Best Keyboards for Streaming Games
Love it or hate it, streamers always love to show off their keyboards. From Tfue’s $3500 custom luxury mechanical keyboard to a limited-edition Shroud Logitech G Pro Series, keyboards have certainly become a big part of the industry. To add to this, YouTubers like Tae Keyboards and Taeha Types have only popularized this trend even further. The Best Keyboards for Streaming Games are mechanical and sometimes hybrid. However, they will offer the best gaming performance
So, it’s no surprise that as a streamer, it’s very important for you to get the right keyboard for yourself. Whether you’re a newbie streamer and want an entry-level keyboard for your setup or you’re already at the top of your game and want the best of the best, I’ve got you covered on this list.
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Steel Series Apex Pro
SteelSeries Apex Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard – Adjustable Actuation Switches – World’s Fastest Mechanical Keyboard
First, we have the Steel Series Apex Pro. If you are familiar with Steel Series you already know a few of the core aspects of the keyboard you’ll be getting. High quality, sturdy, a little heavy but the weight feels good and reliable. The Apex Pro is no different. You are getting a very good keyboard. It’s especially good for streaming because of its quality as a gaming keyboard but also it’s customizability. Custom actuation points, quiet magnetic switches, and programmable macros all contribute to an excellent product for streaming.
Features
The Steel Series Apex Pro has so many great features, here are just the most notable:
Aluminum frame.
Custom Actuation points.
Quiet Magnetic Switches.
RGB backlight.
OLED display.
Comfortable to use – wrist rest.
Good feedback.
Programmable functions.
Final Thoughts
I think this is a great keyboard. Streaming aside it’s perfect for gaming, but when you consider the specifics of streaming you can actually see even more great benefits from using this keyboard. Its backlight is adaptable meaning you can dim it while streaming, it’s function keys allow you to quickly navigate your computer without endless clicking and scrolling, it looks good and it’s very quiet meaning you aren’t going to irritate your viewers. The downside? It’s going to be about $200+. If you are just starting out at streaming then this perhaps isn’t affordable for you. If you’d like to learn more or read more reviews, check it out on Amazon.
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Razer Huntsman Elite
Razer Huntsman Elite Gaming Keyboard
The Razer Huntsman is one of my personal favorites, I think it’s perhaps one of the best gaming keyboards available and will always suggest it to anyone who’s looking for the best of the best. Once again, you’ll find the Huntsman Elite ticks almost all the boxes. For streaming, you want quiet and you want speed. The Huntsman is both of these things. It’s highly accurate and adaptable actuation that makes use of very clever sensor switches means you will have far more responsiveness than pretty much any other keyboard on the market. It gives good feedback when typing, or gaming, and is very comfortable to use.
Features
The Razer Huntsman Elite has lots of great features going for it, here are just a few of the most interesting ones:
Very fast key actuation.
Tactile Feedback.
Optical sensors (switches).
RGB Backlight.
Comfortable wrist rest.
Programmable keys.
Final Thoughts
The Razer Huntsman Elite truly lives up to its name. It is elite. I think as a keyboard on its own it does a lot, it’s very powerful and offers plenty of customizations to you the user. That being said, it’s not perfect. It’s pretty expensive and not everyone likes the fast actuation. It can make typing feel weird at first, but you will quickly get used to it.
The gaming side of things is taken care of but for streaming, there is a glaring issue, at least in my opinion. That being that the backlight is very bright, it’s very glaring, and you will struggle to dim it enough. This isn’t a major issue depending on how you position the keyboard, yourself, and the camera.
Lastly, the Huntsman elite requires two USB cables because it simply can’t get enough power otherwise. This isn’t a huge problem, if anything it demonstrates just how powerful this keyboard is, but it is something you should be aware of. If you’d like to learn more or read more reviews, check it out on Amazon.
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Corsair K95 RGB Platinum
Next up we have the Corsair K95 RGB Platinum. Once again we have a keyboard that was designed to be gaming focussed. The K95 comes fitted with an awesome RGB backlight that just screams typical gamer, but I love it. It’s great, it looks awesome and certainly fits the vibe the keyboard is trying to give off. The reason I think this keyboard deserves to be on this list is that it almost feels as if it was designed to be used for streaming.
It comes with easy to use media keys and programmable functions, you can use this keyboard for production purposes just as well as you can use it for gaming. The seamless transition between the two is precisely what we are looking for.
Features
The Corsair K95 has some awesome features that you should be aware of. They are as follows:
RGB backlight.
Wrist rest – ergonomics.
Media keys.
Programmable functions.
Beautiful aluminum frame.
8mb of storage for macros.
6 Fully customizable macro keys.
Final Thoughts
In case it wasn’t very obvious, I think the Corsair K95 is pretty great. What it does best is allow you to customize your keyboard to suit your needs as a streamer. What it does worst, is it gives you some tedious to use software. It is programmable but it’s not easy to do. You’ll get used to it but you shouldn’t have to. That’s very nitpicky but it’s important to assess all the downsides when we are spending this much money on something so important.
Many people also claim that the wrist rest gets pretty gross after a while, but I’ve not actually heard a report of that from anyone directly. If you’d like to learn more or read more reviews, check it out on Amazon.
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Corsair Strafe RGB MX
Corsair STRAFE RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
We have another Corsair here, this time we have the Strafe. It’s very similar to the K95 but leans a little more towards the gaming side of streaming rather than the production side. If you like what Corsair brings to the table but would prefer to focus on the gaming, this might be the keyboard for you. This keyboard is great for gaming because it not only looks and feels great but it runs smoothly. Everything from its programmable keys to its textures keycaps feels easy to use and is immediately comfortable. It’s highly responsive keys are what sets this keyboard apart from the rest of the pack.
