The 7 Best TKL Mechanical Keyboards for Gaming
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The 7 Best TKL Mechanical Keyboards for Gaming
There was a time when gamers wanted bigger keyboards, with more keys, more macros, and more flashy buttons, but that time is coming to an end with users now looking to reduce the size of their keyboards in favor of more focused, portable ones.
Not only do the smaller, more portable tenkeyless (TKL) keyboards make it easier for gamers to focus solely on the keys that matter, but they also promote a better posture too, with users not needing to stretch as far to reach their mouse, and a more centralized posture when typing.
Here are some of the best TKL mechanical keyboards for gaming available today.
The Drop CTRL Tenkeyless gaming keyboard is easily one of the most stylish TKL mechanical keyboards available today, with millions of colors that can be customized per key, coupled with a solid aluminum frame, it looks absolutely stunning.
With hot-swappable switch functionality, you can easily swap the keys around on your keyboard, without needing to do any soldering. Changing them literally takes seconds. What's more, you can program the keys to suit your requirements, which is one of the many appealing features of a mechanical keyboard.
Find your perfect keystrokes with a choice of Cherry MX, Kaihua, or Halo switches. No matter if you prefer speed to silence, the Drop CTRL TKL gaming keyboard has the perfect switches for you.
- Backlit RGB
- Full RGB customization
- USB-C connectivity
- Customizable macros and buttons
- Brand: Drop
- Wireless: No
- Backlight: Yes
- Media Controls: No
- Battery: N/A
- Num Pad: No
- Switch Type: Cherry MX Brown
- Replaceable Keys: Yes
- Number of Keys: 87
- Solid build
- Elegant design
- Millions of color options
- Expensive
Razer is one of the most well-known manufacturers of gaming keyboards and gaming hardware on the market, and they earned that crown for a good reason. They build top-quality products that are built to last as well as they perform, and the Razer Huntsman V2 TKL is no exception.
The Razer Huntsman V2 TKL has been built with durable doubleshot PBT keycaps, offering a sturdy, durable textured finish that is fade-proof and built to last. With a hybrid onboard memory system, the Razer Huntsman V2 TKL gaming keyboard can save up to five profiles, letting you build a library of macros that you can quickly activate.
For professional gamers, this TKL mechanical keyboard is a great choice. It features a detachable USB-C cable for easy transportation and sound-dampening foam if you opt for the linear switches. However, regardless of whether you choose clicky or linear, both switches boast an 8000Hz polling rate to ensure low input latency, reducing the chance of lag.
- Near-zero input latency
- On-board memory
- Sound dampening foam
- Detachable cable
- Brand: Razer
- Wireless: No
- Backlight: Yes
- Media Controls: Yes
- Battery: N/A
- Num Pad: No
- Switch Type: Razer Red Linear Optical
- Replaceable Keys: Yes
- Number of Keys: 87
- Plenty of color options to choose from
- Small and portable
- Perfect for competitive gaming
- Choice of linear or clicky keys
- Great software for customization
- No magnetic clip on wrist rest
The HyperX Alloy Origins Core is one of the most affordable TKL mechanical keyboards around that offers decent build quality and top performance. While you can use it as a standard desktop keyboard, it also features useful gaming tools like Game Mode including NKRO and anti-ghosting. Pair this with HyperX's NGENUITY software and you'll be able to fully customize your gaming lighting and macros.
Onboard, you can create custom memory profiles allowing you to switch between all three profiles at any given time. This is especially useful for professional gamers who play in tournaments and require quick access to personalized settings.
The HyperX Alloy Origins Core is made from aluminum, giving it a sturdy and rugged design. It doesn't feel flimsy at all, despite being travel-friendly with its detachable USB-C cable. It's a great choice if you want a TKL mechanical keyboard but don't want to splash out on premium prices.
- Detachable cable
- Adjustable keyboard angles
- Onboard memory profiles
- Brand: HyperX
- Wireless: No
- Backlight: Yes
- Media Controls: Yes
- Num Pad: No
- Switch Type: HyperX Red
- Replaceable Keys: Yes
- Battery: N/A
- Number of Keys: 87
- Pink option available
- Durable build
- Advanced customization
- Game Mode
- Occasional driver issues
The Corsair K70 RGB TKL is a durable and stylish TKL mechanical keyboard designed for gaming. The aluminum frame and brushed aluminum finish give it a premium look that includes doubleshot PBT keys and included silver keys to replace those frequently used by gamers (W, A, S, D, Q, E, R, D, and F).
Like many modern Corsair gaming keyboards, the K70 TKL features handy media keys, including a volume scroll wheel. There's also a profile switch so that you can easily flick between custom profiles that you've set up through Corsair's iCUE software. Here you can also add per-key RGB lighting to make your keyboard seriously stand out.
As is with the Razer Huntsman V2 TKL, the Corsair K70 RGB TKL has a polling rate of 8000Hz. Essentially this means this keyboard can send data to your PC 8,000 times a second. If you're serious about gaming, this TKL keyboard certainly won't let you down.
