When you’re streaming, either on Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, whatever platform, you don’t want your audience to question your keyboard choices when they hear the keys clack away every time something really exciting happens in-game. Or when you’re typing in the chat, it’s really annoying to have to sit through loud clicks.
This list of the best mechanical keyboards for streaming will have many keyboard choices that vary in size, features, and switch options. However, all of them were handpicked with the thought of being audience-friendly in mind. Alongside this, they are also great mechanical keyboards for gaming.
Our Top 3 Picks for Best Mechanical Keyboards for Streaming
Ducky One 2 Mini – The ‘Ole Faithful For Everything
The Ducky One 2 Mini is a timeless classic, from the year 2017. It remains of the most popular compact mechanical keyboards of all time though.
The One 2 Mini is a 60% mechanical keyboard that comes with a variety of Cherry MX switches to pick from, doubleshot PBT keycaps with RGB shinethrough, a custom spacebar, some different colored keycaps for the modifiers, and really strong firmware.
With the firmware, you can do everything from recording macros, per-key RGB editing, and remapping keys all within the keyboard itself. Unfortunately, though, there is no software, which means you actually have to learn how to use the firmware and key combinations.
Alongside this, the Ducky One 2 Mini isn’t compatible with Mac at all. Alert, it will not work if you plug it into a Mac.
The Ducky compact keyboard comes in many different colorways, but it is well known for its black top and white bottom casing. The overall look is unique and different than other keyboards.
It also has a ergonomic design, being very low in the front. You definitely do not need a wrist rest for this one.
Although the One 2 Mini doesn’t have a ton of impressive features, it is a reliable mechanical keyboard that you know will work greatly.
The detachable USB-C cable goes into the top left of the board, which is a very convenient location and standard among most keyboards.
The keyboard is available in the following switch options: Cherry MX black, brown, blue, silver, red, and silent red and Kailh BOX white, speed copper, and speed pro burgundy.
On the back of the keyboard are four DIP switches to alternate the locations of certain modifiers such as Ctrl and Alt.
Through the secondary layers on the Ducky One 2 Mini, you can also move the mouse using the keyboard along. This is a really cool feature if you’re trying to do all of your work or gaming with keyboard only. It probably can get confusing though.
I wish this keyboard had Bluetooth features so it can be used as a controller for a laptop connected to a TV or something similar.
It also has two dual-angle adjustable kickstands on the back with four rubber feet as well.
When buying a Ducky One 2 Mini for streaming, I would recommend the silent red switches because those will make the least noise when in use. Although some people complain that Silent Reds feel slightly mushy at the bottom out due to the rubber sound dampeners, the sound that it makes is worth it.
If you’re focused on satisfying your audience, silent reds are the way to go. If not, then any linear or tactile switch will do great. Just don’t get Kailh BOX White or Cherry MX Blue.
You really can’t go wrong with a Ducky One 2 Mini. You can find it here on Amazon for an affordable price.
Steelseries Apex Pro TKL – OLED Screen and Responsive Switches
The Steelseries Apex Pro TKL may be on the more expensive side, but if offers a bunch of features that other mechanical keyboards don’t have.
One of the coolest distinguishing factors about this keyboard is that it has Omnipoint mechanical switches that allow you to use their software to change the actuation distance for each key individually.
It’s useful when you use the keyboard for multiple activities, such as gaming, streaming, and typing. For gaming, you can set the actuation point to be very low. For typing, you may want to increase it to avoid typos.
Alongside this, the Apex Pro TKL also features an OLED display on the top right hand side of the keyboard, replacing the area for Scroll Lock, Pause, and Print Screen.
The OLED screen can sync and display notifications for different games and apps such as Discord and CS:GO. It also lets you program the RGB lighting effects and edit it on the fly without software.
The OLED screen also allows macro recording as well. It has a dedicated volume scroll wheel along with pause/play buttons. Using different combinations, the button near the screen can be used to do many different media functions.
The Omnipoint switches are extremely smooth. They are not loud, but the bottom out sounds can still be heard if the microphone is very sensitive.
Alongside this, the keyboard is a little bit bulky. It needs two USB ports on the computer because it does feature USB passthrough. This is great if you’re connecting a controller, phone, microphone, headset, etc. to the board.
The TKL format is more compact, and you have more room to move your arm and mouse more.
