Are you tired of your old keyboard that has a bunch of extra buttons that you don’t even use? TKL or “Tenkeyless” are a standard type of keyboard that lacks the number pad. These keyboards are more compact than full-sized ones and are excellent for gaming or for a home media PC.
Many eSports players and streamers prefer these keyboards as they have no use for the extra keys and want a keyboard with high-quality mechanical switches. We looked through many different TKL keyboards to come up with our top 10 list, and we are confident that all of these keyboards would make an excellent choice!
Most Important Thing to Consider When Choosing a TKL Keyboard.
One important thing to consider is the switch type of keyboard’s keys. Some of these keyboards come with sought after Cherry MX switches, which are very high-quality switches with a life span of up to 50 million keystrokes.
Common Cherry MX Switch Types:
- Red: Behavior – Linear, Feel – Light
- Black: Behavior – Linear, Feel – Heavy
- Blue: Behavior – Clicky, Feel – Heavy
- Brown: Behavior – Tactile, Feel – Medium
It’s important to note that all of the keyboards in this list come with high-quality switches, and many of them are made custom by Cherry for the keyboard manufacturer.
Top TKL Keyboards
#1 Logitech G Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Features
- Compact and Portable
- Durable Romer G Switches
- Detachable Micro USB Cable
I’ve long been a fan of Logitech’s products as they generally have precision products at a reasonable price. This keyboard was designed for eSports Athletes who are competing at a high level of competition and need a keyboard with keys that actuate very quickly and cleanly.
The keystroke signal processing is designed to be up to 10 milliseconds faster, and that tiny fraction of a second is enough time to be a significant advantage in competitive gaming. It also features a lighting system that is designed to be driven by actions in over 300+ games. I really like the detachable micro USB cable, which makes this keyboard highly portable.
Pros
- High-Quality Switches
- Easy to Transport
- Steep Angle Adjustment
- 12 Programmable Keys
- No Batteries that Can Die
Cons
- Switches are not Cherry MX Switches, but some consider to be better.
- No Palm Rest
#2 SteelSeries Apex M750 TKL RGB
Features
- Aluminum Frame
- RGB LED Backlit
- Linear and Quiet Switches
This keyboard features a highly durable aluminum frame, which is resistant to fingerprints, wear, and damage. The N-Key rollover means that all the keys on the keyboard are registered, no matter how many are pressed at the same time. I really like the lighting effect that the exposed keycaps produce, but the light leakage around the keys may not be for everyone.
The switches are designed to be similar to Cherry MX Red switches, but as many have pointed out, they feel slightly different. If you are looking for a simplistic TKL keyboard, with responsive keys that are designed for gaming, the Apex M750 TKL may be for you.
Pros
- Durable Aluminum Frame
- Per-Key RGB Lighting
- Discord Lighting Notifications
- Minimalistic Design
- N-Key Rollover
Cons
- Similar to Cherry MX Switches
- Limited Lighting Responses from in Game Actions
- No Media Controls
- No Wrist Pad
#3 Corsair K65 LUX RGB
Features
- Cherry Red MX Switches
- Anodized Brushed Aluminum
- Media Controls
This is overall an excellent TKL keyboard, but Corsair really missed the mark with the cable, which is not detachable and comes with an oddly shaped USB connector, which can interfere with other USB cables that are plugged in next to it. The way my motherboard is designed, there is very little space in between the USB ports on the back of my computer and this keyboard’s USB connector would make it a very tight squeeze to plug in a USB device into the adjacent port.
I realize that this is a minor quirk, but this keyboard really does have a lot going for it other than that. The keycaps are raised off the brushed aluminum frame, there’s a USB pass-through port for plugging in a mouse or a USB headset, the RGB lighting looks good, and there are media controls on the top. It also features a detachable wrist rest, which is really nice.
Another thing that I dislike is the textured space bar, which I really don’t care for. The keyboard comes with extra keys that are textured, so you can replace commonly used keys in games with textured keys, but there’s no untextured space bar included, which seems odd to me.
