Best Apple Mechanical Keyboard

The PICTEK TKL Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is one of the least expensive mechanical keyboards on the market. Incredibly compact and fun to look at, it is a tremendous value. This mechanical keyboard is a great budget pick for a second keyboard for bringing to LAN parties or gaming tournaments, but the absence of a number pad and a single color. Keychron K2 Bluetooth Mechanical Keyboard with Gateron Red Switch/RGB LED Backlit/USB C/Anti.

There is a small fanbase in the mechanical keyboard community that absolutely love 75% mechanical keyboards.

Best Mechanical Keyboards for Mac in 2020 #1. Keychron K2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard for Mac. This 84-key wireless keyboard from Keychron has a unique Mac. Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for Mac from HUO JI. With full 104 keys (that includes a comfortable number pad), this.

They are a nice balance between the ultra-compact 60% keyboard and the bulky full-sized keyboard, the only problem is they are quite difficult to find.

We decided to put together a list of the best 75% mechanical keyboards to help you pick the perfect one out.

The Best 75% Keyboards: Our Top Picks

We’ll go more into the details and features of each of the keyboards to help you decide what the best keyboard for you might be.

7. Qisan Magicforce 82 Key: Best Budget 75% Keyboard

Barebones & Simple

The Qisan 82 is a pretty barebones keyboard, but if you’re looking for a relatively cheap mechanical keyboard with the 75% layout, this may be the one for you.

This keyboard comes with Gateron Brown switches, which are a knockoff of Cherry MX’s. Usually for a cheaper keyboard such as this one, the switches will be from Chinese brands such as Gateron or Outemu.

White & Blue Design

The keyboard comes with Blue backlighting and a white case design that offset each other for an interesting aesthetic.

The keyboard features the floating keycap design, which looks clean and professional, something that can be used in the office.

Should you Get the Qisan Magicforce 82 Key?

The Qisan Magicforce 82 is the perfect choice for someone looking to purhase a simple no-frills keyboard in the 75% layout.

The keyboard is affordable and gets the job done, would be an excellent choice to upgrade your rubber dome office keyboard to a mechanical one.

You can find the keyboard on Amazon here for an affordable price.

6. Keycool 84: Best 75% Keyboard for Gaming

Cool Design Choices

The Keycool 84 is an interesting keyboard, that is on the higher end. The keyboard has custom keycap designs that come in several different colors based on your preference.

You can choose between Blue/Grey, Black/Red, and White/Blue designs. The keycaps are PBT which makes them a bit higher quality than some of the other keyboards on the list.

Cherry MX Switch Options

The Keycool 84 lets you choose between Cherry MX Red and Brown switches, so if you enjoy linear or tactile switches, you should be able to get the feel you want.

We would like to see more switch options, considering the price the keyboard is going for, but you can’t always get what you want. A Cherry MX Blue would be a nice addition for those who prefer the clicky noises.

Should you Get the Keycool 84?

Overall, the Keycool 84 has a very nice aesthetic and works great. If you want a keyboard with genuine Cherry MX switches and some awesome colorways without worrying about the features, the Keycool 84 is a great choice.

You can find the Keycool 84 on Amazon with a lot of different purchase options available.

5. Epomaker NIZ Plum: Best Topre(ish) 75% Keyboard

Clean White/Gray Design

Coming in hot at number 4 is the Epomaker NIZ Plum, this is where the list really starts to get interesting.

The Plum features a super clean white and gray design, that is reminiscent of the old IBM buckling spring keyboards.

The keyboard has a retro look to it, but don’t be fooled, it comes with all the bells & whistles of a newer keyboard.

Electro-Capacitive Switches

The NIZ Plum has some really unique switches that are acuated through an electro-capacitive force.

Very similar to Topre switches, these switches are tactile and feel slightly better than a Cherry MX Brown switch.

The electro-capacitive switches have some of the coolest sounds on the market as well.

Packed with Useful Features

The list doesn’t end when it comes to the features inside this board, but I’ll attempt to list them all out. The Plum has PBT keycaps, fully programmable keys, anti-ghosting, six-key rollover, and adjustable feet.

Should You Get the Epomaker NIZ Plum?

The NIZ Plum is the perfect keyboard for someone looking for something a little different. The electro-capacitive switches are fun and sound really nice, making this a good keyboard to try something new.

You can find the NIZ Plum on Amazon for a suprisingly low price considering the switch type.

4. Epomaker EP84: Best Mid-Range 75% Keyboard

Durable PBT Keycaps

Coming with finely constructed PBT keycaps, this keyboard is sure to last a long time before breaking. With this style of plastic, the legends are less likely to wear down over time and develop a greasy shine to it.

Not to mention, the RGB lighting will illuminate the legends and make it easier to type at night. The only downside is without the RGB lighting turned on the, the keycaps are low-contrast and hard to read.

Outfitted With Gateron Switches

As one of the smoothest switches on the market, Gateron offer an excellent typing experience – especially if you opt for the linear variation.

With a lifespan of 50 million keystrokes, they don’t last quite as long as Cherry MX, but make up for that lack of durability with an improved feel and less scratchy actuation.

Gateron Red or Yellow is an excellent switch to pick with this keyboard.

Detachable Power Cable

The detachable power cable also makes this keyboard very easy to plug in and plug out. Perfect for if you like to swap between multiple keyboards or take them on the go.

The detachable cable also makes the build more durable, because if the cable breaks, you simply replace it without need to replace the whole keyboard (or fix it).

You can find the Epomaker EP84 on Amazon through this link.

