Have you ever been playing a game and thought to yourself, “man, this keyboard is huge and I only use like half of it”? Well, apparently so have literally thousands of other people. So, thanks to the magic of capitalism, companies have answered the call of duty and designed products to solve this distinctly first world problem.
Whether you’re looking for something to help you add more macros into your video editing workflow or just up your MOBA gameplay we’ve gathered up our top picks to help you find the best gaming keypad for your needs.
Best MMO keypad
Logitech G13
- Number of Keys: 25
- Backlighting: No
- Key Switches: Membrane
- Scroll Wheel: No
- Thumb Stick: Yes
- Wrist-rest: Yes
RGB PC gamepad
Razer Tartarus V2
- Number of Keys: 32
- Backlighting: Yes
- Key Switches: Mecha-membrane
- Scroll Wheel: Yes
- Thumb Stick: Yes
- Wrist-rest: Yes
Real mechanical keypads
Razer Orbweaver Chroma
- Number of Keys: 30
- Backlighting: Yes
- Key Switches: Razer Green (Mechanical)
- Scroll Wheel: No
- Thumb Stick: Yes
- Wrist-rest: Yes
Minimalist gaming number pad
Koolertron Single-Handed Mechanical Keyboard
- Number of Keys: 44
- Backlighting: No
- Key Switches: Cherry MX Red
- Scroll Wheel: No
- Thumb Stick: No
- Wrist-rest: No
Most affordable
GameSir GK100
- Number of Keys: 34
- Backlighting: Yes
- Key Switches: Unbranded Mechanical “Blue”
- Scroll Wheel: No
- Thumb Stick: No
- Wrist-rest: Yes
Table of Contents
1. Logitech G13
Best MMO keypad
- Number of Keys: 25
- Backlighting: No
- Key Switches: Membrane
- Scroll Wheel: No
- Thumb Stick: Yes
- Wrist-rest: Yes
- LCD display panel
- Breathable soft wrist-rest
- No backlighting
- Oddly pricey
If you’ve seen our keyboard roundups then you’re probably already familiar with the fact that Logitech offers some of the best gaming peripherals on the market. So it should come as no surprise that a Logitech product has taken the top spot on our list as the king of the PC gaming keypad market.
The main reason for this is thanks to its most unique feature: the LCD display located right above the keys. This is a huge boon for both gaming and productivity and serves several purposes.
For work, it can show your computer’s CPU load, RAM usage, temperature, and other system specs. For gaming, it can help manage your inventory and keep track of vital stats. This is huge for both MMO and MOBA players where designing your build based on certain stats and using the right buffs at the right time can be absolutely crucial for victory.
In addition to the LCD display, this is also an incredibly comfortable gaming pad to use thanks to the very soft and breathable wrist rest. While the key switches are not mechanical they still feel very nice for membrane switches and won’t have you turning up your nose in disgust.
The G13 has an impressive 25 programmable keys, which is solid but not incredible. Unfortunately, however, the keys are not backlit which can make gaming in the dark quite a bit more challenging, especially if you are adjusting your macros some and don’t have them dedicated to your muscle memory.
2. Razer Tartarus V2
RGB PC gamepad
- Number of Keys: 32
- Backlighting: Yes
- Key Switches: Mecha-membrane
- Scroll Wheel: Yes
- Thumb Stick: Yes
- Wrist-rest: Yes
- Tactile switches
- Stunning RGB
- Ergonomic design
- Not real mechanical switches
Razer is known for making some meticulously designed products tailored specifically toward gamers and the Tartarus V2 is a great example of that. This is the second version of the second product that Razer designed to fill the role of miniature one-handed keyboard and they really hit the nail on the head with it (third time’s the charm).
For starters, as with most Razer products, the Tartarus sports some excellent and highly customizable RGB backlighting. The lighting, as well as the macros and key bindings, are controlled through Razer’s Synapse software, which recently saw a big update with the release of an early Synapse 3.0 build.
The wrist-rest is also second to none. In fact, Razer has excellent wrist-rests in general. I personally have recovered from an actual repetitive strain injury while using a BlackWidow Elite thanks to the incredibly supportive and ergonomic wrist rests that Razer designs.
As for keys, there are a whopping 32 of them in addition to a thumbstick and a scroll wheel that makes the Tartarus V2 great for more than just gaming. The switches, however, can leave some people wanting more. They are tactile and responsive but are still technically membranes making them a spit squishy and soft when bottoming out.
3. Razer Orbweaver Chroma
Real mechanical keypads
- Number of Keys: 30
- Backlighting: Yes
- Key Switches: Razer Green (Mechanical)
- Scroll Wheel: No
- Thumb Stick: Yes
- Wrist-rest: Yes
- Real mechanical switches
- Highly customizable
- No scroll wheel
If you’re looking for a PC gameboard that uses high quality real mechanical switches, then the Razer Orbweaver Chroma is a strong contender. The Orbweaver is Razer’s first gamepad product and came out before the Tartarus so it lacks some of the refinement that the Tartarus has but flaunts a few nice features of its own.
For starters, unlike the Tartarus, it uses real mechanical switches that don’t have the soft bottom out that the membrane switches of the Tartarus have. It’s equipped with Razer’s own green switches which are tactile and clicky.
It also uses the Synapse software, just like the Tartarus, which lets you customize the RGB backlighting as well as all of your macros and keybindings. Sadly, the Orbweaver falls just short of its newer brother with only 30 keys, two fewer than the Tartarus we just looked at.
