[SOLVED] Keyboard recommendations sub $50

[jason3893]

When I built my first PC about 6 years ago, I had bought a cheap Cooler Master mouse and keyboard set for about $25. It served me well, but it's starting to fail on me. I already replaced the mouse with a Logitech G502 Hero that I got for $40 on black Friday, and now I'm looking to replace the keyboard.
Any recommendations on keyboard in the sub $50 range?
-Mechanical switches would be nice, but it's not a absolute as long as the keyboard is nice to type on.
-I'd prefer a full keyboard and not a ten-key-less one.
-Don't care if it has RGB, but if it does it shouldn't look bad/cheap. The cheap RGB on my current keyboard died and now I can't read the keys anymore.

 

[rocktalkrock]

Redragon keyboards are excellent quality. Check the 14,509 ratings.

https://www.amazon.com/Redragon-K552-Mechanical-Keyboard-Equivalent/dp/B016MAK38U/

 

[hang-the-9]

I would spend a bit more and get higher quality switches, the switches and stabelizers and keycaps used in the cheaper mechanicals are not up to par with things just $20-30 more. Considering we use the keyboard 100% of the time while on the computer, for the time it lasts spending a bit more is a good investment.

Normally Razer is not a recommend for those that know keyboards, but this is actually a good deal, and the new Razer switches have gotten great reviews. https://www.amazon.com/Razer-BLACKWIDOW-Esports-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B07K1VXCDR/ref=sr_1_3?crid=36WN76ZAB9H64&dchild=1&keywords=mechanical+keyboard&qid=1608010353&s=electronics&sprefix=mechan,electronics,171&sr=1-3

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Mechanical-Illuminated-Keyboard-Adjustable/dp/B089Y1S4Z5/ref=sr_1_7?crid=36WN76ZAB9H64&dchild=1&keywords=mechanical+keyboard&qid=1608010353&s=electronics&sprefix=mechan,electronics,171&sr=1-7&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Backlit-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B01CDYB8AG?ref_=ast_sto_dp

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Bac...keyboard&qid=1608010875&s=electronics&sr=1-44

This is great also if you want to play around with other switches, hotswap so they just pop out, it is much higher than $50 though https://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Modular-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B01D8YNJH0/ref=sr_1_10?crid=1LCLWUFM6BKT7&dchild=1&keywords=hot+swappable+keyboard&qid=1608010978&s=electronics&sprefix=hot,electronics,170&sr=1-10

This is a TKL one but the keycaps and switched + hotswap make it a good thing to check out https://www.amazon.com/Keychron-Blu...KPX59MXWFEK&psc=1&refRID=NNSJB9FZCKPX59MXWFEK

The Gateron keys are great, I like them better than the MX switches and better than most Kailh switches. Using Gateron Yellow and have to say they are my favorite from the dozen or so I tried out.

 

[doolittle]

Only full-size with brown switches I could find in your price range, can't really recommend blues they are a bit heavy and loud for late-nite gaming

Ajazz AK50 104 key full-size, Brown Switches, Yellow LED $50 could be a sale price (or maybe the normal price for that yellow LED model lol)

Agree gateron is a bit better, right now I have a Qisan Magicforce on my basement linux workstation that uses gaterons and the GMMK would be what I would upgrade to

Here is a low-profile TKL also in your range
Tecware Phantom L, Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard, RGB LED, Outemu Brown Switch $50

some others that caught my eye...

picked up this one a couple of years back, using it on my game rig it's decent enough
GoFreeTech TLK w/ low-profile browns and fake rgb $30

Got this one for my youngest since he broke his old keyboard (probably ragequit idk)
Redragon K580-PRO RGB, Macro Keys & Dedicated Media Controls, Optical Brown Switches $70
slightly over budget but has some nice features that might be worth it

 

[hang-the-9]

I tried a few optical switches like what the Redragon K580 above has, they were very good, but were Gateron not OUTEMU. They were Gateron Optical Red, and were super smooth, better than the MX Red I have in my higher end Leopold keyboard. Optical Brown I did not like as much, but that was the key travel more than anything else. I have a hotswap with the optical switches, but you can't use standard mechanical switches on the optical keyboards, once you have a keyboard with optical switches that is what you need to use on it.

 

[jason3893]

I would spend a bit more and get higher quality switches, the switches and stabelizers and keycaps used in the cheaper mechanicals are not up to par with things just $20-30 more. Considering we use the keyboard 100% of the time while on the computer, for the time it lasts spending a bit more is a good investment.

Normally Razer is not a recommend for those that know keyboards, but this is actually a good deal, and the new Razer switches have gotten great reviews. https://www.amazon.com/Razer-BLACKWIDOW-Esports-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B07K1VXCDR/ref=sr_1_3?crid=36WN76ZAB9H64&dchild=1&keywords=mechanical+keyboard&qid=1608010353&s=electronics&sprefix=mechan,electronics,171&sr=1-3

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Mechanical-Illuminated-Keyboard-Adjustable/dp/B089Y1S4Z5/ref=sr_1_7?crid=36WN76ZAB9H64&dchild=1&keywords=mechanical+keyboard&qid=1608010353&s=electronics&sprefix=mechan,electronics,171&sr=1-7&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Backlit-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B01CDYB8AG?ref_=ast_sto_dp

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Bac...keyboard&qid=1608010875&s=electronics&sr=1-44

This is great also if you want to play around with other switches, hotswap so they just pop out, it is much higher than $50 though https://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Modular-Mechanical-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B01D8YNJH0/ref=sr_1_10?crid=1LCLWUFM6BKT7&dchild=1&keywords=hot+swappable+keyboard&qid=1608010978&s=electronics&sprefix=hot,electronics,170&sr=1-10

This is a TKL one but the keycaps and switched + hotswap make it a good thing to check out https://www.amazon.com/Keychron-Blu...KPX59MXWFEK&psc=1&refRID=NNSJB9FZCKPX59MXWFEK

The Gateron keys are great, I like them better than the MX switches and better than most Kailh switches. Using Gateron Yellow and have to say they are my favorite from the dozen or so I tried out.

Thanks. I ended up going with the G610 Orion with MX Reds. Enjoying the typing experience