Cheap Mechanical Keyboards (and More)

This is genuine Cherry MX RGB switches, 6 macro keys, multimedia buttons, available in Belu,e Brown, or Red switches. Apparently, there's a coupon for the MX Brown version so it can go BELOW $100.

Seems Amazon just got a new stock of KUL ES-87, making it the most affordable and available keyboard on Amazon with MX Clears! And it's not even on sale! No telling how long this price will last. If you always wanted a MX Clear keyboard, and did not want to order a Ganss from China, this may be your best option yet.

No idea how long these discounts last (it was spotted 11/11/2017), so if you want one, better pounce on it early. They are Cherry-RGB by the makers of Poker keyboards. These are the premium keyboards and usually, go for $130 or so each.

G.Skill RIPJAW KM570 RGB G.Skill RIPJAWS KM570 RGB is a 108 key full-size mechanical keyboard featured genuine Cherry RGB switches as well as dedicated 4 buttons for volume control and macro recording. It is also fully RGB. It is quite competitive price-wise to the closest equivalent: Corsair Strafe RGB being about 10% cheaper, while offering standard bottom row. Before You Buy  Known Variants  There is a red backlight only version as well. Semi-related to the much gaudier KM780/KM780R series. Review Links Coming soon Purchase Links  CMKBS may receive a commission Please note that Amazon may not always provide the lowest prices. Always shop around.

G.Skill KM570 RGB with Cherry Red switch is $85 at Newegg , which is $15 BELOW that of Amazon.

Q: You've covered cheap keyboards that use MX-compatible switches. But what is the CHEAPEST keyboard with genuine Cherry MX switches ?  A: Turtle Beach Impact 500 is the cheapest TKL around with genuine Cherry MX Blue switches... or cheapest ANY keyboard with genuine Cherry. The "catch" is this keyboard only has 6KRO. But for this low price, would you care? Q: Okay, how about a mechanical keyboard with genuine Cherry MX switches but also RGB? A: Ah, that would be the G.Skill KM570 and KM570RGB.

Royal Kludge RK-61 (sometimes sold as Lindon-Tech) Royal Kludge RK-61 dual-mode keyboard is a 60% keyboard that can work in both USB wired and Bluetooth 3.0 mode. This is actually V2.0 of the keyboard, where four keys in the lower right can work as arrow keys. The V1.0 lacks this feature. You can tell if the keyboard is V2.0 by checking if the keycaps have arrow symbols, and the FN key is way to the right. Its Bluetooth is 3.0, not the latest, but perfectly adequate for normal use. Before You Buy Bluetooth 3.0 only, there is an older V1.0 out there with no arrow key function. Known Variants Available in black or white, and there are both Kailh/Longhua and Cherry editions of this keyboard. Review Links Coming soon Purchase Links CMKBS may receive a commission RK-61 Cherry / Longhua on Aliexpress   (International)

Drevo Excalibur White (Gateron) Drevo Excalibur is an upgraded version of Drevo Gramr , featuring floating key design, metal case, and either Gateron switches (white edition) or Cherry switches (black edition). Before You Buy The 75% layout in general requires several odd size keys. If you plan to swap keycaps, you may want to consider either something smaller or bigger. Known Variants There are two major versions: white (with Gateron switches) and black (with Cherry switches). If these are too expensive, consider the more plebian cousin, Drevo Gramr . Review Links Coming soon Purchase Links CMKBS may receive a commission

Noppoo Choc Mini Noppoo Choc Mini was not the first to launch a product with the 75% format (that would be KBT Race) but it had the Noppoo Choc Mini on the market for a long time and almost dominated the segment until other manufacturers came along. Now they are extremely rare. Before You Buy The default keycaps have both front and top legends, and 75% in general requires several odd size keys. If you plan to swap keycaps, you may want to consider either something smaller or bigger. Known Variants There was an RGB version, but it doesn't seem to be made any more. Keys are either white PBT or black POM. Review Links Coming soon Purchase Links CMKBS may receive a commission Newegg Link for Noppoo Choc Mini 84s (Gateron) and Mini 84 (Cherry) Also See Other 75% keyboards

Ganss GS-87, old logo Ganss is a premium brand in China that only uses Cherry switches in its keyboards, unlike many others that have started using Chinese clones. GS is the full-size version, while GS-87 is the TKL version. It has the honor of being the cheapest keyboard available with Cherry MX Clears, right about $90-100 for GS-87 from Aliexpress. Before You Buy Nothing at this time Known Variants Full-size version is called simply "Ganss GS", available in black or white. GS-87 is available in white or black. There's a version with RGB underlights called GS-87 Pro, that's technically a very different model with a different PCB. Review Links Coming soon Purchase Links  CMKBS may receive a commission Aliexpress Link to Ganss GS-87 w/ MX Clears  (and other switches) -- International ArmYourDesk link to Ganss GS-87 -- International

Rantopad MXX Chroma / Gateron Brown Rantopad MXX is an aluminum framed floating key keyboard with Gateron switches and a definite bargain at under $50 USD.  If you are a Cherry MX diehard they can sell you a Cherry version as well but it'd cost a little more. They also have an RGB "Chroma" version available. Before You Buy Coming soon Known Variants Keyboard is available with white backlight in variety of colors, and either Gateron or Cherry switches.  RGB/Gateron version is also available. Review Links Coming Soon Purchase Links CMKBS may receive a commission

Cooler Master Masterkey L (with PBT Keys) Cooler Master Masterkey L PBT is the next evolution from its QuickFire XT. In fact, it's called QuickFire XT II in China.  It still has the Cherry switches (red, brown, blue, silver, green), but also has 1.5mm thick PBT keys. It has DVORAK and WORKMAN built into the keyboard in addition to the standard QWERTY. It also has instant macros and four profiles to be stored onboard.  The cable is detachable with MicroUSB . It also comes with some red color keys for gamers to replace WASD and QER. Masterkey S PBT is the TKL version of the same keyboard. Before You Buy  This version has no backlight. If you want the backlit version, you need Masterkey Pro L White or Masterkey Pro L RGB. Known Variants  Masterkey S, the TKL version vs Masterkey L, the full size version Masterkey Pro series, White and RGB versions, in S, M, or L sizes. Review Links  Kotaku Review of Masterkeys L PBT Deskthority review o...

Ducky One, Blue Backlight Ducky One is the mainstream product line of Ducky. It has relatively minimal bezels, detachable microUSB cable, ABS doubleshot keycaps, Cherry switches , and dual layer PCB design. It has available with almost any Cherry switch available, but obviously the more exotic ones may not be available locally to you. It is also available with new PBT keycaps launched in 2017 Before You Buy  You may want to look for the 2017 "PBT keycaps" version. Also, there's a newer model, called " Ducky One 2 " which is a second generation Ducky One, though the original model will stay in production. Ducky keycaps come in all sorts of versions: ABS Doubleshot, PBT Pad Print, PBT Dye Sub, and different color combinations rather than plain white or black or such. Most models are just over $100, though one or two models may be just under $100. Known Variants  Ducky One Ducky One TKL Ducky One White Case Ducky One Translucent Pink ...