Pros
- Rapidly Chills Beverages
- USB Passthrough Port
- Braided USB Cable
- Full Key Rollover
- Detachable Wrist Rest
Cons
- USB Cable is Not Removable
- Large USB Connector Can Make it Difficult to Plug Devices into Nearby USB Ports on Some Motherboards
- Textured Space Bar
#4 Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2
Features
- Three Switch Types to Choose From
- Detachable USB Cable
- Designed for Pro Gamers
One thing about this keyboard that strikes me as odd is the removable wrist pad that uses magnets. It seems like it’s a clever feature, since most keyboards with removable wrist pads that use plastic clips or tabs that can easily break. So, using magnets solves the problem of the breaking tabs, but unfortunately, you can now accidentally detach the wrist pad while gaming.
If you have no plans to use the wrist pad, then this keyboard is basically flawless for gaming. The keycaps are not raised off the frame, so the lighting effect of the keyboard is a little hard to see from a distance. The frame of the keyboard below the keycaps is painted white to help the light reflect back.
That means there will be much less light leakage, but it diminishes the lighting effects. The switches the keyboard uses are produced inhouse by Razor and come in three varieties, green, orange, and yellow. Overall, we really like this keyboard, but it is on the more expensive side.
Pros
- Short Switch Travel Distance, Similar to Cherry Speed Switches
- Detachable Wrist Rest that Attaches with Magnets not Clips
- Braided Detachable USB Cable
- Chills Bottles in About 6 Minutes
- Can also Warm Beverages
Cons
- Highest Retail Price on the List
- No Dedicated Media Controls
- Function Key is in an Odd Place
- Doesn’t Look Professional
- Noisy
#5 HyperX Alloy FPS Pro
Features
- Minimalistic
- Cherry MX Switches
- Great Value
This keyboard made our list because we feel that it’s an excellent value for what you pay. If you just want a great gaming keyboard, don’t want to spend a ton of money, and just want a minimalistic TKL keyboard, this model from HyperX may be for you. This keyboard has a lot of appeal to non-gamers as well, who don’t really need or want a bunch of extra functionality that they’re not going to use.
Another point is that this keyboard does have Cherry MX brand Red switches. Overall, this is an excellent keyboard with all of the essentials that you would need but lacks RGB lighting effects that some gamers will want.
Pros
- Cherry MX Keys
- Simple and Minimalistic
- Highly Compact
- Great Value
Cons
- No Rear USB Passthrough Port
- No Dedicated Media Keys
- Odd Function Key Position
- Lighting is Red Only, Not RBG
#6 CFnatic MiniSTREAK
Features
- Cherry MX Brand Switches
- Well Thought Out Detachable Cable
- Great Value
This keyboard from Fanatic is the tenkeyless version of the Streak keyboard, and we think that it is a strong contender compared to the other keyboards in our list. It definitely has the most thought out detachable USB cable. The connector has a built-in cord keeper, and the USB Type-C connector is at a right angle, both of which help to prevent the cord from being accidentally removed.
The full-sized version of this keyboard comes with a USB pass-through while the MiniStreak version does not. For me personally, I really like having the ability to plug a USB device into my keyboard, and I actually prefer the full-sized model for that reason. It also comes with Cherry MX brand switches, which make this keyboard a great choice.
Pros
- Dedicated Media Keys
- Detachable USB Type-C Connector
- Integrated USB Cord Keeper
- Detachable Wrist Pad
- Competition Mode Button
Cons
- Lacks Volume Controls, Mute Only
- Function Key Placement
- Doesn’t Stand Out Enough Compared to Full Sized Variant
#7 Cooler Master MK730
Features
- Great Value
- Cherry MX Brand Switches
- Simple and Practical
This keyboard also features a relatively good detachable USB cable design. The cable has a built-in cord keeper that can be used to channel the cable directly out the back, or through the back-right or the back-left of the keyboard. The aluminum backplate helps to add rigidity to the board and gives it an excellent quality look.
Without the detachable wrist pad attached, the front edge of the board that would typically face you looks like cheap shiny plastic. It was probably designed that way so that the detachable wrist pad can affix itself to the board easily using internal magnets. The problem with that is that it doesn’t visually match the rest of the keyboard.