The keycaps are ABS plastic with large legends, but they try to be more oil-resistant than just random ABS caps from cheaper brands. The fonts are big and you can see the RGB shine through nicely.
It does have a floating keycap design, the switches are visible below the caps.
Overall, this keyboard may be expensive and outside your budget. For those of you who do have the budget, this keyboard has really cool features, especially for gaming. The dedicated volume controls let you change your volume on the fly without going into the menus.
Alongside that, the Omnipoint switches are extremely fast and can make a huge difference when going up against enemies in an PVP situation or in FPS games.
Keychron K6 – Hotswappable and Compact
The Keychron K6 is an extremely affordable mechanical keyboard. It’s a good middle ground between a compact 60% layout and a tenkeyless (TKL) layout. The Keychron K6 is a 65% mechanical keyboard with Bluetooth, Mac compatibility, hot-swappable switches, RGB effects, and more.
A 65% layout has dedicated arrow keys and some navigational keys as well. It does not have the function row, but this can be accessed through holding FN and pressing one of the number keys on the top row.
A 65% layout allows a lot more room for your arm to move. It also looks extremely clean on your desk.
The K6 is great for streaming because it is readily available to be modded through lubing the switches, clipping and lubing the stabilizers, adding foam in the case, and more. In addition, you can change the switches out to whatever you want. That means switching to more quiet switches if you want to.
The Keychron K6 is also Bluetooth compatible up to 3 devices. It can interchange between them simply with key combinations. This isn’t entirely super useful while streaming. Of course, when playing games you want to be plugged in to reduce latency and lag.
The keyboard is compatible with Mac and Windows. If you’re streaming, most likely you’ll be using Windows. It uses a toggle switch on the side to switch between operating systems. It’s definitely easy!
The hot-swappable sockets are 5-pin, meaning it’s super easy to find compatible switches because they’re all compatible. No need to clip any legs off of your switches.
The K6 does not disappoint in any category. If you’re looking for a compact mechanical keyboard but you’re not ready to give up the arrow keys, I highly recommend you check this one out! It’s beautiful with the aluminum bezels and RGB lighting.
The Competition
Durgod Taurus K320 TKL – Simple Yet Clean
The Durgod Taurus K320 is a classic keyboard that we absolutely love. It is a simple and no frills tenkeyless mechanical keyboard.
Although it looks boring without any RGB lighting and whatever, Durgod does their job well when it comes to the basics.
The stabilizers on this keyboard are fantastic! No rattle, no shaking, no extra sounds at all. Also, the switches don’t have any spring ping or additional noises.
The case holds in the sounds nicely, and the bezel design looks really clean.
Alongside this, the Durgod comes with Cherry profile doubleshot PBT keycaps, so the legends will never fade no matter how long and often you use them. Cherry profile keycaps are extremely comfortable and are lower than most stock OEM keycaps that you may be using already.
Inside the box, Durgod gives you two USB-C cables. One is a USB-C to USB-C cable and the other is a USB-C to USB-A cable. They pretty much think of everything.
The Durgod K320 comes in different colors as well: dark and light grey OR white and light grey. Both are simple and professional looking. Perfect for the office, but perfect for streaming at home too.
Your audience will be fascinated to see such a sleek design on your desk. When streaming, we recommend getting Silent Reds switches to reduce as much noise as possible. If you don’t like the mushy feeling of silent switches, then we recommend getting a tactile or linear switch such as MX brown, red, black, clear, etc.
The reason that this keyboard isn’t in our top 3 is because it’s not “bright and flashy” enough. The features on it are simply yet delightful to type and game on. It’s a very well made keyboard that you expect to last.
HyperX Alloy Origins Core – Extremely Smooth Switches
The HyperX Alloy Origins Core is an extremely smooth and good-looking tenkeyless mechanical keyboard that sits under $100. It’s fairly priced and performs very well.
This keyboard has two different switch options: red and aqua. Red is the classic linear switch, but HyperX sure makes some smooth switches. The bottom out feeling is divine.
The aqua switch is a tactile switch. It’s similar to Cherry MX Browns, but its tactile bump is even less than browns. If you’re looking for a small tactile bump to decrease typos, then it’s not a bad option.
