Best Cheap Gaming Keyboards

The Best Gaming Keyboards under $50

Note that these are listed in no particular order. Any one of the keyboards listed below will be a great option for a PC gamer who is staring out to prepare a killer rig.

1. TeckNet Gryphon LED Illuminated Programmable Gaming Keyboard

It is not every day that you can hope to find a well-laid out keyboard with customizable options at a super budget  price, and this is why the TeckNet Gryphon LED gaming keyboard finds pride of place at the very top of our list. This one comes with 10 fully programmable keys right at the top of the board, but the sad part is that they do not come with backlight while the rest of the keys are fully backlit. We don’t really see the point of this, and it takes some getting used to to fully memorize the positions. Besides this (glaring) issue, there is not much wrong with the TeckNet. The keys are spaced out nicely and feel good to the touch. Ghosting isn’t much of an issue either, with at leats 19 keys calibrated to provide a solution to the common problem plaguing cheaper keyboards. It is also pretty fast and responsive, and feels very sturdy, which will definitely make an improvement to your overall gaming experience. Plus there is the adjustable backlight feature for some added fun. 

Pros

• Comes with fully customizable macro keys
• Great to type on, thanks to the easy layout
• The backlight is soothing in the dark

Cons

• Macro keys have no lighting
• A lot of space in between the keys makes the board susceptible to accumulating dirt

Verdict:

Despite its negatives, the TeckNet Gryphon LED gaming keyboard actually has a lot to offer. The macro keys are pretty useless in the dark, at least for the first few days of use, but you can always choose not to use them. For us, we find that it is a great budget keyboard for both gaming and work, so if you’re looking to kill two birds with one stone, this is a recommendation to consider. 

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2. HAVIT Rainbow Backlit Wired Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo

Don’t be fooled by the juvenile looks (that’s an actual opinion some have about this one). The HAVIT Rainbow Backlit Wired Gaming Keyboard is great all around. In fact, most fall in love with it just by its looks. And the combo with the matching mouse is a great deal. Although the original pricing goes over our $50 limit, you can often find it on discount bringing the price down to much lower. Coming to the keyboard itself, it comes with the basic anti-ghosting protection that PC gamers will tell you is so crucial, and the keys are soft and comfortable to type on. Which means that you won’t be left with bruised fingertips after a hardcore game  on your own or with your friends. The lights are adjustable, and you can even turn them off. They will also go off on their own when not in use for over ten minutes, which is great (you can bring it back on with a click anywhere). The keys aren’t as silent as a pro gamer would expect, however, but we don’t see how that brings its performance down.

Pros

• Budget mouse and keyboard combo at a budget price
• Compatibility is great
• Has a built-in auto-sleep mode
• Mouse isn’t too bad on the accuracy front

Cons

• Some of the functions are exclusive to Windows, despite the set being compatible with the macOS

Verdict:

We recommend this gaming keyboard and mouse combination strictly for Windows users, because the convenience of multimedia keys will be lacking on a Mac. Otherwise, it’s a pretty nifty set that comes with a very responsive (and fun, if we may add) combo that will make a great addition to your gaming rig.

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3. Pictek 104 Keys Anti-ghosting Backlit Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

We concede that you will not always find the Pictek under $50, but we promise that you will if you keep an eye out. This is one of those mechanical keyboards on this list that will may have you craving for a game right after laying your eyes on it, but that’s not all there is to it. Many of those premium gaming keyboards boast of silent keys so that the only sound you get is that coming out of your PC speakers, but one important thing that you have to trade off is the click. In short, the Pictek keyboard is absolutely the clickiest unit that you will be able to lay your hands on, which leads to a lot of satisfaction for those obsessed with the response their unit returns. The functions are as is to be expected from a keyboard like this one, which is great, but what we love the most is the build quality. Not only does the Pictek happen to be sturdy (no breakage, even after months of furious use), but the keys are also beautifully smooth to the touch and don’t hold any traces from the fingers. The lighting can be customized to some extent, but don’t expect a lot on this front. From any other aspect, however, this is a great unit.

Pros

• Plug and play keyboard
• Looks gorgeous and feels great
• Very responsive, and keys are loud
• Comes with a wrist rest which aligns your hands for better comfort for prolonged use

Cons

• Not great on the customization front

Verdict:

If you manage to find this at a discount, we absolutely recommend this to anyone looking to literally up their game on the PC. The Pictek 104 comes with a wide range of functions, and the click is super satisfactory if you have a thing for that. Plus the build ensures that it will last you for several months (or years). Super bang for the buck, if you ask us.

