5 Best Mechanical Keyboards Under $50 for Gaming and Productivity

Mechanical keyboards are a sure-shot way to elevate your gaming experience. At the same time, the keyboards work wonders for folks who spend hours typing away on their computers too. That being said, the plethora of options can make it difficult to narrow down the perfect keyboard for your needs, especially when you are on the lookout for the best mechanical keyboard under $50.

Well, if you are finding yourself at your wit’s end, then don’t worry. We have done the research and have come up with five enticing mechanical keyboards under $50 for buyers on a tight budget.

Before we talk about that, you might also want to read about –

• The nine best premium mechanical keyboards under $200.
• The best wireless keyboards with a Numpad to breeze through the 9-5 grind.
• Take your experience up a notch with these gaming keyboards under $100.

But, enough jibber-jabber, let’s take a look at some of the best mechanical keyboards under $50. 

1. MotoSpeed GK82

That’s not all, as the keyboard also comes with wireless connectivity chops. In fact, unlike most run-of-the-mill Bluetooth keyboards, MotoSpeed has outfitted the GK82 with 2.4GHz wireless smarts. As a result, you will not notice any latency when using the keyboard wirelessly to play action-packed games that require precise inputs.

You’ll also get NKRO or N-key rollover support with the keyboard. For the uninitiated, a keyboard with an n-key rollover can detect each key press independently. Therefore, you shouldn’t worry about the keyboard skimping over your inputs in the heat of a battle. 

What’s more, if you don’t mind spending a couple of extra bucks, then you can even pick up the keyboard in a white colorway. You can also spec up the keyboard with RGB lighting or Red switches. However, to give you the most bang for your buck, we have handpicked the model with Blue switches, which offer more tactility than Red switches. On the downside, Blue switches tend to be louder too. 

You should also know that the keyboard comes with a USB Type-C connector for charging. What’s more, should the built-in 1,300mAh battery run out of charge, you can still use the keyboard in wired mode, which is great. It’s no wonder, then, that the MotoSpeed GK82 is regarded as one of the best mechanical keyboards under $50 by several users.

2. Razer BlackWidow Lite 

The icing on the cake is that the Razer BlacWidow Lite keyboard also comes with the company’s O-rings. Now, before we dissect the benefit of O-rings, you should be aware of the term ‘bottoming out’ pertaining to mechanical keyboards. Simply put, ‘bottoming out’ implies fully pressing a key.

But, thanks to O-rings, the BlackWidow Lite can actuate (register the input) the keys faster as it somewhat lessens the distance between the switch and the inside of the key cap. More notably, the silicone ring helps dampen the sound of the key taps as well. Understandably, a lot of users have extremely positive things to say about the BlackWidow Lite, with many citing that the keyboard is a treat to type on too.

Moving on, the BlackWidow Lite features an all-black chassis which will complement your game room and look understated in an office setting as well. The keyboard is of the wired variety and ships with a white LED backlight too. So, you should be able to use it even with the lights in your room turned off. All said and done, the Razer BlackWidow Lite is a good, silent gaming keyboard for under $50. 

3. Royal Kludge RK918

Thankfully, the keyboard doesn’t miss out on other niceties, like support for N-key rollover. Correspondingly, you can use the keyboard to play your favorite games without running into any performance-niggles either. We should also add that the keyboard features a stunning design that is replete with RGB backlighting for the keys.

The keyboard also supports over 18 different RGB effects. Furthermore, the base of the keyboard comes with a ‘side light’, which adds a touch of pizazz to the RK918’s otherwise all-white chassis. That’s not all, as the keyboard comes with double-shot keycaps, which utilize two separate plastic molds for construction.

The outside mold forms the keycap, however, there is a secondary mold that contains the key legend (the alphabet or the number etched on the key). As a result, double-shot keycaps show fewer signs of wear and tear over time. Unsurprisingly, the RK918 has gotten rave reviews about its build quality from numerous buyers too.

What’s more, the RK918 mechanical keyboard comes with brown switches, which strike the perfect balance between tactility and clickiness too. To sum up, buyers on the lookout for a full-sized, durable mechanical keyboard will find the Royal Kludge RK918 a great mechanical keyboard for under $50.

4. Redragon K630

In fact, the K630 only has 61 keys, which should give you an idea of its compact footprint. Moving on, the keyboard comes with tiny feet which can be propped up at two different angles. You can choose one or the other to type comfortably on the keyboard. Speaking of which, we’ve shortlisted the model with brown switches, however, the K630 is also available in red and blue switch avatars. 

What’s more, the K630 comes with hot-swappable switches, meaning you can pull out a switch and replace it without having to take the whole keyboard apart. Consequently, you replace a faulty switch without many hassles.

More notably, you can elevate your gaming experience by adding, say, red linear switches with quicker actuation for the WASD keys – the possibilities are endless. Rest assured, the Redragon K630 is a great gaming keyboard for under $50.

5. Velocifire VM01 

The keyboard also comes with double-shot ABS keycaps, thereby ensuring the etching on the keys doesn’t fade away easily. That’s not all, as the keys are rated for about 50 million keystrokes, so the device should stand the test of time. The keyboard even gets a white LED backlight, which should work wonders for those who work with the lights in their room turned off. 

If anything, the keyboard doesn’t ship with a removable cable, which might be a deal-breaker for some. On the bright side, the cable is quite long, with several users reporting that it measures around four feet in length. So, if you were looking for a mechanical keyboard for work with no flashy RGB, the Velocifire VM01 is a great option to consider.

FAQs About Mechanical Keyboards

Get Your Type On

It goes without saying that typing or gaming on a mechanical keyboard can work wonders for your overall experience. While you could splurge a lot on a quality mechanical keyboard, buyers on the lookout for something more affordable will find plenty to like about the aforementioned options.