The HyperX Alloy Origins Core is impressive in the way that it has a fully aluminum case made of aircraft-grade black aluminum. It looks beautiful. The keycaps are floating style, so the switches are visible from underneath.
The keyboard has a detachable USB-C cable and the port sits on the far right side on the back away from you. It’s not the most convenient location, personally, but for some it may be the ideal location.
The keycaps are made of ABS plastic and definitely accumulate shine quickly. After a few hours, it already has fingerprints on the most used keys. The keyboard is tenkeyless, so it’s super easy to replace the keycaps though.
For streaming, both switches won’t make too much noise, but they’ll definitely be audible on the stream, primarily from the bottom out sounds. To reduce additional sound on these keyboards, O-rings can really help.
However, O-rings cause the bottom out feeling to become quite mushy and unsatisfying. If you’re okay with that, then by all means, consider it as a viable option. If not, then you must come to accept that mechanical keyboards make noise when they bottom out.
Definitely check this out if your budget is under $100 because this keyboard is really good. Great build, great smooth linear switches, detachable braided cable, all that jazz.
Logitech G915 TKL – Lightning Fast Wireless Low Profile Mechanical Keyboard
The Logitech G915 TKL is another pricey keyboard, sitting at over $200. It is pretty much the only one of its kind, without any other keyboard in the market being able to offer all of the features that the G915 TKL offers.
The Logitech G915 TKL is a low-profile mechanical keyboard. This means that the height of each switch is lower and actuates faster than regular mechanical switches. Alongside this, it’s more comfortable because you don’t have to do as much wrist flexion to type and game on it.
It also has Bluetooth capabilities and 2.4Ghz as well. With the Logitech Lightspeed wireless technology, using wireless to game on this board is actually viable. The latency is very very low compared to other boards that boast wireless connectivity.
It also has dedicated volume controls with a scroll wheel and media buttons on its forehead.
Alongside this, the keyboard is made entirely of aluminum and looks extremely clean. The keyboard also has RGB lighting which can be further edited and modified through their software, the Logitech G Hub.
The keyboard is available in black and white colorways. The keycaps are made of ABS plastic and are extremely low profile.
Logitech boasts that the battery will last up to 40 hours with 100% brightness. If you decrease the brightness, you can expect a longer battery life. The switches are tactile with a nice bump to feel where it actuates.
Also, the keyboard can hold up to 3 macro profiles and 2 lighting profiles.
A downside is that the keyboard uses Micro-USB rather than USB-C. It’s rather disappointing to see that in such a modern day keyboard.
The people who have used this keyboard extensively absolutely love it. Compared to its full-sized counterpart, the TKL version allows much more room for your mouse arm to move, thus improving your performance in-game.
With the macros and additional room on your desk, you’re free to have accessories such as a GoXLR or Elgato Streamdeck as part of your setup as well.
Redragon Draconic K530 – Budget Friendly 60% Hot-Swappable Mechanical Keyboard
The Redragon Draconic K530 is a budget-friendly option for those wanting a 60% mechanical keyboard. It’s under $100 and is impressive for what it is.
Redragon is a company known for their budget keyboards, but the Redragon Draconic K530 exudes more quality than cheapness. This is their first 60% mechanical keyboard.
It’s available in black or white with Redragon brown switches (although I think they’re rebranded Oetemu switches). The tactile bump of these Redragon switches are superb and much better than MX or Gateron browns. There’s an actual bump that you can feel while typing and gaming.
Alongside this, Redragon really upped the quality of their stabilizers this time. There is no rattle or extra noise anywhere. They feel stable and are consistent throughout the keys.
The white looks super clean! Also, the Redragon K530 has Bluetooth 5.0, allowing you to connect between three different devices.
The USB-C port is on the left hand side of the board, I suppose they meant it to be used as a charging port. However, when gaming, it’s much better to just plug your keyboard into your PC and play that way.
The keyboard has two single angle adjustable kickstands on the back. But it already sits at a nice incline, so no complaints there. Honestly, Redragon really impressed us with this one. The Redragon brown switches are definitely not the most quiet, but they’re not as loud as clicky switches either.
Epomaker EP84 – Compact 75% with a Function Row and Hot-Swappable
The Epomaker EP84 is a new up-and-coming 75% mechanical keyboard by Epomaker. It is one of the more unique layouts on this list, as you do get a dedicated function row, arrow keys, and some navigational keys as well. It has similar functionality to a TKL layout, but it’s compact and saves you a lot more space.