The big pro of this keyboard is that it uses Cherry MX brand switches and has all of the functionality that you would expect from a high-end gaming keyboard.
Pros
- Braided Detachable USB Cable
- Detachable Wrist Rest
- Brushed Aluminum Back Plate
- Included Keycap Puller
- Cherry MX Brand Switches
Cons
- Magnets That Attach Wrist Rest Could be Stronger
- No Dedicated Media Keys
#8 DREVO Excalibur 84-Key
Features
- Includes Dust Cover
- Detachable USB Cable
- Slightly Smaller Design Saves Space
This keyboard goes slightly further than a tenkeyless design and is an 84-key keyboard, also known as a 75% width keyboard. Whether you like the 84-key design is going to depend highly on your personal preference. Instead of the arrow keys and the delete/page up/page down key cluster being separate from the main section of the keyboard, they are directly next to the primary key group.
The big advantage is that by relocating those keys is that it frees up even more space for your mouse. For gamers that like a low mouse sensitivity and a large mouse surface, that can actually be a significant advantage. The disadvantage is that using the keyboard functions can sometimes be slightly more complicated, and there is a little bit of a learning curve.
Pros
- 84 Key Design Gives More Mouse Space
- All Aluminum Frame
- Simplistic Design
- Cherry MX Switches
Cons
- No Included Wrist Pad
- No Rear Inclination Adjustment
- No RGB, White LED Lighting Only
- Odd Font on Keys
- Right Alt and Controls are Tightly Clustered
#9 Cougar Puri TKL1
Features
- Cherry MX Switches
- Quality Dust Cover
- Braided Detachable Cable
Overall this is a great keyboard gaming, but unfortunately, it lacks RGB lighting and only has white LED-backlit keys. The cable is a detachable braided USB cable that has three wire channels. The detachable dust cover is a really nice feature if you live somewhere that’s dusty.
The cover attaches to the keyboard with magnets and making it great for traveling. Since the keycaps are not raised above the frame, it will be slightly harder to clean than some of the other keyboards on our list. It comes in a slightly lower price point than the other keyboards on the list, making it a worth-while option.
Pros
- Dust Cover that Attaches with Magnets
- Cherry MX Switches
- Detachable Braided USB Cable
- The Backlight has 3 Brightness Levels
- Cost-Effective
Cons
- No Included Wrist Rest
- White LED Backlight, no RGB
- No Dedicated Media Buttons
- No Software Support For Macros
#10 MSI Vigor GK-70
Features
- Cherry MX Switches
- RGB Backlit Keys
- Works with MSI Mystic Light Technology
This keyboard by itself is good, but there’s one thing about it that makes it really interesting. I feel that it’s kind of a gimmick, but if you happen to have an MSI motherboard, you can synchronize the lighting effects with MSI’s Mystic Light technology. It features Cherry MX switches and a braided USB cable that is removable.
One thing that I didn’t like about this keyboard is that it comes with silver metallic WASD keys. Now, they do give you the standard WASD keys if you want your keyboard’s keys to have a more traditional look.
They also include some extra keys that do not indicate which letter they are but have a grippy texture to them. One minor issue with this keyboard is the text and symbols on specific keys are somewhat strange. As an example, the shift keys, there is a number 1, and the function key the symbol is a dragon.
Pros
Metallic Back Plate
Braided Removable USB Cable
Integrates with MSI Mystic Light Technology
Cherry MX Switches
Cons
- Comes with Silver Metalic WASD Keycaps that Can be Replaced with Included Keycaps
- No Dedicated Media Keys
- No Included Wrist Pad
- Strange Symbols on Certain Keys, Such as Function
Enjoying Gaming With the Best TKL Keyboard
Finding the right TLK keyboard can be difficult as all the manufacturers have created slightly different products to try to appeal to people’s distinct desires. Having a detachable USB cable is has a great benefit as it allows you to quickly swap out keyboards without having to disconnect the cable from the back of the computer. High-quality key switches are also essential, but the different options available are mostly preference.
RGB lighting is a feature that some people really have no use for and don’t care about. We hoped you enjoyed our favorite tenkeyless keyboards and that we’ve helped you to find the right one for you.