- Media controls
- Detachable cable
- Tournament mode switch
- Fully programmable per key lighting
- Brand: Corsair
- Wireless: No
- Backlight: Yes
- Media Controls: Yes
- Battery: N/A
- Num Pad: No
- Switch Type: CHERRY MX SPEED
- Replaceable Keys: Yes
- Number of Keys: 88
- Compatible Devices: Windows
- Keyboard Description: Tenkeyless Mechanical Keyboard
- Small and portable
- Hard wearing keys
- Macros and media controls
- No wrist rest included
The Logitech G915 TKL is a worthy investment if you travel frequently or require a TKL mechanical keyboard for use on multiple devices. You can toggle the dongle connection, allowing you to switch between Bluetooth devices. Depending on your requirements, there's a choice of clicky, linear, or tactile keys, so you can customize this keyboard to suit your gaming or typing style.
If you're a fan of RGB lighting, you'll be pleased to hear that Logitech's G Hub software allows you to control the keyboard's RGB; this includes the G logo and RGB buttons. Although the software is fairly complex, it does offer extensive features that can be really useful once you've played around with the settings.
Whether you need a TKL keyboard for gaming, typing, or portability, the Logitech G915 TKL is a fantastic choice. It saves on space, offers up to three onboard profiles, and allows you to swap between wireless or Bluetooth connections with ease.
- Media controls
- 1ms wireless speeds
- 40 hours on a single charge
- Brand: Logitech
- Wireless: Yes
- Backlight: Yes
- Media Controls: Yes
- Battery: 40 hours
- Num Pad: No
- Switch Type: Tactile
- Replaceable Keys: Yes
- Number of Keys: 90
- Ultra-thin compact design
- Choice of switches
- Wireless and easily portable
- Not as responsive as wired
The SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL comes in a range of different styles, allowing you to choose between blue, brown, and red keys. For gamers, the choice is really important, in addition to the solid aluminum alloy body, per-key RGB lighting, and up to five onboard profiles.
What stands out the most, perhaps, about the SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL is its unique OLED smart display. From here you can adjust your keyboard's settings, play your favorite music, or check your most recent updates from Discord. While this feature looks pretty awesome, it's actually extremely functional and means you won't need to tab out of your game to check for any notifications.
The SteelSeries Apex 7 TKL is great for tournaments too since it includes USB passthrough, a detachable cable, anti-ghosting, and NKRO on up to 104 keys. You're getting a great bang for your buck in a TKL mechanical keyboard that's been built to last.
- Magnetic wrist rest
- Illuminated USB passthrough port
- OLED smart display
- Brand: SteelSeries
- Wireless: No
- Backlight: Yes
- Media Controls: Yes
- Battery: N/A
- Num Pad: No
- Switch Type: Red
- Replaceable Keys: Yes
- Number of Keys: 95
- Choice of switches
- Stunning OLED display
- 16.8 million colors per key
- Wrist rest isn't very comfortable
The Keychron K8 Tenkeyless Wireless keyboard features a slim 87-key build with RGB backlighting and Bluetooth connection. This means it can connect to almost any compatible device with Bluetooth, allowing you to switch between three devices at any given time. It makes this keyboard a great choice for Mac and tablet users.
The beauty of this TKL keyboard is that it can last up to 200 hours without the backlight. It's perfect for traveling with, and it features NKRO when hooked up to a wired connection. Whether you're a typist or a gamer, this is essential to make sure the keys you're pressing actually register, regardless of how many you press at once.
The trouble with many portable keyboards is that they tend to only feature the most basic keys. The Keychron K8 Tenkeyless Wireless, on the other hand, comes with a unique Mac layout with compatible Mac function keys, so you can access shortcuts that are familiar to you while enjoying a responsive mechanical keyboard with tactile switches.
- Multimedia and function keys
- RGB backlighting
- Lasts up to 200 hours with RGB off
- Siri and Cortana key
- Brand: Keychron
- Wireless: Yes
- Backlight: Yes
- Media Controls: Yes
- Battery: Up to 240 hours
- Num Pad: No
- Switch Type: Mechanical
- Replaceable Keys: Yes
- Number of Keys: 87
- Mac layout
- Can work with Windows
- Wired or wireless options
- No wrist rest included
Q: What Is TKL in Mechanical Keyboard?
TKL stands for tenkeyless, which refers to the numeric keypad that you will find on most keyboards. By removing the Numpad, gamers are able to not only focus on the keys that are important to them but also travel with the keyboard due to the smaller size.
Q: How Many Keys Are in a TKL Keyboard?
Typically, a TKL gaming keyboard will have 87 keys, but this doesn't include any multimedia keys or macros that some companies add to their TKL gaming keyboards.
Removing some keys brings the size of a TKL keyboard to around 80 percent smaller than conventional keyboards, making them easier to transport, as well as easier to focus on the buttons you actually need.
Q: Is TKL Better for Ergonomics?
TKL keyboards are more centered than traditional keyboards, which can help alleviate shoulder strain when typing and using a mouse, this is thanks to the smaller design, at around 80 percent the size of a normal keyboard a TKL requires less reach to move the mouse and reach some of the keys.
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Georgie Peru (143 Articles Published)
Georgie is MakeUseOf's Buyer's Guides Editor and a freelance writer with 10+ years of experience. She has a hunger for all things tech and a passion for helping others.
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