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4. Rii RM400 LED Gaming Keyboard & Mouse Combo Bundle

Some of the features on the Rii RM400 LED Gaming Keyboard and Mouse bundle are for Windows only, so Mac users can take a look at our other options. Now to get down to business, if top budget gaming is what you are looking for but are apprehensive about the features and sturdiness, have no fear with this one. The Rii RM400 is a great keyboard, with responsive keys that feed data into your PC without fail, which translates into a very smooth experience overall. Besides the fact that you get two quality peripherals at the same time, the ergonomic build makes it really comfortable to use. The best part, however, is the lighting. Moving on to the mouse, it is not for the ambidextrous gamer, but right-handed folk with a strong need for a good gaming mouse will find it to be a good addition to their rig. It doesn’t really allow a bunch of customization, as is to be expected from a combo that comes at such a budget price. But the build quality and overall accuracy is what leads us to recommend this one to budding gamers.

Pros

• Ergonomic design aids prolonged use
• DPI adjustable mouse

Cons

• Not much customization, but that is to be expected for the price
• Mouse is not very suitable for those with small hands

Verdict:

Entry level rig building on a budget does not get any better than this. The Rii RM400 LED Gaming Keyboard and Mouse bundle is also compatible with macOS, but Mac owners will have to give the beautiful lighting a miss. However, the keys on this unit make for some really good gaming, so you could consider this if you’re looking for a fancy gaming keyboard under $50.

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5. Corsair Gaming K55 RGB Keyboard  : Best Cheap Gaming Mouse

Corsair Gaming is a company that creates some awesome gaming equipment for hardcore gamers, but you can find some of those awesome features slipping into their lower priced units as well. The K55 model, for instance, comes not only with some dedicated multimedia buttons to aid better gaming, but also packs in 6 fully customizable macro buttons to ensure you can tweak some of the functions to your preference. Truly, this is the keyboard you should consider buying if you are ready to take your first step into the next level of PC gaming. The keyboard comes with some pretty professional adjustments, such as the Windows key disabling feature to help manage distractions in the middle of a gaming session. In addition, the rubber wrist rest is detachable thus letting you choose when you need that support and when you don’t. As always, the keys are responsive and maintain their accuracy through prolonged use, but if you’re looking for a clicky keyboard, you may want to look at another option. This one is extremely quiet.

Pros

• Great for those who prefer quiet keyboards- you don’t have to risk waking up your partner because of your midnight gaming cravings
• Professional grade adjustments
• Fully adjustable macro keys

Cons

• Multimedia keys aren’t backlit

Verdict:

If you have already tried entry level equipment and want to see what next level gaming feels like, you can definitely give the Corsair Gaming K55 RGB Keyboarda whirl. We love the fact that it is low on flash in terms of the design, but packs in those essential elements of fun that can really enhance your experience. It is proof that Corsair tends to get things right even at a budget price. 

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Do we really need a gaming keyboard?

In short, the answer is a big yes. That is of course if you have an interest in making PC gaming something of a regular hobby. Unless you are someone who just indulges once in a blue moon, we don’t really see why you shouldn’t own one of these. In fact, despite their name, the top gaming keyboards do not need to be confined to gaming only. Type on one of these babies for a while and you will see exactly why we say that. At the same time, it is true that the higher you go up in terms of price, the better stuff you will find. But that does not necessarily mean that you will not benefit at all from the ones that come cheaper.

Sure, most of them will come with membrane keys instead of mechanical ones, and the extra keys that help so much may be missing. But these will, and we say this with confidence, improve your PC gaming experience by leaps and bounds. A lot is dependent on the keyboard, because it manages your commands. And if you have been stuck with an old one, you may already know how infuriating an unresponsive keyboard can be when things are getting heated up.

With a brand new budget gaming keyboard, you can keep these problems at bay. You may not have enough options for customization with the macro keys, but they will make gaming (and working on your PC in general) feel like a dream after getting one of these.

Wrap Up

This concludes our list of the best Budget gaming keyboards . Although some of the products listed may not always be found at this price range, you can always wait till you get a discount. We have mostly focused on wired keyboards here for two reasons- first, non-wired units can sometime display an unpleasant amount of lag in use; and secondly, the technology is almost impossible to perfect at this range. However, we anyway have a preference for wired units because they are simply more reliable. On our list, you can find one for every kind of budget gamer, so take a look, do your research, and pick any one. And if you have a favorite gaming keyboard under $50 that you are currently using apart from the ones we have tried, let us know what they are and why you love them.