3. Keychron K2: Best Wireless 75% Keyboard

Well-Built and Reliable

The K2 features a thick plastic/aluminum case with a high profile design and gray/light-gray design that looks professional and aesthetic.

The company that makes the K2, Keychron, also makes lots of other unique layout models. They have a 65%, TKL-compact, and low-profile models.

The company really specializes in the different niche layouts and they do a great job with the K2.

Packed with Awesome Features

The K2 is a mechanical keyboard with wireless functionality, which can connect to 3 devices at once making it quite easy to toggle between devices. The keyboard also has an impressive battery that can last up to two weeks.

The K2 is functional with Windows and Apple operating systems, and located on the side of the keyboard is a sliding switch that makes it easy to toggle between the different operating systems.

Our only mild criticism of the K2 is the thickness, it can make it difficult to type on without a wrist rest and can cause some fatigue after typing for a while.

On top of that, the USB-C power cable connection was on the left side of the keyboard which is a little awkward to plug in. Usually the port is located on the backside of the keyboard.

Should you Get the Keychron K2?

For Mac users, the Keychron K2 is the perfect recommendation. The compatibility with both operating systems is very handy and the Bluetooth Wireless connection is super convenient.

You can find the Keychron K2 on Amazon for a super affordable price.

2. Vortexgear Race 3: Best High-End 75% Keyboard

Excellent Aluminum Design

Vortexgear 3 comes with an anodized aluminum case that feels sturdy and heavy. This makes the keyboard feel solid and very stable when typing.

The keyboard also comes with some nice custom PBT keycaps designs, so the layout is unique and does not get those shiny grease marks that ABS keycaps get.

Convenient Features

The keyboard comes layered with COLEMAK and DVORAK, so if you are an expert at typing with these layouts, you’ll enjoy how easy it is to switch between them.

On top of that, you have the option between Cherry MX Brown and Blues so you can decide between loud and tactile or quiet and tactile switches.

The only downside we found to this keyboard with the USB plugin did not feel very secure.

We also found a lot of complaints from reviews about how for some people the plug would fall out after some light usage.

Be careful if you’re keyboard has this issue as well because it sounds like they might have some manufacturing issues.

Should You Get the Vortexgear Race 3?

The Vortex Race 3 is an excellent keyboard for someone who holds build quality above all else. You can’t beat the anodized aluminum frame and the dye-sublimated PBT keycaps, you’ll just need to be prepared to pay a little extra.

You can find the Vortex Race 3 on Amazon for a competitive price.

1. Drevo Excalibur

Sleek Design and Build

The Drevo Excalibur comes in either black or white case designs with a floating keycap design. The build looks sleek and very compact. When purchasing you’ll have the option between several different Cherry MX switches including the Black, Blue, Brown, and Red switches.

It’s always nice to have a pick between several switch options because it really allows you to customize the feel of the keyboard for your own specific tastes.

Big Bold Legends on Keycaps

Best Mechanical Keyboard

The legends are big and bold colored, and look like they’re designed with the gamer in mind, which may be perfect for some and a little overwhelming for others.

If the keycap design is a dealbreaker, it wouldn’t be too crazy to buy another keycap set online for $20 and swap them out. This keyboard only has white backlighting, so if you enjoy RGB lighting you’re out of luck.

Should you Get the Drevo Excalibur?

Overall, this is a great keyboard for the price and does everything well. The build quality is nice with the sleek plastic and aluminum design and the keyboard is really fun to use.

You can find the keyboard on Amazon for a mid-range price using this link.

There are a ton of different mechanical keyboard sizes (size guide here), so it can get a little confusing keeping track of all the differences between the layouts.

A 75% mechanical keyboard is a more compact version of a tenkeyless board without having to get rid of any of the keys.

Like tenkeyless layouts, a 75% keyboard does not have the number pad which makes the keyboard much smaller.

A More Efficient Layout

Without the number pad, you hand also doesn’t have to travel as far to reach the mouse, so it can make it faster to go back and forth between clicking and typing.

It does have the drawback of making data entry slower because you won’t be able to enter numbers quite as fast.

The navigational cluster is formatted in a much different way then TKL and full-sized boards. Instead of being placed in the a 3×3 format, the keys are aligned vertically to save space.

By smushing them all together, you end up with a more square-shaped board packed with keys.

Comfort vs. Compact

Using a 75% keyboard may be a little awkward at first because you’ll need to get used to the different placement of the delete, home, and insert keys. Luckily, these aren’t used too much anyways, just beware it may take you a little while to get used to the more compact layout.

In my opinion, the 75% keyboard utilizes space in a much more efficient space than other keyboard layouts without removing any features that feel necessary.

The next size down, 65% keyboards, get rid of the function row and the entire navigation cluster, so it can be quite difficult to make that jump.

Ducky One 2 Mini

With 75% keyboards you’re not sacrificing much for a more compact keyboard. For that reason, I think 75% mechanical keyboards are a great size.

Conclusion

75% keyboards are an absolute gem, they attempt to maximize comfort and portability to save precious desk space. We highly recommend the Drevo Excalibur, Vortexgear Race 3, and the Keychron K2 depending on the price range and features you are looking for.

The other options, Qisan Magicforce 82, Keycool 84, and Epomaker NIZ Plum all make for excellent choices as well.

We hope you found this list of some killer 75% keyboards useful, we try to review these keyboards in the most unbiased way possible and provide the best keyboard reviews for you.

Overall, we were impressed by all the keyboards on this list, but we would like to see more keyboard companies start producing 75% keyboard layouts because they are such a fun size to use.

As always, happy typing!

Best Apple Mechanical Keyboard