Our Top 5 Pick’s (Comparison Table)
Membrane keyboards are declining in popularity and mechanical keyboards are aggressively canvassing the market. With this sudden trend, cheap mechanical keyboards are also being released by many brands that once used to release mechanical keyboards with ludicrous pricing. Once you use a mechanical keyboard and I mean the actual one with mechanical switches, you cannot go back to the feeble and mushy typing experience of membrane keyboards.
The problem with so many cheap mechanical keyboards availability is that the selection process becomes arduous for a consumer. To alleviate your woes and save you precious time, I have rounded up the best cheap mechanical keyboards that are way better than membrane keyboards and come with a useful feature set. In this post about cheap mechanical keyboards, I will cover the following subtopics.
- Which are the cheap mechanical keyboards?
- Detailed Comparison and Review of best cheap mechanical keyboards.
- What are their pros & cons?
- Which are the best cheap mechanical keyboards that you should buy?
Excited? So Let’s Get Started.
Cheap Mechanical Keyboards
Cosmic Byte CB-GK-14 Sirius – Best mechanical keyboards
Cosmic Byte CB-GK-14 Sirius is one of the best cheap mechanical keyboards available for eager users seeking to upgrade their keyboard experience.
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Specifications:
| Wired/ Wireless | Both |
| Switches | Outemu Switches |
| LED Backlit | Yes |
| Num Pad | No |
Build and Design:
Cosmic Byte CB-GK-14 Sirius is a compact construction with a tiny size that can fit on any desk setup with ease. It is ultra-portable and can be accompanied to the office or home as well.
It has an 87 key layout with two dedicated dials to manage the lighting and the audio levels. These are media control keys as well. The keyboard runs both wired and wirelessly and is powered by a 1000 mAh rechargeable battery.
Performance:
Cosmic Byte CB-GK-14 Sirius is a feature-rich cheap mechanical keyboard that comes with an anti-ghosting keys feature. It uses Outemu blue switches that promise a life cycle of 60 million clicks, at least.
Using it in wired mode offers the best experience as the wireless mode can induce an input lag sometimes. The mechanical keyboard comes with customizable RGB lighting effects and 15 levels of brightness adjustment via the control dial.
Verdict:
Cosmic Byte CB-GK-14 Sirius is a stellar choice if you are looking for cheap mechanical keyboards offerings. It offers dual connectivity modes along with actual mechanical switches that register a keypress every single time. You can even connect with 3 devices which is great for a mechanical keyboard at economical pricing.
“Cosmic Byte CB-GK-14 Sirius is the best compact mechanical keyboard offered at a nominal price.”
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- Game modes with macros
- Dual dials for better music and lighting control
- No dedicated software
- Cheap construction quality
Redgear Shadow Blade – Gaming mechanical keyboards
Redgear Shadow Blade is a non-ignorable option if you want the best cheap mechanical keyboards in India with a complete deck and stellar mechanical keyboard experience.
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Specifications:
| Wired/ Wireless | Wired |
| Switches | Clicky Blue Switches |
| LED Backlit | Yes |
| Num Pad | Yes |
Build and Design:
Redgear Shadow Blade is all about comfort. It has a complete keyboard layout with all the keys that you need in addition to a few extra ones as well. It has floating keycaps that off a comfortable and smooth typing experience minus the uncomfortable wobble.
Redgear Shadow Blade comes with a media control dial, a keycap removing tool, and a detachable wrist rest that can reduce the strain. It weighs slightly more than the Cosmic Byte mechanical keyboard in our list but is worth the upgrade.
Performance:
Redgear Shadow Blade is a wired USB keyboard that comes with Clicky Blue switches and a windows key lock function. You can play games, type long documents without feeling exasperated by the clicky sounds. The mechanical keyboard has a 22 spectrum LED mode that allows you to cycle between different backlit options.
There is also an option to illuminate only your preferred keys which is a lifesaver in dark lighting conditions.
Verdict:
Redgear Shadow Blade is a great full deck mechanical keyboard alternative to the Cosmic Byte mechanical keyboard. It has adjustable lighting effects and is pretty responsive in registering clicks. The only letdown is the lack of a left function key and the subpar quality wrist rest that keeps on detaching.
“Redgear Shadow Blade is a great full deck mechanical keyboard with an aggressive budget pricing.”
- Durable construction
- RGB backlit with custom light profiles
- No left function key
- Average quality wrist rest
Circle Gaming Squadron-M – Split mechanical keyboards
Circle Gaming Squadron-M is a lesser-known brand among cheap mechanical keyboards that offers a compact key layout and the best features for a budget mechanical keyboard.