Features
The Korsair Strafe RGB MX has many wonderful features, these are what I think are most important for you as a streamer:
Responsive keys.
Comfortable actuation point.
Pretty quiet Cherry Mx Red switches.
Textured keycaps.
Red backlight.
USB Passthrough for ease of use.
Programmable keys.
Final Thoughts
I think this keyboard does a lot of what you need and a little of what you might perhaps like. It’s good to use for gaming or the production side of things but strongly leans towards gaming. What I don’t like is that you can’t actually install Linux on here, which is fine, but if you are planning on running custom scripts you would probably want Linux. I also don’t like that there is no wrist rest as if you are streaming for long periods you may end up getting very sore. If you’d like to learn more or read more reviews, check it out on Amazon.
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Steel Series Apex M750~Best Keyboards for Streaming Games
SteelSeries Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard – Per-Key RGB Illumination – Aircraft Grade Aluminum Alloy Frame – OLED Smart Display (Hybrid Blue Switch)
The Steel Series Apex M750 is last on our list. But, it’s certainly not least. This keyboard makes use of some very clever linear actuation switches. This means they are highly responsive and pretty darn quiet. This is a newer Steel Series keyboard meaning you are going to be lucky enough to make use of their anti-ghosting technology as well as their very comfortable keycaps. This ensures high levels of accuracy which are of course important for gaming as well as maintaining a high-quality stream.
A built-in notification system has been designed to alert you to in-game messages, but, it can be repurposed to collaborate clearly with your twitch chat. Something that will allow you to interact personally with your viewers will certainly help grow your stream.
Features
The Steel Series Apex M750 has some pretty cool features that you should be aware of. Here are some of the most important ones:
Clever linear switches.
Notification systems.
Anti Ghosting tech.
Customizable key lighting.
More or less silent when typing.
Programmable keys.
Aluminum alloy frame.
Final Thoughts
Steel Series don’t miss when they make a keyboard. We aren’t just looking at what’s good for gaming, we are thinking about streaming. So, does the Apex M750 fit the bill? I think it does. The ability to reduce not only the volume of the keys but the brightness of the backlight means you have a very not intrusive keyboard for your stream. Its only downside is that I think it can be a little tricky to program. But, there are plenty of guides online and the keyboard community is there to help you out. If you’d like to learn more or read more reviews, check it out on Amazon.
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Before You Buy Best Keyboards for Streaming Games
Although most “gaming” keyboards are quite similar, as a streamer there are some special points you need to keep in mind to get the best one for yourself. For one, because the keyboard will be visible on the stream, it definitely needs to have the best RGB lighting and overall aesthetics. Plus, since most streamers are at their PCs for hours on end, ergonomics becomes a big consideration too. So, let’s discuss three features that make for an optimal streaming and gaming keyboard:
Wrist Rest
How a keyboard sounds is just as important as other factors like actuation point, especially when you’re a streamer. There’s simply no denying that mechanical switches sound way more satisfying than scissor or membrane keyboards. With that being said, all of the keyboards on this list are mechanical ones.
However, the fact is that the keys on these keyboards are always elevated compared to regular keyboards. So, your wrists tend to be at an upward angle and get stressed easily. If you’re going to be streaming for hours and hours, this can be a quick way to get carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis.
Fortunately, using a wrist rest can help you avoid this since it ensures that your wrists are level with the keyboard and don’t need to be slumped or raised. Of course, you can always get a third-party one but it’s better to buy a keyboard that has one included in the box.
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Programmable Macro Keys
When streaming live, there are multiple devices and software utilities that you need to control besides OBS and the game you’re playing. This can include RGB components, lighting, and PC cooling. For this purpose, programmable Macro keys can be indispensable.
If your keyboard has a few of them, you are able to assign a certain command to them (just like in a regular key, except they’re programmable) and trigger it with a tap whenever you need. With the right software, you can even set custom profiles for various games and applications. There are some keyboards that go above and beyond in this regard, like the SteelSeries Apex Pro, which comes with a built-in OLED screen. We’ll discuss more about this later on.
User-Friendly RGB Utility
As a streamer, RGB is of the top priority if you want to stand out and create a lively atmosphere for your viewers. If so, having a good RGB utility for your keyboard is a must. From a cool retrowave atmosphere to a vibrant rainbow mode, these offer plenty of options to elevate your setup.
Plus, they also allow you to connect your keyboard to other RGB components in your setup, like Nanoleaf panels. There are many great ones out there, like Razer Synapse and Corsair iCUE. We’ll discuss them further in each review. Besides this, there are also some general factors to consider like durability and aesthetics. If you buy a keyboard that comes with PBT keycaps, for example, it would feel more premium and last over the long term without developing a greasy shine. With that being said, let’s look at the top seven best ones you can buy for streaming in 2022…
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Final thoughts on Best Keyboards for Streaming Games
Hopefully, this has helped you find the right keyboard for not only you but your stream. Becoming a streamer is a dream job for many of us, if you are taking the plunge and giving it a real go you should be commended. Remember, a good keyboard won’t make a bad stream good. But, it could make a would-be good stream bad. I would recommend either the Corsair K95 or the Steel Series Apex Pro. It depends on how much you are willing to spend. Whatever you decide, good luck with your new keyboard and good luck with your stream!
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