Best Backlight Keyboard Reviews 2023

When it comes to pricing, illuminated keyboards span a range, depending on their features and construction materials. For example, a small, lightweight and portable backlight keyboard that can withstand up to three million keystrokes costs about $20. On the other side, the price of a waterproof backlit keyboard with a military-grade metal top and key switches that can withstand eight million keystrokes can go up to about $100. So, be prepared to pay more for additional features. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t cheap backlight keyboards available on the market. You’ll come across them, but you need to be careful as they are likely made of poor quality materials that aren’t durable. Luckily, as we haven’t included such in our review, there’s no cause for alarm.

When shopping for a keyboard with backlighting, it’s important to consider what you want to use it for as this will determine the key features that you’ll focus on. This way, your selection process will be less tedious.

Below are the important features to look for in a backlight keyboard:

• Type – Is it a portable, standard or gaming keyboard?
• Size – Its dimensions and weight
• Lights – Information about its lighting mechanism
• Connectivity – How it connects to the computer, e.g. wired, wireless, etc.
• Construction material – What it is made of
• Compatibility – Which operating systems is it compatible with?
• Operating modes – What operating modes does it have?
• Other features – Other features such as anti-ghosting keys, programmable keys, etc.

With these features, you’ll be able to find an illuminated keyboard that’s within your budget.

Some of the common materials used in manufacturing illuminated keyboards include ABS plastic and metal. These materials are normally used because of their quality and durability, aspects that are necessary when building a mechanical keyboard that must withstand intense gaming situations. When it comes to the design of keyboard keys, some brands make the outer housing in such a way that it deflects dirt and water. These housing units are also printed with characters that don’t fade. Additionally, keys have contact switches which have a specific keystroke lifespan.

Standard keyboards usually have a 5 million keystroke lifespan while some of the high-end brands offer up to 8 million keystrokes. You’ll, therefore, need to know how many keystrokes your keyboard keys are built to perform. These keys may be or may not be individually lit with LEDs. Moreover, these LEDs can be designed to produce a single colored or multicolored lighting effect. Moreover, some companies make certain keys on their keyboards programmable.

Any keyboard must have a way of connecting to your computer or mobile device. This can be through a USB bus, PS2 cable, Bluetooth or wireless interface. Each one of these interfaces poses some pros and cons depending on what you want to use the device for. Before you decide to buy an illuminated keyboard, make sure you confirm what operating system it’s compatible with. This is because while some keyboards can be used by both PC and Mac owners, others are built to work with Windows operating systems only.

If you type or play computer games a lot, you’re bound to get tired at some point. However, if your backlit keyboard has a palm and wrist rest, you can work for longer periods without getting fatigued. This will also depend on the design of the keyboard keys. For example, soft keys with fast response rate ensure that you use little effort to get your work done as compared to using a slow device with hard keys.

It’s also important to note that the lifespan of a keyboard depends on the maximum keystrokes of its keys. For instance, a keyboard with an eight million keystroke lifespan will last longer than one whose keys can only take five million. In addition, keyboards with programmable keys allow you to assign specific tasks to the keys thus giving you added convenience, especially when playing games. Keyboards must be powered for them to function, so they usually come with either a USB bus or rechargeable batteries. This ensures that you won’t lose money on recurrent costs such as buying batteries.