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Specifications:
| Wired/ Wireless | Wired |
| Switches | Kailh LH Blue Switches |
| LED Backlit | Yes |
| Num Pad | Yes |
Build and Design:
Circle Gaming Squadron-M comes with a weight of 1 kilogram which is portable but not to the extent that you would carry it in the backpack. It is wired only, unlike the Cosmic Byte mechanical keyboard, and can be used via a USB connection cable.
The Circle Gaming Squadron-M has a solid aluminum panel capable of handling hard keystrokes and occasional disgruntled banging. It has hot-swappable keys so you can change the keycaps if you don’t like the ones offered by the brand.
Performance:
Circle Gaming Squadron-M uses Kailh LH Blue switches that are okay if not the greatest out there. The mechanical keyboard uses double injection color keycaps and also supports an anti-ghosting mechanism.
Apart from the stellar typing experience, the Circle Gaming Squadron-M comes with a dedicated windows lock key and 6 types of lighting. It has onboard storage so your color profiles are stored on the keyboard.
Verdict:
Circle Gaming Squadron-M is definitely a premium design mechanical keyboard that will serve its purpose for years to come. It lacks the media control buttons, wrist rest, and fancy RGB lighting modes. If you fancy these features, then these cheap mechanical keyboards by Circle Gaming might not be for you.
“Circle Gaming Squadron-M is a sturdy mechanical keyboard.”
- Compact and sturdy design
- Onboard storage
- No dedicated software support
- Slightly heavy
Gigabyte GK-Force K83 – Best mechanical keyboard mac
Gigabyte GK-Force K83 may not be a glowing RGB-laden offering but bears the most reliable switches that make it one of the best cheap mechanical keyboards that you can buy.
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Specifications:
| Wired/ Wireless | Wired |
| Switches | Cherry MX Blue Switches |
| LED Backlit | No |
| Num Pad | Yes |
Build and Design:
Gigabyte GK-Force K83 is an elaborate key layout without any extra media buttons on macro keys at your disposal. It is USB powered and weighs around a kilogram, which is not too heavy for a desk setup. The mechanical keyboard lacks a wrist rest which is not expected from a superior brand like Gigabyte.
Gigabyte GK-Force K83 has non-slip rubber foot stands that help it maintain traction on the desk. A desk pad is advised if you don’t want your keyboard slipping with each keystroke.
Performance:
Gigabyte GK-Force K83 uses original Cherry MX Blue switches and not any of the Chinese knock-offs that are increasingly used by many brands. The keyboard has dual purpose function keys with windows lock functionality that can prevent accidentally switching out of games and programs.
The keyboard lacks any kind of RGB or even single color lighting and isn’t meant for users that love to tweak color combinations in their mechanical keyboard.
Verdict:
Gigabyte GK-Force K83 is a bull in terms of design and usability. It uses quality Cherry MX Blue switches that will last quite along. It is a no-nonsense keyboard but lacks a few basic features like macro key mapping and dedicated wrist rest, both of which could increase its usability.
“Gigabyte GK-Force K83 is a great option for cheap mechanical keyboards.”
- Strong and heavy keyboard
- Anti-ghosting keys
- No backlighting effects
- Slightly difficult key travel for new users
Zebronics Max Plus – Best mechanical keyboard for typing
Zebronics Max Plus bears a similar design to the Gigabyte mechanical keyboard with the only visible difference in the backlight effect. Still, it is one of the best cheap mechanical keyboards that you can grab now.
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Specifications:
| Wired/ Wireless | Wired |
| Switches | Unknown |
| LED Backlit | Yes |
| Num Pad | Yes |
Build and Design:
Zebronics Max Plus is a full-size keyboard and 115 keys including dedicated 11 media keys. Plus the keyboard has a distinct flattened look that is sleek unlike the bland design of many cheap mechanical keyboards.
Zebronics Max Plus is heavy due to the metal plate underneath and isn’t portable by any means. It does come with a good quality braided cable with a USB connector at one end. No wrist rest is included with the keyboard.
Performance:
Zebronics Max Plus certainly performs well due to the inclusion of double injection keycaps that induce a more quiet key travel. It also is designed to survive longer than basic mechanical switches.
Zebronics Max Plus comes with 7 light modes and supports brightness change up to five levels. No dedicated software support is included with the keyboard.
Verdict:
Zebronics Max Plus manages to pack a lot of features into this cheap mechanical keyboard. With double injection keycaps, decent mechanical switches, and RGB lighting effects, you cannot get a better deal on an affordable mechanical keyboard.