The EP84 also comes with two-toned doubleshot PBT keycaps with RGB shinethrough. It’s available in black (which is dark grey and light grey) and white (which is white and light grey).
Alongside this, the EP84 also comes with your choice of Gateron mechanical switches: black, brown, blue, and red. The PCB is hot-swappable, so you are not limited to these switches.
It’s easy to switch out to any other mechanical switch since it does have 5-pin hot-swappable sockets. This makes it really easy, just pull the old switches out and push the new ones back in.
If you want a really quiet keyboard, it’s recommended to get switches such as Zilents, Gateron Silent Reds or Silent Browns, Kailh BOX Silent Reds or BOX Silent Browns, Aliaz, and more. Any switch that has the word “silent” in its name or description is fitting for any stream.
The EP84 also comes with a detachable USB-C cable, but the cable routing on the back doesn’t fit with all custom cables because the channels are so narrow.
This mechanical keyboard is very affordable and makes a great companion to a wonderful stream. It’s very modifiable with its hot-swappable switches, allowing you to mod the stabilizers, lube the switches, place in foam, etc.
HK Gaming GK61 – Best Budget Mechanical Keyboard for Streaming and Gaming
The HK Gaming GK61 is a very affordable mechanical keyboard. It is the most budget-friendly on this list.
However, it does come with optical switches. They are hot-swappable but only with other optical switches. And your options are pretty limited.
But for streaming, this mechanical keyboard is very quick to respond. It is a 60% layout with secondary layers for the media keys, nav keys, and arrow keys. It also has a detachable USB-C port.
Some downsides include that the stabilizers are loud (they are modifiable) and the keycaps are ABS plastic.
Doing some simple modifications to this board can greatly improve its performance. Check out this video on modding the SK61 for ideas on the different things you can do to improve its sound and feel. Despite it being a different keyboard, the general premise is the same.
If this is your first mechanical keyboard or an upgrade to your last one, you won’t regret it. It’s really great to do different mods to your keyboard to improve it. And you’ll come out knowing that you did that and no one else.
What To Look for When Buying a Mechanical Keyboard For Streaming
When buying a keyboard just for streaming, there are many factors to look at. These include the following:
- Quiet Switch Options – Quiet switch options include switches with “silent” in their name such as Silent Reds or Silent Browns from different switch manufacturers. Alongside this, tactile switches can also be sound dampened using O-rings. However, that will change the bottom out feel. I prefer a silent switch such as Aliaz, Zilents, or Silent Red if you want to go down that route.
- Macro Recording – Having the ability to record macros helps immensely with ease of access. Especially if you’re going to specific websites, have canned responses, or just want to type bot commands in your chatbox quickly. This will save time and typing on your part.
- Programmability – Programmability refers to having the option to remap you keys. If you find yourself not using certain keys on the board, changing those keys to be macro keys or function as something else is super convenient. If you’re using a compact layout, this is a must-have!
- Compact Size – Smaller keyboards are preferred for streaming because you already have other accessories on your desk such as your Elgato Stream Deck or your GoXLR, microphones, headsets, macropads, etc. Having a smaller layout such as TKL and smaller will reduce the space the keyboard takes up. This also allows you more room to move your arm around, and thus improve your performance in game too.
- Customizability – Customizability refers to how easy it is to mod your keyboard. A hot-swappable mechanical keyboard is preferred for this reason. You can change out the switches if you decide you don’t like the ones you are currently using without desoldering and soldering again. It also lets you lube and clip the stabilizers. A band-aid mod may be in your future as well if your spacebar is too loud.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when streaming, it’s wise to look for a silent mechanical keyboard or a board with hot-swappability to allow you to switch to a more silent switch. It isn’t cool to be streaming and all your audience hears are the loud clicks of your blue switches.
Alongside this, a compact layout is more useful to you as well unless you absolutely need the number pad to function. Having a compact layout will help you make space for all the other streaming accessories. It’ll also allow more room for your mouse to move.
Depending on what you need, nay of the keyboards in the Top 3 Picks for Mechanical Keyboards for Streaming are great to check out and read more in-depth reviews on before making a purchase.
Make your audience happy!