Another place that it falls short of its Razer companion is in the wrist-rest. While the Orbweaver does have a wrist rest it is not like the soft leather of the Tartarus. It is made out of a much more firm rubberized material that is significantly less ergonomic than the Tartarus.
The Orbweaver also lacks a scroll wheel, making it much less suited towards non-gaming tasks.
4. Koolertron Single-Handed Mechanical Keyboard
Minimalist gaming number pad
- Number of Keys: 44
- Backlighting: No
- Key Switches: Cherry MX Red
- Scroll Wheel: No
- Thumb Stick: No
- Wrist-rest: No
- Tons of keys
- Simple design
- Minimal features
For those who have never heard of a man named Taran Van Hemert, I feel sorry for you. He is likely the most efficient video editor on earth and he made a four hour video tutorial on Adobe Premiere Pro showing how he does it. The secret? Lots and lots of programmable keys.
If you love gaming, but also want a great way to optimize your workflow whether it be editing video, spreadsheets, or photoshop then this keypad from Koolertron is our recommendation for you. It sports a simple design that might not appeal to hardcore gamers in the same way that Razer’s products do, but will look much more at home in a more professional environment.
To help get your work done or crush your opponents this keypad has 44 real mechanical keys, making it the best on our list in terms of the sheer number of keys. Additionally, the switches on the Koolertron are Cherry MX Reds. We’ll get more into what this means in the guide section of our article, but Cherry is the most trusted name in mechanical switches today.
Unfortunately, the more productivity-focused design of this keypad means it lacks many of the features that the competitors on this list have. There is no wrist rest, backlighting, thumbstick, or scroll wheel. It’s also flat, rather than raised up, so it’s not quite as ergonomic either. While this might be a huge let down for those who have an FPS heavy repertoire of games, it might not be too rough on MOBA and MMO players where these keypads really shine.
5. GameSir GK100
Most affordable gaming keypad
- Number of Keys: 34
- Backlighting: Yes
- Key Switches: Unbranded Mechanical “Blue”
- Scroll Wheel: No
- Thumb Stick: No
- Wrist-rest: Yes
- More typical keyboard layout
- Highly affordable
- A bit uncomfortable
Finally, the last gaming keypad we’re looking at is the GK100 from GameSir. This is the most affordable gamepad on our list by a decent margin but still has an impressively sturdy build quality.
Aside from affordability, this keypad has a design that actually makes it stand out for some people. While pretty much all the other keypads on our list use unique key layouts that makes them exclusively useful for macros and bindings, this keypad actually mimics the layout of a standard keyboard.
Unlike the rest of the keypads we looked at that have keys that are simply numbered, these backlit keys are labeled with letters and are offset in their alignment just like a normal keyboard, but cut in half at the “T” column.
This opens up the keypad to play more than just MMOs and MOBA where macros are king. This partial keyboard design makes it great for everything from Action RPGs to shooters. It uses real mechanical switches too, although, they are unbranded so they won’t match up to the Cherry or Razer switches.
While this does have a wrist-rest, it is probably the least comfortable and ergonomic on our list and is made from some poorly molded hard rubber. That said, it is removable so if it is that offensive to you there is always the option to just get rid of it.
How to Pick the Best Gaming Keypad for Your Needs
Every one of the gaming keypads on this list made it here for a reason. These are the best options on the market, but each one excels in certain areas. To arm you with the knowledge to make the best choice of gaming keypad for your needs we’ve written a brief rundown on some of the most important things to keep an eye on and why we chose some of the products on this list.
Key Switches
Key switches are the component that lies underneath each key of a keyboard or keypad that actually registers your clicks. Membrane switches are the most common type of switch on the market, but as many gamers know, mechanical switches are where it’s really at.
If you want the full detailed rundown on mechanical switches we urge you to check out our mechanical keyboard article, since we’re only going to be looking at the most relevant information here.
In short, the Razer greens found on the Orbweaver and the unbranded “blue” switches on the GK100 will perform similarly. They will require a modest amount of force and will have a tactile and audible “click” at the point where a keystroke is actually registered. That said, the Razer switches will feel more consistent and perform more reliably.
The Cherry MX red switches found on the Koolertron keypad are slightly lighter to press than the blue and green switches, but will have no feeling or sound to represent when the keystroke has been registered.
Number of Keys and Layout
Depending on what games you play and even how you play them different numbers of keys might be needed. In the average MOBA you may only need about a half dozen keys to be effective, but this depends on how you play as well. For example, if you play Invoker in DOTA 2 then you will need a lot more keys than a Wraith King main.
If you’re looking for the maximum number of keys possible, whether it be for work or play, the Koolertron is the top dog. It has an astounding 44 keys making it great for anyone who feels like they just need more keys in their life.
So What are Macros?
For anyone who’s made it this far into the article without knowing what a macro is you’re about to learn something life-changing. Macros are a way of programming a single key press to perform a series of actions that would otherwise require multiple clicks.
This has a huge variety of applications in both gaming and work. When it comes to gaming, macros are used a ton in genres like MMOs where certain abilities are commonly used in sequence. Rather than hitting 1 then 2 then 4 then 6 then 5 in that order over and over, which is a pretty common situation in WoW, you can hit a single button that will go through that sequence for you.
For working the application is pretty similar. Softwares like Premier and Photoshop often use button combinations to perform things like zooming in or cropping. Instead of ctrl+alt+J to resize something, you can just hit a single key.