC and what kind of keyboard you’re coming from. A budget keyboard should be able to provide the basics at a price that doesn’t sap your wallet, and $30 to $50 should get you a board that’s a marked step upward from the flimsy economy models bundled with most desktop PCs.
Ready to Buy the Right Budget Keyboard for You?
Savvy techies will never let a tight budget hold them back from decking out a PC setup. The keyboards we’ve collected here aren’t the finest money can buy, but that’s not why you’re here. They’re all solid performers we can recommend if you’re strapped. Our spec comparison chart can get you on the right track.
If you’re looking to fully deck out your work or battle station on the cheap, also check out our frugal picks for computer mice and budget monitors. And if you’re searching for other budget gear, see our picks for the best budget laptops and cheap gaming laptops.
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