“Zebronics Max Plus is the ultimate budget contender.”
- 116 key layout
- Double injection keycaps
- Heavy
- Plasticky feel
Redragon Kumara K552 – Best Mechanical Keyboard Cheap
Redragon Kumara K552 is a tad bit costly but I would justify the bump in the cost with the comfort that comes with the mechanical keyboard. It is a matte black design and one of the subtle yet cheap mechanical keyboards in India.
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Specifications:
| Wired/ Wireless | Wired |
| Switches | Outemu Switches |
| LED Backlit | Yes |
| Num Pad | No |
Build and Design:
Redragon Kumara K552 is composed of plastic with a metal plate underneath to provide a more rigid base. The keyboard sheds the numeric keypad for uniform size and a compact build, so your decision rests on the need for a separate numeric keypad.
The material used for keycaps is ABS plastic which is the bare minimum for keycaps. Redragon Kumara K552 uses Outemu Red key switch that claims to be comparable to the Cherry Red MX. The keyboard is very light and weighs just 875 grams, making it easy to carry.
Performance:
Redragon Kumara K552 swaps the Outemu switch for the Cherry Red MX and the difference is slightly noticeable. Rest assured, gaming or typing on the keyboard is a great experience. It has anti-ghosting technology so you do not have to be concerned about an unregistered keystroke.
There are only 87 keys to work with so you have to get your priorities right before buying this keyboard. It has rainbow backlighting with numerous modes to satisfy your needs.
Verdict:
Redragon Kumara K552 does a fantastic job for a semi economical mechanical keyboard that has a satisfying keystroke and a metal plate to hold it in place. The RGB effects are great but can be only cycled using a combination of keys that I find a little troublesome. Also, there is no software counterpart that successfully installs on your system so it needs a fix in that department to transcend other best cheap mechanical keyboards in India.
“Redragon Kumara K552 is a compact mechanical keyboard without a number pad.”
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- Great actuation force
- Spill-proof design
- Bad software support
- Some RGB effects are overdone
Ant eSports MK3400 V2 – Best Cheap Mechanical Keyboards
Ant eSports MK3400 V2 is another one of the cheap mechanical keyboards in India dedicated to avid gamers and typing enthusiasts.
Specifications:
| Wired/ Wireless | Wired |
| Switches | Unknown Switches |
| LED Backlit | Yes |
| Num Pad | Yes |
Build and Design:
The Ant eSports MK3400 V2 is a plastic build with an aluminum plate beneath holding all of the contents in place. There is an added palm rest to make your keyboard experience more convenient.
The keyboard uses a full-fledged 108 key layout with 12 separate buttons for multimedia control. The keyboard is contoured to provide a seamless key access experience. Its keycaps do not wobble and with the two rubberized feet, the chances of slipping are reduced to a minimum.
Performance:
Ant eSports MK3400 V2 uses the Chinese counterpart of the Cherry Blue MX switches with no mention of the switch manufacturers. The feedback and click sounds are as satisfying as they can get for a mechanical keyboard in this price range. The keyboard has RGB backlit deck that can be transitioned using the key combination mentioned by the brand.
Ant eSports MK3400 V2 provides non-conflict keys which is a fancy way of saying that each and every click will generate a response no matter how many keys are pressed at once. The palm rest is a nice touch as it didn’t feel troublesome for my wrists at all.
Verdict:
Ant eSports MK3400 V2 is the World of warships edition that pays homage to the naval game. It has good switches deserving eno6tibbe called mechanical ones and has RGB lighting effects for those gamers that live and breathe RGB. However, one thing that is missing is the software support for RGB profiles. Ant eSports should look into it because RGB customization is an impending issue for many users and is the reason for ranking it low in the list of the cheap mechanical keyboards in India.
“Ant eSports MK3400 V2 is a full-deck keyboard with 12 media buttons.”
- 12 dedicated media buttons
- Palm rest
- Inconsistent key print
- No software support
Final Words
Cosmic Byte and Gigabyte are two reliable cheap mechanical keyboards that I would personally recommend to anyone who is upgrading from a membrane keyboard. The next cheaper option would be the keyboards from Zebronics and Ant eSports.
General FAQ
What is the best cheap mechanical keyboard?
Cosmic Byte offers many best cheap mechanical keyboards.
Is Cherry MX Brown loud?
Yes. They can sound loud if you are using a mechanical keyboard for the first time.
Are mechanical keyboards worth it?
Yes. They offer a greater tactile response and last longer than membrane keyboards.
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