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Keyboards and keyboard accessories under $100 — budget-friendly gifts for keyboard enthusiasts
The best gifts to get keyboard lovers — even if they already have a keyboard they love.
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Keyboards are one of the most important, if not the most important, PC peripherals. You use your keyboard constantly — it's the primary input source for just about everyone (there are a few exceptions). And everyone deserves a keyboard that's a little nicer than the $5 board that was tossed in for free with your last PC purchase. Or — god forbid — whatever's built into your laptop.
If you've got a gamer, a writer, or, well, anyone who uses a computer for any reason in your life, they could probably use a keyboard upgrade. Even keyboard enthusiasts with multiple mechanical boards will appreciate a new one, especially if it fills a niche — say, a low-profile board that's portable and perfect for traveling, or a nostalgia-inducing retro-inspired board that's reminiscent of their favorite old-school game console.
Mechanical keyboards don't usually come cheap, but there are several budget-friendly boards that any keyboard lover would be thrilled to receive. And if they've already got the board of their dreams, pick up a fun accessory — a cool-looking cable, some pretty keycaps, or a wrist rest — to really elevate their typing experience.
There aren't a ton of budget-friendly mechanical keyboards built for keyboard enthusiasts, but there are a few. These are all pre-built, so your recipient won't need to know how to assemble anything, but you can also often pick up bare-bones keyboard kits for cheaper than their fully built counterparts.
This full-size wired mechanical keyboard comes with red (linear) or brown (tactile) switches and has a hot-swappable PCB, PBT keycaps, and up to a 1,000 Hz polling rate — so it's great for both work and play.
This compact 75% keyboard comes with Leobog Reaper switches, PBT keycaps, and a programmable knob. The shell is mostly plastic, but the layers of sound-dampening material make for a nice "thock."
This 75% wireless mechanical keyboard features a gasket mount design, PBT keycaps, bright RGB backlighting, and a customizable TFT screen, as well as a programmable knob. And a hot-swappable PCB so you can bring your own switches.
This low-profile wireless 75% mechanical keyboard comes with a wrist rest that doubles as a keyboard stand to adjust the angle. The board comes with low-profile linear switches and features a full aluminum body, so it looks and feels premium — but still costs under $100.